Successful sales is much more than you presenting your goods and saying, “Here’s what I have, please buy it.” How you present the product, is everything. Here are proven techniques in writing product descriptions that will significantly increase your sales:
1. Focus on your ideal buyer. It’s better to specialise and focus on your target audience rather than cast a wide net and hope that somebody notices. Who would buy your product, and WHY? What’s your buyer’s demographic? Age? Gender? Income? Education? Location? Personal preferences and needs?
Write down what your ideal buyer looks like. Your sales presentation will be aimed at this buyer. Of course you can have several ideal buyer demographics – and to make the greatest impact, you will have unique sales messages aimed at each group. Marketing to executives is vastly different from marketing to teens!
2. When writing your product descriptions, you have two options: paragraphs or dot points.
Paragraphs allow you to tell a story and paint a vivid picture of the buyer using, enjoying and benefiting from your product.
Dot points allow you to showcase a product’s features in an easy-to-read format that a reader can skim quickly. This helps them make fast decisions based on technical features and benefits.
3. Write with enthusiasm! You must believe that your product is exactly the right thing for your buyer, and project that enthusiasm in the words you use.
Use descriptive language to build desire and highlight features.
Build desire by sparking the imagination using sensory words like soft, lightweight and attractive.
Desire is also built by using words that imply quality: words like hand-crafted, responsive, eco-friendly, durable, female-specific and innovative will speak to the buyer’s emotions while at the same time giving the buyer a clear picture of the product’s benefits.
Of course use only words that accurately describe your product (hyperbole will only cause problems if the product doesn’t measure up!).
Use emotive suggestions like:
the secure patented (name of closure system) closures you love
the functional yet attractive styling equally at home in the water or on land
4. Outline features and benefits. This can be done either in paragraph form or dot points (or both). Features are the physical benefits; benefits are more emotional (how the buyer will feel when they are using your product). Imply satisfaction, value and quality by highlighting the features and benefits.
Benefits example in paragraph form:
“The Angelfish shoe captures classic boat shoe style in a feminine design. These shoes feature genuine hand-sewn construction and durable comfort that allows you to enjoy the day’s outing in style. Choose from a variety of colours to suit your mood. The soft yet stain- and water-resistant leather and moulded EVA cushion midsole will keep your feel comfortable and protected during activities onboard on and on land. Imagine enjoying sunrise-’til-sunset onshore and offshore adventures in comfort and style!”
Features example in dot point form:
Instead of simply listing facts in your dot points, subtly integrate features (“classic boat shoe style”) and benefits (“feminine design”). Product details add credibility and imply quality and value. You can never have too many product details!
Tip: Instead of simply listing facts in your dot points, integrate features (“classic boat shoe style”) and benefits (“feminine design”).
5. Increase your font size to promote readability.
6. Appeal to the imagination. Paragraphs are excellent at sparking the reader’s imagination and appeal to their emotions. Research has proven that if people hold a product in their hand, they are more likely to buy it. Online, they can’t hold it, but you can make them feel like they are, by using colorful, descriptive words.
7. Stuck for words? You can begin with the facts, or you can begin a sentence with “Imagine… “ and then describe how the reader will feel when they own and use the product. Avoid obvious phrases like “excellent quality” – instead, imply quality through carefully crafted descriptions. In the attached pictures none of the bullet points above mention the quality of the product directly, but each point gives you an impression of quality. Each point also follows an easy pattern of highlighting a feature plus a benefit (genuine hand-sewn construction (feature) >> durable comfort (benefit) Product details add credibility. Product details sell your product. You can never include too many technical details in your product descriptions!
Remember always that your product descriptions are appealing to both the buyer’s emotion and logic. When your product descriptions highlight features and benefits, create an emotional connection and appeal to the imagination, then you will succeed in making the sale!