Long Copy Sales Letters – Do They Really Work?
Many people that I speak to think long copy is dead. They say that nobody reads it, it’s not effective any more, that long copy is hopelessly old-fashioned and out-of-date. I think that the demise of long copy has been exaggerated. Long copy still works and lives.
Today’s resource is from my own online copywriting course, available at WebCopyWritingExplained.com. In this lesson, I explain why long copy works and show you how to use it effectively.
Here are three reasons long copy is still effective:
We love to read about what we love. When you’re interested in a certain product or service or video, don’t you love to visit websites that tell you more about it? Don’t you love to find books on your favorite topics? There’s a favorite little bookstore of mine here in Spokane called Auntie’s Bookstore. When I go in there with a topic in mind, I don’t just buy one book on that topic, I buy ALL the books on that topic! You could verify that if you could see my office here. You would see hundreds of books on the subject of marketing, copywriting and web conversion. We love to read about what we love, and that includes sales letters about what we love!
Online is not like selling face-to-face. When you sell face-to-face, you can hear people’s questions, you can read their body language to get an idea of what they’re really thinking. Online, you have to try to figure out what questions (or “objections”) they’re likely to have. It’s your job to figure out and answer all possible objections in advance. This will require a lot of words. What you end up with is long copy!
Long copy tells a story. People love stories. Don’t believe me? Check out Seth Godin’s book, All Marketers Are Liars. In it, he discusses the power of using stories to sell a product, and how this can help your business.
Here’s a formula for writing a four-part long copy sales letter that works almost every time, if it’s executed properly. I credit this formula to John Carlton (and, by the way, I highly recommend all his material to you):
Here’s what I have to offer. This clearly explains what you are offering to your readers.
Here’s why it’s right for you. Here you explain why this is the solution to your reader’s problems.
Here are some answers for you. Here, you answer any questions that they may have in advance.
Here’s what to do now. Buy! Call now! Right now! That’s what you want them to do right now!
Interested in trying it for yourself? Try using these four steps as they are written – they make good headlines. It really works!
Filed under: Copywriting