How to Create Web Pages That Sell
by Wayne Davies
There's an old adage in direct marketing that goes: The more you tell, the more
you sell. It's every bit as true today as it was back in the 1950s.
Most amateurs think a sales letter or web page ought to be as short as possible.
I've often had clients tell me there are too many words in the ad, and that
people will "never read all that."
This myth is totally incorrect. People don't buy because the advertiser is kind
enough to leave out a bunch of words. People buy because they're excited about
the product on offer, and the advertiser was thoughtful enough to answer all
their questions on the sales page.
The less you tell, the harder it is to buy
Consider this from the perspective of someone looking to buy life insurance on
the Internet. What are the questions such a person might ask?
• Is the product right for me?
• Is the company credible?
• Can I afford it?
• Is it overpriced?
• Will they pay out on claims?
These are the key questions relating to life insurance, in the mind of someone
who has already decided to buy.
A web page that aims to sell life insurance must answer every one of these
questions. If it doesn't, the person is unable to buy. He or she is simply left
with unanswered questions, and will be forced to leave the sales page to get the
answers they need. As soon as that happens, the sale is lost.
So how much should you say?
That's a good question. I learned everything I know about writing sales copy
from a genius, who consistently produced wildly successful ads. He would answer
this question with an exasperated grunt and a roll of the eyes... You say
exactly as much as you need to say to get the sale. And no more.
In other words, leave out everything that doesn't contribute to the sale.
Exclude nothing that's necessary to close the deal. If you can say it all in two
sentences, then do so. If you need 100,000 words to say it, then that's how many
you should write.
It sounds simple, but it takes experience and skill to get it right. But please
don't be discouraged by this. All you need to do is try different versions of your
sales page, and measure the results. You'll soon find out which approach works best.
| 
About BTH
User Agreement
Privacy
Site Map
Contact
News Feeds
RSS Feed
Follow @Stephen Bucaro
Web Design for Marketing
