Writing Copy for
Online Catalogs
-- by Bill Montgomery, http://www.GreatDesignz.com
-- http://www.redtienda.com/english/newsletter40.htm#1What's one of the
things that most of your ad copy has in common?
You write
your copy for one primary product or service.
Since
most of the ad copy is done in this manner, you
may find that writing "Great" Catalog
Copy is a little different. Online catalogs are a
very popular medium on the Internet, but
unfortunately there are only a handful of Web
site owners who give their catalog copy any
justice. Even though we have grouped this copy
lesson into catalog copy, there are several
different types of catalogs to consider. Some
catalogs feature every product that their company
sells, while others focus on a specific product
line or specific selection of items chosen for a
particular criterion.
Aside
from your Web site traffic or e-mail list(s)
subscriber base, the three most important parts
of a catalog are:
1)
Product placement in the catalog
2) The amount of space you give each product
3) Graphics, photos or illustrations used
4) And of course, the ad copy
While ad
copy is not the most important part of the
catalog, it directly affects each of the other
parts. Without great copy, the other key parts of
your catalog have to work that much harder to be
effective. This article provides some tips on
writing more effective "Catalog Copy."
Here are
my top 8 tips for writing catalog ad copy:
1) Match
the amount and format of your copy to your
catalog. While the major consideration of most
offline catalogs is space, this is usually not a
worry for online catalogs due to the low cost of
server space today. Unfortunately, the reader's
attention span has not changed. If you are
offering a large number of products you will want
to keep your copy short and to the point, while
catalogs with few products can afford to write
longer, more in-depth copy. Keep this in mind:
More copy does not necessarily mean better copy.
Write
copy appropriate for the product. You don't write
down-home, earthy copy to promote ball bearings.
You could, on the other hand use this approach
for personal items or a product/service that
reflects a change in your home. Match the type of
copy you write to the product and audience.
Another
consideration in format is the type of catalog
for which you are writing copy. Some catalogs are
used as a sales aid, which would require a more
direct, hard punch type of copy. Order Catalogs
would be more straightforward, citing features,
advantages and benefits in a more orderly and
less flashy manner. In other words, get the
information out there in the most favorable
light, but keep it brief. This is not to say that
it should be boring. Copy still has to move the
prospect to action. Still another may be a
promotional catalog, where you are setting the
stage for a move to a "For more information,
click here" page. Here you would keep the
copy short, but would use a more persuasive and
dazzling approach, like writing headlines. Again,
because space is not a concern for most catalog
Webmasters, this is the best approach for catalog
sales on the Internet.
2) Visual
Aids, such as graphics and photos play an
important part in your copy. Each has its own use
and should be thought of in that sense. While
graphics and animations can create eye-catching
lead-ins to your copy, they would not be used to
display the product. Think about it. Would you be
more likely to click on a product that has the
cartoon look of a graphic or the actual likeness
of the product? The same applies to displays or
packaging. Remember use graphics to draw
attention and photos (or illustrations in some
cases) to present the product.
3) Make
your readers comfortable with ordering from you.
Money back guarantees have no substitute on the
Internet. This is the number one request from
buyers. They want a guarantee that they won't be
ripped off. Another one of the biggest foes of
Catalog and Internet Purchases is the fact that
people have to deal with a faceless seller.
Reassure your buyer by mentioning names. Name
other firms or clients that have used your
service. They need not be famous people or
companies. Here's a testimonial from Martha. The
buyer doesn't know Martha from dirt, but because
Martha liked the product or service, your
prospect feels a little more at ease. Again,
photos play an important part. If they buyer can
see you, they feel closer to you. "You"
being yourself, staff clips or for that matter
photos of anybody. A letter from the President of
the company written to the buyer in a personal
form is a big helper too.
4) A key
to ad copy, including catalog copy, is and always
will be to show your buyer how your product will
save them money or benefit them more than your
competitors product or service. "Lowest
Prices", "Now Discounted",
"Revolutionary Product" or the old
standard "New & Improved" are all
examples of Power Words that convey this
important thought. For more power words check
here (http://216.147.104.180/powerwords.shtml). But of course,
it's more than just using a couple of attention
grabbing power words, it still takes great copy
to support them.
5) Time
is always an important factor. Unlike turning
pages in a catalog, navigating an online catalog
can be much more involved. Always make it
possible for your buyer to locate the product in
two or three clicks. I'm sure you've heard this
before; Humans are, by large, impatient beings
and the longer it takes them to reach the product
in question, the more chance you have of losing
them. Use indexes and/or categories. Not just
one, but several. Make it possible for your
visitor to access the product from several
different angles or headings. Never make them
look past two or three clicks from your opening
catalog page.
Page load
times should be kept to a minimum. All Web
designers keep load speeds at or near the top of
their lists. This factor is especially important
on catalog sites. Your goal is to host visitors
that are here to buy, not to be entertained. Keep
your flashy Java Modules, Javascripts, DHTML Time
Lines and Page Graphics to a minimum. Your pages
need to load at the peak of efficiency, just like
turning a page.
6) Add
"Value" to your catalog. Even catalogs
can benefit by content. The Internet is all about
information. Use content to draw targeted
prospects to your catalog. Say, for instance,
that you host a catalog for tools and home
improvement items. A perfect benefit for this
catalog would be How-To articles on Home
Improvement. For beauty supplies, you could give
tips for make-overs. Get the point? Offer content
relative to your products to properly align this
free or low cost marketing idea to your product
base.
Offer
extras! There is nothing new about offering your
buyers "FREE EXTRAS" for purchasing
your products. FREE Extras could be slow moving
or stagnant products, a how-to guide, a toll free
number, free delivery or a free product support.
The idea is that you are giving the buyer
something extra for buying from your catalog.
7) Just
as any other Web site, the opening page or cover
page to your catalog should begin the selling
process. Just as magazine, book publishers and
yes, catalog publishers spend a lot of time and
resources designing and implementing the covers,
so should you. You should have an opening page
that says "Open Me, I'm Worth It!"
Think of your "opening page" as a big
headline. You must use all your writing and
design skills combined with enticing graphics
and/or photos to convince them to turn to the
next page, so to speak. Whether true or not, a
dull cover conveys the appearance of dull
products. Goodbye sales! Here is the place to
begin aligning your copy with your product line.
"Comprehensive Product Line",
"Product Superiority", "Problem
Solutions" and "Price" as a whole
should be addressed and enforced right here. You
could be giving away the best made product, for
the most popular fad, but if you can't get them
to open the cover (or click inside), you won't be
giving anything away.
8) Make
ordering easy. Recently, I needed a CD Burner and
I visited an online catalog, whose copy and
presentation was excellent. They had comparable
pricing and quality products. I was ready to buy.
I went to the order form and found a 2 page
demographics survey that had to be filled out for
the privilege of purchasing their product. I
don't think so! Keep your form to the minimum
requirements, clear and easily understood. If you
must have demographics, ask for them after the
purchase. Getting back some demographics is far
better than getting no sales.
Accept
credit cards. Except for very limited product
lines you must accept credit cards to survive. I
myself don't accept credit cards yet, but have
not had a need to do it yet. Then again, I do not
operate a catalog site. People buying from an
online catalog expect, no demand, to be able to
use their credit cards for immediate purchase.
Make it clear which credit cards you accept and
the fact that you use a secure server for the
transaction.
Closing
Thought:
The
Internet shopping arena is growing at
unbelievable speeds, literally destroying old
name business that deny the unbeatable force of
that we call "The Internet." Every day
more and more people turn to Online Catalogs to
fulfill their shopping lists. Are you ready? Is
your online catalog up to snuff? Only your Web
surfers know for sure!
My best
wishes for your success!
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