Tag Archives: Selling

How to Build Credibility with Your Sales Copy

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When visitors are making a decision about whether or not to buy, their “shields are up.” They’re watching carefully for any sign you might be a jerk, a crook, or just not able to deliver on your promises. They need you to soothe their unspoken anxieties and objections . This doesn’t have to be a daunting task. In fact, a powerful way to make this happen is something you’re probably already doing on your blog. The key is to show your prospect the person (or people) standing behind the offer. Put a human face and some credibility-based context on that sales message. Readers want to know who they’re dealing with — and why they should trust that person. It’s up to you to communicate it in an effective and engaging way. Let’s talk about three strategies for building sales-driving credibility into your copy. 1. The “about me” approach This is probably the most recognizable credibility-building tool, because you see it everywhere. Blogs have an “About” page, and many sales pages have some variation of the Who Am I And Why Should You Listen To Me? theme. But you can also use a little more subtlety when introducing yourself to your buyers. Using a “Why I created this product” approach, you can weave your own story into your sales material, by combining details about your experience and credentials with benefit-driven copy that reduces your readers’ resistance to buying. Explain what you’re doing for clients, how your approach addresses the results you deliver to those clients, and then segue into your sales message. For example, a copywriting course sales page could build credibility like this: After spending a decade building a reputation for writing high-conversion copy for clients like (name) and (name), I decided to start teaching my evergreen copywriting strategies to others so they could grow their own businesses … You’d then lead into a brief story about how you have effectively served your copywriting customers. You can see how the credibility factors (10 years of experience, name dropping of high-profile clients) merge with the desired outcomes (evergreen strategies, high conversion), and let you build trust without feeling like a hype machine. By involving the reader in a bit of history (or even what’s happening with present customers), you can satisfy the “about me” section by wrapping it in details that are really about them and the outcome they’re looking for. It seems like they’re getting a story about you. But what they’re really getting is confirmation that you can meet their needs. 2. The “reluctant hero” approach Another strategy is the story of the “unintentional product.” This works by setting up a backstory where the product producer starts gaining a reputation for creating results … and then other people begin clamoring to know how to make it happen for themselves. The reluctant hero is a storytelling archetype, and you may think that makes this approach formulaic or contrived. But assuming your story is both compelling and true (yes, it needs to be both), the reluctant hero story is an extremely effective credibility generator. Here’s an example from my own past: I started out as a personal development coach who began learning how to create and launch my own information products, Third-Tribe style before there was a name for that way of doing things. After a while, my blogging friends began asking me how I was making such strong sales with my products. As I showed them, they started telling people about it. Word got around, and I started getting more calls and emails about launching products than I did about personal development. I decided to create a training manual on how to write and sell ebooks … and the rest is history. The “reluctant hero” approach lets you humanize your accomplishments, weave a story that creates a connection with your audience, and gets readers to see you as a natural fit for what they need. 3. The customer-as-proof approach A third (and highly effective) strategy is to make successful customers the focus of your credibility-building story. After all, why talk about yourself when you can talk about the stunning results your customers have created … and generate credibility by association? You see this all the time when people say things like “using this system, my client generated $5 million in sales in a down economy.” By pointing to the successful results other people have experienced, the product (as well as the creator) gains instant credibility without having to overtly claim “I’m qualified.” When example is stacked upon example, the sense of credibility is continually heightened. Every time you receive a results-based testimonial, consider weaving it into your sales message as more than just a yellow box with a picture in it. Make it part of the story around what your product can truly do. The more examples you have for your reader to see your product’s results, the less “selling” you’ll have to do, because each story reinforces your credibility. And you take advantage of another copywriting cornerstone — making it easy for your prospect to visualize herself as a customer. What’s your favorite credibility builder? These aren’t the only ways to establish credibility in a sales page, but for the aspiring copywriter, they’re a great start. If you’ve got another strategy that’s a personal favorite, please share it in the comments below and let us get to know a little more about you and your story. About the Author : Dave Navarro is a product launch manager who can’t wait for you to join the 7,000+ people using his free workbooks in the Launch Coach Library (a crowd favorite in the Third Tribe forums).

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How to Build Credibility with Your Sales Copy

How To Write Eye-Catching Headlines that Transform Browsers into Buyers

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For your headlines to stop readers in their tracks, capture their attention through every word of your copy, and persuade them to click that “Add to Cart” button without a second thought, you need to master the “headline reading psychology” of your soon-to-be customers. Once you understand why magnetic headlines pull readers in, you’ll know how to do it for your own sales pages, every time. Follow along with me for the next ninety seconds and I’ll show you exactly how you can turn a casual browser of your sales page into an avid reader, curious to drink in your copy until ultimately hitting the “Buy” button. First, get relevant: Tell your readers’ they’re in the right place So many people create clever turns of phrase hoping to pull people into their sales copy and wonder why their catchy headlines just don’t work. The answer is simple: Readers are busy people, and they don’t have time to study your sales letter to see if it’s relevant to them. Instead, they rely on you to do that work for them. But how do you do that? The answer to that is simple as well: You ensure your headline is clear, not clever, telling the reader exactly what your sales copy is poised to deliver. Use specific keywords that show without a doubt that your page is relevant to people with a specific need or a specific problem – and don’t over-think it. If you’re a blogger, you probably already do this with your post titles, so apply that same thinking to your headlines. For example, look at the title for this post – it’s about “how to write headlines.” (Ever wonder why you always hear such high praise for “How to” headlines ? It’s because they’re extremely relevant by nature. Keep in mind, however, that a “how to” headline might not be the most powerful choice for your particular sales page. When it’s time to write your headline, think of the primary, top-of-mind problem or result your readers are after and make that the foundation of your headline. Do this right, and your readers will automatically know that they’re in the right place – and save your cleverness for later. Next, add the carrot: Attach a powerful result to your headline After you establish relevance to your readers’ immediate needs, you need to help your readers connect to a mouth-watering result that comes from addressing that need. The often quoted “How to ____ so you can ____” is a great example of bridging relevance to result. Never forget that your readers aren’t looking for products or services – they’re looking for beneficial outcomes, and the relevant keywords you write into your headline are often the means to that outcome. So ask yourself why your readers want to take that relevant action, and you’ll be guided to a promise or two that you can make in your headline. I’ll use this post as an example again – you’re reading this far because you want to know how to write headlines, but what you’re really after is getting people to buy from your sales page. Look at your browser title bar and you’ll see I worked that into this post’s headline as well. Finally, dress it up: Add emotionally stirring and action words to your headline Once you’ve married relevance to outcome, it’s time to add a little flavor to your headline by hand-picking compelling words to make those two features “pop.” In this post I modified “headlines” with the adjective “eye-catching” to add some life to the text. I’ve also used the powerful transitive verb “transform” to suggest actionable change, which intensifies the promise of desired results. Pick words that make the relevant keywords or the desired results seem more powerful and attainable – or simply add a third component to the headline like a timeframe or a variation of “easy” or “simple” (if it applies). I could go into additional examples here, but you’ll find all that you need in the Magnetic Headlines series. Take a few moments to read through the posts there with a more educated eye, looking for how each example uses relevance, results, and powerful modifiers to make you want to read each post to the very end. Which, now that you think about it, you’ve just done with this post. Sharpen your skills – how can you improve your own headlines? If you want to get better at writing sales page headlines today, take another ninety seconds right now and use these three tips on a recent headline you’ve created. In the comments below, show us your original – and improved version – and get those headline writing muscles working! About the Author : Dave Navarro is a product launch manager who can’t wait for you to join the 7,000+ people using his free workbooks in the Launch Coach Library (a crowd favorite in the Third Tribe forums).

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Four Sales Page Elements That Get People To Buy Now

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When your sales page isn’t converting the way you need it to, it doesn’t just hurt your bottom line – it can cripple your confidence as a writer and make you doubt your future as a marketer. On top of that, the frustration of having to rewrite underperforming copy can make copywriting seem like a tedious chore instead of the enjoyable exercise in persuasion it’s meant to be. Fortunately, there are simple (but powerful) ways to write highly effective copy the first time – copy that gets readers emotionally invested and ready to click that “Add to Cart” button. Read the next few paragraphs, and you’ll have a step-by-step, can’t miss foundation that will make your next sales letter a whole lot easier to write. 1. Get in touch with the pain your reader brings to the table Features aren’t what sell your product – solution-oriented benefits are. You know, the kind of things that say “That thing that’s keeping you up at night? This will fix it.” Before you even begin to try and impress your readers with how incredible your offer is, you’ve got to establish situational relevance with them. You absolutely must get yourself in tune with the pain points that are bringing them to a buying decision. Why are they searching for the kind of thing you’re writing about? What’s holding them back, causing them stress, or making them break out into a cold sweat? Take the time to step into your future customer’s shoes and get a sense of what they’re feeling. What are the most important pain points that they care about, the ones that make them say “If only this could be taken care of, I’d buy that solution in a heartbeat?” Then you can begin framing your product not as “impressive,” but as “the thing that makes their pain go away.” 2. Understand their frustration with “so far” and “out there.” Chances are, your reader has tried to find a solution on their own. They may have tried everything and seen no meaningful result – or worse yet, they could have seen their efforts blow up in their face. This is the “so far” element you have to look into (and if you’ve already stepped into your customer’s shoes, you’ll probably have an idea of how this could play out). This is your chance to think about how your product or service can work for them, even if they’ve failed “so far.” Consider how you’re going to position what you’re selling as a way to make sure those mistakes don’t happen in the past. This time, it’s different. Why? It’s your job to figure that out and express it. The same goes for the “out there.” Your customers may be feeling frustrated that others have it easier in terms of having this problem solved, because other people are smarter, or more established, or naturally have the deck stacked in their favor. There’s a lot of “if only I had what they have …” thinking going on in your customer’s head, and if you can demonstrate how your offer closes the gap, then you’re halfway to the sale. 3. Step them into their “Dream Situation” Once your reader understands that your offering might just be what helps them get away from their pain and frustration, it’s time to take them a step further. Envision what your customer’s perfect outcome would look like as they use your product or service. What problems go away? What new opportunities appear? What changes happen in their life? People don’t buy products – they buy outcomes. Look closely at the outcomes that your offer can produce for your customers and help them see themselves there. Phrases like “Imagine if …” and “Just think of when …” contain powerful words. Let them taste their future, and craft your sentences in such a way that they can immerse themselves in the feeling of being there. When you do this part right, you’ve helped them vividly see how your solution can move them away from pain and frustration and toward their desired outcome. 4. Close the deal with an “Ideal Solution” By this time your reader is excited at the prospect of making their outcome happen – and now’s your chance to position your product as a slam-dunk solution. This is where you bring the features of your offer into play, stepping them through the specifics of why what you’re offering is perfectly suited to helping them achieve that desired outcome. Maybe it’s the format you’re delivering it in – audio, video and PDFs are a great way to guarantee hitting the top learning modalities customers want. Maybe there’s one-on-one consulting tied into the offer, or a Third Tribe-style online community … or maybe it’s all of this. Since your customer’s shoes are still on, think about how your he or she would view the ideal delivery method of your solution. Ask yourself what would make it easier for a customer to tap into the power of your offer , and then make sure it’s worked into your product or service. Once you’ve done that, all that’s left is communicating just how well-suited your offer is to easing their pain, ending their frustration, and helping them finally get closer to their dream situation. Use these four steps to make your next sales letter much more powerful There’s no denying the power of a solid headline and a killer set of opening paragraphs . But the source of that power comes from these four elements – wrap them into the headlines and teaser text at the beginning of your sales letter, and your chances of having readers stick with you to the end go through the roof. Need proof? No you don’t – because I worked these four steps into the introduction of this very post … and you’re still here. The question is, where will these four steps take you next. Take a moment in the comments to share which of these points resonated with you the most, and how you can use them to make your next offer more enticing than ever. About the Author : Dave Navarro is a product launch manager who can’t wait for you to join the 7,000+ people using his free workbooks in the Launch Coach Library (a crowd favorite in the Third Tribe forums).

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How to Use Emotional Copywriting to Kick-Start Your Sales

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Writing with emotion can be hard. Really hard. Especially when it’s on a subject that’s technical. I’m speaking from experience. You see, I recently launched an ebook about keeping WordPress sites more secure, and I asked my friend James Chartrand of Men with Pens if I might be able to write a guest post to try and spread the word. If you’ve been following James’ blog for awhile, you know she doesn’t publish many guest posts, and when she does, her standards are high. The reply to the first article I submitted was, “I’d prefer one that’s less technical and more emotional.” “Um, it’s WordPress security enhancements.” I think I may have said that out loud. Now how the heck am I supposed to tell an emotional story about setting up a WordPress Firewall? I’ll tell you though, it can be done. The story just needs to be told in the right way. It can’t only focus on implementation. After all, the implementation and the “how to” are covered in the ebook. To write with emotion about WordPress security, I had to get to the Why . And whys can be very emotional. I’m not a copywriter, nor am I the world’s greatest storyteller. I’m just a guy who knows a thing or two about how to keep your blog safe at night while you sleep. I know what it’s like to wake up one morning with a nightmare you never knew you had. Telling the “why” from your heart My wife and I had that nightmare once. Our dream was taken from us by someone we never met, someone who could care less that the website they ruined for us helped put food in our kids’ mouths. I tried to describe what happened to us, in hopes it might convince others to take action so it wouldn’t happen to them. My goal in writing the post for James was to convince her readers that the threat of someone breaking into your blog and destroying what you’ve worked so hard at building is real . In fact, it happens all the time . And it’s getting more and more common. When I told the “why,” the “how” became easy to sell. How I learned to become a copywriter (sort of) The truth is, I’ll never be a great copywriter. I’m just a guy who wants to help people, and to sell some copies of my ebook. But my understanding of marketing changed when I understood why emotion matters. When you’re getting out there and trying to sell your product or service, you’ve got to connect on a deeper level. We all hear how you should mention your product’s features, but you really need to glorify the benefits. Features, Advantages, Benefits (FAB). Okay great, got that. But if that’s all you’re looking at, there’s one more piece of the puzzle missing. You need connection You can glorify the benefits of your product to customers all day long. And yeah, that might be good enough. But they also need to connect with you . If you can not only convey the benefits of your product or service, but also the passion you have to help your customers, especially if you tie that into your own personal story, then you’re that much closer to retiring to Hawaii. Since I know my limitations, I asked James to tell my story for me . Reading how James rewrote my own words made me realize just how complex attractive sales copywriting can be. It’s not only about conveying benefits. Nor is it about simply sparking an emotional response. In fact, it’s not “simply” anything. To me it’s almost like a mathematical formula (sorry, I have a minor in mathematics). Attractive sales copywriting is about making connections . Connecting features with benefits. Connecting your “why” story with their problem. Connecting desire to action. Since Copyblogger readers are some of the best copywriters around, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What other connections do you think are critical when we’re writing to persuade customers to buy? And how have you used emotion and storytelling to create a stronger message? Let us know in the comments. About the Author: John Hoff isn’t a copywriter, but he does blog for a hosting company, WP Blog Host and has created a free video mini course on how to secure WordPress from unwanted intruders. He really, really, really hates hackers.

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10 Surefire Ways to Land More Customers

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So many people all around the world have great ideas, products and services. And yet some businesses do well, and some fail. What separates the businesses that starve from the businesses who feast? For the answer, we turn to another way people have been setting their feast table for hundreds of years: fishing. Landing a fish, just like landing a customer, requires strategy and know-how if you’re going to come home successful. Here are my top 10 ways to land the catch of the day. 1. Know what you’re after In fishing, you always use the best bait possible for the particular type of fish you’re after. So many times clients come to me and say, “I don’t have a target market”. They’re always wrong. At a minimum, you should understand: The problems your customers have Their buying habits Their potential objections to your product Where they go to find information What influences them (their heroes and idols, TV shows they watch, websites they enjoy, magazines they read, etc.) What their core demographics and psychographics are Even if your product “appeals to everyone,” typically 20% of your audience will generate 80% of your revenue. Your job is to figure out who those 20% are, so you can find the kind of bait that appeals most to those customers. Bait that works for trout won’t necessarily let you land a great white shark. 2. Know where to fish for your customers Determining the right fishing location can be the difference between a successful fishing trip and going hungry. Knowing the places where your customers hang out online gives you a much greater chance for marketing success. Figure out which sites your customers frequent and you’ll have a much better chance of reeling one in. Try seeking out: Blogs they read Forums they participate in Social networking sites and other membership groups Entertainment or other non-work related sites You don’t want to use a top water lure if the fish you want are feeding on the bottom. 3. Be aware of your competition All fishermen guard their secrets closely, but newcomers can still pick up plenty of tricks by watching what their competition does. I’m not saying it’s smart to copy your competitor exactly. “Me-too” marketing doesn’t work. But learn from them and get a feeling for the overall marketplace you’re in. Incorporate those insights into your own marketing and content strategy. By analyzing your competitors you can also figure out how you can position your brand to stand out from the crowd. 4. Use good bait When you’re hoping to catch a fish standing side by side with a row of other fishermen, you have to make sure your bait is the most appealing fish food dangling the water. Otherwise, that fish is liable to go for one of your neighbor’s hooks instead. Consumers have lots of options and offers dangling in front of them in any marketplace. You’ve got to have some pretty juicy bait to stand out from that crowd. So what makes good customer bait? Magnetic headlines Compelling images Content that’s valuable in its own right An attractive niche that makes your customer feel “this is for people like me” Easy-to-swallow landing pages 5. Setting the hook Just because a fish bites doesn’t mean you can reel it in. Many a marketer has a woeful tale about the big one that got away. Once a customer is interested and bites by clicking through to your sales page, you have to set the hook by making an offer that’s so great it’s practically unfair . 6. Forget catch and release Remember, it’s a lot easier and more profitable to re-sell an existing customer than acquire a new one. So if you land a big fish, keep it! Don’t throw it back for someone else to catch. Re-marketing , high-quality affiliate offers, and up-sells are great for keeping the customers that you currently have, instead of letting them drift back into the stream for some other savvy marketer to reel in. 7. Test the waters Fishermen often track different variables, like what time of day they went fishing or what bait they used. They measure their results over time to figure out the smartest way to get certain fish. Similarly, in marketing it’s always wise to test various aspects of your marketing campaign. Measure your results to see what works best, and track your results over time. Try different images, headlines, or layouts to see which one maximizes time spent on your site, lowers bounce rate, and produces the best ROI. 8. Don’t get discouraged Some days the fish just aren’t biting. Sometimes you are not going to be as successful as you’d like, but it’s a process. Continue to educate yourself about business and marketing, keep analyzing your competitors, keep talking to your customers and refining your message. Keep going and don’t get discouraged. Tomorrow’s the day you’ll get the big one. 9. Partner up to get a bigger catch Fishing with a buddy helps you to both cover more water and come home with a bigger catch than usual. If you’re hoping to land more customers than you’ve ever reeled in on your own, find a partner. By knowing your own skill set, you’ll be able to effectively select partners that complement your skills. This strategy can also help you get bigger customers than you could have handled on your own. 10. Enjoy the trip It’s definitely a lot more fun to catch the big one than to see it get away, but no matter what happens, remember to enjoy yourself. Entrepreneurship is a lot like fishing. Even when it’s not going as well as we’d like, it’s still a privilege to be able to spend our days doing it. About the Author: David Brim is the founder and CEO of Brand Advance , an interactive agency that provides marketing consulting, web design, and marketing staffing to emerging companies. David is also the founder of GroupTable.com, collaborative software to increase group productivity. David blogs at Filled to the Brim , and can be found on twitter @davidbrim .

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