Sales: Sales Letters

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 _“)

#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 _“)

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 _!

#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!”)

#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.

Here’s The Perfect Solution If You Want_.

My Proven _ Method To _.

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.

#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.

#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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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_.”

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.

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.

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?”

#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.

THE LEAD: DRAWING READERS IN

#1. Engage and build consensus.

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.

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.

Understanding Features vs. Benefits in Sales Copy

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

#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.”

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.

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.

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.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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 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!

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.

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

So, how does this work?

1. 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).”
2. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.