It’s no secret that pictures are worth a thousand words, which is why they can be so powerful when selling a product. But let’s face it: images alone aren’t usually enough to clinch the deal. Those visuals need to be put into context for the reader, stir their emotions, and incite them to act.
That’s where powerful sales copy comes into play. Your messaging is the pillar of your entire sales strategy — and when written correctly, everything else will fall into place.
Let’s look at what it takes to write sales messaging that can help you win more customers:
The Two Things Every Sales Message Needs
Whether customers are actively looking for solutions or you’re trying to pop up on their radar, there are two questions you need to answer before a prospect will move forward:
- Why should I buy this?
- Why should I buy this from you?
It’s a simple structure, but many sales messages take the wrong approach when trying to persuade their audience. They start talking about all of the functions and features of their product, like this:
“Our reusable grocery bags feature two sturdy handles, an insulated lining, and can carry up to 30 lbs of food! Each bag is made with an outer canvas lining and insulated interior from 100% recycled materials.”
But a better sales message would be something like this:
“We know you’re busy, which is why we’ve designed our reusable grocery bags to hold more food so you can carry more in fewer loads. They’re durable enough to hold 30 lbs to avoid breakage and costly spills, plus they’re insulated to prevent spoilage – perfect if you’re traveling long distances!”
If you were in the market for reusable grocery bags, which one would catch your attention and make you consider buying?
The best sales messages are the ones that focus on what the buyer is interested in, not the company. Sure, you might be proud of your eye-catching designs and the sustainably-sourced canvas material for your grocery bags, but those features do little to get the customer interested and excited. Save those details for your About page on the website and make your marketing about the customer.
Focus on the Value, Not the Price
A lot of salespeople get hung up on price because of their own perceptions about price. If you’re a deal hunter yourself, then you might find it harder to believe that price isn’t the most important thing when attracting a prospect.
It’s true that some people may not be willing to buy your service or product at the price you’re asking. But if you’ve done a good job of showing the value of that product and what it can do for your prospect, they’ll do everything in their power to make it theirs.
Sales genius Brian Tracy reveals that the more value you build into your product, the less price is a concern. According to Tracy, value is the difference between the price and the perceived benefits of a product. If the prospect believes they will get a desirable solution to their problem, then your product becomes a lot more valuable.
One of the easiest ways to do this is to demonstrate ROI, like this:
“My proven system is guaranteed to help you make your first $1,000 from blogging within your first 30 days. And if you do not make at least $1,000 after taking this course, I will refund 100% of your money immediately.”
If that course costs $100, or even $400, and the user has a guarantee of getting $1,000 in return within the first month, it’s hard not to see major value in it.
Embrace Repetition
Psychology tells us that we learn through repetition. Think about how you learned to ride a bike or memorized the words to a new song. You weren’t born knowing these things, and you didn’t get them right after just one try. Rather, you picked up on them over time through ongoing repetition.
The same principles can be applied to create effective sales messages. If your prospect reads your message one time, they still might not understand what exactly you’re offering or why they should care. Sales leader Dan Kennedy notes in his book The Ultimate Sales Letter that there are several ways you can repeat yourself throughout your message without sounding like a broken record:
- Make a straightforward statement
- Rehash your point in a story or example
- Include it in a customer testimonial
- Use a quote from an industry expert, influencer, or customer
- Write a bulleted or numbered list
The Marketing Rule of 7 indicates that prospects need to hear your message at least seven times before it starts to stick. By repeating your information in different ways, you can give them multiple impressions in the same sales message and move them closer to action.
Cater to the Buying Cycle Stages
It’s important to get a good gauge on where people are in the buying process so that you can meet them halfway. For those who aren’t ready to buy, you have to serve them different content compared to those who are ready to buy now and even more importantly, those who have already purchased from you.
I recently wrote a blog post on How to Build a Marketing Funnel for Lead Gen and it’s worth checking out if you want more ideas on how you best cater to the people per their lifecycle stages. In the meantime, here’s the funnel I put together:
Offer One Call to Action
Last but not least, you don’t want to muddy your message by making multiple requests. When faced with too many choices, prospects are more likely to opt for inaction because it’s easier than choosing from too many options. It’s a psychological response: people fear making the wrong choice, so they avoid it.
But when you give them just one call to action, the decision comes much easier. They know exactly what they need to do to move on to the next step, whether it’s scheduling a consultation, buying a product or service, or signing up for a webinar.
