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What If You Hate Long Sales Copy?

What If You Hate Long Sales Copy?

If you hate long copy, should you use it in your business?

I'll confess, I used to hate long sales copy too. Two things changed my mind:

1. Research says...Highly respected and unbiased research firms such as Marketing Sherpa say long copy is better. According to them, long copy nearly always gets better results when the product or service...

  • Costs more than $500
  • Focuses on health or money
  • Includes a lot of technical details
  • Involves reading, such as a book, ebook or newsletter
  • Targets consumers over 60 years old (but bump up the font size)

And we're not talking a little bit better-we're talking A LOT better.

The only time short copy consistently outperforms long copy is with free offers.

2. Preventing buyer frustration...I realized how frustrating it is when you're interested but the copy doesn't answer all your questions. No one wants to take the time to call or email and risk getting stuck in a hard core sales pitch.

That's why prospects procrastinate and then buy something else later--not exactly the response you're looking for as a seller!

So more information is a good thing--as long as you break it up and format it so it's fast and easy to read. (Most people scan for what's important to them.) The problem is how its presented.

What people usually hate about long copy is feeling "sold to."
Research shows women are especially sensitive to this.

And on many long copy sales pages, the overblown, promise-you-the-moon language and overdose of annoying graphic elements immediately raises the red "being sold to" flag.

The good news is you CAN cut the hype and still put the power of long copy to work for you...

Tips for Creating Effective Long Copy You Can Live With

Here are three ways to make it more your style:

  1. Engage and persuade prospects in an authentic way. Use compelling stories and testimonials. Be specific about the benefits and results they'll get. Give them a taste of what they can expect. Weave in powerful, colorful yet believable words and phrases to up the interest.
  2. Write like you talk. The copy should sound like you're having an enthusiastic discussion with someone over a cup of coffee. So if you're using a copywriter, make sure to provide them with other pieces you've written or an audio so they can capture your voice.
  3. Tell YOUR story. Prospects want to know who you are because they're ultimately buying you...not your product or service.

It may take a little work, but finding an effective long sales copy style that's more comfortable for you will pay dividends for years to come.





What If You Hate Long Sales Copy - To learn more about this author, visit Tracy Needham's Website.

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David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website

Dave Kurlan
Dave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website

Linda Richardson
Linda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website

John Brennan
John Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website

George Ludwig
George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website

Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website


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Tracy Needham
(Visit Tracy's Website)

Want to know more about creating information products that sell? Get a FREE audio on the 9 Secrets to Ebook Success at www.myebooksecrets.com.

For more than five years, Copywriter & Marketing Coach Tracy Needham has been helping entrepreneurs and small business owners market their business. She specializes in writing marketing materials that do the selling for you--by getting your prospects' attention, showing them you have the perfect solution for their problem, and persuading them to take the next step. She can also show you ways to attract more clients and sales using marketing strategies that make better use of your time and money.

Are you committing The 7 Deadly Sins of Web Copy? Find out at www.compellingezine.com!



Tracy Needham is a Silver author on EvanCarmichael.com
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