The Single Biggest Mistake Copywriters Do When Targeting Sales Copy

I’ve talked about the importance of authenticity, headlines, and other copywriting aspects critical to success in content marketing. However, there is a single biggest mistake you could be doing that will hinder your online sales.

Most people don’t segment their traffic right. They give their message to the wrong audience, which, in turn, turns it into the wrong message.

If you create excellent sales copy but don’t segment your traffic correctly, you are on the right track but got on the wrong train.

I’ve mentioned the importance of headlines before and how creating the best ones is the single most important copywriting and content marketing skill you can have. Not segmenting your traffic online starts with headlines, and it is especially common.

When you first launch your webpage, you can start directing traffic to it and start selling. However, not all traffic is made up of the same people.

Hot, Warm & Cold Traffic Explained

There are three different types of traffic sources you need to be aware of when creating your sales copy:

• Hot Traffic Source:
  • Someone aware of your product and knows it can satisfy their needs (i.e., a follower on social media, email list member, etc.)
• Warm Traffic Source:
  • Someone who is not aware of your product but knows their needs and desires. They are looking for a solution but don’t know about you yet.
• Cold Traffic Source:
  • Someone who doesn’t know there’s a solution and doesn’t know you but knows about their problem.

Each of these traffic source groups needs a different type of message. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when targeting sales copy.

Let’s picture this better with an example using an e-commerce scenario. Let’s say that John Smith is an entrepreneur that has managed to build and maintain several e-commerce websites that have made him a fortune. He sells courses, advises on building your own websites on YouTube, and even has one-on-one coaching sessions with clients to prepare them for their e-commerce journey.

Let’s look at John’s three types of traffic sources:

John’s hot traffic source would be people on his newsletter list. These are people who know him, have bought from him before, or consume his content. All of his ads, emails, and copy for this traffic source usually start with, “Hey, John Smith just posted a new blog on ‘How to Manage Several Ecommerce Websites From A Single Dashboard’, check it out because it talks about […]”.

That is a message for those who already know John and his services.

John’s warm traffic source would be people on Youtube who don’t know him but are looking for advice on building e-commerce websites and being successful in the online world. John creates multiple videos and ads to promote his courses on how to build websites, how not to fail as an online merchant, and how to set up everything without too much hassle. His YouTube content gets their attention, provides initial value, and promises the solution they are looking for (his course). Then, he leads them to his website to purchase the course.

This traffic source knows that they need (guidance on building an e-commerce site) and their desired result (being successful at selling online), so they are receptive to content and ads around those things.

Lastly, John’s cold traffic source would be people that want to make money or create a source of income but aren’t aware of e-commerce. They are not aware of a potential solution (starting an e-commerce store) and are looking for it. John’s copy or ads targeted towards this segment might be something like, “Want to create an additional income source but don’t know where to start? You are not alone! Here’s a solution that earns you money while you sleep!”

John’s copy approaches each traffic source differently. When writing copy, you need to be conscious of these three groups.

Depending on your business and where you’re currently standing in terms of progress, you probably have more people in one group vs. another. If you’re just starting, cold and warm sources will compose the majority of your traffic, if not all of it.

Just like with headlines, getting the right message to the right group of people can determine whether or not you’re profitable. Segmenting the message makes all the difference. You need to make your target audience feel like what you offer is for them and that you understand their problem.

A Targeted Approach

Putting the wrong message in front of the wrong people equals terrible conversions. You’ve got to sync with the questions they want to be answered first. That way, you can organically lead them to the solution you’re selling.

So, begin the conversation with the problem. Then prove you have the solution.

Think through the conversations you would have with hot, warm, and cold people about what you offer:

• What would that conversation look like if they knew who you are and what you do?
• What would that conversation look like if they are aware they have a problem but aren’t aware of you?
• What would the conversation be like with people who know they have a problem but have no idea a solution (your product or service) even exists?

When designing a landing page or a website, make three different copies of the webpage. Change the headline of each page to match the traffic source (hot, warm, cold). Adjust your sales copy by looking at it from the three perspectives.

Still, don’t try to target all at the same time first. Pick the one you think you can get the most conversions from and focus on them first. Again, this will depend on where your business stands.

Wrapping Up

So to summarize:

• Be aware of the different audiences who can benefit from your product or service (hot, warm, cold).
• Identify them and put the right message in front of them.
• There is no all-inclusive solution for targeting all your sales messages.

I hope you found this information helpful for your sales copy endeavors! If you want to learn more, be sure to check out our blog. We post regular content about copywriting, SEO, digital marketing, web design, and more! If you want to learn more, be sure to check out our blog.

Mrkt360 is an online marketing and SEO agency located in Toronto, Canada. We specialize in SEO services, web development, and digital marketing solutions. If you are looking to create excellent sales copy that gets you more clicks, sales, and profits, be sure to schedule a free consultation with one of our experts today!