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Artist’s Notes:
How to Write Product Descriptions that Pop

As promised, we’re talking using the Artist’s Notes field to include a product description on your cards. If you don’t know why, check out Nuts & Bolts: Artist’s Notes and Product Description. We’ll wait. Okay, ready? Let’s get started.

Today I’m going to explain to you how to write a product description that pops. Yes, there’s a trick to it. That trick is simple, and at the same time, can be a challenge. You don’t need special training to do it, or a degree, or a black belt in promotion, or any ninja stealth marketing skills.

The most important thing to remember is: write about the card as if you were describing it to a blind person.

That’s what it boils down to. Until you get used to the process, I suggest you take a good look at your card, and just jot down words that describe the design. Here’s an example:

Happy 80th Birthday for Mom – Robin Chaffin

These are the words I’d jot down to describe this card: pink, tulips, tag, gingham, button, swirls, painting, vine. That’s  also what I’d use in the keywords, among other things, so I’m killing two birds with one stone.

Now we can turn those random words into a description – for this card, in my Artist’s Notes, I’d say something like: “Celebrate your Mother’s 80th birthday with this pretty pink card with a delicate swirl pattern background, featuring a painting of potted tulips, and a scrapbook effect digital tag with gingham and button accent.”

A couple of things to keep in mind:

1) You have to be careful to avoid deceptive words like gold, glitter, lace, ribbon, etc. as shoppers may believe they’re getting a handmade card, or a card printed with metallic inks, etc. To prevent any misconceptions, use terms like digital, “look” – as in “silver look,” graphic – as in “graphically created glitter,” effect, and so on.

2) Whenever possible, include popular buzzwords in your description. In the example, I wrote “scrapbook effect” for a very good reason – scrapbooking (digital or otherwise) is very hot right now, and I can see that’s the effect Robin was going for in this card design. Just like keywords, it pays to do your research. Not sure how? Check out a previous Nuts & Bolts: Keywords for pointers.

Of course, your space is limited in the Artist’s Notes field, so don’t go completely berserk. If you find it helps, write your description first on a piece of paper or in Word, and tinker around with it until you’re satisfied you’ve ticked all the right boxes.

And here comes a big no-no: Keep in mind this is a product description, not an opportunity to tell shoppers about you, the artist, or give any other irrelevant information. Sure, tell folks where you took that picture of the waterfall. That’s part of the description. But leave out the bit about how you were on a picnic that day, and you got stung by a bee, and took the picture as you were falling into the stream. It’s about the greeting card, not you.

It will take practice, but you’ll get the hang of it. In time, you may even find you’re having fun. Now get out there and start describing!