Posted on Tuesday, 23rd June 2009 by CopywritingCat
I’m always thrilled to see some controversy! Here’s what one blog reader wrote:
“I want to send a friendly welcome to visitors! People will be turned off by a strong buy message or a sterile website.”
I love this message because I might have written it myself, a few years ago, before I studied copywriting. I too wanted a friendly, warm, welcoming website.
What I didn’t know was this:
First, you can communicate warm, friendly introductions without using the word “welcome.” Here’s just one example: http://www.facesandfortunes.com
Second, your serious prospects will be more interested in problem solving than being friendly. To some extent, this choice will depend on your service and your target market.
Here’s an example. I rarely get sick, but once I had to go to an Emergency Room with intense pain. At that point, I didn’t care about warm and fuzzy. I just wanted someone who would do something to make the pain go away.
Most Internet buyers are that desperate for solutions. It’s no accident that successful sites target people with health, money or relationship challenges. It’s no accident that Stop Your Divorce became a legendary ebook.
Now don’t get me wrong. This marketer may be reaching her target market effectively with a “welcome” message. But I would say, “Test the site with and without the message. Replace the ‘Welcome’ with a warm, appealing headline that communicates how you solve problems. Give it six months. See what happens.”
Highly recommended: http://www.ReachDesperateBuyers.com
and my own forthcoming teleseminar.
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Tags: copywriting, web site marketing
Posted in Professional Services Marketing, copywriting, website marketing
