Stop Chasing Away Customers! Bad Copy is Your Worst Enemy

Every day, more and more of us begin new online businessventures, hoping to make a better living or just a little extraon the side. And every day, more and more of us fail.

This may seem like a negative attitude, but unfortunately, it'sthe truth. The Internet is a great place to do business, butfinding real success is like finding a needle in a virtualhaystack. So what's the problem?

To be honest, the more I surf the Web, the more bad writing Isee. I can't tell you how many sites I've visited that featureboring, disorganized, or almost incoherent copy. And let's faceit: if your website can't communicate your marketing message inan exciting, informative, and professional way, you're not goingto sell much.

If you think the way your website or other marketing materialsread just isn't that important, think again. When you're tryingto sell online, through the mail, or with email, written wordsare all you've got.

If you walked into an electronics store to buy a computer andfound their salespeople unhelpful, uninterested, anduntrustworthy, would you buy? Of course not. The same goes foryour website or sales copy. If someone is reading your homepageand finds your writing sloppy, boring, or skimpy, they're notgoing to buy from you.

First, make sure you have ENOUGH copy to explain your product orservice. If there just isn't enough content, people won't havethe information they need to make a decision. Skimpy or sparsesales copy will drive people away faster than anything else.

Next, be careful! When writing your sales copy or website, don't just rush through to get it over with. A lot of people hate to write, but we're talking about your only interaction with customers here. Even minor spelling errors, grammaticalmistakes, or awkward sentences can add up to a gaping hole inyour credibility--and your profits.

Third, get excited about what you're selling! You don't have tohype it up to the rafters, but you do need some enthusiasm. Your writing can be exciting and motivational without loosing its credibility. If you don't get excited about your product, why should anyone else?

These are just the basics, but remember: the way your sales copyor website is written can literally make or break your chancesfor success. If you have a hard time finding the right words,can't spell worth beans, or need a little help in the excitingdepartment, don't be afraid to ask for help from a friend,associate, or professional. When words are all you've got, youneed to make them count!

Author Meredith Pond has been writing successful marketing copysince 2000. Web pages, sales letters, articles, press releases,ads, you name it! Don't let your writing scare away potentialclients! Good writing can save your business, and it's moreaffordable than you think! See http://www.CheapWriting.com