Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Gloria Kopp, Content Writer at Academized.
Copywriters often make the mistake of simply writing about the product in product descriptions instead of selling the product to the customer.
This is because they believe that a product can’t be sold simply by writing. But surely it can – take a look at these tips and you’ll be on your way to creating amazing, seductive, compelling descriptions that will increase your sales immediately:
As you start to outline your product description, try to focus on your audience. This will help you set your tone of voice but also allow you to know what to write in order to get them to purchase the product.
Do thorough research – know your audience inside and out – and you’ll get good results. For instance, if you are selling something fun and entertaining it would be a mistake to write in a formal, archaic tone.
Most e-commerce stores make the mistake of simply listing the product’s features instead of stating its benefits. The mistake is quite easy to make, especially for people who don’t understand copywriting that well. The features should paint a good picture of the product and get the visitors to purchase it – right?
Wrong. Features are fine in some cases, but people don’t buy the products because of their specifications but because those characteristics can make their lives easier or better – or both. Just think about it – you don’t buy a dress or a nice suit because of the cut of it or even the colour and pattern of it, you are buying those items because they make you feel good, you look good in them. So, instead of writing about the features, rather focus on how your customers could benefit from your products.
The best way to get your readers engaged is to create a compelling story. People love stories and they respond incredibly well to them – they are tired of salesmen telling them the same thing over and over again.
However, stories make them feel like a part of something bigger. Feel free to try this out – Frank Body did in their campaign and they have seen the amazing results storytelling can have.
While the marketing part of the equation is plenty explained, there are other rules to follow. For instance, grammar and spelling mistakes don’t help you impress your visitors and bad formatting can kill a good description.
However, these are all easy to fix with some online tools:
Everyone has buyer’s guild and it’s perfectly normal. However, it’s in your best interest to eliminate it. There are a few ways that you can do this – make sure they know that it’s a one-time offer, that it’s a bargain, that its benefits far outweigh its cost and so on. Describe it as essential, avoid using words like ‘expensive’ but let them know that it’s exclusive.
People nowadays are easily distracted – they do read but only if something grabs their attention. That’s why they scan – they go through the entire text to see if it’s interesting. They look for something that stands out. This is where good formatting steps in. Use plenty of headings, bullet points, bold the most important parts and so on.
Vague descriptions with adjectives that everyone else is already using are not going to land you many sales. They make your copy sound bland and insincere. Instead, go for something more active. Use powerful verbs that pack a punch – make it concise but strong and interesting. Active verbs and sensory adjectives can improve your copy immensely.
Buyers are always struggling when shopping – to buy or not to buy. In most cases, a good social proof can be all that they – and you – need to make the purchase. “They rely on other’s opinions on whether the product was useful and how it improved their lives. Use this strategy to your own benefit and proudly display good feedback, newspaper articles about your store, mentions etc”, – explains Mary Seamans, a Digital Marketer at Ukwritings and Simple grad.
Writing good copy is never easy. However, there are many things that you can do to make the job easier and more enjoyable for you. The most important thing to do is to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and imagine what would you think of your copy. Follow these rules and that persona might just be amazed.