If youre selling or plan to sell information over the internet, you realize the importance of good online copy. Its so easy to click away, we need to engage our readers attention fast, and hold on to it.

I once read an ebook that advised writing your sales page before developing your product, because it was so important. That seems a bit extreme to me, but the truth is that many service professionals develop great, useful, even life-changing products, but then cant sell them because they dont know how to write good sales copy.

This article outlines a clear formula for writing a solid sales letter. Where appropriate, Ive inserted some attributed examples. I dont address the merits of long vs. short copythey can both work, but lets face it, few non-copywriters have the skill or patience to write 10 page sales letters, and I dont know many people who like to read them on their screen.

POWERFUL HEADLINE

Your headline has to immediately engage your reader. It needs problem, promise, and passion in 25 words or less.

Who else wants to defy all normal, common, ordinary, customary boundaries and restrictions on making money on the speed, the ease, and the independence? Dan Kennedys Renegade Millionaire Course

TESTIMONIALS THROUGHOUT

Nothing convinces as well as other peoples word. You want these to be specific and give actual results when possibleI added 12 new clients after using this system! If you want to get testimonials, give away your product to a few trustworthy individuals in exchange for an honest appraisal.

DISCUSS A PROBLEM OR USE A STORY

Customers and clients want to know that you understand their problem and pain, and can solve it. Your headline will touch on the problem, here you elaborate. Stories hold attention.

HOT BENEFITS WITH BULLETS

Features are the tangibles: Why would your market care that you have ten years experience? Benefits are the emotional angles: Your experience makes me feel youre competent and will be able to help me. To get to benefits, take each features of your products and keep asking Why? Ultimately, youll get to the emotional response youre really selling. People buy on emotions and justify with reasons.

Bullets can create a quick emotional response, and are one of the first parts read in a sales letter. This is a great place to address possible objections or doubts your reader might have. Come up with 10-15 bullets:

What background materials you need before you begin to write (or else youre simply wasting your time);
My secret to turning phrases into benefit-driven statements that attract attention (we all buy based on how we believe a product will make us FEEL);
Why you don't need to be a writer to write great headlines

--From Lorrie Morgan-Ferreros sales letter for her Speed Copywriting Workshop

ADD BONUSES

But WaitTheres More! Youve presented a great offer, intrigued your reader, and now you add the icing on the cake. If there was hesitation to buy, these bonuses can be the decisive factor. You can develop your own bonuses, or exchange bonus products with other infogurus. You give away mine, Ill give away yours (with attribution).

PLEDGE

As great as your product may be, you still need to overcome objections. A clear, solid, money-back guarantee can tip the scales.

ASK FOR A CLEAR ACTION

If people dont know what to do they wont do it. Dont make your reader guess the next step.

POWER PS

The PS is said to be one of the items most read in a letter, so add a PS that reiterates a benefit or urgency to buying NOW.

CONCLUSION

If you find you really love this stuff, one of the best ways to become a good copywriter is to steal a technique from 19th century language educationfind good sales letters and copy them by hand, word for word, over and over. This is also a great way to memorize Homer. And as always, if you need further resources, please email me.