Why You Should Never Have A FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Early in my copywriting career I would take websites with several pages and make them into one long-form sales letter. Without fail the long form sales letter (which would combine the different sections of the old web page such as “About us”, “FAQ” “Order Page” etc., into one page), would outsell the first website by hundreds if percentage points.
Even if I did a critique and not rewrite the website I would tell the client how to combine the difference section and he would see an increase in sales.
Now one of the tricks of the trade was how to incorporate the FAQ into the sales letter itself.
You see, FAQs are really prospects objections to getting your product or service. These questions are not necessarily all direct objections, but as far as I see it, if you have question before making a purchase, then it means that there was some element that I missed from the sales process. If I was clear in my sales presentation, then you would not have any questions except how can I order right away?
As I learned early on in my career as a door-to-door salesman you have to know how to answer objections and the answers must be known ahead of time. So, in other words, you cannot afford to wait until the questions are asked to answer them. That would be too late. You have to know the questions that are most likely to be asked and then have the answers ready upon request.
There are entire sales courses and books written on the subject of answering objections, but they would all tell you that objections are really a sales person’s best friend. Having an objection is an indication that the prospect is considering making a purchase. If a prospect was not interested in your product, then she would have no questions at all. So rather than seeing these objections as annoyances they must be welcomed as a rung up the ladder towards the final sale.
No wonder most selling website would have a FAQ section which they accumulate as their customers and prospects ask repeated questions.
But what if these questions can be answered in the sales letter itself? What if you considered these questions as an obstacle to the sales and so address them right in the sales letter?
This is a very effective technique indeed. So I would raise the question and then answer it right there in the copy. Another strategy is to indicate that the prospect may be wondering “X”, but here is the solution “Y”.
For example, what if I were selling a gardening widget that cut rose bushes the safest way possible. And after a few months, I find that I get a repeated question about why the widget was made from aluminum instead of steel. Now I know that this is a question that prospects are having and so in the sales letter I would write, “My gardening widget is made from the finest aluminum which makes it lighter and rust-proof for a comfortable and long-lasting rose bush cutting experience.”
This should take care of the questions about the material my tool is made from.
I always look at a sales letter as standing on an evolutionary scale because the letter can be improved, not only through split-testing, but by answering questions and concerns that customers may have. As those concerns pop up then I simply incorporate the answer into the present sales letter.
In a way a FAQ would indicate holes in your sales process where customers are voluntarily telling you how to improve your marketing. Instead of hiding the FAQ deep inside your website, bring these questions to the front page and see what this can do to your sales results.
Sphere: Related ContentFiled under: Online Copywriting
