Are you ready to break through to the next level?
Develop and implement a few key methods in your sales writing and you’ll put yourself on the path to bigger paying projects and more consistent income.
First, let’s talk a little bit about strategy versus tactics. While both are important, you need to understand the difference before you start changing how you do things in your business.
The Strategic Difference
Strategy is the overarching goal, such as “lose 15 pounds in six months.” The tactics are the “how,” such as hitting the gym four times a week and cutting down on carbs.
Let’s apply this to your digital-copywriting business. Your strategy for yourself or a client might be to “increase website traffic by 25%” with the goal of making 10% more sales. Tactics are your implementation. In this example, good tactics might include re-writing the web copy so it’s SEO-friendly, blogging three times a week, and developing a five-part email series to bring people back to your website and develop a relationship.
See the difference? Without defining your strategy first, you wouldn’t know how well your tactics pay off or if they’re paying off at all.
So, before we get into methods for improving your writing, think about your strategic goal. Are you trying to write better, more effective email copy? Then method 1 and method 2 (outlined below) are going to be critical for you.
Do you want to reach higher conversion rates on landing pages? Method 5 might be where you put your initial focus.
It’s important to articulate what you’re working toward. But, here’s the neat thing…
Once you know (and implement) the five methods I share with you here, you’ll:
- Write tighter copy that makes more sales, so you can command higher fees
- Enjoy the feeling you’re helping your clients make money
- Spend more time writing for the clients you most enjoy working with
- Be more marketable, because you can point to your results
And I bet those all line up with your strategy.
All right, let’s dig into the methods that will boost your sales writing and make it sizzle.
5 Key Methods to Improve Your Sales Writing
1. Know Your Prospect
You may have heard it before, but it’s true. To write effective copy, you need to know the buyer inside and out. Ask questions about the product, read the testimonials, and talk to actual buyers, if possible. What makes them tick? What’s their motivation for the product or service? Don’t forget to check your client’s social media accounts — it’s a good place to meet your prospects and see what they’re saying.
2. Know the Marketing Plan
If you’re writing a sales letter, how does it fit into the overall plan? How will people find it? Is it aimed at first-time buyers (what’s called a “front-end” piece) or to people who are familiar with the company (a “back-end” piece)? You need to know how your potential readers will reach the letter. Are they most likely to come to it after watching a webinar, or will they find it organically online? And you need to know how it will be used. Is it selling a product or building a list? Setting up a sales call or selling a subscription? All this information will help you know what approach to take in your copy.
3. Outline
Legendary copywriter, Clayton Makepeace, says he learned to write sales copy by outlining direct-mail letters when he worked in a print shop. If you outline your ideas, you’ll be able to fill in the gaps more easily. Even if you write “Big Idea” at the top, you know you need “proof,” “credibility,” “offer,” and “guarantee.” Write what you know so far, even if it’s just bare bones. Then, as you dive into your research, you’ll know what you’re looking for, and you’ll be able to pop it in where needed.
4. Layer Your Research
No matter what you’re selling, you need proof and credibility. For example, if you’re selling a chiropractic solution to back pain, and you say, “According to the American Chiropractic Foundation, 31 million Americans suffer from back pain,” you’re quoting a credible source.
Facts, statistics, and anecdotes build credibility. They can also help you tell a great story, which brings us to the next method…
5. Tell a Story
Make those 31 million Americans in the back-pain study easier to relate to. For example, “One out of every three people over 40 suffers with chronic back pain.” The more specific you can make it, the better. When Steve Jobs described the first iPod as “1,000 songs in your pocket,” he created a concrete detail everyone could grasp.
There you are, five methods to hone your sales writing, so you can better hit your strategic goals. Incorporate these into your process for easier sales writing and start delivering soaring results to your clients. And, when you do, ask your clients for the results. You’ll be able to incorporate the statistics into your own marketing.
What other sales-writing methods have worked for you? Share them in the comments below.
