Among the main challenges of selling online is the fact that there is no physical or what is called face to face interaction. As such you cannot reposition your pitch to fit the direction of an objection. A sale therefore depends on a static sequence of thought and argument. This sequence better be effective otherwise your sales-copy is a leaking bucket.
As much as emphasis of benefit rather than features develops immense and critical desire for an offer, it tends to be devoid of urgency. Your web visitors will grasp the importance of your offer but will be uncertain of buying now. You will need something to tip them over from this teeter point into a sale.
Few online tactics can tip a visitor into a sale as effectively as consequences. An elaborate description of the negative consequences they will suffer for not making the purchase, taps into the natural human instinct of avoiding pain at whatever expense.
One of the most successful sales-copy ever penned was about two young men and the consequence to a decision to subscribe to a business magazine. Here is how the copy started; "On a beautiful late spring afternoon, twenty-five years ago, two young men graduated from the same college. They were very much alike, these two young men. Both had been better than average students, both were personable and both - as young college graduates are - were filled with ambitious dreams for the future. Recently, these two men returned to college for their 25th reunion.
They were still very much alike. Both were happily married. Both had three children. And both, it turned out, had gone to work for the same company
Midwestern manufacturing company after graduation, and were still there.
But there was a difference. One of the men was manager of a small department of that company. The other was its president."
The copy went on to tell the story of how one of the young men discovered and subscribed to the business magazine. It further went on to tell how the magazine empowered him with timely and revolutionary ideas propelling his career to become company president. It went on to contrast and lament, if only the other young man had subscribed.
This same copy has been used twice a year for over 25 years to sell the magazines subscription. A consistent percentage of prospects who receive this sales letter subscribe every year; wouldn't you?
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