Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Amy Harrison.
If you’ve been blogging for a while, you’re probably very protective of your audience. You appreciate their comments and their continued commitment to your blog.
In return you provide valuable content and usually let them know useful hints and free resources that they can use to improve their own blogs, lives, health or businesses.
But then, there comes a time when you want to offer them something.
And it’s not free.
You want to try and “sell” something, but you don’t know how to make an offer without damaging your reputation as an admirable and valuable blogger. You’re so used to talking to your audience in one way, that when you think about “selling” them something, you stop.
- You feel guilty
- You feel like they’ll think you’re money hungry
- You don’t know how to do it without sounding like a hypey sales person
BUT you don’t want to give away this content for free (especially if it’s taken you a long time to create).
So how do you write a sales page, or make an offer in your newsletter with integrity without forfeiting the chance of making any sales?
Well, the following tips should help.
Write in Your Voice
Don’t try and put on a “sales voice” that you might have seen in other sales pages. Your reader follows your blog because they like your content and they like your style of writing.
If in doubt, compare your sales page content with your blog posts and make sure you’re using the same conversational phrases and style that you would in your regular communication.
Focus on the Problem Your Thing Solves
Remember why you created your product. Does it solve a particular problem that you know a lot of your readers have? Is this problem a real annoyance to your reader? Would your reader be a lot happier if this problem went away?
If you’re not confident that what you have is useful to your reader, then you might want to reconsider why you want to make a sale in the first place. IF, however you know it will be valuable to a lot of your readers, you’re doing your audience a disservice by holding back.
In your sales page, show your audience that you understand the problem, the effects of having this problem, and how much better life is when this problem goes away.
In sales copy speak, this is called “agitating the problem” but really it’s showing your audience you understand and care about what they are going through as well as showing to your audience just how valuable a resource your product is.
Reveal the Value with Logic, Don’t Push the Sale with Hype
A good sales page that won’t seem “pushy” to your audience, is one that explains logically, and rationally HOW your product can help them remove their problem. For example:
“The eBook takes you through step-by-step (including screenshots) how to create an eBook cover design (that looks professional) in less than 20 minutes. It can do this because you also receive over 100 templates, and more than 1000 royalty free images to act as a shortcut in creating your own eBook cover design”
Can you see how this style is more like writing a blog post review? It’s informative, it’s calm and logical and it doesn’t just make a promise, it explains how that promise is delivered, and that’s a powerful and persuasive technique.
Present a Case Study
If you really want to show your audience that your product is useful to them, turn a testimonial into a mini case study, but make sure the subject is someone who is similar to your readers, or someone that you know your readers admire.
If you can create a small case study that includes what the problem was, how the customer found the product and what the end results were, it will be more persuasive than someone simply saying “this was a wonderful product.”
Use “Warm Up Content”
If you have time, consider running a series of blog posts or Q and A sessions with your audience that talks about the problem your product solves.
You can ask for their input about what they are really struggling with, or you can feature people who are having the problem and how they overcame it.
What this does is it starts your audience thinking about the problem, which means that when you present the solution it’s not only more relevant, but you’re less likely to “disconnect” from your audience with a product that’s out of the blue if you’ve been blogging about another topic of conversation in the weeks leading up to it.
All you need to remember is that a sales page, or an offer is really just an extension of the conversation with your readers.
Up to that point, you’ve been offering them help, advice and great content and now you get to say: “If you really want to solve that problem once and for all, this is an option for you” which is so much more sincere and authentic than the hyped up sales pages that turn blog readers cold.
Amy Harrison runs Harrisonamy Copywriting which helps entrepreneurs, business owners and bloggers write persuasive and authentic sales copy. For advance notice of the re-release of her eBook “How to Get Your Sales Page DONE!” simply click through and sign up on the list.
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Great post. I been a fan of your for a while Amy. I remember when you got your website done with Menswithpen..i was like..she is awesome. And your work speaks for itself. Thanks Henri for allowing her to write this post. Great work girl
Hey Jonathan! Long time no see, love your website and thanks for the comment 🙂 has your book come out yet?
Hey I appreciate this post Amy, it’s exactly the dilemma I’m about to deal with. I’ve built a great audience with strong traffic and I’m looking into monetizing now, but my writing style isn’t exactly conducive to selling in the way I see other bloggers doing it. I don’t want to just drop a “Hey check this out and buy it” post on my beloved readers. I like the idea of “warm up content and I’ll be putting this to use. Thanks.
Hi David, warm up content is a great introduction, especially if you write a series that deals with a common problem you know is bothering your audience. Depending on your relationship with them, you might also consider polling, or asking them what their biggest struggles are in relation to your niche. That way, when you come to introduce it you can explain that it was in response to what your audience told you you wanted.
That way, they’re warmed up, and you are showing that you’re actively listening and reacting to your readers needs. 🙂 good luck!
This is a very powerful post, Amy. Thanks for making this. I’m still at the beginning stages of my blog and i, too, plan to monetize in the future by selling stuff. I’ve bookmarked this post to my brain ‘cos I know it’ll come handy.
Hi Wowie, Glad you found the post helpful and it’s great that you’re thinking about monetizing now, as it helps you shape your content a lot more at the early stages. Good luck with making those offers when it’s the right time for you!
Thanks, Amy! You’re right. Because I am thinking about how to monetize my site in the future, it’s given me more ideas on what type of stuff to put in there (which should be extremely targeted). BTW, your headline templates are great.
Ah, awesome – glad you’re enjoying the headline templates, I saw you’d signed up to the newsletter – it’s great to have you!
You’re in a great position to start thinking about what content should go where and when – keep us posted!
Hi Amy, Super post and great advice as well. Love that you are guest posting with Henri. Very practical, powerful information with many people just starting out blogging and online business. One thing I love about the blogs I follow are the fact that they don’t make me feel like they are pushing sales, but are offering great information at a great value! This posts takes that ideas and runs with it. I think it’s important to give people an opportunity to support your work and you give great points in moving into the monetizing part of blogging!
Hi Kristi,
Thank you for the comment, blogging is a tremendous platform for proving to your audience that you know your stuff, and I see making offers as increased access to someone’s expertise. It’s really important that the offer is a continuation of the conversation (and relevant to the audience) because then (just like with the blogs you follow) you have more respect for them and their products. 🙂
Amy,
All great points. Content marketing (blogging is one tactic of this strategy) can be a great way to distribute your value to the marketplace, position yourself as an expert that solves a specific problem, and provide value to your target market.
Let’s add another point about how to shift from blogging to selling: let’s work on our mindset.
Publisher’s who happen to be running a business don’t need to feel embarrassed by presenting an offer or asking for the sale, if a sufficient level of trust has been developed.
Your blog content should act a filter and relationship developer. Deliver interesting content that targets a specific type of person (your ideal customer). Naturally, the right people will be attracted to your content over time. Next, readers will develop respect for your advice, recommendations, and expertise if they find your content valuable.
America runs on sales. Don’t be afraid to bring your favorite entree to the party. Your customers won’t be afraid to eat.
Ryan
Lumnari.com
Move Your Business Forward Faster