Long Copy Sells

This may seem like a contradiction given the previous advice to keep things simple and direct, but different briefs call for different tactics and varying amounts of content.
Products or services that are expensive will not be easily sold with a 100-word pitch. Equally, it may take more effort to explain the benefits of certain tech-based products or to create an adequate level of credibility, especially when it’s something that naturally breeds skepticism. Weight-loss programs would fall into this category.

Providing you’ve managed to initially hook the audience with a strong headline and an attractive offer, long copy may be the order of the day. This approach can be seen in web copy where a long pitch is interspersed by numerous clickable “Buy” buttons. The copy continues beyond each button as it adds more and more reasons why the person reading should respond positively. These are often a reiteration of points already made, or perhaps more personal testimonials.

Copy of this kind can carry on for many pages, and you should not think that this repetition is overkill. People who are interested will continue reading as they slowly convince themselves that their parting with money is justified. It is a clever way of trying to pre-empt that fateful buyer’s remorse. A purchase based on a gut reaction may be quickly cancelled. The longer a customer takes to arrive at a decision to buy, the happier they will be that all the salient points have been addressed, and their objections overcome.

Devil in the Detail

For copywriters, the devil is actually in the generality. Details are interesting and draw the reader in (remember the Martians who ate that poor Chihuahua?). They lend some authority to the information contained in your copy, and this helps to relax the reader into feeling it’s safe to take action and buy.

Be Interesting, Get Excited

Someone, somewhere in the world, wants to buy what your copy is attempting to promote. You may find it impossible to believe, but if you want to write interesting copy then you’d better accept it’s true. Your task as a copywriter is to understand the mindset of the target audience, even where this is a niche crowd, and to get excited on their behalf. Enthusiasm sells.

Offer Testimonials

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that testimonials can be fabricated. Short of getting the phone numbers of satisfied customers for prospective new customers to call up, testimonials have to work on the basis of trust. Nevertheless, a sales page without testimonials looks decidedly unconvincing.

Offer a Guarantee

In conjunction with an impressive list of testimonials, a money-back guarantee is a powerful sales tool to add to your copy. This may not be up to you, of course, but you should certainly have the confidence of knowing that making this suggestion to a client shows you have a sound understanding of what does and doesn’t work. In cases where guarantees are given, less than 2% of customers ever claim their money back.

Go for the Close

There is not much point writing scintillating copy if you don’t ask for the order. It is not distasteful to do this, but a lot of copy avoids doing so. People know pretty quickly when they are reading an advert, however cunningly disguised as help and advice at the outset, and they expect it to end with a bid for their cash. Ask for the order, make it simple for the customer to buy, and close the sale. It’s the whole point of direct response copy.

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