Over the years, certain ideas have emerged about which parts of the sales letter are required. Copywriters tend to be an opinionated bunch, and many have written books about this very issue.
What follows is a listing and explanation of the four parts which I see as the absolute most important for your sales communications. Surely there are other required building blocks too; however, these particular pieces are the most crucial.
1. Headline.
Your headline is easily the most critical part of your sales copy. I'll explain this further.
The headline qualifies the sales letter, and often serves as a screening device. The headline sets the tone for the entire letter. It must summarize what will follow without "giving away" too much. It must grab the attention of the reader and convince them to keep reading. If the headline does not do its job, the letter will not get read.
It should be obvious why most veteran copywriters will invest more time on the headline than on any other element of the sales letter.
2. The offer.
What is being offered for sale? Take care that the particular offer is stated from the perspective of the prospect, not yours. The prospect must be able to easily comprehend "what's in it for them".
3. Customer testimonials.
Although there are exceptions, generally testimonials are going to be a very important piece of the building we call sales letters. There's an ancient saying that goes like this: "let another praise you and not your own lips". People today, just like people of times gone by, tend to be distrustful when others praise themselves. Testimonials break though much of the natural aversion and allow our satisfied customers to speak on our behalf.
4. Dealing with objections.
This part of the sales letter might not even be a separate section but rather, is sometimes woven into the letter. Regardless, here is why it exists. People naturally have buying resistance. Just think about the last time you went shopping for a major item. If you're like most people, prior to laying your money down you have several misgivings pop into your head. A good sales person knows how to answer these objections.
Selling in print is no different, and reality carries more importance for meeting objections than face-to-face sales. The reason is simple: as copywriters, we will not have the opportunity to answer our prospects' objections individually. We must therefore proactively predict their objections and meet them head-on.
Summary.
I am fully aware that these four elements alone do not a sales letter make. However, the copywriter would do well to spend the majority of time on these particular elements. They will "make or break" the sales letter. The business owner can make the process much easier by collecting good testimonials and by creating excellent products that his or her target market is actively seeking.
What follows is a listing and explanation of the four parts which I see as the absolute most important for your sales communications. Surely there are other required building blocks too; however, these particular pieces are the most crucial.
1. Headline.
Your headline is easily the most critical part of your sales copy. I'll explain this further.
The headline qualifies the sales letter, and often serves as a screening device. The headline sets the tone for the entire letter. It must summarize what will follow without "giving away" too much. It must grab the attention of the reader and convince them to keep reading. If the headline does not do its job, the letter will not get read.
It should be obvious why most veteran copywriters will invest more time on the headline than on any other element of the sales letter.
2. The offer.
What is being offered for sale? Take care that the particular offer is stated from the perspective of the prospect, not yours. The prospect must be able to easily comprehend "what's in it for them".
3. Customer testimonials.
Although there are exceptions, generally testimonials are going to be a very important piece of the building we call sales letters. There's an ancient saying that goes like this: "let another praise you and not your own lips". People today, just like people of times gone by, tend to be distrustful when others praise themselves. Testimonials break though much of the natural aversion and allow our satisfied customers to speak on our behalf.
4. Dealing with objections.
This part of the sales letter might not even be a separate section but rather, is sometimes woven into the letter. Regardless, here is why it exists. People naturally have buying resistance. Just think about the last time you went shopping for a major item. If you're like most people, prior to laying your money down you have several misgivings pop into your head. A good sales person knows how to answer these objections.
Selling in print is no different, and reality carries more importance for meeting objections than face-to-face sales. The reason is simple: as copywriters, we will not have the opportunity to answer our prospects' objections individually. We must therefore proactively predict their objections and meet them head-on.
Summary.
I am fully aware that these four elements alone do not a sales letter make. However, the copywriter would do well to spend the majority of time on these particular elements. They will "make or break" the sales letter. The business owner can make the process much easier by collecting good testimonials and by creating excellent products that his or her target market is actively seeking.
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