Writing a sales letter can be one of the most intimidating things when it comes to your marketing. It’s enough to make you run for the hills… or pray desperately for the budget needed to hire a good copywriter.
I’m a fan of finding the “easy button” for everything I do. If I ever find something to be challenging, I look for ways to simplify it without losing its impact or magic. It’s the same when it comes to writing sales copy.
Writing sales copy becomes easy once you’ve practiced enough. But I’m also of the mindset that it can be easy for you no matter what stage of the game you’re in. Whether you’re new or just looking for a way to more easily write sales copy, I believe that knowing the components of a sales letter can really help you.
When you break it down, it’s so much less intimidating. You can focus on it bit-by-bit, piece-by-piece. Don’t think of it as writing a big, bad, long, sales letter. Think of it as writing the headline, then writing the intro, then writing some catchy bullet points.
I’m going to break it down for you here. Take these pieces or chunks of a sales letter and start writing. First, draw out what the main benefits of your product are. Really get to know the product inside out. Get to know the audience inside out—what are their most important emotions and desires related to the product? If you know those things, you’ll have a running start when it comes time to fill in the blanks of the sales letter.
The Headline
The headline goes at the start of the sales letter. It’s generally written in larger font in a different color than the rest of the sales letter. Consider that you really only have a few seconds to capture people’s attention before they either stick with you and read the rest of your sales letter or not.
At this point, you should have decided what the main benefit of the product is. Generally, you’ll include the main benefit in your headline. There should be a hook there that will take people through the rest of the sales letter. What’s going to stand out and capture people’s attention? Remember that people are really busy, so it should be something that really stands out and it should be something that really means something to people. Most importantly, it will make people want to keep reading because they’re curious.
The headline might be preceded by a prehead and followed by a post head. These will be in smaller font and complement the header.
There are so many different headline styles that you really have to figure out what works for your niche. Take a look at sales letters you’ve bought from yourself. Take a look at other sales letters in your niche.
The Introduction
Remember that this is a true letter to the people of your audience. So, start your letter the way you would start any letter.
“Dear Friend,”
That works well.
There are many ways to follow that, but you’ll do well to start stirring emotions and connecting with the person. Imagine a typical person in your audience and write directly to them.
Let them know that you know exactly what they’re going through.
The Emotions
Remember to stir those emotions. What’s their biggest need and want? What’s their biggest problem?
It’s important to be personal and follow through with the hook you started in the headline.
The Story
The letter is all about them… but part of the way you can connect with the reader is by sharing your own story. People want to feel like you understand them and have been through something similar.
If you can’t share a story of your own, connect in another way. Talk about the people you’ve talked to or worked with.
People love to read stories they can relate to. Stories are a huge part of the way people connect and understand.
The Hint of a Solution
As you weave your story, talk about the ups and the downs. Start to hint at a solution as part of the journey.
The Solution
Outright say that you have found a solution that has helped you (or the focal point of your story). Make it clear that the reader can absolutely have the same solution you’ve found… and in a better, easier, faster way.
The Product
The product is the solution. Now’s the time to introduce it as such. People who’ve read through your sales letter this far are ready for the solution—present it in a way that will make them salivate.
The Benefits
Hopefully, you’ve pulled out all of the main, important benefits of your product. You’ve highlighted the main, most important benefit in the headline as well as throughout the sales letter.
The Bullet Points
Now, it’s time to point out the other benefits of the product in the form of bullet points. These bullet points will stand out in the sales letter and really get people to take notice.
The Proof
People love proof. You can include proof in the form of testimonials, screenshots, data, and more. Overcome people’s objections with proof.
The Offer
The offer really seals the deal. It should be an offer they can’t refuse. Your offer includes what’s included in the product, bonuses, etc. It might include scarcity and limited time offers. Make the offer so good that they can’t pass it up. It should far surpass the expectations they had while reading through the sales letter.
You can also use this section to make comparisons. What would this be worth if it were being sold by someone else?
The Restatement of the Main Benefit
Re-state the main benefit. Copywriters often restate the headline in a different way. Remind people of why they really shouldn’t pass this offer up.
The Guarantee
If you have a guarantee, and I think you should, make sure to include it. People will often be swayed to purchase if there’s a money back guarantee available.
The Sign Off
Give a personal sign off. Remind people that you really care about their results. You might include a P.S. section. Restate the special offer and the guarantee. Make people feel really secure about what they’re buying.
Remember that people often scroll straight down to the bottom of a sales page so you want to have something really convincing here.
There You Have It!
There you have it! If you analyze popular, high-performing sales letters, then you’ll most likely see that these elements are there. Create an outline for yourself using these elements and then fill in the blanks. You’ll find that it’s easier than ever to write a great, high-converting sales letter even if you’ve struggled with it before.
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