The Professional's Guide to Selling Online

By: Mario Carini

Like many others you've probably felt that you couldn't sell. But guess what? If you have a website, chances are you are selling something. And if you are like many others who believe they can't sell, you are selling you on MySpace and YouTube.

Today, Internet marketing has opened the possibility of doing business anywhere in the world. However, face-to-face meetings are a rarity, especially if your prospect lives on the other end of the globe. In order to attract any customers, your site has to be your personal salesman.

Online or off, the rules of selling are exactly the same. Let's make a comparison between what happens between a buyer and seller in someone's home and that between your site and the prospect that comes to visit:

Your Conduct: Just as the professional salesman walks in with a suit and tie, smiles and greets the potential buyer, your site should also look professional. Spelling errors and grammar mistakes give you away as unprofessional. Your site doesn't need to be cluttered with run-on text and flooded with banners. Open space and easy-to-read text are extremely important.

The Introduction: Who exactly are you? The prospect wants to know something about your credentials. While that doesn't have to appear on your home page necessarily, you should have a link to an "About me" page. Since you can't talk to your prospect directly, you should have some way for him to reach you if your site doesn't present some answers to his pressing questions. You should include your email address, phone number, fax, cell phone or a message service through MSN, Yahoo, Skype and others. Your "About Me" page acts as your business card.

The Opening: Here's where the salesman sits down to begin discussions with his prospect. Your site's opening is your title. Your title should be just as effective as the advertising you do to get customers to surf to your site. Emphasize the problem and tell the viewer you have a solution. Online viewers are finicky readers. Make him want to read and offer a solution to his problem. Professional salesment know their customers. They know their needs and are prepared to address those needs when the meeting comes up. There's little idle chatter to determine the customer's want.

The Presentation: This is your home page. You should start off by outlining the problem from the perspective of the client. If your site focuses on unrelated issues or doesn't address the real problem until page 10, your prospect isn't going to wait until he gets there. Get to the point. Emphasize the problem, then make the claim you have a solution for him.

Involve the Reader: Ever read a good book? The book draws you in because you can identify with the characters and the plot. It creates an atmosphere that makes it difficult to put that book down. Why are Harry Potter books so popular? Your website doesn't have to read like a Stephen King thriller but it should have something that entices the reader to stay and give him a potential solution to his problems.

Ask the reader questions: It's yet another way to involve the reader. Your text acts as your speaker. If your text reads like a disorganized speaker, your online viewer isn't going to hang around for you to clarify your words. You should anticipate the prospect's objections and answer them as your page draws him in. The salesman not only prepares himself for that sales meeting, he's also a psychologist and knows that if he involves his prospect, it'll be much easier to make a sale. Make sure your site provides some answers. Let your site ask questions that makes the reader respond in a positive manner. One of the rules to getting sales is to get your prospect to AGREE with your reasons. The prospect convinces himself that he needs what you offerand is less likely to say no. Your site should do just that.

Bring up the facts: One of the most important parts of a website that sells is testimonials. That helps to dissolve doubt in the prospect's mind. Bring up the reasons why your product is better than the competition. Outline the benefits of using your product. Here's where you can have a few useful graphics on your home page. Professional salespeople use graphics that appeal to the buyer's senses. While the prospect can't touch your product, a good picture and a detailed description will help the prospect visualize what the product does. Information is what usually sells online. Present the reader with a chapter or outline the high points of whatever you are selling.

The Closing: Once your site answers all the prospect's questions, it's time to wrap things up. Your site isn't complete unless you sweeten the pot a little. Since people are reluctant to purchase anything online, a few extra bonuses and freebies can help swing your prospect into whipping out his check book. Encyclopaedia salesmen would often add other volumes as free offers to entice the prospect to buy. Time limits for buying; discount offers, free ebook downloads and guarantees will help your prospect make a decision to buy.

After The Signature: Just as after-sales service is important in the real world, your sale page should offer up a money-back guarantee and, of course, contact information in case the buyer needs to reach you.

Salesmanship online or off follow the same rules. While you can't be present, your site's professional appearance and construction can make an excellent salesman that will earn you hundreds of sales and an income equal to what the best offline salesmen in the world earn.