How to Write Copy Like a Pro - Part 2

This is the second part of the series, the 101 most important things to keep in mind when writing sales copy.  The tips will include how to get started, how to write compelling copy and how to improve what you’ve already written.
21. Create a list of possible objections. One of the biggest advantages a live salesperson
has over a letter is that they can handle a prospect’s objections. Most sales are won or
lost based on how well the seller is able to eliminate the potential buyers uncertainty!
Before you write any copy, make an extensive list of possible reasons your customers
may not want to buy what you’re selling. It may be that they’ll think it’s too
expensive, not different enough from a competing product, difficult to use, too time
consuming… or a million other things. Knowing why they might not buy gives you
the opportunity to address these concerns head on in your sales copy.

22. Make sure your copy sounds like a conversation. The more conversational your
copy is, the more engaged your customers will feel. Nothing is worse then boring
sales letters that sound distant and technical as they describe the features of the
product. If a prospect is not engaged, he or she will not stick around long enough to
even think about buying.

23. Write your sales letter as though it is a letter to your mom. An old copywriting
trick is to pretend you’re writing a letter to your mom. Explain to her all of the
exciting details about your product or service. Then replace “Dear Mom” with ‘Dear
Friend” and voila – the perfect sales letter!

24. Tell a compelling story. People are naturally more interested in stories then they are
sales copy because they feel less pressure to buy. Use this fact to your advantage by
telling a story that highlights the key benefits of your product or service. Need some
inspiration? Consider telling the story about how you came to develop the product. Or
profile a customer who is doing amazing things with your service.

25. Make sure your headlines tell them everything they need to know. Most readers
scan a web page to get the general idea of whether your product is something they’re
interested in. Very few actually read your copy from beginning to end as you’ve
written it. So accept this fact and make it easy for them to find out what they need to
know to consider making a purchase. Work all of the important information such as
benefits and your guarantee in to the headlines and subheadings. If you pique their
interest they’ll go back and read the rest of the copy.

26. Use bullet points instead of paragraphs to list benefits. Bulleted lists provide the
reader with small, digestible tidbits of information that are easier to read than wordy
paragraphs. Be brief. Don’t make each bullet point a new paragraph; otherwise you
might as well just skip the bullets. Instead use them to tell the customers your
product’s strongest benefits and make them excited to learn more.

27. Avoid using periods at the end of bullet points. You can use a comma or a
semicolon if you wish, but putting a period at the end will stop the eye. Give the
reader a feeling of incompleteness, so that they will continue on to read the remaining
bulleted items.

28. Don’t try to appeal to different target audiences in one sales letter. The more your
sales letter speaks to the wants of a prospect, the more likely you will be to make a
purchase. The more targeted your sales letter, the better your results will be. If for
example you sell golf products. You will have a difficult time writing a convincing
sales letter that addresses both the wants of new players looking to learn the game and
veterans interested in shaving a few strokes off. Remember, each market is attracted
by different benefits. What ranks as the number one, most enticing advantage to one
segment, might have little or no effect on another. If you have a product that appeals
to different groups, be sure that you address each individually. It may mean separate
sites but that’s a small price to pay for the increase in revenue.

29. Include a headline on your order form page. Don’t stop selling the prospect once
they click through to your order page. Many site owners simply use a generic title,
which does nothing to tell the prospect that he or she is headed in the right direction
to achieving everything your promised in your sales copy. Use this space to keep the
prospect excited so they take the final step and enter their credit card information.

30. Include more than one P.S. if it makes sense. If one P.S. is good, then two or three
must be even better! If you have more than one important thing to say at the end of
your letter, go ahead and include more than one P.S. For example, if you summarize
your offer in the first P.S. then add a second one that reminds them about your money
back guarantee. And maybe even put in a third one that gives a killer testimonial from
a customer. Just be careful not to overdo it. Make each P.S. well worth your prospect’s
time to read it. Don’t just repeat the identical words you’ve already used in your copy
or it may come across as being a sales gimmick.

31. Don’t neglect the opening paragraph. So you’ve crafted a killer headline that sucks
prospects in like a vacuum… but are you losing them with a weak opening
paragraph? Be sure to spend time creating an intriguing opener that will grab your
visitor’s attention. They should want to keep reading just to find out what you’re
going to say next. A good way to get started is to think about how you would begin
your pitch if you were selling your product face to face. Imagine that you’re talking to
a prospect who is interested in buying but is still far from being ‘sold’ on your
product. What would make him want to know more?

32. Recycle your discarded headlines. A great source of compelling bullet points is the
headlines you opted not to use. Rework them and use them throughout your sales
copy to deliver short, hard-hitting reasons a prospect should buy.

33. Answer your reader’s biggest question, “what’s in it for me?” Potential customers
are only interested in one thing – what your product or service can do for THEM.
Don’t make them guess or read between the lines. Explicitly state what owning your
product can do for them. By painting a compelling picture you’ll make them want to
buy!

34. Use the AIDA method. AIDA is an acronym for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
These are the steps a well-crafted sales letter will guide prospects through. Remember
this formula when writing your sales letter and you’ll be able to suck your prospects
in and leave them little choice but to buy!
35. Have a call to action on every page. One of the biggest mistakes inexperienced
copywriters make is not telling prospects EXACTLY what they should do. Hit them
over the head with it and then make it so simple that they can’t mess it up.

36. Put a call to action on your submit buttons. Don’t waste this space by simply using
the generic “Submit”. Instead use it to make a final push to get potential customers to
take action. For example, if it’s a free report they’re opting in for; make the button
say, “Yes! Send me my report NOW!” This will reinforce what they’re getting and
keep them excited.

37. Use the word FREE. Everyone loves the word free. In fact, it’s one of the most
compelling words you can use in your copywriting. Whenever possible include it in
your sales letter to grab your readers’ attention. This may be an obvious usage such as
offering a “Free gift with purchase” or a less obvious one like “Free up some time
using the amazing…” In both cases your prospective customers will sit up and take
notice!

38. Show a before and after scenario. A great way to tell a story that motivates
prospects to buy is to tell them about before and after scenarios. By painting a picture
of how someone similar to them had their problem solved, pain eliminated or want
fulfilled, you’ll help them visualize owning your product. Sometimes all it takes is a
specific example to illustrate for prospects what a difference your product can make
in their life.

39. Use envy as a motivator. Envy is a hot button. If you can make potential customers
envious of you or envious of others then you will evoke an emotional response that
can be a very powerful motivator. This is most easily achieved by telling a story about
how someone has been able to solve their biggest problems or achieve their biggest
goal – using your product or service of course!

40. Aggravate your prospect’s pain. This doesn’t have to be physical pain. It can be
emotional pain or even an unfilled want that is bothering them. By talking about their
pain they’ll think you’re talking directly to them. And once they’ve been reminded of
it, they’ll be eager to find out what you suggest as a solution!

Two down, 3 more articles to go.  In the meantime go put your new found knowledge to work selling your products with your killer sales letters.