It’s safe to say that 2020 was an unprecedented year in more aspects than one.
When it comes to e-commerce, the industry boomed globally. In fact, according to Business Insider, the growth trend will continue into 2021, and e-commerce sales are expected to bring an estimated $3.914 trillion this year.
Amazon, in particular, has experienced unprecedented growth, opening new warehouses, hiring thousands of employees, and registering astronomical profits, which solidified its position as the undisputed industry leader.
Now, whether you’re a seasoned Amazon seller or you’re interested in taking the opportunity to venture into e-commerce in 2021, then you are undoubtedly familiar with the process of selling on Amazon.
From familiarizing yourself with Amazon guidelines to best-selling practices and making the critical choice between FBA vs. FBM, there’s definitely a lot you need to consider while setting up your Amazon business.
However, when it’s time to list your product, you know you’ve reached the apex of your efforts.
Your Amazon listing is much like the first impression you make during a real-life meeting: you just want it to be positive. After all, potential customers cannot see the blood, sweat, and tears that went into setting up your business.
The only way they can get to know you is from this fleeting “meeting” they have with your product into the two-dimensional world, which is the Amazon product listing.
Too often, sellers approach listings from an almost clinical perspective, meaning they place heavy emphasis on setting up their seller central account without paying the appropriate attention to what’s happening on their listing page.
That’s not to say that this is due to a lack of effort but rather owing to either trying to transfer the brick-and-mortar approach online or not realizing the importance of enticing those browsing their listings with masterful copywriting which has the power to convert them to paying – and even recurring – customers.
Now, it’s essential to take the market’s pulse more than ever and try to understand how to approach a customer on a personal level to convince them of how a product can indeed be exactly what they are looking for.
While Amazon seems vast, and, as its name suggests, almost reminiscent of an online market “jungle,” that personal touch is what a customer looks for in order to be able to place their trust in a product and go through with their purchase. And how you can convince them to do so, you ask?
Well, this takes us back to our subject: storytelling and copywriting.
We are all told stories as children, and, as we grow up, we build our own narratives to explain, relate, and figure out the world. The same applies to when we’re making purchase decisions.
Ask yourself: how is your product inserting itself into your customers’ narrative?
You may have a vague idea of how, but that won’t cut it. No SWOT analysis or will sell a product by itself.
Words building a narrative will – and if you want to make Q1 2021 yours, this is your opportunity to craft your own stories. Here’s how they’ll help you sell your products, connect with your customers, and build lasting rapports with them:
1. Offer solutions
Here’s the secret behind each purchase: customers want to solve a problem. Whether buying a box of tissues or a screwdriver, there’s some need that they need to cover, and their buying decision is based on which product will help them do so.
Make sure your copywriting is solution-oriented and builds your case as to why your product is the one that will make your customers’ lives better.
2. Highlight your product’s benefits
Here’s where the magic of listing bullet points comes into play.
Intro sentences, which are written in capital letters and appear in bold, are the perfect way to outline your product’s benefits and draw the attention of those perusing your listing.
Is your product eco-friendly? Perhaps it’s free of the harmful additives found in competitors’ products? Let customers know! That’s what can make all the difference between closing a sale and simply closing the browser window.
3. Share your story
What makes you, you? Where was the idea for your company or product born? How long have you been in business?
Your story adds a touch of humanity to an otherwise sales-oriented environment and allows potential customers to connect with you on a personal level. So, go ahead and add a line or two in your bullet points, or dedicate a section in your EBC for it!
4. Have some fun
Puns and lingo are always a great way to approach a potential customer who will get a chuckle out of a few lines of targeted and well-crafted copy and create a positive association with your product and brand.
Make sure your language resonates with your audience and that you don’t use words or phrases which seem out of place or are literal translations from another language and, as such, make no sense!
5. Harness the power of EBC
Much has been said and written about the EBC. Still, the consensus appears to be that it’s an incredibly useful tool to boost sales and expand your product’s presentation with more pictures, infographics, and, of course, copywriting.
If you have the opportunity to use EBC, then you must capitalize on it by weaving a cohesive story that guides readers from one EBC section to the other.
That’s not to say you’ll have to go all out with a uniform narrative but rather that you create the urge within the customer to read more about your product and your brand. This is, after all, what’s going to lead them to choose your product over any competitive ones, and even refer you to others looking to make a similar purchase.
All in all, storytelling and copywriting are two of the most powerful means you have to transform your listing from being a mere product presentation to an immersive buying experience.
If these areas are not your strong suit then you need guidance on how you can maximize your listing’s potential. In that case, a professional copywriter and translator can help you craft listings that will have essence and nuance and boost your sales through SEO and persuasion.
YLT’s translation and copywriting team has helped thousands of sellers with creating their brand narratives and pushing their products to the forefront by not only knowing how to make the most out of the A9 algorithm but also through using the best copywriting tactics that will make your product jump off the page and land into your customers’ home.
About the author
Andromachi is YLT’s copywriter with five years of experience working in the Amazon niche. She has a passion for all things e-commerce and can’t wait to see what the next step will be in the evolution of storytelling and copywriting in Amazon listings.