One of the biggest challenges in modern marketing is how to get your products and services perceived as true to their advertised promises when they fall short in some aspect of their performance. Some of these shortcomings are more easily remedied than others and the process can be made a lot easier by knowing exactly what constitutes an inaccurate statement.
What is the personal information rule? Article 5(4) says: ‘Personal information shall be: (a) factual; (b) reliable; (c) correct; (d) current; (e) not misleading; (f) updated to the point at which changes are being made or are likely to be made; (g) accurate; (a) designed to be useful and (I) relevant to the consumer’s needs.’ In short, there should be no room for misinterpretation when it comes to personal information, otherwise you could be subject to a number of legal actions.
This means that if you are a company or individual selling a product, you will have to make sure that you have all the relevant and correct information before you start spreading information about your product. If there is any doubt or uncertainty about the facts of a product or service, it is your legal right to provide a disclaimer about your product.
If you want to make a disclaimer on your company’s website, you may use ‘about us’our history’ sections. However, these are not good enough. There is no space to describe the processes that go into producing a particular product or service. This would include the sourcing of raw materials, the manufacturing process, and the distribution, storage, transport and display of the finished product or service.
Another area that is not covered by the personal information rule is sales copy. This is why the ‘about us’our history’ sections are so important. They give potential customers a chance to know more about your company and what they can expect to get out of a sale with you.
As a good copywriter, one of your jobs will be to create a sales copy that is full of useful facts and helps customers to understand your business better. The problem with a sales copy is that it is hard to write, and may not be able to be translated into plain English for the layman.
The key to good sales copy is to have a well-written sales letter that has been professionally written by someone who has the required experience in creating effective sales copy. As a copywriter, your job is to find the best way to make an important statement and then convey it in a manner that will persuade your customer to act.
Many sales letters focus on just one aspect of the sale – the price. It may be possible to include an introductory offer on the back of the sales letter – but only if the price offered by the product or service being sold is actually higher than the quote given by the retailer.
The other important element of any sales letter is the description of the product or service. Your sales copy must be clear and concise – including all the details of the product or service, its qualities, and the benefits it provides. {if it is to convince the customer to buy it. When writing a sales copy, it is important that you ensure that the product or service has not been mis-sold.
A common mistake in sales letters is to mention a product or service too many times, including when it is actually the product or service itself that is being discussed. For example, a product may be advertised as the ideal solution for people who have never had a plumbing problem in their lives, but if it is wrongly described, a customer could find it difficult to identify a problem and then use the product.
If you have any doubt about a product or service, it is your legal right to say this. However, when giving away advice about a product or service, such as the price, it is better to avoid using too much detail about it, rather than it being so obvious that it could be considered inaccurate.
A good sales letter will include your opinion about the quality of the product or service, and what you think the product or service could do for the reader. The key is to keep it simple. It is also important that your sales letter doesn’t make claims for the product or service that you are selling that you don’t actually believe in.
Wanda Rich has been the Editor-in-Chief of Global Banking & Finance Review since 2011, playing a pivotal role in shaping the publication’s content and direction. Under her leadership, the magazine has expanded its global reach and established itself as a trusted source of information and analysis across various financial sectors. She is known for conducting exclusive interviews with industry leaders and oversees the Global Banking & Finance Awards, which recognize innovation and leadership in finance. In addition to Global Banking & Finance Review, Wanda also serves as editor for numerous other platforms, including Asset Digest, Biz Dispatch, Blockchain Tribune, Business Express, Brands Journal, Companies Digest, Economy Standard, Entrepreneur Tribune, Finance Digest, Fintech Herald, Global Islamic Finance Magazine, International Releases, Online World News, Luxury Adviser, Palmbay Herald, Startup Observer, Technology Dispatch, Trading Herald, and Wealth Tribune.