Your Visitors Don't Know Anything About Anything.
If you assume otherwise, you are loosing sales.

When you are offering a product (or a service) you should explain it in detail. Provide as much information as you possibly can, and don't assume that your visitors know anything about it.

Make the information you provide easy to read. People tend to 'scan' a page, then read only what catches their interest. Provide short, concise paragraphs, with bold headings that quickly make your major points.

Bulleted lists are good for drawing attention to a list of features. Use photos or drawings only to elaborate on the benefits, to illustrate details or product usage.

Detail the benefits - not just the features. Explain exactly why they need it: how it will make life better, make work easier, make them or their home more attractive, save them money, etc.

The only safe assumption you can make is that your visitor doesn't have a clue: So you have to tell them:
- all the different ways they will benefit from your product,
- technical details; size, weight, colors, whatever is relevant,
- why your product is a better value than all others,
- how and why their purchase is secure,
- what support they can expect after the sale,
- any other selling points that apply to your item(s).

Don't assume that your visitors have already surfed around, seen other websites, and already have all the relevant information. They didn't, and they don't.... and even if they did it is in your own best interest to give it to them again.

Too much information is better than not enough. If your text is laid out in an easy-to-scan format they will skip over what they aren't interested in.

People make the decision to buy based on their emotional response, then they justify their decision with facts. Your job is to push their emotional buttons with your benefits... then give them the justifications they need with your features.

Don't take my word for it, read these articles: Buying is Not a Rational Decision, an article from grokdotcom.com... and Understanding Why People Buy (pdf) an interesting guidebook from Smallbusinesstown.com... the Buying Factors article from ibuydifferent.org....

For even more in-depth information on that subject, I recommend you find a copy of "Why People Buy" by Pamela Danziger - check your local library, or you can get the paperback for under fifteen dollars at Amazon.

People surf the web for three reasons:
1 - To find information about something,
2 - for fun and/or to socialize,
3 - to buy something.

Your visitors come from all over the planet. They can enter your site on any page that is indexed by a search engine, and if they have to look hard for the benefits of your products - if they have to search all around your site for justification - you will loose the sale.

If they leave without buying something, at least make sure they leave with more information than they had before.

Leave them with a good impression of you and your website, make sure they know that you have good products at a good value. And, if at all possible, get them to provide their contact info so you can alert them to new products or sales or whatever.

As an exercise, I went to Yahoo and searched for "handmade tablecloths" as if I was a shopper.

The first search result was the home page of handmadelaces.com which shows nicely what I was saying above: A brief description of benefits, a little relevant information and a few choice photos.

Following the tablecloths link, then clicking on a product photo took me to the description page. It was nearly perfect: a few small photos, a short paragraph detailing benefits, a bulleted list of technical features, all in an easy-to-read format... followed by alternate color options and a (rather weak) 'call to action'.

The only thing really missing was the usual customer reassurances... a money-back satisfaction guarantee and something to show that a purchase is secure. Such things on the sales page help make more sales.

If I was really looking for a tablecloth that site had all the info I needed, and it would be on the way from Bulgaria right now.

The second search result was about the same, but the third was oregoncrochet.com - this link took me to their Tablecloths sub-section page. (Remember, a surfer can and will enter your site from any page.)

This would have been a good place to list some of the benefits for the buyer... instead, this page just talks about general product conditions and shows some small product photos.

Clicking on a photo takes you to a description page, with a short technical description and some large photos. That's fine for illustrating the product appearance, but again: no list of benefits - and no real 'call to action', just an 'add to cart' button.

There was nothing there to make me want the item. Nothing saying how nice my dining room will look, nothing about the elegance of handmade lace, nothing to create desire. Just the dry facts and oversize photos.

A visit to their home page was a little disappointing as well. Again, there were photos (apparently of their store interior?) and some text that details their product line... but no listing of product benefits - nothing to create any desire to buy their products.

I felt that the webmaster is an expert in the products, but not a salesman... If I was already 'sold' on getting a "Ecru Lace Tablecloth" and this is the only one I found I might buy it. But if I was just looking, this site sure didn't give me any incentive to get out my credit card.

As I said, that was just as an exercise - but you can do the same kind of thing. Look closely at a few of your competitors websites and see what you can learn.

One last thing: Always be honest when stating the benefits of using your product. Never lie, over-exaggerate or try to trick your visitors into buying with false deadlines or bogus promotions.

Most people can see right through such tactics. That can destroy your credibility, which will prevent follow-ups, add-ons, referrals and all other after-the-sale promotions.

To Your Success!
Tim

By Tim Brown © 2006. About the author: Tim is the webmaster at http://BLT-Web.com, where webmasters can find free tools, advice, tips and other useful resources designed to help them build a successful website.

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