10 Tips On Writing Content That Sells

Focus On Money Making Content

Writing good content that sells a product or a service can be a challenge to most people. By the end of this article you will have the tools and tips necessary to write your own articles or ads that will produce results for you time and time again. Before I even get started with the 10 steps for writing content that sells, I would make a suggestion that could be the one thing you change that makes all the difference. I encourage everyone to opt in to your own feed or email so you can have the value of reflecting on your own content as your reader’s see it. You’ll see why this is important as we go along.

1. It’s About People – Your prospects, customers, or readers buy benefits not features. You’ve all heard sell sizzle not steak. That hasn’t changed. What’s your steak? It would be the product and/or the comp plan. Sizzle is the marketing system. Your readers shouldn’t hear about the steak until you’re far into it. People buy what they want not what they need. Don’t get stuck on feature dumping. In other words don’t tell them everything you know up front, like how much commissions have been paid or how many products have been sold. Always keep in mind this simple phrase: “What’s in it for me?” Give them features, then benefits, and then use an emotional tie in. Sometimes we just do just the first two.

• Example:
• Feature = We’ve paid out $500k in commissions.
• Benefit = We’ve changed the lives of business owners around the world
• Emotional Tie In = Are you one of those people that can make $ week?

The person that sells has the ability to engage the reader every time. Ask a question and give an answer to relate back to them. Your job is not to sell; it’s to relate an opportunity to the reader. Don’t feature dump. People buy benefits, not features. Never assume they will figure it out on their own. Sales are benefit driven.

2. Customers Buy Solutions Not Products. Don’t eliminate the emotion out of it by watering it down with a product. You don’t want to be compared to other products out there…it’s not what they buy. Majority of the time people are looking to solve a problem not looking to buy a product, so explain what your opportunity or product delivers.

• Example:
• Problem = My golf game sucks.
• Solution = Our product will improve your game or your money back.

Eliminate some fear and anxiety to get the guard to come down. When people go to a blog or site they have their guard up expecting that they are going to be sold something. Use sizzle, but calm and qualm fears by using calming words in content: Freedom, proven, quality, guaranteed, life changing. What’s the problem? Give the solution. Be blunt in your content. Use your own words and write the way you talk. Try not to sound like an attorney just wrote your article.

3. Always View Your Opportunity From The Reader’s Point Of View. We get comfortable in what we know and assume they know the same thing. Write the content as if you were viewing the product for the very first time. When we get comfy we get less descriptive. It should be the opposite. Don’t assume they know what something means. Be clear, concise and to the point. The Internet is about instant gratification. We want to be able to go to a site, get what we need in a short amount of time, make a quick decision then move on with our life.

4. Present A Unique And Compelling Reason For A Customer To Do Business With You. Why you and not your competition? Have a USP – Unique selling proposition. What is it about your opportunity that makes it unique and something no one else offers? Don’t compare yourself or bash the competition. Then use the power of conformity to separate yourself from everyone else. People don’t want to be left out. They want to follow. Conformity says “if you’re not in this you’re just not cool.” Separate yourself by singling out what you are that no one else is. Customers don’t always make purchases based on price. The biggest thing is trust. When you keep your content real, and it comes from the heart people can sense that authenticity. Your authenticity is what separates you from the rest of the crowd.

5. Pay Attention To The Layout Of Your Site Or Ad. Make sure that you have the proper spacing, use spell check, and give a proper flow. Test headlines. You should spend more time refining your headline than you ever do your content. It doesn’t matter what your copy says if no one ever clicks on it.

6. Write A Compelling Headline. What makes good headline? Something unique. Stay away from clichés. People have seem them a million times. When we read our brain passes over the common things. It doesn’t warrant any impact from our minds-eye to stop our brain. We must write a compelling headline that’s going to make our brain compute. Write compelling headlines that make the eye stop. The power of big numbers makes people pay attention. Think of the Powerball…at $133 million everyone stands in line, but when it was $10 million it never makes the news. Most people would steak nude through Central Park for $10million! Also, don’t be afraid to use a little sarcasm. A wry smile will stop someone to read more.

7. Use Graphics Or Images. Google one of your keywords for an image that goes along with your content. Articles that don’t have images can be up to 60-70% less likely to be read. Use imagery to tell the story for you. Be creative.

8. Importance Of The First Paragraph. If you can attract a reader with a great headline, and then keep their interest through the first paragraph, chances are higher that they are going to complete the entire process of everything you want them to. The first paragraph should state clearly what the benefits (not features) are if they follow through with what you are asking them to do. Don’t lead up to it and don’t feature dump in the first paragraph. Get them emotional and gauge them. Sell the sizzle up front. There’s nothing wrong to use a testimonial in the first paragraph to set the sizzle.

9. Avoid Using Abbreviations Or Trade Terms. Don’t assume everyone knows the abbreviations that you know. If you’re writing a blog about your trade to your trade members, that’s different. But remember that this is about relating to people. People buy when they relate to you and understand you.

10. Make The Text Easy To Read. Studies have shown that the New Times Roman font in the 12x size is the easiest read in PRINT form, but ONLINE, people prefer the 12 point Arial font. Don’t try to be different by using some script or gothic font. No one can read it. If it’s difficult to read no one is going to read it.

After all these tips, don’t forget the biggest thing to remember in content: A Call To Action. You got them with the killer headline; you hooked them in with the emotional tie in, now tell them what to do. Believe it or not, we all like being told what to do. Readers tell you what they want and you follow up by telling them what to do. Follow these tips for writing some killer content that sells!

Do you have anything you would add to these tips that have worked for you? What is your best selling tip, online or off?

Thanks to TW Collins for the great picture of Money.

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Tagged as:  Blogging · Content · Marketing · Online Marketing