Placing just one or two ... selected images within your ... can be worth ... of dollars in sales. In fact, just one image that brings your eBook, ... audio product, or free b
Placing just one or two carefully selected images within your salesletter can be worth thousands of dollars in sales. In fact, just one image that brings your eBook, software, audio product, or free bonus items to life can have a real impact on your bottom line!
For consumers, there's no doubt that buying products online is a whole different ball game compared to buying from a "bricks and mortar" store. There's no face-to-face interaction, and they can't touch and examine the product they are thinking of purchasing.
So anything that you can do to make consumers more comfortable buying a product online is well worth the effort. And adding a few images to humanize your web site and show off your products -- including digital products -- is one way you can do this.
Of course, any images in your sales copy should complement the copy itself and add to your overall sales message. Remember, they're not decoration.
In other words... no "stock" images of a man with a briefcase to illustrate a business product, or of two people shaking hands to promote a suite of training products!
Remember: Your sales page is valuable real estate, and every pixel on that screen contributes to the overall impression visitors will get of you and your products or services -- so you have to be careful how you use that real estate.
THREE IMAGES YOU MUST HAVE WITHIN YOUR NEWSLETTER
There are three areas in your salesletter where using the right image can make a HUGE difference to your sales:
1. RIGHT UP FRONT: A picture of you! You might think that placing a picture of yourself in your copy is a bit big-headed. Not at all... not only does this establish that there IS a real person behind your web site, but it also makes your whole salesletter that much more personal.
Of course, you shouldn't go overboard and scatter your holiday snaps throughout the copy -- that will just distract from your sales message. A friendly portrait shot near the top will do the trick. Obviously, try to choose a good picture, not just a grainy web cam shot. ;-)
2. WITHIN TESTIMONIALS: Images of satisfied customers. The key thing with testimonials is to make them credible. Using pictures of your satisfied customers alongside their testimonials puts a face to the words, and makes it clear that these are real, and not faked, testimonials.
So when you receive a good testimonial from a customer, always ask for a picture. If they have one of themselves using your product or service... all the better! Don't worry too much about quality -- the most important thing is that they are genuine.
3. IN YOUR PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: The product shot! This is the MOST IMPORTANT of all the three images, and it can make all the difference when it comes to closing a sale.
The thing is, people shopping online can't touch the product... so they need to see as much detail as possible during the sales process so they're comfortable with what they're buying.
If you sell a tangible product like jewelry or cameras, then you should place a well-taken shot prominently within your product copy, as well as next to the "call to action" when the customer is finally deciding whether to buy.
And if you mention any cool features -- like a special lens for a camera, for example -- provide an image of this too. If you sell a software program or training course, you can also include screenshots and samples.
The key is to make your product look as DESIRABLE as possible.
At The Internet Marketing Center, we've tested the impact of images, product shots, and screen captures on sales... and they really DO make a huge difference.
But what if you sell a digital product like an eBook or downloadable software? Well, you can still create a desirable image quickly and cheaply...
TIPS FOR CREATING HIGH-IMPACT EBOOK "COVERS" AND DIGITAL PRODUCT "BOXES" THAT GENERATE MORE SALES
Of course, a digital eBook doesn't have a physical cover, and software that customers can download doesn't come in a box!
But a product image -- even a digitally created one -- that's placed within the product salescopy and next to the "call to action" makes people feel like they're buying a "real" product... and this gives it a lot more value in the eyes of consumers.
The bottom line is that a good "cover" WILL help you maximize sales. And a professional-looking "box" image for other digital products does the same.
So what makes a great eBook cover or digital product box?
- It must look professional. A quick trip through web sites selling digital products will reveal tons of different designs, and you'll quickly see which ones work and which don't.
- It must be eye-catching. Make it something people would pick up in an offline store. This helps if you want to use the image to promote your product on other web sites.
- The cover or box must be suitable for the product's contents. For example, if your product is an eBook on gardening tips, use a gardening image. Check out the covers of books on your topic, or the boxes of software, sold in offline stores to get some ideas.
- Keep the writing on the cover or box to a minimum. Ideally, you'll want to include just the product's name or title, sub-title if applicable, and author if applicable (and only if they are well known in their field). And remember that the final image will be small, so only include written content that's absolutely essential.
- Don't go overboard with the colors. No -- bright green and pink DON'T go together! Try this handy free tool for seeing which web colors go well together: http://www.colormatch.dk
- Stick to clear, legible fonts. Use fonts like Arial or Verdana. Avoid "script" or unusual fonts that are hard to read. And only use one font!
- Give it a 3D appearance with the title repeated on the spine, and a shadow. This makes it more tangible in the eyes of the customer.
If you have some design experience, you can take a shot at creating your cover or package yourself using imaging software like Photoshop or PhotoImpact.
A word of caution, though... if your design skills are not good, go to a professional or use custom software. Bad design and poor-quality images are worse than no images at all, and you could actually end up losing sales!
Try finding a designer through Elance, or use one of the many eBook cover design services or software providers available on the Internet.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Images in your sales copy really can make a difference to your sales, but only if you use them sparingly and strategically.
Well-positioned pictures of yourself -- and of your satisfied customers -- make the customer feel like they are buying from a real person with real customers -- not just some anonymous web site.
And eye-catching product shots do a great job of supporting your salescopy. Your customers won't judge your eBook or other products on their "covers" or "packaging" alone, but product images can provide credibility and make your products more desirable and tangible in the eyes of your customers.
