On November 19 I published a blog post entitled “Build a Business, Not a Product” where I talked about (and illustrated, complete with stick figures) the importance of creating an entire sales process rather then a one off product to maximize your returns. I also mentioned a product (no longer available) that will automate the process of upsells, downsells, continuity and OTO’s - it’s a piece of technology that hasn’t been available before without custom programming and really fills the gap on HOW to implement this kind of sales process.
The post was well received with 45 comments, but, there was one voice who wrote to me expressing some concern about the look and feel of the salespage for the product. I’ve had other folks write to me in the past about this same topic, so I thought it would be interesting to bring it up for discussion on the blog.
SLIMY “INTERNET MARKETING” SALESLETTERS
Mark Underwood, who is a provider of website optimization services, wrote:
The initial read of several paragraphs was really great material but (& I guess it is just me) when I go to one of those heavy duty marketing pages that go for 10 miles with capitals and all sorts of tacky “trying to sell me stuff” I just close the window these days…I have to assume that this marketing strategy works for some people but I suspect it is also trues that many people are like me and really hate it. As soon as I see that kind of “marketing barrage”, the vendor looses all credibility with me…I know it is not your material I am referring to; I just thought you might be interested in some feedback and if you had any feelings on the matter?
Maybe you should do an article exploring the effectiveness of this technique?
I responded:
I get what you’re saying - but can I ask you an honest question? Why are you subscribed to marketing lists? Those sales letters convert, and that’s why we use them. And I’m always curious as to why folks want to learn marketing but then don’t like the way it’s done. Would love your opinion.
And Mark wrote back:
FYI I did not think it (the letter) was your material so excuse me if I was less than flattering.
Equally honestly I have to ask: would you read all that stuff? Surely not ?
I suspect that many people dislike what they have to do to market to people but clearly they use whatever works. I guess I had hoped that this method may have been starting to become less effective.
I subscribed to your mailing list because you provide useful information on social media, believe me if it was all 50 page letters I would unsubscribe pretty quickly.
Anyway you say the letters still convert well so that answers my question. It is depressing but useful information 
This is a message I’ve seen before from subscribers. They’re turned off by the traditional “long copy,” and sometimes ascetically unappealing salesletters. I wrote back to Mark:
I rarely read an entire salespage - but that’s the point of them. People have different styles, the bullets stand out to some, some folks are just headline readers, some people do read the whole thing, and others skim. It helps people consume at the level they’d like to consume.
Long copy generally does better then short copy - this is particularly true within the internet marketing niche. Video above the fold helps tremendously as well. What a lot of folks are doing now is having video at the top for those who want to watch the vid, then long copy below for folks who prefer to read/skim. It works.
I don’t understand though why one would dislike having a long copy page and/or “dislike what they have to do to market to people.” Why is a short copy page somehow more honorable then a long copy page? Selling is selling is selling, whether short or long copy, you know?
And Mark responded with some thoughts on his ideal sales letter format:
As a marketer I have no problem with long copy if it works but as a consumer I hate it because I want to know if the product/service is of interest to me and both the length and style of the long copy format are a barrier for me. For me short is good, I am in a hurry and I want to quickly know if the product or service is of interest to me. My assumption is that if the product/service is good then the facts should sell it. (In other words the sales strategy that works or me is making the copy appear as though I am NOT being marketed to…although of course I am). If I see many pages of repetitive marketing copy it says to me “do not read anymore, it must be junk”. I cannot be the only person who does this. The question is, what percentage? And would some formats suit some kinds of products/demographics and some suit others?
Choice between video and text sounds very sensible, maybe we (as marketers) could create ads with links that also say “cut to the chase” so that busy people would have that option as well?
So (just thinking as I type) marketing copy could have a standard format?
* Maximum 1 page teaser/landing page * After the teaser, but still above the fold, you have three links
o “Watch the video”
o “Learn more”
o “Cut to the chase”
Then everyone could choose to be marketed to in whatever format suited them?…or is reason getting in the way of psychology here? I would love to know how such a format would preform? I will try it out when I have a chance.
It’s an interesting concept, and perhaps in today’s world of permission based marketing it will find a place. I responded to Mark:
Thanks for your thoughts - and I definitely see your point. Part of sales is tapping into people’s emotions, and if you’re publishing “just the facts” in a salesletter (price, what you get, etc.) without a story, without benefits, without helping people on the page emotionally WANT the item, you won’t make the same number of sales.
Of course all of this depends on the market - if you’ve got a new Web 2.0 / social media type site (think Twitter) then of course you don’t want long copy. Selling an ebook on how to catch your cheating spouse? You want that emotion to pull them into your copy. So this does depend on your audience as well.
Curious as to your thoughts on “making the copy appear as though I am not being marketed to.” What does that look like? A blog post “review”?
There have been a few products within the IM niche that have gone somewhat “anti-copy” using ONLY a video on the salespage plus an order link or Stompernet did their “This Space Intentionally Left Blank” for the headline of on one of their launches a while back. So there obviously is room for change, of course. On an individual, per-product basis, it comes down to testing.
On a personal level, I know my list is heavily influenced by social media and as such I try to use clean “web 2.0″-ish design and, although I consider myself a poor copywriter, I do write my own copy because copy I’ve outsourced in the past has always come back way too hypey for my taste. For me, it’s a matter of people are buying the product from ME, and I want my my taste (in design) and my voice (in the words) to speak to them. It helps *me* match my products to customers who gel with my message.
There are some marketers who do well with the hype hype hype message - and they attract customers who are into that. I kind of consider my voice as a “middle ground” - I’m still a marketer, I’m still selling, but I’m not as over the top as some folks - and I attract customers who vibe with that. It might not be brilliant of me - I may be able to bring more folks into my fold with an ultra-hype letter, but it’s where I’m comfortable.
So that’s another point to consider when writing copy - who are you trying to attract as a customer? What do THEY want to hear in a salesletter?
And Mark replied with his own take:
I guess if you are trying to get people to buy what they don’t need it requires lots of persuasive copy, but if you are simply solving a persons problem or answering their questions and If the product you describe clearly solves the problem (or forms part of the answer to a question) then if you believe it is a good product that’s all you need to do (at least for me)….when I see long persuasive repetitive copy (in this context) it gets in the way of my purchasing decision because it is both time consuming and the heavy handed marketing makes me suspicious right when I might be interested in buying.
From my perspective, if I have a trusting relationship with an author because they have provided me with useful info in the past and that author says (in their own style) that they thought “product X” was an excellent solution for x,y and z reasons I think I would be much more likely to convert and I don’t perceive that I am being “marketed to” . Rather I feel like a trusted source of information has provided me with some products that I might find useful. The trouble is that when I go from the familiar trusted style to the long winded receptive ”hyped” style it throws me off, both from a perspective of wasted time and also of trust…I guess psychologically I suddenly go “hey this is scary. The person I trusted suddenly turned into a used car salesman ….eeek get me outa here!”
I think my perfect ad (if I was the consumer) would be a useful article with embedded text links within the content to a page/pop that lists the authors favorite products. Each product link would go to the 1 page teaser we discussed before with these links appearing above the fold:
1. Features
2. Benefits
3. Interview
4. ”Watch the video”
5. “Learn more”
6. “Cut to the chase”
FINDING BALANCE IN YOUR COPY
I know how Mark feels, and I know many other readers feel the same way. That being said, I also know from my own tests that a well written long copy letter tends to convert better then a list of product features / benefits / price. That long copy will do even better (again, in my tests) with video embedded.
So how does one find balance between making customers happy when they see the look and feel of your page and maximizing conversions? Or should one simply look at the numbers and do what converts most? Is one kind of copy more honorable and less “used car salesman” then another?
Please leave your thoughts in the comments - this should be a great discussion!
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Author: Michelle MacPhearson | Currently
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