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Essentials of Great Copy
The best way to show you the essentials of fantastic copy is to outline great sales letters.
Once completed, every letter transforms into a great salesperson who doesn’t need feeding, clothing, or housing.
And who carries on the job tirelessly. (Boosting Sales many times over)
Have you noticed that 12 is a significant number?
Twelve months in the year, twelve hours in a day, 12 inches in a foot, 12 signs in the zodiac, 12 pairs of ribs in the human body, and the list goes on.
We have 12 steps to structure “THE” perfect selling machine for our sales letter.
“Courtesy of the Great David Frey”(With a tweak here and there)
Step 1
Getting Attention!
The opening headline is the first intro’ into your readers’ minds. So make sure you’ve done your research.
Discovering everything there is to know about them.
Unfortunately,
most writers “try” and sell to their prospects (BIG Mistake). The best path is to shine a light on their emotions.
In other words, you have to meld your product/service with the desires of your customer. (hence the research)
People have a short attention span (and it’s getting shorter). So use proven headline starters, like:
a. How to…
b. Secrets of revealed!
c. Warning! Don’t even think of it until you, blah blah,…
David Garfinkel has written an excellent book full of winning headlines. Go buy it, and learn some great “spells” (Keeping in mind)
Great copywriters spend 80% of their allotted time on the headlines, so neglect them at your peril.
Step 2.
Identify the problem
Tell your reader how it feels to have that problem. They should read and say, “Yeah, that’s exactly how it feels.” Rub salt into the wound.
Agitate the problem so they feel the pain and agony.
Share a short, painful story. (paint a picture in your customers’ minds)
The four P’s are Promise, Picture, Prove and Push.
Step 3
Provide the Solution
You’ve told the story and built the pictures of all the problems in their minds. Now help with the solutions. “Relieve their pain.”
“Appreciation will be tenfold.”
Step 4
Present your Credentials.
They’re thinking, “yeah, sure, he can fix my problem. That’s what they all say.”
Their trust in you is on a slippery slope, so prove it to them.
List credentials
- Successful case studies
- Prestigious companies (or people) you have done business with.
- Your experience
- Conferences where you’ve spoken
- Important awards or recognitions
Your reader has to “know” you’ve been there and done that, with great success, and they can expect the same.
Step 5
Show the Benefits
Have you ever listened to the radio station WII Fm?
When you tune in, you’ll hear… “What’s In It For Me”
So, whenever you state a benefit, the airwaves will repeat that same tune.
(keep this in mind)
Get a piece of paper. Draw a line down the middle. Write the features on the left and the benefits on the right.
Make an effort to consider benefits that don’t initially seem obvious.
Because
most products/services have hidden benefits people don’t naturally think of.
E.g., Investing in a copywriter might seem risky unless you think of an arrangement that’ll reduce the risk to “zero” for both parties.
Contact me, and I’ll show you how ; ) david@dedoharrison.com.
Use bullets for each benefit to make it easier to read. Think of every possible benefit your reader may get.
People often buy based on only “one” of the benefits.
Step 6
Social Proof
The reader wants to believe you (if you’ve done your work right so far). You must build credibility. And to do that is where other happy customers come into play. The sacred “Testimonials.”
Step 7
Make your Offer
Your offer is key to your sales letter. And should be “irresistible.”
A great offer can overcome mediocre copy, but…
Excellent copy can’t overcome mediocre offers.
In other words, make them think (I’d be stupid not to take this deal).
Take a look at your competition and understand their offers.
Then go and set up something even more compelling!
Step 8
Give a Guarantee
People don’t like taking risks (Even those who take risks manage them the best they can).
So, it’s up to you to eliminate those worries. ( easing any “tension”).
The best way to mitigate the risk is to give a guarantee. Many businesses don’t like providing these assurances. And this is because folk fear their customers will ask for their money back.
Truth be known, it doesn’t happen. (especially if you’re product or service is up to par)
When was the last time you asked for a refund?
Step 9
Inject scarcity
Time is running out, or there’s a limited supply (Think of De Beers Diamonds)
Most folks hold back from responding to offers. (Even irresistible ones), because…
They either don’t feel enough pain to make a change.
Or they’re too busy and forget.
And if it seems too pricey (You haven’t explained how rare this opportunity is and how lucky they are to be part of the launch)
Not motivated to buy? (You haven’t used the right spells)
The last reason is most important because it more or less applies to all the rest.
“MOTIVATION. “ This is the only reason you’re writing copy. To encourage your reader to take action.
Your copy’s whole structure leads your reader to buy (step by step).
So, knowing every step in great detail is paramount. (which is why intense research is vital).
Step 10
Call to Action
So, when you’ve reached the part in your letter where your reader is motivated. Don’t assume they’re ready to buy.
Make sure you take them by the hand and lead them to the cash register.
Implant pictures in their heads to take action.
“Pick up the phone now.”
Plunge the big green button and discover the goodies waiting for you.
Run down to our store by Friday and…
It’s best to subtly seed your “calls to action” throughout the sales letter.
Step 11
Give a warning
A good sales letter builds emotion right to the end…
(even after your call to action).
Show your reader what will happen if they don’t invest in your offer. They’ll continue to…
Struggle day after day to make profits
Work too hard for too few customers
Lose the opportunity for valuable bonuses
Keep getting what they’ve always got
See other companies get the business.
Keep painting pictures of the consequences of not acting now in the readers’ minds.
Remind them of their terrible situation and that it doesn’t have to be that way.
Step 12
Close with a reminder
Include a P.S as it’s the third most-read element of your letter (Keep in mind, folk skim before they dig in).
It’s also a chance to go over all your juicy offers. And to reiterate the risks of not taking you up on them.
So, there you go…
An example of how to structure a sales letter. And get this, most companies ignore the power of compelling copy. They think the same as 80% of businesses that are struggling.
Put yourself in the 20% who are leading the field. “They” know the secret!
A sales machine on steroids.