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Part 3 of 5 – Copywriting Sales Primer

Sub Headlines

This is almost as important as your headline.   If your sub headline sucks then you lose the visitor just as fast.

Keep creating more curiosity to your offer.

Take for example, we already have the headline:

“Finally… Now You Really Can Put an End to That Stray Cat Spraying on Your Front Porch”.

And NO! This method doesn’t include shooting the rotten tom cat, or setting harmful traps that will end in an enquiry from the SPCA!

In this sub headline I have answered some questions that might be looming in the visitors mind, yet still created curiosity.

I’ve also taken away the most obvious answers and leaving the visitors wanting to know “more” about this apparent “solution” I have to their problem.

You will notice in the example… I’ve made the sub headline still very large, but still smaller then the main headline.  It is also a different color.

I find this to be important because you don’t want your sub headline to steal the attention of your main headline. You simply want to hold and maintain the interest of your visitor.

Opening Your Letter

This is usually where I place the:-

From: Your Name Here

Tuesday 2.16PM AEST

It just makes it more personalized. They know now right off the bat I’m writing to them and I am <Your name here>.

The first paragraph I ensure I get them to envision their dream.  For example… we’ll stick to the same subject I’ve started on (by the way, I’ve made this up as a pure example, I truly have no idea how to stop tom cats from spraying on your front porch )

Dear Friend,

How many times have you wished you could wake up each morning to reach for the daily delivered newspaper from your front porch breathing in the fresh crisp morning air and smelling the soft sweet scent of your rose bushes without the competing sickening smell of cat spray… if you can relate to this, then you need to read this letter.

Now… by this stage you’ve answered the age old question “what’s in it for me” … You’ve told them what its NOT… You’ve created curiosity and now you got them dreaming!

Here is where you start your story of the troubles you experienced…

Example:

Just two years ago I was in your exact same shoes. I was ashamed and completely embarrassed to bring friends and family to the front door.

With the occasional comment of “Ewww… what’s that smell?” and of course some looked just as embarrassed as I did and said nothing, but you could tell by the looks on their faces they copped a big wiff of it too.

In these two paragraphs I have sympathized with the visitor. I understand their problem, I tell them the “obvious” of what they’re experiencing.

We all want someone to relate and sympathize with our problem!

Next paragraph I would begin to mention “what” I’ve tried in order to help the problem.

Likely just like you, I was out their on my front deck everyday scrubbing with powerful agents, and yeah this worked for a short amount of time… but that same cat came back the next day to leave his mark once again.

It felt hopeless… I would never resort to any type of cruelty to animals, I don’t believe in that. I even considered moving house to erect the issue but that was far too expensive.

Now your following paragraph should tell your visitor how you come about the solution to the problem without “actually” telling them what the solution is.

It was by chance I happened to stumble across the solution… etc… etc..

I could finally walk out onto my front porch without the horrible stench of etc… etc..

Now this is your chance to build your credibility… You’re going to answer why they should truly be listening to you…

Since I discovered this method I’ve been teaching thousands of others word wide…

Now is the time to back up your credibility with testimonials…

Don’t just take it from me… listen to what others have to say when they tried my method…

Testimonial goes here

Testimonial goes here

Testimonial goes here

Try to ensure you add a name and where they live.  If you can, also try to get a photo of happy customers.  Depending on what it is that you’re selling, perhaps you could even get photo proof of them using your product.

Using photos of yourself using your own product can be very effective also.

I heard a story of one guy who sells info products on how to get hot women…  Apparently he would get hot women that he woed to hold a sign up saying “The something method worked on me” with his arms around the ladies.

Photos bring greater credibility… it paints a picture in the mind of the reader.  Take Corey Rudl’s website for one… he actually goes all out and has actual video’s of his happy customers speak of the success they had using his product.

They do this exact same thing in the “infomercials”!!!  In fact… something I’ve noticed from these type of commercials is most of their advertisement IS testimonials.

ANY documentation of proof you have… ADD it!  It will only add to your credibility and ensure your reader your not just pulling their leg.

Click Here to Read Part 4

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