|
Your online order form can “make or break” you. It's your point of sale…where your prospects decide if they should buy from you…and if they should send you leads!
Follow these VERY IMPORTANT tested and proven rules to increase your sales and profits tremendously and make your site a big winner!
We’re discussing online order forms in this 2-part article. Please read this article thoroughly to learn how to make your online order forms
as productive and profitable as possible. (Part 2 will be next month.)
Be sure to watch for the next issue of Direct Response because we’ll discuss the proper usage of order forms in mailing packages. Many of the fundamental principles for designing an online order form are the same as creating a direct mail order form. However, there are a great many subtle differences. You should know what they are.
Online order forms can be disastrous for marketers who do not follow the proper direct marketing rules. Many marketers discover to their dismay that the “shopping cart” has been abandoned and they have lost their sales or leads.
This loss may not occur because of a poor product or a poor presentation. It’s more likely to occur because of poor online order form design, poor advertising copy, offer that is not clear, poor marketing strategy…or even all these faults!
Follow all these basic rules when designing your online order forms…and you’ll be rewarded with a great many more sales and far higher profits…
 |
Rule #1 |
|
|
| Be sure to use direct response advertising copy on your online order form…just like the copy you use on your direct mail order form. |
When you’re marketing direct to buyers, all your advertising MUST contain direct response copy regardless of whether you’re using it in direct mail, publications, broadcast media, or online.
The proven direct response principles for success are the same for all media. This includes “you” oriented copy, turning features into benefits and conversational copy.
See 34 Direct Response Copy Rules for more valuable help in creating more profitable direct response advertising.
Just e-mail me at inquire@cdmginc.com. I’ll rush it to you immediately… ABSOLUTELY FREE!
Your online order form MUST have professionally created direct response copy just like the online marketing presentation, to assure your success.
Rule #2 below is the corollary to this rule.
|
Rule #2 |
|
|
| Be sure to use direct response artwork on your online order form. |
Like your copy, your artwork MUST be direct response art to work. It must follow the proper art techniques which direct your buyers’ eyes to the copy points you want to stress and emphasize.
Make sure that no portion of the artwork creates distraction.
|
Rule #3 |
|
|
| State exactly what you are selling very clearly at the beginning of your online order form so your prospect can be absolutely sure he/she is at the right location. |
When a prospect responds directly from an offline advertising campaign and goes immediately to an online order form, instead of immediately using sales copy, it’s vitally important that there be a recognition of exactly where the prospect is located such as “Welcome to Dr. West’s Web site, the only place you’ll find…”
Then it’s followed by copy that reinforces the key benefits stated in the marketing copy that led the prospect to this page.
If your prospect is responding from an online campaign, the same principle applies.
|
Rule #4 |
|
|
| It's VITALLY IMPORTANT for you to follow this unique rule to assure your success: Never use navigation bars on your online ordering. |
Always avoid using navigation bars at the top, on the left, or even at the bottom. These bars just naturally provide a very attractive temptation for your prospects to visit another page and become distracted very easily.
You must capture the complete focus of your prospects for online ordering to make sure you don’t lose important orders or leads from “curiosity seekers” who simply cannot resist the temptation to visit another page.
|
Rule #5 |
|
|
| Avoid screen distractions on your order form…to eliminate lost sales and leads. |
Do not place a lot of click-throughs on your online order form. Each click-through could end the sales process. Instead, induce your prospects to scroll down the screen as much as possible while they give you their ordering information.
|
Rule #6 |
|
|
Avoid using FAQs near your order form unless they help increase your response
and sales. |
Marketers often put frequently asked questions (FAQs) near their order forms. Do not automatically use FAQs unless you are absolutely sure they’ll help boost your response.
FAQs should be written as sales questions. ALL copy MUST be direct response copy.
Use these techniques and strategies to avoid violating basic direct marketing rules and making the same disastrous mistakes most web marketers make.
Follow all the rules and you’re sure to increase your sales and get the greatest possible number of leads! |
