7:02 PM
Lanee' Blunt
Writing your own small
business website copy doesn’t have to be hard. Start with a plan.
By Lanee' Blunt
A small business website is
your opportunity to sell to your customers. Most small businesses are concerned
with graphics, and miss the one thing that sells prospects—the importance of words. People will read long copy if they believe
that they are going to get some value, or if they are about to buy a big ticket
item. This is your opportunity to sell
to your prospects. A salesman knows the right presentation to bring in
sells. Why shouldn’t your website do
that for you? You must write website content with a marketing objective.
Here are some things to
consider before you build your website.
Write Great Content for Your Small Business Website
Your website should be
informative, and persuade the customer to buy from you or to order from
you. You must write from a marketing
objective, what do you want the customer to do? Do you want them to sign up for
your newsletter, or order your free information kit? According to Ralph Wilson’s
book, Planning Your Internet Marketing Strategy, “One of the highest priorities
of your website must be to get your visitor to sign up for your free
newsletter, discussion list, or updates publication.” This must be planned in the beginning before
you start building the website.
Have an Attention Getting Home Page
The prospect must have had
some interest to come to your website; you must work hard at keeping that attention. The homepage must tell the customer about
your small business. However, you must tell the prospect how your service will
benefit them.
Get Quality Product Pictures
The pictures you use should
be high quality, especially for your products.
“They are included to help sell the product by showing what it looks
like, how it works, and what it can do for the reader,” according to Robert
Bly’s book titled The Copywriter’s Handbook. Photographs are sometimes better
than using clipart. Each picture should have a caption written under it. The
caption should be written to help the visual by giving additional selling
points.
Consider Having a Frequently Asked Questions Page
This is where you will
answer all of the prospects questions.
You will be surprised at how many times visitors will click on your FAQ
page. Make sure you write down all of
the questions that your customers have asked you in the past, brainstorm other
questions, and answer them. The answers
should be in essay form. Write as if someone is sitting across your desk or as
if you are talking to a friend. You must
answer all of the prospects questions here.
You have just one chance
before a prospect clicks off of your site onto another website, be persuasive,
and informative, and showcase your small business.
Sources:
Robert Bly; The Copywriter’s Handbook; Henry Holt
Ralph F. Wilson; Planning Your Internet Marketing Strategy;
Wiley
Posted in: Business services
