Advertising 101: Selling, The Right Way

Before we begin, go to your website. Go ahead, pull it up right now. Try to look at it with the eyes of the newcomer. Remember, they don’t care if you can build stunning websites online; they want to know the benefits of your product.

As you look at your site, imagine you are visiting it for the first time. If you are like most visitors, you have only one question – what’s in it for me? That’s what your visitors want to know. Let’s take my new home study course as an example. I could go on about the three CD-ROMs, the great manual for getting started quickly, all of the tutorials, including six hours of video and eight hours of audio training, and on and on through the whole list of features.

Chances are, that will all mean nothing to you. All you want to know is, “What will it do for me? How will it help me?”

You don’t need to know the features; you want to know the benefits. I could say that it will teach you how to:

- Discover the most profitable niches for your business;

- Create a moneymaking website;

- Upload information to your website, and get it on the Internet;

- Choose the right kind of website for your product;

- Select the domain name and web hosting package that works for you;

- Attract a steady stream of clients to your site;

- Create a shopping cart to make buying easier;

- Recommend other products, and make large commissions doing it;

- Develop a professional look and feel for your website.

That sounds more appealing, doesn’t it? Even then, though, I’m missing the main point of my sales letter. I’m offering good information to my clients, but I’m not telling them how this course will help them.

Take a moment to envision your customer. Ask yourself a few questions:

- What do your customers really want?

- How will these tutorials on websites help your customer to spend more time with his or her family?

- How will listening to these audiotapes, full of Internet marketing secrets, help them reduce their debt?

- How will following the transcripts help them to gain the financial freedom they desire? In studying your customers, you will learn their desires.Perhaps they seek freedom from debt, or from those dreaded nine to five jobs they hate. Maybe they want freedom to pursue their passions and live their dreams. And some may wish the freedom to educate their children in entrepreneurship, in the hopes that their children won’t have to suffer unpleasant jobs, dictatorial bosses, and low wages. They would jump at the chance to make $2000 dollars in an Internet business. And so would you.

What exactly is the point of studying your customers? How can the information help you to make $2000 dollars in an Internet business? Let me explain.

While you may list features on your webpage, it’s important to understand that your customers aren’t buying features. They buy benefits. If you’re selling a wedding e-book, you may list certain features on your website – you may mention that the book is 67 pages long, featuring interviews with pastors, florists, caterers, wedding coordinators, and more. You may even talk about the great money back guarantee you offer. But that won’t sell your e-book to customers. They want to know the benefits – a beautiful wedding that doesn’t cost a fortune, reflects their personality, and makes them the talk of the town. Do you see the difference?

The next time you’re watching TV, pay special attention to the advertising. Car commercials are a great example of this. Auto manufacturers rarely talk about the undercoating, gear ratio, paint job, or other features. Instead, they sell the benefits. The wind in your hair, the exhilaration of speed, the great feeling you get from driving their car.

Do you see the difference? They’re selling the feeling of driving the car, not the car itself. Those commercials tickle our fantasy, making us believe that we are richer and better looking when we drive that particular vehicle. Of course it’s a fantasy, but for many buyers, that’s the benefit. The image is often the thing.

I admit that’s an extreme example. But it does illustrate the point I’m trying to make. Your website needs to answer the question, “What do I get out of this? How will this benefit me personally, professionally, or otherwise?”

Anyone can be taught to create a website. It’s no big deal. The real trick is in showing your clients how your product or service will make their lives better. In order to sell my course, I have to show you the benefits – how you can make $2000 dollars in an Internet business to get out from under that mortgage; how to create a steady income that lets you leave your day job; how you can earn money and still spend time with your family; and how you can teach your children entrepreneurial skills for a lifetime. These benefits tell customers exactly what they can expect from my online training course.

That’s more like it!

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© Stephen Beck, 2007
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Stephen Beck teaches families & teens how to start home business . For a free CD discussing the steps for a successful internet business, visit Christian Home Based Business right now.