by Simon Slade

When you write sales copy, you've got to be smooth. It's important to careful that what you write doesn't set off people's alarms and make them run -- or click -- away.

Here are three copywriting mistakes that can kill your sales:

1. Having a "False Promise" In the Headline

The headline of an article or piece of copy is a promise. Sometimes beginners will bait readers with "juicy," but false, headlines just to try and get people's attention. This almost always backfires, because it makes people feel like they were tricked. Make sure that every line of copy you write supports the statement made by your headline.


2. Telling the Reader That You Know What They're Thinking

People don't like copy that is too assuming. Don't say things like "You're probably thinking that..." or "People like you never get upset by..." or else some of your readers might subconsciously take offense and enter into a disagreeable mindset. Your goals is create a smooth flow of agreement- "Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!" -  to your statements, and one of the quickest ways to kill that flow is to claim you can read people's minds. You really don't know what people are thinking when they read your copy, so don't proclaim that you.


3. Making things too complicated.

People reading your copy are usually in a great hurry. Don't use jargon. Don't use complex sentences. Don't tell long stories. Omit needless words, sentences and paragraphs. The simpler you can make your case, the better. This doesn't mean you have to keep your copy short, as long copy often converts better - but rather, you should use a conversational tone and write as simple and "to the point" as you can.