From: Michael Lawford
Hi there,

Something regarding SEO has been puzzling me for quite some time now. It seems to me that even though search engine algorithms are constantly changing, the methods we use are staying more or less the same. As far as I know it is a simple(ish) process of:

We both know that to make a sale, you need to have people actually read your sales letter. So here’s five often overlooked yet simple techniques you can apply to any sales letter right now to turn your copy into an engaging, “keep them reading till the end” deal closer. Read on.

If you’re selling a product or service on the Internet, your words are the most important factor in determining your success. High-tech web sites with fancy graphics won’t make sales. However, many Internet entrepreneurs spend much more time designing a professional looking web site than writing effective sales copy. A professional looking web site is a very important part of making sales. However, if your sales copy is weak, your web site will be useless.

If your web site visitor can’t find the information on your web site, within 10 seconds or less, you will lose them. Two of the largest factors that contribute to this, are the lack of clear purpose and poor layout of your web pages.

Are you wasting your money by brining visitors to a sales offer that just doesn’t convert? Here’s how to pull more sales and put more money in your pocket by using these simple secrets for hard-hitting copy.

If a person clicks on a link from a search engine, will they find something of interest which makes them click your navigation to see more or will they leave immediately?

You have to think about how search engine’s index your site. They don’t just take your index (home page) and point to it – nope, they gather all your links to different pages on your site and list each one.

1. You could end your ad copy by telling people what will happen if they buy your product. Use your most powerful benefit as the example.

1. You could ask your reader questions through out the ad copy. They will answer the questions in their own head as they read your ad copy. The questions you ask should persuade the reader into buying.

The Guinness Book of World Records listed Joe Girard as the “World’s Greatest Retail Salesman” for 12 consecutive years. He holds the singular distinction of having sold an average of six cars a day over his career. Recently, Joe Girard told me:

I’ll never forget what my accountant said five years ago when he saw the ad I wrote for my services: “How many scotches did you drink before you wrote this?”

Writing effective copy for ads, web pages, sales letters and other marketing communications isn’t difficult when you know what works. After many years of trial and error I developed a checklist of 7 “rules” I follow to create successful advertising copy. These rules apply to writing copy for any type of marketing communication.

Writing winning sales letters for the web really isn’t as hard as it is made out to be. The reason most people have so much trouble writing web pages which sell to their customers is they have forgotten rule number one of copywriting…

1. You could end your ad copy by telling people what will happen if they buy your product. Use your most powerful benefit as the example.

1. Use a hand written letter on your ad copy instead of text. Write the ad on a piece of paper, scan it and publish the ad on your web page. Adding a personal touch will always increase your sales.