In order to write an effective sales page, it's absolutely essential to speak the language of your target market - also known as your ideal Client or Custom Audience.
If you can manage this, it will resonate with your audience and they'll listen to your message, and will be way more likely to buy what you offer.
If you write in the wrong language, the audience you want to attract will be turned off and simply click away - and you just lost a sale.
#1: Make Sure You Write the Way You Talk
How you should write for your audience very much depends on your specific audience. There is only one truly universal rule, and that is that you need to write in a conversational tone. If your writing is too stiff and formal, it automatically becomes boring, and no one will want to read it.
It really should read like a good friend talking to you.
By the same token, be careful that you don't sound too casual either.
"Too casual" means you're using slang, using too many idioms, writing in language that might be offensive or inappropriate, or using Internet abbreviations like "lol."
You should also make sure you don't have any (or at least not too many, if English is not your first language - mine is not, so please forgive me any errors) spelling, grammar, or usage mistakes as that makes you come across as unprofessional and not trustworthy.
#2: Learn Your Ideal Client's Language
The first step in learning your ideal client or audience's language is to know exactly who they are. Put an effort into doing a proper target market research and create an ideal client or audience profile that includes whatever data you can discover.
To learn their language, connect with them and listen to them. Pay especially close attention to the specific words they use that are related to your products or services.
For instance, if you're using the word "online entrepreneur" but your audience generally says "Internet businessperson," the latter is what you want to use for your sales page. Try to imitate the cadence, phrasing, word choice, and dialect they use - but be mindful that your own way of speaking in general does not defer too much.
You may even have to change the way you yourself usually speak, if the ideal client you seek speaks very differently - but you still want to make sure you are authentic.
Avoid the usual industry blogs and websites. Look for the voices of your genuine ideal client or audience members speaking.
#3: Use Social Media
Social media is probably the best way to passively learn your audience's language. Look at what your audience posts on social media, again be mindful of the wording used. You can also join Facebook groups where your ideal client or audience is talking, in order to "listen in".
Search hashtags related to your business on Twitter and read tweets.
You can be more proactive by starting discussions among followers of your page or in groups related to your products or services. Don't be shy and ask questions, ask for opinions, give your opinion, help others out (within the group guidance rules), ask for ideas, put a call out for tips, and so on.
#4: Conduct Interviews
Make a point of conducting interviews with your target market. The purpose of these interviews doesn't have to be just to hear how they talk. You can also use them for other marketing purposes, such as to get feedback on a product or ask them about the problems they're facing and see if you already have or can create a product that can help others with similar issues.
Even though it's not the main purpose of your interview, it's a great way to experience firsthand how your audience talks - and also get new ideas.
#5: Make a Note of Face-to-Face Encounters
Take advantage of any face-to-face encounters you have with your target market and listen to how they talk. After the conversation, reflect back on it and jot down some notes on anything in particular that you remember.
You may want to always carry a notebook around for this purpose, or create a written/spoken note in a note-app or voice-recorder on your smartphone.
#6: Research Your Competitors
Check out your competitors' sales pages to see how they talk to your audience. You should only do this if the particular competitor is successful. Make sure they're actually selling their product (and not just full of hot air without solid results) and that they have an audience that actually is engaged.
You may have an idea already about how your audience speaks, but use objective data gleaned from the above sources. You need to know for sure and not just be guessing (if you actually want to sell, that is), and you might even learn something surprising.
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