When someone buys a product, what they actually are buying is the benefit of owning that product.

A woman buys a gift to celebrate a birthday or express a thank you... but deep down she wishes to be generous, thoughtful and remembered. A man buys a new set of golf clubs his old set might be a bit worn out, true... but he's really hoping this new set will knock strokes off his game and improve his prestige at the clubhouse.

Writing copy that sells is all about showcasing these benefits to the potential buyer. It can be a product or a service - what sells is the excellent benefits they bring. It's the benefits that motivate and persuade the reader that your product will make his or her life easier or better.

To put it another way, there are hundreds of gifts and golf clubs out there. Why buy yours? The buyer's inner decisions will determine the sales outcome, after all. As a copywriter, your mission is to develop a relationship with the reader, understand his problems, and then solve those problems with your product. Lead him to choose you!

Here's a look at some key points to writing great sales copy, all focused around selling the benefits of your product or service:

Use Attention-Grabbing Headlines.

They say headlines pull in 80% of the orders if done correctly. Your "hook" headline is the most important piece of copy on your page. Make it irresistible. Good, effective headlines get your readers' attention and draw them into your sales copy. Now you're on your way to a sale.

Write Copy That Answers The Age-Old Question: "What's In It For Me?"

Explain the features of your product or service only in a secondary light. Features are product centered. Benefits are people centered and solve problems! It is easier to sell a solution to a problem than it is to sell the same feature that hundreds of other products have. Simply put, your copywriting should highlight these problems, and then offer your product or service as the best solution.

Establish Trust. Show Them You're Real.

Rapport is so important! Part of what will lead your readers through your copywriting is the one-on-one relationship you develop with them. This is especially true in web site copywriting.

Write about your product or service from the standpoint of a friendly expert. Study the product information and history until you know it well. Present the information in an entertaining, clear and concise way. People want to do business with an expert. Keep your writing as simple as you can, too. Never lose your readers in the details.

Understand Your Audience!

Who is your target market? What do they need? How old are they? What brought them to read your sales copy? This kind of information will make a great impact in how you write your copy. It is impossible to sell to everyone, so narrow your copywriting down to focus on your real target market.

This one tip alone will reshape how you write your sales copy. When you understand and write for targeted readers, the return will be remarkable.

Because you'll know who they are and what they need, you will be practicing all of the above techniques by default:

-- You will be able to write targeted headlines that will grab your readers
-- You will be able to show your readers what is in it for exactly them
-- You will establish rapport with your readers

Writing copy that sells simply focuses on good, old-fashioned human behavior! We all want benefits in life. Write about them.

Copyright 2006 Trish Andrews