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Making Your Sales Copy Sell. Even In A
Recession
© 2002 By Karon Thackston
I was talking with a group of business associates the
other day and one question popped up that was of
particular interest. "Is everyone finding that
sales come MUCH slower these days?" The
answer from all on the call was a resounding yes!
The next question won't surprise you. "What do we do
about it?"
There is no doubt that individuals and business people
alike are becoming more and more cautious with their
money. Rather than buying anything and everything
that peaks their interest, serious consideration is being
given to each and every expense. That's natural in a
recession.
What that means is advertising copy has to work harder and
better. No longer will a simple quip like,
"You'll love it" or "Be the first to own
one" work. You have to earn each purchase.
You have to prove your worth.
People who live and work in recession-laden times have
specific criteria for making purchases. If your
product or service "qualifies", you get the
sale. The challenge comes in determining what it
takes to qualify.
I've said it a thousand times: "Before you write one
word, get inside the mind of your customer."
You have to understand who the person/business is, what
they need, what they want. and then give it to them.
In a recession, the focus turns from "trying" to
"getting results". Those who might, in an
ordinary economy, try something just to see if it would
work will now demand proof of results.
Those who would normally take a risk will now ask for
guarantees.
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In order to build trust and create an atmosphere
conducive to converting cautious visitors into customers,
you'll need to make three things obvious in your copy:
1) Benefits. Yes, even novice
advertisers know about features vs. benefits. But it
is imperative that you fill your copy with as many of them
as it will hold. In a recession, your customers
will not wonder - but will demand to know - what's in it
for them. Let them know exactly what they will get
for their dollar/pound/euro.
2) Results. In addition to benefits,
your recession weary customers will want proof of results.
This can be accomplished in a variety of ways.
Testimonials are the easiest, provided
they are verifiable. You can also use online
demonstrations, case studies or a number of other
effective methods of showing
that your product/service works.
3) Guarantee. If - for whatever reason
- your product/service does not perform as expected, your
customer will want a safety net. Provide a guarantee
or warranty to make them feel safe
about spending their hard earned money.
4) Repetition. Lastly, don't be
surprised if it takes multiple exposures to your offer
before a purchase comes. Instead of the usual 7-9
exposures, it may very well take 10-14 before sales come
in. There are several reasons for this.
Customers may need to consider, and reconsider, your offer
before buying. They
might need time to raise the cash to pay for your
product/service. Expect - and plan for - slower
conversions.
Give the customer what he/she needs to make a comfortable
decision. By changing the focus of your copy to meet
the qualifications of those cautious buyers in a
recession, you will be able to convert leads to sales more
quickly.
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Author Name: Karon Thackston
Email: karon@ktamarketing.com
Web Address: http://www.copywritingcourse.com
Reprint Instructions: This article may be
reprinted freely with bylines and URL. Please email
me to let me know where the article will be placed.
Thank you!
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