by adminHow To Write A Text That Sells.
Copywriting is the alchemical component of business, it can turn an idea into income, it is the marketing tool that has created empires of millions.
To write a text you need to know what your “big idea” is, i.e. what you are selling and what the benefits are. Clarifying and articulating this “big idea” is the most important step in the sales process.
Have you heard of the P.A.S.T.O.R. formula?
P.A.S.T.O.R. formula (Person, Amplification, Story, Trasformer, Offer, Response) is an acronym that describes the most important elements of a copy, it means the protective attitude that should be held towards customers.
Person (the problem): identify the type of person you want to reach with your message, the problem your product or service aims to solve, describing it in the most accurate and detailed way; preferably use the same language as your readers.
Amplification: underline the negative consequences that readers will face if the problem is not solved, as well as the cost of their indecision.
History (solution): tell the (true) story of someone who has solved this problem, using your solution.
Transformation (testimony): for everything you sell remember that people are not buying what you sell, but the transformation that this thing will bring into their lives; of course, bringing evidence of real transformations that your product or service has helped to achieve.
Offer: describe exactly what you offer, focusing on the transformation that your product will bring into the lives of customers rather than into the facilities.
Answer: Guide the customer to purchase, with accurate instructions that follow that step by step.
How a typical sales letter is articulated
– A sales letter has some basic blocks: it starts with a short sentence that aims to attract the initial attention of the recipient of the message, which would give way to the title that has the task of making the reader continue reading. The following is another sentence that aims to reinforce the impact of the proposed idea on the title and to arouse curiosity, what they will gain by reading the rest of the letter;
– Most of the text is the descriptive, explanatory part of the product category you are selling which would be divided into sections to attract the reader’s attention during the process of the first surface reading. First, before you start writing this piece, you need to decide who the recipients of the letter are; do some research on online forums to understand what are the current topics of discussion for the product category you are selling, what are the most common problems and questions. This means building a relationship, demonstrating that we know the reader.
– By using paragraphs (point list) you have the opportunity to identify for each point an advantage offered by your product or service, an encouraging statement that arouses curiosity, but to overcome the natural resistance to buy, curiosity is not enough, it should be build a strong trust, you need to answer the question: Why should I listen to this person? Evidence is the verification of third parties that your solution does what it claims to do, trusted people who have used your product or service, are well found and are willing to prove it.
– To justify the value of the offer, which is higher than the price of the product, you need to remove the biggest obstacle, the fear of buying, you need to tell readers that you take the risk; for example, offering a guaranteed refund, in case the product does not meet their expectations.
– The last part is the specific offer or call for action, it is the moment when we have summarized the main benefits that the product can offer and ask the reader to buy, explaining how to do it. Remember that readers move very quickly through a text and often go straight to the end.
5 basic qualities of a persuasive title
Attractive title should have the following characteristics:.
- The main task of a title is to attract the attention of the powerful client with a statement or a promise that provokes an emotional reaction.
- Choose specific words. Qualify customers by choosing words that match the type of clientele you want to reach. Titles that are good for everyone are not good for anyone.
- Attracts the reader to the body of the text the penetrating part. The task of the title is to convince readers to continue reading.
- Communicate the “big idea”, the only real advantage of your offer.
- Establish reliability. Authority is one of the most powerful tools to attract attention.
Some strategic aspects to writing an e-mail that sells the most
Email marketing is still the most effective way to sell online. There are 3 basic types of email campaigns
- “Live” campaign: a series of e-mails sent for a specific purpose; such as launching or promoting a product, are written in real time, when the event takes place;
- Automated campaign: series (one per day, or one per week) of e-mails that is activated when a customer performs a certain action, registers or signs for an internet seminar;
- “Duplicate” campaign: when you send a single e-mail to all users on your list for a specific purpose, they are used when you want to offer something (for example a video tutorial) for free.
Consumers who give you permission to trade with them are likely to be buyers, so give them valuable reasons to choose (sign up for your mailing list), offer some sort of price (a report, a video, a course small) to attract visitors to leave their names and addresses. Don’t assume they are interested in reading your next email; give them a reason to do so, especially avoid spam and frequent e-mail complaints. Use autoresponders as sales agents, especially in the beginning, to get to know you. Treat any email as if it were a small sales letter; teach readers to click on your links.
Write your message in order to be Personal, create Expectations and stimulate Curiosity to seem to be written by a friend who does not resemble advertising leaflets. Start each e-mail with an undeniable truth, for example the date, use a block that summarizes the main advantage and provides a link to the sales button. Always fill out deletion requests from your list.
Finally, the rule of master Zen: you should never read the complaint email. Ask someone in your work group to do it for you.
Some of the elements that support advertising:
The offer, which is at the heart of your sales copy, consists of the benefit that readers will have, the customers of what you are selling, the change that the product or service will bring, the price and the payment deadlines.
There are different types of offers. You need to choose the one that best suits your product or service. It can be straightforward, simple, (that’s the cost, buy now) it can be the type of offer you leave with the products on trial (you don’t have to pay anything right away) it works, but often consumers forget that at the end of probationary period, they will have to pay.
When the product comes out for the first time, it can be offered at an advertising price that will no longer be found in the future, you can also use the limited offer, a limited number (of available pieces or positions), limited in time. , valid for a limited period of time.
To choose the right offer, you need to know the state of awareness in which your audience is: the respondent does not know that he has a problem and that you have solutions; the analyst begins to have a problem and is thinking of a possible solution; the person involved has a problem and is looking for a solution before it gets worse; the needy will buy everything that can solve his problem.
The fear of buying that is caused by losing money for a useless product, the disappointment that this can cause, is the most dangerous section that needs to be eliminated. It is in the best interest of the buyer to start the relationship, not trusting you, so it is best to change roles, you should follow the idea that you are taking more risks. If you can transfer the risk from the buyer to yourself, you will remove the fear and he will be free to do what he wants: buy your product.
Authority. You must provide proof of reliability, proof of achievement, and, above all, a 100 percent unconditional refund guarantee. Personalize your warranty, make it look like a personal promise, it should be a simple, fast, trouble-free repayment, it proves that you have absolute confidence in your product, enough to take the risk of sacrifice; for example, a double refund.
Buying. The most important part of asking a reader to make a purchase is closing. It summarizes the offer, retells the history of your product, solves problems and brings benefits, reminds readers, the basic reason why they should buy your product, closing can only be a part of your copy that will read. Finally, the most important thing is that in closing you have to look for a clear and fruitful purchase.
Use all available tools: benefits, warranty, audio, video, urgency, absence and reward. Use a button for orders, make the purchase procedure simple and visible. Be as special as possible. Reassure the customer, tell them exactly what will happen when you press “Send”.
Author Ray Edwards is one of the most sought-after and paid writers, as well as a business coach in the world. Among his clients are several best-selling authors such as: Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Robert Allen, Raymond Aaron. He wrote thousands of pages of advertising texts, radio commercials, television commercials, brochures, training manuals, marketing campaigns and so on.
It is the emotions that determine a purchase, then come the reasonable excuses.