Ask writers their opinions on creating a sales page and one question always comes up:
“I know they’re important, but do they always have to sound so… pushy and hyped-up?”
You know the kind: countless exclamations marks, outlandish promises, bright red fonts and yellow highlighter everywhere. For a lot of writers it’s an instant turn-off.
But the question is: If a client asks you to write a sales page, or you want to write one for your audience, do you have to write like that? Or will it send people running and damage your credibility?
Well, it all comes down to choosing the right tone of voice.
You can use all the sales copywriting techniques in the world, but if your tone is ‘off,’ even the first line can turn your reader cold. And if they don’t even read your sales page, all the hard work you put into writing it goes to waste.
Why do people write hyped-up sales pages?
Because the style of shouting “buy now!” “get yours before they run out!” works well for certain industries and products. What one customer sees as pushy, another sees as high-energy.
A sales page for a high-intensity workout DVD aimed at males between 18-25 would thrive with an enthusiastic, excitable sales page.
But exclamation points and text in capital letters probably won’t cut it if you’re selling point-of-sale software to a procurement manager of a large supermarket chain.
How to do passion without the push
Think about the last time you recommended a business or product to a friend. I’m not talking about anything you were trying to sell, but something you knew they would love, like a new restaurant.
It wouldn’t be pushy at all to say something like:
“You have to try this place, it’s got a great atmosphere and the servers can’t do enough to help. We turned up without reservations they were happy to fit us in and while we waited we sat at the bar and had the best margaritas I’ve ever tasted, all mixed from fresh ingredients, not syrup. Food was great value, super-tasty and I was impressed at the amount of vegan and gluten-free options they have.”
You mention the things you think they’ll like (atmosphere, value), describe the experience and even cover some potential objections (are the drinks made from syrup? Can I take my husband who is a vegan / can’t eat gluten?)
It feels natural, but what you’re really doing is ‘selling’ your friend on the idea of trying somewhere new.
When you learn to write a sales page, you discover how to write an eye-catching headline and opening, how to pull out the benefits, how to overcome objections and how to write compelling calls to action.
All of these things can be written in the style of recommending something you love to a good friend and work really well as a sale page.
Now, this style of ‘writing to a friend’ works well for a lot of B2C or business-to-consumer businesses, but you might have to tweak your style a little if you’re writing a sales page in the business-to-business or B2B industry.
When to tone it down (without being boring)
Certain industries respond better to sales pages that are less personable and more fact-driven.
Sales pages for engineering, technology, financial or pharmaceutical companies usually have a more serious tone and focus on the facts and relevant figures of a product, rather than the excitement or passion around the product.
On the surface, this can be dry reading to most, but delivering the facts doesn’t make it boring.
“Get visibility into your sales pipeline on any mobile device. You can easily set-up and manage territories, teams and price lists.”
There’s no ‘buzz’ around this statement, no enthusing, it simply states what the product can do.
But for someone looking for software to do this, it is still eye-catching sales copy.
Something to remember is that businesses buy very differently from individuals. While our fitness fanatic only has to make up his own mind if he wants the insane workout DVD, business purchasing is discussed by teams and committees looking for details — and they want to access this information quickly.
As a result, a sales page that gets to the point, lists the facts and makes data easy to find is going to be more effective than one written in the style of the ‘friend’ recommendation.
What tone of voice should you use?
If you’re not sure what tone to use in your sales page, a very simple tip is to read the copy out loud and then ask yourself:
“If my customer was standing in front of me asking me about this product, is this how I would speak to them?”
Does it feel impersonal or lacking in enthusiasm? Or do you need to tone down the fervor and focus more on the facts?
Choosing the right tone of voice is critical as it runs through all the essential elements of a sales page. Once you’ve got that right, you can learn about headlines, openings, benefits and calls to action and write a sales page you can be proud of.
Amy Harrison is a veteran copywriter who taught our Freelance Writers Den bootcamp, How to Write a Sales Page. Find her at HarrisonAmy.
