How to Write Sales Copy
Without Sounding Sleazy
Does the thought of writing any kind of sales material make you cringe? Does the mere thought of having anything to do with selling make you suddenly realize you absolutely needed to do something else - immediately?
It does for most people, but it doesn't have to be that way. Understanding what selling really is and what your part is in it can change the way you approach it - and what you can achieve.
What is Selling?
Perhaps the image of the sleazy car salesman of old pressuring you to buy an overpriced and run-down car comes to mind. Or maybe you've been ripped off buying something that didn't even come close to delivering on its promises. I think we've all been there on that one.
Sales is about the art of persuasion, yes, but not through dishonest manipulation. That's not in your ethical wheelhouse, is it?
More than likely, you're in business to provide for yourself and your family by offering something you know can truly help others, whether it's a product or a service.
A wise coach once suggested to me that buying and selling were simply an exchange of energy. I've also heard selling described as an exchange of ideas. Something to think about.
Either way, you need to first and foremost:
Understand the Value of What You're Offering
This is so basic that it's easy to overlook, but that would be a huge mistake. If you know what difference your service or product can make in someone's life, you are doing them a great disservice if you don't put it - and yourself - out there.
Understanding the real value of what you are offering should help to soothe some of that tension, dread, or just reluctance about the sales process. You're not trying to convince someone to buy anything that won't help them in some way. Believe in your offer and how it can solve your client's problem.
Okay, so you believe in yourself and in your offering. Let's move on to some practical tips for your sales copy.
Tips for Writing Good Sales Copy
Be clear.
There's no room for any ambiguity in your sales message. What do you want the reader to do?
Buy now?
Book a free consult?
Email you with questions?
Download your free e-book?
Make that next step clear as day. (See how I provided a link in case that expression wasn't clear? :))
Make it easy.
You want to make it easy for people to buy from you. This is similar to Be Clear above, but now we're going to take a quick look at the design of your sales page.
Keep it clean, clear, and concise; uncluttered so it's easy on the eyes.
Unless you're displaying your creativity because that's the business you're in, you don't want to get too clever or creative.
Confession time: At one point in my website’s ever-evolving development, I put some really cute (at least I thought so) emojis of an old-fashioned telephone for the Contact Me button. I think most people would have gotten it, but why would I leave that to chance? People are continually being deluged with information overwhelm. Don't add to the confusion.
Keep it simple. Make it easy.
Avoid oversell.
This may not be a problem for you since you're reading this article, but it's still easy to get carried away with your sales copy if you follow some of the endless advice out there. Don't be tempted! People are smart, and they know - just as you do - when they're being manipulated.
Sales copy that fairly screams at you:
"ONLY 2 SEATS LEFT!!!"
"BUY IN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES OR YOU'LL NEVER GET IT AT THIS PRICE AGAIN!!"
"ONE-TIME ONLY OFFER!!"
This type of sales copy is designed to get you to buy impulsively for fear of missing out - even if you hadn't made up your mind yet that you wanted in.
There is honest value in offering limited availability and pricing in marketing, but honestly, the above type of advertising makes me reject the offer just on principle.
Assume your reader is intelligent and give him or her the opportunity to take the next step with you.
Avoid underselling.
Don't be shy, either!
Sales 101: If people don’t know you’re there, or if they don’t understand how you can help them, they won’t buy.
Businesses need to make money. And you're in business in the first place because you have something that can help your client or customer. It’s a win-win when done right.
Describe their pain points, their struggles, and then tell them how you can solve their problem. List the benefits and features. Provide real people testimonials. And make the sale less risky by offering some kind of a guarantee.
So just a few tips that I hope will help begin to demystify and de-stress writing sales copy for you a bit. I'll share more in future posts, but in the meantime, if you have questions or would like help crafting your sales copy, schedule a call or send me an email. I'd love to hear from you.
Til next time,
Keep writing!
Phyllis
