Ask for an opinion about long copy, and you will get it! People think that it doesn’t work, it’s old-fashioned and nobody reads it. Well, I’m here to tell you that reports of the death of long copy have been greatly exaggerated. Long copy sales letters are not dead.
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!
Selling online is different from selling in person. When you deal with a client in person, you aren’t only listening to what he says. You are also reading his body language, looking for clues to his thoughts. By contrast, when you sell online, you lose all those valuable visual cues. Instead, you have to define your client’s objections in advance, then answer these objections. This can take a lot of words, and lead you directly to long copy!
Long copy allows you to tell a story. Stories sell. If you doubt this, I recommend the book All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin. It talks about the power of story selling and why it’s so important to your business.
Do I have you convinced? Try this simple formula to create a four-part long copy sales letter that can get you results if done properly. This formula is credited to John Carlton - I love his material, and highly recommend it to you:
Here’s what I have to offer. Here you explain exactly what you are offering to people reading your copy.
Here’s why it’s right for you. Solve your reader’s problems, and explain why you are the right choice.
Here are some answers for you. Here, you answer any questions that they may have in advance.
Here’s what to do now. Buy! Pull out your credit card! That’s what you want them to do! Right now!
It is interesting to note that you could use each of these headlines, exactly as written, to start each section in your copy. Try it — it really works!
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