Contrary to the popular cliché, few products or services "sell themselves." If you don't have time to market your product effectively, hire an experienced person to do it for you. Marketing keeps your products selling and money flowing into your business. It's crucial that you do it well. Sloppy advertising, or worse, no advertising plan is one of the most common reasons why businesses fail. It is often the first thing slashed from the budget when times are tough, which is a common mistake that leads to disaster. Advertising is foundational. It is an investment in your business that should produce a return. Your website is the most cost effective vehicle you have for delivering sales messages to your target market. Make sure they are messages that sell, so you can convert website visitors to customers.

You can have the best product in the world - the best customer service, high quality workmanship, a beautiful storefront - all of the elements that would appeal to any customer. But, if they don't know about you, they will not come. If they don't come, there will be no sales. Ultimately you will close your doors. Conversely, we have products like the "pet rock" who made marketing history. Essentially there was no product. What there was, was effective marketing. If you can tell a story effectively; if you can generate excitement; if you can make them an offer they feel they can't refuse; your sales will increase. And that formula will work for any product.

There are fundamental rules of effective advertising and these rules apply to website sales copy as well as print sales copy. You must develop effective advertising by accomplishing several tasks concisely. We have all seen clever ads, humorous ads, dramatic ads -- and more often than not, we remember the ad, but not the product. Slick, clever, funny, creative and different are poor substitutes for informative, believable, memorable and persuasive.

Lets start with the basics needed in every ad keeping in mind that it is all about your customer, not you. You must write content to benefit your visitor, even in your advertising messages that call them to action. Your visitor is the reason you have a website. Show them.
To write website sales copy using messages that sell and subsequently convert visitors to customers, you need to being by telling your potential customer:

1. Who you are
2. What you do/What you sell
3. Where to contact/find you
4. When you are available/event dates

Nearly everyone knows those basic rules and they accomplish these things. But there is more to the formula to make your advertising as effective as it can be. Websites are no different. Many times this is where the website owner stops his message. And, the website owner might wonder why it doesn't seem to be helping their sales. To make sure your website sales copy generates sales, the message must sell. Be sure to tell the whole story . . .

5. Why you are better than your competitor and how it will benefit the customer: Say it with a slogan, a headline, a customer testimonial, a sale, a guarantee - SOMETHING! - You must tell them why they should shop with you and not your competitor or they have no reason to become your customer. Think about what your service, and the manner by which you deliver it, means to your customer. In the selling profession, this perspective is referred to as translating features into benefits. The easiest way to translate a feature into a benefit is to add the prompt 'which means that...'. For example, if a strong feature of a business is that it has 24-hour opening , this feature would translate into something like: "We're open 24 hours (feature) which means that you can get what you need when you need it - day or night (benefit)." Adding an emotional element for the customer to connect with you might say: "We're open 24 hours, which means that you can get what you need when you need it - day or night. Because life doesn't stop at 5:00 p.m." The customer can relate to this. You understand their needs, and you are solving their problem. This is a message that sells by turning their problem into an opportunity to meet their needs.
6. Invite them to buy: Many ads never simply say: "Visit us today at . . . " Call us at 1-800 . . . .", etc. People respond to invitations. You must prompt an Action. Completing a credit application, registering for a drawing, or bringing in a money saving coupon are all actions based on your prompt. Advertising that does not prompt action is a wasted opportunity. How can your message sell if your customer is not asked to buy? It can't.
7. Make them an offer/give them an incentive: Whether a coupon discount, a sale, a loss leader, or a free gift, people respond to incentives. They desire a bargain. Cost is a major determining factor in deciding where to go, whether or not they purchase the best priced item in the store. They believe they will find value, so they cross the threshold. Increase your traffic=increase your sales. Value messages are messages that sell, because everyone likes value.
8. Create a sense of urgency: Whether it is a dated sale, summer special, 'while they last' item, or discounted price on 'in stock items only', there are many ways to create a 'call to action' which is laced with a sense of urgency. Simply saying 'limited time offers', 'hurry in!', 'Call today!' may not seem like Earth shattering advertising savvy, but these things have worked for decades and still work today. Missing out on a change to get what you want is not acceptable to most people when they are in the market for specific goods or services, so these messages sell now as they have sold for decades.

As you add messages that sell to your website sales copy, you will see an increase in your conversion rate. Visitors will respond and become customers. You will meet their needs, and know that the message you sent was exactly what they needed to receive.