Welcome to the Business Journal Archives
Search for articles below, or continue to the all new BusinessJournalDaily.com now.
Search
How to Write Web Copy that Sells
"Putting up a new Web site or improving an existing site to showcase your products and services? No matter how flashy it is, it's what you write that can make or break sales. Here are some dos and don'ts from Web Copy That Sells: The Revolutionary Formula for Creating Killer Copy Every Time by Maria Veloso (Amacom Books 2005):Do strive to write in a conversational style -- one person talking to another person. The more friendly and approachable, the better.Do use contractions. When people talk, they use many contractions. Using contractions helps you sound like you are just one person talking to another. It's intimate, and it increases readership. Use "I've" instead of "I have," "It's instead of "it is" and "we'll" instead of "we will."Do use common colloquialisms. A colloquialism is an informal, often entertaining word or phrase used in everyday conversation. When you use colloquialisms, you draw your reader closer because you appear more familiar, more friendly, more up close and personal instead of distant and at arm's length. Be careful to avoid using colloquialisms that may cause misunderstandings. Because the Internet is international, some colloquialisms such as "table a proposal" or "the presentation bombed," which are generally understood by Americans, may mean something that's nearly the opposite to non-Americans.Don't use "corporatespeak." Corporatespeak or corporate babble is jargon commonly used in the business world that often communicates very little to anyone outside a particular industry. In direct-response marketing, lack of communication is death. If no one understands what you're saying, no one will buy what you're selling. Opt instead for clear, uncomplicated language.Do use strategically placed testimonials. Testimonials are a powerful sales tool, whether you're selling online or offline. To apply testimonials successfully when selling online, they need to be positioned strategically throughout the Web site. An ideal place to position a powerful testimonial is very early on in the Web page, preferably in the first or second screen. In that position, the testimonial puts a blanket of credibility on the rest of the copy. It's also important to sprinkle testimonials strategically throughout your Web copy, particularly in areas where they will reinforce your selling arguments. Testimonials are also particularly useful in your order form, right before you ask for the order (before your call to action), and in your order confirmation e-mail (to reinforce the sale).Don't try to impress your readers with your fancy! vocabulary. Effective eopywriting isn't about making grandiose, highfalutin' claims. It is about communicating in a way that people can easily understand.Don't be pompous, self-important or arrogant. Let the testimonials make you look good. People online don't like "marketese" or bragging, boastful language.This article is new this week in The Business Journal's small business how-to section. To see what else is new, click here or click on the "how-to" tab at the top of The Daily Business Journal Online home page."