8 Things that Stop Customers from Buying
Your product is awesome, but no one is buying it. What the heck?!
About 85% of my clients come to me saying, “I don’t know what it is. Customers get to ABC and do XYZ, but then they never pull the trigger and buy.”
As a copywriter, it’s my job to help you identify where the sale falls short and to fix the copy to mend that divide. While every business is different, here are several pitfalls I see over and over again, regardless of the business or industry.
Fixing these things can help you solidify the sale and improve your conversion rates.
8 (Fixable) Messaging Mistakes
Poor conversion rates often fall on poor messaging, so let’s fix that stuff right now!
1 - Lack of Distinction
Every business needs a USP so that customers know how you stand out from the competitors. Make sure your USP is truly unique for your industry.
A lot of businesses just say what their customers want to hear, but everyone else in the industry is saying the same thing. Even though the following attributes are important, try to avoid using them to fluff up your messaging:
Committed to service
Individualized
High-quality products
State-of-the-art
World-class
Unfortunately, these phrases are so overused that they’ve become somewhat meaningless when a customer or client is trying to make a decision to convert.
If your sales page, emails or website use these types of phrases, consider revising the copy to actually talk about how you are unique. And yes, that is hard!
2 - Cumbersome Experience
If the process to convert is not as easy as possible and as short as possible, this can drastically affect your conversion rates.
Prioritize your main call-to-action and run with it. On every webpage and in every email, it should be insanely clear about what the customer or client should do next.
If you struggle with creating a streamlined experience, I highly suggest that you consult a UX copywriter to help you. Don’t let something as simple as the purchase process stifle conversions!
3 - Too Much Mystery
People are bombarded with ads all day every day. Put a face to your brand so people feel more comfortable buying from you.
Beef up your “About” page or add a small section in your sales page. This can work wonders for consulting or coaching businesses since clients will be working with your team directly.
4 - Unsophisticated Messaging Transformations
No matter how small or cheap your product or service is, a customer will often do everything they can to talk themselves out of purchasing something. Even freebies in exchange for an email address can be a hurdle!
However, as a prospect gets closer to a conversion, their emotional state and awareness will change. Your messaging should too. Throughout every step of your purchase funnel, your messaging needs to use language that will support them to make a decision.
Depending on where they are at in your funnel, infiltrate your messaging with education, persuasion, value and relevance. The ratio of these things will change as they get closer to the sale.
5 - Underperforming Sales Page
The sales page is often one of the last steps before they convert, so the messaging needs to hit the nail on the head. At every sentence.
As a copywriter, I’m equipped to identify which pieces of copy aren’t getting customers to convert. This is particularly useful for underperforming email campaigns!
Here are some essentials that need to happen for an effective sales page:
You need to be talking like you’re 1-on-1.
You need a clear CTA.
You need to smash their doubts.
You need to prove yourself.
You need it to be easy to read and understand.
The messaging needs to be both punchy and effective. By this point in your funnel, we’re done with the long-winded, get-to-know-me’s and education.
6 - Underwhelming Offers
I know you’re probably jazzed about your product or service, but it’s tough to translate that same excitement to your clients. Even if you feel like your offer is generous and valuable, your messaging needs to reflect that value.
There are several ways to make your offers more juicy:
Offer something insanely valuable for a very low price
Slather on the benefits (big time)
Add a time limit to your offer
Make it feel exclusive
Pile on extra products or services
Upsell and downsell complementary products
Give customers a guarantee
Some of these may not be suitable for your business, but there are plenty of ways in the messaging to prove that your offer is the best they’ll find.
7 - Unaddressed Objections
Again, your customers are going to do everything they can to talk themselves out of making a purchase. Make your message resonate with the issues they have about buying!
Don’t be afraid to address their concerns (and perhaps even your downfalls) head-on. People want to make educated decisions that will be the best for them. They don’t want to be tricked into something that is not a good fit.
When addressing hesitations, be clear and honest. Show that you know what makes them hesitate and that your product or service was formulated to overcome these issues.
8 - Lack of Clarity
When you write your own messaging, you may forget about the background knowledge you already have. Never forget that your clients and customers probably don’t have the same insight that you do.
Your messaging should always be insanely clear. Spell out your benefit to consumer. Spell out your offer. Spell out what will happen if they buy and if they don’t.
