More Secrets for
Powerfully
Effective Online Sales Letters By Scott T. Smith
Here are more secrets of powerful
online sales letters. The rules of the Web writing game have emerged, and you
will find them being used over and over again. They draw on the best practices
of direct mail for a simple reason: the Web is a direct response medium.
So borrow from the best and apply these
direct response writing tactics. Your job is to persuade with compelling,
memorable copy. Here's how...
According to Bill Myers, one of
America's leading direct mail experts, when people receive an offer through
email or direct mail, they scan it in this order:
The Headline
Any Captions for Photos or Drawings
Any Large Text Subheads
The PS
The Order Card
(Finally!), the Actual Text itself
Customers actually place orders for
Bill's products without ever reading the text (and his products range from the
$100's into the $1000's). Which means, attention paid to the elements listed
above is of prime importance.
Here are some key formatting tips that
will keep your prospects reading so you can close the sale.
Break the copy up into short copy
paragraphs. A single-sentence paragraph can make a striking point.
Use headlines and sub-headlines.
Use bullets, numbers, and dashes (-)
to further break up copy, allowing plenty of white space to make reading
your offer even easier on the eye.
Use arrows (-->), boxes, color or
shading, graphics, indentations, bold lettering, CAPITAL LETTERS, italics,
and punctuation!! Note: use a light touch here, rather than the 'HIT them
over and over 'til they beg for mercy!' approach.
Give customers premiums.
Over-deliver on the offer that first interested your prospective customer
any way you can (expert writer Marlon Sanders calls this the 'dollars for
dimes' approach - you give your customers far more perceived value than they
actually pay for). Premiums can add tremendous value to your offer without
substantially increasing your cost of delivery.
Emphasize the word FREE wherever it
applies.
Use fast-loading graphics that
actively support your message. Avoid generic clip-art 'success' graphics if
you can.
Provide testimonials. If you don't
have them, get them ASAP.
Urge 'Immediate Action'. State a
time limit to your offer (note: many marketers offer their premiums only if
prospective customers buy within a window of 3-14 days).
The better you know your target
audience the more sales you will make. The key is to know how badly your
customers hurt, and what they most want to achieve.
by Scott T. Smith of Copywriting.Net
'Make Profit Happen' with Direct Response Web Writing that 'Works'. For a FREE
copywriting consultation visit us on the Web today at http://www.copywriting.net
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