Making the Sale
All your hard copywriting work comes down to just one thing—making the sale. You need to drive the sale. Here are some tips that can increase your conversions on your final, vital copywriting lines.
Use Visuals to Enhance the Value of Your Product
Rather than simply giving a price and saying “This is a great deal,” create a chart that shows your readers exactly what kind of a fantastic deal they are getting compared to the little amount of money you are asking for it. Create a list of all of the items in your package and assign a monetary value to each one with a total at the end. And the total needs to be much higher than your asking price. Here’s an example:
| Product | Value |
| Dog Training Secrets | $197 |
| 20 Unique Training Videos | $279 |
| Dog Whisperer Training Guide | $87 |
| Lifetime Updates | $97 |
| Total Value | $660 |
| Actual Cost | $47 |
In this case, the product is $47, but you need to convince your readers they are getting a massive deal because the actual value of their purchase is over $600. Rather than simply saying that, outlining it like the above is much more effective. Don’t let your readers assume anything. Always tell them outright.
The Bottom Line: Break Down the Value Proposition
Beyond the value visualization, you need to break down the specific long-term benefits the product is going to have on your readers lives. How is your product going to change their lives for the better. If you’ve just written 3,000 words about it, now boil it down to 200. This is also where you can create additional value by showing them the money they will save. For example, you could outline how much dog obedience classes or trainers cost and then compare it to your package.
Create Urgency to Drive Sales
Urgency drives sales and you should use it throughout your sales copy. Now is the time to pump up the urgency to the max and use it to close out. Never lie and create false urgency because you’ll end up with an audience who never trusts you. For example, don’t say there are only limited copies available when you are selling a digital product! Instead, say you need to raise the price soon or that you will only be selling the product for a limited amount of time. Offer limited-time bonuses or discounts or simply make it clear that if they don’t act now, their problem will get much worse. The key here is to create a sense of urgency, no matter how you develop it.
Presenting the Price without Emphasizing Cost
Eventually you need to showcase the price of your product, but when you do, make sure you don’t put an emphasis on the price. A common strategy is to tell them what it “normally costs” and then show the current, discounted price. You could cross out a handful of unofficial, MSRP costs and then tell them your current, limited-time discount price is $XYZ. The goal here is have them see past the dollar signs and directly to the value they are getting from the purchase.
Using a Strong Guarantee
A guarantee is a must for any sales page. It will provide a powerful, long-term reason to trust in your product and, when worded properly, it can defuse much of their risk-reward internal argument. A good guarantee can run from 30 to 60 days (required by ClickBank), should provide 100% money back, and should be no-questions-asked. You’ll see some guarantees do less than this, but in those cases, you may end up with people who will ask for refunds shortly after purchasing to beat your refund time frame.
The Full Order Box
Your full order box should contain a final breakdown of the value proposition, the reason for buying your product and a personalized message from you. I like to use bullet points or radio checkmarks that list off exactly what the reader receives if they order. Also, make sure to make another, smaller note about ordering time and delivery and a mark about where the order will be processed. Include the standard credit card symbols (with PayPal) near your order button as well to make sure there is no confusion about payment methods.
5 Reasons to Buy Now
The “reasons to buy now” box is extremely effective in getting someone to think of the purchase as a tangible, doable action right now. To take advantage of this, make a short, numbered list of 5 direct reasons or so to make an immediate purchase. Use time-sensitive benefits such as “Your dog will stop dragging you and start walking calmly on your leash within the next week.” These types of direct statements can quickly overcome those last-minute jitters before a purchase.
Using a Clear, To-the-point Call to Action on Every Page
Every page and section of your site needs to have a clear, concise call to action, not just your order section. Many times, a well-designed sales letter will help you get the optin and then push hard at the end to make the sale. That doesn’t work. Think of it this way—your call to action in the headline is to keep reading. Your call to action in the intro is to learn more. The call to action in your opt-in box is to give your email address. Always think with a tangible action in mind.
Guide to the Purchase—Don’t Push
Don’t push people to purchase your product—guide them there. Of course, most of your text is pushing them in some way or another, but you shouldn’t be saying “buy it today or lose out forever.” Instead, list more benefits that they would lose out on if they don’t act right away. The risk of not buying should be laid out as clearly as the benefits of buying.
Pricing with the Right Numbers
You’ve probably heard a lot about how to price your products and there are a few strategies here. Keep it simple, though. Round numbers are too easy and can be scanned over quickly. Instead, use numbers that end in 7s whenever possible and 3s or 9s when not. Additionally, don’t undervalue your product. In fact, pricing too low can discourage some buyers, as their brains associate a low cost with minimal value. Price competitively within your niche and you’ll be able to make more money and convert more sales.
