Many website owners find themselves interacting with customers in a number of ways. The website, of course, is interactive to one degree or another (more interactivity is better if you haven’t been paying attention to the new Web 2.0 list of must-haves).
But you interact with customers before, during and after the sale and each of those contact points is an opportunity to sell your products, explain the quality of your service and encourage upsells – sales in which the buyer opts for a second item or a more expensive item than originally planned.
Before The Sale
Your site should designed to appeal to your ideal buyer – young mothers, corporate HR execs, kids, jocks – whatever your ideal buyer’s attributes, everything about your site should be focused on engaging those interests to generate a sale.
So, before the sale, be sure to point new visitors to daily weekly items on special and make sure they understand your iron-clad, 100% no-headache guarantee. “You don’t like it, send it back and we even pay the shipping. You risk nothing.” This kind of trust building should be evident in your site text – especially on the first page of the checkout sequence.
Restate your guarantee and provide assurance to site visitors that yours is a 100% hacker-safe site so “order with confidence.”
Provide complete product descriptions and product pictures. This is going to save you so much time and money on returns, client care and other time-consuming but essential administrative chores.
During the Sale
You must have an easy to use shopping cart system – one the user can access with a click to change quantities, add or delete items.
On some sites, the cart abandonment rate runs as high as 50% and you have to ask yourself why? Why did a visitor take the time to shop your site and even put something in the cart before clicking off to some other site? If the buyer doesn’t feel reassured and secure, s/he may simply leave so once the buyer has entered the check-out sequence, use text and icons to direct buyers through the process.
Provide the ability to back out to a previous page so buyers can make changes or just double, triple check without having to start the entire checkout sequence from start. That’s going to lose more than a few sales.
Provide steps that allow the visitor to consider and reconsider the order before finally clicking on the submit button. The visitor should be able to just click off, or back through the sequence to make changes. Make it easy to quit your site even if they’re on the final page of the checkout sequence.
Introduce additional products discreetly at the top and bottom of the first checkout page. These kinds of presentations generate impulse sales. Select products of interest to the buyer based on previous buying history. Personalize the experience of shopping on your site and your repeat buyer ratios will increase dramatically and quickly. Online buyers have shown dedication to specific sites for specific goods – until there’s the slightest problem. It doesn’t take much to throw out 10 years of good will on a shipping glitch.
Finally, keep the number of pages in the checkout to a minimum. Offer your regulars the one-click checkout option. Avoid confusing pages in the sequence. Instead, let the buyer take charge.
Change shipping method. Click here. Add gift wrapping. Click here. Send to another address. Click here. Guide the new buyer through the checkout process the first time and when they come back, the whole sequence will run smoother.
After the Sale
This is where automation should kick in and save you a lot of time on administrative chores.
Immediately send a printable invoice. Be sure to thank the buyer for the sale and suggest a ship and receipt date. Be sure to include all of the order information – address, quantities, etc. Provide the buyer with a 10-minute time window to reopen the order to make a change, fix a mistake or change shipping information.
Also use this text message to highlight other products of interest to this particular buyer, again based on a previous buying history stored in your database. It’s another point of contact and another opportunity to turn a warm buyer into a hot prospect.
Notify buyers when their orders have shipped and, again, spell out the specials of the day and be sure to provide a link back to the recipient’s account or to your site’s home page. Another contact point, another opportunity to introduce specials or products of special interest to that buyer.
Once you’re certain that the order has arrived safely (no telephone calls from angry buyers) follow up with a thank you note for “shopping with us” or “becoming a part of the Huffnagle family.” It shows the importance of customer care and, of course, provides another opportunity to introduce new products, services or the new sales rep in the buyer’s region.
Finally, after the sale, there are auto-responders. Most people expect to hear from companies from which they’ve made purchases but getting bombarded daily with your specials or your inspirational tip of the day, you’re going to get clicked over to the recycling bin faster than you can shout “But wait!”
The judicious use of auto-responders can keep previous buyers coming back if their senses and sensibilities aren’t assaulted with an automated weekly email blast trying to make another sale.
A few times a year to introduce new products and provide a business update is enough. The conversion rate on email direct marketing aren’t impressive, usually running between 2-3% so you have to send out a lot of ARs to make it worth your time. But, the fact is, happy customers may not buy for several years but if you keep in touch with helpful information (tips, recipes, advice, etc.), some of those long-absent buyers will come back – if you just give them enough time.
So, yes, keeping sending ARs to all the customers in your database but (1) don’t overdo it and (2) use these ARs as another opportunity to sell.
Each time you touch the client is an opportunity to sell your products, business, services of message. Don’t waste a single opportunity.
DON'T MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE SALE
Visit Webworslinger to max your site’s sales potential. You don’t know what you’re missing.
Filed under: on-site optimization, SEM, SEO copywriting, site text, web site design, web writing | 2 Comments
Tags: copywriting, on-site marketing, Paul Lalley, selling opportunities, SEM, SEO, web site design, webwordslinger
Selling to the Rich
Selling To The Rich
Seven Tips to Reach the Rich: Marketing to the Luxury Consumer
There was a time when the world wide web was NOT the place to sell $100,000 diamonds or fine works of art. It was a place to shop for books, a few music downloads and maybe buy some electronics gear. The luxury consumers, the ones with the resources to buy at Tiffany’s without so much as a second thought, weren’t going to buy their diamond tennis bracelets at higgenbottomsjewelrywarehouse.com where the motto is: “If we don’t say ‘howdy’ your purchase is free.” That type of hometown marketing doesn’t work with those for whom money is no object.
And isn’t that the perfect customer? For all of us?
The Nouveau Nouveau Riche
There’s a new species of luxury buyer. This isn’t old Harvard or Yale money. This is wealth created by the class nerd who developed a software company that he sold for $500 million when he was 25 years old! (Who’s laughing now?) This new demographic is usually a professional, well-educated, two incomes, money in the bank and discretionary income at his or her disposal.
Reaching this market segment requires an understanding of the motives that drive these individuals to purchase – especially to purchase on line. From you.
Prestige and Indulgence
These deep pockets buyers are usually driven by the fashionistas – the media segment that tells us what’s hot (just ask Paris) and what’s not. They’re shopping, not just for a winter coat, but a signature statement – a statement that’s made by wearing designer clothes, for example.
You can buy a warm winter coat at LL Beans for less than $100 but where’s the prestige in that? Instead, this market segment looks for the designer label. The coat won’t keep them any warmer but it does exude prestige and indulgence – because of that designer label.
To reach this market segment, brands must be created and presented in a luxurious manner. Brand names count, whether it’s clothes, appliances or automobiles (especially automobiles).
It’s Not About the Money – Most of the Time
Most of us look for sales, squirrel away money in our IRAs and worry whenever the stock market hiccups. Not so with those who enjoy true financial freedom. When you’ve got millions, a market blip isn’t worth fretting over. So, the natural appeal to site owners to emphasize low prices – a natural selling point for the run-of-the-mill consumer (me) – doesn’t carry any weight with the luxury buyer. In fact, it works against the sale.
There’s a promotion concept called ‘velvet rope marketing’ – marketing designed to appeal especially to the well-to-do. We all recognize the turquoise Tiffany’s box and there’s no such thing as an entry level Jaguar. They’re all pricey.
However, today’s luxury, online buyer is just as likely to visit the Target website as the Tiffany site. It makes sense. These buyers may still look for sales on name-brand cookware at Target because cookware doesn’t have as much power to make a strong, personal statement as a $1,000 Gucci hand bag.
So how do you create a site that appeals to this new breed of online buyer? Here are some suggestions.
How To Convert the Luxury Consumer
1. Perception is reality to this demographic. Consider the coat example above. The LL Bean coat is made well and will last forever. However, the perception is that LL Bean sells to the masses, which they do. And I love my Bean parka.
Create the perception of elegance with a well designed home page and stylish product pages. Create a site free of AdWords and affiliate links. That is NOT what velvet rope marketing is about. Instead, think elegance, distinction and pampering.
2. Speak the language of the buyer. In this case, your buyers know fashion, they know prestige and they recognize the importance of making an independent statement. So, despite the fact that many of these buyers will only purchase brand names, they’ll mix and match brands to create their own, unique signature look. So, no men’s suit buyer is going to go 100% Hugo Boss or Ralph Lauren. That would indicate that the buyer is a slave to fashion.
3. So, build a site that let’s the luxury consumer mix and match from different product pages to see how the whole ensemble works. It’s these kinds of useful, upscale features the new, luxury consumer appreciates. It shows you understand them, their needs and drives and your site is designed to accommodate those needs and drives.
4. Offer special services. Buying services, for example, indicate a velvet rope level of customer care. Buyers provide birthdays and other important dates, provide the gift recipient’s profile, likes and dislikes and you take care of the rest. You, or your professional buyer, picks out the item, elegantly gift wraps it and makes sure it’s delivered on time to the right person.
This ‘concierge’ service can extend in other directions. Using a customer’s previous buying history, you can make gift suggestions for certain people for whom the buyer has previously purchased. Subtle but very effective.
5. Provide a toll-free number and make sure your customer service staff is well rehearsed with complete scripts to manage any contingency. Your phone staff should be courteous, alert and – this may hurt a little – they should also be given the training and authority to make decisions.
The upscale customer doesn’t want to hassle while the client care rep gets approval from a supervisor (who may or may not be available at the moment). This affluent buyer wants answers and resolutions to his or her problems. A well-trained and trusted staff can deliver this level of service routinely. (BTW, client care reps should be U.S.-based and available 24/7.)
6. Hit the mark every time. Track orders, ensure prompt shipment, include an easy ‘return kit,’ including pre-printed return label so all the buyer has to do is affix the return label to the shipping box over the mailing label. Simple and that’s what affluent buyers are looking for.
7. Provide lots of site space for product images. Clothes should be photographed using a model so the buyer can see the outfit or piece of clothing on a human, not floating in front of negative space. Don’t skimp on product pictures. They should be properly lit and shot, which means if you don’t know one end of a fill light from another, hire a pro to snap product pictures for upload.
This is a newly-defined demographic – one driven by the media with TV shows about Hollywood glam and glitz and who’s showing in NYC this week.
Know your brands. Know the motivations of this status-conscious buyer, provide the personalized service these buyers expect in the brick-and-mortar shops they frequent (too bad you can’t offer them a latte while they try on the latest from Europe) and create a site that has the look and feel of fashion chic and online professionalism.
Remember, it is absolutely NOT about the money so play down cost and play up style, distinctiveness and the message broadcast to the rest of the world by the products you sell.
I have arrived.
To learn more about reaching this demographic, please drop me a line or give me a call. There’s still money to be made out there. Webwordslinger.
Filed under: client retention, demographics, SEO copywriting, site text, Uncategorized, web site design, web writing | Leave a Comment
Tags: demographics, on-site marketing, Paul Lalley, webwordslinger
One of YOUR Clients?
Things change. Especially on the W3. It’s electronic evolution on steroids and if your web site is looking a bit dusty (pre-2004), it may be time to re-evaluate and make a few changes to get your site looking and feeling current.
Here are seven common flaws you see on a lot of older sites (and even some “newer” sites, though why designers continue to make these mistakes remains a mystery), along with some quick, no-cost fix-its. That’s a price you gotta like so read on.
1. Dead Pictures
How many times have you clicked on a site picture expecting to be taken to another page or receive some additional information? Like hundreds of times?
Link all pictures to related information. Many visitors assume that a picture, chart, graph or some other visual representation is a link so make your site artwork work for you. If a visitor is interested enough to click on an image for more information, you want to make sure they get the information they’re looking for.
Dead images on which visitors click are (1) frustrating to the user and (2) a missed opportunity to get the visitor to perform the desired action – like contact you by telephone for more information.
2. Half-Built Sites
You visit a site through a link and find that, as you navigate to the articles or archives section, there’s nothing to read. And, if you’re patient and click on a second link, you find the “Under Construction” sign.
Why are you wasting my time??? If the site isn’t ready for company, don’t send out the invitations. New site owners are eager to go live but this is frustrating to any visitor who stumbles upon the half-built site and any search engine spider that happens to crawl by is going to very confused to say the least. So don’t launch until the site is complete and delivers everything promised.
3. Fly-Outs, Drop Downs and Navigation Extensions
As sites become deeper and denser in content, it’s often necessary to use navigation menu extensions to direct the visitor to the right location. So, for example, there might by a navigation bar link labeled “Men’s Clothing” – a broad category. When the user mouses over the link or clicks on it, a sub-menu flies out or drops down listing sub-categories like outerwear, shoes, suits, ties and other kinds of men’s clothing.
Unfortunately, some of these fly-outs and drop downs actually block the text beneath them, making it impossible for the user to read text on screen as long as the menu is extended.
Even worse is the fly-out sales pitch that covers explanatory text on the page below. All text should be readable. The easier it is to read the better. And, if there are that many sub-categories, take the visitor to a drill down page listing those many different classes of product or services.
4. Ugh. Rights-Free Clip Art
You can find rights-free clip art all over the web. Even Microsoft offers an array of drawings and photographs free for the taking. And most of this free art looks cheesy. Yes, it’s subjective but even an untrained eye can spot clip art a mile away. The smiling woman on the phone, the happy family eating dinner and other generic art is available for a click. And it looks it.
Skip the free clip art.
Instead, use your digital camera and replace that clip art with meaningful images. Product shots, “Meet Pete the Owner,” “the beautiful, scenic mountains of Northern California” – if you use real pictures of real people, places and things (how about a picture of your brick-and-mortar store to build credibility), you (1) get the exact shot you want and (2) avoid pasting stale old eye candy above the fold of your home page. Better to put up a shot of you or product pictures than free clip art.
5. Turn Down the Funk
This one seems to be a spillover from the social networking phenomenon epitomized by MySpace and FaceBook. Members of these social gathering sites can upload their favorite tunes for listening as you read about their likes and dislikes.
Many commercial sites have added music to their menu of features – a big mistake.
First, you risk alienating some visitors who will find your rights-free, canned music more annoying than fingernails on a blackboard. At least some visitors are just plain going to leave instead of being force fed your idea of pleasant or mood-setting music. Lose it.
Second, we all have our computer speakers set at different volumes so at least some of your site visitors are going to be diving for the volume knobs on their speakers as they’re blasted with elevator music. Not a good introduction to your site or your business.
Lose the canned music or the chummy welcome speech. Web users don’t expect sound (at this juncture) so they don’t miss it when it isn’t there.
6. Logy Downloads
With the phenomenal expansion of DSL and cable delivery of content, dial-up is sooo last millennium. And that means webmasters – that would be you – can do a lot more in the way of bells, whistles and the complete dog-and-pony show. Flash animations, streaming feeds, 3,000 links – all of these contribute to slower downloads, and with DSL and cable the standard, web users are more impatient than ever.
A report done a few years ago (when dial-up was still a reasonable option) stated that 90% of site visitors will sit through a 10-second download. However, only 10% will sit through a 30-second download. That’s a big swing in just 20 seconds and, frankly, it could mean the difference between commercial success or another online crash-and-burn scenario.
Time the download of your home page. If you’ve stuffed it with the latest in webcasting, podcasting, animated graphics, sales videos and other dense content, it’s going to take longer to download that home page – especially if you’re using shared hosting and shared bandwidth. A heavy download just doesn’t cut it.
7. Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
Which leads us to one final point for new site owners and long-time e-tailers: just because technology enables you to do something doesn’t mean you should do it. It doesn’t take much to create a webcast using a decent web cam, a couple of bright lights and maybe some seamless paper for a backdrop. Then, just start reading from the script. You can do it easily. The question is, should you?
Think about the overall on-site experience. It should be smooth from end to end, it should highlight your message, products or services quickly (home page), yes add a little eye bling – an attractive logo is often enough – and keep things simple.
Today’s web user has the attention span of a gnat. So, simplify. Think of your home page as a billboard for visitors who are zooming by at 125 mph on the Information Superhighway. Deliver the message fast, intrigue the reader to slow down and stop on in.
Making your site more user friendly and user intuitive (the clicking on the picture thing above) will enhance the on-site experience for visitors, keeping them around longer and bringing them back. Don’t view it as a one time thing. It’s a process.
A process you start today with a top-down, critical analysis of your site followed by reconstruction that makes use of today’s web technology – but doesn’t abuse it.
Need some help getting started with your on-line biz? It’s easy drop me an email or give me a call. Webwordslinger never closes.
Filed under: client retention, off-site marketing, on-site optimization, web site design | Leave a Comment
Tags: client care, client retention, on-site marketing, Paul Lalley, web site design, webwordslinger
Write the Perfect Newsletter
Newsletters keep your name in front of customers
A lot of site owners use newsletters for a lot of different reasons:
– They make good bait for opt-ins.
- They contribute to the “value-added” equation of a suite of products.
- They keep you and your site before the eyes of consumers.
- They encourage repeat visits to the site.
- They deliver current, up-to-date, utile information.
If you’re thinking about putting out a monthly newsletter, here are some suggestions to keep yours from being sent to the recycling bin without a peek by the recipient.
1. Find your “sweet spot” demographic.
Online newsletters tend to be on narrow topics of interest to a narrow market segment. For example, you won’t find the London fix for oil in a newsletter on tropical fish published by a pet supply site. So, assume your reader is knowledgeable and motivated to learn more.
Then, target sub-segments of that sweet spot: saltwater fish tank tips, buying exotic species and other topics of interest to salt water fish tank aficionados – and there are a lot of them.
In each issue of the newsletter, include information of interest to the various sub-segments of your main demographic – information for beginners, outdoor aquariums and so on.
2. How about some real news?
Okay, with a free newsletter you can’t expect much (though there are some out there that really do deliver the goods). But a monthly rehash of what’s hot in knitting, with some sales text (hypey, at that) is going to get your newsletter sent straight to the spam heap.
Readers of online newsletters are knowledgeable and dedicated to the topic whether collecting tropical fish, knitting or investing in micro-caps. The topic doesn’t matter. The topicality of your newsletter does matter.
3. Little things mean a lot
A nice layout, good grammar, no spelling or punctuation mistakes – all of these “little things” add up to an informative, engaging and editorially sound newsletter – something worth a read each month.
4. Take out all images from your newsletter
If you’re selling stock charting services and display a lot of graphics, screen captures and other visual data you have a problem. Visual formats like gifs and jpgs won’t be visible to over 50% of your readership.
Most computer users don’t realize that they can set their web browser preferences to show pictures automatically. However, the default, out-of-the-box setting is “don’t show pictures.” So that means you get a lot of empty image boxes with that red x in the corner. It’s because the user’s browser has never been configured to download data-dense images unless by specific request.
5. It’s easy being green
Despite Kermit the Frog’s lament that it isn’t easy being green, on the contrary it’s easy to create green content for any site – content that will be as relevant 18 months from now as it is today.
To create green content:
- don’t mention any “current event” like the 2004 Apple Expo. (ancient history)
- don’t mention product names or numbers. If the article focuses on the foibles of the latest laptop Model X123, that news will be stale by Thursday.
- provide useful, helpful information that will still be useful when we finally land on Mars. Now that’s green content!
6. Amortize content development costs
Whether you write it yourself ‘cause you’re the prognosticator, or you pay somebody to keep the words flowing, use your content in more than one way to amortize content development costs.
For example, an informational piece that appeared in your October newsletter edition can be used as site text. It can be syndicated to cast a wider net and create a broader presence on the web. The point is, content costs time or money – both of which are usually in short supply. So, use those words – re-purpose them, as the insiders like to say – and amortize content development down to a penny a word or less. Hey, that same content can be used as a free handout at your brick-and-mortar. On a per word basis, the price just keeps going down.
7. Ensure the news gets through
Maintain vigilance when it comes to newsletter distribution companies. If you employ the services of a newsletter distributor, what’s the company’s sender policy framework or SPF. Also scrutinize the activity and reputation of your newsletter delivery service using webmaster sites for access to the real dirt.
There are lots of online businesses that specialize in newsletter generation and distribution. Keep current on the latest in newsletter trends, technology, tips and suggestions. You’re the editor. Know what you’re doing.
Also determine if your newsletter is being sent from a shared IP address or one dedicated to your newsletter alone. A dedicated IP address ensures that troublemaker-site owners don’t hinder the delivery of your newsletter. An email blast (it comes with a $500 fine) by a site owner who shares an IP address with you can have a negative impact on the delivery of your weekly newsletter. And you didn’t do anything!
Also, you want performance data and access to real time data, too. Look for a newsletter syndicator that provides weekly analyses in the form of a generated report and access to an account where you can get the latest data – NOW!
8. Make It Easy for the Reader to Perform the MDA
We’ve spent a lot of time on this blog talking about the most desired action – the MDA. It’s the action you want the visitor to take whether it’s an opt-in, complete a form or make a purchase. You have an MDA for site visitors.
So make it easy for readers to perform the MDA – to sign up for the e-course or sign up for an interactive webinar. A couple of clicks, some basic information and the reader is in. More importantly, that visitor just became a member of your site community.
S/he belongs here. A newsletter is a regular invitation to become a member of a growing site community. Your site community.
9. Jargon Wanted
Talk to your readership in the language of the topic. Use the industry or market sector jargon.
Jargon is used by everybody from diner wait staff to NASA. It does a few of things. It’s shorthand for topics known to the community – the in-crowd. This simplifies your editorial needs and demonstrates that you are in the vanguard within the dry-cleaning industry, or whatever your niche!
Second, jargon excludes outsiders. People who don’t know the jargon are excluded while adding prestige to those who have the insider language down pat.
Third, jargon creates connectivity between communicants. If you and I are talking about a four-barrel, 289 Cobra equipped ‘tang with a Hurst 4-speed short-throw shifter, we have a connection. We both like ’65 Mustangs.
10. Add and drop features
What works and what doesn’t? Well, you can ask your readers to indicate their preferences or, if you’re running a political site, chances are you’ll have an inbox full of unsolicited feedback to plow through each morning.
Simply because you started with this look and feel doesn’t mean your newsletter shouldn’t evolve and grow, providing higher quality information and more of it.
11. Finally, ask for the sale
First, this request to sign up for the $49.95 Premium package comes last – after the reader has perceived the value of the information you’ve provided. However, not all subscribers will understand how or why they should sign up for the platinum tier.
So tell them. If you’ve given your readers good useful content and have started to build a site community (you lucky dog, you), ask readers to sign up for the eBook download or the SECRET NEWSLETTER in which you name names.
Ask for the sale. Readers expect it. If they don’t want to sign up after reading that edition, there’s always next month.
So, keep you newsletters informative and focused on your ideal reader – your customer. In time, the newsletter will generate sales as you prove month after month that you’re the expert, you have the lowest prices and you have this informational monthly newsletter, too.
How cool is that?
Hey, stop by Webwordslinger’s site for some more info. Drop me aline or give me a call and let’s juice your site.
Filed under: client retention, newsletters, off-site marketing, web writing | Leave a Comment
Tags: client retention, newsletters, off-site marketing, Paul Lalley, webwordslinger
IT'S FREE! WHO CARES?
You can’t swing a dead copywriter without hitting some website offering something free. Whatever it is – usually a 20-page eBook or some TOP SECRET information – it’s the bait used to get site visitors to sign up for something – to opt in, in other words.
It doesn’t take much to put together a 20-page download on (enter topic here) and offer it to site visitors free. If you can string words together and have the topic expertise, you could write the thing yourself. Cost = $0.
There was a time when FREE meant something, and it still does in some markets. “Buy one get one free” still gets the attention of most people, some of whom will drive 20 miles out of their way to save $1.49 on paper towels. Food markets operate on razor thin margins and these loss leaders pull in the traffic that ultimately fills a basket “as long as we’re here.” We all do it.
So, in the retail food sector and other retail sectors (Buy One Sweater, Get One Free), “Free” is still an attention getter and makes excellent bait to drive traffic to the store.
You’ll Get a Fabulous, One-of-a-Kind EBook That Will Change Your Life Forever – FREE!
Why Free Doesn’t Work on the Web Anymore
Where to start.
Okay, how about with the “word bling” that’s usually associated with these high-pressure businesses: “state-of-the-art,” “one-of-a-kind,” “fabulous wealth with no effort ,” and on and on. Web users are a lot more savvy and they recognize a come-on for a back sell when they download that FREE software. They know you’re going to use email blasts like cannon fodder, pop-up screens and any other device you can export to the visitor’s hard drive.
Only a complete idiot (yes, they’re out there) would believe that you’re going to turn his life around completely – ABOSULTELY FREE. Hey, if you had the secret or the keys to the vault, why are you writing free downloads and trying to get some visitor to opt in?
Free has lost its value. Well, actually, on the W3, FREE is now fairly valued. You do get what you pay for in Cyberville and when you and a few thousand other folks opt in for a free anything, you don’t expect much.
That’s tainted the word “free” on the web. If every site owner is offering a free something, than nothing has much value. You can find FREE downloads, CDs, DVs and workbooks in every nook and cranny of the web community. That has led people to (rightfully) assume that FREE on the W3 implies useless puffery or endless pop-ups that actually pop-up while you’re working.
Believe it. Nothing is free and when you trade your email address for a FREE anything, you know you’re going to be hearing a lot from the folks who offered something for nothing.
Can the Value of Free Be Restored?
Not as long as web copywriters have a thesaurus full of synonyms for “wonderful,” “fabulous” and “breath-taking.” As long as site owners promise value and don’t deliver, fewer and fewer web users will opt in. It’s just not worth it.
But if you make it worth it, if the visitor who downloads your well-written eBook on investing hits the jackpot in the stock market, then that eBook information added value to the reader’s life.
So, if the freebie actually meets or exceeds the expectations of the site visitor, you’ll see a much better return on that free download. The keys in preparing the copy that sells the freebie is to sell the benefits and provide good samples from the text. This shows the visitor that there’s value here. Free information worth a closer look. Quality content draws in visitors and creates site stickiness. Free or not, it’s got to be useful, written in plain English and it has to add value to the reader’s life.
And that has to be made clear in your site text. This isn’t some flimsy document or truncated trialware. This is the real goods, the new information, the money-saving advice and yes, it really is free. The reader must believe that his or her life will be made better in return for giving you an email address.
Forget FREE. It’s taken on a cheap, tawdry aspect on the web. And if it looks like a come-on, reads like a come-on and smells like a come-one – it’s a come-on. So play down the no-cost feature and play up the value added proposition.
The Value-Added Proposition
For long-time web users and new site visitors to offer up their email addresses, they must perceive added value – that this free software download will help them store their online music collections or track stocks on overseas exchanges. This is a download that adds value to the proposition. The visitor is actually getting something of value in exchange for that email address (and opening the door to the back sell once the email address has been captured through an opt-in).
So, it’s not hype that adds value. We’ve seen it all, heard all the promises and been disappointed before – sometimes to the point of having to block some hardcore marketers who still believe that a series of 10 auto-responders will entice you to sign up for the “Premium Package Only $49 Annually.”
The copy you employ to encourage visitors to take advantage of something “FREE” must highlight the value added proposition. If the service is worth the hassle of emptying the inbox each day, if the eBook really does provide utility and improves the life of the visitor, then FREE still has value in your marketing and promotion efforts.
Conversely, if the visitor doesn’t receive the value promised, if the auto-responders come daily (filled with more hype), or if the software download doesn’t provide the full slate of functions, some visitors will feel betrayed.
And you know they’re not going to buy anything no matter how you reach out to them.
Lookin’ for some SEO advice? How about bull’s-eye optimized copy? Drop me a line or give me a call. Yeah, we can juice your site. No sweat.
Filed under: SEM, SEO, SEO copywriting, site text | Leave a Comment
Tags: copywriting, Paul Lalley, SEO, website copy
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