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Is a Two-Paged Sales Letter a No-No?

by mrniceguy123
20 replies
I can't remember where I learned it from, but for some reason, I've been under the impression that a physical sales letter shouldn't be longer than one page.

Is it true that physical, mailed sales letters shouldn't exceed one page in length?
#letter #nono #sales #twopaged
  • Profile picture of the author Mwind076
    Would YOU read a two page sales letter? I wouldn't on initial contact or if I opted in.
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
    The message needs to be as long as it needs to be.

    A mind blowing, so good it makes you want to donate your liver 3 page sales letter will out pull a one page crappy sales letter.

    The questions is if it is really necessary to get the desired response.
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    • Profile picture of the author MNord
      Originally Posted by plessard View Post

      The message needs to be as long as it needs to be.

      A mind blowing, so good it makes you want to donate your liver 3 page sales letter will out pull a one page crappy sales letter.

      The questions is if it is really necessary to get the desired response.
      Yup. If all you're trying to do is warm up a phone call you plan to make, or if you want the reader to take an action that carries little risk or effort, or if you already have a relationship with the reader, one page may be fine.

      But if you're trying to actually get someone that doesn't know you to send you money, it's going to be awfully hard to convince them in just one page.
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    • Profile picture of the author midasman09
      Banned
      I was a "student" of Gary Halbert, in fact, he and I went together on one of my Money-Making projects that involved FOUR-PAGE Sales Letters.

      ALL of Gary's sales letters were 4-page.

      They were designed to;
      1) Get Attention
      2) Grab Interest
      3) Create DESIRE (the Most important part)
      4) Close the deal

      AIDC....which was the "Formula" that worked for me.

      Now.....remember back in the "Floppy Disk" days?

      I would run ads in Entrepreneur Magazine and other Biz-Op mags....asking interested prospects to PHONE my...."FREE Recorded Message for more info.

      Well....I set up a 2 minute recording with my local voice mail service ($10 mo where their system would capture the Name & Address of callers asking me to Mail them "more info".

      So....I created a FOUR-Page Sales Letter and (here's how I made a BIG Bundle).....I included a Floppy Disk WITH the 4-page Sales Letter and.... on the last page of my Sales Letter I said, basically...."Hey! If you want the "stuff" I've been talking about (benefits)....(Now pay CLOSE attention to the following)....you can HAVE IT in the next few minutes!"

      "It is INSIDE THE ENCLOSED FLOPPY DISK! BUT....it is encrypted with a special Password. You do NOT have to wait and wonder WHEN you will receive my program or IF....you will receive my program! YOU ALREADY HAVE IT!

      It's IN THE ENCLOSED DISK! To Open the Disk and receive the benefits from it....just phone my Order Service and the clerk will give you the PassWord!"

      Well...."curiosity killed the cat"! By using my "Funnel"....I was able to get orders from TWENTY PERCENT of prospects (1 out 5) who phoned my "Free Recorded Message" from the ad.

      So....the SAME program can be used TODAY....2014!

      I just checked and in my small town there are 2 services that can provide me with a "2 minute out-going" message and collect all the Names & Addresses...for $10 a Month!

      I'm sure there are Voice Mail services in your area. Sign up for one, run ads (or send postCards or whatever) to get prospects to CALL your 2 min outgoing sales message. Send them a FOUR PAGE Sales Letter (AIDC) and, include a CD....WITH....your program on it that they can get INTANTLY.....WHEN they place an order.

      So....if you'd like 1 OUTA 5 prospects to get an order from....use this System.

      Don Alm.....marketing guy

      Note: One guy on WF is offering a "Sales Program" using "Lumpy Mail" with a toy dinosaur in the envelope. This is fine but, I've had great success by sending a 4 x 8 PostCard to get prospects to PHONE my Voice mail.

      A "simple" postcard to small business owners that says;

      "FIND OUT WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS WORTH....IN 30 MINUTES...IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OFFICE! PHONE OUR FREE, 24HR VOICE MAIL at 555-123-1234!"

      Whenever I mail these PostCards I get a TREMENDOUS RESPONSE!

      And....my 2 minute outgoing message causes a HUGE Percentage of callers to leave their Name & Mailing Address....to which I MAIL my 4-page Sales Letter (with my CD) that says, basically...."If YOU would like to find out what YOUR business is worth, in the next 30 minutes, in the privacy of your office...IT'S INSIDE THE ENCLOSED CD however, it's encrypted with a PassWord. To receive the PassWord, phone 555-123-1234!"

      I'm talking "CURIOSITY" GRABS my prospects! They CANNOT STAND TO HOLD THIS CD IN THEIR HANDS....KNOWING THEY DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT (for it to arrive by mail) or WONDER....when or IF they will receive it....they ALREADY HAVE IT! All they need is the Password!

      THIS IS STRONG, POWERFUL SALES STUFF HERE THAT I'M PROVIDING FOR FREEBIES! I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE IT!
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      • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
        Depends on the nature of what you are selling.

        For example, selling software worth ten's of thousands of dollars,
        I've seen a cold email with about 5 paragraphs long,
        get meetings with decision makers and ultimately sell $12 million
        worth to large corporates like MacDonald's, Bank Of America,
        P&G, Home Depot and Burger King.

        As a rule, the higher dollar value and more complicated to understand
        what's being offered, using multi-steps is better.

        You can make each step do one job, and one job only.

        An example, selling SEO services.

        First step.."Hey Bob, do you want to see a case study of how
        [type of business] got x from x in x amount of time?"

        Next step those that say yes, you send it to them.

        Those that don't reply follow up with same offer.

        Those that you delivered case study, you follow up with.

        See, all baby steps.

        Not trying to sell seo services in one letter.

        You get a much higher response rate using this multi-step method.

        Best,
        Ewen
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        • Profile picture of the author MNord
          Originally Posted by ewenmack View Post

          Depends on the nature of what you are selling.

          For example, selling software worth ten's of thousands of dollars,
          I've seen a cold email with about 5 paragraphs long,
          get meetings with decision makers and ultimately sell $12 million
          worth to large corporates like MacDonald's, Bank Of America,
          P&G, Home Depot and Burger King.

          As a rule, the higher dollar value and more complicated to understand
          what's being offered, using multi-steps is better.

          You can make each step do one job, and one job only.

          An example, selling SEO services.

          First step.."Hey Bob, do you want to see a case study of how
          [type of business] got x from x in x amount of time?"

          Next step those that say yes, you send it to them.

          Those that don't reply follow up with same offer.

          Those that you delivered case study, you follow up with.

          See, all baby steps.

          Not trying to sell seo services in one letter.

          You get a much higher response rate using this multi-step method.

          Best,
          Ewen

          Great post and spot on
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          • Profile picture of the author LastingLifeSuccess
            There is no rule about sales page length. If it takes a small booklet to get your selling information out then so be it as long as it es effective. Length doesn't matter as long as conversion is adequate.

            LLS
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            • Profile picture of the author RRG
              Clayton Makepeace made millions writing 32- and 64-page magalogs.

              I just sent out a sales letter that was 10 pages, plus a 3-page application and a one-page testimonials sheet.

              Also, remember that you don't care about the people who DON'T read your letter . . . only about those who DO.
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              • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
                Originally Posted by RRG View Post

                Clayton Makepeace made millions writing 32- and 64-page magalogs.

                I just sent out a sales letter that was 10 pages, plus a 3-page application and a one-page testimonials sheet.

                Also, remember that you don't care about the people who DON'T read your letter . . . only about those who DO.
                Clayton was selling front end offers under $100 to consumers,
                not 100's or thousands of dollars.

                When he promoted offers in the 100s or thousands,
                they were mostly to subscribers and at Weiss Research,
                there were multi steps, often the selling took place on a webinar.

                Our poster is selling property investments.

                Best,
                Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author Chriswrighto
    I like what Plessard has said above.

    If you are writing something of value to your target audience, they will read.

    Of course you need copywriting skills to keep people reading.

    Let's do it this way...

    Pick a topic that you are highly interested in. It might be weight loss, the piano, etc.

    Imagine a headline which immediately grabs your attention.

    Follow by sub-headlines that you completely agree with or want.

    Then on to the main text, where each line holds your attention and builds desire.

    Your excitement for the product/service is about to explode!

    Then comes the well crafted offer, backed up with a guarantee.

    You're likely to buy.

    Now that letter could have been 3 pages long, or 1.

    Write for as long as you need to.

    Hope it works out,

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce NewMedia
    Some of the best-pulling, longest running sales letters are 16+ pages and even more.

    Length has no bearing, compared to the perfect targeting of the message and the most attention
    -getting, interesting copy possible.
    _____
    Bruce
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  • Profile picture of the author Ricardo Furtado
    If the letter is really worth reading, people will read two pages.

    If it is worthless, people will not go past the first para.

    All the best. Regards.
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    Ricardo Furtado

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    • Profile picture of the author Chriswrighto
      Originally Posted by Ricardo Furtado View Post

      If the letter is really worth reading, people will read two pages.

      If it is worthless, people will not go past the first para.

      All the best. Regards.
      Not even the first headline, in some cases!
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      Wealthcopywriter.com :)

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      • Profile picture of the author Ricardo Furtado
        Originally Posted by Chriswrighto View Post

        Not even the first headline, in some cases!
        True, very true indeed!
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        Ricardo Furtado

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  • Profile picture of the author mrmatt
    Personally I find it a whole hell of a lot harder to write a one page sales letter than a multiple page sales letter. I don't think I have ever sent a 1 page sales letter, ever. I rarely ever lose money on my sales letters either.

    Single page, multiple page, it does not really matter if you are not getting in front of the right people with the right message.
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  • Profile picture of the author Biz Max
    Originally Posted by mrniceguy123 View Post

    I can't remember where I learned it from, but for some reason, I've been under the impression that a physical sales letter shouldn't be longer than one page.

    Is it true that physical, mailed sales letters shouldn't exceed one page in length?
    The fact you can't remember who says a lot. Likely some idiot on a forum that
    crashed and burned trying it. The list and relevancy control the success or
    failure.
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    http://BrandWhisperer.net
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    • Profile picture of the author MNord
      Originally Posted by WhiteRhino View Post

      The fact you can't remember who says a lot. Likely some idiot on a forum that
      crashed and burned trying it. The list and relevancy control the success or
      failure.
      Actually, it's conventional wisdom among b2b marketers/salespeople that have no clue, or who only send letters that they intend to follow up by phone anyway. In the latter case 1 page can be fine (although imposing it as a limit regardless of context is silly)
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      • Profile picture of the author Biz Max
        Originally Posted by MNord View Post

        Actually, it's conventional wisdom among b2b marketers/salespeople that have no clue, or who only send letters that they intend to follow up by phone anyway. In the latter case 1 page can be fine (although imposing it as a limit regardless of context is silly)
        The biggest flub with ANY direct mail is most do not follow up. Whether it
        be a postcard or 16 page letter.

        To put all one's eggs into one basket (the letter in this case) is foolish.
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  • Profile picture of the author yoangov
    I see some people say "would YOU read a 4 pages sales letter?"

    - Well, we are marketers, what we do is almost exclusively not the same as what normal people do, when we talk about sales.

    A good sales letter could be even more than 2 pages, and people who are interested in your products will read everything.
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  • Profile picture of the author focusedlife
    Personally,

    I'm a believer that Sales is heavily a filtering process and with that in mind, I'd definitely look to get my message to the right market, but I would not limit the amount of words it takes to get the my message right either.

    Don't limit your virtual salesmen....let them sell in as many words as they need to say it in.

    Multi-step is also just as good, but its hard for those of us not within that paradigm...especially since we're all so bombarded by the A.D.D. effect of the internet.

    Test, test, test.

    So hope that was helpful.

    Regards

    Los
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