How To Write a Best Selling Sales Letter
So just how do you write a best-selling sales letter?
Let me share this with you.
My best-selling and highest-ranking sales letter webpage is for my copywriting mentor program. I want to rewrite it. But I have learned over the decades that even if a page sucks and converts - touching it is a risk. The risk being it can slip down in page rankings almost overnight.
In other words, there could be a risk of losing my top search positioning.
A Sales Page Is - Traffic and Conversion
The simple fact of the matter is this; webpages are about two things. Traffic and then conversion - that’s it. So if a page is badly written yet it converts and the page makes money it makes no sense to change it. Or does it?
I decided to take the risk and rewrite the sales letter on the webpage.
The content of the sales letter has remained mostly the same really since around 2012. Now and then it has been edited. Then more edits were added. Then some parts were removed. The new testimonials and just more playing around with the copy. It felt like an endless stream of playing around.
I usually add new material because I am proud to share the experiences of my copywriting mentor guys and proud that someone took the time to train with me and share their thoughts.
But the problem is, over time this does create a problem with the sales letter. This makes the sales letter lose flow. Once the flow is lost the reader can drop off at any point due to endless ‘speedbumps’ as they slow readership down due to a lack of coherence. This also means the conversions of the sales letter can drop and this in turn means sales also go lower.
But the simpler truth of the matter for this sales letter is it felt like it read a little like a road full of holes rather than a fast-flowing autobahn.
And no wonder after years of editing, adding and taking away lines, paragraphs, whole sections and more. I am hoping this page is a definitive version (again).
But, if you want a best-selling sales letter you have to be willing to take risks and make changes.
I do have a checklist. The checklist is something I created a long time ago for my mentor students. These are the people that want to become copywriters. It just gives some clarity on their desktop as they write. I thought it would be fund to open and refer to it whilst I write my own sales letter.
Even I was surprised at the corners I have been cutting.
So I thought I would share this list with you. There are a few inner-circle secrets removed. I think that’s fair as my copywriting mentees do pay a lot for these details. Either way here’s the bulk of that sales letter checklist from my mentor group.
Copywriting Mentor - Best Selling Sales Letter Checklist
Research the product, customer and marketplace. Most research takes time so make sure you - TAKE YOUR TIME. This is the one thing that should not be rushed.
Identify the strongest benefits of the product or service.
Gather all the proof available. Every bit makes a difference
Clarify your offer. You must know exactly what you are offering. Spell it out in detail.
Work out the big selling idea/angle. The angle gives you the difference or that unique approach. Find an angle that is interesting, intriguing, curious and compelling.
Theme and main approach to the letter. Everything has a theme. Find your theme, create your theme and weave the theme through from start to finish.
Proposition or proposal. To make the proposal you have to make sure you are proposing something they truly desire.
Emotion to be used. Your buyer is run by emotion. Most groups of buyers are run by emotion. You must find out what that emotion is. Not all are the same.
Intrigue. Testimonial story. New worthy. Does your letter need to be antiquing? Can it be driven by the story of success? Is it current and in the news?
Outline the sales argument. Think court of law and how they lay out the evidence. A sales letter has to be built in layers that overlap yet feed into each other.
Write the sales copy and give away some valuable free information or detail in your words.
Make the logical transition from interesting to high-value.
Use bullets to create interest, intrigue and validity. Bullets can help and hinder. Be careful and be logical when using them. They add impact and fast-flowing details.
Write a ton of bullets about the product - tell them everything - tell them nothing. Your bullet should be masted. Each bullet should be a stand-alone headline on its own. It should be driven fast into the reader’s mind.
Place bullets in the right place. Always ask if are they needed.
Edit 1.
Edit for grammar. Do this at the end of the big write.
Edit 2.
Edit for power. Do this after the big write has been done and words can now be changed for power words.
Edit 3.
Edit for selling. Does this sales letter sell?
Edit 4.
Edit for flow, continuity, paragraph entry, exit and cohesion.
Edit 5.
Leave for a few days. Re-read the whole thing and make the final - FINAL - changes.
Best Selling Sales Letter Bullets
How To
The Secret To
Why
What
What Never
PLUS:
Right - WRONG
WARNING:
Are You
Fun Fact
The Sneaky Way
The Statement of Fact
Direct Benefit:
When?
Quickest, Easiest
THE TRUTH Is
Better Than
The Single Most
Don’t forget to get SPECIFIC in bullets.
Create urgency in bullets
Closing Your Sales Letter Deal
Repeat the main benefits. Repeat the main points.
Present your guarantee and ask for the sale. Does your guarantee truly mean what is s
Tell them what to do next. Don’t make them search for what is next - tell them.
Include a PS or two making sure you truly understand why the PS
The above is far from everything I do or my mentees from my copywriting mentor do but it’s a strong list for you to build on.
Now…
My newly rewritten sales letter new page is live.
You can see it here and you will see everything I spoke about being used in this sales letter and more.
Your Mentor.
Alan Forrest Smith