Whether you run a home-based business or Microsoft, one thing is always true: products do not sell themselves. So what makes customers buy? Words.

Marketing gurus learned long ago that it's the words salespeople speak and ads present which are critical to the decision to buy or not to buy. So how can you be sure that they copy on your site, in your sales material, and in your promotions is effective?

You have two choices:

1) Hire a professional copywriter

2) Do It Yourself

In order to keep expenses low, most home-based businesses prefer the second option. If you do as well, you should follow these simple guidelines:

1) AIDA

AIDA is an acronym which stands for Attention, Internet, Desire, and Action. This is essentially an outline for how to effectively write your sales copy. First, you must grab your audience's attention by using exciting headlines, shocking statistics, or surprising facts, such as in the examples below:

"Learn the Secrets of Becoming a Millionaire"

"In less than 5 seconds, your audience has developed its first impression of you."

"Seventy-five percent of people would quit their jobs and work from home if the right opportunity arose."

Next, you need to make them interested in your product. Personal stories of success and lists of benefits can all help you do this. Near the end, you should begin working on building their desire for your product by stressing what specifically your product can do for them.

Finally, you should end all of your copy with a call to action. What this means is that you tell the reader what they need to to do next in order to get your product: click here to order, visit our web site today, call now, etc.

When you apply AIDA, you are carefully luring your audience in and guiding them towards the action you want.

2) Audience Appeals

All sales and marketing writing is meant to be persuasive and to change the minds of potential buyers. Most advertisers today understand this; therefore, they employ Aristotle's three audience appeals.

Aristotle, one of ancient Greece's greatest minds, identified these appeals which were being used by speakers of his time. These three appeals are ethos, logos, and pathos.

Ethos appeals are based on ethics and reputation. For example, using celebrity endorsements, building your credibility, or citing expert testimony.

Logos appeals are based on logic. These types of appeals use facts, statistics, and evidence to persuade audiences.

Pathos appeals are based on emotion. These type of appeals include the faces of starving children, the promise of success, or the lure of acceptance. Any part of your copy designed to make readers feel anger, pity, love, hope, etc. is an example of pathos.

Using one or all of these appeals in your content can boost its persuasive abilities considerably.

3) KISS

This acronym stands for Keep it Short and Simple. Basically, it means that your writing should be concise and to the point not a rambling bunch of metaphors and big words. You want your copy to appeal to as many people as possible so following this guideline is always a good idea.

Whether you decide to write your own copy or hire a professional, these tips will help you develop successful and effective copy every time you need it.

Vishal P. Rao is the owner of: http://www.work-at-home-forum.com/ An online community of people who work at home.