What to Look for in Good Sales Copy

If you’re a business owner who is on the hunt for some good sales copy, then you’ll need to know what to look for.

Sales writing isn’t just about using the right words; it also ties into human psychology. People make their decisions based on emotion more than logic.

Good sales copy will not only attract the attention of readers but will get them to act immediately. If web users have landed on a page, once they’ve left it they probably won’t return unless they have good reason to. This makes it imperative that you get them to take action before they leave the page and go – whether it’s to make a purchase, subscribe to your newsletter or even to follow you on Facebook.

To ensure high conversion rates, good sales writing should contain the following fundamentals:

A Compelling and Intriguing Headline

Even blogs need good headlines to attract attention. Time is short – people are busy. There has to be value promised in any headline so that there is a good reason why somebody would spend the time reading the copy.

As a famous copywriter once said, the purpose of every line of copy is to get the reader to read the next line. With so many marketing messages battling for our attention every day, it’s never been so challenging to keep the attention of a reader.

Benefits

Sales copy should be centred around benefits or ‘what’s in it’ for the reader. Why should they buy this product or service? What will it do for them and how does it deliver better than others in the marketplace?

Good Sales Copy is Created for Scanners

Most people read in a scanning fashion, this is particularly true online. That’s why it’s important to use subheadings and to break the text up so that it’s easier to read.

You may have seen particularly long online sales letters and wonder why they are so long. The point is, is that well-written copy needs to address the needs of the reader. The sales letters are written for a variety of viewpoints, and the longer length allows for people to learn more about the product or service, therefore influencing them greater.

The most effective copy narrows focus down further than that so that it is targeted to the most likely type of customer.

Trust Building Proof and Credibility

Trust is essential when it comes to business.  This is particularly true online and by focusing on that sites such as eBay have built themselves into world-class players. Their system was one of the first built around the reputation of sellers and had trust at the core.

Testimonials are a powerful way of building credibility, and there are many other components that are the tools of the effective copywriter. For example, removing risk by offering a strong personal guarantee is often what tips prospects over the edge to buy.

Before and after images can work well to build trust and so can case studies in combination with proof of a strong track record. At Amelia Champion I use proven techniques to discover credibility building opportunities that can be used in favour of the product, service or business. In fact, this process uses over 20 different components to build trust.

Clear and Direct Call to Action

This is one of the important parts of any marketing message. Giving guidance on what you want the reader to do next is essential for a purchase.  People need to know exactly what they should do next in order to purchase.

As a business owner, as you look for good sales copy, ensure that you these fundamentals are in place and you should find yourself on your way to winning more business.

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