An internet marketer also has to be a copywriter. Writing is essential to making the content on your web pages but is even more essential for writing sales pages. A sales page is unique.

Your sales page(s) is your conversion page. You either sell your product or service, a positive conversion, or you don't. A sales page is a stand alone. It is meant to capture your visitor's attention and get them to buy.

Writing the copy for a sales page is an art. Even so, there are a few guidelines for writing them that will increase your success. The following are some of the important copywriting guidelines that I have found to increase your sales conversions.

1. THE ATTENTION GRABBING HEADLINE

The headline must grab your visitor's attention and make them want to begin reading your copy. The headline is the first line your reader sees and it is the most important. This is especially true on web pages.

Web surfers are like newspaper readers. They skim headlines. Only the most attention grabbing headlines make them want to read on. That's why it's so important to have a killer headline that will pull them into your sales pitch.

Most headlines are boring. There's nothing there to capture the attention of the reader and make them want to read on. Imagine a headline that reads like this: "Our Mattress Will Make You Sleep Better". Would you read on? But change it to: "Stop Sleeping Like A Sardine! -- Now Sleep Like A King!" and you are tempted to find out what it's all about.

Your headline must be "hypnotic" and pull you into reading further. You know the type of headline that gets you to read the first line of an advertisement. Write them the same way. You will loose sales if the headline doesn't capture the attention of the reader.

2. THE FIRST LINE OF COPY

Write your sales page as a letter. Have an appropriate greeting that singles out your reader. Like, "Dear Restless Sleeper:" Then begin your first line of copy.

As with the headline, the first line of copy has to also gain your reader's attention and make them want to read your first paragraph. This first line is as important to your sales conversion as is your headline.

If you started describing the mattress you are trying to sell, you might literally put your visitor to sleep. How about saying, "You don't know it yet but, in a few short minutes you'll begin to feel that tonight you could sleep a lifetime of sound and restless sleep".

Beginning to see what I mean? The reader now wants to read on to find out why. You don't even need to tell them about the features of this new mattress for them to continue reading. You've perked their attention and they want to find out how they too can have such a restful sleep.

All too many advertisements start by describing the product, or the company, or the great, new invention. They focus on themselves and there product they are so proud of. You have to focus on the customer themselves. After all, they're asking the question, "What's in it for me?"


3. THE BODY OF THE COPY

If your headline grabs the reader's attention and the first line draws them into reading on, you have to continue making them read. Many copywriters focus the body around a good story. Story telling is one of the best means to keep attention.

The storyline should also focus on your product. There are many ways of doing this. How about an endorsement. Someone like your reader used your product or service and got the result. "John was skeptical but used the ACME Mattress and he was amazed at how easily he could fall asleep and how quickly the morning alarm clock rang." And you continue the story...

Or you could use a Future-oriented story: You take the prospect into his or her future and paint a picture of what life will be like with (or without) your product or service. "You have now bought the mattress. You've been sleeping restlessly for months and all of your back pain has vanished mysteriously".

People like a good story. It keeps them rivetted. Just remember how you were as a kid. Camping with a group of friends and someone was weaving a good story by the camp fire. It captured your attention and you wanted to hear the end.

4. SELL THE BENEFITS, NOT THE FEATURES

As you bring your reader through your copy, you should keep in mind that they are looking for what's in it for them. They want to see how your product will benefit them. They want to know how it is going to solve one of their most perplexing problems. Or how it is going to feed into their wants. Or how it is going to make them more noticeable or superior because they use the product or service.

Your readers are human and so you just have to think about what YOU would want from this product. Don't do what so many advertisers do. - Describe the features of the product. Most readers just don't care. When they read about how great the product is, they're thinking, "So What?"

You may be so impressed with your product that the features are the best things to describe but not so with your web site visitor. Don't get wrapped up in how great your product is. It translates to how great you are to the reader and turns them off.

This also pertains to your company. I see so many sales pages telling the reader about their company. How long it has been around. How it grew into a fortune 500 company overnight. How the support you will get is the best in the business world, etc. This is egotistical and the reader is turning away saying to him/herself, "Who Cares?"

The reader wants to know what your product/service will do for them. Just as you do when you're reading someone else's ad.

5. TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials are a key to a sales page. Your reader wants to be satisfied that someone else has benefitted from the product. You could say, "However, don't take my word for it, here's what (customer's name) had to say:" or "Here is a recent e-mail I got from a satisfied customer:"

There are so many ways to do testimonials. Just be sure that once again they stress the benefits, not the features. I like to highlight testimonials by placing them in a box that is distinct from the rest of the copy. But that's my preference.

6. THE CALL TO ACTION

This is the sales conversion itself. It too has to be hypnotic. You might say something like "Give us your "YES!" answer today! Just click on the BUY button below." Your wording must make your reader take the action you want them to. By this time they will have pretty much made up their mind as to buy or not. You need to make them want to buy.

This can be encouraged by various means. One great way is to give them bonuses for purchasing your product. When offering a bonus, make sure that it won't be offered forever. Give the bonus a time frame. You might say, "And that's not all, order this month I’ll also include... " or "Purchase before midnight tonight and get 2 surprise bonuses." This makes them feel the need to buy immediately.

Guarantees are also important to clinching the sale. "I'm so confident that you'll get a complete night's rest with our mattress I am willing to back it up with a full 90 day money back guarantee." In fact, I wouldn't write a sales page without a guarantee.

7. A GREAT PS

Your reader may get to the bottom of your sales page and still not have bought your product. Here's where you should have a PS. This is your last chance to get the sales. You want to remind your reader of your guarantee or the sales deadline to recieve your bonuses.

You might say something like, "Before you make your desion, ask yourself this critcal question...Can you afford to go another night without a restful sleep? Still not sure? Read these (testimonials and/or endorsements):..." PS's should make your reader think and possibly page up to re-read portions of your sales letter. It should reinforce the primary benefit if possible. Anything to get the reader to page back to the buy button.

Writing a great sales page is a study in itself. These are just a few suggestions. I think one of the best means to learn copywriting is to find sales pages that make you want to buy. Then re-write them over and over. Read them out loud. Find out what makes them tick.