You already know that 80% of a sales letter depends on your headline

by Mark Andrews Banned
11 replies
You already know that 80% of a sales letter depends on your headline.

(So what's the remaining 20% that causes customers to buy?)

Every one knows that the headline is critical...

And therefore it's not uncommon to see writers spend many hours testing and re-testing their headline. But what happens once your customer goes past the headline into the rest of the copy? Which are the elements that cause customers to feel an urge to buy your product or service?

These elements are simply the benefits, features and bullets
And most of us think that writing benefits, features and bullets is easy stuff. All you have to do is list them out logically and it gets the job done.

But this isn't just about getting the job done. If you don't use the benefits/features and bullets effectively, the customer may read and then just click away. Understanding how customers read a sales page is what gives your sales page the upper edge.

So how do customers view a sales page, anyway?
They first look at the how the page is presented. They read the headline and the first few paragraphs. And then they start scanning. And then they suddenly stop midway at the features, benefits and bullets.

So why do they stop? They stop to get a summary. The features, benefits and bullets are like a quick summary. It gives the customer a solid idea of what to expect. And to take customers to the next stage, you have to have a rock-solid system of writing features, benefits and bullets on your sales page.

Presenting 'Client Attractors': How To Write Benefits, Features and Bullets That Speed Up Sales
'Client Attractors' helps you deconstruct the elements that go into benefits, features and bullets. It shows you how small tweaks in your placement of the words makes a big difference in the way the customer responds to your offer.

Features, benefits and bullets are critical because a customer often buys your product on the basis of a single bullet or a single well-explained benefit. Which is why you have to be very sure that every one of them is hitting the mark.

Continue reading. PsychoTactics.com

Full credit for this goes to this superb site, make sure you check it out and sign up for the free newsletter...

Psychological Marketing Business Tactics: Big And Small Business Ideas - Psychotactics - Big and Small Business Ideas (Not my website - This site containing a lot of invaluable business, marketing, and copywriting information belongs to Sean D'Souza- Brain Auditor)

Enjoy!

Smoking hot,


Mark Andrews
#80% #depends #headline #letter #psycho tactics #psychotactics #sales #sean d'souza
  • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
    The sale is made at the headline - IFthe rest of the copy drives the message home.

    That's my philosophy.

    You have to take prospects on the journey that brings your headline to life.

    Another way of looking at it is:

    The headline is the HOW your life (or business or relationship or body) will change, forever, if you take action.

    The body of copy articulates WHY it's important, to you, and what you leave on the table should you decide to walk away.

    From a positioning perspective...

    The headline is meant to trigger something very specific.

    It might be hope.

    Fear.

    Or it might address a major objection straight away.

    It's up to you to decide exactly how you want to lead into your main copy.

    You've got to have at least some sense about the emotions you're after in the headline...

    ...and how you're deliberately intending to lead your prospects to your solution.

    Personally...

    I always blueprint an emotional map.

    Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author The Copy Nazi
    Banned
    Halbert put it succinctly -


    The headline is an ad for your ad
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  • Profile picture of the author max5ty
    Mark, actually 80% of your sales letter does not depend on your headline.

    I think what you're trying to say is that the headline is what gets their attention...and it's what the guru's tell you to spend 80% of your time on.

    You know the type of work I've done...a good photo always is the first draw to an ad...then they read the headline (caption).

    On a sales letter...the headline gets their attention then the content is what sells them.

    ...so I think I know what you were trying to say...

    And no...you didn't scare me off...you young wipper snapper.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
      Banned
      Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

      Mark, actually 80% of your sales letter does not depend on your headline.

      I think what you're trying to say is that the headline is what gets their attention...and it's what the guru's tell you to spend 80% of your time on.

      You know the type of work I've done...a good photo always is the first draw to an ad...then they read the headline (caption).

      On a sales letter...the headline gets their attention then the content is what sells them.

      ...so I think I know what you were trying to say...

      And no...you didn't scare me off...you young wipper snapper.
      Daft apeth. It's 'whipper snapper' not wipper snapper ya ruddy great plonker.

      And those words are not my own. They belong to another guy. See above Marcus.

      Conversely, I disagree with you. The main headline is as Mal via Halbert quite rightly put it...

      ...an ad for your ad. To which, I'll add the words of another top copywriter...

      And if the headline doesn't get read nor does the rest of the copy.

      Smoking hot,


      Mark Andrews
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      • Profile picture of the author max5ty
        Originally Posted by Mark Andrews View Post

        Daft apeth. It's 'whipper snapper' not wipper snapper ya ruddy great plonker.

        And those words are not my own. They belong to another guy. See above Marcus.

        Conversely, I disagree with you. The main headline is as Mal via Halbert quite rightly put it...

        An ad for your ad. To which I'll add the words of another top copywriter...

        And if the headline doesn't get read nor does the rest of the copy.

        Smoking hot,


        Mark Andrews
        I was using the UN version of the spelling.

        I'm saying what you meant is that 80% of those reading your sales copy were attracted to it by the headline...you still have to get busy and sell them something in the copy.
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        • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
          Banned
          Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

          ...you still have to get busy and sell them something in the copy.
          Duhhh - Really? Well I never!

          Blimey, who'd a thunk it?

          Talk about stating the bleedin' obvious.

          Marcus for all you're an absolute pain in the ass sometimes...

          ...you are ever so funny.

          Smoking hot,


          Mark Andrews
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    It's also interesting that in here sometimes people use a headline for their thread that has absolutely no relevance to what is actually written in the thread. They do it to attract attention...and often it does work. Even Paul used a headline that was not relevant to what he wrote about but what he wrote was definitely worth reading.
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    • Profile picture of the author Hugh Thyer
      Funny then that 2 of the most successful and widely mailed letters of all times, the Nancy Halbert Coat of Arms letter and Wall Street Journal letters DIDN'T have headlines.

      Just saying.....
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  • Profile picture of the author Geordie John
    Speaking from the consumer/customer side of things, i tend to read the headline/sub-headline, and possibly the first paragraph to learn what is being offered in terms of WHAT I am going to get out of whatever it is on sale - what problem will be solved, how will something i do become easier or better or faster, and so on.

    After that, i skim the rest of the sales letter picking out headings and typically reading through the bullets looking for HOW that improvement is going to be achieved - am i being sold information to go take action on, software that is going to do something for me - looking to judge if it's the right solution for me.

    I rarely ever bother to stop and read the testimonials - no sales letter is going to have anything critical regarding the product or service there, so it's all biased from the start, regardless of how honest and genuine they may be.

    The headline draws my attention, the highlights of the sales letter body give me the How. If i think the solution fits, i'll buy it. If i don't feel like i understand what i am getting or how it's actually going to deliver, then i tend not to buy.
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  • Profile picture of the author Geordie John
    Thinking about it a little more, i also realize that whatever it was that lead me to the sales page plays a huge part - most often it's from an email, article, or blog post - i'm far more inclined to forgive a poor headline if i have been properly presold - by that point i'm already looking for HOW the result will be achieved more than I am looking for what benefit to me is being offered.

    The headline is only really important to me if i am reading a sales page somewhat cold.
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  • Profile picture of the author eugenedm
    I totally agree about that the headline is the most important part of conversion but your offer is very important as well make sure that you have something incredible to offer to people who really like and will want to buy your product. That is very important to remember.
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