It was only after I had read a few personal development books that I understood that when stripped down to the basics, the process of thinking is really just about asking yourself questions and then making a decision based on the answer your brain turfs back out.

“Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question.” E. E. Cummings

To illustrate this, lets use an everyday experience of crossing the road where there are several possible questions to ask and answer before you get to the other side…

“Shall I walk down to the crossing or try to cross here?” If you decide to walk down to the crossing, then: ” Shall I press the button on the crossing and or run across when there’s a gap? Shall I wave thanks to the car that stopped or not bother to take my hand out my pocket?”

You are probably not aware of all this internal questioning and turmoiling because the answers seem to pop up out of nowhere. And this is how it is for your reader when you ask them a question. What this means for you is that they are more likely to believe an idea seemingly conjured up by their own brain over a concept presented from the outside.

And this is the important thing – a question generates an answer, not an argument.

Consider these two headlines…

What if there was a way you could convert 25% of your website visitors into customers,
how much money would you make?

OR

Your website can convert 25% of your visitors into customers and make you a lot
of money.

The second statement makes a claim that a reader may not believe and they can disagree with, but the question in the first headline introduces a possibility for the brain to draw its own conclusions and fire up the imagination. The questioning approach leads your reader towards their own vision of possibility to fit in with their particular circumstances. The chances of a delivered fact marrying one hundred percent with the readers own experience is negligible and so positively invites disagreement.

When you are writing direct response copy, there is no escaping getting intimate with the product, the producer and most definitely the customer. But the right questions can bring focus and organisation to the process.

If you answer just these five simple questions then you can write web copy for almost any product…

1. What is the problem?

Here you are identifying the pain, problem or predicament for your target audience. Your audience may not even realise they have a problem and your role as the copywriter is to ensure they recognise this.

2. Why Hasn’t The Problem Been Solved?

This question forces you to delve into the history of your reader’s predicament to identify supposed solutions which have already been tried and failed.

3. What Is Possible?

This is introducing the possibility thinking for your reader – setting the stage for what life could be like when the problem, pain or predicament is sorted. This is where you paint a picture of the way life will be from now on.

4. What Is Different Now?

Why will your remedy work while others have failed? What is different about your product or service? This is the Unique Selling Point (USP) for your product and your competative advantage.

5. What Should You Do Now?

Tell your reader what they have to do next – Sign Up, Telephone, Register, Buy Now – this is the call to action.

When you’ve dispatched these five questions you have the game plan for your copy. But you only have the touchdown when you answer this…

How Do I Inject Emotion Into My Copy?

Best wishes to you

Sian Murphy
———————
100% Results Writer

sian@sianmurphycopywriter.com
01634 251079
0800 0086464
07515 951354

Bet you thought of long or short pants – right? One covers the essentials and one covers everything! Actually, I was thinking about sales letters!

Topics for heated debate have long been religion and politics and now they’re joined by the length of your letter!  How 21st Century!  Yes, we do live in an age of gnat-span focus, instant gratification and constant rush but there is method in the madness.

Have you ever read to the end of a long sales letter? I’m talking marathon here, perhaps more than thirty pages. If not, the chances are you weren’t the target customer for the product or service being sold!

Let’s rewind.

Imagine a subject that passionately grabs your interest.
Suddenly before you is an oasis of new knowledge that, at last, answers your questions AND promises new and exciting gifts – yes, for free! Would it feel like you’d found the Holy Grail?

Could you see yourself in the story and sense how great it would be? See how different it feels when you’re the intended reader in the target market? 

Research has proved that long letters really do sell more. So why ‘go long’?

• INFORMATION SEEKERS…for every scan reader there will be information hoarders who research every product they buy; if their needs aren’t satisfied, they’ll click goodbye.
• PRODUCTS…with lots of features and benefits require more explanation.
• ANTICIPATING OBJECTIONS…comforts the customer.
• HIGH PRICED ITEMS…require more justification and persuasion.
• CUSTOMER ‘LIGHTBULB’ PRODUCTS…if the client hasn’t yet realised their life ‘depends’ on your product, there’s some persuading to do!

Pruning should be perennial and not just for autumn!
Cut anything that doesn’t help the prospect make a buying decision – including your ego!  Major on the benefits of the product rather than how the company was created using Great Aunt Maud’s money…unless that’s relevant to the story! 

Tell them what THEY want to know, not what you want them to know!
Remember, the only boring you should be doing is down into the benefits of your niche product!   If your words are boring and disengaging NOTHING will keep your prospect reading…one click and he’s away to a competitor! Ouch, that’s painful on the pocket!

Think about a ‘real life’ customer for a moment. If, after beating on his door for ages, you finally won an appointment you’d do better than your best to persuade him your product was the answer to his prayers…wouldn’t you?

So why wouldn’t you do that for your potential virtual buyer? Of course you would.

HOW…?

• By using the sharpest tool in your toolbox!
• A long, exciting and effective sales letter.

But it’s not just about the facts and benefits. Your clients are looking to you for understanding and companionship and a sense of being heard and understood. 

Your words tell them they’re not alone in their problem! They trust you and believe you really have the solution! They take action and buy your product.

And once you have a satisfied customer, who feels you’re speaking only to them, they’ll come back again…and again…and again as you contact them with future products and, wait for it – higher priced ‘back end’ items.

Ka-Ching!  Ka-Ching!  Ka-Ching!   Ka-Ching!   

Janet Swift
Writing to Win

URL   :  www.swiftcopywriting.com
Email :  enquiries@swiftcopywriting.com 
Tel      : +44 (0)208 133 4088

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