• By Cathy Goodwin
• Published 09/15/2009
• Writing for the Web

Are you an independent professional who is looking to get more clients online? You can grow your online business very quickly when pay attention to three components of your website. Even when you use a blog as your primary home on the Internet, you can still incorporate these components as pages. Developing your website and planning your navigation should be at the top of your list of online marketing activities. You need to know some basic copywriting techniques to create compelling content. However, your strategy comes from an understanding of your market and your unique selling proposition. Here are some ideas for creating effective results-oriented pages to increase sales and sell more products online. * Develop copy to answer the question, “What kinds of of clients would benefit the most from hiring these services?” Describe your ideal clients but don’t stop with demographics (“a woman aged 25-40, earning $X a year…”) Describe your clients in terms of their emotions, needs and motivation for hiring your service. Your prospects should see your site as a mirror so they recognize themselves as they read. When they say, “That’s me!” they’re one step closer to hiring you.

* Write your bio to answer the question, “Why sh

ould I trust you to deliver top quality service?” marketing professionals are so afraid of self-promotion they create a “tombstone bio,” listing professional history like a resume. Or they make a reference to activities that don’t seem to be related to the service promoted by the website. Your copywriting should show how your background and experience make you a stronger service professional. * Explain what you offer and why it is important. When you take this step you will probably gain the greatest benefit by telling stories. Share examples of how you helped specific clients solve specific problems (with the clients’ permission, of course). Write your stories to emphasize how much the client had gained in terms of relationship satisfaction, money, or health. You need to give prospects a sense of what you do without getting bogged down in details of your process.

Don’t be afraid to add testimonials to every page of your website. Choose testimonials that show how you effective you are, not those that praise you as a nice person. Include testimonials from people who resemble your clients and get full names. These days prospects are not likely to be impressed by testimonials from Big Names or from “Mary in Wichita.” They recognize authenticity. to make big profits from a tiny list is excellent training for making mega-profits from a huge list.

Remember that your website is supposed to work for you 24/7 to attract clients, sales and ezine sign-ups. Download a free Report on The 7 Secrets of Websites That *Really* Attract Clients when you visit Copy-Cat-Copywriting . Learn why an Internet presence should be the cornerstone of your marketing and how to avoid the most common Internet marketing mistakes made by even the smartest professionals.

by Cathy Goodwin