G’day, howzit going?

Look, I’m very busy right now on a huge copywriting project. So I don’t have much time.

But I wanted to get this out to you.

This morning I got my third email in as many days asking for the same thing…

Advice on copywriting templates

Perhaps they’ve seen my post explaining that I’ll be bringing out some copywriting training in 2021.

But look. Here’s the thing…

I could go on for 20,000+ words easily, talking about copywriting templates, swipe files and how to use them.

I will go into proper detail in 2021 if it will help you. Comment below or email me.

So. As time is super short, I thought I’d share a fantastic sales letter formula that I came across years ago…

It’s by one of the all-time great internet marketers, Lord Perry Belcher.

So here it is for you to devour…

And before I start…

…don’t just have a quick scan through the items.

If you’re here reading this I know something about you…

You want to improve the quality of your business.

You might not have dreams of being a successful copywriter…

But you do have a business. Or thinking of starting one very soon.

And I happen to know a thing or two about starting businesses.

One day, I will have a count up. But it must be over 100.

You see. I got an early start. As you may well know, if you’re on one of my email lists.

But if you’re not. I started my first business at 8 years old.

So, I’ve been in the game a fair while. Perhaps for more years than you’ve been alive.

Try 42 years of starting businesses!

So here is what you’re gonna do:

One – Print off the 21 step list

Two – Grab a timer, a pencil and an A4 pad

Three – Set the timer for 50 minutes

Four – Use the 21 steps to write a very quick sales letter in 50 minutes selling a ballpoint pen. No stopping for the entire time.

Five – You Must Finish. You Must Only Use 50 Mins.

This could be your greatest ever copywriting lesson so far.

You see. The majority of people who wanna become a copywriter – NEVER WRITE

I don’t want you to make that mistake.

Remember. This is the 1st draft. It never needs to be good. You need to learn the purpose of a Pro Copwriter’s 1st draft.

Pro Tip: By forcing yourself to work fast, you start using different, more creative parts of the brain.

You’re gonna do this exercise 10 times in 10 days.

Have you got that?

So first was the biro or ballpoint pen.

Next, do the same…(set the timer, non-stop writing). Remember load up with all the benefits. Go deep… the benefit of the benefit.

• a real bone fountain pen, encrusted with ruby jewels (whose bone, why made in bone, who made the pen, why, where was he, where did the jewels come from, how old are they, the story behind the jewels and the connection to the pen)
• a roll of white toilet paper
• The Bum Gun bidet sprayer
• a tin of tomato soup
• mozzie repellant
• a bottle of 300-year-old French wine
• a $5 million dollar boat
• an ac unit or heating device for a house
• a pair of reading glasses
• a floor mop or vacuum cleaner

Perry Belcher’s 21 Step Sales Letter Formula

1. Call Out To Your Audience

Address your target audience (Attention: insert your audience here) at the top of your sales letter. This lets the reader know immediately they are on the right page, so essentially this is your first YES, and you want to get your reader to say YES, mentally, as many times as possible.

2. Get their attention

Grab the attention of your reader with a great headline that speaks directly to them. E.g. How to Save Your Marriage With The Bum Gun

3. Backup the big promise headline with a quick explanation (sub-headline).

The sub-headline gives the main headline more support e.g. Get Clean After Every Poop Without Using Toilet Paper

4. Identify the problem.

Identify the audience (who they are, how they feel) or tell a story about a problem, a struggle, or a challenge you might have had in the past.

5. Provide the solution

Reveal the solution to them, which is your product and explain why it’s the best option out there. remember there are lots of other people who have similar products so ask yourself how you can stand out from everyone else.

6. Show pain of and cost of development

Let your audience know the pain and cost you and others went through to develop the solution to the problem. Establish empathy and affinity with your audience.

7. Explain ease-of-use

Let your readers know just how easy it is to your product or service.

8. Show speed to results

Give your readers a typical timeframe in which to expect their desired outcome.

9. Future cast

Let the reader imagine what their future could be like if they were to solve their problem. in your writing use as many of the senses as possible e.g.

Imagine what it would feel like if you could enjoy shopping for clothes that were two sizes smaller, how would that feel inside. You look in the mirror and you feel amazing. Your friends all tell you how great you look, how would that feel? And even better, you could walk past the bakers with all the wonderful smell of fresh doughnuts and cookies and not even think twice about entering.

10. Show your credentials

Establish your credibility and demonstrate your expertise.

11. Detail the benefits

Use bullet points to list the benefits of your product or service.

Remember that benefits are not the same as features, people want to buy an outcome, not a product or service. So think about this when you’re writing the benefits e.g.

They’re not buying a weight loss product they’re buying a sexy body. Then go deeper…they’re trying to regain the respect from their husband, to rekindle those long romantic walks…

12. Get social proof

Use outside authority or third party validation (example: research statistics, quotes from credible or authoritative sources, case studies, etc.)

13. Make your offer
Tell them exactly what they are getting for the price of your product or service.

14. Add bonuses

Adding bonuses will often increase the perceived value of your product or service, but don’t go overboard with lots of bonuses and make sure your bonuses are worth the same as the cost of your program or higher.

15. Build up your value
Build up the value of your offer. Tell them how much everything is worth.

16. Reveal your price (pop by button)

Add the prices of your product and bonuses together to calculate the value, then reveal the price that’s much cheaper. Explain why the price is what it is and why it is such a great value.

17. Inject scarcity (if any)

Offers that don’t have scarcity don’t sell as well, but it needs to be genuine or you will hurt your business credibility. (example: change the price, limited time, take away a bonus, ie. bonuses only available at the end of this call, webinar, XX # of days long product launch, etc.)

18. Give a guarantee

Remove, eliminate, reverse, take out perceived risks. Longer guarantee = less returns. Your buyer wants peace of mind in a sceptical world e.g. 90 Days Risk-Free

19. Call to action

The call to action is a command. Be specific and tell them exactly what to do. Use visuals, screenshots, and other tools to guide them to do the next steps until completed.

20. Give a warning

Warn them against the consequence or what’s going to happen if they don’t buy. ( If you don’t take action now, you will be in the same boat as last year, with the same if not more amount of debt, lost profits, living out of your car, etc. )

21. Close with a reminder

Recap the whole offer and remind them what they are getting. Summarize the problem, the solution, the offer, the guarantee, and the benefits and consequences they will be experiencing.

 

Then….. After You’ve Done Writing For 50 Minutes, Ask yourself these questions out loud:

Did you grab your readers by the throat with your headline?

Did you clearly explain that you understand their problem?

Did you show them so much proof that they can’t possibly doubt what you had to say?

Did you show features and benefits to your offer that included the word ‘so’ in each line?

Did you ensure your prospects that your product will be very very easy to use?

Did you ensure to your prospects that your product would work very quickly to solve the problem?

Did you clearly explain the pain of the experience by not accepting your offer?

Did you demonstrate incredible value in your offer so much so that your prospect would feel stupid by not buying your product?

Did you Give Them A Reason To Buy, Right Now????

Final Thoughts…

Look I know writing a sales letter in 50 minutes is tough. But I don’t know where you currently are in your development. So if you need to start with 3 sessions of 50 minutes to get something decent down, do that. But try your best to write as fast as possible. Faster than you’ve ever written before.

That’s all for now,

 

 

Cheers

Greg