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Dear Friend, I originally wrote the letter below to myself, as my own personalize reference to writing killer sales letters and ad copy...For that reason the writing is a little rough around the edges, as this info. was never intended to be seen by the public! I could easily package this information as a special report in .pdf format and sell it for $27 a pop - but this time it's "on me" =) ...These tips have helped me create a six figure home business "empire" starting from scratch, and I'm confident they'll go a long way in helping you do the same - IF you practice and apply them. There is nothing more important to your online success than mastering the skill of writing effective ad copy! Oh, and please, please don't think you have to be a
naturally good writer in order to craft winning sales letters. The fact is,
you can be a relatively BAD writer and still easily learn how to create
killer sales letters! "Priority Number One"
In some manner, prompt (compel) your visitors (prospective
customers) to "opt-in" to your newsletter or mailing list. Offer a free
multi part *training course* (autoresponder powered) as a bonus for
signing up to your free newsletter. The training course should be
interesting and educational, but of course, you can insert tasteful
"plugs" to your main offer throughout the course. These follow ups provide
*critical* repeat exposure, since most prospects will NOT order on their
first visit to your site. Do this with your own site AS WELL AS for
affiliate sites you're promoting. Always get the prospective customer on
your list first! "Key Principles of a Powerful Sales Message"
This is the "basic" formula for successful sales letters...
AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action...Grab the reader's
attention with a strong headline. Gain their interest, perhaps with an
exciting and educational story. Build desire using end-result benefits and
action verbs. Get the reader to take action by asking for the
order! Testimonials, proof of income if applicable, show
name/address/phone number/email address, use a current date script where
applicable (such as on web pages). Each line of your ad copy should in some way tell the
prospective customer "what's in it for them" (in terms of
benefits). The objective with your headline is to get the reader to
read the first line (the "hook) of your sales letter. The objective of the
hook is to get them to read the next sentence/paragraph, so on and so
forth. Each line should compel the reader to continue on. "Make friends" with the reader by educating them. Don't try
to push the product on them. The more you try to "sell", the more the
prospective customer resists. Always write to the reader as if you're talking to them one
on one (imagine you're talking to a friend). Use the word "you" liberally
and avoid the word "I" unless it supports the benefits you're
offering. Whenever possible, talk about how *easy* it is to use your
product. Rather than putting the emphasis on teaching (ie, "I will teach
you how to...), put the emphasis on "I do it or we do it for you", or
"we've taken care of all the hard work for you" etc. "Sprinkle" the sales letter with facts and stats to build
credibility. It's better to say "lose up to 14 pounds in 2 weeks" rather
than "lose a ton of weight". Don't use generalities - use specifics. But
on that note, be sure your specific claims are within the boundaries of
the FTC and other governing bodies - using complete honesty is your
best form of protection. The "I've been in your shoes approach" is incredibly
powerful. Relate to the reader, tell them what you've been through. Let
them know you *understand* their wants and needs as you then go on to
offer the solution to those wants and needs. This is one of the most powerful elements in
copywriting...Build a curiosity in the reader...Leave some questions
unanswered - leave them with a burning desire to *take action* so they can
satisfy their curiosity. Apply such words as "secret" and "reveal" to help
build curiosity. The word "free" is still the most powerful word in
advertising - use it's power to your advantage! Your sales letter could be
presented as a "100% free report" as long as it is useful and informative,
and educates the reader (and is not solely a sales
pitch). Integrate a USP (Unique Selling Proposition) into your
letter. Tell how and why your offer is *different* from any other.
Separate yourself from the crowd. Stand out! Explain how the prospect
won't find "anything like this...anywhere else". Try to reinforce the USP
throughout the letter. I like to imagine myself at a state fair or sports
stadium, surrounded by other people with similar offers - what can I do to
stand out? The solution to that scenario is then integrated into my
sales message. Most people *naturally* follow the crowd, so this technique
involves creating the "herd mentality"... To further create a sense of
heightened demand and urgency, use the "don't be one of the few to miss
out on this incredible offer" approach. Or "don't let your competition
leave you in the dust". A sense of "peer pressure" almost. I don't use
this one much in my letters (it's my personal preference), but I've seen
some instances where this can be *incredibly* powerful if applied
correctly. This principle applies to *every* aspect of your business:
Your product, your ad copy, your customer service, etc: Offer your
prospective/customers the same product, ad copy, customer service, etc.
that YOU would want as your own customer! You, your wants, and your
desires are not unlike that of millions of others. So present the type
offer that you would want - that you would purchase - and
you cannot easily go wrong. Keep a notebook full of "million dollar sales letters" (successful/proven sales letters) and use them for ideas as you write your sales messages. If you're brainstorming for a good headline, page through your swipe file to spark ideas. Obviously you can't copy the work of other people, but you can emulate the *principles* behind effective copywriting. "The Elements of a Killer Sales Letter"
You have about 5 seconds to grab the attention of your
reader. Your headline accounts for 80% of the success of your letter for
this reason. If your headline doesn't interest the reader they will move
on immediately. So: Your headline should reflect the ultimate benefit (or
two) of your offer. For example, If you're interested in "Firing your Boss" and ditching your pay-check to pay-check lifestyle, then listen up!... And/or... Consider drawing the reader into your letter with an
interesting story that supports the benefits of your offer, a story that
educates the reader as well. What would you rather read - a hyped
up sales pitch or an interesting, informative story?! Establish yourself or your company as the expert on your
topic of business. If you're selling Internet marketing, you need to build
credibility and show the reader that you're an Internet marketing
expert. I like to do this early on in the letter, to give the reader a
chance to get to know me. Your bullet points are like "mini headlines" - with each
bullet point highlighting a different benefit of your offer. Use action verbs throughout your letter, particularly in
your bullet points. (ie "Generate") As you list benefits, focus on the "end result" benefit...
You're not selling jewelry, you're selling "recognition" and status.
You're not selling the ability to make money - you're selling a lifestyle,
freedom, vacations, etc. You never know what benefit could trigger the sale. For this
reason, list as many benefits as you can possibly think of. Leave no
benefit out. The more benefits you have, the more potential
customers. Appeal to ALL the senses you can - site, taste, touch,
sound, hearing... *Paint a picture* for the prospect, of the end result
promised by your offer. (ie "Just imagine, you're at the beach relaxing,
sipping a margarita, and meanwhile your automated online business is
making you money, etc") ...This can be done before, within, or following
your list of bullets/benefits. Once of the best ways to reduce risk is to offer a free
trial or sample. Such as a 30 day free trial. If this is not possible,
*minimally* offer a no questions asked money back guarantee - or even
double your money back guarantee if the customer can provide evidence that
your offer did not fulfill its promise. Create as much value as possible - create a perceived value
much higher than your asking price - and then, present the "bargain"
price. People love getting a good deal, so give it to them! But in doing
so, you must justify how or why you're able to offer this
reduced price (to further support the value that you're
offering). Offer complimentary bonuses on top of your main product. You
can use bonuses to both to increase the perceived value of your overall
offer and, as an option, in conjunction with your "limited time
offer" (see next point)... Create, in some manner, a limited time offer so that the
prospect *must act now* in order to ensure they receive your offer as
presented (ie before the price goes up, or before the bonus offers
expire). When you reach the point where you're ready for the prospect
to make a decision, ask them for the order (ie, click here to order
now!). The P.S. could reiterate your ultimate benefit, your
guarantee, your limited time offer, all of the above - or another benefit
not disclosed in the body of your letter. Studies have shown that the P.S.
is the most-often read part of a sales letter, second only to the
headline. Don't leave any mystery as to how the prospect will receive
their order. Tell them exactly when and how their product will be
received, in what form, etc. Also make sure to tell the prospect their
order is secure (applicable to online sales letter). These days, more than ever, people are looking for *instant
gratification*...So deliver the product as soon as possible - instantly,
if possible. Instant delivery is very easy to accomplish for those selling
digital products such as ebooks and software over the web. "The Golden Rules of Successful Marketing"
Remember that in any business, the focus should be to help
others. The level of help you offer to others will in large part determine
your level of success. Obviously, this doesn't mean giving everyone
the shirt off your back for free. You're in business to make money! But
you can focus on helping others by providing excellent customer
service; by offering outstanding value; by offering the
solutions to their problems, and so forth. Find a need or want, and
fill it to the best of your ability! A great marketer knows that a sales message is never really "done". You should always run tests to ensure that your sales letter/offer performs to your expectations before "rolling out" with it on a wide scale. Run inexpensive marketing tests to prove the offer generates sufficient results, and only then should you roll out. But even after this point, you should continue to test your sales message to try and improve upon it. But, in tweaking your ad copy, remember to change only one thing at a time, so you know what changes have produced the results (whether positive or negative results). "Summary"
Here for Your Success, ©Copyright 2004 - Bryan Winters - All Rights Reserved. |