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How to Write a Product Description that does the Selling for You


Writing a product description can well be described as one of the biggest challenges for eCommerce and online store owners.

How much do you write?

How much is too much?

Or too little?

Should you include all the features and benefits or only the main ones?

How can you best describe products so that a browser can actually “experience” the product without holding it in their hands, feeling it, tasting it or smelling it?

So, yes, the struggle is real.

In this post, I wanted to share some of the key pointers that you must keep in mind when crafting descriptions that can actually do the selling for you and work as the {online} salesperson for your store.

Why Product Descriptions Matter So Much

Your product description is a key component of every online store.

Whether you’re selling t-shirts, yoga gear, handmade soaps, or baby toys, your product descriptions are what engage readers and turn a browser into a buyer, with ease.

A product description is important because:

They increase conversions. More conversions = more sales = higher profits. Simple.

They increase the time a user spends on your site. Engaging descriptions are so much more fun to read than a dry fact sheet, right?

They improve your site’s SEO. Search engines, like Google, love original, engaging, and well-optimized content.

Spending time to craft descriptions that are optimized yet interesting will give you a huge advantage over retailers who simply copy-paste descriptions from the distributor’s site or just slap on product features with no thought to emotional appeal and psychological triggers.

How to Write A Product Description That Sells

So, do you need to be a trained copywriter with tons of experience to craft descriptions that can take a casual visitor and turn him into a loyal customer?

Yes and no.

While writing product descriptions is quite an art and science, in itself, and there are many talented copywriters who do a fabulous job of it, there are certain elements that you, the regular online store owner, can implement to ensure that your descriptions do justice to the gorgeous products you create.

So, yes, you can write your own product descriptions armed with our handy guide and a sweet downloadable PDF worksheet too.

1. Write it for ONE Person

That’s right. You need to write your product descriptions for your ideal customer. Who is that ONE person who would benefit the most from what you’re offering?

How will your product resolve what they’re struggling with?

What will they love the most about what your product has to offer?

Whether you’re just starting out or have been an online store owner for years, crafting your product descriptions keeping this ONE person in mind while be very useful when you’re sharing benefits and highlighting the emotional appeal of the product.

2. Share What’s In It for Them

Once you know who you’re writing for, you need to pull out the stops and share what’s in it for them.

How will they benefit when they order that custom wall art?

What experiences will they get savor when they buy your artisan chopping boards?

How will their life be easier when they get a stash of your cloth diapers?

Sharing the WIIFM or “what’s in it for me” will help you connect with your audience on an emotional level and showcase the benefits.

BONUS TIP: When writing descriptions, using the words “you” and “your” have a greater impact than “our” and “us”.

3. Be Catchy and Clever But Also Clear

When naming your handmade products for your online store, aim to go for names that are catchy, clever, and connect with your brand. However, they must be clear and easy-to-understand as well.

BONUS TIP: An upscale or luxurious-sounding name can help you upscale your prices too!

Here are some great examples of beautifully branded yet clear product names:

How to Write Product Descriptions that Do the Selling for You

 

4. Showcase Results Rather Than Details and Features

What results do your products achieve? Here we circle back to the “What’s In It for Them” step. And dig deeper into it.

It’s all about evoking an emotional response and having them go “Gosh! I need this! This is SO me!!”

Does it relieve an overwhelmed mom of the stress of keeping up with the kids’ schedules?

Does it help an exhausted executive sleep better?

Does it make traveling solo easier? Or safer?

Does it add a uniquely special touch to a home’s décor?

Does it soften the hands and soothe irritated skin?

What are the results your ideal customer would experience when they’ve used your product?

We love how Passion Planner shares the results that their customers can expect in their descriptions. So, you know what the annual goal setting will help you do, why the monthly check-in reflection questions will help you move forward and how recording the Good Things can encourage you and keep you focused and more!

 

How to Write Product Descriptions that Do the Selling for You

 

Details and features are important, sure. But what will help sell you more and with ease will be the results that customers can get?

5. Show Off Your Product with the Photos

Your product description cannot be complete with product photos. In fact, I’d go so far as to say, that product photos play an equally important role as the text of the description.

Photos offer visual delight, eye candy, the “see it and believe it” factor.

As I mentioned in the Your Ultimate Online Store course, prospective buyers will often “look” at a product first before reading the description. That’s right. So, if the image doesn’t hook them in, chances are you’ve lost them already.

Your product photos must be clear, well-shot, and highlight your product on a sensory level. That is one of the reasons, why “lifestyle shots” of a product do so well.

They engage the customer and show them how that product would fit into their life.

Love how Skip Hop shows how their diaper bags fit into the busy lifestyle of a mom and make things easier! Also, bonus points to them for their cool product names as well!

How to Write Product Descriptions that Do the Selling for You

6. Go An Extra Mile {or Sale!} with Videos

The increasingly visual nature of the online world thrives with videos. If product photos can engage a customer, a video can make them live that reality.

When thinking about your product descriptions and working on them, consider adding a short video element, too, like a product demonstration tutorial video.

It’s great to see products in action and how they‘re actually used and a product video can do just that.

So, there you are… product descriptions that sell have 6 key elements:

1.They speak to ONE person.

2.They showcase what’s in it for them.

3.They are catchy, clever and even cute but most importantly, they’re clear.

4.They showcase results and benefits rather than features and details.

5.They use photos to create a visual connection.

6.They use videos to help the customer experience the product virtually.

Ready to create product descriptions that sell?

 


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  1. I’m diving into this topic now and this is SO helpful and clear. I would not have thought to include some of this content in the description, but I see how valuable it would be after reading the explanation. Thank you for great tactical tips!

  2. Thank you for your useful tips, I have just launched my jewellery brand. Although I have found a great supplier who delivers the next day, which is a huge bonus and has taken me a long time to find. I will fallow your check list and hopefully have the courage to go full steam ahead. it has taken me two years to get here. Hopefully all goes well.

  3. A great post, indeed! You have rightly pointed out that we should target product description only towards one ideal person. Choosing the right buyer persona and using the appropriate tone of voice increase conversions. Also, product descriptions should have the right adjectives so that buyers can visualize the products. Thanks for writing such an informative post.

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