Do you have the sales skills you need to effectively sell your 
product(s) or service(s) on the Net? As with any business venture, if 
you don't know how to close a sale, you're not going to generate much 
income. 

 The fact is, a large number of Websites owned by small businesses  and professional practitioners  have weak sales presentations. They  are missing two basic elements, which we will talk about here: 1)  benefits-oriented copy and 2) a strong call to action. 
 

>>>Benefits, Benefits, Benefits<<< 
There are two ways to describe a product or service. One is to focus 
on features, the other is to point out the benefits. Can you see the 
difference between these two statements: 
     #1. Our widget has four large thing-a-ma-bobs. 
     #2.  Four large, easy-to-use thing-a-ma-bobs on our 
           new time-saving widget will increase your profits. 

Statement #1 focuses on features, #2 on benefits. Which do you think  has a stronger sales effect? 

 Copy should always answer a basic question for your viewers --  what's in it for me?" If prospects can't relate your product or service  to their needs -- emotional and otherwise -- then you will never make  a sale. 

 Look at the copy on your site. How often do you use the word "we,"  and how often does the word "you" appear? "You" is a selling, benefits  word. "We" is usually a features word -- unless it is closely followed  by "you." The word "you" should appear often in your copy. 

 Copy also needs to have dynamic words, especially adjectives,  that  sell. Include words such as free, easy, new, time-saving, innovative,  exciting, appealing, tasty, unique, incredible. Good word pictures are  important -- people need to see your product or service in use in their  mind's eye. 

 Exercise:  Review the copy on your site and change it from features to benefits-  oriented copy. This may seem difficult at first, but it's worth the effort.  Good salespeople always think in terms of benefits because that's  what makes sales. 

 To get ideas, read all the so-called junk mail that you receive as well  as mail-order catalogs from successful companies such as Lillian  Vernon, Land's End, Eddie Bauer, etc. You can also examine their  Websites. I like Land's End at <http://www.landsend.com>. The home  page is filled with calls to action and benefits. The product descriptions  are artful -- very dynamic and enticing. 

 Resource: "Words That Sell : A Thesaurus to Help Promote Your  Products, Services, and Ideas" by Richard Bayan / Paperback.  Available from Amazon.com for $11.96. <http://www.amazon.com>. 

 >>>What's Your Call to Action?<<<  

Once you present your product or service, what do you ask people to  do? Too many Websites only have a button with the words "Contact  Us" that goes to a page with a telephone number and other contact  information. Usually there is a mailto link. The suggestion "Contact  Us" isn't strong enough. 

 If you want people to contact you -- rather than buy something or  make an appointment -- be specific. For example, "Need more  information? Call us at 888-123-1234 or send e-mail to  information@yourdomain.com. (link) " 

 If you are selling a product and you have a shopping cart, be sure  something says, "Add to Cart" or, as they do at Land's End, "Buy." If  you don't use a cart, I suggest a link that says, "For ordering options,  click here" or "Find out how to order our widgit now!" (This would be  a link.) 

 The page with ordering options should clearly state how people can  order your product. Language should be clear and direct. Don't say,  "Please fill out our order form." Instead, say "Use our secure order  form." Make this a link to your form. 

 At the  end of every page on your site, have a call-to-action -- and  make it something more than "Contact Us." If I don't have anything  else, I'll use a click-Go link box that says "Choose a Location." On the  selection list will be often be an action such as "Ask a Question" or  "Order Now." 

 >>>Exercise:<<<  

Write a signature for your e-mail that contains a benefits statement  and a call to action. Every piece of e-mail you send can be a sales  presentation. 

 Limit signatures to 6 lines with no more than 65 characters per line.  Always include the http:// with your URL because many e-mail  programs turn full URLs into hot links. Use brackets <  > around the  URL to separate from punctuation. 
Use phrases such as          
Visit our site at http://www.yourdomain.com          
Subscribe to our newsletter          
Get free information          
Find out how you can benefit from  Most e-mail programs let you have at least one standard signature. 
In  Eudora Pro, you can have a selection of them. 

Here are some examples of effective  signatures: 

***Prosperity Is an Inside Job - This book can change your life!*** 
Find out how to heal your money feelings and develop a better 
relationship with money. Read a chapter of this book and other 
articles on our site, Prosperity Place <http://prosperityplace.com>. 

*****************  High Country Gardens  ***************** 
Plants for the Western garden. Learn how to plant a beautiful 
water-wise perennial garden. Lots of information and a full-color 
catalog of hardy drought-tolerant plants and supplies. 
              http://highcountrygardens.com 

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