| You've seen them a hundred
times. Those lists that copywriters use within their sales
letters that tell you what the product or service offers.
They might say something like:
- THE most important (and most overlooked) aspect of copywriting
- The 4 personalities of your customer and how to get
each to respond to your copy
- 21 words that make your headline POP!
- The 7 steps for turning features into sales generating
benefits
- How to add emotional triggers that increase the desire
to buy
- Why some testimonials can actually HURT your sales (I
hope you aren't doing this!)
- The 9 secrets to turning ordinary "sales copy"
into a powerful "solution" your customer has
to have
- Why your USP could actually be killing your brand
But how do you create an effective list that draws customers
in? What are the keys to turning a list of nuts and bolts
into a menu of enticing delights your customer has to
have? Hold on tight, I'm about to tell you!
Take a look at the list above. What do you notice? What
things do the listed items have in common?
1. An effective list must provide a benefit - not a feature,
but a benefit. It answers the question "What's in it
for me?"
2. An effective list must "tease" the reader.
Notice that one item above says "The 4 personalities
of your customer and how to get each to respond to your
copy." That teases the reader. It doesn't tell them
what the 4 types are, but lets them know that the product
or service will tell them.
3. An effective list uses "power words." Power
words are those words and phrases that people are prone
to respond to. These include things like specific numbers
("21 words that make your headline POP"), "how
to" statements ("How to add emotional triggers
that increase the desire to buy") and "secrets"
("The 9 secrets to turning ordinary "sales copy"
into a powerful "solution" your customer has to
have").
4. An effective list uses lots of adjectives. Don't just
state "The secrets of 12 mentors," instead say
"The inside, life-changing secrets of 12 mentors."
Let's do one together. We'll use the example of a widely-known
book. See if you can guess what book it is.
You'll get:
- 10 time-tested, proven guidelines for personal and business
success.
- The one investment that can multiply your wealth by 100
fold almost immediately.
- Little known advice that guarantees your future - eternally.
- The inside, life-changing secrets of 12 mentors - learn
from their victories and failures!
Can you guess what book it is? It's The Bible! Using the
list method, we've been able to pull out some of the benefits
of The Bible, and format them in such a way that they
get their point across in words most average people relate
to.
As you can see, including lists within your sales letters
can boost your profits tremendously! Just remember to think
like your customer, and use the 4-step process outlined
above. You'll be knockin' 'em dead in no time!
Most buying decisions are emotional. Your ad copy should
be, too! Karon is President & CEO of Marketing Words,
Inc. who offers targeted copywriting, search engine copywriting,
and ezine article writing. Subscribe to Karon's free ezine
at http://www.marketingwords.com/ezine.html or visit her
site at http://www.marketingwords.com. You can also learn
to write you own powerful copy at http://www.copywritingcourse.com.
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