Hello again all,

Alright ... I'm stuck.

I need to know if there is a specific order that you should put things
in when writing sales copy.

I have the following:

- Bonuses ( which are directly related to the product, not just junk )
- Money Back Guarantee
- Discount off of the "regular price" if referred by a JV partner ( this
statement doesn't appear if they are referred by a regular affiliate )
- Price will be going up after X sales or X date ( yes, it's true )

What comes first, second, third, etc? I know there must be some
type of forumla for this, but honestly, I've never seen it. Should a
guarantee come before the bonuses? Should the statement about
the price going up after X sales or X date be after mentioning the
discount if you sign up now?

Lost, and looking for advice.

Thanks
Gary Ambrose

Hello Gary:

Here's a tutorial I wrote about sales letters. This should help you organize your thoughts better.

You MUST write every single sales letter using the following classic AIDA formula. If you are loyal to the formula, the consistency, power and home runs will follow. That's a proven fact. Here's the formula:

A=ATTENTION I=INTEREST D=DESIRE A=ACTION

Let's break down each letter, so that you can understand the full import of the formula:

A=ATTENTION: The very first thing your sales letter must do is get your prospects attention. The best way to do that is with an effective headline.

So, what's an effective headline? An effective headline is any headline that answers this question: "What's in it for me?" That's all your prospects really care about. What's in it for them?

Now, we come to the second letter in the aforementioned AIDA formula: I="INTEREST." After you get your prospects attention, you want to get them "INTERESTED" in your product or service. You do that by immediately telling them what your headline promises. You don't waste their time with a bunch of fluff and garbage that nobody but you cares about.

Tell them what they want to know, starting with the very first paragraph, and continue to tell them, right through to the very last paragraph. If you keep them interested, they'll keep reading, right to the very end--just like you're doing now with this tutorial.

Next comes the third letter letter in the formula: D="DESIRE." You have to make your prospects "DESIRE" your product or service. And the way to do that is with benefits, benefits and more benefits!

Remember, just keep telling them what your headline promised. Also, tell them what they stand to gain by purchasing your product or service. More importantly, tell them what they stand to lose, if they don't purchase.

Push their emotional "hot buttons", by using magic selling words like, new, save, amazing, free, guaranteed, security, no-risk, look younger, feel better, etc!

Finally, we come to the last letter in the formula, but certainly not the least: A="ACTION." You want to close your sales letter with a call to action! In other words, ask them for the order. It's important to ask for the order at least six or more times.

Here are a few examples of effective closes:

1. "Just click on the button below to order NOW--Risk-Free!"

2. "To get your FREE web site--Order NOW!"

3. "Limited time offer! Order NOW!"

Something else that's very effective is to include a post- script (P.S.) at the end of your sales letter. Your post-script should include an enticement of some sort, to get your prospects to order NOW. You should also use the post-script as a final call to "ACTION!"

Here's an example of an effective post-script:

P.S. If you order within the next 7 days, you'll also receive a personalized calculator mouse pad absolutely FREE, with your company's name embossed in gold lettering! Order NOW!"

You can also use a post script to tie everything together, by summarizing your most important benefits.

Another reason that you should use a post-script is strictly elementary. Studies have shown that most people, when reading a sales letter will read the headline and then immediately zoom right down to the bottom of the page to check out the price, and see if your offer is anything that they'd be interested in.

WARNING: Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the AIDA formula. It's been proven over time. It's powerful, and it works. In fact, the power is in its simplicity.

Also, when writing a sales letter, there are two critical points you must NEVER, EVER forget:

1. Most people don't make a buying decision based on logic. They make a buying decision based on their emotions. They justify their decision with logic, after the fact.

2. People don't want to feel like they're being coerced or pushed into anything. They want to feel like they arrived at a buying decision completely of their own free will.

Go back and read those two points again. Obviously, that's a very fine line to walk. But you MUST learn the distinction, if you want to master the art of writing effective sales letters.

In closing, follow the AIDA formula faithfully and it will rarely let you down.

And remember, when writing your sales letters, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS answer that one question we all want to know: "What's in it for me?"

Hi Gary,

Dean gives some good solid advice on the general letter approach. (Welcome aboard Dean)

You ask a good question, that doesn't necessarily have a right or wrong answer from my experience.

I've seen bonuses come up in the p.s., before the guarantee, after the guarantee, I've seen (and am testing) a time sensitive discount offer hover pop, or even in the pre-head in a box (Yanik Silver does this)...

In other words... lot's of possibilities here.

My best successes went something like:

1) I mentioned the bonus half-way through the letter (without much detail, before the first call to action).

2) Finished all the benefits.

3) Then when I got to the call to action, and made my pitch, I repeated all the main testimonial one line sentences bunched together that had already appeared as full testimonials throughout the letter,

4) Gave the guarantee,

5) Gave the bonus (in detail),

6) Then the order form

I've also done it where the bonus(es) come before the Guarantee, and I've done it with the bonus as a surprise in the P.S.

I take each project and decide what feels best... I'm afraid I don't work from a set formula regarding your question... maybe Michel, Alan, Peter or others here have more of a set process.

I am looking forward to seeing test results of what I am trying now... a very unusual approach to using a time sensitive discount offer, we'll see.

Don't know if that helps, as I try not to box in my strategies... apart some of the principle elements of a solid sales letter that Dean mentioned, I decide on many of the details when I see the offer...

Ciao,

Tim

Thank you very much, Tim!

Hi all.

I'm afraid I don't use a set formula. I like what Tim said about getting a feel for the piece you're working on. If that can be called a formula, then that's the one I use.

Dean presents a pretty solid tutorial.

I can certainly understand how someone who doesn't write, frequently could be stumped by the 'do it by feel' approach, so I'm providing this link to an article by David Frey It's one of the best I've seen, for getting unstuck.

It's simple, comprehensive and dependable.

One point I might add, editing comes after you write. Just write and write and write. You'll get to your message, after you peel through the layers of stuff, on the way to your message.

So when you sit down to write, leave yourself alone. Don't brutalize yourself by having to do it 'right'. Editing comes later.

Just get something with a little structure down and come back the next day.


Peter Stone

Thanks guys,

I didn't think there was a "forumla" for this type of thing, but I wanted
to be sure I wasn't missing something obvious.

I didn't see what appeared to be any pattern in my online, or my offline
swipe file, but then again, what appeals to me doesn't necessarily appeal
to the public in general so my swipe file might be flawed ...

Anyway, thanks for the response ... I guess this gets the same answer
that everything seems to these days.

TEST IT!

Gary Ambrose

Try this. My friend Sam Robbins, who's the brains behind TrafficSwarm and many other products/businesses (some of which he doesn't tell you about), is an awesome copywriter. His article is not public, but it's simple to get. First, go to:

http://www.successdoctor.com/partners/reporter

Download his free "demo" book. Open the zip file (it's an .exe file, which is a virus-free ebook, for PC's). In the introduction section, hover your mouse over "ad copy tips," then click on the article "Anatomy of a DR salesletter" by Sam Robbins. I believe it's the most comprehensive article on the subject. (Actually, I love David Frey's, too, but Sam puts his in a specific order).

Also, my own article might help:
http://successdoctor.com/articles/article127.htm

I think that Gary is more concerned about the offer presentation
rather than the structure of the entire sales letter. And I think
that's his is a ligitimate question.

I don't use a set formula either but I think that there is a logical
process that answers the anticipated questions in the prospect's mind.

So you get my attention, tell me about the problem that your
product can solve for me. Give me all the benefits so that I
want this right away.

The next question that comes to mind is "How can I get this product?"
So you give me the price. Then the next question in my mind may
now be "Why so much?" So you have to justifiy the price for me.

One way to justifiy the price is let me know the bonuses I'll receive.
Then my next question is "What if this doesn't live up to my
expectations?" So your guarantee takes care of that.

Then I think that I need time to think about it, so you tell me
the negative things that will happen if I wait --price increase etc.

So close by summarizing the offer and asking me to ACT NOW!

When I write that's the way I think about the process. I'm trying
to have a conversation with the prospect and answer the natural
questions s/he has in his/her mind at that point in time.

I find that TV commercials use this "formula" almost without fail.

-State problem or announce new product

- Tells the problems it will solve and benefits

-State the price (normally amortized)

- State bonuses

-Call to Action

-Guarantee.

Whenever I listen to a TV commercial I hear the mini version of a
direct marketing piece.

So to "answer" Gary's question, I'll say order "should" be:

- Price presentation
- Bonuses ( which are directly related to the product, not just junk )
- Discount off of the "regular price" if referred by a JV partner ( this
statement doesn't appear if they are referred by a regular affiliate )
- Money Back Guarantee
- Price will be going up after X sales or X date ( yes, it's true )

Regards,

Ray Edwards
http://www.webcopy-writing.com