You need a sales letter to explain your product or service to your website visitors. A sales letter is not just a hyped-up sales pitch. It is a carefully crafted product you spend time and effort to create. It is a letter to a friend, describing your product or service in a way that they will find appealing.
It uses emotional triggers to explain the benefits of your offer. The purpose of a sales letter is to entice your website visitor to keep on reading until they are convinced enough to buy from you. Your sales letter is your only chance to pitch to a potential customer. If you were in a traditional store you would interact with your prospect, answer their questions, and handle their objections.
You don’t get that on the Internet. You can’t get reactions or find out their likes or dislikes. You cannot tailor your presentation to each person individually. All you have are words. Carefully crafted words, put together in to allay a prospect’s fears, answer their objections and explain how your product will benefit them the most.
Copywriters have been writing ads and copy for companies in glossy magazines, newspapers and trade journals for years. There are many, very successful copywriters. I write my own copy, based on lessons I have learnt from years of studying the experts and what does and doesn’t work.
You might ask yourself, is it worth hiring a professional copywriter to create your sales page? The answer is definitely yes, if you have the money. Successful copywriters are expensive. You are paying for their craftsmanship, just as you would pay a sculptor to create a statue. If you don’t have the thousands of dollars, then follow the basic tips listed below in order to have success in writing your own copy. Copywriting success is measured in sales conversion.
THE LETTER (OR SALES COPY)
If I find myself struggling to write something, I find reading through my notes and ideas often sparks something. As soon as I find an idea that might work, I create an outline and then add the details.
Most copywriters have a ‘swipe file’. This is a collection of sales copy that really appeals and works well. If you’re stuck, use a swipe file to come up with new ideas.
Don’t concern yourself with grammar, spelling or layout. Write down every idea first. Editing comes later.
After everything is on the screen (SAVE, save, save), you can site back and read it from beginning to end and start your editing process. The ideas in your sales copy should flow from beginning to end in a logical sequence. There should be no stray text or ideas that don’t fit in.
Make sure your copy is keyword rich and benefit laden.
Use bullet points, short sentences and paragraphs to break up your text.
If you find new ideas come to you as you’re editing, add them in. Take out anything that doesn’t work.
Let your sales letter be as long or as short as it needs to be. Load it with problem solving benefits. If you are describing features, make sure you explain the benefit of that feature.
THE HEADLINE
When writing the headline, come up with a group of headlines and then select one that works best. Some copywriters may write dozens before they narrow it down to one.
Make sure it’s keyword rich, yet appealing. Your headline can be a question, or acknowledge your reader’s problem or promise something new and special.
Ensure you choose emotional keywords in your headline and sales copy. Create pain for people then offer the cure. Alternatives are to create curiosity, fear or hope.
Edit and rewrite your headline a few times until you’re totally happy with it.
When your headline is finished to your liking, make sure your copy flows on seamlessly from it. Make sure your copy tells your website visitor how your product will solve their problem.
Your sales letter must end with explaining why your product will solve your visitor’s problem and ask for the sale. Create a sense of urgency for them to buy immediately. Now it’s your turn. It’s time to start creating your own piping hot, checkout ringing sales copy and watch your sales soar.
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