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Marketing
9 Best Practices to Create Content that Sells
Megan Apa
September 10, 2022
Megan Apa
8 minutes
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9 Best Practices to Create Content that Sells

Are you struggling to produce content that attracts website traffic and converts leads into sales? If so, you’re not alone. Content is one of the most important tools businesses have in their marketing arsenal, but there is a data-backed art in creating high-quality, engaging content that sells. The good news is that there are many simple techniques you can use to increase your content’s impact and sales potential. 

2 million blog posts, 294 billion emails and 864 thousand hours in videos are published daily. Too often, businesses produce content that is low quality and doesn’t seem to be driven by a clear objective. It’s no wonder that so much of it falls flat – readers don’t have any reason to keep reading when there’s nothing in it for them. And while you might be able to survive on lower quality content for a while, eventually your audience will start to dwindle. 

To create content that sells, you need to focus on objectives like grabbing (and keeping) attention, pumping up your product with useful information, and engaging your audience so that they always come back for more. Keep reading to learn how to implement some simple steps you might be missing.

  1. Draft an Outline 

A great outline is the skeleton to your content. It's the foundation that you need to build your sales copy upon. That's why it's so important that you outline all of the points that you want to cover before you actually start writing. If you do not create an outline, and just start writing straight away, you may miss an essential point that could change the direction of the whole document and make it much more effective.

Considering how valuable and essentially limited your time is, it would be a crime not to invest in tools that can help you write better and faster. Craftly.AI’s outline tool can generate an easy to follow structure for your content, detailing the points to hit in each paragraph as well as the overall message of the piece. The best part is you can choose from multiple outputs, and mix and match your favourite points to create the outline that compels your reader to connect with your product.

  1. Master the Art of Headlines

You could write the most fascinating article, but without the right headline your piece may not even be seen. This is because 80% of readers don’t make it past the headline. 

With so many people sharing content on social media, it's important to be aware of the fact that not all of those shares are actually going to result in customers. A study conducted by Columbia University computer scientists found that out of the links shared on social media, 59% of them have never been clicked. This means that if you're relying on social media shares to drive traffic to your website or blog, you may be in for a surprise - people just share the headline without reading any further.

The headline should be explicit in explaining what you offer so that it not only catches people’s attention, but also sums up the article.

  1. Hook Them in the Introduction

Similar to email titles in your inbox, something that stands out among the drivel will often get you to keep reading. A good introduction to your content will do just that. Your customer will decide very quickly whether or not continuing to read your article will be worth their time. 

A good sales copywriter knows how to hook readers with a catchy introduction that will get them to want to read the rest of the sales letter or product. This is done by first getting the reader’s attention with a relevant problem or point of interest, and then transitioning into a persuasive argument for how you, or your product, can help. These introductions should never be confusing or hard to understand, as this will only make the reader more likely to skip over them. Instead, they should be straightforward and easy to read, while still providing the necessary information to convince the reader that you have the solution.

Craftly.AI’s Introduction Tool allows you to easily generate an introduction in seconds. All you need to do is input what the content is about, along with some points that you can grab directly out of your outline, and voila! A perfect introduction sure to hook your reader.

  1. Speak to the Reader Directly

When you're trying to sell your product or service to a potential customer, you want to make sure that you're speaking to them directly, and not just throwing out a bunch of generalizations. 

Start with identifying who you’re talking to. Once you've identified the type of person you're trying to sell to, research their demographic. What's their age, gender, job, education level, etc.? Knowing this information will help you craft a message that's tailored to them. This will also help with knowing their pain points - what's their biggest problem? What do they need your product for? Researching a person's demographic, pain points, and needs will help you craft a message that they’ll connect with.

But your knowledge doesn't have to end there - it's also important to speak in a language that your prospects will understand. A customer who's looking for a holiday gift might respond better to a message about how their product will make someone feel special or loved than a message about how their product will offer the most value. Knowing who your audience is helps you tailor your message to speak in a tone and language that resonates with them.

  1. Quality vs. Quantity

When it comes to writing sales copy, you’ve probably wondered what’s more important: quality or quantity? Trick question! They are both essential. Your copy needs to draw the reader in, and also keep them coming back for more. That being said, one of the hardest parts of any business is developing high quality content on a consistent basis. That’s where AI comes in.

By using Craftly.AI you can take advantage of all of our expertly trained sales tools, from Product Descriptions, to AIDA Frameworks, to Blog Builders to help sell your products. Cut your blog writing time in half (and then in half again, and maybe one more time). Generate copy for any of your content needs in seconds, so that you can produce it consistently for your eager new customers.

  1. Teach Your Reader with the 80/20 Rule: 80% Useful Content, 20% Self-Serving Content

When you’re writing a piece of content intended to provide information to the reader, you have to ride the line between educational, and entertaining. Too much education, and your content can come across as dry, boring, or preachy. Too much entertainment, and you’ve created a fluff piece. By creating the perfect balance, you should be able to engage your reader, and keep them around long enough to be sold on your product. Be sure that your informational pieces are backed up by facts, useful tips, and helpful anecdotes that they can identify with.

Consider using a copywriting framework like FAB or QUEST to sandwich practical information in between the problem they need to solve, and the solution of your product. Don’t know where to begin with these frameworks? Craftly.AI has several expertly trained tools that will generate one for you.

  1. Talk to the Experts

It doesn’t matter how trustworthy you are IRL, if your reader doesn’t know who you are they won’t be able to fully believe your words (no matter how well they’re written). That’s why it is always a good idea to lean on expert opinions to get your point across to your reader. 

According to Marketing Psychologist Dr. Brenda Howard, “People are 47% more likely to believe something when it comes from an expert or professional in a related field”. Now, this quote is made up, but I bet you believed it. When creating your content, don’t be afraid to do a bit of research to back up your point and include specific (and real) quotes when possible.

If you yourself are the expert, but need assistance coming up with a juicier quote that sums up your thoughts on a topic, try Craftly.AI’s quote writer. All you have to do is input the general idea of your statement, and Craftly will generate a well thought out and original quote that makes you sound like a genius.

  1. Focus on What  Makes You Different

No matter what industry you’re in, your business or product is likely to have some competition. If you believe that your product is the best, it can be tempting to drag down your competitors so that you shine in comparison. While this is a method of promoting your business, it is certainly not the best one. This can actually damage the trust you’ve built with your reader, and invite negativity from your competitors. Instead, draw attention to the areas where your business stands out. Highlight what makes your business different, and how you manage to do it.

For example, Craftly has been said to have the highest quality outputs on the market. This is due to our unique training program developed by experts in artificial intelligence, copywriting, SEO, and machine learning. Our AI copywriter produces excellent results, and filters out any robotic or nonsensical verbiage.

  1. TLDR: Strong Outro with CTA

The conclusion paragraph is key to ending your sales copy on a strong note. In order to close more deals and convert more leads, it's important to have a strong conclusion paragraph that will compel your potential customer to take the next step. Make your case as to why they should buy from you and what the next steps are for them. This is also known as a call to action (CTA). These statements are more than just “shop now!” or “buy this today”. They should be specific, and relate directly to their pain point. Something like “save time on copywriting with a 5 day free trial” or “write your first blog in 5 minutes” would be more effective.

Sometimes, a reader may just need all of the information STAT. If this is the case, they may scroll right past all of your incredible content all the way to your conclusion so that they can get the jist of the article. For this reason, your conclusion should summarize your entire article, highlighting the main points and leaving readers with a clear understanding of what you're selling, and why they need it. Even if your reader does read every single word, a conclusion paragraph is a great way to remind them of what they just learned, in a way that feels wrapped up neatly.

There’s no magical formula for creating content that sells. However, by following these eight best practices, you can give yourself a huge advantage: know your audience, write high quality content, and use an AI copywriter to help you along the way. With the right approach, you can create content that not only sells but also builds trust and loyalty with your audience. So what are you waiting for? Get started today and see the amazing results for yourself!

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