Tips for Text
Teacher: Candice Pardue

Designing can be fun - adding graphics, links, navigation bars, etc., but if you wish to make money with your website, your text could make or break your website.

Below are a few guidelines to follow while adding text to your website:

Catalog Products Website

If you will be offering many different products from your website (similar to catalog sales), you probably will not need a long sales presentation. A couple of paragraphs of text on your homepage and product entry pages will do.

Here are a few ideas to write about for a catalog site:

- Special offers
- Offer free mailing list sign-up
- Do a product review each week or month
- What's new section
- Give customer benefits of ordering from your company
- Basic introduction and instructions on how to get
to your product listings
- Testimonials from past customers
- Offer your best product or service "guarantee" up front

Infoproducts or One Product Website

If you're focusing on informational products or have only one product as your main focus, you should have an effective sales presentation leading your visitor to the purchase.

Online, it's important that you talk very personally with your visitors - as if you were face to face with them.

By doing so, you'll build trust and a "buying" atmosphere for your visitors. Please remember not to do hard selling on your website. Lead your visitor without him/her knowing it!

Here are a few pointers for building an effective sales presentation:

1. Always begin by stating the problem that you or your products could solve - grab interest.

2. After stating the problem, explain how and why this problem occurs. Also, use emotional statements. Talk very personally to your visitor, as if to empathize.

3. Next, you can begin offering the solution and letting the customer know that you can help solve their problem.

Of course, you'll close by leading your visitor to the order form or to call (whatever your goal).

Most online gurus who have been very successful online use this very tactic to get maximum sales. It's proven to work.

About the teacher:
Article written by Candice Pardue, Online Success for Internet Business. Subscribe to Web Design Weekly to receive weekly web and graphic design tips, articles and resources by email.....
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