Value = Price + Reliability + Convenience
The above is from Dr. Frank Lutz’s superb book, Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, Its What They Hear (The 2007 edition).
When you’re selling something Do This:
- In Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say It’s What They Hear, Dr. Luntz states: Credibility is as important as philosophy. People have to believe to buy.
- Focus on benefits, not features. On results, not process
- Tell stories, not concepts
- Stay in touch with your clients with newsletters, eZines, and invitations to presentations to
keep information flowing. Do not expect them to stay in touch with you. - Tell people what they will get, not what you do.
- Talk about the client, not about yourself.
- Do not repeat: we do this and we do that and we do this other thing. Marketing consultant Mac McIntosh describes it as “we-we-weing” all over yourself.” Clients do not want to hear what you do. They want to hear What You Can Do For Them.
- Be a solution, a resource, to your clients
- Write a short, powerful, benefit driven statement, here’s how: MagicWordsSell.com
- Avoid using periods. Why? They stop the reader’s eye, slow the reading process. Remember you are copywriting … not writing fiction, nonfiction, for a magazine or paper … you’re selling a product, likely your own book. Bend every effort to achieve that end.
- This is not the place to be shy, reticent, or bashful about your professional qualifications. Show the reader that you’ve got what it takes to be a source of superb information in your field. “Strut your stuff.”
- There is nothing wrong with breaking the rules, as long as you know the rules and break them to make your message easier to understand.
- Some copywriting intentionally uses intentional misspelling of word(s). Caution is indicated. While it might make the reader feel superior, that’s a good thing, it can backfire. Benefits include:
- The human brain remembers unique things longer
- It makes the text stand out
- It can portend an interesting story
- this does not apply to us, but it can help companies get a domain name (URL) or web address. Caution is indicated here as well because once you got it, it’s yours forever. Again, caution is indicated.
Consistency matters. Novelty, offer something new
or offer a new definition or a new take on an old idea sound and texture matter should be just as memorable as the words themselves. (Page 16, Words that Work). A string of words that have the same first letter, the same sound, or the same syllabic cadence is more memorable than a random collection of sounds.Speak aspirationly; messages need to say what people want to hear.
Use These Words
- Yes
- Love
- Hate (you will hate yourself for ….)
- How much
- How would you (solve this problem)
- This (is the way)
- Only
- Sale
- 2 for 1
- 50% off
- FREE is the most powerful word in any
language
Words never to use and words to replace them: - Buy
Rather use:
- Claim
- Invest
- Order
Avoid words that refer to purchasing, money, etcetera. For example: don’t write ‘Purchase.’ Online you see, ‘Add To Cart.’ You can learn a lot by reading top sites because they hire first rate copywriters whose job it is to write effective copy that sells.
Learn
- Use Discover
Tell
- Use reveal
Things
- Use Tips, Tricks, and Techniques
Stuff
- Insider Secrets
Seventeen Tips For Better Sales Letters
- Always focus on the wants, needs, hopes, dreams and desires of the people to whom you are writing. When writing your letter always keep your mind tuned in to the same radio station as your prospect. That station, of course, is WIIFM, a.k.a. What’s In It For ME! Make sure your letter plays the same refrain over and over again— this is what’s in it for you, this is what’s in it for you, this is what’s in it for you
- Always write to someone specific. An aunt, an uncle, a brother, sister, cousin, friend, current customer— anyone. This mind-set will make your writing more personable, friendly and genuine—important traits that every salesperson must have, especially your salesperson on paper. As you write, keep in mind the words of the great copywriter Malcolm Decker. “The Letter itself is the pen-and-ink embodiment of the salesperson who is speaking personally and directly to the prospect on a one-to-one basis.”
- Never forget that benefits are the reason why people buy. What your product or service does is a feature. What it does for me— Mr. or Ms. Prospect—is a benefit. As my good friend and top-flight wordsmith Barry Freed likes to say, “Keep piling on the benefits till their head caves in.” Give them benefit after benefit until they simply have no choice. They have to respond. They have to pick up the
phone. They have to get out the checkbook. They have to go to your Web site and make that purchase. They have to get in their car and drive to your store. - Grab the attention of your reader with your very first line. 1-2-3-4. You have just about that long— four seconds— to grab the attention of your reader, so your opening line better be good. Because it’s the most important line in your entire letter. The objective of your first sentence is to get your prospect to read the second sentence. The second sentence must get him or her to read the third. And so on. Every word, every sentence of your letter is important— and must advance the sale.
- Give the reader relevant and specific information. You’ve got great service? What is it— specifically— that makes your service so great? And why should I care? You make a “total quality” product? What specifically do you mean by “total quality?” Do you mean the item never breaks down and you have third party maintenance records to prove it? Then say that. It’s relevant, it’s specific, verifiable, and meaningful. And that’s the type of information that makes people want to buy or schedule an appointment with a sales representative.
- Write to communicate, because that’s all that matters. Write in a conversational, working person, sitting-down-talking-to-someone-you-know-face-to-face style. Forget about always writing in complete sentences. You don’t always talk in complete sentences do you? And it’s OK to start sentences with “and” or “but.” Remember, you’re trying to generate a lead or advance or close a sale, not get an “A” from your high school English teacher. None of your prospects or customers are getting paid to read your letter.
- Ask yourself the following question several times while writing your sales letter. “If someone were sitting in front of me…trying to convince me to take the action I’m asking the reader to take…and speaking the words I’m writing…would I be favorably disposed to taking that action?”
- Use active, action-oriented language. For example, instead of writing “SES has provided many specialty courses to Government and industry since 1983” write “At SES we provide a wide range of specialty courses for government and industry – and we’ve been doing so for more than 20 years.” Active, action-oriented language is more dynamic and persuasive.
- Write as much copy as it takes to get the job done. There is no such thing as copy that is too long. There is only copy that is too boring, too uninteresting, too uninvolving, too me-me-me-we-we-we-oriented. The bottom line is this: Interested people will read everything that’s interesting about an interesting offer. In Denny Hatch’s great book, “Million Dollar Mailings,” the average letter length for consumer mailings was 3.3 pages. For business mailings, 2.1 pages. And there have been many highly successful sales letters that were eight pages and longer.
- Give your letter visual variety and appeal. Break up long blocks of copy. Five lines are usually the maximum for any one paragraph. When you speak you create variety through volume, tone, inflection and gestures. When you write you do this by underlining, italicizing, capitalizing and making copy bold. This will give your letter a livelier, more inviting look and make it more likely to be read. Be careful though not to overuse emphasis devices. Because when you emphasize everything, you emphasize nothing.
- Do not end any page except the last page in a complete sentence. The human mind seeks completion. If a page ends in mid-sentence the natural tendency is to go to the next page to complete the sentence. And the more interesting, dramatic or intriguing you make your copy leading up to that point the better the odds are that your reader will keep reading.
- Use a comma in your salutation, indent your paragraphs and avoid long drawn out sentences like the plague. You should strive to give your letter a personal look and feel. Remember when you were a little boy or girl writing home from summer camp? I’ll bet you always used a comma and indented your paragraphs. So do the same with your sales letter. Plus, indenting your paragraphs has the added advantage of leading the reader’s eye into your copy.
- Do not “block” format your text. Use ragged right. Blocked formatted text is hard to read.
- Avoid long, drawn out ‘wordy’ sentences. The letter must be easy to read. Wordy sentences can be confusing— and a real “deal-killer” in any sales situation.
- Don’t try to be cute or clever. When was the last time you closed a sale by being cute or clever? Here’s a suggestion: When you’re finished with your letter show it to a friend or colleague. If their reaction is, “Boy, this is really clever. You know, you’re a good writer.” tear it up and throw it away. But if their reaction is, “Boy, this sounds like a really great product. How can I get one?” then, you’re on the right track.
- Tell the reader exactly what you want him or her to do. Don’t assume anything. If what you want is for the prospect to pick up the phone and call, then say so, energetically and enthusiastically. Here’s an example: “So why don’t you pick up the phone right now and give me a call at 800-555-1212? Go ahead and do it now while you still have this letter in your hands.”
- Always include a P.S. Extensive research shows that the P.S. is one of the first things people look at. Restating a key benefit or guarantee here can pull your reader into the body copy of your letter. The great copywriter Herschell Gordon Lewis tells the story in one of his books about a test mailing of fund-raising letters by St. Jude hospital. The letters were identical except for the fact that one included a P.S. and the other did not. The letter with a P.S. pulled a 19% greater response. The moral of the story?
It pays to use a P.S.
Media Releases For The Online World
- In a 500 word Media Release use keywords two to four times. Do not worry about keyword density. Use keywords in links.
- META description tag: 10 – 25 word elaboration on the title tag. Not for SE ranking, keywords that make sense with title.
- Use images, PDF, and podcasts, online video is excellent as well.
- META description tag: 10 – 25 word elaboration on the title tag. Not for SE ranking, keywords
that make sense with title.
Lead Generating Advertising
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDTo8Y6fAWM&feature=related
- Always Head Line with response information: phone number and email address. When using the telephone and/or email for client contact.
- Who makes the decision? Get first name. How would you like to increase _____ ? Relevant question
and something the other person needs? - What is it?
- Then sell an appointment, not the product. I need 10 minutes of your time.
- How much? If not want you wan t no charge.
- Tell me a little? Only need 10 minutes of your time.
- Poor prospect easy to get. Good prospect is tough to get to.
- Need to show you something, eliminate phone, can’t use mail. I will drop it off, will you be there?
I’ll be there at XX. Never use mail. Get appointment. So you can judge for yourself. - Psychology of Selling and Voice of Selling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsFxi4V8NGQ&feature=related - Covert bonding and Selling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me3QsKAxda0&feature=related
- Match physical movements to the other person. People attracted to similar people
- Verbal synchronization. Speak when subject is breathing our, match breathing to words. During
exhalation we are open to new influences. Subject feel urge to please. - Use embedded commands
- How to do this: http://www.PowerfulPursuaders.com
- Find what your audience wants and give it to them.
Words That Sell a House
- Handy Man Special
- Beautiful
- Landscaping
- Golf, if near golf course
- Before people arrive to see the house: open windows, replace light bulbs, mow lawn, landscape the property, think curb appeal meaning make it look nice. Does it have a mailbox by the road? Straighten it. Paint the post. Replace the box if its been there for years and looks it.
- First Impressions Matter
Words Not To Use To Sell A House
- Motivated Seller
- Good Value
- Warranty, why?
Warranty indicates problem(s)
WIIFM (What’s In It For Me)
- Tell people what they will get, not what you do.
- Talk about the client, not about yourself
- Focus on results, not process
- Focus on benefits, not features
- Tell stories, not concepts
- Be a solution, a resource to your clients.
- Stay in touch with your clients with newsletters, eZines, and invitations to presentations to keep information flowing.
- Tell people what they will get, not what you do.
- Talk about the client, not about yourself
From The Book Words That Work Copyright 2007 Edition
- Use Short sentences
- Credibility is as important as philosophy. People have to believe to buy.
- Consistency matters.
- Novelty, offer something new or offer a new definition or a new take on an old idea
- Sound and texture matter and should be just as memorable as the words themselves. A string of words that have the same first letter, the same sound, or the same syllabic cadence is more memorable than a random collection of sounds.
- Speak aspirationally; messages need to say what people want to hear.
Lead generating advertising
- Headline with response – phone number and email address.
- Trevor Cook, Speaker. When asked what you do, turn it into a benefits statement. Tell what benefit prospect will get from you. What are you going to get out of doing business with me.
- The whole point of Lead Generation is to drive people to website do not use STOP WORDS. Write benefit statements. See writing a sales letter that sells: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_ukCOuVkOU&feature=related
And Finally One Grammar Tip
- When punctuating, the period of a sentence goes inside the quotation mark.
- Like this: Bobby said, “I did.”
- Not like this: Bobby said, “I did”.
End