- They seem like they take FOREVER to write. If I remember correctly, it took me almost 6 weeks to crank out the sales copy for Desperate Buyers Only. It normally takes around 2 weeks before I feel like a sales letter is ready for human visual consumption.
- Once you spend all that time perfecting the sales letter, there’s no guarantee of sales. And after 2+ weeks of working on a single piece of sales copy, you’re going to feel a wee bit crappy if sales are slow.
- Certain groups of people hate long sales letters. I’ve actually had a couple of affiliates e-mail me to say that they won’t promote DBO because the sales copy is too long.
- Every so often I get a random e-mail from some fruit cake who scolds me about me overly promotional ways. No doubt, they’re referring to my sales copy.
But in spite of all the reasons I just gave, I see my own future filled with lots more long detailed sales letters. And for one good reason… they produce sales.
And I think what most naysayers forget is that sales copy is A LOT more than mere words on a page.
Long sales copy is the equivalent of me (the salesperson) selling you (the buyer) a $2K dress by telling you how another customer got her fiance to marry her while wearing said dress. Long sales copy is me fixing the dress on you… clasping a necklace around your neck and handing you the perfect mini clutch so you can get the full effect.
You ever go into one of those home goods stores (like Bed, Bath and Beyond here in the States) and get stuck sitting on one of those massage chairs? Long sales copy is having the test massager constantly running on a chair.
Long sales copy is Ikea’s children’s play area. Parents drop off their kids before they start shopping, allowing them the time to shop longer.
Short Copy is a Ticking Time Bomb for Disaster
If you let a desperate buyer leave your site, they’re probably NOT going to come back. Why? Because they’re desperate for a solution. They want answers now.
You can’t be stingy with your sales copy when people want answers AND they’re in a position to buy your product right there and then.
You have to answer all of their questions. You have to make them feel like you identify with their situation. You have to show them the end result of using your information. You have to make them feel comfortable about buying from you – a complete and total stranger.
And that doesn’t happen in 5-6 paragraphs. Period.
So even if you’re cussing the technique, suck it up, and keep on writing. The career you save by being a little chatty just might be your own.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:30 am
I am SO glad to hear that it takes you that long to perfect your sales copy! I have been getting down on myself for not perfecting my first sales letter yet .. after first beginning it around 3 weeks ago. I guess something this important truly a bit of time n effort! Thanks
(Now the only trick is to make sure I don’t use this an excuse to surf the net instead of writing)
March 25th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Aren’t there also other reasons for long sales copy? Something about confusing the prospect with a lot of information that he’s not likely to read? Sort of overwhelming people with reasons to buy. I have never read a complete sales text in my life. I always scan it. And I think most people do.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Isn’t long copy also important to confuse the reader? I have never read a whole online sales letter for the last 7 years because I frankly find most of them boring and too many of them relying on the methods described by the late Corey Rudl, with lots of bold styled words, underlining etc.
I seem to remember him talking about long lists of benefits and long copy being there to confuse the reader, making him more likely to buy. Something on the lines of hyponosis, here embedded commands come right after a state of confusion has been inducted.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:23 am
@ Nicolas… I read long sales letters all the time. And quite frankly I don’t find them confusing. But then again, I read the entire letter instead of just skimming.
I don’t think either of can speak for an entire online universe of buyers by saying that most of them scan or don’t scan.
But I will say that my sales numbers tell me to keep doing what I’m doing. And that’s good enough for me to continue writing long sales letters.
Alexis
March 25th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Alexis
I have a tendency to agree with you on this one.
People ask me all the time, “how long is too long?”
I tell them it’s not about word count or pages, it’s about answering possible questions that can come up.
Sometimes I pretend I’m doing a Q & A session before I think about my copy. In other words “what’s the reader thinking about right now?”.
Some may be thinking how much? Others “how long does it take?” Others what will this do for me?
So IMHO, the more questions you can answer not only do you get closer to the sale, you may save yourself a lot of grief later with less customer support problems.
All the Best,
Paul
March 27th, 2008 at 2:02 am
@ Paul… thanks for the feedback. I like your tip regarding the imaginary Q & A session.
Alexis
April 9th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
“Long sales copy is me fixing the dress on you… clasping a necklace around your neck and handing you the perfect mini clutch so you can get the full effect.”
brilliant!!!
April 9th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I’m just starting to read up on all of the options available for online ventures. Being stuck in a 9-5 is torture, and I do find myself fitting that “desperate person” mindset - suddenly willing to impulsively buy a book at Barnes and Noble on entrepreneurship, considering an ebook when I would otherwise scoff and close the browser, etc.
I think this principle of long copy might also apply to cover letters with jobs. I tend to write mine long, but I have trouble cutting pieces out because they’re important parts of who I am even if they’re not directly relating to a specific duty of the job I’m applying for. I’ve found the interviews I have gotten with that method, the people interviewing me mention the letter instead of just talking about a resume. But it’s finding that balance between long and verbose that requires some testing, I suppose.
Hopefully I can put some of your tactics to use and see some results someday!
April 18th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Wow, I hate long copy! I usually close the window if I have click the scroll bar more than twice, and I still don’t know what the price of the item is. But then again, I’m more of a browser then a buyer. I guess you wouldn’t be writing for my benefit anyway.
May 28th, 2008 at 4:36 am
Long copy is boring to me but I long ago figured out the “formula”. So it’s tedious to have to wade through all the “testimonials” - almost always faked or video taped at some conference by tricking people into say what they wish or hope the product will do for them (”visualizing” their “success” they will have AFTER they buy the product in the future).
All I want to know is the PRICE. If it’s really cheap, hey I’ll probably buy it. But I rarely come across anything worth paying big bucks for. And hey, if you can’t convince me in 25 words or less, then maybe you didn’t spend enough time editing your copy! In fact, how do you know that long copy outperforms short copy if you don’t test both versions? You do test short copy for every product, don’t you?
July 28th, 2008 at 7:53 am
As an information marketer, the only thing I care about are results. I have always assumed that long sales copy worked best ALL the time. Recently, some of my clients have been PROVING my assumption wrong. Given that the only sign in my office says: “measurement eliminates argument” I suggest that everyone TEST both long and shorter (whatever that is - just shorter than your long copy I guess) to see which works. One of my vendors, Karyn Greenstreet, tells me that she is getting some very good results (read higher response rates) using MUCH shorter copy. Whatever you are trying to sell/promote, I’d encourage you to at least try one of each. Do a split test and send every other visitor to the other sites using one long and one shorter. I use a woman name Sabrina Brick (www.SuperFastTweak.com) to edit my copy. I’m a decent copy writer, but she’s a better CLEANER UPPER.