A Cheat Sheet to Write Better Product Descriptions and Service Pages

Did you know that the most useless product descriptions (and service pages) are those that are written to only describe the product (or service)?

It might sound harsh to say, and there are always exceptions to any rule, but if you want to write the persuasive product descriptions that sell then there are specific questions which must be addressed and answered.

Yes, for each individual product!Feel free to take the following questions and create a worksheet which you can use, per product, to create the perfect description.

In most cases, this easy to use cheat sheet can also be used to improve your Service pages as well because they are—after all—a less tangible product.

Who is your ideal customer?

Rather than trying to cater to general stereotypes of a broad audience, be as specific as possible. This way, you can base your product description directly to the personality of a customer.

Visualize his personality.
What keeps her up at night?
What has he always dreamed of doing?
What kind of sense of humor does she have?
How does he make decisions?

Know exactly who you’re speaking to, so you can speak directly to him. Or her. The trick is to communicate the same way in your description as you would if discussing the product face-to-face, using his (or her) language.

What are the Benefits and the Features of your Product (or Service)?

You might already know that features are the specifications that matter… and yes they do matter. So feel free to list them out. Yet the next step is to elaborate and match each feature with a consequential benefit.

For example, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is described as “weighing over 30% less than an iPad mini”, which is a feature. The benefit—“so you can read with one hand.”

Saying “batteries included” is a feature. The benefit is that you can “use the product right out of the box.”

Go ahead, your turn.

Stop saying you have a quality product. Prove it!

Everyone and their brother resorts to describing their products or services using the same fluffy phrases, such as “results oriented” or “high quality”. Those words mean absolutely nothing anymore. They are useless because everyone says it… but more importantly because there is a better way to convince buyers that you’re not just fluffing your own feathers.

Here is an example from a Zappos description(http://www.zappos.com/sperry-top-sider-angelfish-linen-oat) , for a pair of shoes:

• Stain and water-resistant leather upper for durable and long lasting wear
• Molded EVA cushion midsole for all-day under-foot comfort
• Non-marking rubber outsole with Wave-Siping for the ultimate wet/dry traction

Do you see the difference now? It is very possible to prove that you put forth attention to detail and quality, without resorting to eye-roll inducing phrases.

How can you illustrate the quality of your product or service?

How can you paint a pretty picture?

The most effective product descriptions create a memorable impact by telling a story that highlights customer expectations… sometimes without even describing the product itself at all. It’s a powerful approach because persuasion involves igniting emotion, and this strategy does just that.

An example taken from a TV commercial:
“It’s hard to imagine my life before her…
Or a day without her…
So much of what I take for granted… simply wouldn’t exist.
She is the force that holds our life together…

She is my everything.”

This strategy is very popular for diamond commercials but it can be applies to any product or service. Here is another example, taken from a grilling mini tool on Think Geek:

“There is a person who is the hero of every BBQ or family cookout and that is the Grill Master. We always looked to our mom or dad as they tended the grill, and looked forward to the day when we could be in charge of charring the meatstuff and searing delicious slices of pineapple. Now that we’re adults, it’s finally our turn and technology has smiled upon us, giving us a tool that is destined to impress.”