Article By: Lisa Otto

If you’re a mom with a small business, chances are you don’t keep a writer on staff. If you’re not a writer yourself, it can be difficult to come up with Website content that sounds good, and is beneficial to your business. When writer’s block strikes, many people jump to the old stand-by of throwing anything on the page and hoping it sounds good. You’ve all seen it…the small business website that sounds haphazard doesn’t make much sense and gives you no real clue as to what is being sold or offered. Let’s hope this isn’t you! But, if this does sound familiar, and you’re not sure how to create your own Website content, a simple formula can make all the difference!

No matter if you are a boutique owner, clothing designer or sell pet products, how the front page of your Website is written can affect sales and the success of your business. This is why experts put so much emphasis on quality content that is well written, descriptive and clear as to what you are offering. Not only is a clearly written Website good for search engine ranking, it’s also vitally important to making your customers feel compelled to, and comfortable enough, to buy from you.

Consider the content written for this (non-existent) product:

‘You’ll love our unique, patented, time tested, one of a kind, sturdy sippy-cup holder! Because we put so much time into it, we know you’ll love it too! You can choose from lots of colors and patterns so just visit our colors page and choose what is right for you by selecting the box next to the color you want. Or, you can contact us for more information.’

Do you feel that you know enough about this product to want to immediately purchase it, or take the time to learn more? Probably not. The way you word the content on your front page can determine whether or not you get the sale. Your front page content is the “first impression” for your business, and a simple formula makes it easy to create content that is relevant to your product and customer:

Problem: (What problem does your customer have that you can solve?)

Solution: (How are you going to fix their problem? What do you offer?)

Why you & not the other guy: (Why should someone buy from you and not your competition?)

Back it Up: (Testimonials are your best friend!)

If we fix the above writing with our handy formula, we come up with something a whole lot more concise and relevant than the previous version:

‘Are you tired of losing your child’s sippy-cup every time he pitches it from the stroller or shopping cart? (PROBLEM) How many times has your child’s sippy-cup been tossed on a germ-infested floor, lost in the car somewhere or misplaced while running errands?

Cup Stopper sippy cup harness puts a halt to lost sippy cups (SOLUTION). This innovative sippy cup harness securely hugs any size sippy cup, with a snap-close jump ring that attaches to a car seat, stroller, shopping cart or more.’

‘Why Cup Stopper? (WHY US & not the next guy) Our proven design offers two skid resistant, adjustable straps to harness the cup, with a patented snap-close jump ring that won’t lose it’s spring after repeated use. Made in the USA, Cup Stopper offers a perfect alternative to similar straps that offer less quality craftsmanship and design. Moms love the Cup Stopper (BACK IT UP!) Add your testimonials to really drive home how great your product is! ‘

Using this formula will make it easier to write better content, no matter if you sell multiple products or just one exclusive item. No matter what you are offering, find the problem that potential customers have, and tell them how you can make it all better. Every customer has a problem, and you want to be the one who fixes it!

A little brainstorming, a little bit of practice and following the formula can save you the stress of writing your own Website content. Take the time to try it and get it right. Your business will thank you!

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Lisa Otto is the owner of Creative Writing Studios, a copywriting service that helps women small business owners have well-written, polished Websites and marketing materials. Lisa offers website writing, press releases, marketing flyers, and more, with free website content consulting. Visit Creative Writing Studios at http://www.creativewritingstudios.com

tags , business, Content, Creative Writing Studio, Lisa Otto, Mompreneur Articles

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 19th, 2008 at 9:06 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.