Now that you know that copywriting and the sales page is the secret in how I sell my programs online and reach many prospects 24/7, you must now learn the seven (7) principles of writing a persuasive sales copy to make people know you, like you, and trust you.
If you want to go deep into sales copy training, it could take another 3-6 months of serious training. But to help you get started fast, I have distilled the most important ones so you can quickly execute and close deals with your clients, then you can just improve along the way.
Principle # 1
Get their attention with a benefit-oriented headline.
Let’s face it – people are busy and have short attention spans. There’s even a study that cited that the goldfish now has a longer attention span than humans, which on average is now only 8 seconds.
The sole purpose of your attention-grabbing headline is to make them read the first paragraph. If you don’t capture their attention beyond the short timeframe, it will be impossible to convert them to sales.
For beginners, the “How To” headline is proven to be the simplest and most benefit-oriented headline that immediately answers initial objections such as ‘what’s in it for them’ and ‘why they should continue reading’.
One of the best examples of this is the commonly-used headline: “How To Lose Weight.”
For my own coaching business, the headline “How To Earn (Extra) ₱80,000 per Month with e-Books without writing a single sentence” has produced ₱60M revenue from around 3,500 student enrollments.
Principle # 2
Write in a conversational manner.
The most common reason why people struggle to put their thoughts into writing is because they’re trying to express it in a manner that’s different from how they would normally speak.
To overcome blockage and be more fluid in your writing, best to forget all the restrictive rules your English teacher taught you.
My best advice? Write talk. Talk write. (If you’re more comfortable expressing yourself in Taglish? So be it.)
Don’t bore people with ‘big words’ because you want to sound smart. Rather, write comfortably like how you would normally talk to your friends. To test your copy, a Grade 6 student must be able to read it and understand it.
Principle # 3
Use Stories
Do you know the best-selling book ever?
From Genesis to Revelations, the Bible is filled with stories. And with a billion copies already printed, this shows us the power and far-reaching effect of telling stories.
Indeed, stories are powerful. We all love stories.
For example, you’re going back to the office on Monday. When you see your office mates (whom you haven’t seen in a long time), warmly catching up with stories, rather than exchanging facts, are the fastest way to connect with each other. Same thing happens when you reminisce about the good old times with your college best friends or relatives that you meet during family reunions.
Principle # 4
Use bullets and sub-headings.
Fact: Most people don’t read from top to bottom. They scan.
Even if you write a great sales copy, do not assume that from top to bottom, they’ll read every word.
Thus, your job in writing the sales copy is to make sure that the formatting is quick to scan and pleasant on the eyes.
Highlighting information by using bullets, subheadings and bold, italicized or underlined fonts make it readable and easy to absorb.
Principle # 5
Write more about “benefits” rather than the features.
If you are writing sales copy, focus more on the benefits. Your target market would like to know more about how their lives will improve or their problems solved when they enroll in your coaching program.
Remember, people don’t buy at a whim or just because. What makes people buy is they get sold on the idea of a better future (i.e. be free from an 8-5 job) or result (i.e. build a multi-million business and be a highly-paid coach) that they will attain through your coaching program.
Example: Features vs. Benefits of a Pencil
Features
• Long and slim
• Colorful
• With eraser
• With refillable lead
• Made of wood/metal
Benefits
• Easy to hold
• Easy to handle
• Can erase clearly
• Can write legibly
• Gives you pleasure as you write
Principle # 6
Crystal Clear Offer
Write clearly and completely articulate all the benefits and what’s included in your offer in exchange for their enrollment fee.
List down all the details of your program such as the timeline (i.e. 12-week training), the specific type of access (i.e. Online Course Platform), and support (i.e. FB Group, Messenger Chat Group & Email) they’re entitled to have for the duration of your course.
Principle # 7
Call To Action
Once you have laid down all the particulars and inclusions of your program, your sales copy shall lead your prospect to the climax where you make a specific Call To Action and give a step-by-step instruction on how to register, the modes of payment you’ll accept and most important of all, the reminder to submit proof of payment to confirm their enrollment slot to the program.
For a smooth and hassle-free experience, you need to tell your readers exactly what you want them to do. Never assume that they know the next step to take. Your job is to make sure you figuratively guide them by the hand and effortlessly lead your audience through your sales page until they reach this final portion where you inspire them to take action and enroll in your program with a clear and concise Call To Action (CTA).