Five Tips to Writing Copy That Converts

Introduction: This is a guest post by Karl Staib of Domino Connection. Karl is a great, open-hearted guy with a lot of experience, so I was happy to be able to publish this here. Enjoy!

Lisa’s fingers were resting on her keypad. They didn’t know what direction to go in next. She looked out the window and began to have doubts. No one needs this.

She then leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She knew that writing great copy was hard, but she didn’t expect this. She was a great writer. Her fans loved her blog, but still she couldn’t get the words right.

She began to have doubts. She didn’t know what people wanted from her.

No, she did know. They needed her ebook. They told her they did, so why couldn’t she write the sales page?

That is the question that leaves a lot of writers stumped.

Writing Great Copy

Writing a blog is so different than writing great copy because there is an agenda behind every word on a sales page. Sometimes this can feel a little awkward and pushy.

I’m going to outline five tips to writing great copy to sell your book, course or event.

1. Create a Compelling Narrative

Stories are why we buy products from Apple to Coke. It’s these stories that we finish in our own heads that seal the deal.

Apple tells the story of creative types. They want to empower the difference makers in the world. Most people still see Apple as the underdog that is the opposite of “big business” Microsoft when in reality they are biggest company in the world right now as I write this article.

You have to paint a picture that allows people to insert themselves into the narrative, so they can see themselves using what you created.

Think about how you can walk people right up to the point of excitement, hand the baton to them and let their imagination run wild with all the possibility that you are able to create for them if they just buy your product.

2. Develop Congruency

People have come to me asking why their sales pages flopped. They have a decent audience. They really put a ton of time into creating something special for them, but sales were so minimal that they made less than minimum wage after their launch was over.

When we look at how people were landing on their sales page they see how many mistakes they made.

People need to feel like they can trust you. If they have even the slightest hesitation then you lost them. They click away and the sale is gone.

A simple tip for you: Use the same font and color scheme on your sales page that you use on your blog. People need to feel comfortable when they land on your sales page. When they feel safe they are more willing to part with their hard earned money.

You can’t make the transition from your website to your sales page abrupt. It has to be smooth and trusting. Creating this congruency from your blog to your sales page should drive up your conversion rate significantly.

3. Use Powerful Language that Fits Your Audience Needs

Your sales page is an extension of who you are. If you write about Yoga you probably shouldn’t have language like “perfect” and “intense” on your sales page otherwise you are probably losing out on sales. People don’t want a perfect and intense Yoga experience. They want the words to match how they expect to feel.

Now this may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised by looking at people’s sales pages and how they try to be someone that they aren’t.

You have to be you while also using powerful language that encourages, excites and persuades. Most sales pages should be written from the 2nd person point of view. When you use “you” you are connecting with them on a much more intimate level than if you write from your own perspective.

You should also write with an active voice that shows you are confident and proud of the product you are selling. Don’t write sentences like, “Tina was able to increase her flexibility and lower her stress in less than a month.” Try – “Tina increased her flexibility and lowered her stress in less than a month.”

4. Use Quality Images

This isn’t so much a piece of copywriting advice as a tip that supports your copy. Images are very important to a great sales page. They help break up the sea of text as well as reinforce the main points of your copy.

Finding great images means using people that look real and authentic. I’m going to give you a tip that I have only given to my clients before.

Find images that have them looking in the direction of a very important concept on your sales page. People’s eyes naturally follow the person in the image eyes and where they are looking. Driving focus to certain key parts of your sales page can increase your conversion rate significantly.

I like to use creative commons photos from Flickr. I find that many amateur photographers have some amazing photos that can really spruce up a sales page.

5. Be Confident and Humble When You Ask for the Sale

Too often a sales page dances around the offer or doesn’t give a compelling enough reason for the reader to part with their $97, $297 or $697.

You have to be confident and humble when you ask for the sale. That might sound like an oxymoron, but it isn’t.

People want to know that if they buy from you that you care about how they feel after the purchase the product. They also want to know that if they buy from you they know the product is good. They don’t want to deal with the hassle of returning it.

Being humble and confident like Mark does so well isn’t easy and takes practice. Keep trying and you’ll get there.

The most important tip to being confident and humble is to let the real you out on your sales page. The real you will connect with people who need what you offer and are willing to take a chance on buying from you.

When you ask for the sale, you talk about the real benefits of how your product can help them and you also have a strong guarantee that eases as many fears to them buying as possible.

That’s when you hit the “offer” sweet spot.

Your Turn

What do you think is the hardest part about writing a sales page?

Check out Karl Staib of Domino Connection and his free e-course “How to Create an Amazing Product Launch,” You can also check out Domino Connection on Facebook because he shares all kinds of great content and tips.