One-Product Sales Sites: Avoid These Top Blunders

One product, one long web page: this kind of web site is sometimes called a sales letter site or mini-site, and it focuses on one and only one goal, as many sales of that one product as possible. With a one-product sales site, no distractions, no subsidiary goals, such as newsletter signups, are allowed to interfere with that goal. So let's look at some common mistakes and omissions for a sales letter site.

Your headline serves as the key point of orientation for the reader and should be as strongly worded and pointedly targeted as you can manage. Do not use the name of your product as the headline - that's a weak marketing message.

Instead, dramatize either the problem solved by your product or the solution offered, or both. For instance:

Discover Your Family's Roots Through Easy, Fun Internet Research

You can often add a subhead after the headline for even greater punch:

Turn Words into Money with Copy That Even a Skinflint Can't Resist!

Get a Juicier Return on Investment from Your Marketing With the Easy-to-Apply Secrets in This New Manual

Normally you want to start your sales page by building rapport with the reader with respect to the problem or goal at hand. Make sure, however, that you not only make your case in a positive way for your product but also address and head off each and every worry, objection or doubt the reader might have about buying your product. For instance, how can you know so much about knee injuries if you're not a doctor? Or, do these money-saving strategies apply if I live in Canada or Bermuda?

The biggest worry people have buying online from companies or individuals they've never heard of is, are you trustworthy? Am I going to get what I order and have some recourse if it's a pile of crap? A money-back guarantee goes part of the way toward assuaging this, as do testimonials, but just as important, and much more often neglected, is posting a mailing address and telephone number for the vendor.

If it's a physical product that will be shipped, make sure you explicitly say how and when it will be shipped and whether you can ship it anywhere in the world for that price. Don't make the reader click through to the order form to learn how much your product costs, or how much it costs with shipping.

As your copy builds toward its conclusion, remember to include what marketers term the "call to action": explicitly ask for the order. Do so prominently, so that someone skipping down the page can quickly find the "order now" button. Even better, insert an order button or link near the top of the page so that someone who arrives already wanting to buy can do so immediately.

When you've built the strongest possible case for your product and orchestrated your pitch properly, consider the formatting of your sales page. Since this sort of site doesn't have a left navigation bar, the column of text often ends up much too wide for comfortable reading. Studies have shown that paragraphs wider than six or seven inches are difficult to read on a computer screen. Add blank columns to the left and right of your sales copy to narrow it to that width.

Make sure too that paragraphs go on no more than seven lines, and a long run of paragraphs is broken up by subheads. And make those subheads interesting and meaty. Someone who skims down the page should be able to get the gist of your marketing message just from reading the subheads.

Marcia Yudkin is the author of Web Site Marketing Makeover and 10 other books. A four-time Webby Awards judge and internationally famous marketing consultant, she critiques web sites and performs web site makeovers for clients. Learn more about her detailed critique sessions on five different kinds of web sites (including one-product sites) at http://www.yudkin.com/websitequiz.htm .

executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport car
In The News:

Getting virus alerts on your iPhone? Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to handle fake scam alerts and boost security.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says opening emails is safe, but risks arise from interacting with links, attachments or HTML content.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals four signs of compromised Social Security numbers and offers five steps to protect yourself.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how MAB Robotics' Honey Badger 4.0, a versatile robot, now walks underwater with amphibious skills.
An updated Android trojan called FakeCall hijacks bank calls. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Android phone manufacturers and Google need to step up their game on security.
The Massimo Modular E9 is a sleek, smart and comfy tiny home in 409 square feet. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson takes a closer look at what the future of housing might look like.
Every stock trader should consider a virtual private network to safeguard their trading, according to tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson.
Apple recently announced its new lineup of Macs and rolled out Apple Intelligence, its latest artificial intelligence-powered feature for its products.
A Swiss-engineered robot can climb ladders, showing why it's at the cutting edge of autonomous robotic solutions for harsh industrial settings.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson presents the cities targeted most by robocalls, why this is happening and what you can do about it to protect your privacy.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares tips and suggestions for how to get the best use out of the updated Calendar app available with the latest iOS update.
Your Social Security number, your unique identifier used for many purposes, has likely been leaked on the Dark Web; here are some steps you can take to protect yourself.
Researchers have developed a new technology that creates strong, sticky fibers capable of lifting objects and capturing things from a distance.
Smart rings track the same things that smartwatches do, including steps, sleep and a general overview of your overall health, and they tend have more battery life than smartwatches.
Researchers have developed a robotic finger that can perform routine medical exams like those conducted by doctors, helping to address the growing shortage of trained professionals.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Insurance administrative services company Landmark Admin reported that a data breach from a May cyberattack affected over 800,000 people.
Sotheby's will auction the first artwork created by Ai-Da, the world's first robot artist created in 2019 by British gallerist Aidan Meller.
More than 250 million users of the Verizon Messages app will have to switch to another app. Verizon is shutting down Messages in the next month.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides a list of 10 celebrities who are the most targeted by deepfake scams, including Tom Hanks.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Vast's Haven-1, launching in 2025, transforms space living with human-centric design.
UnitedHealth confirms over 100 million Change Healthcare users had their data stolen. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals what happened and what caused the breach.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how iOS 18 brings new text formatting and animated effects to the Messages app.
Whether you're a social media veteran or novice, Facebook friend request scams are common. Kurt the CyberGuy provides tips to keep your account safe.

Banner Enchancement - Designing Your Banner

A well designed web site is great to have, but... Read More

Website Maintenance: What Does it Take to Manage Your Website?

Every action has a beginning phase where you launch your... Read More

Other Ways to Look at Things

Many people today are tired of the Microsoft software that... Read More

How To Attract People To Your Web Site and Leave Their Contact

If you have a website, you want your visitors to... Read More

Professional Web Design Companies - How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off

Building a website that is exactly what you want and... Read More

Creating the Perfect Website - A beginners Guide

Are you looking to create the perfect website? A complete... Read More

Website Design: Color Me Blue

Chris, a new consulting client, asked me to help him... Read More

Converting Print Advertising For Use On The Web - A How-To

Contrary to the beliefs of some, advertising for web and... Read More

Web Production And Design Tips

You have identified that to have an internet prescence would... Read More

Be Friendly to Search Engines

The object of search engines is to give their visitors... Read More

How to Use Sliced Graphics to Layout Your Web Site

The problem with designing your site as a graphic, is... Read More

Why Not To Use Web Design Templates For Your Website

In today's age of fast food and high-speed Internet, a... Read More

Text Is King!

Are you building your website? If so, STOP! Take a... Read More

Shameless Flashers - Using Flash Tools To Create Spectacular Websites

Flash is a powerful technology that can help you create... Read More

Successful Websites Don?t Set Out To Sell

What are websites? Are they sales tools for vendors and... Read More

Testimonials Can Increase Your Web Traffic

We've all seen and read product testimonials. They're a very... Read More

Are You Driving Away Potential Customers?

When a prospect lands on your website will he or... Read More

Creating A Quality Web Site Design!

In this article, I will attempt to cover the basics... Read More

Ten Fatal Mistakes That Make Web Sites Stink

Since you'll spend lots of time and money to create... Read More

The Technology May Change, But Human Nature Remains The Same

Let me repeat that.."The technology may change, but human nature... Read More

How to Get Your Visitors to Create Content for Your Website

An ongoing challenge for webmasters today is to provide fresh... Read More

Website Design Firm

Website design firms come in all shapes and sizes.When choosing... Read More

Internet Tip of the Week: First Impressions

First impressions are extremely important if you hope to do... Read More

File Types For Icons Explained

An application is not ready for use unless you have... Read More

Your Site Map: Spider Food or Just A Light Snack?

Mechanical spiders have to eat. In fact, they usually have... Read More

O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..