Let me be direct here. There is simply nothing more important to your web site than powerful, seductive copy the sells your products and services. Without it, it's like operating a retail store without salespeople. Or even worse, hiring incompetent salespeople.

Your store might look nice. And a few people might walk through the door. But they'll leave long before they buy anything. The mall is full of quick alternatives. And so is the Internet.

So what steps can you take to make your web site copy more seductive? There are a ton. But let's start with 5 of the big ones right now.

Apply these to your web copy and and you'll start seeing better results right away.

1. Keep it conversational.

Visitors will stay on your site much longer if they feel like you're talking right to them. They are looking for a connection; some sort of proof that there is a living, breathing person behind all that copy.

So keep your tone light and conversational, even if you are talking about complex business solutions. Keep your paragraphs short. And your sentences shorter. You want your visitors to feel like you are speaking to them one-on-one.

Remember, effective copy is just salesmanship in print. A boring, stiff, and overly technical salesperson will lose your attention in an instant. But friendly, informed, and conversational salespeople know how to keep you engaged through the entire selling process -- and beyond.

2. Take them by the hand.

Your copy needs to act as a tour guide to every visitor who shows up on your site. Don't wait for them to guess what to do next. Because chances are they won't. Instead, hold them by the hand and tell them exactly what actions you want them to to take.

Do you want them to place an order? Are you expecting them to opt-in to a newsletter or other retention program? Do you want them to go to a different page for more information? Make sure they know how and where to do all of this. And then, point blank, ask them to do it.

3. Get to the point.

With only a few seconds to capture your rea

ders' interest, you need to get to your point right away. So don't dilly-dally around with long introductory paragraphs. Save those for later.

Instead, explain what your product or service is and how it will benefit your readers from the get-go. Use an eye-catching headline and lead paragraph that grabs your reader by the collar and doesn't let go. Once you have their attention, you can spend as much time as you want selling to them.

4. Use bullets.

* They're easy to read. * They break apart long blocks of text. * They highlight important information. * They're perfect for displaying lists. * They help to keep things simple.

5. Minimize the hyperbole.

Just like you shouldn't have to explain a funny joke, you shouldn't have to rely on hyperbole to sell your product. That's because people tend to view hyperbole and exaggeration as a warning sign—in a used-car dealer sort of way—and you run the risk of minimizing your credibility.

Yes, you need to be excited about your product. And yes, that needs to come across in your copy. But you can convey all the excitement and enthusiasm you need without frequently resorting to overstatement.

How?

Just refer to the first tip and write in a friendly and engaging style that makes your readers trust you and your business.

(c) 2006 by Cory Fossum. All rights reserved.

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