Quick Easy Poll--Which is more effective- Long Sales Copy or Short Sales Copy?

[Sean A McAlister]

Like I said...Quick Poll.

just click on one of the up above. Thanks!
OR
Just click which one you prefer when arriving at a sales page

Feel free to elaborate on your answer. Just wondering....

I appreciate it!
Sean

ps...Limit 3 votes per person....lol..no seriously keep it real!


[EDIT] I realize that statistical data, sociographic and demographic
considerations provide the best proof....I am simply looking for a "Popular Vote".

It's most definitely long copy...

When you give your audience more information they're more likely to buy. Long copy answers more questions and has the potential to address objections.

Ultimately, it's about the strength of your offer. More often than not... long copy presents the offer more thoroughly.

Good quality long copy without the use of pointless graphical elements has and always will outperform short copy.

Long copy converts more sales...

[Easy Cash]

This was summed up quite well in this thread.

http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ong-world.html


Depends what you are trying to do. Long seems to be a winner.

[nair]

Idk guys. I've been seeing some more swing towards short sales copy, like light squeeze pages, more.

Every time I see a large sales copy page, I never read the entire page, and I usually click out after a while. But if I see a light squeeze page, just a few text, and a helpful video, I get more interested.

[Matthew Moyer]

This question can't be answered with a poll only an actual test.

It's ultimately dependant on what's being sold how well it's
known and how bad it's wanted or needed.

If your crowd is walking around all day and they need water
a simple message saying something like "Bottled Water $3" is
all that is needed.

[JayXtreme]

Sean..


Can I say.. BOTH?

It is relative to the situation being used, the demographic of the market place and the length required to fully express the benefits of the offer.

Peace

Jay

[Marian Berghes]

1. It really depends on your niche, and needs some testing

2. I somewhat agree with the long copy but it really needs to be done very good. 90% of the copy I read on different launches etc...really bore me to death... because they don't know how to keep the customer submerged in the text.

I have tested short copy following Frank's 3 step method with a twist in a niche and it worked better than the long copy...but that is just me.

Anyway...I think that if you don't know how to write good copy...at least make it short but compact with information.

[samstephens]

I think Jay hit it: both.

Some things lend themselves to short copy, some to long, some to a more corporate design.

It depends on your product and who your customers are.

The best question to ask is: what would best convince MY prospects to buy MY particular product.


From my experience, a corporate site worked best for my software, but short corportate style copy bombed for my ebook.

cheers
Sam

[Denise Hall]

I personally prefer short sales copy. There have been very few long sales letters that I've read all the way through, and I don't always read the entire thing even if it's short.

I don't think people want to spend 10 or 15 minutes reading a sales pitch. But, that's just my opinion.

Denise

[Li Weng]

In my opinion, you need longer copy for a product that is more expensive, since you really have to sell sell and justify to your reader why they should make that investment, and ultimately convince them to make that purchase decision.

Whereas in the case of a less expensive product, or some free bonus, the letter will only need to be short and succinct, because making that purchase decision is a lot easier for the reader.

[Ted Kopelli]

The trouble with polling IMers is the results will be skewed. Alot of us are tired of long drawn out sales pages, squeeze pages, etc.

Yet, to the outsider, it may draw them in and they can relate to the copy and gladly pull out their credit card.

Personally I prefer short sales letters and detest squeeze pages.

Ted

[BrianMcLeod]

As I type this.. I am visualizing Vin Montello shaking his bowed head left to right and muttering under his breath, "No.. NO! I'm NOT going to say a WORD!"

I know you're out there, Vin... Muted by your self-imposed vow of long-copy thread celibacy... ; )

Here's a really great thread from the old forum that I think adds some value to a topic worn thread-bare...

The Warrior Forum - Reason for Long Sales Pages?

Here's my contribution to that thread:

--

There's this 34 page sales letter sitting on a web server somewhere featuring a dramatic story that is artfully interwoven throughout the copy. The letter also has a slew of testimonials and multi-modal proof elements.

Now, if this long-ass sales letter could talk, it would tell you flat out... It could care less when you and your friends leave, or that they call it "BS" or "a scam"... You and 90 or so others out of every 100 say the same thing all day long.

No, that long-ass sales letter is really only concerned with the fact that, out of every 100 visitors, 2 or 5 or 12 or 15 read the whole thing - some parts several times - and then they ORDERED....

Does that make any sense at all?

In another thread yesterday or the day before, someone else, I think it was Vin, HAMMERED on the mistake of marketing your products to yourself instead of your buyer.

That's the very issue at work in this discussion, IMO.

"I don't like long copy, therefore long copy could be hurting sales". Add to that, "My friends don't like long copy, therefore long copy could be hurting sales".

It's a trap. Beware.

== the thread continues ==

quote :
Originally posted by ahefner33

Thank you Malibu, VDMP, and Brian.

Brian,

Not to make argument, but you stated that by your numbers that 90 out of 100 think the same thing. But the sales copy is targeted to get the remaining 10. Why would you not look to make your sales copy appeal to the mass?

What I said was that 9 out of 10 are going to bail out - and let's be clear - maybe it's because they can't afford it, maybe it's because they don't like long sales letters, maybe it's because the pizza guy showed up at the door and they closed their browser. Point is - if you are converting at 10%, a very healthy number by most tallies, 9 out of 10 are NOT BUYING. That's not a problem!

Just remember, the BUYER doesn't MIND spending 20 minutes reading the whole thing. It's the reason he's now a BUYER.

quote :
If I am marketing to myself, like you said which is a big fault and I try to optimize to what the majority think, wouldn't that be more efficient? Instead of targeting the 10 or 15?

That's the trap - trying to appeal to everyone can leave you appealing to no one particularly.

quote :
Sorry I am just trying to understand. In my mind it seems backwards. I hope my understanding seems somewhat valid.

No apologies, dude. We're just talkin' about it... And yes, it IS backwards from conventional thinking in many ways.

We're talking about sharpening your knife and slicing thinner, then giving that person what they need, emotionally and rationally, to compel them to buy - right now.

Let's say there are 100 people in a room to hear you speak.

40 are wearing Green Shirts.

30 are wearing Blue Shirts.

20 are wearing Red Shirts.

10 are wearing Purple Shirts.


You walk onstage, to begin your presentation. But, before you begin to speak, all the Green Shirts stand up and walk out saying, "This sucks... The whole event looks shady and the guy's just going to try and scam me at the end... We're out of here..."

Undeterred, you begin speaking to the remaining 60 people.

As you go into your introduction and describe what you'll be covering today, the Blue Shirts all stand out and walk out saying, "This is way too boring. I don't have time for this... We're out of here..."

You continue speaking to the remaining 30 people, realizing that the room now looks really empty!

You dig deep into your best material. But, as you do, over time, about half of the Red Shirts nod to you then leave, each realizing that your material, while excellent, just isn't exactly what they need or that they simply can't afford it.

So, you're left now with about 20 people in the room as you complete your presentation to their applause.

Everybody heads to the back of the room where they can get your product and EVERY ONE of the Purple Shirts buys one immediately... In fact, many of them also sign up for your extras that you're offering. The Purple Shirts all rush up to meet you and ask you questions. Some take a picture with you.

Interestingly, some of the Red Shirts stay on as well and ask you questions... explaining why they can't buy from you today. But all of them say they plan to do so in the future and they each sign up for your mailing list.

So, in the end, who is more important to you - Purple Shirts, Red Shirts, Blue Shirts or Green Shirts?

Who would you be best served by centering your marketing around?

Best,

Brian

[Loren Woirhaye]

Cheap product everybody knows the basic details about:
short copy does it. Dresses. DVD players. The latest Brad
Pitt film. All of these are basically known commodities. We
know what the product is and what it does.

Costly product or product where we need to be persuaded
on the premise, necessity or advantage in owning it - copy
should be as long as it takes to answer the questions of the
target buyers and persuade them to take the risk of buying
something which is partially unknown and will not be understood
until they read the manual and fiddle with it - software,
money-making methods, high-ticket coaching, etc.

[samstephens]

VERY well put, LoudMac!

cheers
Sam

[Ebbi]

Long copy!

Great post LoudMac!

Ebbi

[Sean A McAlister]

Hey Lou....Rock on man...that was some good stuff

[tomw]

Hi Sean,

Long copy? Short copy?

Surely the answer is appropriate copy!

This must be targeted appropriately for your prospects through appropriate research and as appropriate in each situation, forming an appropriately compelling offer, that your prospects find appropriate for them enough to part with the appropriate amount of money in return for the appropriate amount of value.



As mentioned by Jay and others.

Another point of view, and another advocate of long copy is Dan Kennedy, but for VERY different and quite enlightening reasons than have already been mentioned. I read this a long time ago, although he has recently posted it on his new site.

I thought you might be interested in it...

Watching The Clock | Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle

Thomas

P.S. Nice post LoudMac.

[mmurtha]

Hi Sean,

Lol That's not a fair question! There is no specific answer to it because it depends on the occassion.

Hey Jay,

You go dude!


Mary