Ishas Blog

I tell you, I am a total newbie at the internet - it's amazing to think that before I came to Australia the only thing I had ever done was download an email. In fact, just before we left Zimbabwe we finally got a telephone line that had a good enough connection for us to download emails - the internet - huuuugh - what was that?

It's amazing to think 5 years later I am sitting in a completely different country, have had a few more children and have an internet business - something that was so foregin to me a few years ago has now become how I earn my income. It really shows you the curve balls that life can throw you!

What has been even more interesting (and it's too long a story to go into here) I have been doing a lot of research lately into what makes a good website, the difference in websites, why some are successful and why some aren't and it has been a fascinating - the best part, I have learnt so much about websites and the internet.

I can honestly say it is a business model that is incredible and why people don't use it more as a way to make more income (even if it is just a couple of extra dollars a month!) is amazing!

In fact I am so impressed by what I have learnt that over the next few weeks I will be sharing a lot of the stuff that I have found out. The first thing I have learnt is:

When you are selling one product you need to use long sales copy - sales copy is the content you put onto your website. I'm writing this for people who probably don't know too much (like me) so those of you out there who are more advanced - sorry for the boring stuff!

One of the things I used to hate was stumbling onto pages that just went on forever and ever and ever! But I now know that statistically when selling one product, long copy always convinces people more than short copy. Now I understand it better I guess it makes sense. Think about it, whenever you are selling a product you usually get the chance to sit down with a person and speak to them for a good hour or so - this is the thinking behind long copy.

Equally so, I have stumbled upon sites with short copy and whilst I have been interested in what they have to offer, I haven't bought anything because I have always wanted to know more and because they do not offer anymore information I have not signed up or bought because I draw the conclusion that if they can't be bothered to give me more information, I can't be bothered to give them my details. Interesting isn't it?

Having gone on an internet search of what I like and dislike I have come up with the following conclusions:

I think the logic when selling one product should be to have a good balance of long and short! i.e. needs interesing information, to sound interesting, be longish i.e. no too long but not too short! It's a definite balance. I also love copy that speaks to you i.e. is like you are having a general conversation with someone - I hate copy that talks at you! I also think that copy that is conversational but in small sentences is entertaining and engaging - don't you just hate big chunks of paragraphs - it makes it so long to read and so tiring to look at!

One thing I think people who are selling on the internet forget is that we are all busy people! I want something that is convincing and entertaining to read, i.e. got bold's, italics, highlighting throughout but isn't long chunks of paragraphs. As I have children, I often start reading something - get interrupted, leave my computer, come back to it, read a bit more, get distracted, leave my computer, come back to it, read a bit more ....... get the picture? The content needs to be easy to read and easy to pick up if someone leaves it.

I also think that small sentences is mentally easier to look at - I know when I stumble upon something that is lots of small sentences I immediately think to myself "oh, this will be easy to read; I have a quick scan through". This is what you are wanting because once they start scanning they are usually in and will start to slow down and read what you have written! Whenever I hit upon a site with long copy and large paragraphs of content I honestly mentally groan and don't even bother! Even if I like the heading!

I also think it is a good idea to keep things simple - I have learnt in life the more simple you make things, the better it is for everyone! Don't complicate your work or copy because all you will do is complicate and confuse your clients!

Bonuses are also something you must include with your offer. Don't offer discounts or limited offers on the actual product because apparently people don't like this. Do offer bonuses that enhance your product but offer these as limited offers or one time only offers.

Don't put the price at the bottom - it needs to be embedded in the content because the idea is that you want people to read the letter to understand why they need it - if they find the price easily and it isn't what they would normally spend you loose them straight away. I have mixed feelings about this one - I know I often look for the price before I even read to see I can afford the thing - if I can and I like the look of the letter, then I read. I do think that people aren't stupid and I think trying to 'fool' them is a silly idea - so in this regard, perhaps do what you feel is best. I tend to think that honesty is the best policiy in everything so my approach is to come clean with the price and give people the benefit of the doubt.

I think that's it - no doubt there will be more that I will remember a bit later but I have to go - one thing you can do is have a look at my front page of my website - I have just revamped the copy there following a lot of these principles and would love some feedback.

Next blog I will go into writing sales copy more and some other things that are important but like I say, right now I have to dash, got to get dinner on the go! (ho hum the joys of motherhood!)

If you want to look at the copy on my site go to www.attractingfreedom.com.au. Currently the front page has been done - the rest is to follow.

Cheers, till next blog

Isha