Learning About Copywriting from Ray Edwards

bybrandonacox

2.9K followers

7 years ago

When you're selling something more substantial in size and scope than a product one could buy in a store - such as coaching, or consulting, or membership in a mastermind group - it takes more than a simple mention.

It usually takes a sales page with a pitch, a letter, to help buyers understand the value of it.

Lately, I've been reading a lot from Ray Edwards, one of the highest paid copywriters in America. In fact, he wrote a book you can find on Amazon called How to Write Copy That Sells. (And if you do buy it, it includes a link to a free online course he offers.)

He shares in another publication the 15 basic elements of a successful sales letter...

1. Pre-Head: Targets the prime prospect for your message and grabs their attention.
2. Headline: The “ad for the rest of the ad”, its job is to get the reader to keep reading.
3. Deck: Reinforces the impact of the idea proposed in the headline and arouses curiosity.
4. Body: The bulk of your text, it consists of all the elements below.
5. Subheads: Smaller headlines that separate major sections of your sales letter; the “bucket brigade”of your copy.
6. Lead: Sets the criteria of who this letter is for and what they stand to gain by reading it.
7. Rapport: Demonstrates that you know the reader’s pain, understand their problem, and identifies some common experiences you have with the reader.
8. Credibility: Answers one of the reader’s top objections to your proposal,“Why should I listen to this person?”
9. Bullets: A brief statement that identifies a single benefit offered by your product or service (but doesn’t reveal how that benefit is derived!)
10. Testimonials: Third-party verification that your solution does what it claims to do, from credible people who know.
11. Value Justification: Highlights the value of your offer to the reader, and contrasts it favorably to the price.
12. Risk Reversal: Removes the biggest obstacle to getting an order (the prospect’s fear that you will rip them off).
13. Bonus: A related but unexpected gift that enhances the value of your offer.The “extra degree”.
14. Offer (Call to Action): Where you“ask for the order” and tell the reader what to do.
15. P.S: The place to sum up the top benefit of your product for your readers.

I just wanted to pass along his name to this community. If you don't know Ray, learn from him at rayedwards.com.