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Welcome to the Ask Marney Column by Marney Makridakis Dear Marney,       I really admire the promotional letters that you write for various Artella opportunities and I'm wondering if you can share some basic tips for writing those kinds of letters. I want to be able to sell what I offer but I find the whole process very uncomfortable. I have read about "sales copy" - what does that mean exactly? Is that a letter, or just a description of what my product is, or is it an ad? How should I approach writing about my services and products? I am an artist and creativity coach and I’d have a decent mailing list, but I know that I’m not using it right now to my advantage. Can you help? Dear Reader:      The text that you use to promote your offer is generally called "sales copy" or "promotional copy". There are several different forms that promotional copy can take, including: a letter, either posted on your Web site or sent directly to potential buyers; a description of the offer on the Web site; a list of FAQs (questions and answers) about the product; an audio recording in which you speak about your product; an advertisement of any length; articles that combine sharing valuable information with promoting the product. ALL of these are considered "sales copy".      Most likely, you’ll use a combination of all of the above to promote your product. Research shows that it takes up to 7 exposures to a product before a customer actually makes the purchase. That means that on average, a customer will read or hear about a particular product several ways before making the decision to buy it. That is why it is helpful to vary your promotional efforts to maximize the opportunities for your potential audience to be exposed to your product. Whether it’s a sales letter, ad, or description, here are some tips for writing promotional copy: Appeal to the benefits that your product offers, rather than focusing on what the product IS. In marketing terms, this is referred to as writing "for benefits, not for features". When including features, aim to write them in the context of explaining how they will benefit the buyer, while including enough description of the feature so that the reader can trust you. This is true even in selling artwork. I’ve noticed that in The Shoppes of Artella, the sales are higher for artwork that has a description that gives some personal background for the inspiration behind the piece, rather than simply listing the media and dimensions. Focus on what makes your offer unique. It’s possible to do this without any negative comments or comparisons to other "competition" out there. Basic customer mentality knows that a strong product doesn’t need to make such comparisons. Don’t focus on what your product does NOT have, focus on what it DOES have. Find your strength (in marketing terms it’s called a "USP" - unique selling point) and let it sing. Bloom where you are planted! Consider using a headline to capture attention and engage the reader. When listing benefits, start with the benefits with the most impact at the beginning, and end with a strong benefit at the end of the list, as well. Clearly state what action you want the reader to take, and make that action easy to take through instructions, links, etc. Use testimonials. Testimonials are extremely effective in promoting your product, so use them as often as you can. Whatever form your promotional copy takes, make it easy to read. Use short paragraphs, and short, conversational style. Make use of bulleted lists, subheads, and bolded fonts to make the copy easier to scan. If your sales copy on a Web site is very long, you may want to consider offering a link to a "short version". Likewise, if you’d prefer a more concise piece, you may a link to a place where readers can get more information or read FAQs. Length is a matter of personal preference. Even though many marketing experts swear that longer sales letters are more effective, I personally try to keep them short but engaging. You will find the length that is right for you. Appeal to the emotions of the reader. Have a clear sense of what she wants and help her feel excited about taking this step by purchasing your product! Literally put yourself in her shoes as you work on your copy, and anticipate what she is thinking when she reads each part of it. Edit and re-edit your letter, and have friends and colleagues read the letter and offer feedback. Remember, it doesn’t have to feel slimy and smarmy to "sell". Think of marketing as being an awesome chance to TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU LOVE! If you can think of marketing as a way to express your passion, rather than "sell", that can take you far! -Marney back to Index