"You're Only Days Away From Escaping Life's Biggest Delusion
Of Working For A Living!"

"Are You Ready To Unlock The Exact System
That Works... For Any Business Online?"

"Lose 10 Pounds In 10 Days
WITHOUT Changing Your Diet!"

Will that get some folks to give us their email address?  I say absolutely!

Now, let's suppose this visitor isn't interested in dieting.  Now what?

Have no fear... We're going to show em just how EXTREMELY valuable our newsletter is.  Just like with our article archive, we're going to entice this visitor to read over some back issues and decide for themselves...  Fair enough?

Note:  As you can see, I listed all of the back issues of our newsletter in a nice, neatly organized fashion.  But I do also want to point out one extremely important point, however.

Whenever possible, include the titles to all your newsletter issues in an orderly fashion.  This will allow your visitors to read over some of the titles and... if you're good...  something will grab their attention.

Then, just make sure each and every issue is jam packed with quality, informative, entertaining content and you'll drive new subscribers to your opt in page like bees on honey.

The truth is... most online store owners don't realize the tremendous power their "Product Descriptions" hold.  Most think that because they own a "Retail Online Store" buyers expect the norm.  They are WRONG!  WHY FOLLOW THE CROWD?  You need to grab your readers attention.  You need to realize that a product description is much more than just a "Product Description".  It is the "SUPER SALESPERSON" at work.

All you have are your words to convince a buyer to buy your product.  Yes, a good image of the product is very important, but you need the right words...POWERFUL words, to make the sale!  You need to arouse emotion in your buyer.  You have to let a buyer know how your product is going to benefit them......IMMENSELY!

Imagine there were only you, and one other competitor trying to sell a product.  You're both in competition to sell this same product...and your competitor has the advantage of selling the item at $10.00 below your price.  Do you think you could conjure up the words in your product description to make the sale?  If not... You really NEED TO LEARN!  Chances are, no matter what you're selling online, there's always going to be someone else selling the same item at a lower price...  And you don't want to get suckered into a price war.... remember?

So what do you do?  YOU SELL!  YOU SELL YOUR HEART OUT!  You sell with WORDS!  You be the SUPER salesperson you need to be.  It's not that difficult... trust me.  I guarantee you I could sell the same product to a customer that you were offering at a $10.00 discount.  How do I know?  I've done it... many times!  How would I do it?  Simply put... WITH WORDS!

Plus, I always have an advantage over my competition...

You see, I already have this customer in my mailing list.  They've already read several issues of my newsletter.  They're on my email list for specials and promotions.  They've received several FREE downloads from my website that have helped them tremendously.  They know I respond to their concerns in a timely manner.  They know if there's a problem with their purchase they can return it... NO QUESTIONS ASKED.  AND.....

I've written a product description about this item that not only describes all the features of the product, but it also overwhelms them with the benefits of buying this product?  Did my competition do all these things for this customer?  Do you really think this customer will buy from my competitor just because their a little cheaper on price?  Sorry!  Go AWAY!  The sale was mine way before this customer even decided to buy!

Don't Describe Features... Describe Benefits - This is a key in writing and selling effectively.  Buyers "THINK" they're interested in the features of a product (and naturally they need to know the basics to be sure it's what they are looking for), but what a buyer is really going to be sold on are the BENEFITS of a product.

-- How will this product make their life easier?
-- What will the look on their Grandchild's face be when they open it?
-- How much time will they save after it arrives on their doorstep?
-- How much more will their spouse appreciate them for buying it for them?

Take, for example, a home stereo system.  Naturally, your customers will need to know the features that the stereo has.  For instance, how many watts?  How many speakers?  The overall size of the unit...  The warranty... The manufacturer....etc., etc., etc,.  But your job as a SUPERB salesperson is to list those features and follow them up with "punch after punch" describing all the benefits of those features.  Create emotion in your readers!  Make them feel like they couldn't live without it!  Here's an example of a "GOOD" description in comparison to a "SUPERB" description::

*************** GOOD DESCRIPTION *****************

RCA Home Theatre System With Surround Sound
Save big on this RCA home theatre system today!
Made of solid oak, this system is guaranteed for 5 year.
Comes complete with all wiring and installation video.

Features Include:
-- 100 watts of power
-- DVD/CD Player plays all DVD/CD/CD-R/CD-RW/MP3
-- AM/FM Digital tuning receiver with 40 random preset stations
-- Separate controls for front, center, surround speakers, and subwoofer
-- On-screen menus and information display
-- Parental control function
-- Fluorescent display
-- Headphone Jack - 6.25mm Phone Jack x 1
-- Left/right/center speaker dimensions (3" driver): 3.5"W x 5.8"H x 4.25"D
-- Surrounds speakers dimensions (3" driver): 3.5"W x 5.8"H x 4.25"D
-- UL Listed and Approved

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Not bad.... right?  This description gives the buyer everything they need to know to make an informed purchase.   PLUS.. it has a pretty impressive list of features.  If you're looking for a nice home theatre system, this is a really great deal!  But let's see if a SALESPERSON could do better by using the same features and selling the BENEFITS of the product too....

************** SUPERB DESCRIPTION **************

You'll Really Enjoy This Uniquely Designed And Extremely Sophisticated RCA Home Theatre System With Surround Sound!  Best Of All - You Can have It Delivered Right To Your Home In As Little As 3 Days!

You and your family will enjoy huge savings on this RCA home theatre system today.  This extremely popular system is made of solid oak and backed by a 5 year warranty direct from the manufacturer.   You'll enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your purchase is backed for a FULL 5 YEARS from one of the largest names in the electronics industry!

The Solid Oak Construction makes this unit extremely stylish, plus you'll be thrilled to know that a little furniture polish will keep this beautiful system looking brand new for years to come!  With it's exquisite design and rich texture, you'll feel proud when displaying this system in your home.  Similar systems of this quality sell for $100's more with a lot less features.

The Premium Features Of This RCA Home Theater System Include:

100 watts of sheer power guarantee you'll never crave more volume when your favorite song comes on the radio.  You'll be dancing and singing to your favorite songs in no time... and feel like your in the middle of a concert hall!

The built in DVD/CD components play all types of media including CD-R,
CD-RW, And MP3.  You'll be able to burn your favorite music to any CD and enjoy it at your leisure.  Plus think of all the money you'll be able to save by burning your favorite music.  If you're a Napster or online music club member, you'll be able to download your favorite music to disk and play it with incredible sound and clarity!  And don't forget the MP3 feature!  Digital playback with your favorite music, all in stereo surround sound!

This unit also features an AM/FM digital tuning receiver ( that's digital - not what most are used to in a receiver) and also comes with 40 random preset stations.  While many systems on the market feature 10 or 20 preset stations, you'll have a system with 40 presets to enjoy!  You could let the whole family preset some of their favorite stations and still have a few left over for just YOU!

You'll also have the added luxury of not only FRONT controls, but you be able to control the front, center, surround, and subwoofer individually.  You'll never have to worry about where to place all those speakers to get "True" Surround Sound Quality!  With so many available controls to take advantage of, you be able to finely tune this system with ease, and feel like you're in the middle of a concert.  It's that efficient!

And here's a real treat!  Not only will you have a remote control and touch button capabilities, you'll also have the added luxury of "ON SCREEN" menus and information display.  Now that's a real nice feature that you just don't find on most systems these days.  No more going blind trying to see the small controls on the unit itself, instead you'll read each and every command easily directly on your television... Now that's a feature you just can't be without!

Are you worried about your children's programming?  Well fear no more!  This RCA unit has built in Parental Controls as an added feature!  Mom or Dad can set it... and forget it!  Choose which channels you'd like to block, and you'll never have to worry about the little ones listening to a program they shouldn't.  That's peace of mind that no parent should be without!

How many times have you been caught up in a movie or your favorite program and wanted to know the time?  So, you need to get up, turn on a light, and check the clock on the wall.  Or, maybe you're lucky enough to have a VCR in the room and it has the time displayed (but is it the correct time)?  Well, RCA has taken some of that aggravation away by including a florescent display on both the remote control and Sound System itself! 

With the SUPER high quality sound this system provides, chances are there's going to be times when you'd like to BLAST your favorite music, but unfortunately someone close by is trying to concentrate on something else!  Now, that's OK too because this Ultra Modern System comes with a Headphone Jack (6.25mm Phone Jack x 1 ) so you can plug in your favorite headphones.  Sit back, put your feet up and relax to your favorite tunes without disturbing a soul!

And you'll love this feature as well!  Left/right/center speaker dimensions (3" driver): 3.5"W x 5.8"H x 4.25"D and Surrounds speakers dimensions (3" driver): 3.5"W x 5.8"H x 4.25"D mean that you're getting a system that's not only compact and discrete, but also big enough to handle the power!

Because the system is also UL Listed and Approved that means no worrying about a wire short circuiting or causing a fire from overheating.  Everything's been thoroughly tested to the strictest of standards and is 100% safe for your use.... Even if you turn it up REALLY LOUD!

And last but not least, The best part of the whole package is it comes complete with each and every wire and connector you're going to need to get setup in lightning fast speed!  And if you're worried about getting your system setup and playing, forget about it!  RCA really goes out of their way to provide quality products and they want to make sure that you get your system setup and playing as soon as you open the box.  So, they've even included a Video to watch that will show you how to setup your system correctly, with ease, without any worries. 

Yes it's true... most systems with this many features can be quite expensive, but through this special offer we've drastically reduced the price to first time buyers.

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Do you see the difference in a GOOD description and a SUPERB description.  Granted, I just wrote that description in about 3 minutes and left out a strong close, but I specifically used the same features for both.  Do you see the POWER in words.  Do you see the POWER in selling "BENEFITS".  If you strictly sell features, it's features you're buyer will read.  But, if you sell BENEFITS, your buyers will read with emotion more than logic...and that my friends is what makes the sale!

We're going to talk more about the power of words and sales copy in general in the next lesson!  One of my favorite topics and a must if you're going to sell online.

Aside from your product descriptions being so important, allowing your customers an easy shopping experience is a must.  if you have a shopping cart setup that's a total maze to get through... chances are you're not going to see many sales coming through.

If you remember, in Lesson 1 we talked about where to grab a free shopping cart to sell your goods.  Just to refresh your memory, you can grab a 5 star FREE shopping cart at Mal's E-commerce.

This free cart is by far the most advanced FREE cart I've ever come across.  You can accept all forms of payment (including Paypal) and the buying process for your customers is extremely easy and professional. If you want to accept MC/Visa however, you will need to have your own merchant account.

In my humble opinion, having your own merchant account is WAY overrated.  With PayPal being so convenient and secure, I find it a lot less hassle simply offer PayPal as the primary payment gateway for my customers.  Plus... PayPal has recently changed their terms so now anyone can pay you with a credit card via Paypal - even if they don't have an account with PayPal.

Okay.. let's keep moving forward...

I'd like to take a look at one final aspect of our online store page setup...

OH MY GOD!  Another opt-in offer!  Have I lost my mind?  I say... nope!  Actually, I wish there were a few more spots on the page where I could offer something in exchange for a customers email address, but I stick to the two offers... that should do it!

Seriously though, take advantage of the space you have available and if you have an offer that isn't going to be obtrusive on the page, include it!  What's the worst that could happen... someone gives you their email address?  Boy wouldn't that just stink!