I completely agree that we need to be honest in our marketing... but that doesn't mean we should steer clear of 'salesy' talk. It's persuasion in it's simplest form. If you're going to make the sale you need to take the facts and make them appealing. That's what a sales page is meant to do.

If the marketer has integrity, so will the sales letter.

Yeah, first and foremost you should always tell the truth.

As far as the copy cliches go, they're used for a reason.

Remember, you are not your market.

There's a chance you're fed up with the fundamentals because you see them day in and day out. That might not be the case for your potential buyers. "Only 5 copies left, how I discovered the secret to make $1000 a day" could be all new and shiny to them.

Sure it's always good to try and cut through the clutter and be different... And every now and then you'll get a few breakthroughs that way, but more failures I'd imagine. How deep are your pockets?

Remember the golden rule - Unless you're testing, stick with the fundamentals.

Colm

If you're a marketer, you'll talk like a marketer. There is a reason marketers talk like marketers. As colmodwyer said "you are not your market"

If you need proof, get some good sales copy that you think cliche laden, then take out all the stuff you hate and split test.

To some extent the internet is the wrong place to look for copy that works because you can't tell what does and doesn't work.

I say that because the problem with the internet is the barrier of entry is too low. You can put sales copy on a free website.

If that person had to pay $500 per month for that site and you saw it around month after month, you could be pretty sure that their copy converted.

Now if you see a site on blogger that is around month after month, it doesn't tell you anything about if their copy is good or not.

I look at print ads to see what sell and emulate many of the practices. Print adds that appear month after month in publications obviously work because there is an ongoing cost.

Here is my mantra for internet marketers. IF there is no cost, draw no conclusions.

Thanks guys! I am so glad I posted this thread Yes it is true the copy is not for me but for the visitors. It is also true that I have been spending way too much time to research sales copies so obviously I am exposed to more stuff than a normal visitor would.
And thanks for posting the thread to psychological trigers!

Hi there,

I don't think there's anything wrong in feeling the way you feel.

You're probably just concerned about the overtly aggressive, hypey
copywriting style that is used so commonly these days.

And you're trying to analyze things from the customer point of view also,
which is a good thing.

The truth actually is that people now ARE becoming wary of overhyped
sales letters and there's a need for a change in that regard.

But that said, some of the time tested techniques... which have worked
great until now... can still work for you, and there's no reason why you
shouldn't use those just because they're too used.

So it all boils down to the research you do again.

You must try to find out your market's reaction to different types of
sales messages... and more importantly, their aversions towards
specific kinds of messages.

If your research tells you the response rate to a regular kind of copy
is on the decline, then you can try a different or contrasting style
and test your luck with it.

If that doesn't work out you can return to the old style that works.

Hope that helps,

- Dean

Always keep in mind that you'll get tired of your own
advertising a lot quicker than your market. What you
are familiar with becomes boring after a while.

Don't change simply because it appears overused or
old to you. Change when it no longer works.

-Ray Edwards

Yes you guys are absolutely right! I need to measure results and not my thoughts.

Keep in mind there is a difference between the formula--the underlying structure of persuasion (which will never change)... and the message within that structure (which will always change).

The aversion most people have toward online sales letters is not the structure (or formula)... but the message.

If the message is hypey... manipulative... over the top... arrogant-sounding... then people will be turned off (except for perhaps your unsophisticated get-rich-quick types).

But if it is genuine... if it tells the TRUTH in the most compelling and persuasive way possible (without resorting to empty hype)... if it is actually INTERESTING to read (and not difficult or boring to wade through)... if it conveys a strong sense of authenticity (is real, down to earth, personable, etc.)... if it makes a strong connection with the reader (by understanding who he is, what's important to him, etc.)... then the message will be compelling. You will have EARNED the right to sell.

Be the empathetic sales person... not the "used car salesman".

Also... testing is a great tip, but keep in mind you must have a good starting point for a valid test. For example, say you have "Boring Sales Letter A" vs. "Hypey Sales Letter B". Sales letter B will likely perform better in the test, thus leading you to the conclusion that hype works.

On the other hand, if you have "Hypey Sales Letter B" vs. "Interesting, Empathic Sales Letter C", I guarantee C will win every time.

Aaron

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