The Daily Feed Issue #40: Selling using copy Web

On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 2:57 AM, The Daily Feed wrote:

Welcome to Issue #40 of The Daily Feed.

 

You can read previous editions of The Daily Feed on our blog but note that posts to our blog are delayed 24 hours or more.

Last week we chatted about Direct Marketing. On Friday I gave you a history lesson courtesy of legends like Ogilvy and Ben Franklin. Today I'm going to focus on one aspect of Direct Marketing: Selling using Copy. 

If you are selling something on a web site, no matter what you're selling and no matter whether the site has a blog format or a catalog format, you are engaged in Direct Marketing (DM). To be even more specific, you are engaging in either one step or two step direct marketing. 

One step DM is used primarily for products with a low to moderate cost. A visitor arrives at your website, you show them your sales pitch and try to get them to buy then and there. 

Two step DM is also called Lead Generation. A visitor to your site reads an interesting article or sales pitch and fills in a form to request more info. At that point a sales person may call them or you may start the sales process via email. Higher value items are usually sold this way. 

In both styles of DM you are selling someone without being there. This is a very important point. Usually when you buy a car, house, even a magazine subscription a sales person is present. They'll shake your hand, you'll see they dress well and have a polished manner about them. You decide you enjoy their company and will give them some of your time. You'll laugh about the fact that you met your wives in the same city, and so on. 

When you're selling online you can't be there in person. You have to do everything a sales person would normally do when they're selling someone in person. The best online direct marketing companies know this and make sure that their website does an excellent job of filling in for a real-world sales person.

It constantly amazes me how few people know this basic principle. The web is filled with sites that show a product, a brief description and a price and expect customers to click the "Buy" button in droves. You need to SELL them. 

I've said this before and I'll remind you now: All money is made by someone selling something to someone else. Remember that and realize that your website needs to be the sales guy and you will do well. 

Tomorrow I'm going to give you a few ideas on how your website can be a great substitute for a real-world sales team. 

Regards,

Mark Maunder

Feedjit Founder & CEO.

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