Long Copy Sales Letters - Do They Really Work?
Ray Edwards
Ask for an opinion about long copy, and you will get it! People think that it doesn't work, it's old-fashioned and nobody reads it. Well, I'm here to tell you that reports of the death of long copy have been greatly exaggerated. Long copy sales letters are not dead.
Today's resource is from my own online copywriting course, available at WebCopyWritingExplained.com. In this lesson, I explain why long copy works and show you how to use it effectively.
Here are three reasons long copy is still effective:
People read about their passions. When you are interested in a certain product or service, you want more information - from websites, books, magazines, and more. My favorite bookstore is Auntie's Bookstore in Spokane. When I go there to read up on a topic, I can't just buy one book. I buy every book on the subject that I can find. My office shelves are bulging with books that reflect my passions - on marketing, web conversion, copywriting, and more. Everyone loves to read about their passions, and long copy sales letters are no exception.
Selling online is NOT like selling in person. When you talk to a client, you pay attention to his words and his body language, alert for clues to his thoughts. You can't read body language when you sell online! With no visual cues to hint at what your customer is thinking, you must find a way to answer any objections. The only way to do that is to define your client's objections in advance, answering his concerns before they are even voiced. This requires a lot of words, which leads us to long copy!
Long copy helps you tell a story. In Seth Godin's book, All Marketers Are Liars, the author discusses the power of stories to sell a product. Learn how stories sell, and how that can help your business.
Do I have you convinced? Try this simple formula to create a four-part long copy sales letter that can get you results if done properly. This formula is credited to John Carlton - I love his material, and highly recommend it to you:
Here's what I have to offer. This clearly explains what you are offering to your readers.
Here's why it's right for you. Solve your reader's problems, and explain why you are the right choice.
Here are some questions you may have. This could be your FAQ. Again, answering any objections they may have, in advance.
Here's what to do now. Tell them what to do next. Buy! Call now! Add a sense of urgency, and tell them to call you Right Now!
It is interesting to note that you could use each of these headlines, exactly as written, to start each section in your copy. Try it -- it really works!
For an inside look at the techniques of a sought-after web copywriter, visit the site of http://rayedwards.com/ Copywriter Ray Edwards. There you'll find a podcast, video tutorials and http://rayedwards.com/ free copywriting advice. You can get a http://www.uberarticles.com/?id=27027&b=79 unique content version of this article.
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