| |
| |
|
Web Design Information |
|
|
|
Long Copy Sales Letters on the Web: Hype or Not?
I have written before about long sales copy on the web. But I have more to say on the subject. First, let me be clear about what I'm saying here. I'm not talking about long content pages within dozens of other pages on a site. I'm talking about stand-alone pages...a long, direct response sales letter online, often with its own domain name. Next, let me say this: long copy works, online and offline. If you can hold someone's attention with your writing, a long page gives you the space to deliver all the benefits, cover all the features and address a myriad of reader questions and concerns. So long as the letter carries momentum and holds the reader's attention, people will keep scrolling. And you'll get a better conversion rate than you would with a shorter page. This is true offline, and on the web also. However, what I have found is two distinct approaches to the long, online sales letter. Both work, but do so in different ways. Long copy style #1: Selling with Hype You probably know the kind of page I mean. Here's an example of the kind of copy you can expect: "Income For Life? is the same program being praised by the true experts as "...a new breakthrough method that will probably lead more people from broke to millionaire status than 'Think & Grow Rich,' 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad,' and 'The Science Of Getting Rich' Combined!"" The copy style is fast, packed with superlatives, thick with unsupported promises and bulging with testimonials given by people who appear to sprinkle amphetamines on their wheaties. The template for these sales pages is fairly consistent. Lots of highlighted subheads and indents. A breathless pace...and the promise of a better life. Success. Wealth. Happiness. Well, we all want to be happy and most of us could do with some extra wealth. But how is it that this approach works so well? Many of us look at these letters and are incredulous. And many of us would claim never to be persuaded by such an approach. But hundreds of thousands of people are. How come? This copy approach has a hypnotic quality to it. It makes promises with such strength and enthusiasm. And in some way, it tempts us into a state of submission. We submit to the endless waves of promises and testimonials. We succumb to the thought that maybe, just maybe...this might work...and we might find that extra wealth or happiness. And yes, even you will turn off your critical faculties from time to time. If you have ever purchased a lottery ticket you have been in this 'space'...where your desire for a better future overcomes your more rational thinking process. Hey, someone has to win. Right? The same is true if you have ever felt your brain go soft in the face of an enthusiastic car or electronics salesperson. One half of your brain knows you are being persuaded to buy extra features you don't need and probably can't afford. The other part of your brain is whispering in your ear, "Hey man, chill. This feels good. Go with the flow, listen to the man." This happens to us when we WANT to hear what we are hearing. When we WANT it to be true. When we allow ourselves to dream. This is how hype works. It deepens our state of submission and creates a state of almost dreamlike optimism. And it works. The significant downside to this approach is that most of us wake up from the dream and find that the promises were empty. Or, to put it another way, we bought the ticket, but didn't win the lottery. So if your aim is to build long-term relationships with your readers, prospects and customers, using hype is not the way to go. The second style of long copy approach is quite different. Again, these are often stand-alone pages, many screens long. Again, you'll find the headings, the subheads, indents and testimonials. But you'll find a very different approach in the writing style. If you have ever read a sales letter from Bill Bonner, Ken Evoy or Allan Gardyne... this is the kind of writing I'm talking about. These are still long, enthusiastic letters...and the pace still draws you down, line after line. But here are some differences, and they are very significant. - Within the text you will hear the genuine voice of the writer. You're not being sold with copy written by the 'Dream-O-Matic 2000' - you're being sold by a recognizable human voice, the voice of Bill, Ken or Allan. - You are not succumbing to that state of dreamlike submission and suspending your critical faculties. You remain quite rational and quite clear in your thinking. - You are hearing a voice that sounds and feels infinitely more trustworthy. - You don't have to suspend your disbelief. Instead, you feel comfortable and believe what you are reading. At the end of a letter like this, you make a choice...buy or not to buy. And it's a choice you are much less likely to regret. Online sales letters like these are the children of traditional direct response letter writing. Good direct mail letters are written in this second way - by making a genuine connection with the reader and earning his or her trust. There is a big upside to this second approach. It builds trust and loyalty. If your strategy is to build a list of happy prospects and customers who will come back again and again, this is the style you will want to adopt. Conclusions Long copy works, and it works in more than one way. If you can reach a big enough readership (no small feat) and want to make big money, right now, hype might work for you. But if you want to build a long-term list of repeat customers... be yourself and write to your audience with an enthusiasm that is built on a foundation of honesty and respect for your readers. -- Article Resource: If you would like to learn how to write like a traditional direct marketer, read my review of Michael Masterson's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting. Nick Usborne is a copywriter, author, speaker and advocat of good writing. You can access all his archived newsletter articles on copywriting and writing for the web at his Excess Voice site. You'll find more articles and resources on how to make money as a freelance writer at his Freelance Writing Success site.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Keep It Simple, Stupid: The Beauty of a Clean Cut Website Don't knock it; "Keep It Simple, Stupid" is a great rule to live by. Nobody likes a website to "yell" at them, with blaring colors and flashing lights. The Brutal Truth Not too long ago while looking for businesses that do web design I stumbled upon website. It looked great. Create A Web Site That Builds Trust If someone doesn't know you personally, will they trust you enough to do business with you just by visiting your web site?Most people view organizations - and web sites - they don't know with great skepticism. Given all the identity theft and viruses running around, people are understandably cautious and somewhat skeptical when they go to a new web site. Got Web Traffic but Still Low Sales? Ten Ways to Selling Success - Part 2 Part one of this article is available at www.bookcoaching. What Does Your Website Say About Your Business? QUESTION: My business is very small, just me and two employees, and our product really can't be sold online. Do I really need a website? -- Robin C. Using Graphic Design on Your Website Almost everything is available on the web? products, services, e-books, software, audios, videos, membership sites, or newsletters. Regardless of what you're promoting, there's a never-ending supply of prospects and customers on the world-wide-web. Ten Basic Steps For Building A Web Site That Works 1. Assemble a web site development plan that is integrated with your overall marketing processes; the content should be consistent with offline materials, the graphics/images don't have to be identical with traditional media, but should be consistent with your overall branding, style guide, usage of colors etc. How To Use Color Effectively When You Create A Web Site Colors are powerful, and create strong feelings. They can also make your web site look professional - or look like a circus. Put Up A Website And Start Promoting In About An Hour I can't figure out people who have products or information to sell who do not have a website. With some people, it's fear of technology; others just haven't realized that we've entered the electronic age. Keep Your Navigation Consistent! One of the single most important aspects of effective navigation is consistency. Why? There's a simple reason. Increase Sales on Your Website! Use Graphics! How many times have you clicked on a website only to find a screen full of text? You read a large-scale headline and then all you see is text, much like reading a letter. You scan down the page looking for something to attract your attention. Choose & Use the Best Colors, The Psychology of Color Are you using the best colors for your web site? Many web designers often overlook the issues of color in web design. When choosing colors for your web site there are three main areas that should be addressed. Very Cheap Website Design Services Are you looking for somebody to build you a website, however do not have a very large budget? This is the position many people find themselves in and are on the lookout for very cheap web design services.There are companies out there or people who are just starting out in a career building websites who to start with will often offer their services at a very reasonable rate, basically to build up a portfolio. Custom Icons For Your Specific Brand Developing a software application is not easy at all; apart from the effective creation of the application you'll have to think of other things as well, like: making the software easy to work with, giving it a unique and appealing look, making it better than other software, etc. Apart from the qualities of the application, these little things are the ones that promote your software application among the end users. Business Opportunity for Graphic Designers As a graphic designer, you are sitting on a gold mine. Youhave a skill other people do not have, and you can use thatskill to earn a good living. How to Get Your Visitors to Create Content for Your Website An ongoing challenge for webmasters today is to provide fresh content that gives visitors a reason to return to their site. Unless you have a full-time staff dedicated to creating regular content, the time involved can be crippling. Lead Capture Pages Explode Your Direct Sales Business Online! Are you building a direct sales or mlm business online? Using lead capture pages can significantly improve your recruiting results and save you lots of time and money! I have known a few people who earned 5-figure monthly incomes in their mlm businesses and they used lead capture pages for Internet marketing.What is a lead capture page?A lead capture page is similar to a minisite in that it is a simple, one page website that leads your visitor to take ONE action. The Next Marketing Tool: Deisgn Design sells. It's something that all of us know, but few of us consciously acknowledge. Your Free Guide To Obtain A Cheap Web Design Quote Website design is a very competitive area and there is no longer any reason why people should pay large amounts for web design services.This article describes and explains where to find very very cheap web design services. Website Design Basic Concepts So, what's in a website design anyway? And, how do you get a design that is appealing to the broad and varied tastes of all those Internet surfers out there?This is critical. Your website design is the first impression you make on your customers and visitors.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
