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The Long-Form Salesletter Debate Continues...

by Reeveso
10 replies
Hey everyone,

I just wrote a guest blog post that's been picking up a LOT of steam and caused a lot of controversy so I thought I'd share it with you.

You can check it out at Anatomy of long sales letter

There aren't a ton of blog comments, but you can follow along with the controversy here - Hacker News | Anatomy of long sales letter

And feel free to get involved and ask question in this post as well.

Do you think I'm right? Do you think I'm full of &%* ?

Or... maybe you're on the fence and trying to figure it out. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know - I'd be happy to answer them and help you out!

Jeremy
#continues #debate #longform #salesletter
  • Profile picture of the author sylviad
    Some sales letters go on forever, so it depends on what you have to offer in it. It's not uncommon for them to repeat themselves. They reach a point where you think they've said it all, and then they continue with more.

    In the end, it depends on several things:
    1) more expensive products might need more "selling" through a long letter
    2) niches attract different people who might or might not want to read a long letter

    If you rattle on for too long, you could lose your reader and the sale. By letting the letter sit for a week or so before publishing it, you are sure to spot problems when you re-read it. They can include: duplications, stray thoughts, off-target comments, unnecessary paragraphs, etc.

    The question is probably not so much whether or not long or short letters are better, but what you are selling, what it costs, how complex it is, who will be reading the letter and what are their buying habits.

    Sylvia
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    • Profile picture of the author Reeveso
      Very well said!

      Yes... people get excited when they write a long letter simply because it's long. The length really means nothing though.

      If you can put out all your benefits, overcome objections, display your hook and USP, and everything else required to make the sale in 500 words... awesome.

      However, most of the time it simply takes longer. That's why some letters for 500 words... some are 5,000 words or more
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      • Profile picture of the author sylviad
        Originally Posted by Reeveso View Post

        Very well said!

        Yes... people get excited when they write a long letter simply because it's long. The length really means nothing though.

        If you can put out all your benefits, overcome objections, display your hook and USP, and everything else required to make the sale in 500 words... awesome.

        However, most of the time it simply takes longer. That's why some letters for 500 words... some are 5,000 words or more
        Well, I'm not so sure I'd be sold in 500 words, but hey. Some people probably are.

        Sylvia
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Parkin
    If you're interested in the subject of the letter it is never to long - if you're not it always is
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  • Profile picture of the author Kalidasa
    I don't understand the controversy. All you have to do is test different options, see what that particular market responds to.
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    • Profile picture of the author Reeveso
      Originally Posted by Kalidasa View Post

      I don't understand the controversy. All you have to do is test different options, see what that particular market responds to.
      Yea, unfortunately most people don't understand that very simple point that would point the controversy to rest

      They think that "pretty" designs always work... and that long-form salesletters are scammy and don't work.

      It always comes down to the test
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Peters Benn
    I try not to pay attention to opinions on things like this. Split test and go with the best result is the only real approach to this.
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    • Profile picture of the author paraschopra
      The right approach is to A/B test long v/s short sales copy and see what works for your target customer base.
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      • Profile picture of the author Reeveso
        Originally Posted by paraschopra View Post

        The right approach is to A/B test long v/s short sales copy and see what works for your target customer base.
        Originally Posted by Steve Peters Benn View Post

        I try not to pay attention to opinions on things like this. Split test and go with the best result is the only real approach to this.
        EXACTLY!

        It all comes down to what works best for your market
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  • Profile picture of the author Anonymous Affiliate
    I know that as a online marketer the right answer is to split test, but as an avid online buyer I'd much rather watch through a straight-to-the-point 15-minute video presentation than read through a 20-page sales pitch. You know, my time is valuable, and I dont need to know about the story of your life to buy your product.
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