Quick Tip: 4 "Musts" of Effective Web Catalog Copy by Will Newman

(Based on Herschell Gordon Lewis's Bootcamp 2007 Presentation)

Herschell Gordon Lewis built his 20-plus-year career primarily on writing catalog copy – but his successes are so broad you can't fit him into any single niche.

Still, at this year's Bootcamp, he turned his attention to Web catalogs during part of his presentation, and gave us four must-use strategies for making Web catalogs sure winners.

1. The three "musts" for an effective landing page: Grab, Shake, Now.

   • Grab the prospect's attention.
   • Shake the prospect from his complacency.
   • Make him act now.

2. It's about sales … not ego (yours or the company's).

   The company logo on the "splash" page of a Web catalog does not grab the prospect's attention. A terrific deal does.

3. Your writing isn't about ego either.

   "Staccato" writing is more likely to hold the attention of your Web visitor than narrative writing.

   Exceptions: some first-person copy or explanations in sidebars or deep in the website

4. "Title caps" in Web catalog copy damage response.

   "Four Virtually Free Upgrades" is more obviously a sales ploy than "Four virtually free upgrades."

   "We're Looking Out for You" is more obviously a sales ploy than "We're looking out for you."

Follow these four Web catalog strategies, and your Web catalog copy will fit your busy, fast-moving Internet shopper's personality, needs, and expectations. Which will lead to more sales and higher profits for your client … and for you!