Make Money for the Service Industry - In this section, you’ll find marketing strategies specific to the Service Industry, including what pages to include in your website and copywriting tips.

How to Write Web Pages that Turn Visitors into Buyers A 17-minute writing formula that will help your website bring in more business   Why is the text on your website so important?   When it comes to websites, it’s often said that the site with the best content wins. By providing quality content, you show potential clients that you are an expert that can be trusted.   Your content also differentiates you from your competitors. It allows you to show why you are more professional, more knowledgeable, and ultimately why you are a better choice. The content on your site tells your visitor why they should hire you over a national chain or a home business across town. Your content is your one big chance to convince your visitor that you are the best choice to meet their needs.   The content you put on your website becomes your silent sales person. Make sure it’s saying something compelling.   Write Compelling Copy that Makes You Money   In the service industry, your most important goal is to prove that you are an expert. Your website should reflect that.   First, take a moment to understand your prospects’ concerns. They need someone to do something for them. It’s something they don’t know how to do or don’t want to do.   The prospect may be confused trying to find out who’s any good. It’s hard to crack all the information on the solution. They’re probably afraid of getting bad service and may have had a bad experience with a service provider in the past.   The most important factors are results and education. Fix it right, fix it the first time, and don’t fix what doesn’t need to be fixed. They also want to learn more about the service and what options are available.   So how do you prove to that you can deliver the results they want? How do you show that they can trust you?   To do this, you must build a strong case in your website copy that begins with your prospects’ needs and ends with proof that you can meet them with minimal risk. There are four steps to this process:   Solve their problem. Provide proof. Remove risk. Give them a reason to hire you now.   Solve their problem. You’ve already explored the possible problems your prospects may have before coming to you. As a professional, your visitors are coming to your website either to get advice or to get a solution.   If your copy doesn’t address the reason why they came to your website, they’ll leave and keep surfing until they find one that does.   Take an electrician’s website for example. Imagine an apartment owner searching the web for a solution to stop power outages that keep springing up in his building. There are hundreds of competing electricians in their city and they’re having a hard time choosing the right one for them. Most electricians’ websites just read like their yellow pages ad with only a simple list of services they provide and a contact number.   Imagine how much more likely the apartment owner is to hire if one of the hundreds of electricians in the city actually wrote some articles on apartment power issues, including power shortages, replacing electrical outlets and electrical safety. How much more impressed would they be if there were even a page dedicated to apartment building service programs that electricians offer?   Take a moment to list 10 reasons why your customers are looking on the web for something you offer:   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Provide proof. People are still skeptical about trusting things they read on the web. They’re scared of the inherent risks in dealing with a stranger through a website. To get beyond these hurdles, you need to show your visitor that you can help them and that they will be satisfied with the results.   You can provide proof in a number of ways:   List of testimonials (with pictures is even better!) Portfolio of work Third party endorsements List of awards received List of professional organizations belonged to Case studies   The more proof you provide, the easier you make it for someone to hire you.   What type of proof can you supply for your business?     ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Remove risk. Since we’ve already established that most people are skeptical of the copy on a website, you may want to offer some sort of guarantee to back up your claims. Or for industries where a guarantee is unrealistic, consider offering a risk-free way of trying out your services. You must remove as much risk as possible so the client will be confident doing business with you.   Guarantees work. If they didn’t, then why would all the big companies offer them? They come in different formats:   100% money back guarantees Service level guarantees Performance guarantees Delivery guarantees Make It Right guarantees   What type of guarantees can you supply for your business?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   If it’s not appropriate for you to offer a guarantee in your industry, you may want to consider offering a risk-free trial or assessment. To continue with the earlier example, an electrician could offer a free assessment so that a client can learn how they will handle their specific case before committing any payment. Typically, however, a guarantee will go further toward making your case in the service industry.   Give them a reason to hire you now. Many people take their time when hiring a service professional. It may take a prospect weeks even months before they make a hiring decision. Since you never know if your visitor will come back to your site in the future, you have to give them a reason to hire you now while you have them.   Common tools used to get visitors to hire immediately include:   Limited time discount Bonuses Extended service plans   What reasons can you supply to motivate a visitor to hire you immediately?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Writing Style   Before you start writing, there are 6 important points for you to consider that will make your website copy more effective:   You vs. I Informal and Concise Benefits vs. Features Objective Language Headlines Emphasis and Organization Tools Keyword Density   You vs. I. Most websites focus their entire content on themselves. This may sound reasonable at first, but customers don’t want to hear about how great you are. They want to know how great your services will be for them. This is true for all marketing copy.   Informal and Concise. Generally, it takes people 25-30% longer to read text on a computer screen than off a printed page. So you should write in a way that is easy to read quickly. Concise, informal language speeds up the reading process.   Writing informally is simply writing the way people talk. In conversation, we favor contractions, short sentences and simple language. Apply this to your copy.   Your words should be: Familiar, not obscure Concrete, not abstract Short, not lengthy   Instead of… Use this… In order to to Encourage urge Along the lines of like Supplement add to In the event of if   When you read back what you’ve written, read it aloud. If it’s hard for you to say, it’s hard for people to read it.   Many people think being concise is the same as being brief. Not so. You can provide a longer argument if you need it to make your case, but do so with the least amount of words possible.    Once you have written the first draft of your copy, go over it and get rid of any text that’s not vital to your main points. This may involve cutting single words, phrases, entire sentences, even paragraphs in some cases.     Benefits vs. Features. Talk about benefits as much as possible. Here are the features and related benefits of an electrician:   Features: Benefits: 24-hour service. You need electricity to function at all times, so we’ll solve your power problems whenever they pop up, night or day. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. If you’re not completely satisfied with our work, we’ll keep at it until we make it right. Bucket truck rentals available on request. We have access to bucket trucks if your power problems are due to a faulty connection to an electrical pole.   Objective Language. As a service professional, the case you make for yourself and the info you provide your visitors should stand on their own. Rather than boosting your image with subjective, boastful language, stick to objective wording. Using too much promotional language will cause your visitors to spend time filtering out the exaggeration to get at the facts.   Headlines. You need powerful headlines to grab the attention of your visitors. They should relate to the needs and concerns that your prospects have when hiring someone in your profession.   Consider the way that you’ll make your case in the body text and try to choose a headline to match. Here are 5 main slants that work for the service industry, with examples that an electrician might use:   Problem Solving- e.g. “The 3 Biggest Problems People Have With Electricians… and How Wayne McKeever Overcomes Them All,” “Do You Experience Frequent Power Outages? The Solution May Be Easier Than You Think.” Guidance- e.g. “What the Power Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know,” “5 Things You Should Know Before Hiring an Electrician.” Words of Warning- e.g. “A Little Mistake that Cost a Do-it-Your-Selfer His Hand” Comparison- e.g. “What a Microsoft® Certified Electrician Can Do For You that Other Electricians Can’t” Inflammatory- e.g. “5 Ways People Have Died Doing Their Own Electrical Work.”   Be sure to follow up your headlines with subheadlines that promise to further educate and engage your visitors.   Emphasis and Organization Tools. Help your visitor “hear” your tone while reading by using bold, italics, ALL CAPS, or (parentheses). Avoid underlining as people expect underlined text to be a link.   Organization tools make website copy easier to scan, which is the way most people read online. Use bullets to break down descriptions or for making lists. Tables can help you make comparisons more clearly.   Keyword Density. Once you have chosen the best keywords for your business (see Organic Search Engine Marketing for details), try to lace them into your website copy in a way that flows naturally. Don’t just put write your keyword in 200 times! Search engines pick up on this kind of scheme, hurting your ranking. Aim to have your keywords make up 1-2% of your home page to get the best results.

What Web Pages Should I Have On My Website?   5 Standard Web Pages Your Clients Expect to See… and 6 That Take You Further   Being familiar with the Internet, you’ve probably already noticed that there are certain types of pages that are standard in every industry. These pages represent a format that your customers expect to see. If you’re missing key information, your visitors may question your credibility and professionalism.    Here are 5 standard Web pages you Should have as a service industry professional:   Web Page Type Related web2itions.com Feature How It Benefits You Home Web Page Addresses the needs and concerns your visitors may have and offers your unique solution. Compels them to take action and hire you. About Web Page Establishes credibility by telling your visitors more about you- your experience, credentials, training, etc. Portfolio Photo Album Establishes credibility by showing your visitors samples of your work and/ or companies you’ve worked for. Even more effective when accompanied by photos and/or testimonials. Services Web Page Provides a detailed description of your services and how they will benefit your visitor. May be split into several pages. Contact Custom Feedback Form List the ways a visitor can get in touch with you and provide a client feedback form that gives you valuable info about their needs and expectations, allowing you to continually improve the way you do business.   Here are 6 bonus pages that will take you further:   Web Page Type Related host.name] Feature How It Benefits You Articles Articles Do more to establish your credibility by providing helpful information for your visitors. Links Links Give visitors access to more industry info by providing links to industry associations, partners, useful info/ tools, etc. Useful links add to your credibility. FAQ FAQ Provide a list of the most frequently asked questions so visitors are better educated when they inquire about your services. Hours Hours of Operation Let visitors know the days and times you operate so they don’t have to call you. Map Maps Make it easy for your clients to find you by adding a map, either your own or through a free online service. Special Offer Coupon Motivate visitors to hire you by providing a printable, limited time offer discount coupon.   These are just a few ideas of where you can take your Web pages. Use your imagination! [host.name] offers a wide range of features that you can tailor to the individual needs of your business.   Mezine Inc. 2005©

Make Money for the Professional Industry - In this section, you’ll find marketing strategies specific to the Professional industry, including what pages to include in your website and copywriting tips.

How to Write Web Pages that Turn Visitors into Buyers A 17-minute writing formula that will help your website get you hired   Why is the text on your website so important?   When it comes to websites, it’s often said that the site with the best content wins. By providing quality content, you show potential clients that you are an expert that can be trusted.   Your content also differentiates you from your competitors. It allows you to show why you are more professional, more knowledgeable, and ultimately why you are a better choice. The content on your site tells your visitor why they should hire you over a national agency or a home business across town. Your content is your one big chance to convince your visitor that you are the best choice to meet their needs.   The content you put on your website becomes your silent sales person. Make sure it’s saying something compelling.   Write Compelling Copy that Makes You Money   As a professional, your most important goal is to prove that you are an expert. Your website should reflect that.   First, take a moment to understand your prospects’ concerns. They have a problem and don’t know how to solve it. They either can’t get the info themselves in a reasonable amount of time or the outcome is critical. Ultimately, they lack the knowledge or expertise, so they want to hire an expert.   The prospect may be confused by their choices and fear possible loss or damage, even liability. They have no way of knowing what info is valid and they’re worried about losing money on a bad choice.    So how do you prove to your prospects that you can deliver the results they want? How do you show that they can trust you?   To do this, you must build a strong case in your website copy that begins with your prospects’ needs and ends with proof that you can meet them with minimal risk. There are four steps to this process:   Solve their problem. Provide proof. Remove risk. Give them a reason to hire you now. Solve their problem. You’ve already explored the possible problems your prospects may have before coming to you. As a professional, your visitors are coming to your website either to get advice or to get a solution.   If your copy doesn’t address the reason why they came to your website, they’ll leave and keep surfing until they find one that does.   Take an accountant’s website for example. Imagine a business owner searching the web for a way of reducing the amount of taxes he has to pay. There are hundreds of competing accountants in their city and they’re having a hard time choosing the right one to them. Most accountants’ websites just read like their yellow pages ad with only a simple list of services they provide and a contact number.   Imagine how much more likely the business owner is to hire if one of the hundreds of plumbers in the city actually wrote 5-10 articles on tax preparation, like “How to prepare for the tax season,” or “5 Simple Ways a Business Owner Can Cut Taxes,” and so on.   Take a moment to list 10 reasons why your customers are looking on the web for something you offer:   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Provide proof. People are still skeptical about trusting things they read on the web. They’re scared of the inherent risks in dealing with a stranger through a website. To get beyond these hurdles, you need to show your visitor that you can help them and that they will be satisfied with the results.   You can provide proof in a number of ways:   List of testimonials (with pictures is even better!) Portfolio of work Third party endorsements List of awards received List of professional organizations belonged to Case studies   The more proof you provide, the easier you make it for someone to hire you.   What type of proof can you supply for your business?     ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Remove risk. Since we’ve already established that most people are skeptical of the copy on a website, you may want to offer some sort of guarantee to back up your claims. Or for industries where a guarantee is unrealistic, consider offering a risk-free way of trying out your services. You must remove as much risk as possible so the client will be confident doing business with you.   Guarantees work. If they didn’t, then why would all the big companies offer them? They come in different formats:   100% money back guarantees Service level guarantees Performance guarantees Make It Right guarantees Delivery guarantees   What type of guarantees can you supply for your business?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   If it’s not appropriate for you to offer a guarantee in your industry, you may want to consider offering a risk-free trial or assessment. To continue with the earlier example, an accountant might offer a free first consultation so that a client can learn how they will handle their specific case before committing any payment.      Give them a reason to hire you now. Most people take their time when hiring a professional. It may take a prospect weeks, even months before they make a hiring decision. Since you never know if your visitor will come back to your site in the future, you have to give them a reason to hire you now while you have them.   Common tools used to get visitors to hire immediately include:   Limited time discount Bonuses Extended service plans   What reasons can you supply to motivate a visitor to hire you immediately?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Writing Style   Before you start writing, there are 6 important points for you to consider that will make your website copy more effective:   You vs. I Informal and Concise Benefits vs. Features Objective Language Headlines Emphasis and Organization Tools Keyword Density   You vs. I. Most websites focus their entire content on themselves. This may sound reasonable at first, but customers don’t want to hear about how great you are. They want to know how great your services will be for them. This is true for all marketing copy.   Informal and Concise. Generally, it takes people 25-30% longer to read text on a computer screen than off a printed page. So you should write in a way that is easy to read quickly. Concise, informal language speeds up the reading process.   Writing informally is simply writing the way people talk. In conversation, we favor contractions, short sentences and simple language. Apply this to your copy.   Your words should be: Familiar, not obscure Concrete, not abstract Short, not length.    Instead of… Use this… In order to to Encourage urge Along the lines of like Supplement add to In the event of if   When you read back what you’ve written, read it aloud. If it’s hard for you to say, it’s hard for people to read it.   Many people think being concise is the same as being brief. Not so. You can provide a longer argument if you need it to make your case, but do so with the least amount of words possible.    Once you have written the first draft of your copy, go over it and get rid of any text that’s not vital to your main points. This may involve cutting single words, phrases, entire sentences, even paragraphs in some cases.     Benefits vs. Features. Talk about benefits as much as possible. Here are the features and related benefits of an accountant:   Features: Benefits: Computerized bookkeeping services Efficient computerized bookkeeping that gives you greater independence, privacy and efficiency, as well as access to the latest knowledge. Collaborative estate planning services By collaborating with lawyers, life insurance agents and trust officers, we prepare estate tax returns together with estate financial statements, giving you the best overall estate and tax planning. Tax planning and preparation You’ll save more money with our Targeted Tax Solutions.   Objective Language. As a professional, the case you make for yourself and the info you provide your visitors should stand on their own. Rather than boosting your image with subjective, boastful language, stick to objective wording. Using too much promotional language will cause your visitors to spend time filtering out the exaggeration to get at the facts.   Headlines. You need powerful headlines to grab the attention of your visitors. They should relate to the needs and concerns that your prospects have when hiring someone in your profession.   Consider the way that you’ll make your case in the body text and try to choose a headline to match. Here are three main slants that work for a professional, with examples that an accountant might use:   Guidance- e.g. “Keep More of Your Money- 5 Tax Shelters Most People Don’t Know About,” “What the Banking Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know,” “Cut Through the Red Tape—Get the Loan You Want Now.” Words of Warning- e.g. “A Little Mistake that Cost a Business Owner $2000 a Year,” “Your Bank is Stealing From You.” Testament- e.g. “How I Made My Fortune Working From Home,” “How I Paid Off My Mortgage…10 Years Ahead of Schedule.”   Be sure to follow up your headlines with subheadlines that promise to further educate and engage your visitors.     Emphasis and Organization Tools. Help your visitor “hear” your tone while reading by using bold, italics, ALL CAPS, or (parentheses). Avoid underlining as people expect underlined text to be a link.   Organization tools make website copy easier to scan, which is the way most people read online. Use bullets to break down descriptions or for making lists. Tables can help you make comparisons more clearly.   Keyword Density. Once you have chosen the best keywords for your business (see Organic Search Engine Marketing for details), try to lace them into your website copy in a way that flows naturally. Don’t just put write your keyword in 200 times! Search engines pick up on this kind of scheme, hurting your ranking. Aim to have your keywords make up 1-2% of your home page to get the best results.

What Web Pages Should I Have On My Website?- Professional Service   5 Standard Web Pages Your Clients Expect to See… and 4 That Take You Further   Being familiar with the Internet, you’ve probably already noticed that there are certain types of pages that are standard in every industry. These pages represent a format that your clients expect to see. If you’re missing key information, your visitors may question your credibility and professionalism.    Here are 5 standard Web pages you should have as a professional:   Web Page Type Related web2itions.com Feature How It Benefits You Home Web Page Addresses the needs and concerns your visitors may have and offers your unique solution. Compels them to take action and hire you. About Web Page Establishes credibility by telling your visitors more about you- your experience, credentials, training, etc. Portfolio Photo Album Establishes credibility by showing your visitors samples of your work and/ or companies you’ve worked with. Even more effective when accompanied by photos and/or testimonials. Services Web Page Provides a detailed description of your services and how they will benefit your visitor. May be split into several pages. Contact Custom Feedback Form List the ways a visitor can get in touch with you and provide a client feedback form that gives you valuable info about their needs and expectations, allowing you to continually improve the way you do business.   Here are 4 bonus pages that will take you further:   Web Page Type Related web2itions.com Feature How It Benefits You Articles Articles Do more to establish your credibility by providing helpful information for your visitors. Links Links Give visitors access to more industry info by providing links to industry associations, partners, useful info/ tools, etc. Useful links add to your credibility. News Press Releases Let your visitors read what others are saying about you by posting your press releases. Articles/ reviews featured in the media are great for PR. Newsletter Newsletter/ Mailing List Show the power of your opportunity by publishing newsletters for and about your client community with useful articles, the success stories of your clients, etc.   These are just a few ideas of where you can take your Web pages. Use your imagination!  web2itions.com offers a wide range of features that you can tailor to the individual needs of your business.   Mezine Inc. 2005©

Make Money for the Retail Business - In this section, you’ll find marketing strategies specific to the Retail Industry, including what pages to include in your website and copywriting tips.

How to Write Web Pages that Turn Visitors into Buyers A 17-minute writing formula that will help your website sell your products   Why is the text on your website so important?   When it comes to websites, it’s often said that the site with the best content wins. By providing quality content, you show potential clients that you are an expert that can be trusted.   Your content also differentiates you from your competitors. It allows you to show why you are more professional, more knowledgeable, and ultimately why you are a better choice. The content on your site tells your visitors why your products are superior to anything else they’re going to find. Your content is your one big chance to convince your visitors that you are the best choice to meet their needs.   The content you put on your website becomes your silent sales person. Make sure it’s saying something compelling.   Write Compelling Copy that Makes You Money   If you’re selling products, your most important goal is to prove that you are an expert on what you sell. Your website should reflect that.   First, take a moment to understand your prospects’ concerns. They need something. They know a little something about a product, but want to know more so they can make the best decision.   The most important factors to your prospects are results and education. They want their purchase to meet their expectations. They also want to learn more about the item and what options are available. It’s all about offering good selection and options.   The biggest problem is lack of info or doubt of the info provided by sales reps. Inferior selection can also be a problem.   So how do you prove to your prospects that your product will meet their expectations? How do you show that they can trust you?   To do this, you must build a strong case in your website copy that begins with your prospects’ needs and ends with proof that you can meet them with minimal risk. There are four steps to this process:   Solve their problem. Provide proof. Remove risk. Give them a reason to buy now.   Solve their problem. You’ve already explored the possible problems your prospects may have before coming to you. You know that your visitors are coming to your website either to be educated and to find out their options.   If your copy doesn’t address the reason why they came to your website, they’ll leave and keep surfing until they find one that does.   Take an art supplies retailer for example. Imagine an artist searching the web for the best quality erasers that won’t damage the paper they draw on. There are loads of products out there and they’re having a hard time figuring out which eraser will match their needs.    Imagine how much more likely the artist is to buy an eraser if a company actually wrote some articles on issues dealing with art supplies, like what types of erasers work best on different surfaces or paper products that degrade due to acid content.   Take a moment to list 10 reasons why your customers are looking on the web for something you offer:   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Provide proof. People are still skeptical about trusting things they read on the web. They’re scared of the inherent risks in dealing with a stranger through a website. To get beyond these hurdles, you need to show your visitor that you can help them and that they will be satisfied with the results.   You can provide proof in a number of ways:   List of testimonials (with pictures is even better!) Portfolio of work Third party endorsements List of awards received List of professional organizations belonged to Case studies   The more proof you provide, the easier you make it for someone to hire you.   What type of proof can you supply for your business?     ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Remove risk. Since we’ve already established that most people are skeptical of the copy on a website, you may want to offer some sort of guarantee to back up your claims. Or for industries where a guarantee is unrealistic, consider offering a risk-free way of trying out your services. You must remove as much risk as possible so the client will be confident doing business with you.   Guarantees work. If they didn’t, then why would all the big companies offer them? They come in different formats:   100% money back guarantees Service level guarantees Performance guarantees Delivery guarantees Make It Right guarantees   What type of guarantees can you supply for your business?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   If it’s not appropriate for you to offer a guarantee in your industry, you may want to consider offering a risk-free trial or assessment. To continue with the earlier example of the art supplies retailer, they could offer to send a free sample so the customer can try it out on the paper they draw on.     Give them a reason to buy now. Research shows that the average consumer takes 2 weeks to make a purchase from the moment they start looking for a supplier till the time they buy. Since you never know if your visitor will come back to your site, you have to give them a reason to buy now while you have them.   Common tools used to get visitors to buy now include:   Limited time discount Bonuses Extended service plans   What reasons can you supply to motivate a visitor to buy now?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Writing Style   Before you start writing, there are 6 important points for you to consider that will make your website copy more effective:   You vs. I Informal and Concise Benefits vs. Features Objective Language Headlines Emphasis and Organization Tools Keyword Density   You vs. I. Most websites focus their entire content on themselves. This may sound reasonable at first, but customers don’t want to hear about how great you are. They want to know how great your services will be for them. This is true for all marketing copy.   Informal and Concise. Generally, it takes people 25-30% longer to read text on a computer screen than off a printed page. So you should write in a way that is easy to read quickly. Concise, informal language speeds up the reading process.   Writing informally is simply writing the way people talk. In conversation, we favor contractions, short sentences and simple language. Apply this to your copy.   Your words should be: Familiar, not obscure Concrete, not abstract Short, not lengthy   Instead of… Use this… In order to to Encourage urge Along the lines of like Supplement add to In the event of if   When you read back what you’ve written, read it aloud. If it’s hard for you to say, it’s hard for people to read it.   Many people think being concise is the same as being brief. Not so. You can provide a longer argument if you need it to make your case, but do so with the least amount of words possible.    Once you have written the first draft of your copy, go over it and get rid of any text that’s not vital to your main points. This may involve cutting single words, phrases, entire sentences, even paragraphs in some cases.     Benefits vs. Features. Talk about benefits as much as possible. Here are the features and related benefits of an eraser:   Features: Benefits: Size 2” X ¾”. Lasts an average of 5 months. Vinyl construction. Erases fine lines cleanly, without smudging. Comes in a cardboard sleeve. Cardboard sleeve provides easier handling.   Objective Language. As a service professional, the case you make for yourself and the info you provide your visitors should stand on their own. Rather than boosting your image with subjective, boastful language, stick to objective wording. Using too much promotional language will cause your visitors to spend time filtering out the exaggeration to get at the facts.   Headlines. You need powerful headlines to grab the attention of your visitors. They should relate to the needs and concerns that your prospects have when hiring someone in your profession.   Consider the way that you’ll make your case in the body text and try to choose a headline to match. Here are 2 main slants that work in the retail industry, with examples that the art supplies retailer from before might use:   Compare With Competition- e.g. “This is NOT the Pink Rubber Eraser You Used in Grade School.” Offer- e.g. “Free Pencil Set for all First-Time Buyers.”   Be sure to follow up your headlines with subheadlines that promise to further educate and engage your visitors.   Emphasis and Organization Tools. Help your visitor “hear” your tone while reading by using bold, italics, ALL CAPS, or (parentheses). Avoid underlining as people expect underlined text to be a link.   Organization tools make website copy easier to scan, which is the way most people read online. Use bullets to break down descriptions or for making lists. Tables can help you make comparisons more clearly.   Keyword Density. Once you have chosen the best keywords for your business (see Organic Search Engine Marketing for details), try to lace them into your website copy in a way that flows naturally. Don’t just put write your keyword in 200 times! Search engines pick up on this kind of scheme, hurting your ranking. Aim to have your keywords make up 1-2% of your home page to get the best results.

What Web Pages Should I Have On My Website?   4 Standard Web Pages Your Clients Expect to See… and 5 That Take You Further   Being familiar with the Internet, you’ve probably already noticed that there are certain types of pages that are standard in every industry. These pages represent a format that your customers expect to see. If you’re missing key information, your visitors may question your credibility and professionalism.    Here are 5 standard Web pages you should have as a retailer:   Web Page Type Related web2itions.com Feature How It Benefits You Home Web Page Addresses the needs and concerns your visitors may have and offers your unique solutions. Compels them to take action and buy from you. About Web Page Establishes credibility by telling your visitors more about you- your store’s identity, the kind of products you sell, how long you’ve been in business, etc. Products Catalog Provides detailed descriptions of the products you sell. Even more effective when accompanied by photos and/or testimonials. May be split into several pages. Contact Custom Feedback Form List the ways a visitor can get in touch with you and provide a customer feedback form that gives you valuable info about their needs & expectations, allowing you to improve the way you do business.   Here are 5 bonus pages that will take you further:   Web Page Type Related web2itions.com Feature How It Benefits You Articles Articles Do more to establish your credibility by providing helpful information for your visitors. Links Links Give visitors access to more industry info by providing links to industry associations, partners, useful info/ tools, etc. Useful links add to your credibility. Hours Hours of Operation Let visitors know the days and times you operate so they don’t have to call you. Map Maps Make it easy for your clients to find you by adding a map, either your own or through a free online service. Special Offer Coupon Motivate visitors to hire you by providing a printable, limited time offer discount coupon.   These are just a few ideas of where you can take your Web pages. Use your imagination!  web2itions.com offers a wide range of features that you can tailor to the individual needs of your business.   Mezine Inc. 2005©

Make Money for the Wholesale Distributor - In this section, you’ll find marketing strategies specific to the Wholesale Distributor Industry, including what pages to include in your website and copywriting tips.

How to Write Web Pages that Turn Visitors into Buyers A 17-minute writing formula that will help your website sell your products   Why is the text on your website so important?   When it comes to websites, it’s often said that the site with the best content wins. By providing quality content, you show potential clients that you are an expert that can be trusted.   Your content also differentiates you from your competitors. It allows you to show why you are more professional, more knowledgeable, and ultimately why you are a better choice. The content on your site tells your visitors why your products are superior to anything else they’re going to find. Your content is your one big chance to convince your visitors that you are the best choice to meet their needs.   The content you put on your website becomes your silent sales person. Make sure it’s saying something compelling.   Write Compelling Copy that Makes You Money   If you’re selling products, your most important goal is to prove that you are an expert on what you sell. Your website should reflect that.   First, take a moment to understand your prospects’ concerns. They are the middlemen. They haven’t any exclusive contracts with their products and they’re not in control of the manufacturing process. Their clients may be buying competitive products.   They may already have a wholesaler or distributor for the products you sell. They have no time to explore their options and they’re often impatient when hit up by sales reps. They also want to avoid upsetting their customers with a change in products.   Your prospects want their products to sell and to make higher margins. They want quality products and reliable customer support. Most importantly, they want to make more money.   Their biggest problem is products that don’t move and have low margins. This represents a loss of tangible income, plus a loss of income they might have made on a different distributor’s products.   Most prospects are fully experienced in handling distributors and have been through it all. They want quantifiable evidence of the result and that there is profit to be made with minimal risk.   So how do you prove to your prospects that your products will make them money? How do you show that you’re reliable?   To do this, you must build a strong case in your website copy that begins with your prospects’ needs and ends with proof that you can meet them with minimal risk. There are four steps to this process:   Solve their problem. Provide proof. Remove risk. Give them a reason to buy now.   Solve their problem. You’ve already explored the possible problems your prospects may have before coming to you. You know that your visitors are coming to your website either to be educated or to find out their options.   If your copy doesn’t address the reason why they came to your website, they’ll leave and keep surfing until they find one that does.   Take an arts supplies distributor for example. Imagine a retailer searching the web for a company that distributes quality erasers from different manufacturers that fit with the diverse needs of artists. There are other distributors out there and they’re having trouble figuring out which company will match their needs.    Imagine how much more likely the retailer is to set up an account if a company actually wrote some articles on issues dealing with art supplies, like what types of erasers work best on different surfaces or the pros and cons of one brand over another. This kind of information is extremely valuable to retailers as it educates them about the different products available, making it easier to find the right products for their customers.   Take a moment to list 10 reasons why your customers are looking on the web for something you offer:   ______________________________          __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Provide proof. People are still skeptical about trusting things they read on the web. They’re scared of the inherent risks in dealing with a stranger through a website. To get beyond these hurdles, you need to show your visitor that you can help them and that they will be satisfied with the results.   You can provide proof in a number of ways:   List of testimonials (with pictures is even better!) Portfolio of work Third party endorsements List of awards received List of professional organizations belonged to Case studies   The more proof you provide, the easier you make it for someone to set up an account with your company.   What type of proof can you supply for your business?     ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Remove risk. Since we’ve already established that most people are skeptical of the copy on a website, you may want to offer some sort of guarantee to back up your claims. Or for industries where a guarantee is unrealistic, consider offering a risk-free way of trying out your services. You must remove as much risk as possible so the client will be confident doing business with you.   Guarantees work. If they didn’t, then why would all the big companies offer them? They come in different formats:   100% money back guarantees Service level guarantees Performance guarantees Delivery guarantees Make It Right guarantees   What type of guarantees can you supply for your business?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     If it’s not appropriate for you to offer a guarantee in your industry, you may want to consider offering a risk-free trial or assessment. To continue with the earlier example of the art supplies distributor, they could offer to send free samples so that retailers can try different products out and compare them.   Give them a reason to buy now. Research shows that the average consumer takes 2 weeks to make a purchase from the moment they start looking for a supplier till the time they buy. Since you never know if your visitor will come back to your site, you have to give them a reason to buy now while you have them.   Common tools used to get visitors to buy now include:   Limited time discount Bonuses Extended service plans   What reasons can you supply to motivate a visitor to buy now?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Writing Style   Before you start writing, there are 6 important points for you to consider that will make your website copy more effective:   You vs. I Informal and Concise Benefits vs. Features Objective Language Headlines Emphasis and Organization Tools Keyword Density   You vs. I. Most websites focus their entire content on themselves. This may sound reasonable at first, but customers don’t want to hear about how great you are. They want to know how great your services will be for them. This is true for all marketing copy.   Informal and Concise. Generally, it takes people 25-30% longer to read text on a computer screen than off a printed page. So you should write in a way that is easy to read quickly. Concise, informal language speeds up the reading process.   Writing informally is simply writing the way people talk. In conversation, we use contractions, short sentences and simple language. Apply this to your copy.   Your words should be: Familiar, not obscure Concrete, not abstract Short, not lengthy   Instead of… Use this… In order to to Encourage urge Along the lines of like Supplement add to In the event of if   When you read back what you’ve written, read it aloud. If it’s hard for you to say, it’s hard for people to read it.   Many people think being concise is the same as being brief. Not so. You can provide a longer argument if you need it to make your case, but do so with the least amount of words possible.    Once you have written the first draft of your copy, go over it and get rid of any text that’s not vital to your main points. This may involve cutting single words, phrases, entire sentences, even paragraphs in some cases.     Benefits vs. Features. Talk about benefits as much as possible. Here are the features and related benefits of an eraser:   Features: Benefits: Size 2” X ¾”. Lasts an average of 5 months. Vinyl construction. Erases fine lines cleanly, without smudging. Comes in a cardboard sleeve. Cardboard sleeve provides easier handling.   Objective Language. As a service professional, the case you make for yourself and the info you provide your visitors should stand on their own. Rather than boosting your image with subjective, boastful language, stick to objective wording. Using too much promotional language will cause your visitors to spend time filtering out the exaggeration to get at the facts.   Headlines. You need powerful headlines to grab the attention of your visitors. They should relate to the needs and concerns that your prospects have when choosing a distributor.   Consider the way that you’ll make your case in the body text and try to choose a headline to match. Here are 3 main slants that work for distributors, with examples that the art supplies distributor from before might use:   Bold Statement- “The BEST Selection of Erasers for Artists on the Market.” Compare With Competition- e.g. “These are NOT the Cheap, Pink Rubber Erasers You Used in Grade School.” Offer- e.g. “Free Sample Package of all the Newest Erasers Available for All Our Valued Clients.”   Be sure to follow up your headlines with subheadlines that promise to further educate and engage your visitors.   Emphasis and Organization Tools. Help your visitor “hear” your tone while reading by using bold, italics, ALL CAPS, or (parentheses). Avoid underlining as people expect underlined text to be a link.   Organization tools make website copy easier to scan, which is the way most people read online. Use bullets to break down descriptions or for making lists. Tables can help you make comparisons more clearly.   Keyword Density. Once you have chosen the best keywords for your business (see Organic Search Engine Marketing for details), try to lace them into your website copy in a way that flows naturally. Don’t just put your keyword in 200 times! Search engines pick up on this kind of scheme, hurting your ranking. Aim to have your keywords make up 1-2% of your home page to get the best results.

What Web Pages Should I Have On My Website?   4 Standard Web Pages Your Clients Expect to See… and 5 That Take You Further   Being familiar with the Internet, you’ve probably already noticed that there are certain types of pages that are standard in every industry. These pages represent a format that your customers expect to see. If you’re missing any of these pages, your visitors may question your credibility and professionalism.    Here are 4 standard Web pages you should have as a wholesaler or distributor:   Web Page Type Related web2itions.com Feature How It Benefits You Home Web Page Addresses the needs and concerns your visitors may have and offers your unique solutions. Compels them to take action and buy from you. About Web Page Establishes credibility by telling your visitors more about you- your company’s identity, the kind of products you supply, how long you’ve been in business, etc. Products Catalog Provides detailed descriptions of the products you offer. Even more effective when accompanied by photos and/or testimonials. Contact Custom Feedback Form Lists the ways a visitor can get in touch with you and provides a customer feedback form that gives you valuable info about their needs and expectations, allowing you to continually improve the way you do business.   Here are 5 bonus pages that will take you further:   Web Page Type Related web2itions.com Feature How It Benefits You Articles Articles Do more to establish your credibility by providing helpful information for your visitors. Links Links Give visitors access to more industry info by providing links to industry associations, partners, useful info/ tools, etc. Useful links add to your credibility. Newsletter Newsletter/ Mailing List Provide your client community with new product info, useful articles, etc. to add to your credibility. Special Offer Coupon Motivate visitors to buy immediately by providing a printable, limited time offer discount coupon. Hours Hours of Operation Let visitors know the days and times you operate so they don’t have to call to find out.   These are just a few ideas of where you can take your Web pages. Use your imagination!  web2itions.com offers a wide range of features that you can tailor to the individual needs of your business.   Mezine Inc. 2005©

Make Money for the Manufacturing Business - In this section, you’ll find marketing strategies specific to the Manufacturing Industry, including what pages to include in your website and copywriting tips.

How to Write Web Pages that Turn Visitors into Buyers A 17-minute writing formula that will help your website sell your products   Why is the text on your website so important?   When it comes to websites, it’s often said that the site with the best content wins. By providing quality content, you show potential clients that you are an expert that can be trusted.   Your content also differentiates you from your competitors. It allows you to show why you are more professional, more knowledgeable, and ultimately why you are a better choice. The content on your site tells your visitors why your products are superior to anything else they’re going to find. Your content is your one big chance to convince your visitors that you are the best choice to meet their needs.   The content you put on your website becomes your silent sales person. Make sure it’s saying something compelling.   Write Compelling Copy that Makes You Money   If you’re selling products, your most important goal is to prove that you are an expert on what you sell. Your website should reflect that.   First, take a moment to understand your prospects’ concerns. They may already have a supplier for the products you sell. They have no time to explore their options and they’re often impatient when hit up by sales reps. They also want to avoid upsetting their customers with a change in products.   Your prospects want their products to sell and to make higher margins. They want quality and reliable customer support. Most importantly, they want to make more money.   Their biggest problem is products that don’t move and have low margins. This represents a loss of tangible income, plus a loss of income they might have made on a different supplier’s products.   Most prospects are fully experienced in handling manufacturers and have been through it all. They’re concerned about quality, availability, damage to goods in transit, range of selection, and modification to products. They want to be sure that goods will be delivered as ordered and undamaged.   So how do you prove to your prospects that your products will make them money? How do you show that you are reliable?   To do this, you must build a strong case in your website copy that begins with your prospects’ needs and ends with proof that you can meet them with minimal risk. There are four steps to this process:   Solve their problem. Provide proof. Remove risk. Give them a reason to buy now.   Solve their problem. You’ve already explored the possible problems your prospects may have before coming to you. You know that your visitors are coming to your website either to be educated or to find out their options.   If your copy doesn’t address the reason why they came to your website, they’ll leave and keep surfing until they find one that does.   Take an art supplies manufacturer for example. Imagine a retailer searching the web for a company that manufactures a wide variety of erasers that fit with the diverse needs of artists. There are a number of suppliers out there and they’re having a hard time figuring out which company will match their needs.    Imagine how much more likely the retailer is to set up an account if a company actually wrote some articles on issues dealing with art supplies, like what types of erasers work best on different surfaces or paper products that degrade due to acid content. This kind of information is extremely valuable to retailers as it educates them about the pros and cons of the different products, making it easier to find the right products for their customers.   Take a moment to list 10 reasons why your customers are looking on the web for something you offer:   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Provide proof. People are still skeptical about trusting things they read on the web. They’re scared of the inherent risks in dealing with a stranger through a website. To get beyond these hurdles, you need to show your visitor that you can help them and that they will be satisfied with the results.   You can provide proof in a number of ways:   List of testimonials (with pictures is even better!) Portfolio of work Third party endorsements List of awards received List of professional organizations belonged to Case studies   The more proof you provide, the easier you make it for someone to set up an account with your company.   What type of proof can you supply for your business?     ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Remove risk. Since we’ve already established that most people are skeptical of the copy on a website, you may want to offer some sort of guarantee to back up your claims. Or for industries where a guarantee is unrealistic, consider offering a risk-free way of trying out your services. You must remove as much risk as possible so the client will be confident doing business with you.   Guarantees work. If they didn’t, then why would all the big companies offer them? They come in different formats:   100% money back guarantees Service level guarantees Performance guarantees Delivery guarantees Make It Right guarantees   What type of guarantees can you supply for your business?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   If it’s not appropriate for you to offer a guarantee in your industry, you may want to consider offering a risk-free trial or assessment. To continue with the earlier example of the art supplies manufacturer, they could offer to send free samples so that retailers can try different products out and compare them.   Give them a reason to buy now. Research shows that the average consumer takes 2 weeks to make a purchase from the moment they start looking for a supplier till the time they buy. Since you never know if your visitor will come back to your site, you have to give them a reason to buy now while you have them.   Common tools used to get visitors to buy now include:   Limited time discount Bonuses Extended service plans   What reasons can you supply to motivate a visitor to buy now?   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________   ______________________________           __________________________________     Writing Style   Before you start writing, there are 6 important points for you to consider that will make your website copy more effective:   You vs. I Informal and Concise Benefits vs. Features Objective Language Headlines Emphasis and Organization Tools Keyword Density   You vs. I. Most websites focus their entire content on themselves. This may sound reasonable at first, but customers don’t want to hear about how great you are. They want to know how great your services will be for them. This is true for all marketing copy.   Informal and Concise. Generally, it takes people 25-30% longer to read text on a computer screen than off a printed page. So you should write in a way that is easy to read quickly. Concise, informal language speeds up the reading process.   Writing informally is simply writing the way people talk. In conversation, we favor contractions, short sentences and simple language. Apply this to your copy.   Your words should be: Familiar, not obscure Concrete, not abstract Short, not lengthy   Instead of… Use this… In order to to Encourage urge Along the lines of like Supplement add to In the event of if   When you read back what you’ve written, read it aloud. If it’s hard for you to say, it’s hard for people to read it.   Many people think being concise is the same as being brief. Not so. You can provide a longer argument if you need it to make your case, but do so with the least amount of words possible.    Once you have written the first draft of your copy, go over it and get rid of any text that’s not vital to your main points. This may involve cutting single words, phrases, entire sentences, even paragraphs in some cases.   Benefits vs. Features. Talk about benefits as much as possible. Here are the features and related benefits of an eraser:   Features: Benefits: Size 2” X ¾”. Lasts an average of 5 months. Vinyl construction. Erases fine lines cleanly, without smudging. Comes in a cardboard sleeve. Cardboard sleeve provides easier handling.   Objective Language. As a service professional, the case you make for yourself and the info you provide your visitors should stand on their own. Rather than boosting your image with subjective, boastful language, stick to objective wording. Using too much promotional language will cause your visitors to spend time filtering out the exaggeration to get at the facts.   Headlines. You need powerful headlines to grab the attention of your visitors. They should relate to the needs and concerns that your prospects have when hiring someone in your profession.   Consider the way that you’ll make your case in the body text and try to choose a headline to match. Here are 3 main slants that work in the retail industry, with examples that the art supplies retailer from before might use:   Bold Statement- “The BEST Selection of Erasers for Artists on the Market.” Compare With Competition- e.g. “These are NOT the Cheap, Pink Rubber Erasers You Used in Grade School.” Offer- e.g. “Free Sample Package of Our New Eraser Line for All Our Valued Clients.”   Be sure to follow up your headlines with subheadlines that promise to further educate and engage your visitors.   Emphasis and Organization Tools. Help your visitor “hear” your tone while reading by using bold, italics, ALL CAPS, or (parentheses). Avoid underlining as people expect underlined text to be a link.   Organization tools make website copy easier to scan, which is the way most people read online. Use bullets to break down descriptions or for making lists. Tables can help you make comparisons more clearly.   Keyword Density. Once you have chosen the best keywords for your business (see Organic Search Engine Marketing for details), try to lace them into your website copy in a way that flows naturally. Don’t just put write your keyword in 200 times! Search engines pick up on this kind of scheme, hurting your ranking. Aim to have your keywords make up 1-2% of your home page to get the best results.

What Web Pages Should I Have On My Website?   4 Standard Web Pages Your Clients Expect to See… and 5 That Take You Further   Being familiar with the Internet, you’ve probably already noticed that there are certain types of pages that are standard in every industry. These pages represent a format that your customers expect to see. If you’re missing key information, your visitors may question your credibility and professionalism.    Here are 4 standard Web pages you should have as a manufacturer:   Web Page Type Related web2itions.com Feature How It Benefits You Home Web Page Addresses the needs and concerns your visitors may have and offers your unique solutions. Compels them to take action and buy from you. About Web Page Establishes credibility by telling your visitors more about you- your company’s identity, the kind of products you make, how long you’ve been in business, etc. Products Catalog Provides detailed descriptions of the products you offer. Even more effective when accompanied by photos and/or testimonials. Contact Custom Feedback Form List the ways a visitor can get in touch with you and provide a customer feedback form that gives you valuable info about their needs and expectations, allowing you to continually improve the way you do business.   Here are 5 bonus pages that will take you further:   Web Page Type Related web2itions.com Feature How It Benefits You Articles Articles Do more to establish your credibility by providing helpful information for your visitors. Links Links Give visitors access to more industry info by providing links to industry associations, partners, useful info/ tools, etc. Useful links add to your credibility. Newsletter Newsletter/ Mailing List Provide your client community with new product info, useful articles, etc. to add to your credibility. Special Offer Coupon Motivate visitors to hire you by providing a printable, limited time offer discount coupon. Hours Hours of Operation Let visitors know the days and times you operate so they don’t have to call you.   These are just a few ideas of where you can take your Web pages. Use your imagination!  web2itions.com offers a wide range of features that you can tailor to the individual needs of your business.   Mezine Inc. 2005©

eBay Affiliate Program – Make Money Introducing Shoppers to eBay Become an eBay affiliate. Benefit:   Sign up with eBay to promote the largest, most successful auction site on the Internet. Send customers to bid on the items you list on eBay, and make money when they sign up!   Overview:   When you join eBay’s Affiliate Program you make money for each customer to refer to eBay, and you can make money in two different ways:   You earn $12 for each referral from your website who registers as a new eBay member. You earn $0.25 for each bid made by an eBay member referred from your site, whether it’s an existing member or sign-up.   Joining the eBay Affiliate Program is easy and free – and you can be confident about promoting the most largest, most popular, and most reliable online auction site to your customers. Sign Up! Offer If you already sell things on eBay, when you join the Affiliate Program you can make money from new sign ups, new bids, AND when your referrals buy your items! Details/Conditions:   You get $12 for each new active registered user you send to eBay. You get $0.25 for each bid or Buy It Now transaction referred from your site – whether the bidder is previously registered or signs up from your site! The eBay affiliate program is free to join. To become an eBay affiliate, you must first join the Commission Junction affiliate network. When you’re application is submitted, you can choose from eBay banners, text links, and search boxes to use to promote eBay on your site. EBay tools and reports make it easy to track your results. Cancellation Policy:   The eBay Affiliate Program is free to join, and you can cancel at any time. Simply log into your Commission Junction account and follow the steps to leave the program.   Guarantee:   EBay wants its affiliates to succeed. You will get access to tools and reports to help you succeed including regular email updates and affiliate support when you need it. Sign Up!