Copywriting for Conversion

Dr Karl Blanks Chairman (and Resident Rocket Scientist)

What you’ll get from this talk

Proven strategies for increasing sales

How to get someone else to do it for you

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Templates for ensuring your writing is effective

Step 1: Become able to sell the product face to face

Your robot salesperson will be no better than its creator

Consider how it will affect your existing customers, your prospective customers, your competitors, existing and future staff, and anyone else who matters. Put a real person’s face to each group of people you should be considering.

Mental shopping list § This site looks relevant—like it will provide what I’m looking for (i.e. will

satisfy my visitor intention).

§  I believe that this is the best site of its type, so I won’t be considering the competitors, (which include doing nothing and ordering offline).

§  I can easily find what I’m looking for

§  I understand which product is best for me, because the site makes clear recommendations.

§  I believe that this type of product is what I need.

§  I believe that this particular product is what I need.

§  I believe the claims that the site is making, about the company and about the products, because they’re supported with proof.

§ All of my miscellaneous product-specific objections have been overcome

§  I found the whole experience pleasurable, and I’d happily do it again.

Don’t start writing until.. § You know everything about the product § You have bought and used the product with your own money § You can understand why people buy it § You could sell it to yourself or friends § You know all the objections and have great counter-objections § You have gathered proof to support all your claims (your “legal

dossier”)

Step 2: Write it down

The act of writing turns many a genius into a moron

Write like a human

Use at least as many words as you’d use when selling face to face

Be very, very concise

Be concise

designsensory.com/pws/

Four important aspects § The “angle”

§ The bits that get looked at first

§ The offer(s) (M&M trail) and call to action

§ The weakest aspects

§ The proof

With your permission, I am going to make an analysis of the soil of your lawn to determine—at my own risk and expense—what elements are lacking in it, what you need for stronger, healthier, more closely grown turf.

An angle for selling fertiliser to home owners

Four important aspects § The “angle”

§ The bits that get looked at first

§ The offer(s) (M&M trail) and call to action

§ The weakest aspects

§ The proof

Headlines § The product’s main benefits—explaining specifically how they’ll be

reached with certainty and with ease

§ For inevitable, high-risk sales: The perils of making a mistake

§ Entering the conversation that’s already going on in the prospect’s mind §  How to buy X §  How to choose between vendors §  The guarantee §  The offer §  The proof §  The urgency §  Anything else from the mental shopping list

Four important aspects § The “angle”

§ The bits that get looked at first

§ The offer(s) (M&M trail) and call to action

§ The weakest aspects

§ The proof

The offer(s) (M&M trail) and call to action § Long-term strategy for pricing §  Penetration pricing? §  Price high, then lower prices? §  Luxury pricing? §  Communicate that prices will keep increasing? §  Versioning: different price points for different customers?

The offer(s) (M&M trail) and call to action § Winning offers §  Make the initial purchase a “no-brainer”, then make money on the

subsequent payments. §  Make the “headline offer” irresistibly appealing. This often involves

understanding what main criterion your prospects are using to determine value. Have low prices for the things people use to judge value, then make your money from the other stuff.

§  Consider stripping down the features of your service, then charging for extras. Budget airlines do this.

The offer(s) (M&M trail) and call to action §  If you can’t make it free, make it seem cheaper §  Offer a “free trial” §  Which may be a no-strings completely free sample, perhaps with a discount voucher if

they decide to continue. (e.g. shareware). This works if your service is fantastic, and the best way to persuade them is to get them using it.

§  Consider offering something small and irresistible for an amazing price, just to get something into their shopping cart. Once they have accepted they’ll be going through the checkout, they are more likely to buy other things. (DIY stores do this.)

§  or a free trial with an ongoing monthly charge if they don’t cancel §  or a “we won’t bill you until x-days after your purchase §  or it may be a “return it within x-days for your money back”

§ Upsell/cross-sell

§ Add premiums and incentives

§ Bundle/unbundle

Four important aspects § The “angle”

§ The bits that get looked at first

§ The offer(s) (M&M trail) and call to action

§ The weakest aspects

§ The proof

Four important aspects § The “angle”

§ The bits that get looked at first

§ The offer(s) (M&M trail) and call to action

§ The weakest aspects

§ The proof

Types of proof § Social proof §  Testimonials §  From customers, particularly those who are famous (e.g. celebrities) or have authority

(e.g. the Queen on Weetabix) §  From the media (online and offline)

§  Data that shows how large you are or how fast you’re growing §  Self-evident proof (logic) §  Displays of credibility §  Demonstrations (e.g. Bose headphones) §  Description of how the product is made §  Materials (e.g. used in helicopter blades) §  Process (e.g. Apple’s unibody Mac) §  People involved (e.g. Hiscox guitar cases)

§  Reason why the product was created (e.g. 37Signals’ Basecamp) §  Demonstrations (e.g. Bose) §  Association with influential bodies

Outsourcing or delegating your copywriting § Someone with a track record of getting wins

§ Ensure each change is split tested

§ Ensure the person follows this process

§ Need someone who can §  sell (would you buy from them?) §  write (can you understand what they write?)

And finally…

http://www.conversion-rate-experts.com/free/ …to get… •  How to find out why your visitors aren’t converting •  108 ways to use split testing •  Common conversion killers