Ask an online copywriter how to sell stuff online, and she’ll likely tell you it’s all about great sales copy.
Makes sense, right?
If you want to sell stuff, you need strong copy that sells hard and closes the sale.
Well, this may have been the case back in the days before the web.
But today I would argue, and do argue, that most of the heavy lifting is actually done by web content, not sales copy.
Why? In large part because consumers online are becoming increasingly resistant to sales messages. In particular, they dislike sales messages that interrupt them and get in the way of what they really want to do.
In my own case, this is why I have a very twitchy trigger finger when it comes to deleting emails that interrupt me with their sales pitches.
Yes, even if I subscribed to those lists. Even if I gave those marketers “permission”. I’m quick to change my mind. Maybe I was OK with your sales pitch yesterday, but not today.
Is that unfair to the marketer? Maybe. But I don’t care, and nor does anyone else.
Like tens of millions of other people, I have also installed an ad-blocker on my browser. Why? Because when I tried to read articles online I would be deluged with ads, some of which overlaid the articles I was trying to read.
Unfair of me to install an ad-blocker? Maybe. Get over it.
And I’m an old guy! My generation is pretty patient with ads. My kids and their kids. Ha! They’re way faster at finding ways to get rid of all those ads and sales messages.
For a start, they barely use email. At all. And they have ad-blockers on their laptops, their tablets and their smartphones.
They don’t want to see your ads or read your sales copy. They won’t be fooled or impressed by your cunning headlines and your smooth transitions.
BUT… they will enjoy your content. Your great stories, photo essays and videos.
This is how great content does the heavy lifting when it comes to online sales.
Great content takes a stranger by the hand and slowly introduces her to your products or services.
Great content builds friendships, community and respect.
It builds trusts and breaks down barriers.
Great content leads your prospects to the point of sale, allowing you to close the sale with the very lightest of touches. Because by that point your prospect truly wants to buy… from you.
This is a trend that is building momentum, right now.
People are becoming less and less tolerant of traditional sales pitches and sales copywriting. This is particularly true of younger consumers, and anyone using mobile devices.
They don’t want another sales pitch.
But they always enjoy great content and a good story.
This is why I’ve been focusing so much on web content recently.
By profession and by training I’m a sales copywriter. But my focus these days is on content and story.
Over the last few months I have published three short courses for online writers – whether you consider yourself an online copywriter or a content writer.
The first course is Web Content Optimization.
The second is Selling with Stories.
And the third focuses just on headlines… How to Write Better Headlines for Web Content, Email and Social Media.
And right now I’m working on a fourth course, also focusing on web content.
As a copywriter I have become a content writer.
I sell with great content. You can too.
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Thanks Nick for these insights.
I thoroughly enjoyed – and learnt a lot from – your optimization course and just signed up for your second course on Udemy. Can’t wait to get started.
Dumisani
Dumisani… I’m glad you enjoyed the optimization course. When you’re done, let me know what you think about the course on Selling with Stories.