Copywriting and Salesmanship: Partners in Profitability
1. Welcome to
Copywriting
and Salesmanship
Proven copy strategies
For stronger leads, better sales
and longer-lasting customer relationships
Presented by Carol Worthington-Levy
2. “A copywriter is a salesperson with
a typewriter.”
—Anonymous, c. 1920
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3. “One of the worst mistakes you can
make as a copywriter is to assume
your job is about writing. It’s not.”
—Dean Reick, ProCopyTips 2012
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4. A great direct marketing effort
works like a salesman
• Walks the prospect through the steps of the
selling process
• Answers concerns or it suggests that by
calling, they will get the answers they need
• Teases the prospect into
responding, through the use of benefit copy
and offer
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5. Copywriting with salesmanship
is hard, dirty work.
“Before actually writing the copy, I write down every
conceivable fact and selling idea. Then I get them organized
and relate them to research and the copy platform”.
“I spend a long time studying the precedents. I look at every
advertisement which has appeared for competing products
during the past 20 years.”
— David Ogilvy
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6. We can learn from the great salesmen
how to set up and close a sale…
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7. 7 Steps to Closing More Sales
— Roy Chitwood, Max Sacks International, sales trainers
1. Approach the prospect
2. Qualification of prospect
3. Prospect agrees on need
4. You Sell them on your company
and/or product
5. Fill the need that’s been identified
6. Get their Commitment, and you commit to them
7. Cement the sale
Reference: http://www.maxsacks.com/
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8. Translated to direct marketing
efforts…
DIRECT MARKETING STEP CORRESPONDS TO SALES STEP
Get prospect’s attention. Approach and qualification; agreement
on need
Present product benefits Fill the need
Call to action Act of commitment
Present company credentials Sell the company
Call to action Suggest/request their commitment
Statements about no-risk guarantee, Cement the sale
ease of ordering, ease of
implementation etc.
Call to action Ask for the order
Back-end fulfillment (delivery of order) Act of commitment
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9. Roy Chitwood’s six buying motives:
1. Desire for gain (often financial, sometimes
emotional)
2. Fear of loss (same as #1)
3. Comfort and convenience
4. Security and protection
5. Pride of ownership
6. Satisfaction
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10. Oreck’s advertisement is a paper salesman
1. Approach the prospect
2. Qualification of prospect
3. Prospect agrees on need
4. You Sell them on your
company
and/or product
5. Fill the need that’s been
identified
6. Get their
Commitment, and you
commit to them
7. Cement the sale
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11. FABS (Features, Advantages, Benefits)
• Feature: what it does
• Advantage: how that makes it superior or
delivers a technical benefit
• Benefit: how that translates into a
PERSONAL problem solved or need
answered
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12. What are the FABs for…
• Feature: what it
… A toothbrush?
does
• Advantage: how
that makes it
superior or delivers … A washing machine?
a technical benefit
• Benefit: how that
translates into a
PERSONAL problem … A thumb drive?
solved or need
answered
… A DMA conference?
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13. What are the FABs in
this ad?
• Feature: what it does
• Advantage: how that makes
it superior or delivers a
technical benefit
• Benefit: how that translates
into a PERSONAL problem
solved or need answered
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15. Think of your own products or a
product/service you’ve been hired to sell.
What are its FABs?
What matters the most to your customer?
• Share with the rest of us!
Feature: what it does
Advantage: how that makes it superior or delivers a
technical benefit
Benefit: how that translates into a PERSONAL problem
solved or need answered
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16. Cinch the deal with
The Guaranteed Close
"If we can [deliver our promise] can you think of any reason why you
wouldn't [summary of desired act of commitment]?”
Sales guru Brian Tracy’s example:
”If I can show you the absolute best investment you’ve ever seen, would you
be willing to invest in it today?” – takes them from ‘no’ to ‘maybe’
Try this with your own product … For example:
“If we can promise that our air filter will make your home more comfortable
and healthy that you ever dreamed possible — could even eliminate
allergies and illness — then would you buy one right now?”
Use this approach in your letter, your brochure, your self mailer, your email…
you can even put a call to action of this kind at the end of some copy
blocks within a catalog or website!
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18. The ‘email salesman’…
• Lots of competition in the email box
• Distractions all around
• Tiny space makes it tough to explain enough to
draw the prospect in
• How to generate the salesman’s steps?
1. Approach the prospect
2. Qualification of prospect
3. Prospect agrees on need
4. You Sell them on your company
and/or product
5. Fill the need that’s been identified
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19. The ‘email salesman’…
• You won’t sell ‘off the email’ – that’s a landing
page’s job — so keep it brief
• Plan your email based on reality:
– for big contracts, you’ll need a two step
– For single inexpensive stuff, one step should work
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21. Alternate way to
address that concern
– and your FABs
• Offer-driven headline
gets attention
• The title of the
book/offer uses two
words that are key to
the customer’s
interest: cut
protection
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22. Running through the sales steps
• Subject line: Commute
the REI way
(Approach prospect)
• This is to an existing
customer (Qualification
of prospect)
• Copy approach: Head
from camp to campus –
time to switch
gears, ramp up with
must-have equipment
(Fill the need that’s been
identified)
• Free shipping offer (Get
their commitment)
(I Clicked on “ride it” …)
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23. Clicks send them to landing page
• To keep the sales
patter consistent, a
landing page is better
than your website’s
home page
• Copy confirms that
this is the place for
them to get stuff for
fall cycling and school
commuting
• What’s missing?
The offer should
show here, too.
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24. Answer all
questions…
• Subject line offer: ‘Let us treat
you to a free pastry’ –
approach, creates instant affinity.
A treat!
• Headline tells them what they
will get, when and what they
have to do
• Email body copy has appetite
appeal, targets market who looks
for quality food rather than cheap
food
• Very short schedule and time
period to take advantage of the
offer
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25. Email must hit the point quickly…
Or you’ll lose their attention!
Which one grabs attention more quickly?
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26. Salesmanship in Direct mail
Outgoing envelope: Create a sense of mystery or
intrigue that arouses curiosity—and compels the
prospect to read further.
"Your outer envelope is the come-on …the dust jacket
on the book, the display window outside the store, the
hot pants on the hooker." — Bill Jayme
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27. Outgoing envelope
Sales steps:
1. Approach the
prospect
2. Qualification of
prospect
3. Prospect agrees
on need
Create affinity
through sympathetic
copy that challenges
the ‘no return’
debacle of wine
buying
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30. The direct response Letter
What makes a letter a ‘paper salesman’? See how this parallels the
sales conversation…
1. Get their attention with some offer that you know will be of interest
to them
2. Establish affinity (you understand my situation)
3. Reveal that you have something that they want or need
4. Establish qualification (here’s why we are qualified to provide you
what you need)
5. Show the benefits, with features and advantages built in as part of
the conversation
6. Introduce scarcity such as a time limit or limited quantity
7. Guarantee their satisfaction and assure of no risk
8. Close the sale
9. Remind them of the offer
10. Close the sale
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31. Additional sales devices in DM
• Use involvement pieces to drive home the
sales message…
– A temporary membership card
– A checklist or a quiz
– A testimonial note
– A letter from an authority touting your product or service
– A coupon to show the value of the offer
– A lift letter, addressing what may be in the way of the
decision
– An actual inserted sample of a product
Choose the right one (or two) and you likely get a
lift in response!
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32. Letter
Sales steps:
1. Approach prospect
2. Qualification
3. Prospect agrees on
need
• Offer keeps their
attention, establishes
opportunity
• Certificate
highlights
the offer
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33. Add-on pieces to support the sale
This buckslip shows proof of value
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34. Add-on pieces to support the sale
This buckslip shows deadline/
limited time offer
This lift letter addresses their
obvious need for lawn service
every year
This note
reminds
them of their
potential
loss!
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35. Add-on pieces
to support the sale
A strong testimonial piece brings the
story home — they like folks like
themselves who struggle with the
same issues
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36. Even the reply form can support the
sales conversation…
• What’s more powerful? A
simple form to fill out, or a
‘response-driving
machine’?
• Remind them of FABs
• Give them multiple ways
to say YES to reduce their
resistance
• Remind them of the offer
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37. Reply form as a paper salesman
• A personalized
membership certificate
‘seals the deal’
• Reminder of the offer
• A sticker to remove and
apply in the “yes” section
All of these tactics imitate
the sales conversation of the
world’s greatest sales gurus!
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38. Catalog as paper salesman: The Cover
1. Approach the prospect – High visibility and high
contrast to get attention, teaser headlines
2. Qualification of prospect – Refer to the
customer’s interest in your product line/topic
3. Prospect agrees on need
4. You Sell them on your company
and/or product – mention your
guarantee, quality, and include a testimonial
5. Fill the need that’s been identified – Show best-
selling product on front and back cover
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39. A well-chosen offer helps with
customer self-identification
• If they like the offer, they
feel the catalog is really
for them
• Don’t be coy about your
offer: show them you
have nothing to hide
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40. Show the life that the
customer yearns for — and
they will feel connection
with you
• Teasers should have specific
product AND emotional
triggers
• Offer should be easy to
find, straightforward to
create trust in the
relationship
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41. Even in B2B, salesmanship is key to
getting attention
• Dramatic photo gets
attention…
• But the copy teasers are
what drives
desire, interest, and
affinity
• Special offers help this
customer to self-identify
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42. Don’t forget the back cover —
it’s the first thing they see!
• Back to the FABs: Present a key benefit in the headline
• Sell product that has a good record of being interesting
to best customers – so your prospect sees herself as a
customer
• Keep copy brief, emotional, and save long sells for
inside
• Teasers show customer you’ve got something for
them: this is the salesman opening his kit and showing
his goods
• Present the offer and expiration date or scarcity
message
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43. The back cover as salesman
• Headline describes
the life this prospect
wants: they feel that
you understand them
• Body copy describes
how this product fits
into their ideal life
• Offer copy indicates
time limit for urgency
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44. Compare these before and after back covers…
• Good sell copy makes
this back cover work
measurably harder
• Clever headlines like
―so many teas, so little
time‖ don‘t drive the sale
like a mention of
the special offer
• Don‘t let your designer
tell you that nobody
reads copy anymore.
Customers and good
prospects DO read your
interesting product copy
44 Before After: significantly improved performance
45. Inside the catalog:
the introductory note
• Make it personal: use it to establish context
• ―Dear Golf Nut‖
• Use it to establish rapport
• ―Dear Fellow Golf Nut‖
• Describe what you know they like and
want, to gain affinity
• Share your excitement about the products they‘re
about to view
• Skip the ‗spring is in the air‘ junk copy — always
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46. The introductory note
• Use it to open your
sales case: Mention
products or product
categories, and specific
page numbers when
referring to them.
• Warmth and strong
suggestion that your
purchase from this
catalog will improve
your life – and why.
• Tell a story about a
customer to gain
connection and trust
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47. Even B2B catalogs benefit from an intro letter
• Show affinity with
customer
• Respectful but friendly
• Gain trust with guarantee
• Legible signature says
―the buck stops here‖
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48. Establish a voice for
your brand
• Signed by the
Minister of
Tea, letter sets the
tone for the very
strong voice in
Republic of Tea
• We easily suspend
disbelief when the
Minister offers
better quality life
through tea!
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49. Copy elements that encourage sales
• Positioning headline
• Offer (earn money
for your school)
• Engage readership
with 1-2-3 copy
• Use callouts to draw
in the reader
(salesman opens his
case to show goods)
• Table of contents
(view the open case
of goods) — also
think of this like an
ecommerce site
“nav”
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50. Inside: added-value, crossheads
and introductions to products
• Set the mood
• Value added copy holds a products on
spread together for improved cross-sell
• Give back to your customer, they
like you more
• Help customer envision using your product
• Ease concerns about whether the product
will do its job
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51. Good crosshead ties a whole line
of products together
• Great selling copy encourages purchase of multiple products
• “Good-better-best” copy gives customer reason to choose
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52. Added-value helps customers envision the
experience of using your goods
• History and special features of a product group
• Recipes that use this pot or pan build appetite appeal,
excite the customer into planning their menu with this product.
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53. Added-value charts help customer to compare
your classes of products at a glance
• Good-better-
best copy
takes it from
“should I buy
it” to “which
one should I
buy”
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54. Use added-value to build
an emotional bond with
the customer
• “Dewars Profiles” of
children for kid’s clothing
catalog shows how
individual kids are -
supports their want for
their own fashion ‘style’
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55. Added-value sells
a group of
products by
educating
customer
• A Yoga article on
Nautilus Fitness
catalog page that
sells yoga DVDs and
equipment
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56. Testimonials add value too — if they are
short, natural and believable.
• Nautilus sells its
TreadClimber by
showing results
• Keep testimonial
trimmed to the
point you want
to make — cut
out the “we love
you” copy
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57. Typical B2B catalog — just facts, impersonal
• The original
catalog:
• Just the facts, not
very visual or
inspiring or even
engaging
• No sales language
— the assumption
that the prospect
understands the
product.
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58. B2B catalog as a “paper salesman”
• The replacement
catalog Includes
demonstrations that
puts the reader in
the driver’s seat
• Explanation of the
product with
emphasis on
successful use and
comparison
• THIS catalog sold
OVER TWICE the
product as the
original one. Demo - using OUR paper vs. using THEIR paper
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59. Website as salesman: engage the visitor
with strong voice and great content
• Don’t assume
the viewer
understands the
message you
want them to
get when they
see a picture
• Tell them what
you want them
to do
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60. They came to you — so reward them…
make an emotional pitch that pays off their search
• Put the
product or
service ‘in their
hands’ through
motivating
copy
• Tell them what
you want them
to do (Find a
trip)
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61. ‘Open up your sales kit’
and show them the goods
• Selling copy
on a website
is more than
just keywords
• Incorporate
those words
into sales
language that
engages your
visitor
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62. Don’t forget value-add content
on your website!
• What does
your customer
enjoy learning
about?
• What do they
find fun and
interesting?
• What can you
teach or show
them that
makes your
products more
relevant?
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64. “Clarity trumps grammar”
— Herschell Gordon Lewis
• Write like you talk, or worser
• Start sentences with “And” to pull the reader
along
• Making your sentences more
conversational, less formal
• Avoid words that can be read more than one
way
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65. To write believable copy…
• Make a logical transition to each new selling point
• Don’t make unsubstantiated statements
• Be specific in presenting information
• Keep the voice consistent
• Avoid conditional language, asterisks, etc.
• Encourage contact with customer service
representative if they have any questions - “we have
nothing to hide”.
• Support with testimonials - but edit them down to
make them easy and fast to read
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66. Long copy or short copy?
The eternal question!
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67. Long copy…
• Long copy is needed to sell complicated or expensive
products off the page
• Long copy can be used in a magalog format to develop
a ‘following’ for a product such as continuity or clubs
• If copy is too short, people are frustrated by lack of
information.
• Make it easy to read: Long copy can look flat and grey
if left with no breaks… so
• Break Long copy into smaller digestible chunks via…
– Sidebars
– Subheads and short paragraphs
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68. Short copy…
• Short copy is best for lead-generation for big, very
technical or expensive products. It gets the
conversation going — so be ready for their calls!
• Short copy is appropriate for simple products that
don’t require explanation
• People bore easily. If copy has too many irrelevant
facts or has lots of ‘clever’ junk in it, people will be
bored and stop reading it. Resist the temptation!
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69. Common sense is a good guide…
• A $2500 couch requires more information than
a $99 spiral votive holder.
THE BOTTOM LINE…
The best copy is when the reader‘s
time is not wasted — they get what
they need to ‗cross the hurdle‘ from
consideration to action
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70. The power of enrollment is heightened
with an emotional sell
• Copy on left is completely dependent on the photo and a
retail experience.
• Copy on right ―dresses the reader‖ in the jacket
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71. Summary
Copywriting that turns your effort into a sales machine …
• Is engaging, creating affinity and trust
• Is relentless, hitting every hurdle to the sale
• Utilizes features, advantages and benefits at every turn
• Incorporates written user imagery so prospect sees
themselves using the product successfully
• Gets to the point quickly: so don’t fall in love with the
genius and art of your writing
• Doesn’t try to do too much - keep your eye on the ball!
• Creating desire and action by the prospect or customer
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72. Always remember:
• You’re on probation, awaiting your reader’s
acceptance
• If they don’t believe any single statement, they’re
likely to reject your entire selling argument
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73. A final note: Leo Burnette’s
3 principles of the creative process
1. There is an inherent drama in every product. Our
No.1 job is to dig for it and capitalize on it.
2. Try a few approaches to find the right one. When
you reach for the stars, you may not quite get
one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud
either.
3. Steep yourself in your subject, work like hell, and
love, honor and obey your hunches.
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