Sales: Writing Sales Letters

Research

Dive deep into understanding your audience by engaging actively in research to create content that resonates deeply.

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Audience Desire: The Four Keys to Effective Marketing

Everyone puts up mental barriers about what's stopping them, such as stumbling blocks, or obstacles, or painful actions, or they don't know the next step, or other perceived barriers holding them back. Whether they're real or imagined, these are real barriers to them. It's going to take too long, cost too much, be too hard, or they don't know what to do. The excuses result from past effort, pain, or failure. It may well be their fault for not getting the results they want, but you can't tell them it's their fault because they'll get all pissy and defensive. Remember that you never say it's their fault. Burn that into your brain. This last part of the formula forces you to make a better offer. You have to remove what's holding the person back in order to get the sale. And when you remove what's holding them back, your offer will be incredible because this formula forces you to think creatively.

The promise you make in your sales copy directly affects how many people buy from you. When you make an amazing promise (and fulfill it) your sales can go through the roof. Include each part of the formula because each hits a critical point in your prospects decision making process.

The bottom line is, when you use all four parts of the Profitable Product Promise formula—the hurdle, the prize, the timing, and the eliminator—to hit the hot buttons and check all the boxes that your prospects need to buy, you create irresistible offers that address all the things that are holding them back.

At the essence of impactful marketing communications lies a well-crafted promise to the audience. This promise, a declarative statement offering a measurable outcome, serves as a powerful tool to capture attention and establish the groundwork for engaging interactions with the brand.

The number one key to selling like crazy is the promise any profitable product makes. Whatever sales copy you’re assembling, 99 percent of the time your headline is your number one most important component. The promise of any product or service, often contained in that headline, is the number one key to selling like crazy.

Crafting a compelling promise starts with identifying the core benefit of your product and its alignment with your audience's needs. This process includes rigorous research to unearth the ‘big idea,' brainstorming possible benefits or outcomes, and narrowing down to the most compelling, quantifiable promises. The goal is to create a narrative that is both persuasive and resonates strongly with the target market.

Develop and refine the marketing promise based on deep research and understanding of the audience's needs.

As with any sales copy, there’s a formula for creating a profitable promise. In this case it’s a four-part formula. They are:

The hurdle
The prize
The timing
The eliminator

Part One: The Hurdle

First, you must address people’s concerns or questions about what they have to do to get what they want. When someone looks at your product, while you tell them, “Hey, this will help you get the result you want,” they think, “Okay, but what do I have to do to get that result?” Your job is to understand the thing they want but see as a hard thing to do, which is the hurdle. The result is the thing they see on the other side. It’s where they get what they want.

To understand their obstacle, pay close attention to the action words they use. 99% of the time, the hurdle is some action that needs to get taken. Whatever action keywords your target audience uses are significant.

You need to pay attention to the differences, like:

“how to drive a golf ball” versus “how to hit a golf ball” versus “how to strike a golf ball”.
“how to meet beautiful women” versus “how to date beautiful women” versus “how to find beautiful women”.

Do you see the hurdle, the action? The ability to take the action to get the result is what they see holding them back.

“How to do or accomplish something.” It’s something they want done for them.

Examples of what they might want to accomplish include:

How to get,
How to have,
How to claim,
How to write,
How to publish,
How to create,
How to use,
How to access.

What do they want to do? What is the action or the verb they desire?

“How to lose 20 pounds.”
“How to paint your house.”
“How to train your dog.”
“How to teach your kid to lift the toilet seat.”

The actions are the hurdles.

This action creates a mental image. People visualize actions best because they involve motion, and 80 percent of your brain focuses on handling what you see.

Secondly, you process motion most with your optical hardware whether you imagine it internally or see it externally. That’s why, when you see movement out of the corner of your eye, you turn your head. You’re wired up to do that. Therefore, we want to give people mental images to literally and figuratively turn their head inside their mind.

Part Two: The Prize

The prize is what the person wants. It is also known as the result you want from the taking action in the previous step.

examples:

You want your own outrageously profitable e-book and fat royalty checks
You want a passionate relationship
You want freedom from back pain
You want to golf like a seasoned pro

Also, pay close attention to the result keywords your niche uses. Here are some more examples:

examples:

How to drive a golf ball like Tiger Woods
How to hit a golf ball like Arnold Palmer
How to strike a golf ball like a veteran PGA pro

For some audiences, they know who Arnold Palmer is but they’re more familiar with Tiger Woods or Sam Snead. You need to understand the words they use for the prize when you start crafting and using the formula to create your profitable product promises.

Part Three: The Timing

The timing part of the formula is where you give a timeframe they can wrap their head around that answers their question:

When will I get it?
Will it be an hour, an afternoon, a day, a weekend, or a week?
How long will it take?

There are two ways to present timing.

First, you reference the time it takes for them to get the prize by taking action themselves. The key is that it should be almost unbelievable, but within the realm of possibility so they can only blame themselves if they don’t do it.

Examples:

Timing: Write a 100-page book in about a week. To write a hundred page e-book in seven days is very possible. It can be done in two to three days if you sit down and do it. But if you don’t do it, then you know you didn’t do the work.
Timing: Create a real Kindle book in 90 minutes. To create a nice little Kindle book in 90-minutes is very possible with technology and strategy, if you know what you’re doing.

The second way to present time is saying how long it takes you to teach them how to get the prize.

Examples:

A. How to improve your golf swing in two 30-minute sessions

B. How to improve your English in one hour

C. Give me 17-minutes, and I’ll show you how to start a conversation with the most beautiful woman in the room

The timing can be either how long it takes for them to do it, or how long it takes you to teach them.

Part Four: The Eliminator

The eliminator lets them off the hook, as in “it’s not their fault” they don’t have what they want yet.

If you don’t eliminate the excuse that holds them back, then you’re screwed. Under no circumstances do you tell them it is their fault for not getting the results they want.

When it comes to sales copy, it’s not their fault. Ever.

Let’s look at a quick example that starts to pull it all together:

So we add this little bit at the end: “. . . even if you can’t write, can’t type, and failed high school English class.” That’s your eliminator.

Notice the use of the transition “even if,” or “even if you can’t” to let them off the hook.

Or you can add the phrase “without” and you have,

“How to write and publish your own outrageously profitable eBook in as little as seven days without typing a single word of it yourself.”

Promise Superchargers:

The first is the money promise, but be careful with this one. “Make as much as an extra hundred dollars a day.” “How to make a thousand dollars as a or with or doing .” “Even if you’ve tried before and failed.” “How to write and publish your own outrageously profitable e-book in as little as seven days, even if you’ve tried to publish a book before and failed miserably.”
The second is with a timeline or with timing. “In 60 minutes or less;” “In seven days or less;” “in less than a week;” or “in less than an hour.”
The third is a cost modifier. “For less than $50;” “For less than the cost of a cup of coffee at Starbucks;” “For less than a medium everything pizza every month.”

Now, in what niche groups of people does this formula work? It works with everyone who needs a problem solved or has an intense desire.

You don’t have to use these elements in order, but you want to try to put them in your titles, headlines, and promises. The biggest thing you need to know is what they want or what’s their number one problem.

examples:

Dating:

“How to use online dating sites like match.com to find the love of your life in 30 days without wasting time on the wrong people.”
“How to use online dating sites like match.com to find the love of your life within 30 days and it costs less than an everything pizza to join.”
“How to use online dating sites like match.com to find the love of your life within 30 days, even if you’ve failed at online dating before.”

Real estate:

“How you can use eBay Real Estate to cash in with your first money-making deal within 72-hours, no matter where you live in the world. All you need is internet access and a desire to make money.”
“How you can use eBay Real Estate to cash in on your first money-making deal within 72-hours, even if you’ve never bought a house before in your life.”
“How you can use eBay Real Estate to cash in on your first money-making deal within 72-hours, even if you have no money of your own to invest.”

Marital advice:

“How to get your spouse or lover talking again and save your relationship with one 15-minute session, even if everything you’ve tried in the past didn’t work.”
“How to get your spouse or lover talking again and save your relationship in one 15-minute session, even if you’ve experienced a failed marriage in the past.”

Dog training:

“Seven cool tricks every dog can learn in a weekend. Fun, fast, and stress-free.”

Analysis to Action

The process of crafting effective sales pages begins with a robust and detailed research phase, designed to build a deep connection with the target audience. This phase ensures that the content created is not only engaging but also precisely tailored to meet the audience's needs and expectations.

#1. Focus on discerning recurring messages and ideas. Identify and prioritize messages that frequently appear in your research to ensure your content addresses the most relevant topics for your audience.

#2. Scout for and incorporate sticky messages. Use unique, engaging phrases to make your content memorable and relatable.

#3. Determine audience expectations from similar solutions. Understand and exceed what your audience hopes to see or experience with your solution to enhance its perceived value.

#4. Draw inspiration from real-world Big Idea examples. Leverage successful examples to guide our strategy towards crafting a unique and deeply desired message, enhancing engagement and persuasive communication.

PRACTICAL STEPS TO IMPLEMENT RESEARCH

Use Insights to Inform Your Writing. Start your writing process with the research insights in mind. This will help guide your tone, the features and benefits you highlight, and the objections you counter in your copy.

Applying Research to Your Sales Copy:

Incorporate Direct Quotes: Use language directly from customer feedback to make your copy resonate more authentically.
Highlight Solutions: Clearly articulate how your product addresses the fears and desires you've identified.
Counter Objections: Preemptively address common concerns within your copy, showing that you understand and have thought through potential hesitations.

The Writing Process

Before You Begin

KEY DEFINITIONS

Here are the key definitions for some of the jargon and technical terms mentioned in the process of crafting sales pages:

Sales Narrative: A sales narrative is a story or a cohesive message designed to engage the audience and illustrate the value and benefits of a product or service. It's crafted to persuade potential customers by making the product relatable and necessary for solving their problems.
Unique Value Proposition (UVP): This is a clear statement that describes the unique benefits of a product or service, how it solves customers' problems, and what distinguishes it from competitors. The UVP is crucial as it helps potential customers understand why they should choose one product or service over another.
Product Introduction: This is the section of the sales copy that introduces the product to potential customers. It aims to grab attention by highlighting the product’s benefits and the specific problems it solves, setting the tone for the rest of the sales copy.
Endorsements: These are public or celebrity approvals or support of a product, often used in marketing to build credibility and trust among potential customers.
Testimonials: Statements made by customers who have used a product or service, describing their experiences and the benefits they received. Testimonials are used in sales copy to add authenticity and persuade potential customers by showing real-world applications and satisfaction.
Value Prism Exercise: A method used to distill and focus research findings into clear, distinct points that are important for the product’s sales narrative. Each point is developed to highlight a particular benefit or feature of the product.
Repository: In the context of sales copy, this refers to a systematic collection or database where all research notes, product details, testimonials, and endorsements are stored and organized for easy access during the copywriting process.
Crossheads: These are subheadings used within the sales copy to break up text, making it easier to read and guiding the reader through the narrative. They help to emphasize key points and organize the content into digestible sections.
AIDA Framework: AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. It is a classic marketing model that outlines the steps a consumer goes through during the purchasing process. In sales copy, the AIDA framework can be used to structure the narrative effectively, from grabbing the audience's attention to compelling them to take action.
Iterative Process: A method involving repeated cycles of testing, refining, and revising a process or document. In sales copywriting, this refers to the ongoing process of improving drafts to enhance clarity, impact, and effectiveness.

These definitions should help clarify the technical terms and make the sales page creation process more understandable.

Creating effective sales material involves a detailed process that starts with organizing insights and ends with refining and optimizing the sales copy. Below, the steps are organized into a coherent structure from initiating the copywriting process to advancing the Sales Copy

#1. Organize all collected ideas and notes systematically before starting the writing process. Organize your ideas and research findings to develop a structured and persuasive sales narrative. Visual organization of research notes helps maintain a coherent development of ideas, ensuring a logical flow from problem identification to solution presentation.

#2. Document extensive details about the product. Thorough research and documentation form the backbone of persuasive sales copy, exploring beyond surface-level features to include in-depth details about the product.

#3. Create and maintain an organized repository of notes covering all aspects of the product. Compile detailed notes on the product's features, benefits, testimonials, and endorsements for easy access during the writing process.

Swipe File

Definition: A swipe file is a collection of advertisements, postcards, direct mail, catalogs, posters, flyers, and anything related to selling. Traditionally, it included direct mail, brochures, or print materials.

Purpose of a Swipe File:

When preparing to write sales copy, it's challenging to start cold. A swipe file, whether it includes your previous successful copy or others', helps warm you up. You only keep compelling, effective pieces in your swipe file.

Who Needs a Swipe File?

Everyone should maintain a swipe file. If you're reading this, you need one.

How to Maintain a Swipe File:

Digital: Easily create a digital swipe file. Use tools like Snagit by TechSmith to capture screenshots or entire webpages. Organize these into folders and sub-folders such as ads, headlines, calls to action, stories, and bullets.
Print: Organize physical copies in manila folders categorized into emails, headlines, sales letters, and more. Optional binding can be done for easier reference.

Usage:

Use your swipe file as a mental tickler file. Need to write headlines? Review some headlines. The same goes for bullets, sales letters, etc.

Funnel Scripts:

Initially, Funnel Scripts was a private, interactive swipe file for creating content or sales copy. It transformed hours of work into mere minutes.

When to Add to Your Swipe File:

Whenever something catches your eye, add it. Capture it with your smartphone, email it to yourself, and include it in your digital swipe file.

When to Start a Swipe File:

Start immediately to avoid a significant disadvantage. Utilize resources like FunnelScripts.com. Having a personal swipe file for everything from blog post titles to full paragraphs streamlines the writing process and saves time.

A swipe file is essential; it primes your creative process like a workout for your sales copy skills. It can include anything that grabs your attention and is effective. It does not have to be industry-specific. If you don’t have a swipe file, start one. If you do, use it!

1: Headline

A well-written headline targets people emotionally, usually around either a fear or a desire. Your headline targets either something they’re scared of or something they really want… and it does so on an emotional level. A great headline targets your ideal audience. You don’t want people who aren’t in your target audience reading past the headline.

How can you apply this in your situation or business to get faster results?

Even if it’s not a formal headline like you would have on a sales letter, you need to think about the titles of your videos, blog posts, etc., the same way you would think about a headline. They are that important. Same thing goes for the simplest Facebook post.

There are some shortcuts you can use to implement this immediately. One of the cool things about headlines (and almost all sales copy) is that headlines follow formulas which you can model. And, the great news is you can develop your own formulas by developing what we call a swipe file.

Definition: A swipe file is just a collection of ads that grab your attention. I like to pick up the “Bottom Line” reports, People Magazine, the National Inquirer, direct mail, catalogs, and more. And, most importantly, any advertising that makes you buy (spend your own money) is something to put into your swipe file.

Example:

I found one of my most successful headlines from the cover of a video game magazine. The title on the front of Xbox: The Official Magazine was “The Grand Theft Auto 4 Secrets You’re Not Supposed To Know.” I took that and turned it into “The Ebook Marketing Secrets You’re Not Supposed To Know.” I used that headline, along with a $49 product, to create a six-figure business.

Here are some headline templates you can use immediately.

TYPES OF HEADLINES:

#1: How To

The first group is “how to” headlines, so it’s how to get results. (i.e. “How To Get _“)

Examples:

How To Get A Better Score On Your Next PT Test
How To Get Rid Of Acne

Another thing that you can do is take a little riff on that how-to headline by giving people a timeframe.

How To In As Little As:

How To Double Your Pushups In As Little As 10 Days
How To Get Rid of Acne In As Little As 24 Hours

Then you can take it even further with: “How To In As Little As… even if you”

How To Pass Your PT Test In As Little As 2 Weeks… even if you can’t do a single pullup right now!
How To Get Rid Of Your Pimples In As Little As 7 Days… even if you’ve tried everything else and failed!

That ending is a great one to use by the way. You can use that for anything… even if you’ve tried everything else and failed.

Here’s one more “how to” headline template that works really well: “How Every… Can”

How Every New Military Recruit Can Become A PT God In 12 Weeks!
How Every Teenager With Pimples Can Have Clearer Skin Fast!

#2: Ways to Get What You Want

The second group of headline templates you can use is what I call “ways to get what you want.” It works well with numbers too. The key here is to use an odd number like 3, 5, 7, 9—they seem to work better and carry more credibility.

These headlines work great for articles, blog posts, and videos because they arouse curiosity. People want to read to find out all the different ways or options for getting a result. (i.e. “5 Quick And Easy Ways To _“)

Examples:

5 Quick And Easy Ways To Max Out Your Pushups
5 Quick And Easy Ways To Get Rid Of Pimples
3 Fast Ways To Get And Avoid
3 Fast Ways To Get A Better PT Test Score And Avoid “Fat Boy” PT Squad
3 Fast Ways To Get Rid Of Acne And Avoid Embarrassment

Then we can ramp them up with an “even if” statement which lets them off the hook for past failure (something everyone wants)!

5 Quick And Easy Ways To Get Even If _!

Examples:

5 Quick And Easy Ways To Get A Higher PT Test Score Even If You Failed Your Last Test!
5 Quick And Easy Ways To Get Rid Of Pimples… Even If Your Social Life Is A Disaster Right Now!

#3: Mistakes

The third group of headline templates that work well and grab people’s attention revolves around “mistakes.” People are petrified of making mistakes. In school, we learn that mistakes are BAD. A test score in school penalizes you for making mistakes.

Use this to your advantage with mistakes headlines that grab attention. (Such as “Mistakes Every _ Need to Avoid!”)

Examples:

Which Of These Mistakes Will You Make?
Which Of These PT Testing Mistakes Will You Make?
Which Of These Pimple Treatment Mistakes Will You Make?
Mistakes All Need To Avoid!
PT Test Training Mistakes All New Recruits Need To Avoid!
Acne Treatment Mistakes All Pregnant Women Need To Avoid!
3 PT Testing Mistakes Every Marine Needs To Avoid!
5 Acne Treatment Mistakes Every Teenager Needs To Avoid!

#4: Warning

The fourth template we can use is “warning” headlines. Using a warning headline is a way to get everybody’s attention, even if they’re not in your direct target audience.

If you use a warning headline, do it intelligently and realistically. Otherwise, you kill your credibility.

WARNING HEADLINES:

WARNING: Here’s What Every New Recruit Needs To Know About PT Testing in Bootcamp
WARNING: Here’s What Every Teenager Needs To Know About Over-The-Counter Acne Treatments
WARNING: Don’t Even Think About Trying To Until You Read This
WARNING: Don’t Even Think About Trying To Pass Your Next PT Test Until You Read This
WARNING: Don’t Even Think About Trying To Get Rid Of Pimples Until You Read This

Here’s The Perfect Solution If You Want_.

Examples:

Here’s The Perfect Solution If You Want To MAX Your Next PT Test
Here’s The Perfect Solution If You Want Clearer Skin This Week
Here’s The Perfect Solution If You Want (even if
Here’s The Perfect Solution If You Want To Be A PT God (even if you can barely do 20 pushups right now)
Here’s The Perfect Solution If You Want Clearer Skin (even if you feel like there’s no hope)

My Proven _ Method To _.

Examples:

My Proven “Pullup Push” Method To Double Your Pullups
My Proven “Clear Skin” Method To Get Rid Of Your Pimples Forever

Look at the headlines and bullet text on the front of the tabloid magazines.

Spend a lot of time working on your headlines, especially for sales copy and ads. It’s the #1 factor that determines success or failure.

If in doubt, use curiosity to pull people in (Example: The #1 Headline Mistake People Make That Bleeds Them Dry).

Once you have a headline that works, TEST new headlines against that one to see if you can improve results.

IDENTIFY YOUR TRAFFIC SOURCES

There is a mistake most people make, especially online. This mistake is especially common with headlines. They direct traffic to that sales page, but the problem is that all traffic is not made up of the same people. In fact, there are three different types of traffic you need to be aware of when creating your sales copy, especially headlines.

In our online world, there are hot, warm, and cold traffic sources.

#1: Hot traffic source

Somebody who is on your email list or follows you on social media and knows your name is a hot source.

Example:

People who know Stew, who are on his newsletter list, see specific copy every time he releases a new book about how to get ready for a PT test. It’s straightforward.

All the ads, all the copy, all the social media posts say, “Hey, Stew Smith just came out with a new book called, ‘How To Pass Your Next PT Test In As Little As Two Weeks. You need to check it out because it’s going to show you how to do this, this, this, this, and this.”

#2: Warm traffic source

Someone who is looking for a solution to a problem, but they don’t know about you yet is a warm source.

Example:

Stew targets people on Facebook who don’t know him, but are in the military or some other profession where they have to get ready for a PT test.

He writes ads about preparing for the PT test, getting in shape (in case you weren’t), what to do if you’re failing, and how to improve in specific areas.

All of these ads and posts direct people to his book, but he needs to get their attention first with a solution they are already looking for. Then he leads them to the books.

They know their need (get ready for a PT test), they know their desired result (pass the test), so they are receptive to ads and content around those topics.

#3: Cold traffic source

Someone who doesn’t even realize there’s a solution out there but knows they have a problem is a cold source.

Example:

This group of people is in terrible shape. They consistently fail their PT tests, and they don’t know what to do to fix the problem.

Therefore, they get messages around topics like “Don’t know what to do? You’re not alone! Here’s a solution.”

When writing sales copy, you need to be conscious of these three groups. If you’re just getting started, the majority of the people will be in the warm and the cold groups. If you have a business, product, or a service that requires a lot of explanation or people don’t know the solution exists, then most of your traffic is going to be cold.

Shortcut: The fastest way to figure this out is to think through the conversations you could have with hot, warm, and cold people about your product or service.

What would be the conversation with someone who knows who we are and what we do?
What would the conversation be like with someone who is aware they have a problem, but they’re not aware of us?
What would the conversation be like with people who know they have a problem, but they have no clue a solution even exists?

To put this into action on a website quickly:

Make three different copies of the webpage to create three different landing pages.

Then, change the headline of each page to match the traffic temperature based on the traffic source (hot, warm, cold).

Then look at the sales copy from your audience’s standpoint and adjust the existing text to fit. A lot of times you can get 99- yards down the field with a few simple tweaks, especially at the very beginning of your sales message (often called the “lead”).

For the sake of expediency:

Don’t try to target each group at the same time.

Pick the one you think you can get the most mileage from the fastest and concentrate on them first.

Delve into the daily lives and psychographics of the target audience to create relatable and engaging headlines.

Psychographics

CONNECT THROUGH UNDERSTANDING DAILY LIFE

#1: Utilize small details from your audience's daily life to create a deep connection. This doesn't necessarily have to relate directly to what you're selling but is crucial for building trust and rapport. By demonstrating that you understand their everyday reality, you make your sales arguments more relevant and compelling.

#2: Integrate insights into the context of their daily experiences to invigorate your sales copy. It's often the small, specific aspects of daily life that resonate most deeply with people.

#3: Craft hyper-specific metaphors and similes using these observations. These are powerful tools for creating engaging headlines and subheads, making your sales narrative familiar and relatable.

#4: Use these everyday insights to generate lively, engaging content that positions your narrative within a vividly dimensionalized reality. This approach not only enhances connection but also significantly boosts the impact of your sales message.

For example, compare the impact of a simple question to a more vivid and context-rich proposition:

Why aren’t you making more sales?

Vs.

So why aren’t you igniting your happy hormones with heaping doses of grass-fed butter, rolling in PayPal notifications, and blast-looping Beethoven’s fifth through your Bose headphones?

Typical Morning Routine

What does their typical morning look like: Do they drive? Take an Uber? What are they listening to? Through what kind of headphones? What are they drinking? Out of a mug or thermos? What apps are they checking — are they loading up Skype or Zoom? Spotify or iTunes, waiting for an apple update?

Seinfeld Moments

What are their “Seinfeld Moments”? Those little everyday annoyances they encounter: The slow walker, the person who takes forever to order at Starbucks, the jerk who uses his Macy’s bag to reserve the last free table before ordering, the moment you feel unfairly obligated to respond to a fb message or iMessage because it’s marked as “read”, etc.

Night Routine

What does their night routine look like? Pretending to meditate, sipping lavender tea, reading 10 pages of the latest self-help bestseller Oprah recommended before their eyes give out?

Media Consumption

What books/shows/media are they likely to be consuming right now? Netflix, House of Cards before Spacey ruined that for everybody, Stranger Things, The Four Hour Workweek for the 15th time hoping they’ll actually apply it, CNN, The Food Channel, etc.

THE PRE HEADLINE QUALIFIER

The initial engagement of a reader on a sales page is critical for capturing interest and motivating further interaction. This section delves into the strategic crafting of pre-headline qualifiers, essential for fostering immediate engagement and setting the stage for deeper involvement.

#1. Master the pre-headline qualifier to ensure immediate engagement from the client's target audience.

#2. Develop a pre-headline qualifier that achieves immediate self-selection, exclusive empowerment, and synchronicity.

#3: Apply one of the five distinct approaches to craft compelling pre-headline qualifiers. This involves utilizing strategies such as highlighting an implied injustice, signaling unmet goals or disparities; acknowledging accomplishments versus unfulfilled potential; directly addressing present struggles; focusing on individuals chasing a specific dream; or recognizing previous achievements while hinting at the next significant milestone.

#4. Prepare to explore the question loop headline technique as a continuation of our endeavor to engage and captivate the client's audience. Following the mastery of the pre-headline qualifier, the next phase involves understanding and applying the question loop headline strategy.

To further tailor our approach, could you share insights into your target audience's current challenges or achievements? This information will be vital for crafting pre-headline qualifiers that resonate deeply with your prospects.

QUESTION LOOP HEADLINES

The use of Question Loop Headlines is a strategic approach in copywriting designed to capture and maintain the attention of your audience. This technique leverages the power of curiosity and engagement by posing significant, transformative questions that align with the needs and challenges of your prospects.

#1. Draft an engaging question. Initiate the creation of your sales content by drafting a powerful question that promises significant value or transformation. This should align directly with your prospect's needs and challenges.

Focus on a singular, transformative question. Center your headline around a potent, singular question using a coaching mindset, which aids in guiding prospects towards discovering solutions on their own. This enhances engagement and positions your message at the forefront of the prospect’s mind.

#2. Experiment with various headline formulations. Explore different formulations of the Question Loop Headline, such as the “If Without Would” and “The Difference Maker” styles. These versions help in presenting hypothetical solutions or distinguishing between successful outcomes and failures.

#3. Utilize vivid examples for clarity. Illustrate the effectiveness of your offerings through clear, relatable examples. This method enhances the relatability and tangible benefits of your solutions, contrasting them with the consequences of inadequate alternatives.

#4. Refine and finalize your headline for maximum impact. After testing various headlines, select the most compelling version that addresses your audience's core challenges and promises significant benefits.

As we continue to develop your sales content, could you provide specific challenges or objectives you're aiming to address? This information will assist us in tailoring our Question Loop Headline to better meet your marketing goals.

2: Shocking Statement

Shocking statements are bold, unexpected declarations that challenge conventional wisdom or common expectations. They work by creating a sense of urgency, curiosity, or controversy, which compels the reader to read further. The key to crafting a successful shocking statement is to balance the shock value with genuine insight or value so that it doesn't come off as gimmicky or insincere.

GUIDELINES FOR USING SHOCKING STATEMENTS

Relevance: The statement must be relevant to the product or service being sold.
Authenticity: Avoid misleading or false claims that could damage trust.
Emotional Connection: Aim to evoke strong emotions that align with the needs or desires of the target audience.
Support with Facts: Follow up the shocking statement with facts or benefits that support the claim and build credibility.

Examples:

Fitness Product: “Sitting is the new smoking! Our ergonomic chair helps you burn calories while you work.”

This statement equates sitting with smoking to highlight the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, promoting the ergonomic chair as a beneficial alternative.

Financial Services: “You’re losing $500 every month! Stop ignoring the hidden fees that are slowly draining your savings.”

Alerting users to the potential financial drain from hidden fees emphasizes the need for vigilant financial management, which the service offers.

Educational Tool: “9 out of 10 students can't locate Japan on a map. Our geography app turns your child into a global citizen in less than a month.”

By pointing out a widespread lack of geographical knowledge, this emphasizes the importance and effectiveness of the educational tool in improving global awareness.

Beauty Product: “Are your skincare products aging your skin? Discover the truth about how everyday creams could be harming you.”

This question challenges the safety and efficacy of common skincare products, sparking curiosity about safer, more beneficial alternatives.

Technology Product: “Your privacy is at risk every time you go online! Our VPN isn't just a service; it's your right to anonymity restored.”

The statement stresses the risk to personal privacy online, underlining the essential protection provided by the VPN service.

These direct statements clarify the significance of each shocking statement and how it directly relates to the benefits of the products or services being promoted.

IMPLEMENTING SHOCKING STATEMENTS IN SALES PAGES

When implementing these statements, it's crucial to integrate them seamlessly into the overall narrative of the sales page. Start with the shocking statement to capture attention, and then immediately follow with explanatory text, statistics, or testimonials that validate the statement and elaborate on the product benefits.

THE IMPACT OF SHOCKING STATEMENTS ON SALES PAGE CONVERSION

Using shocking statements on a sales page is a strategic move in marketing designed to capture attention, evoke emotions, and ultimately drive conversions. Here’s why they matter and how they can effectively boost the performance of your sales page:

Capturing Attention

In a digital world saturated with information, grabbing the attention of potential customers is increasingly challenging. Shocking statements stand out because they often disrupt the reader's expectations or challenge their beliefs. This disruption makes them pause and take notice, which is the first critical step in engaging a potential customer. For example, a statement like “You're wasting thousands without even knowing it!” immediately draws attention and creates a hook that encourages further reading.

Provoking Emotional Response

Shocking statements usually provoke an emotional response, whether it's surprise, concern, curiosity, or urgency. Emotions are powerful drivers of decision-making, especially in purchases. By tapping into emotions effectively, you can push the audience toward a decision faster. For instance, a statement such as “Your home could be invaded any minute—Are you protected?” taps into fear and urgency, prompting immediate consideration of home security solutions.

Enhancing Message Retention

Messages that evoke strong emotional reactions or surprise are more likely to be remembered. Shocking statements can make your brand or product memorable, keeping you top of mind when a customer is ready to make a purchase. This is particularly useful in competitive markets where brand differentiation is crucial.

Increasing Engagement

When a statement shocks or surprises, it naturally encourages further engagement. Curious readers will want to learn more about the claim, leading them to scroll through more of your content, watch videos, or interact with your site in other ways. Higher engagement rates are beneficial for SEO and can lead to higher conversion rates as users spend more time exposed to persuasive messages and calls to action.

3: the Problem

Identify Pressing Issues. Just like the engaging scenario of Harry Potter, identifying a relatable problem creates an instant bond with the audience, making them eager for a solution. This step involves thorough market research to understand the most pressing issues the client’s audience faces, which our copy will address.

Here’s an example from the military fitness niche:

Here’s the problem you face: as a society, we’ve become so sedentary that young people don’t know how to get into shape and stay there.

Here’s an example from the author niche:

Here’s the problem you face: most people think that writing a book is so hard and takes so long they can’t imagine becoming an author.

HEIGHTENING NARRATIVE TENSION

#1: Coach the audience to re-experience the emotions tied to their central problem. Guide the client's audience to intimately confront and rekindle the emotional turmoil associated with the problem they face.

#2: Detail how the problem manifests and affects the audience. Explore the problem's symptoms meticulously, ensuring that the narrative accurately reflects the audience's experiences and challenges.

#3: Illustrate the comprehensive impact of the problem on individuals and their immediate surroundings. Detail how the problem permeates various aspects of life, reinforcing the urgency and significance of finding a resolution.

#4: Analyze and communicate likely scenarios should the problem remain unaddressed. Leverage the human instinct to avoid pain and discomfort by motivating the audience towards seeking change.

#5: Emphasize the need for change by showcasing the adverse outcomes of maintaining the current situation. Instill a sense of urgency and prompt a desire for immediate change by strategically constructing the narrative.

#6: Intensify the narrative's pressure to make seeking a solution the only viable option for the audience. Construct the narrative to drive the audience to alleviate their discomfort, propelling them towards the solution presented.

#7: Detail the moment with sensory descriptions to create an immersive experience. Utilize sensory imagery to elevate the narrative’s emotional intensity, enhancing engagement.

#8: Maximize emotional connection by minimizing analytical detachment. Foster a profound and personal connection to the problem, enhancing the overall impact of the narrative experience.

4: Amplify

You’ve told them the problem, but that’s not good enough. You want to make it hurt because, the more it hurts, the more they need a solution and are willing to pony up with their time, money, and attention to solve it.

Emphasize the severity of the issue through vivid storytelling, creating a sense of urgency. This step deepens the emotional investment, pushing the audience toward seeking a resolution.

This step is where you pour on the pain. You make it worse by using a statement like, “which means you_.”

Examples:

Which means you’ll never get a chance to serve in the armed forces and serve your country.
Which means you’ll struggle with being a fat couch potato for the rest of your life and never live up to your full potential.
Which means you’ll never share your message with the world and when you die, your message dies with you.

Let's use dog aggression as another example:

State the problem: “Here’s the problem. If your dog barks or acts like it’s going bite other people, this is something you need to get under control quickly.”
Agitate it. “If you don’t, you could be subject to a lawsuit. Your dog could mutilate a child. You could carry the guilt as well as the financial burden of a single, instantaneous dog attack for the rest of your life. So no matter how innocent, cuddly, and friendly your dog is, if you don’t have them properly trained, it could cripple you financially for the rest of your life.” Agitating is the secret sauce in this formula.

This works for a 20-page sales letter, a one-page letter you might even send through the mail, or for an email. It works anywhere. You meet them with the problem they face, but don’t leave it alone.

5: the Offer / Solution

Now you introduce them to your product or service that holds the solution they need to the problem you just made worse in the last step.

PART 1: CONTRAST THE SOLUTIONS

Begin with a comparative analysis of market solutions.

PART 2: INTRODUCING THE OFFER

Seamlessly transition from problem to solution.

You introduce the solution with “Luckily for you, there’s now a solution. Let me introduce you to _.”

Luckily for you, there’s now a solution. Let me introduce you to the PT Test Survival Guide, a brand new book to help everyone pass their next PT test.
Luckily for you, there’s now a solution. Let me introduce you to The Seven Day E-book, the revolutionary course that helps anyone write and publish their own book or e-Book in less than a week, starting from scratch.

You introduce the solution with “Let me introduce you to.”

Let me introduce you to my new coaching program.
Let me introduce you to an incredible piece of software that writes all your sales copy for you.
Let me introduce you to a quick-read book that will change your real estate investing life forever.

Liken the product reveal to the emotive moment a bride appears at the start of a ceremony.

This helps capture the transition from anticipation to realization.

Ensure alignment between the product's promises and its features during the reveal.

It’s essential that the product fulfills the grand promises made before its introduction.

PART 3: WHY SECTION

The “Why” section allows you to elaborate on why your offer is valuable in a unique way. This is your opportunity to differentiate your product or service from competitors by emphasizing what makes it special or superior. It’s about answering the customer's implicit question, “Why should I care?”

The Why Section

Begin with a persuasive “Why” section that captures the audience’s interest and emphasizes the unique advantages of your product.

Here are the ten reasons. We’ll talk about how you put them into practice quickly in your copy. People will buy because they want to:

Make money or Save money
Save time
Avoid effort
Escape mental or physical pain
Get more comfort
Achieve greater cleanliness or hygiene
To attain better health
Gain praise
Feel more loved
Increase their popularity or social status

You do this by asking certain types of questions about your product and getting creative with the answers. Questions you can ask about your product.

Here are the questions:

What are five ways my product or service will help them make money?
How can I or my product or service help them save money over the next week, month, or year?
How much time can I save them and what else could they do with that time?
What is something they don’t have to do anymore once they get my product or service? (This is how you figure out how it helps them avoid effort.)
What physical pain do I eliminate for them and what does that mean for their life and business?
How does my product or service eliminate mental pain or worry for them?
What are three ways I or my product can help them feel more comfortable?
How does my product or service make it easier for them to achieve greater cleanliness or hygiene?
How does my product or service help them feel more healthy or more alive?
What are three ways my product or service is going to help them be the envy of their friends and feel more loved by their family?
How will buying my product make them feel more popular and increase their social status?

You can apply these reasons why to anything. Once you understand the reasons why, your job is simply to tie as many of them as you can to your product, service, software, or whatever it is.

You must identify the reasons why people buy your stuff, specifically more than the obvious ones everybody else uses.
You need to tie your product to as many reasons why as you can. Get creative. Get silly. Get inspired.

Understanding these ten reasons why people buy can transform your copywriting and mindset forever.

Address objections and answer potential questions within the narrative.

Anticipate and address potential objections within the copy. Use phrases like “Others may say that [insert objection], but studies have shown that [insert your point]” to acknowledge potential doubts while providing evidence to counter these doubts effectively.

Emphasize the brand's expertise in contrast to the inexperienced perspective of objections.

Guide the audience towards the “How” section. Transition from discussing the value proposition to defining actionable engagement steps with “Copy on Call”.

How do you use this secret? How do you use this list?

EXAMPLE 1:

Protein Shake. How could we apply the ten reasons people buy to a protein shake?

Make money: Drink this protein shake in the morning and you will have a fantastic amount of energy. You will do better at your job and probably get a raise.
Save money: Our protein shake is 25% less expensive than the market leader, but it has superior ingredients.
Save time: With our protein shake, you can have a nutritious breakfast in 30 seconds. You can spend more time with your kids before rushing out the door. This reason also ties in with feel more love.
Avoid effort: You have your breakfast made in 30 seconds and it’s delicious.
Escape physical or mental pain: Don’t you hate feeling bloated all the time when you eat too much breakfast? Or, what about feeling like you’re starving because you skipped breakfast? This shake solves that problem for you.
Get more comfort
Achieve greater cleanliness or hygiene and better health: When you drink this protein shake, you won’t have bad breath when you show up at the office. Drinking this protein shake every morning is proven to help you lose weight and look great in your jeans.
Gain praise and feel more loved: You save time in the morning that you can spend with your family.
Be popular or increase social status: You lose weight. You look great. Think of all the new friends you’re going to make.

EXAMPLE 2:

Executive coaching program. It’s easy to tie it to making money.

Make money: Whatever you’re teaching a person will help them do better in their job, get a promotion, or get recruited by another company.
Save money: You could spend twice as much on consultants to help you do this, but we’re going to teach you how to do it.
Avoid effort: You don’t have to figure this stuff out on your own. All you have to do is do what we tell you to do using our proven templates and you’re good to go.
Escape physical or mental pain: What could an executive who’s looking to do executive coaching be trying to do that would cause physical or mental pain? Spending too much time at the office and neglecting their family. Interesting how we tie mental pain to love and familial status. Where are they feeling pain mentally or physically? When they’re spending too much time at the office and not able to spend time with their family and Little Timmy’s starting to call the UPS guy “daddy.”
Get more comfort: Attend our executive coaching program where the top 1% of achievers enjoy all the benefits of having that corner office at a Fortune 500 company.
Attain fuller health: We’re going to show you not only how to excel in your job, but also how to find balance in your life once and for all. You can manage your health and energy to be even more of a high performer.
Gain praise and feel more loved: We’ll show you how to organize your time, so you are not staying at the office until ten every night. You’ll be able to go home and keep little Timmy from calling the UPS guy “daddy.”

EXAMPLE 3:

Dog training book.

Save money: I would start here. Learn how to train your dog yourself and avoid paying $50 an hour to somebody who probably isn’t a certified professional.
Avoid effort, escape pain: Avoid the issue of dealing with a dog bite either to yourself or a neighbor. Now, you could amp that up. Escape the potential pain of a lawsuit if your dog bites somebody. Don’t get sued. This book will help you to train your dog correctly and control aggression.

You can apply these reasons why to anything. Once you understand the reasons why, your job is simply to tie as many of them as you can to your product, service, software, or whatever it is.

You must identify the reasons why people buy your stuff, specifically more than the obvious ones everybody else uses. You need to tie your product to as many reasons why as you can. Get creative. Get silly. Get inspired. Do something that relaxes you and let your mind run wild.

#1. Highlight unique approaches and the effectiveness of the solution.

#2. Address pain points and manage new anxieties.

#3. Emphasize the product's core promises and invoke emotional engagement.

From Promise to Offer

The final component is the offer itself, which must be directly connected to the promise we've made. It should be presented clearly and compellingly, demonstrating exactly how it fulfills the needs or wants of the reader articulated in the promise.

#1. Ensure the offer is directly connected to the promises made in the sales narrative, fulfilling the specific needs or wants identified.

We're about to enhance the attractiveness of your offer to ensure it captures and retains the attention of your prospects effectively. Our goal is to make your offer irresistible, impacting your target audience profoundly.

#2. Clearly articulate the specifics of the offer to eliminate confusion and ensure it is easily understandable. It's fundamental to ensure that whatever the offer — be it a plan upgrade or a new subscription — it's communicated with utmost clarity to the prospects.

#3. Focus the offer around a single core value proposition to simplify the decision-making process.

#4. Incorporate reassuring elements like a robust refund policy to boost confidence in the offer.

#5. Utilize targeted marketing strategies to highlight the unique aspects of the offer effectively. Effective marketing is critical for transmitting the value proposition to the target audience in a manner that resonates and convinces them.

Effective Sales Persuasion

KEY DEFINITIONS

Here are the several key jargons relate specifically to crafting persuasive sales pages. Here's a breakdown of these terms, their definitions, and how they can help in creating an effective sales page:

Logical Fallacies: These are errors in reasoning that undermine the logic of an argument. In persuasive writing, certain logical fallacies are strategically used to influence emotion and perception. While not always logically sound, they can be effective in persuading through emotional impact, as noted in your content. This tactic can help make sales copy more compelling, even if the arguments aren't logically perfect.
Slippery Slope Argument: A type of logical fallacy that suggests taking a minor action will lead to major and sometimes ludicrous consequences. In sales copy, using this argument can effectively highlight the potential negative outcomes of not using a product or service, positioning it as a necessary preventative measure.
Burden of Proof: This is a legal and philosophical concept about who has the obligation to prove something in a dispute. In the context of a sales page, shifting the burden of proof to the reader (e.g., challenging them to test the effectiveness of a product themselves) can instill product confidence and make the sales proposition more engaging and memorable.
Bandwagon Argument: This fallacy involves convincing people to do something just because many other people are doing it. In sales pages, it’s used to highlight the popularity or widespread acceptance of a product, leveraging social proof to persuade potential customers that they are making the right choice by following the crowd.
Rule of One: This concept in copywriting states that each piece of content should focus on a singular main idea, target audience, and desired action. It helps ensure the sales page is coherent and directly addresses a specific audience's needs, increasing the relevance and effectiveness of the message.
Problem-Agitation-Solution (PAS) Framework: A popular copywriting formula designed to first highlight a problem, aggravate the emotional discomfort associated with the problem, and then introduce a solution. On a sales page, employing this framework ensures a logical flow that resonates emotionally with the reader, effectively leading them towards seeing the product as the ideal solution.
Hook: In marketing, this refers to the initial sentence or question designed to capture the reader's interest and persuade them to read further. Crafting an effective hook is crucial for sales pages as it can grab attention and draw readers into the rest of the content.
Iterative Process: This refers to a method of working where you repeatedly refine and improve your product or output. For sales pages, embracing an iterative process in writing and revising the copy ensures that each version is more refined and effective, enhancing the page's ability to convert visitors into customers.

These jargons, when properly understood and applied, can significantly enhance the effectiveness of a sales page by making the copy more persuasive, engaging, and tailored to meet the needs of the target audience.

Shift the focus toward the construction of persuasive arguments in sales copy. These steps involve moving away from considering just the length of sales material to emphasizing the potency and persuasiveness of the arguments within.

#1: Clarify the primary objective of persuading the reader.

#2: Adopt logical fallacies responsibly to enhance emotional appeal.

#3: Implement the Slippery Slope argument to showcase potential negative outcomes.

#4: Utilize the Burden of Proof argument to build product confidence.

#5: Frame questions to lead the reader toward your viewpoint. Transforming neutral inquiries into loaded questions subtly nudges the reader to consider your perspective more seriously, thereby enhancing the persuasive power of your argument.

#6: Use the Bandwagon Argument to convey community and reliability. Utilizing testimonials or highlighting the number of users can effectively convey a sense of community and reliability, making the decision to choose your product feel like the socially validated choice.

#7: Align your product with authoritative figures for enhanced credibility.

#8: Emphasize emotional resonance and engagement.

#9: Ensure the sales copy concludes powerfully, blending strategic and psychological insights. This is where the strategic use of argumentative techniques, including logical fallacies, can drive home the persuasive intent, motivating action.

THE LEAD: DRAWING READERS IN

#1. Engage and build consensus.

The Value Prism

As part of our strategy to enhance your brand's market presence, we're set to employ an innovative storytelling technique known as the Value Prism in our content creation.

#1: Accurately illuminate the uniqueness of the client's product. The Value Prism framework helps articulate a compelling narrative that goes beyond basic product features, emphasizing the product's backstory, creation process, and the team's expertise.

#2: Utilize specific case studies to convey the application of the Value Prism method. Through detailed case studies, such as accounting software, highlight the global expertise involved, presenting the product as a holistic solution.

#3: Focus on elevating the product's narrative through the Value Prism lens. Embed stories of craftsmanship and design into the product's narrative to foster an emotional connection with potential customers.

#4: Identify and document unique aspects of the client's product and team. Conduct thorough research to recognize and articulate elements that highlight the client’s unique value proposition.

#5: Integrate these insights into the content's ‘why' section. Enrich the narrative by positioning the product as a reflection of unique value and expertise, drawing the audience closer by sharing the journey behind the product.

#6: Employ unique storytelling to position the client’s product against competitors. Highlight the depth and care invested in the product using the Value Prism, establishing a competitive edge with a rich narrative.

TAILORING PERSUASIVE CONTENT TO INDIVIDUAL PROSPECTS

Personalize the product experience for each prospect by tailoring the presentation to feel like a personal conversation with each potential customer, focusing on their unique aspirations and how the product fits into their personal narrative.

By focusing on these innovative strategies, your product presentations are elevated from informative to remarkable experiences, aligning perfectly with your prospects’ dreams and goals. This approach ensures that every element of your sales copy not only informs but also profoundly connects and persuades.

Sales Page Resonance

Our strategy focuses on intensifying the analysis and enhancement of your sales page resonance and effectiveness through a targeted, strategic approach.

Identify and leverage shared ethos and values for deeper emotional resonance with the audience.

Challenge existing beliefs and offer pathways towards empowerment and self-forgiveness to enhance persuasion.

Exclusive Empowerment & Self-Forgiveness

Identifying Success Factors

This section focuses on identifying the unique factors that position your prospect to succeed and how past challenges can be reframed as stepping stones to their current and future achievements.

Unique Empowerment Factors

What skills, characteristics, experiences, circumstances, or points of pride, exclusively empower your prospect to achieve the end result?

Forgiveness of Past Mistakes

What missteps, regrets, or sunk costs might they need to forgive themselves for BEFORE being willing to change?

Reframing Failures

How can any of those previous failures be re-framed as necessary steps or prerequisites for where they are now? How can you alchemize that misfortune into something useful?

Illustrate the commitment and positive impacts made or aspired towards the market avatar.

Overcoming Sales Barriers

Common Excuses

What’s the biggest excuse your avatar makes for having NOT achieved a favorable outcome yet?

Excuse Validation

How might that excuse be justified? How can you validate that excuse?

Overcoming Limitations

What is it about you or your method that overcomes that limitation?

Competitor Comparison

How do your biggest competitors fall short in overcoming it?

Industry Misconceptions

What is a false belief they have about the industry?

Self-Doubt

About themselves and their ability or capacity to achieve it?

Solution Misconceptions

About the best way to solve the problem or achieve the outcome?

Positive Timing

Why might it be a GOOD thing that they’ve waited until now? Do you have an example to back that up?

Overcoming Objections

List the 3-5 biggest objections they might have around forging ahead with your product? And for each, explore how you can create comfort and ease around it?

Articulate broader impacts and visions for improving the world through the product or service.

Trust-Building Touchpoints

Instances That Deeply Resonate with Your Prospect

Understanding the Prospect's Experience

What can you confirm to them about their present experience/struggle as it relates to the problem your product solves?

The Importance of Solving the Problem

What can you confirm to them about WHY solving this really matters in their life?

Recognizing Prospect Skepticism

What can you confirm to them about their skepticisms and reasons for being rightfully skeptical?

Addressing Disillusionment

Where have they been MOST let down or disillusioned?

Highlight the unique value proposition and the tangible and intangible benefits of the product.

About Your Product

TRANSFORMATIVE BENEFITS OF YOUR PRODUCT

Magic Wand Moment

What is the main magic wand moment or outcome your product can deliver?

Core Importance

Why is this important to your prospect? Or, why is it what they REALLY need?

Deeper Significance

One level deeper, WHY does that matter?

Fundamental Impact

And if you can go even deeper, why does THAT last one matter?

New Opportunities

What new opportunities will arise as a result? How do we frame this as a push goal, that opens them up to new favorable opportunities? How can we connect this outcome to other important wants?

Intangible Benefits

What other intangible or unexpected problems does buying your product solve? For example, freeing them from “the search” for a solution, or giving them the confidence to double down – knowing that they’re getting an ROE (return on effort).

Four Levels of Benefits

Immediate/Tangible
Immediate/Emotional
Long-Term/Tangible
Long Term/Emotional

Use contrast to accentuate the benefits of the product versus the absence of it in the consumers’ lives.

Parallel Realities/Divergent Roads

This section aids in crafting the narrative for your sales closes, particularly in illustrating the “Risk Mitigator” and “Divergent Paths” scenarios, by contrasting the potential futures with and without your product.

Success with Your Program

In vivid detail, what does “success” in your program look like in 3 days from today?
In 3 weeks?
In 3 months?
In 12 months?

Life without Your Product

In vivid detail, what would their life look like 3 days from now if they DON’T buy your product?
In 3 weeks?
In 3 months?
In 12 months?

As we refine our approach, could you share examples of competitors or other businesses in your field that you believe have done an outstanding job in aligning their product with their customers' beliefs? This information will help us craft a more effective strategy for your product.

6: Bullet Points

Sales copy bullets are the workhorse of any copy. They are called bullets from the term “bullet point,” which is a dotted list on the page or screen, typically 3-12 at a time. You see them on everything from Amazon listings to long-form sales letters to email teasers to brochures.

You use bullets to:

Build curiosity so you can create pressure inside people to get them to buy faster.
Grab people’s attention so you can address their specific wants (and needs) to make more sales.
Convey important information quickly so you can get your message across fast to maximize every advertising dollar you spend.

Understanding Features vs. Benefits in Sales Copy

The interesting thing is that when most people create bullets, they only include features.

For example:

If it’s a drill, they’ll say, “Hey, it’s 18-volts, and it’ll take up to an inch bit.” Like that means something to somebody! Features are what we would put under “technical specifications.” The problem is people don’t buy because of features.

People buy the benefits. What are they going to get as a result of that feature? You’ve got to understand the difference between features and benefits.

We’ll take the drill example. It’s 18-volts, which is the feature. But what that feature does is:

Enable you to drill through hardwood like butter so you can drill a bunch of holes without recharging the battery every five minutes.
The fact that it will take up to a one-inch bit (the feature) means you can do all types of projects, especially around your home, without having to switch tools (the benefit).

Again, understand the difference between features and benefits. You don’t need a thousand bullets in your copy. Depending on the copy job, I would take four, five, six, a dozen excellent bullets over fifty crappy bullets.

Bullets have different functions in sales copy. You can put two or three at the top of a sales letter right under the headline to suck people in.

You can use bullets to:

Summarize what people will see in a video.
Give people a preview of your blog post.
List the benefits.
Give people reasons to keep reading and to make a decision.
Summarize what they are buying.

Effective Bullet Writing in Sales Letters

To help boost sales through that letter, I used a list of bullets that corresponded to specific page numbers in the book.

So for someone reading the bullets about “What’s in the book?” it feels tangible because I’m telling them things like:

How to get up, running, and selling on Amazon Kindle—FAST! (The Web’s #1 e-book retailer WANTS to sell your e-book for you—here’s how!) (Page 14)
The sure-fire secret to creating an e-book that sells like crazy while having more fun than you ever thought possible! (Page 23)
How to quickly avoid the #1 Mistake authors make that causes them to take months or years to write a book… so you can finish in just a few days. (Page 7)
A step-by-step explanation of how to actually get a complete REAL e-book DONE in less than 72 hours! (Page 103)
The absolute “bullet-proof” best e-book to write and sell online— FAST. (Page 2)

I’ve done this with video products, too. You can write bullets that provide the time stamp on specific videos to get the promise.

So, bullets:

Build curiosity.
Carry the load of explaining what your product is and what it will do for them.

Here’s my go-to formula for creating bullets. You’ve seen it already in this secret and probably didn’t realize it:

Identify the feature but focus on the deep emotional benefit. Convert every feature into a clear benefit that directly impacts the customer's emotional state or daily life.
Provide specificity to add credibility and tangibility, making abstract benefits concrete, like including page numbers or timestamps which suggest direct, immediate access to the solutions.

REVAMPING BASIC BULLET FORMULAS TO MAXIMIZE SALES COPY IMPACT

Here’s a step-by-step guide to transforming standard feature listings into compelling sales bullets using the “Feature + Benefit + Meaning” formula, turning a basic set of wrenches into an irresistible buy.

Original Bullet List from Amazon:

One-piece set SAE sizes
Chrome vanadium steel construction
Stamped markings for easy wrench size identification

Not very compelling, right? Let’s enhance these bullets by applying the basic bullet formula:

One-piece set so you can keep all your wrenches together in one place
SAE sizes so you have the exact size you need when you need it
Chrome vanadium steel construction for strength and durability so you can work them hard
Stamped markings for easy wrench size identification so you can quickly find the right size

Good, but we can do even better with the Ultimate Bullet Formula: Feature + Benefit + Meaning.

Examples:

One-piece set so you can keep all your wrenches together in one place, which means you’ll never be left high and dry with the wrong wrench.
SAE sizes so you have the exact size you need when you need it, which means you can get projects done faster and move on with your life.
Chrome vanadium steel construction for strength and durability so you can work them hard, which means you‘ll spend a lot less money on tools over time.
Stamped markings for easy wrench size identification so you can quickly find the right size, which means no more pulling your hair out over stripped nuts.

Why This Works:

Builds Curiosity: Each bullet doesn’t just list a feature, it explains the immediate benefit and the deeper impact on the user’s life, appealing to both rational and emotional decision-making.
Focuses on User Experience: By tying the feature and benefit to a personal outcome, it helps the potential buyer visualize the value these wrenches will add to their life.

TIPS FOR CRAFTING YOUR OWN EFFECTIVE BULLETS

Brainstorm extensively: Like headline brainstorming, keep generating bullets as the ideas flow; the later ones might be the best as your thinking deepens.
Write more, select the best: If you need five bullets, write ten or twelve and pick the top choices.
Create a swipe file for bullets: Collect examples of effective bullets as you browse or shop. This swipe file can inspire and speed up your own bullet writing process.

Bullets are powerful tools in sales copy, creating curiosity and detailing benefits succinctly. By including meaningful insights in your bullets, you transform them from simple features into persuasive reasons to buy.

Once you’ve introduced the solution, take your features, benefits, and meanings and use them to build curiosity and desire for your solution.

How many bullets do you need? In my opinion, for most purposes, you need about six, eight, or ten rock-solid bullets.

Am I saying you’ll never use a massive list of bullets? But in the workaday world of sales copy, ten solid bullets pull the weight of fifty mediocre ones.

7: Credibility Statement

Tell people about you and why you are qualified to bring them this solution. Again, depending on what piece of copy you’re creating, this could be one sentence or a whole page listing your education, qualifications, and how you got to be where you are today. It depends on the length and purpose of your sales message.

If you need a long sales letter to sell a high-ticket item, where the sales copy carries the entire weight of the purchase decision, people will want to know the who, what, where, when, why and how of your qualifications to bring them this solution.

Bottom line: answer the question, “Why you?”

Use your biography as a tool for building trust.

Share personal details that foster relatability to help your audience see reflections of themselves in your story.

Navigate the balance between authenticity and focus in your narrative.

Share anecdotes and personal brand stories to boost authenticity and relatability.

Fostering Intimacy and Trust

This content, while not fitting into a specific section, when woven throughout your copy, fosters intimacy, transparency, and trust. It's also useful for sparking email hooks and stories to integrate into your copy or enrollment conversations.

Core Motivation

Why do you do what you do?

Empathy for Struggles

What is it about your audience’s struggles that breaks your heart?

Vision for the Audience

What reality do you see for them — that they don’t yet see for themselves?
Do you have an example of that?

Pain of Unfulfilled Potential

What pains you most about their inability to see that potential?

Learning from Failures

What was your biggest FAILURE as a coach/educator/program creator?
How do you feel you let that market down? And what did you learn from that experience? What vows did you make from that moment?

Gratifying Experiences

What’s the most GRATIFYING or FULFILLING experience you’ve had as a coach/educator/program creator?

Unexpected Impacts

How did that experience exceed your expectations – and maybe open your eyes to a deeper impact you didn’t even know you were making?

Depth of Commitment

How deep is your commitment to serving this market?
How have you re-engineered your own life to create that impact? What have you sacrificed or given up in the name of that mission?

Learning from the Market

What have YOU learnt from your market?
How have they inspired you?

Vision for a Better World

The world will be a better place when __

Your personal anecdotes and professional successes play a crucial role in establishing a connection with your audience. As we proceed, sharing authentic and relatable aspects of your journey will be key to crafting a compelling and trustworthy narrative.

8: Testimonials / Proof

Could we collaborate in gathering data and testimonials to enrich our sales pages with real-life success stories and demonstrations? This effort will significantly enhance the authenticity and persuasive power of our content.

Testimonials usually come in sales copy after you have made your claims and your offer. You’ve given them the information, and now all of a sudden, it’s time to start thinking about making that purchase decision.

That’s when many people will say, “Well, yeah, that sounds good, but I’ve heard this stuff before. Why should I believe you?”

Proof answers the question “Why should I believe you?” Use your testimonials and endorsements now. Use whatever you have at this point (statistics, quotes, government studies, etc.) to establish proof.

It’s easy to introduce this by saying, “But don’t just take my word for it. Take a look at this.” That’s always a great segue into this section.

TYPES OF PROOF

One type of proof we haven’t talked about is pictures or graphics. Images are one of the best forms of evidence, but they are also one of the most regulated.

#1: Photos

Photos are compelling but are also easy to fake. Think before and after photos for weight loss, or pictures of bank statements for income claims.

People show pictures of checks all the time, especially in real estate investment sales copy. People will show pictures of people with whom they’ve done business.

#2: Testimonials

Testimonials can help you build momentum and improve the effectiveness of your sales messages. But when you’re talking about sales copy and the sales process, what you’re actually worried about here is proof.

Proof Elements in Sales Copy

When most people read your sales copy, at some point their brain says, “Okay, sounds good. But why should I believe you? Will this work for me? Has this worked for other people? Do I really need this?”
Lack of proof is the real reason why you think you need testimonials and freak out if you don’t have any.

HOW TO APPROACH THE LACK OF TESTIMONIALS

If you don’t have any testimonials yet, you may see this as a handicap you'll never overcome. People get hung up on this stuff because they see people using testimonials, feedback, endorsements, and reviews in their sales copy, but they don’t have any yet.

Provide Alternative Proof: You need proof that what you’re talking about is significant and will work for them. There are many different proof elements you can use besides a product-specific testimonial.

#1: Results-Oriented Testimonials

In an ideal world, you would have a results-oriented testimonial which is from someone who used your product, service, or software, etc. The person got great results and is willing to say, “I used it. I got this result, this result, and this result. It was awesome and changed my life and here’s proof.”

There are specific requirements for testimonials in sensitive areas, including necessary disclaimers and disclosures (you can investigate those on your own).

Bottom Line: Be careful and never manufacture a results-oriented testimonial.

#2: Testimonials About You and Your Company

These are relatively easy to get. You just ask people you’ve done business with or people who know you to provide a testimonial about you or your company so you can have testimonials on your website. Simply ask them what they would say to a friend or colleague about you and if it would be okay to put that quote on your site. It’s that simple.

#3: Celebrity Endorsements

The next testimonial is a celebrity endorsement. The celebrity can be a notable figure in your niche world.

Example:

For example, in 2001, when I published the e-book that launched me into the online business arena, I received an endorsement from a gentleman named Jay Conrad Levinson who wrote the Guerilla Marketing books.

I sent him a copy of the book, asked him if he’d say a couple of words about it, and he endorsed it. That was huge!

#4: Use Statistics and Quotes

After celebrity endorsements, the next thing you can use is statistics that support what you’re telling people. There are tons of studies and statistics out there on anything you can imagine.

Go to Google and enter your topic plus the word “statistics” or “study.”

Here’s an example:

We want to find some proof to support the sales message for my book Selling Your Home Alone. You would go to Google and search for “for sale by owner statistics.” According to the National Association of Realtors, nine out of ten for-sale-by-owners will fail, give up, and list with a real estate agent within thirty days.

So you can play that up in the proof section and say, “The truth is, according to statistics, nine out of every ten for-sale-by-owners will fail. Don’t let that be you. That’s why you need this book!”

Leverage those statistics to give you the proof you need for the claims you’re making.

Leverage quotes to help build your proof:

Find some quotes that apply to what you’re trying to get people to do or buy.
Use those quotes in the appropriate places to instill trust and to reinforce the idea that to buy what you’re selling is a good decision.

The fastest way to get testimonials is to hand out something to different people and ask for a testimonial or an endorsement either for the product, for you, or for the topic in general.

POWERFUL TESTIMONIAL TECHNIQUES

#1: Embrace and Refine the Use of Transformative Testimonials. Embrace and refine the use of transformative testimonials to foster deep connections with prospects. These testimonials move beyond simple praise to share narratives of success and personal growth, demonstrating the potential for transformation in your clients.

#2: Highlight Relatable Success Stories. Highlight stories where clients overcome challenges similar to those faced by your prospects. By presenting relatable journeys of distress to success, these testimonials build trust, making your services more appealing.

#3: Focus on Achievable Outcomes. Focus on testimonials that highlight achievable and relatable outcomes. This strategy helps prospects envision themselves achieving similar success, enhancing the testimonial's effectiveness.

#4: Begin Testimonials with Initial Challenges. Begin each testimonial by addressing the client's initial challenges. This setup makes the story more compelling and relatable for potential clients.

This structured approach to testimonials enhances their impact, making them a powerful tool in your marketing strategy to build trust and demonstrate the real-life value of your services.

9: Summary / Price

In this section, tell them exactly what they’re going to get, how they’re going to get it, when they’re going to get it, and how much it costs.

Coaching Example:

This is a six-part coaching program that starts on this date
It will be delivered weekly
There will be time for Q&A

Drill Example:

18-Volt Drill
Comes with bonus 20-piece drill and driver set
Delivered via UPS and arrives in 3-4 days

Whatever it is, tell them exactly what they’re going to get, when they’re going to get it, how they’re going to get it, and how much it costs.

Price

Some people who say you should do a dramatic price drop when you reveal the price. In some cases, people are immune to that, especially if you are not selling in-person or on a webinar.

Examples:

For instance, in a text ad or on a web page where you aren’t present to close the deal, if you tell somebody, “Regularly, this is $399.00, but today you’re going to get it for $2.50!” that’s not going to work. Their BS detector goes off before they finish reading the sentence.
To see great examples of price drops for everyday product sales, look on Amazon. Virtually every single product they sell will have a regular price that’s crossed out, and there’s a reduced price. It’s usually somewhere around a 10% to 30% discount. Also, look at the colors they use and how they cross out prices, etc.
You can say, “Regularly it is this price, but right now it’s just this.” You want people to feel like they’re getting a great deal, and this is the place to do it.

Implement creative pricing and discount strategies to improve the offer's appeal without compromising business profitability. This task is centered on enhancing the perceived value of the offer without diminishing its worth or the business's profitability.

THE IMPORTANCE

The price of a product or service is crucial in the creation of a sales page because it significantly impacts consumer decision-making. Here are a few reasons why price is so important:

Value Perception: Consumers often assess the value of a product based on its price. A sales page must effectively communicate why a product’s price is justified by its benefits, quality, and the value it provides. This helps in setting expectations and influencing purchase decisions.
Competitive Positioning: Price helps to position a product in the market relative to competitors. A sales page should highlight how the pricing reflects better value or advantages over competitors, whether the product is a premium option or a cost-effective alternative.
Psychological Impact: Pricing can trigger various psychological responses. Techniques like charm pricing ($19.99 instead of $20.00), price anchoring (showing a higher original price next to a sale price to suggest a good deal), or tiered pricing (offering different versions of a product at different price points) are strategic ways to influence consumer behavior through a sales page.
Target Audience: Price determines which segment of the market you are targeting. Luxury products, for example, are priced to attract high-end consumers, while value products aim to appeal to budget-conscious buyers. The sales page needs to reflect and cater to the expectations and sensibilities of its intended audience.
Sales and Promotions: Special pricing offers like discounts, promotions, and bundles can drive urgency and increase conversion rates. A sales page needs to highlight these aspects effectively to capitalize on the impulse to secure a good deal.
Accessibility and Inclusivity: Pricing strategies can also reflect a brand’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, making products available to a broader audience. How this is communicated on a sales page can influence brand perception and loyalty.

Effective sales pages use strategic pricing along with persuasive content to guide potential customers through their buying journey, from interest and consideration to the decision to purchase.

10: Bonuses

If you have bonuses, special savings, extra service included, or anything else to put them over the top, this is where you tell them about it.

In this section, you add more value to the offer. Maybe you throw in an extra something like a bonus report, an individual consultation with you, or anything that will make them feel like they are getting a fantastic deal on your offer. Be sure to build up the value of the bonuses and show why they are such a valuable addition to the offer.

Integrate strategic bonuses into your offers. Bonuses should not be seen as mere add-ons but rather as essential components that significantly bolster the attractiveness of your offer. For instance, leveraging tools like the “Never Get Stuck Again Tech Vault” can address technical challenges, ensuring that your list-building initiatives are executed smoothly and efficiently.

Whatever your competitors are offering that makes them unique, provide the same thing as a free bonus when people buy from you. That way, instead of comparing you to your competitors and trying to decide between the two offers, they buy from you because they see themselves getting everything they want without having to buy from anyone but you!

FINDING AND CREATING BONUSES

#1. Analyze the competitive landscape to identify opportunities for enhancing the offer with strategic bonuses. This step involves scrutinizing competitors’ strategies and identifying gaps where strategic bonuses could provide an edge.

#2. Develop time-sensitive or exclusive bonuses to create urgency and enhance offer attractiveness.

#3. Integrate bonuses that provide direct, tangible benefits like personalized services or coverage of switching costs.

#4. Select bonuses that enhance or complement the primary product, ensuring they add coherent value.

This structured approach ensures that each aspect of the offer is carefully considered and enhanced, maximizing its potential to meet customer needs and drive conversions.

11: Guarantee

The guarantee is where you take away the risk. Again, it could be a paragraph or a single sentence. Enhance this section to reassure prospects about their investment, emphasizing the value and support backing their purchase.

You could simply say 30-Day No Questions Asked Guarantee. You might also do a guarantee where you restate every single one of the benefits you sold them on before.

Examples:

Not only do we guarantee this unconditionally for 30 days, but if it doesn’t show you exactly how to pass your next PT test, if it doesn’t help you to get in shape in the next two weeks, if it doesn’t give you a plan to get ready if you’re not ready right now, we don’t want your money. We’ll give it all back. No questions asked. No hard feelings.

GOLDEN GUARANTEE

The enhancement of your product offer significantly involves the creation of a compelling guarantee. This guarantee serves not just as a risk reversal but also as a powerful endorsement of the product's outcomes and effectiveness, aiming to alleviate customer hesitations and boost conversion rates.

#1. Develop a branded guarantee that reflects the confidence and commitment of the client's offer. By naming it uniquely, such as “Indestructible Guarantee,” it underscores the trustworthiness and excellence of the offer.

#2. Articulate the confidence behind the product as a cornerstone of the guarantee's messaging. This approach is crucial in transferring the creator's belief in the product to the consumer, thereby reducing apprehension surrounding the purchase.

#3. Clarify the specifics of the guarantee, including its duration and the expected actions from customers, to ensure transparency and build consumer trust.

#4. Emphasize the unique selling proposition of the product within the guarantee framework. This tactic not only bolsters the prospect's confidence in their potential purchase but also integrates the guarantee as part of the product's distinct advantages, solidifying the overall offer.

#5. Incorporate the “ShamWow Test” to ensure the guarantee is unequivocally tailored to the product and its unique value proposition. A metaphorical test used to ensure that a guarantee or offer is uniquely tailored to a specific product and its value proposition, ensuring that the guarantee could not easily apply to any other product. This helps in creating more precise and impactful marketing messages.

#6. Finalize the guarantee, ensuring it not only addresses customer concerns but also encapsulates and reflects the product's core value, enhancing the offer's attractiveness.

#7. Prepare for the integration of the guarantee into the marketing campaign, ensuring all aspects align with the broader marketing strategy and objectives, setting the stage for successful execution.

These steps and strategies are designed to craft a guarantee that not only reassures customers but also significantly enhances the perceived value of your product, thereby increasing conversion rates.

12: Call To Action

You’ve told your buyer everything they need to know about the product. It’s time to call them to action.

It could be a button that says, “Click here to buy now!”
“When you order today, we’ll give you another 10% off as part of a special marketing test.”

If it’s a big, long sales letter, you may recap all they’ll get in a short bullet format.

You’re going to get the DVDs
You’re going to get the one-on-one coaching
You’re going to get instant access to the online training
You’re going to get the push-button software
You’re going to get the audiobook version
You’re going to get all my blueprints and templates

Ensure contextually relevant CTA copy. Craft CTA button copy that resonates with the reader’s current awareness stage, continuously refining through A/B testing.

Place CTAs effectively on the sales page. Avoid early placement of buy buttons, especially in the hero section for new visitors, and position CTAs where they're likely to be most effective.

Optimize the area around your CTA. Introduce your offer and optimize CTAs with persuasive elements like testimonials only after sufficiently engaging the reader.

FORMULA: THE BEFORE/AFTER/BRIDGE

This formula uses some NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming—the study of how language gets people to take action).

#1:Start with the before

Talk about the way things are now. Typically, there’s a problem, a question, a roadblock, or something in the way that makes them unhappy.

#2: Introduce the after.

Tell them to imagine what their life will be like. In NLP, this is referred to as Future Pacing. “Imagine your life, circumstances, business, marriage, or whatever, once the negative is gone.” Once you’ve painted that picture where they’ve solved the problem, answered the question, or removed the roadblock, they’ve gone from unhappy to happy. Now it’s time to bridge your product to this happy feeling.

#3: Bridge

Here’s the path to get there:

Here’s the product.
Here’s the service.
Here’s the method.

Here’s how you’re going to bridge that gap of where you are now to where you want to be.

These formulas take people through a mental process that sets them up to buy.

Test each formula to find the one that works best with your audience.

The Try Section

This section explores strategies to enhance customer engagement through trial offers, effectively guiding potential clients from initial interest to purchase within the sales funnel. These approaches emphasize the significance of strategic trials and communication in boosting conversion rates and building customer trust.

#1: Bridge interest to action. Act as a strategic step in the sales funnel to influence conversion rates significantly.

#2: Tailor strategic trial offers. Develop a trial offer specifically designed to demonstrate the value of the service, offering a free initial service up to 20 minutes.

#3: Communicate unique benefits before trials. Transition and clarify the communication of unique benefits before introducing the ‘Try' section. This preparation primes prospects for the ‘Try' section, making them more open and responsive to the trial offer.

#4: Emphasize exclusivity and target audience. Focus on delivering high-quality, targeted assistance that meets the unique challenges and goals of ideal clients.

#5: Explain the operational process. Detail the operational process of our service, from trial to ongoing collaboration, in team briefings.

VISUAL AND NARRATIVE ENGAGEMENT

#1: Collaborate on Visual Representations. Work with the design team to incorporate visual representations of the service process, making the presentation attractive and engaging for prospects.

#2: Tell a Compelling Ownership Experience Story. Narrate the journey of using the product, helping prospects visualize each step towards achieving success and making the ownership experience memorable.

#3: Transform the Product Tour into an Immersive Experience. Create a vivid picture of the product’s benefits and how its features contribute to future possibilities, encouraging deeper engagement.

The Challenges

The innovative approach of using the Minimum Viable Commitment, Quickest Valuable Win Challenge can significantly enhance your sales strategies by increasing customer engagement and conversions. This method is specifically designed to leverage the psychological appeal of challenges in the closing process.

#1. Implement challenges to enhance the closing process. Implement the Minimum Viable Commitment, Quickest Valuable Win Challenge to leverage psychological elements in your closing process. This technique capitalizes on the human inclination for problem-solving and achievement, encouraging potential customers to visualize the benefits of your product or service, thereby enhancing the likelihood of conversion.

#2. Understand the psychological appeal of challenges. Analyze the psychological appeal of challenges to potential buyers to create more engaging and effective challenge-based strategies. Understanding how challenges can stimulate mental investment towards the success achievable through your product significantly increases conversion likelihood by setting clear goals and pathways that make the decision to act feel natural and inevitable for prospects.

#3. Introduce the concept of Minimum Viable Commitment. Present the concept of Minimum Viable Commitment to potential clients, focusing on minimal initial commitment to demonstrate value. By providing an easy option to undo the commitment, this tactic reduces perceived risk, making the decision to engage with your product a straightforward choice for the customer.

#4. Highlight a quick, valuable win. Identify and emphasize an element of your product that delivers immediate significant value. This strategy aims to showcase the tangible benefits your product offers promptly, encouraging quick decision-making and action from prospects.

#5. Craft an engaging challenge invitation. Create a compelling headline for the challenge, such as “Take the X Challenge,” to attract and engage potential customers. A captivating headline is crucial as it is the first interaction point that draws potential customers into the challenge, setting the foundation for deeper engagement.

#6. Communicate the long-term benefits. Ensure the communication of your product’s sustained benefits alongside its immediate gains. While the challenge focuses on a quick win, it is vital to also highlight the long-term value and outcomes of your product, ensuring a balanced view that appeals to the customer's immediate and future needs.

#7. Clarify the challenge details. Explicitly define what the Minimum Viable Commitment involves and what the quick win entails to ensure clarity and increase participation rates. Clear communication of what is expected from the participants and what they stand to gain is essential for effective engagement and successful outcomes from the challenge.

#8. Use case examples for clear implementation guidance. Provide specific examples, like the 10x Launches course, to demonstrate actionable steps and the effectiveness of the challenge approach. A practical example serves as a guide and builds confidence in potential clients by showcasing how these strategies have been successfully applied and the benefits they have yielded.

#9. Design a compelling call-to-action. Develop a strong CTA, such as “Yes, I’m ready to take the 10x challenge,” to convert interest into action. A well-crafted CTA is crucial for motivating immediate responses and moving prospects closer to conversion, capitalizing on the engagement and interest generated by the challenge.

This structured approach to incorporating challenges in your sales strategy not only enhances engagement but also significantly boosts conversion rates, providing a robust framework for achieving sales success. We are excited to assist you in applying these effective techniques to your sales processes.

13: Postscript

The final part of your sales letter is the P.S. This is where you restate the benefits and tell them again to act now.

It is the vital stuff you forgot to put in the letter, but you aren’t going to retype the whole thing!

Here is where you restate the main benefits, the reason they should act now, and then you tell them to buy now!

Examples:

P.S. This gem will sell for $49. This introductory price of $29 is a “Buy it now before it’s gone” offer, so act fast!

P.P.S. Let’s be blunt: If you pass on this offer, in a week from today will you have an e-book written or not?

Probably not!

You’ll still wish and want it, but you won’t write it or make money from it. Face it. Most of what you need is instruction and encouragement. Get this book now and have your e-book as fast as one week from today! Wouldn’t you like to be making money and bragging about your passive income within a week?

Act now! Buy now! Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Click here!

This thirteen-step sales message formula will work for a ten-page sales letter or a one-page direct mail sales letter. Whether it’s written on paper, displayed on the web, or delivered through video, these are the parts you must hit in the order given.

Each of these sections could be pages, paragraphs, sentences, or a few words.

The sales letter is like stepping stones across a pond—leave one out and you’re going to stumble and get wet.

This process works for a one-page letter, a video, or a twenty-page letter.

Remember to stack up the value if you want people to buy from you.

STEALTH CLOSE

Definition: Stealth Closes, also known as The Columbo Close, transform various forms of content into subtle sales tools. This technique can be applied to any content—videos, articles, and even tweets—to subtly nudge the audience towards a sales conclusion without overtly appearing to do so.

Example:

Let me show you a real example from an email teaser I sent.

Subject Line: Hey, [first name], the perfect picture.
Content: Jim Edwards here with an article below that will get published in my newspaper column tomorrow, but you get the scoop today. So if you make websites, mini-sites, content sites, brochures, fliers, e-book covers, DVD covers, or anything else that requires images, this article has some excellent information for you that will save you both time and money.
Stealth Close: By the way, it’s still not too late to sign up for the Website Video Secrets workshop in LA next week. Get all the details here at websitevideosecrets.com.
Connection: Now, what does the Video Secrets workshop have to do with the newspaper column?

Here’s another example:

“I’ve got an article for you about how people are fencing stolen goods on eBay, and you need to be careful.” And then, “P.S. We have a few seats left for our live Website Video Secrets Workshop in Atlanta on April 5th and 6th. If you want to discover the secrets to making simple little videos that drive traffic, make people click, and generate fat commissions, get more information here right now.”

Then I included the link. Again, it’s a pivot.

So, how does this work?

In part one, you give some value. In the above example, I gave value. “Hey, here’s a cool article. Here’s a video. Here’s (what-have-you).”
Then in step two, you invite them to another level by merely using the words “by the way.”

Where do you use a Stealth Close to get the best results?

They work exceptionally well in email teasers. It’s like the value I offer is the toll I pay to deliver the Stealth Close message. This close is different from a sponsor ad or a display ad that screams, “Hey, this is an ad. You can ignore me.” It’s virtually impossible for them to separate the Stealth Close from the rest of the message, which is the whole purpose of it.

Usage:

Verbal, Text, or Anywhere

You can use the Stealth Close technique verbally, in text, or anywhere. First, you deliver value and then pivot to get a signup, a subscriber, whatever you want to get done.

Articles:

You can also use this type of close in articles. At the end of a pretty long article I published, it says, “By the way, if you’d like to sell more, promote your books, and create incredible content using interviews, The Expert Interview Wizard helps you make everything you need to create and promote amazing, profitable interviews in just three to five minutes flat. Watch the demo and get a special price, but only for a limited time, interviewwizardspecial.com.”

Blog Posts

By embedding subtle calls to action throughout the post and concluding with a question that ties back to your product, you guide the reader through an informative experience that naturally leads to a sales opportunity. Embed links to your products or services within the blog post content where they appear most natural. Integrate anecdotes or testimonials that demonstrate the effectiveness of your product.

Social Media

Use a call to action in a tweet that prompts further thinking or engagement, linking back to your product indirectly.

Leverage the Element of Surprise: The effectiveness of Stealth Closes lies in their unexpected nature. By not overtly selling, you engage the audience more deeply, allowing the sales elements to resonate on a subtler, more effective level.

PIVOT

Pivoting in Stealth Closes involves a subtle shift in the narrative or conversation that brings the focus toward your product or service in a way that feels organic and relevant to the content. Here’s how you can master this technique.

Build Context First: Establish a strong, relevant context that resonates with your audience. This could be through sharing useful information, insights, or stories that engage the reader or viewer on a topic they care about.
Introduce a Relatable Problem or Need: Highlight a common problem or need that your target audience faces. This sets the stage for the pivot, as it naturally leads to seeking solutions.
Execute the Pivot: Seamlessly transition from discussing the problem to introducing your product or service as a solution. The key is to make this transition feel like a natural extension of the conversation, rather than a forced insertion.

Use Questions to Smooth the Transition: Asking a question that prompts your audience to think about their situation can be a smooth lead-in to your pivot. It involves them directly and piques their interest just before you introduce your solution.

Interviews are not only easy to create, but you can publish them as:

Books
E-books
DVDs
Webinars
Teleseminars
Home study courses

Interviews are like the Swiss Army Knife of the info product creation world. One more thing, if you’d like to sell more, promote more — It is formatted the same as the rest of the blog post.

This is a great example of how you can leverage copywriting in something where people aren’t expecting sales copy. This format works in:

Facebook posts
YouTube videos
Pinterest

This method also works well on Facebook live videos. End every video with a “by the way” statement and direct them to something that makes you money or gets you a subscriber. It’s easy and effective when you get in the habit of doing it.

14: The Buying Process

Make the checkout process seamless. Whether integrating a third-party solution or directing users to a checkout page.

The Final Copy

Finalize the sales page through an iterative process of refinement. Continuously refine and structure the content to communicate the message engagingly.

The Editing Process

KEY DEFINITIONS

Audience Analysis: The process of gathering and analyzing information about the target audience, including demographics, interests, and needs, to tailor content that resonates with them.
Editing Strategy: A planned approach to reviewing and modifying content to improve clarity, engagement, and effectiveness.
Reader’s Perspective: Considering how a reader might perceive and understand the content, focusing on their experience and expectations.
Main Idea: The central concept or argument presented in a document, which should be clear and compelling to engage the reader effectively.
Message Integrity: The consistency and coherence of the central message throughout the document, ensuring it remains focused and undiluted.
Readability: The ease with which text can be read and understood by the target audience, often enhanced by simplifying language and improving the document's structure.
Bucket Brigade Technique: A writing technique used to maintain reader engagement by linking sentences with conversational phrases to keep the narrative lively.
Voice of Customer (VoC) Data: Feedback and insights collected directly from customers, used to inform and enhance the relevance of the content.
Engagement Techniques: Methods used in writing to keep the reader interested and involved with the content, such as using direct addresses or interactive elements.
Editorial Toolkit: A set of tools, guidelines, and techniques employed by writers and editors to craft and refine content.
Advanced Copywriting Techniques: More sophisticated writing strategies aimed at increasing the effectiveness of content in capturing reader attention and persuading action.
Fluid Transitions: Smooth and logical connections between sections of a document, helping to maintain a coherent flow of ideas.
Tone Matching: Adjusting the style and emotional quality of the writing to align with the expectations and preferences of the audience.
Reflect on Editing Process: The act of reviewing and assessing the editing strategies used, to continually improve the content creation process.

The goal is to refine our content creation and editing process to ensure that your message resonates powerfully with your target audience. This comprehensive guide outlines the key steps and techniques to polish and perfect your content.

#1. Review the document from beginning to end, maintaining the reader's perspective. Review the content as a reader would, making necessary adjustments to maintain interest throughout.

#2. Ensure the document's main idea is clear and compelling. Scrutinize the draft to ensure clarity and relevance of the main concept, focusing on message integrity.

#3. Simplify language and optimize the structure for readability. Enhance readability using formatting tools to streamline complex phrases and eliminate redundancy.

#4. Maintain a dynamic narrative flow using the bucket brigade technique. Employ techniques to keep the narrative lively and engaging.

#5. Tactfully incorporate Voice of Customer data. Integrate feedback that speaks directly to the reader’s experiences, positioning our solutions effectively.

#6. Adjust sentence structures for direct engagement. Use engagement techniques while maintaining a natural tone.

#7. Examine the document for fluid transitions between sections. Ensure smooth transitions to maintain a coherent flow of ideas.

#8. Reflect on the editing process for further improvement. Continually assess and refine the editing process.

Embrace the Principle of Content Preservation. Adopt the foundational principle of never deleting any content during the writing and editing process. This method not only streamlines workflow but ensures that all ideas and drafts are cultivated into impactful writing.

Refine Content Continuously. Engage in a process of continuous refinement without discarding content. This involves the meticulous examination and evolution of our written material. It's crucial to constantly iterate our content, adding new insights, editing existing segments, and reshuffling ideas without resorting to deletion. Even the segments that might not currently align with our narrative could be valuable.

Enhance Persuasiveness Through Strategic Editing. Refine the client's copy through strategic editing, enhancing its persuasive power. Editing involves more than just correcting typos or grammar; it is about strategically utilizing persuasion techniques such as Social Proof, Influencer Proof, Scarcity, and Urgency. Additionally, the deliberate choice of specific words and phrases can significantly amplify the message's effectiveness, persuading the reader by the conclusion of the copy.

Organize Unused Content. Store unused content in a dedicated space rather than removing it. To manage the content effectively, cut and move pieces that currently do not fit into the main document to a separately labeled ‘Scraps' document.

Utilize Content Management Tools. Implement tools and practices for better management of drafts and ideas. Utilize organizational tools like the ‘Cardify' feature in AirStory, which allows for the transformation of content into manageable notes. This maintains a cleaner main document while ensuring no idea is permanently dismissed. Additionally, continuously curate and integrate applicable content from the ‘scraps' during the editing phase, evaluating each piece for its potential relevance and impact on the current project.

Our focus now shifts towards refining your promotional materials through strategic editing to bolster the persuasiveness and impact of your copy.

Use Logical Connectors.

Incorporate “because” into the client's copy to signify a logical flow.
Start with phrases like “For example” or “For instance” to reinforce the solidity of the argument.
Employ “Which begs the question” to introduce challenges or thought-provoking statements, setting up the product or service as the logical solution.

Integrate audience “success blockers” to enhance relatability. Understanding and addressing obstacles faced by the audience makes the sales argument stronger and more compelling.

Refine and iterate on your copy. Continuously experiment with various elements of your copy to find the most persuasive and resonant version.

To further enhance our strategic approach, sharing insights into your audience's awareness stages and any previous A/B testing results related to CTAs and checkout experiences will be invaluable. These insights will guide the tutorials that delve deeper into optimizing each segment for higher conversions.

Develop Conversational Sales Pages. Use insights about the reader’s interactions, awareness, and sophistication to create sales content that feels like a dialogue, reflecting the reader's thoughts and expectations.

Create Persona-Specific Sales Pages. Develop separate sales pages for each key audience segment to precisely address their unique challenges, needs, and internal dialogues of each key audience segment.

Immerse yourself in the world of your target personas to understand their drives and how your offerings fit into their lives, ensuring your sales pages resonate on a deeply personal level.

When it comes down to making money, people judge your copy.

#1: Check your work

Do a grammar check, spelling check, punctuation check, and formatting check. You want to make sure that you don't inadvertently stick your foot in your mouth and sound like an idiot.

#2: Quality reflection:

If you don’t take the time to proofread your sales message, you're telling your audience about the quality of your product.

#3: Browser Compatibility:

Check how your copy looks in every web browser—Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer. You need to see how it plays.

#4: Device Compatibility:

Check on different operating systems, including PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Linux. It’s our fault if the message looks bad.

#5: Secondary Reading Path:

With text, this means scanning your copy to see if you can get the basic message. People scan; they don’t read. Can you get the gist of your sales message from the headline, sub-headlines, bolded words, pictures, and the P.S.?

#6: Videos

Ensure all videos on Facebook have subtitles since they start playing muted. Auto-play videos are restricted by browsers like Chrome, which do not play sound automatically.

#7: Review Process

Get a second pair of eyes on your copy. A second review will catch the typos, grammatical errors, and playback issues.

#8: Capture Attention with Crossheads.

Utilize crossheads effectively to halt the reader's scanning and capture their attention.

These enhancements to our content creation and editing strategies are designed to increase the effectiveness of our projects, aligning closely with the evolving needs of our target audience and the dynamic nature of our industry.

Testing and DESIGN

A/B Split Testing

A/B split testing is not just a tool; it's a necessary strategy for anyone serious about maximizing the effectiveness of their sales efforts. It involves comparing two versions of your sales copy (Version A and Version B) to see which one performs better on a specific metric, such as sales, clicks, or subscriptions. This method allows you to continuously refine your copy, ensuring that it resonates as effectively as possible with your audience.

It's common to fear that changing a piece of sales copy that is currently effective will ruin its success. However, the practice of A/B testing is built on the premise that there is always room for improvement. By methodically testing changes, you can enhance your copy incrementally without the risk of long-term setbacks. If a new version doesn't work as well, you can always revert to the original.

Real-World Impact of A/B Testing:

Consider the scenario where you improve the conversion rate of a $100 product from 1% to 1.2% through a simple headline change. This small adjustment doesn’t just slightly improve your earnings—it significantly boosts your profitability. The beauty of A/B testing lies in these small, measurable changes that cumulatively lead to substantial increases in performance and profits.

Practical Steps to Implement A/B Testing:

Choose One Variable: Always test one variable at a time to ensure that your results are clear and actionable.
Use the Right Tools: Utilize software like ClickFunnels or other A/B testing tools to automate and simplify the process.
Start Testing: Begin with elements that are crucial to conversion, such as headlines, calls to action, and button colors.

Why A/B Testing is Essential:

Avoids Complacency: It pushes you to constantly challenge your current results and strive for better.
Enhances Decision Making: Provides empirical data to support marketing decisions, removing guesswork.
Increases Profitability: Even minor improvements in conversion rates can lead to significantly higher profits.

A/B TESTING:

Element 1: Description of test
Element 2: Description of test
(Continue as needed)—identifies the most effective elements to optimize conversions.
ANALYTICS: Tools for tracking engagement and conversions, essential for measuring success and areas for improvement.

A/B testing is a controlled, risk-managed process that can lead to much better performance from your sales materials. Start small, test consistently, and use the insights gained to continually refine your approach. By doing so, you not only avoid stagnation but also drive significant improvements in your marketing effectiveness and business profitability.

LAUNCH AND MONITOR

LAUNCH STRATEGY: Detailed launch plan, critical for a successful market entry.
MONITORING AND FEEDBACK: System for collecting and analyzing feedback, important for continuous improvement.
ITERATIVE IMPROVEMENTS: Plan for ongoing enhancements based on data and feedback, necessary for staying relevant and competitive.

Visual Elements OF The Page

This section outlines the process of developing and refining a long-form sales page to effectively engage and convert your target audience. The focus is on drafting, designing, and refining the page to create a professional and visually appealing presentation.

Acknowledge the importance of design and layout.

#1. Acquire proficiency in design tools like Photoshop to transition the written content into a visually engaging format. Learning to use these tools is essential for creating a professional-looking sales page that captivates the audience not only with compelling copy but also with a visually appealing presentation.

#2. Convert the drafted sales copy into a basic layout using Photoshop, focusing on a clean, straightforward design. Start with a manageable canvas size of around 1,400 pixels wide by 5,000-7,000 pixels tall. Organize the sales copy in a narrow column format to improve readability and incorporate basic design elements like images, logos, or color blocks to enhance visual appeal.

#3. Refine the sales page design to optimize readability and incorporate higher-quality visual elements. Adjust font size, line spacing, and paragraph styling to ensure text is readable. Use colors effectively to differentiate sections and ensure text colors provide enough contrast for easy reading.

#4. Integrate persuasive design elements with the sales copy to guide the reader through a compelling narrative.

#5. Identify and translate key design elements into textual content, focusing on conversion-driving components. Translating these components accurately into text ensures the essence and effectiveness of the design are preserved in the written format.

#6. Conduct a thorough review of the finalized sales page, ensuring it effectively merges captivating content with strategic design. This final evaluation is crucial for identifying areas that may require refinement, aiming to create a balanced and persuasive sales page that stands out in the digital marketplace.

VISUAL ELEMENTS:

Images
Videos
Graphics

—these support the text and can significantly enhance user engagement and understanding.

Video Sales Letter Structure

Adding a video to your sales page is crucial for enhancing engagement, as videos captivate attention more effectively than text or static images. They deliver information quickly and efficiently, helping visitors understand your product's benefits at a glance. Videos also boost conversion rates by providing clear demonstrations and creating a stronger emotional connection with potential customers.

SALES LETTER FORMATS

Video Sales Letters (VSLs): Video Sales Letters combine visual and auditory elements to capture and retain viewer attention effectively, making them great for emotional storytelling and product demonstrations. However, they require significant investment in time and resources for production and editing.
Long-Form Sales Letters: Long-form sales letters offer detailed information about a product, catering to customers who prefer exhaustive content to make informed decisions. The downside is that their length and depth can be overwhelming, potentially deterring readers who prefer quicker information absorption.
Short-Form Sales Letters: Short-form sales letters are concise and to the point, ideal for capturing the attention of customers with shorter attention spans and delivering key messages swiftly. However, their brevity might omit essential details, which can be a drawback for customers seeking more comprehensive information.

Typically, we have a Buy button right under the video, followed by three to six bullets about the product, the software, the service underneath that. We sometimes flip those two, where we may have the video and then the bullets and then the Buy button, but typically my Buy button is going right underneath the video.

Guarantee

Summary:

In the summary, we list off that they’re going to get this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this (in a bulleted list).

Then we have another Buy button.

Finally, we have the close, and then probably a P.S. The P.S. basically just restates the main benefits expressed in the video sales letter itself.

Then why use the long copy if you start with video sales letters?

You use the long copy to sell a higher priced item and if people need more information to make a purchase decision.
They’ll attend an hour-long webinar, but they won’t view a lengthy video sales letter.
So, in some cases, you have to give people more information using long copy. In a case involving higher priced stuff, they typically need more information, especially if it’s a more technical sale.

Typically, the two reasons you use long copy are: When what you’re selling costs more, or people need more information to make a decision.

So in this case, typically what we’ll do is:

a. Start with a headline.

b. We’ll still do a sales video.

c. Then we have the Buy button and then we have the long-form sales letter underneath all of that.

So just because you’re using the long-form sales letter doesn’t mean that you don’t use the video too. In fact, I’ve actually seen where the video sales letter and the long-form sales letter were the exact same thing. The long-form sales letter was basically just a transcript of the video sales letter. Or, in other cases, the long-form sales letter was basically the script used to create the video sales letter.

Why would you want to have both the video and the long-form sales letter on the same page?

In fact, some people will watch the video and then read the sales letter before they decide to buy or not.

When would you use a short-form sales letter?

Simply hold it up in the sales video and say, “Hey, look. This is what I have. This is what it does. These are the benefits to you. Here’s why you should buy this now.” Using a short sales letter makes sense when it’s inexpensive and doesn’t require a lot of explanation. If you did write longer copy, someone would say, “They’re over-selling this product. Something is going on here.”

Test which works better:

A video sales letter
A long-form sales letter
A short-form sales letter

Structuring the Page

Start with the headline. The headline is your most important piece of sales copy.
Insert your video.
Add a Buy button, placed right under the video. In some cases, I will stop right here. In others, I’ll add the following:
Add 4-6 awesome, curiosity-inducing bullets under the buy button.
Give the guarantee.
Summarize what they’ll get.
Insert another Buy button. Closing copy.
The Postscript (P.S.). Restate the main benefits stated in the video sales letter.

Scarcity Prompt:

Sale!
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Original price was: $2,997.00.Current price is: $2,497.00. Add to cart

is restricted in supply by [describe the genuine bottlenecks to your supply] but I want to incorporate more compelling scarcity and urgency in my offer without being dishonest or acting in an unscrupulous way. Give me five alternative ways of creating scarcity that I can use in my meetings and sales messaging, so my customers are persuaded to act right now.

AchieveAI

Sales: Writing Sales Letters

Research

Audience Desire: The Four Keys to Effective Marketing

Examples of what they might want to accomplish include:

examples:

examples:

Examples:

Examples:

examples:

Analysis to Action

The Writing Process

Before You Begin

KEY DEFINITIONS

Swipe File

1: Headline

Example:

Examples:

Examples:

Examples:

Examples:

WARNING HEADLINES:

Examples:

Examples:

Example:

Example:

Example:

Psychographics

2: Shocking Statement

Examples:

3: the Problem

Here’s an example from the military fitness niche:

Here’s an example from the author niche:

4: Amplify

Examples:

5: the Offer / Solution

EXAMPLE 1:

EXAMPLE 2:

EXAMPLE 3:

KEY DEFINITIONS

Exclusive Empowerment & Self-Forgiveness

Overcoming Sales Barriers

Trust-Building Touchpoints

About Your Product

Parallel Realities/Divergent Roads

6: Bullet Points

For example:

Examples:

7: Credibility Statement

8: Testimonials / Proof

Example:

Here’s an example:

9: Summary / Price

Coaching Example:

Drill Example:

Examples:

10: Bonuses

11: Guarantee

Examples:

12: Call To Action

The Try Section

The Challenges

13: Postscript

Examples:

Example:

Here’s another example:

14: The Buying Process

The Final Copy

The Editing Process

KEY DEFINITIONS

Testing and DESIGN

A/B Split Testing

Real-World Impact of A/B Testing:

Visual Elements OF The Page

Video Sales Letter Structure

Structuring the Page

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