The Tricks Marketing Pros Use – That They Don’t Want You to Know!
Ask any professional copywriter, and they’ll tell you that writing a sales letter is no easy feat. In fact, it could very well be the hardest thing a copywriter has to write since it often involves conveying a certain level of emotion in a specified number of words.
Top-notch copywriters generate fortunes for the companies they write for, and in return, their services come at a premium. But what about a small business owner who doesn’t have the budget to spend thousands on a single sales letter? What do you do if you don’t have the budget? Pass on sales letters all together?
Let’s face it: the benefits of a great sales letter are impossible to ignore. If your budget is short, but your desire is great, writing the sales letter yourself may be the best choice. The caveat? It’s supposedly uber-tough to do. The good news is that you CAN write a successful sales letter, IF you know what do to:
1. Build up emotions in the reader and do it quickly. From the moment a person starts reading your letter, you have very little time to grab their attention. If you don’t snag them in the first few seconds, chances are you’ve already lost them. The key here is emotion – be it anger, confusion or fear — any vivid emotion will at a minimum attract the reader’s attention and cause them to perk up.
2. Point out a problem in your potential customer’s current solution. You want the reader to feel desperate and in need of a change. And while this may sound mean, you really want to depress your end reader. You want them to feel like their current choice is a pile of garbage. Oh, and as an extra “jolt,” this also includes shooting holes in your competitors’ offers.
3. Show them the way out of their dreadful situation … by simply choosing your offer. Explain how your offer addresses all the problems you pointed out earlier, and how it’s better than the competitors’ products. Don’t get too carried away though. Only mention what is relevant and avoid too much bragging.
4. Finish strong with a powerful call-to-action. In the last part of your letter, you want to push the reader to actually make the call, send the email or click the button. The reader could very well forget you the next day, so this might be your one and only chance to sell your offer. Leave any consideration out of the equation, and get them to take action. NOW!
If all goes well, you should increase your sales, which, at the end of the day, is what will keep your business afloat and moving forward. Heavy hitter sales letters are written by people with decades of experience. But, if you keep these 4 foundational writing rules in mind, you can certainly give them a run for their money. And who knows, maybe you’ll find your second calling.