The Online Lodge

by Karon Thackston © 2002 http://www.copywritingcourse.com
http://www.ktamarketing.com

I was talking with a group of business associates the other day
and one question popped up that was of particular interest. “Is
everyone finding that sales come MUCH slower these days?” The
answer from all on the call was a resounding yes! The next
question won’t surprise you… “What do we do about it?”

There is no doubt that individuals and business people alike are
becoming more and more cautious with their money. Rather than
buying anything and everything that peaks their interest,
serious consideration is being given to each and every expense.
That’s natural in a recession.

What that means is advertising copy has to work harder and
better. No longer will a simple quip like, “You’ll love it” or
“Be the first to own one” work. You have to earn each purchase.
You have to prove your worth.

People who live and work in recession-laden times have specific
criteria for making purchases. If your product or service
“qualifies”, you get the sale. The challenge comes in
determining what it takes to qualify.

I’ve said it a thousand times: “Before you write one word, get
inside the mind of your customer.” You have to understand who
the person/business is, what they need, what they want… and then
give it to them.

In a recession, the focus turns from “trying” to “getting
results”. Those who might, in an ordinary economy, try something
just to see if it would work will now demand proof of results.
Those who would normally take a risk will now ask for guarantees.

In order to build trust and create an atmosphere conducive to
converting cautious visitors into customers, you’ll need to make
three things obvious in your copy:

1) Benefits. Yes, even novice advertisers know about features
vs. benefits. But it is imperative that you fill your copy with
as many of them as it will hold. In a recession, your customers
will not wonder - but will demand to know - what’s in it for
them. Let them know exactly what they will get for their
dollar/pound/euro.

2) Results. In addition to benefits, your recession weary
customers will want proof of results. This can be accomplished
in a variety of ways. Testimonials are the easiest, provided
they are verifiable. You can also use online demonstrations,
case studies or a number of other effective methods of showing
that your product/service works.

3) Guarantee. If - for whatever reason - your product/service
does not perform as expected, your customer will want a safety
net. Provide a guarantee or warranty to make them feel safe
about spending their hard earned money.

4) Repetition. Lastly, don’t be surprised if it takes multiple
exposures to your offer before a purchase comes. Instead of the
usual 7-9 exposures, it may very well take 10-14 before sales
come in. There are several reasons for this. Customers may need
to consider, and reconsider, your offer before buying. They
might need time to raise the cash to pay for your
product/service. Expect - and plan for - slower conversions.

Give the customer what he/she needs to make a comfortable
decision. By changing the focus of your copy to meet the
qualifications of those cautious buyers in a recession, you will
be able to convert leads to sales more quickly.

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