Photo courtesy of Tim Sheerman-Chase.
Do you have a web page that does not sell no matter how many people visit it?
Are you frustrated with checking your traffic and sales stats every day and seeing nothing tangible happen?
If you relate to these problems, you might have a sales copy problem on your hands. Luckily, it’s not your fault though. No one ever talks about what you should say on your web site. No one ever talks about the psychology of what makes people take action and purchase your products and services. Most likely, all you have been told is if you have a web site you will be connected to the world and the sales will start rolling in. You have probably figured out by this point that it takes much more than just having a web site to be successful.
Long ago, the same thing was figured out in the world of advertising. Just simply blasting your messages to the masses did not guarantee success. Instead, a strategy had to be used to strike certain psychological triggers in peoples’ minds to make them want to buy. As discovered by Leo Burnett, a revolutionary advertiser in the 1960’s, communicating certain key pieces of information in sales copy increases the likelihood of a sale by connecting with a prospect’s emotional and rational side. By hitting all of these psychological points, the message you are trying to communicate will satisfy your prospect’s logical needs and irrational desires. Even with all of the technological changes that have taken place since Leo Burnett’s time, the human mind has stayed the same so these very same psychological points can be used by as small business owner such as yourself to sell more products and services from your web site.
1. Identify Your Prospect’s Problem
Make sure you talk about the thing that is causing him or her pain!
2. Reveal Your Solution
Show how you will relieve the pain using your solution. Craft the perfect cold calling script and contact your prospect to acquire an in-depth understanding of their problem.
3. Define Your Target Audience
Describe aspects of your prospect’s life and experiences to let them know you truly understand what they are going through.
4. Go Into More Detail Using Steps 1, 2, and 3 As A Pattern
Dig deep and really explain the problem, the pain, and solution in more detail.
5. Bring Up The Biggest Objection
Price is usually not the biggest objection. Typically, your prospect is more worried about value, quality, or level of service.
6. Provide Case Studies and Testimonials
These supplements provide social reinforcement that your solution will really solve the prospect’s problem. Some of the best testimonials start off skeptical and finish with the customer being amazed or surprised by the quality of the product or service. Testimonials that only highlight positive factors can come off as less believable.
7. Reverse The Risk
Let the prospect know they have nothing to lose by trying your company. Let them know they have a money back guarantee, financing options, a free, etc.
8. Say Why You Are Unique
Everyone is unique in some fashion. Do not assume your prospect knows this. Let them know and fulfill the last of the 8 psychological triggers!
Hitting on each of these eight psychological triggers can help you sell more through your web site. Be sure to incorporate them into any audio or video you include on your web site as well to make sure you have the hardest hitting content possible.
One last tip for implementing these 8 psychological triggers into your sales copy is to make sure you have really defined your target audience in bullet 3. If you find you are talking to a broad audience, it is easy to split that audience into smaller niches and build separate web pages that speak directly to each one with these psychological triggers. As the saying goes, “if you market to everyone, you sell to no one”.
Between myself and my better half we’ve enjoyed reading about these techniques.
G’day, and awesome site!! Thanks for the article. I found it pretty useful!