How to Write Stunning Item Descriptions

One day in a moment of idleness, author Bill Bryson found himself leafing through a gift catalog for upscale kitchen items. As he relates in his book, “I'm a Stranger Here Myself," gradually he became more and more immersed in the product descriptions. One item was so fascinating he nearly purchased it, intrigued by the heady possibilities of the "spring tension arm," the "stainless steel guide," the "crafted brass finial," and particularly the "rubber gasket for exceptional stability." He was ready to plunk down $49.95 (plus shipping and handling) before realizing the "exotic pedigree and technical complexity" was describing ... a paper towel holder.

The scary thing, Bryson noted, is "often these descriptions are written so artfully that you are almost taken in by them. Even socks come with lengthy, scientific-sounding descriptions extolling their seamless closures, one-to-one fiber loops, and hank-linked yarns."

Cynicism aside, Bryson highlights a very important but often underappreciated aspect of advertising: the importance of snappy, brilliant copy writing for product descriptions. The artful nature of this verbiage is no accident. In fact, product descriptions are a huge industry.

Madison Avenue isn't stupid. For nearly a century and a half, advertising professionals have understood the importance of seductive words as a sales tool. Advertising has become, literally, a science. It is offered as a subject in universities, it's the focus of vast psychological research, and it's honed to perfection in the unforgiving crucible of free-market capitalism.

Successful crafters cannot just be crafters. They must also be marketers, PR specialists, and accountants, among much else. But it's the marketing that often stymies the most gifted artist. The home crafter and handmade business person ignores the importance of writing stunning item descriptions--at his or her peril. For those trying to learn the ropes of this complex science, here's a crash course:

Start with the basics

Laura Prestwich, lead copywriter for Fuze Branding, www.fuzebranding.com, and an Etsy seller, www.etsy.com/shop/MakerDoerMama, says: "Too often, sellers forget the very basics. You need to assume your potential customer cannot see a photo."

So, without a photo, how do you describe your product? "Give the dimensions," recommends Prestwich. "How much does it weigh? Do you have a size chart you can include? What materials did you use? How should they care for the item? Think like a consumer and ask yourself what you would need to know if you were preparing to pull the trigger."

Don't stop there, though. "Do you have a product that pairs well with the one you're describing?" asks Prestwich. "Link to that product, too. It can play as a 'great recommendation' for gifters."

This advice is confirmed by Katarina Vojinovic, who describes herself as "one-half of Dzefer, a small family Etsy store, www.etsy.com/shop/dzefer, and who makes custom wedding rings of wood and copper. "Like many small handmade businesses, we need to make each visit to our page count and have limited time to do it," she says. "The first rule is to stick to this template: what, who, when, where, and why. The first paragraph needs to outline what the item actually is. You want to mention color, size, and category."

Prestwich offers a bonus piece of advice for photography. "Have the solid product description paired with context, or in-use, photos. When a shopper can read and see exactly what they're getting, you're much more likely to overcome that barrier to buy and win trust."

But, don't say too much

Within this basic rule, you don't want to go overboard. "Try to leave out filler words such as very, beautiful, stunning, etc.," Vojinovic says. "Do use words like unique, one-of-a-kind, or alternative if that describes the item."

Prestwich agrees: "Are you cramming your description with unnecessary policy and procedure? Are you giving your return policy before you've even sold them [the customer] on the product? Save that for your FAQ section and reclaim that descriptive space for descriptions."

This rustic copper wedding band, handmade by Aleksandar Vojinovic of Dzefer, is thoroughly described as:

This copper and wood ring is the perfect rustic wedding band ring for men. Robust and masculine, this ring is made from real Eucalyptus wood and has an outer copper ring. The outer ring not only adds to the rustic style of the ring but makes it stronger.

The wood and copper ring is made with 100 percent pure copper. The copper ring will change color, as copper does with time, making it a deep, rich, reddish-brown color.

Isn't it all about me?

Crafters are justifiably proud of their work, but let's face it: the reader needs to care more about the item, not you. "We know you made it, but stop selling yourself," advises Vojinovic. "Wherever you can, replace the words 'I,' 'me,' or 'my,' with anything else. For example: 'I made this ring when ...' becomes 'This ring was made ...' The reader should be more concerned about the item, not you. It's hard to hear, but true. Also, by leaving yourself out of the picture, you become more logical and methodical in transferring your message to the reader."

Vojinovic continues, "The way to make a good description personal is by talking to your reader directly. If you make cupcake toppers, use lines like, 'your cupcakes will look special with these toppers,' or 'your child's birthday party will be a hit, and everyone will thank you for it.' It paints a picture while also evoking emotion."

In short, the product description should be about the product and how it will benefit the buyer--not about you. The place for "you" is in the "about" section of your website.

Practice makes perfect

Like any skill, writing stunning item descriptions takes practice, and you're likely to fall flat at first. Fine-tuning your verbiage might only happen after sales are not what you expected.

That said, "writing descriptions is something that comes easier with time," Vojinovic notes. "In fact, I have a whole notepad dedicated to descriptions I want to change. As you write more descriptions, fixing older ones will be easier."

A little practice now might translate into much-improved sales later. Now, it's time to rev up those mental engines and start those bullet points.