Long One Page Sales Letters?!

I agree with the bit about the headline. Headlines should make your readers go to the first paragraph. You can do it in a number of ways:

1. Tell them what's in it for them
2. Pique their curiosity
3. Give them a sense of urgency

 

I think when the suggestion was made to show up your copy, the poster probably meant give us a link. It's pretty painful reading that long post here without any formatting.

But, from what I read here's some feedback:

I skimmed through your copy and I don't understand your product. It seems like something that would make me a "quicker" driver, but why would I want to be a quicker driver? So I can get a speeding ticket? Is there something about "quick" that's different from fast? If so, you need to describe it.

You should start the sales letter detailing the problem your product solves. Then, talk about the product and describe the benefits the buyer will receive by purchasing your product.

 

The product is aimed at race car drivers. It is an ebook on mind techniques and strategies to help them with their driving.

Alright here is the new edition. Let me know if you can stomach it past the first headline!! It is at www f1driverssecrets com (Apparently I'm not allowed to post live links yet) Thank you.

 

I love the long copy page, all the answers are there for the potential customers and the more they read the more likely they are to buy.

 

There's always been this debate about which is more effect, long copy or short copy.

For me, this is how it is, if a product/service is more expensive, then a long copy is more ideal, since you need to put in more effort and time to really sell those benefits and convince the reader to make that purchase decision. Whereas if it's something not very pricey, then a short copy will do, because it's not as difficult a decision to make for the reader.

What's your take on this?

 

I reckon that makes sense Li. And I also don't understand why the page has to look like a sales letter. Why cant it just be a nice page, bit of a soft sell and the product will sell itself - it doesn't need to be emotionally charged.

but i am just a newbie, though every time I see one of those long things and I cringe. I feel as though the market is saturated with awful sales copy and people want the next thing that is not like this.

 

robs, I think you might be missing the point here. Formula 1 racing is an expensive sport and in many ways participants are a business rather than a typical consumer. These are folks who are spending thousands of dollars on their equipment and

There are a number of ways someone can be a "quicker driver". Why not appeal to their real frustration - starting at the back of the pack? Instead of quicker driver, why not make your headline 'slash seconds off your lap time'?

I would work on the emotional appeal of driving your way from the back of the pack to the victory lap. I would mention the huge investment on equipment and something about investing in yourself by buying this ebook.

Who is Jason? Two of your testimonials mention him but your letter doesn't. At least I didn't notice it mentioned anywhere. What makes this Jason person qualified to coach drivers? Has Jason ever been a driver or is he some sort of sport's psychologist or mechanic?

Overall, it's not bad but it needs a bit more emotional appeal.

I would also add some padding or margin space on the left side to get your text off the edge of your main content area.

 

Thanks for your detailed feedback YMC. I'm going to go make those changes now.

 

It like: The more interested the prospect, the greater he will read and still higher his chances of converting into a paying customer.

Also, remember that advertising attracts intelligent people more quickly and strongly than your average customers!

 

Remember 99 out of 100 people don't care what your selling. So don't waste your time writing to them. Write to the 1 person who is interested.

And believe me he/she wants to know everything about your product.

Your copy can never be too long, only too boring.

Think about your own situations, many of you visit this forum and others to learn how to write,and market more effectively. How much time do you spend reading about the subject, how many long letters have you read, how many will you continue to read?

My guess is tons more...

Nick Xifaras
Copywriter

 

Actually, your copy can be too long. Even if I've heard great reviews about something and am seriously considering buying it, if I see it's being sold through one of those long sales letters, I immediately look at alternatives first. There's nothing wrong with giving a lot of information. But there are a lot of ways to do that. You would be far more likely to sell me something like expensive software with a multi-page site breaking things down effectively than with a sales letter. You have to know your audience - long copy doesn't appeal to all groups by far, no matter how interested they are in what you're offering.

 

They do obviously work, but personally when I see them I just think scam.

 

Everyone is forgetting one thing...it's not really about what you or I think about long copy or short copy but what the intended market thinks.

The market' demand for an item or service is first, last and always. Our opinions don't count.

But the fact remains, over the years in different mediums long copy almost always outperforms short copy.

And as far as giving away information, that's not what copywriting is about, at least not direct response copy.

Direct response copy is about sales, pure and simple.

Look, Stephen King's books are over 1000+ pages they're long, but definitely not boring.

Now if you don't like Stephen King you'll think his books are too long, but for a Stephen King Fan he'll think it was too short...go figure

Nick Xifaras
Copywriter

 

They work very well for some products. Depends on how educated your targets are. For instance if you show me such a page I will hit the back button before reading 2 sentences, simply because I associate such sales letters with scam products and crap ebooks. Anything that needs so much persuasion to get sold is crap in my mind. I've seen so many examples of this that trying to convince me otherwise is a waste time. And trust me, I'm not the only guy slamming the door on marketers with long sales "poetry".

Depending on what you try to sell and if you intend to create a brand or not, you might want to be respected too. Not all sales tactics are seen with the same amount of respect. Forgive my language but I see such letters like 'sales prostitution' As in: "I will do and say anything just to make a sale". A little tip from me: don't do this if you want to have a good image.

 

There's no reason to get wordy. Pointed and concise are difficult things to master in this pay by the word writing world, but they are essential to copywriting success.

 

Remember it's not about you, or me.

It's about your market and you might not be a good candidate.

While I certainly agree that they work for some markets, to try and break it down on the educational level of the reader/consumer is a little harsh.

Are you saying that someone who pays $5,000 dollars to a stock market advisory has no education?

Because a good portion of those advisory services are sold by long copy...sometimes very long copy to people with HUGE net-worth's and a whole mess of letters after their names.

Nick Xifaras
Copywriter

 

Don't forget that a large percentage of visitors to these sales copy pages are newbies, and have never seen anything like them before....they're seduced without understanding what is happening - the Las Vegas effect

 

David: it would be bad for your copy and your client's business to assume that all your clients are newbies. Unless of course, that's what the business is targeting. Nick already pointed it out, your writing will depend on your market. You should address what they need.

 

No, I'm not assuming anything, and I didn't comment on the quality of the content, just that long sales letters work particularly on newcomers. I'm remembering the time in my online experience when I first became exposed to the long sales letter. At that time, on a fundamental level, I understood that the writer wanted me to buy something. But I felt that I was being educated too, and the more I read, the more expert and informed I became, so I read everything multiple times (don't know where I found the time, now) And as we all know, psychologically the more times you become exposed to something, the more likely you are to want it.

Nowadays, I'm a little more cynical, and bored with reading the whole thing. I scan the headline and the first fold, and if I'm interested at all, the next thing I do is scroll straight down to the price to make sure that I'm not wasting my valuable time. Then I might scroll back up and scan for the sections I'm interested in. I'd like to say that I'm now immune to the style, but I'm not, because if I really am interested, I prefer the sense of having all the information (ie fine print) laid out on the same page, and not to have to piece it all together myself by tracking through links.

Now that I've seen hundreds or maybe even thousands of these pages, I'm able to keep my own needs and wants firmly in the front of my mind, as distinct from the "inexperienced" me, who automatically sided with the seller because I didn't know any better. But if I'm being sold something that I fundamentally want, the pages still work.

 

I see. It has probably a lot to do with the way these pages are designed. They all look the same and somehow people get blind to it the more they see it. Others associate it with scams. But as you said, if it's something you fundamentally want, then you're more likely to buy it than the uninterested prospect.