5 Tips For Writing a Sales Page That Works

Life can sometimes be pretty tough for Web sales customers.

How so?

Well, let me ask you this.

Have you ever gone to a Website wanting to purchase something and been "turned away" because the Web sales page didn't work?

In other words, because it didn't lead you to buy?

Imagine that there's something you really want there on that Website. And it's on sale at a great price. But you can't buy it, no matter how much you want to!

Pretty frustrating, isn't it?

And this kind of thing happens quite a bit, amazingly enough.

But it doesn't have to happen to you.

When push comes to shove, your customer should be able to very easily give you their money.

After all, you're in business, and the idea is to sell, right?

Here are 5 quick tips for writing a sales page that makes it a breeze for your customers to buy from you.

1) Have a clear offer.

Spell out the details of your offer very clearly in your sales copy. Writing a sales page really just means telling your buyers exactly what they get and what they have to do to get it. In other words, tell them what they will receive for their money and how much it will cost, where to click to get to the order page, what number to call, options for payment (credit card, bank draft, PayPal), how your product will be delivered, etc.

Leave absolutely no doubt in their mind as to what steps they need to take to give your their payment info.

2) Give regular calls to action.

Give regular calls to action within your copy, including "Click Here To Order Now"-type buttons or links. You need to give the call several times because different customers make the buying decision at different times in the sales process.

Some people decide early on, while others decide later. Some may even decide the next day or week! Having plenty of "order now" buttons or links makes it easier for those folks to purchase without having to scroll all the way to the end of your copy and search for that one little elusive button or link...

Also make sure the links or buttons are easy to see. use bright colors, and larger fonts than the font used in the sales page copy.

3) Make it clear that they are now making a purchase.

Once people click through (or call on the phone) there should be no doubt whatsoever that they are making a purchase. This means, in particular, that nothing should distract them from paying you.

Also, upsells can work devilishly well at this point, because the customer is already in a buying frame of mind. If you do use an upsell, make sure it is seamlessly integrated into the sales process. It needs to feel natural to your customer. In addition, the upsell offer should be for something that is closely related to the product they are buying. And just as with your main product, the offer for your upsell should be clear as a bell.

More than anything though, make sure you close the sale! Don't give them any reason or excuse to click out, and especially be sure not to include links that lead off the page on your sales page(s).

4) Accept as many different kinds of payment options as you possibly can.

Some people like to pay with credit cards online (and some don't). Some people love PayPal, and some hate it. Some folks will buy through ClickBank, and some won't. Some people like to use online checks instead of credit cards. And some people like to pay by telephone or even via good old-fashioned snail mail instead of through the Web.

5. Send your customer to a Thank You page after they pay AND send them a Thank You email (as well as follow-up email(s) after the product is delivered checking to make sure they're satisfied).

People often get buyer's remorse after purchasing something online, especially if your product costs more than 100 dollars. But even if you aren't selling something that's priced above that plateau, your follow-up process is vital to keeping a customer. Remember, the goal of a business is to get and keep a customer, not to make a sale.

By following up with your customers as much as you can, especially the first few days, you'll decrease the chances of their requesting a refund. You need to reassure them, especially if the product will be delivered by mail and may take some time for them to get it.

Conclusion:

Making the entire purchasing process as easy as possible for your customers can only bring good things to your online business. So streamline the path to purchase for your visitors today by writing a sales page that works and watch your sales (and your credibility) take the elevator to the top floor.

Copyright 2009 by Bruce Carlson