Creating software product pages that sell is not as easy as it looks. More often than not, copy writers and designers get enamored with powerful features of the product they are marketing. This shouldn't be surprising, after all software is the closest thing to real magic human beings have ever experienced. So, what should software marketers do? Focus on the basics and one magic word: “you.”

The Magic Word

People like to be the center of attention. If you want to sell more software, the most powerful magic word in your vocabulary isn't empower, cost-cutting, value, ROI or even secure: it's “you”. It's mere incantation connects your message to the reader's dreams, hopes and aspirations. Avoid using unfriendly, dehumanizing and even insulting words like user, knowledge worker, operator, and customer. Use the words “you, your and your company” liberally. People like it when you talk about them. It's also easier to read. Compare:

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The Basics

Product Description

You should describe your product as succinctly and simply as possible. Follow that by describing the outcomes or benefits your product delivers. Then explain pricing or at least how to get pricing. People rarely buy anything when they don't know what it costs:

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Box Shots/Screen Shots

Software screen shots and box shots are used by marketers to help make your product more tangible and familiar. If your product is simple and easy to use, screen shots with captions or bubbles are a great way to show this and help the reader internalize using the software. Box shots make your software product (which is actually a bunch of invisible code) seem tangible and as real as a box of candy.

Feature Table

Notice how up until now there has been not one discussion of features? It's all been about the big picture. Now it's time to make a choice: do we show benefits or a competitive comparison? The answer is easy: if your product gets more check marks for features that matter to buyers than your competitors, then go with a features vs. the competition. If no one has a clue what your software features do or you just don't stack up well against the competition, don't sweat it, you are in good company (Microsoft, Quicken and other household brands of software often are feature deficient compared to the competition), just use a benefit/feature or feature/benefit chart. Features do tasks. Benefits tell people what your software does for people and should be described using the magic word “you” as often as possible.

Credibility Boosters

Guess what? You can talk all day about your product but have no real credibility. That is because you are selling your own product – and people generally rank salespersons as slightly more credible and trustworthy than politicians or a hungry python. That is why it is essential that you take any kind of third party acknowledgment and put it on your site. It makes a real difference when someone else says your great. Some Examples:

Awards and Media Citations

If your product or company receives and award, put the icon or picture of it with a quote from the award release. If you earn a numeric rating (like 4.5 stars, five cows, 10 platinum mice, etc...) put the picture on the page and a link to the awarding websites write up. If a review or article is posted, even if it's a verbatim run of a press release, find the most favorable statement in the article and quote it.

Testimonials (especially with photos)

Client testimonials, particularly when combined with an actual picture of a smiling happy customer provide powerful credibility. There is a huge different between a testimonial from “George in Texas” to “George Whaumpratte, Alpharetta, Ga” and George allowing you to use his picture. The picture means George is willing to literally stand up and be identified as a fan of your product. And readers know it.

The Golden Rule

He who follows this rule gets the gold: your product page must have at least one if not three offers or calls to action. Web pages do not sell if there is no offer or call to action. An offer is “Buy today and receive...” “Get a 30 day FREE demo” or “Free Needs Analysis”. A call to action can be as simple as “Download” or “Buy Now” or “Find out if SuperWhamaDyne XP+ 2006 is right for you”.

The Big Leagues

Once your software product page has all of the basics, here are some ways to kick your page's persuasiveness up and sell more:

Animated Mini Demos can explain your products key features quickly and help people internalize that they could actually operate your software because it looks easy. Produce short 15-60 second clips that cover one or two key features. Avoid 10 minute flash demo extravaganzas. People don't even watch TV for 10 minutes anymore without changing the channel.

Live Chat or “Call Me Now” buttons can be a powerful way to connect with customers on the fence about trying or buying your product.

Special Offers for be-backers (people who have visited your website in the past few months) can help take fence sitters to the next step (call, try or buy).

Add a financing solution for business software over $1000 per user and consumer software over $100. Business owners, particularly that run small and mid size firms often think in terms of cash flow. Most consumers live paycheck to paycheck.