Watch this video of Elmer Wheeler on Selling. Listen to what Wheeler have to say on sales:
Who is Elmer Wheeler?
He is the author of the famous copywriting manuel "Tested Sentences That Sell".
Indeed, Elmer Wheeler is a great salesman of his time.
What then do sales have to do with copywriting?
Understand this.
Writing a salescopy is just like selling.
You need to apply all the sales principles into writing your sales copy.
Let summarized four pointers taught by Wheeler here.
Don't Sell The Steak, Sell The Sizzle!
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What Wheeler means by a sizzle is the main appeal to the prospects, the hidden benefits of the product or service that get them to think about it.
If you sell toothpaste teenage girls, you sell them a shiny and awesome teeth such that when they smile, they can attract more male suitors.
Yes, you got it.
Sell them the sizzle, something that your potential prospects want.
Don't Write-Telegrah!
Wheeler is getting at this in the principle: You got only 10 seconds to caputre the potential prospects attention in the headline.
You need to telegraph a headline so compelling that it will catch the attention of your prospects and bring them to read on in our salescopy.
Say It With Flowers
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What Wheeler means by this principle is that you need to prove your claims. As Wheeler said, "Give a quick customer benefit, but then prove it the next second"
In Internet marketing, many marketers used factual proof like their clickbank payment account (to show you how much they actually earn) using the product or system that they are selling you.
Or they put up testimonies to show how others have benefit from your product or system.
Either way, they are showing you proofs that what they sell to you work!
Don't Ask If, Ask Which!
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Wheeler offers the explaination of this principle by saying this: "Offer your prospect a choice between something and SOMETHING, not something and NOTHING."
What this mean is that when you ask a question, ask it in such a way that your prospect must choose between two options, both of which you are tailored to what you want.
For example, when a waitress is asking the customers if they want some wine with their meal, never say "Sir, do you want some wine with your meal?"
Say this instead: "Sir, do you want some white wine or red wine with your meal?
See the difference?
In writing a salescopy, you can use this principle when you are simulating a internal dialogue with your reader by asking them a WHICH question.
Watch Your Bark
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This principles focus on the need to communicate with optimism, enthusiasm and enery with your voice.
This is also true for writing a salescopy, just as in face-to-face selling.
You need to write with optimism, enthusiam and energy so that your readers can feel what you "Bark" at them.
Apply this four principles of selling by Elmer Wheeler to your salescopy and get the copywriting result that you want.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Telegrah The Elmer Wheeler Way
Posted by Yew Heng Chiong at 7/07/2007 07:20:00 AM
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2 comments:
Elmer Wheeler has a damn good message. Every person can benefit by listening to his message. And, I wish I had been able to have met him in person. The message is so basic that a listner wants to know more. Unfortunately, his books are the only way.
You can get two of his books
"Tested Sentences That Sell" and
"Sizzlemanship New Tested Selling Sentences "
in low cost Ebook format at
http://www.tested.affordablewebdesigner.us/
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