Writing A Compelling Story in a Sales Letter

[The Niche Man]

What's the key to writing a compelling story in a sales letter? It would be good to have step-by-step approach, but any advice or points to keep in mind would be appreciated.

[Alex Cohen]

The story should make a point relative to your prospect’s problem... one which the product solves. If it can trigger a pertinent emotion in the prospect, all the better.

Alex

[MissLizzie]

For me, it's the little details that bring a sales letter to life. They show us that the product creator is a real person and help us relate to his or her story. Otherwise, it could be any guru launching any product with some overhyped and oversold sales copy. For example, I liked all of the references to the ramen noodles in Ryan Shaw's thread - that was great.

[jtunkelo]

A good story is one that brings about the emotional transformation that's required to get the sale. It can be directly linked to what you're selling, or completely indirect, a 'therapeutic metaphor' kind of story.

[The Niche Man]

Originally Posted by jtunkelo

A good story is one that brings about the emotional transformation that's required to get the sale. It can be directly linked to what you're selling, or completely indirect, a 'therapeutic metaphor' kind of story.

That's an interesting point, could you give an example?

[John_S]

These are called "selling stories." They have certain traits which regular stories do not.

One trait is the moral or punchline. When Gary Halbert used to tell seminar participants he and they would go into business against each other. "You get to choose any advantage you want. And, then I'll tell you what mine is."

Participants invariably choose better ingredients, decor, name.

Then Gary would reveal his: A Starving Crowd.

Letting everyone go first, Gary establishes himself as the expert. It is an important lead-in to get people to accept what comes next.

Don't just tell stories because you heard they sell. Tell selling stories. Often people get to the end of these things and wonder what the story was about, or how it was about pilfer grommets, and they sell boxcar prongs.

The punchline is like restating or bottom lining the offer. Makes it clear what the takeaway is.

[travlinguy]

The simplest way to employ a story is the Feel, Felt Found formula. It might start with a headline something like this...

Do You Have Cooties In Yer Zoot Suit?

Is the constant itching, scratching and embarrassment of tiny parasites getting you down? Man, Oh, Man, do I know how you feel. I felt the same way when I had cooties in my Zoot Suit. Let me tell you what I found...

Pretty elementary but very malleable. Once you get good at it you can easily make the transition to telling other people's stories and drawing close parallels to your offer.

[dorothydot]

A good story is compelling. It calls the reader to want to read your copy.

And a good story also builds instant credibility, because the readers can identify with the hero and in doing so, they subconsciously realize that you understand their problem.

And when they know you understand, when you present your product, they are ready to believe you when you say it's the Answer.

I've used storylines and word pictures very effectively in my copywriting and website. (My most challenging was a website selling a natural remedy for genital herpes.)

It's a fun and powerful technique.
Dot

[Stephen Dean]

Keep it deliberate. It's easy to get in to "story mode" rather than "sales mode." So just keep asking yourself, how does this help make the sale? Is there a purpose? Is it dragging along and slowing down the purchase decision?

Stories are really powerful in copy but they can be tricky to write.

Cheers,
Stephen Dean

[briancassingena]

Must have resources for stories that sell:

Dan Kennedy's Influential Writing package
Whoever Tells The Best Story Wins book (can't remember author)
Pete Godfrey's Cash Characters package (For those who aren't averse to an Aussie accent...)

[Kevin Rogers]

Originally Posted by briancassingena

Must have resources for stories that sell:

Dan Kennedy's Influential Writing package
Whoever Tells The Best Story Wins book (can't remember author)
Pete Godfrey's Cash Characters package (For those who aren't averse to an Aussie accent...)

Whoever Tells The Best Story Wins book Annette Simmons... good book.

Also, Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott

And see if you can get your hands on Vin Montello's 7 Story Secrets or whatever it's called. great report.

[OnlineMasterMind]

Originally Posted by The Niche Man

What's the key to writing a compelling story in a sales letter.

Creating empathy with the reader.

[Ken_Caudill]

Always start with, "It was a dark and stormy night."

[ARSuarez]

Originally Posted by Ken_Caudill

Always start with, "It was a dark and stormy night."

Has to end in murder, too...

The murder of previous beliefs, the difficult life, the struggle prior to "the discovery" of -whatever.-

Kill it dead.

Best,

Angel

[netwiseprofits]

Originally Posted by The Niche Man

What's the key to writing a compelling story in a sales letter. It would be good to have step-by-step approach, but any advice or points to keep in mind would be appreciated.

You're further ahead then most copywriters by understanding that telling a story is the best formula for marketing.

With that said the best advice I could offer is read the following 2 books:

1) All Marketers Are Liars (Tell Stories) by Seth Godin.

2) Ca$hvertising by Drew Eric Whitman

[netwiseprofits]

Originally Posted by The Niche Man

What's the key to writing a compelling story in a sales letter. It would be good to have step-by-step approach, but any advice or points to keep in mind would be appreciated.

You need to read this book "Tell To Win - Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story" by Peter Guber.

Let me quote directly from the book where it explains telling a story. (page 20 and 21)

Quote

... And the building blocks of all compelling stories, whether they're told in person, in the pages of a book, or via actors on a screen or monitor, are Challenge, Struggle and Resolution...

Here then, is how you build a story:

- First... get your listeners' attention with an unexpected challenge or question.

- Next... give your listeners an emotional experience by narrating the struggle to overcome that challenge or to find the answer to the opening question.

- Finally... galvanize your listeners' response with an eye-opening resolution that calls them to action.

End Quote

And once last quote from the book... Quote -- Move your listeners' hearts, and their feet and wallet will follow. End Quote

Cheers
Leo

[ewenmack]

Here's an example of a weight loss ad that puts
storytelling to good use...

Best,
Ewen

[Raydal]

Want to know how to tell selling stories? Study the parables
of Jesus. They were all selling stories that have been repeated
millions of times.

The famous Wall Street Journal 2 graduates story is based on the
parable of the 2 builders--one on sand and the
other on the rock. When the storms came the house
on the sand was washed away and the rock house
stood. This time the "rock-building" was just reading the
WSJ.

I could give you many other examples of selling storied
based on parables but you get the idea.

-Ray Edwards

[ARSuarez]

Originally Posted by ewenmack

Here's an example of a weight loss ad that puts
storytelling to good use...

Best,
Ewen

Hey Ewen,

Is this one of Bud Weckesser's ads?

[ewenmack]

Originally Posted by ARSuarez

Hey Ewen,

Is this one of Bud Weckesser's ads?

Sure is Angel.

Alex Cohen put me on to a cool way to find past newspaper and magazine ads.

Just type into Google the headline of ad and on the left column you'll find books.
Under books there is a magazine tab.

BAM, Google is your friend again!

Best,
Ewen

[alsoforum]

Then Gary would reveal his: A Starving Crowd.

Letting everyone go first, Gary establishes himself as the expert. It is an important lead-in to get people to accept what comes next.

[Nathan Alexander]

I personally love stories, both as a performer and a would-be writer. Let me quote from an interesting book I have lying around.

***

The Best Form of Persuasion There Is

There's a great show that's only been in syndication for a few years that I love to watch. If you haven't seen or heard of King of Queens, you're missing out.

It's a great comedy. In one particular episode Arthur, the live-in whimsical father-in-law to Doug Heffernan, the main character, was getting his way over Doug’s with his daughter the last few weeks about things he wanted to do.

He was dictating what movies were rented, the stores they'd go to and the food they'd eat.

Doug was getting jealous of Arthur always getting his way in the house. He started to realize that Arthur was the key to actually getting what he wanted for dinner. He noticed every time Arthur said he wanted something, inevitably Carrie came home and cooked that for dinner, while she laughed at any suggestions by Doug.

What did Doug do? He realized if he could get Arthur to ask for what he wanted for dinner, it was a sure thing. So one night Arthur said he was in the mood for fish so Carrie made a note to pick up some fish from the store. That’s when Doug pulled him into the kitchen, sat him down at the table and started asking Arthur questions.

Doug was in the mood for pizza so he started talking to Arthur about when he was stationed over in Italy. He asked him questions about his experiences there and said things like, "I’ll bet that food was great huh?"

"Oh yea, you could just watch that cheese melt right off the top of the pizza. Nothing ever tasted so good." Doug would encourage him and ask him to tell him more about it. The actor who played Arthur had a certain way about himself, a way of playing the character that was so creative and different which made him funny.

Sure enough, after a few minutes Carrie walks into the kitchen to grab her keys and says she’ll be back in a few minutes and Arthur jumps up and yells, "I WANT PIZZA!"

Of course Doug nods and smiles to himself. He’s now discovered the ultimate way to get what he wants. And the next night’s no different either. Doug riffles through the stack of take-out menus they keep by the door and settles on a Chinese food one as it strikes his mood.

He sits Arthur down and starts talking to him about his experiences in Asia and thinking back about how the food was so good of course and what do you know, Arthur eventually stands up and yells, "I WANT CHINESE FOOD!" And so it goes for a while before Doug’s wife Carrie turns on to the gig.

It’s a great example of persuasion. Why? Because Arthur already had his mind set, yet they completely changed whatever they were going to have. And it was not because he was told to, it was because it was his own decision he "freely" arrived at because of a little trick of Doug’s.

The reason why this method of persuasion worked so well here and can do so for you as well, comes down to one very important fact. You may get someone to believe what you tell them but people will always believe the conclusions they work out for themselves because of their own authority.

Think about it. You’ll believe your own conclusions about something far more than me just telling you that a thing is so, right? It’s easier for you to be committed to that decision too. We trust our own decisions because we made them freely. We choose. We decided.

And that’s the real secret. You need to get someone to think as you do without forcing it down their throats. The way to do that is by letting them get to those conclusions at their own pace, at their own direction. Of course, you’re prompting the conversation, you’re setting the initial pace, but you’re letting the other person reach a conclusion you’ve set out to deliberately have him make...

***

Anyway. Just my thoughts. Stories work by allowing you to imagine yourself in situations that you can closely relate to, making it "more real" for you in ways you wouldn't feel otherwise.

We get to follow along and merge our feelings and worldviews together. And I completely agree Ray. One of my favorite techniques of debate is to ask specific, pointed questions.

There is no better example period, in my opinion, than Jesus being asked questions meant to trick Him but ended of tripping up themselves. For example, the "taxes and the inscription". That was powerful stuff. He knew how to ask the right question to elicit the exact response he wanted. Incredible.

The other incredibly strong example from Jesus that I love is the "By whose authority" question where they reason, "if we say...then he'll say..." as they work out they're trapped by the very question he asks of them about where He got His authority.

Solid gold. Although a bit off topic, great influence through story and asking questions.

[The Niche Man]

Thanks so far to everyone on your insights, advice and ideas on the power of stories and how to apply them effectively.

It's helping to clear out the cobwebs that was my head on how to write compelling stories as well as what to beware of.

The advice I've received here has no doubt saved me many hours of study, mistakes and goof-ups.

Hopefully others reading this post have learned from your advice as well, that's the icing on the cake.

Peace!