HotelSphere

Keep it simple, test it often

First let's get one thing clear:  Good sales copy is tested copy.  It's copy that has been tested against other pieces of copy and has been found to produce better results.

It will continue to be good sales copy until your tests produce a better, more productive alternative.

You can learn how to produce good sales copy.  You'll learn in exactly the same way as good copywriters do - by trial and error, by experiment, by building a body of experience on the subject.

If you're too busy running your hotel to bother taking the time to do it, you can pay people like us to do it for you.

If you're going to write your copy yourself, here's a few tips which might help you:

Make your copy readable and make it all about the experience your customers will have... 

If you wouldn't say it, don't write it.  In other words, write as you would speak.  When was the last time you used an expression like "we await your advices" in polite conversation?

Use short sentences.

Use small words.  The hotel industry is plagued by big words (accommodation, reservation, etc).  Don't fall into the trap of thinking that big words will make the reader think you're clever. If you use big words you're running the risk of the reader stopping and going somewhere else.

Don't use jargon.  Most industries have their own jargon.  Just like big words, jargon is a no-no.  Your prospects and customers have no idea what you're talking about.

Write for your reader.  Tell them what it's going to be like to use your hotel and write from their perspective.  This means saying "you" a lot!  You need to be saying "you" at least twice as much as you say the words "our", "we" or "I".  Most hotel website prattle on about "our" rooms/facilities/staff/awards/food and so on.  Know this - your customer doesn't give two hoots about what your hotel is or what you do.  They want to know what your hotel will do for them - how it will make them feel and so on.

Say things that matter to the reader and their reason for buying.  Business customers don't care about baby listening services.  Leisure customers don't even want to consider the prospect of working in an hotel bedroom.

Try to find good reasons to visit your hotel.  Try to make your hotel sound different.  Trust me, nobody cares that you have a trouser press or a kettle in the bedroom - they expect those things to be there anyway!

Take the time to understand your sales process.  This is important because people on your website will be at different stages of their buying process.  Your sales process needs to match their movement through your website.  Hint - shouting "buy now!" every few lines isn't a sales process.

What?  Nothing about search engine optimisation (SEO)???  No, not a word.  If you can't put readable copy on your website and don't have a good selling process, all your investment in SEO is wasted.  Why?  Because the people you attract to your website can't or won't read your sales pitch.

Did you find this page readable?  It has a readability index of 7.1.  To find out what that means, you need to click this link! and a "You" Customer Focus factor score of: 93.6%