Why Buy? How To Write Sales Copy That Sells

Sending the Right Message

Online sales are not all together that different from brick-and-mortar sales. The bottom line is that you are still trying to convert shoppers into buyers. So while it’s great to have great products, if your sales copy is ineffective, you will find yourself un

able to move them.

So what should sales copy look like? According to Home Shopping Network Host Bob Circosta, who has personally sold over 75,000 different kinds of products for over a billion dollars, there are three main components of a good sales message:

•Component One – The Problem

Advises Circosta, “Forget about selling a product. Start by creating a need by helping others with what you have.” In other words, don’t write your copy trying to just describe your product or service or telling people why you want them to buy it. Figure out what difficulty your offering solves for your customers, and you’ve found the opening for your sales pitch.

•Component Two – The Solution

The second component follows the first naturally: you explain to your customers exactly how your offering solves their problem. You’re basically trying to establish an emotional connection—if what you present provides a solution or meets a felt need for your customers, you won’t have to convince them to purchase it. They’ll already want it.

•Component Three – The Difference

Good sales copy not only communicates the dilemma and the answer; it also answers the question, “What does this product do for me, more than other, similar products?” For every fixed feature on your product, or every facet of your service that’s not going to change, you need to be able to clearly state the tangible benefits to your buyers. You can’t assume customers will choose your product offerings over your competitors: you have to tell them why it’s to their advantage to do so.

Bringing It All Together

The final rule for writing good sales copy is “Keep it simple.” Be straightforward and stick to the point. Your job is to help your target audience understand what your product or service does for them, so that they want to purchase it. Says Circosta, “The message you’re communicating—the problem, the solution, and the difference—needs to be demonstrable and easy to understand. When it comes to sales, simplicity always works.”