How To Turn Words Into Money
The Oxygen of every business is sales.
Without sales, your business will suffocate and die.
That's a simple truth that we can all agree.
But...
Most business owners don't like selling.
This creates a big problem for business owners. They have to do the thing they hate to survive.
And if you've spent any time cold calling. You'll know how brutal it can be. It's a numbers game and you need a think skin to let the rejections slide off you.
The good news is that selling one to one over the phone is not the only way to make sales. I buy 90% of things online without speaking to anyone.
For all the trust that we have in the internet and online shopping. You know that selling products and services online is not as simple as throwing up a web page and waiting for the money to roll in.
There's a science to selling products and services online. There's a science to turning words into money.
I'd like to share my hard-won secrets to turn words into money with you today.
How To Turn Words Into Money
When I say turn words into money. I don't only mean written words. This applies to videos and webinars and online trainings.
It's all about crafting the right message. Once you've got a message that makes people feel good about buying. You can use it in print and in a video.
But...
The words come first. You organise your thoughts into a greased slide that leads the reader straight to the sale.
There are 6 persuasion elements that you need to turn your words into money...
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Offer
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Trust
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Credibility & Authority
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Testimonials & Reviews
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Guarantee
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Urgency
Let's look at each of these in turn. And then see how they fit together to create a persuasive message that makes the cash register ring.
#1. Offer
The offer is not the first thing you talk about in your sales message. But it should be the first thing you think about... before you sit down to write.
You see, if you've got a great offer. If you've got an irresistible offer. Then you are half way to the sale.
But if you've got a terrible offer. Then no amount of words or storytelling will make the sale.
So how do you know if you've got a good offer?
Let's start with the most basic question...
Does your product or service work? Does it work better than what's on the market?
If you've got a product or service that helps people. Then we can move onto the next question...
Does your product or service deliver value greater than price?
If you're selling a make money product or service then this is easy to quantify. Invest £1,000 today to make £50,000 tomorrow. That's a simple and powerful way to show value greater than price.
But what if you sell a product like a computer or headphones. You can't show value greater than price by showing what the results the product will give the buyer.
But you can show value greater than price with comparisons. So if you are selling wireless headphones that have the best sound on the market. For half the price of the market leader. Then you've got an irresistible offer.
If you're selling the same quality product for the same price. Then you're always going to struggle because you don't have a great offer.
There are ways that you can out-sell your competitors that I'll share with you in a minute.
The final thing to say about your offer is that it should be easy to explain. You're selling headphones. Or an online course. Or a 3-day workshop.
If there's any doubt or confusion about what you are selling then you need to work more on your offer.
A strong offer is the foundation for everything else to come. So if you can't show (with pictures or videos) or explain what you've got in a way that the reader can understand. Then you'll never make the sale.
Get the offer right. And you are half way to the sale.
Now let's look at the second persuasion element to craft a message that makes the cash register ring.
#2. Trust
If you've got a great offer but your reader does not believe that you can deliver on your promise. Then you won't make the sale.
This is true of products and services.
So, how do you earn trust?
You tell an inspirational personal story. You tell your story of struggle and success. The story that explains why you wanted to make a change in your life. And how you discovered your product or service.
This story makes you unique. This story makes you memorable. This story is your word of mouth marketing. You see, your customers will tell their friends your story.
So get clear on what it is. Tell it in a way that shows your struggle and your emotional journey.
And don't be afraid to tell your story again and again.
You might tire of telling your story. But your customers will not remember it. They are not your best friends. And you are not the most important person in their life.
My daughter will remember my story of struggle and success. But I don't expect anyone else to. That's why I tell it again and again.
If you're thinking "I don't have an inspirational story." Then I know that's not true. You don't see your inspirational story because it's your life. You've been at the coal face and have the scars to prove it. It's been an unglamorous journey. But when you take a step back... you'll see the inspirational story that's waiting to be told.
If you'd like to learn how to uncover your inspirational story. And how to tell your story in a way that has people sat on the edge of their seats. Then download my new book Consistent Profits Pyramid.
To download your free copy now. Click the link below.
Now let's look at the third persuasion element to craft a message that makes the cash register ring.
#3. Credibility & Authority
This should be woven into your story. And it is so important that I wanted to mention this separately.
The most immediate way to establish credibility is through media appearances. If you've been featured in publications that your reader will instantly recognise. Then use them. So if Forbes has written an article on you. Then tell your reader about it.
If you write a monthly column for Entrepreneur magazine then tell your reader about it.
If you write for an obscure publication, that your reader will know. Then tell them about it. This shows that you are an authority in their world.
Another way to establish authority is through the results that you have achieved.
If you state the results that you've achieved without showing how you did it. Then it's easy for the reader to dismiss them as exaggerations. Or too good to be true.
And... if you walk the reader through your journey to achieve a stunning result. And then repeat that level of success. Then they will believe that you can deliver the same result for them.
When you tell the story of how you achieved your results. You don't come across as someone that is bragging. You're not saying "Look how great I am". You're saying "Let me show you the struggles that I suffered through to find the gold".
When you can tell stories that create trust and establish your authority. Then you are moving the reader on to the sale with excitement.
Now let's look at the forth persuasion element to craft a message that makes the cash register ring.
#4. Testimonials & Reviews
We know that a manufacturer is going to tell us how great their product is. Which is why we take what they say with a pinch of salt.
We don't believe their promises unless... they are wrapped in a story. Unless they lead us by the hand through their journey of struggle to success.
As you know, most companies don't tell stories about their product creation.
That's why Customer Success Stories are so powerful. That's why Reviews are so powerful.
This is a key trust pillar of Amazon sales pages.
Yes the Reviews are at the bottom of the page. And this can sway your buying decision if you are sitting on the fence.
It's useful to read the one star reviews to see what the customer didn't like about the product. If they have given it a one star because of the delivery time or the packaging. Then it's easy to see that the product is good. Which sways us to buy it.
It's also good to read the 5 star reviews. Why are customers raving about this product. What specifically makes them happy to recommend it.
So...
Do you have Customer Success Stories on your sales page? Do you have Customer Reviews on your sales page? If not you are leaving money on the table.
Now let's look at the fifth persuasion element to craft a message that makes the cash register ring.
#5. Guarantee
In his book Made In America, Sam Walton writes that the most important words he ever spoke in business were...
Every day low prices. Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Those 5 words are so important that they are on the front of every Walmart.
Those 5 words tell the customer why they should buy from Walmat. They know that they will get low prices every day. And they know that if they don't like a product they can return it. No questions asked.
The power of a guarantee should never be overlooked.
One of the reasons why I'll happily buy from Amazon is because of the guarantee. I know that if I don't like the product. I can return it. Simple.
Do you offer a guarantee?
The longer the guarantee. The lower the return rate. If you give customers a 30 day Money-Back Guarantee then they are painfully aware of it. If they have a year guarantee then they forget about it. And you'll get a lower rate of returns.
Guarantees will increase sales because it gives customers confidence. They know that if your product or service is not what you say it is... that they can get their money back.
I've offered customers Double Their Money Back because there is a condition on the guarantee. I'm asking them to do some work. The reason why I offer double their money back is that the guarantee covers the cost of their time. So they can't lose.
Why would I do that?
Because I'm so confident if the power of my product. Because I know that if they do the work they will enjoy stunning results. I also know that if they don't do the work... nothing will change. That's why there is a condition on the guarantee. That's why the guarantee is so outrageous.
You don't have to offer a double your money back guarantee. And offering a guarantee will be better than nothing.
In fact, by offering a 30 day guarantee. You are likely to double your sales.
Why?
Because guarantees create trust. Guarantees give the customer power. They know that if they don't like the product that they can get their money back.
So... test a guarantee on your next promotion. See for yourself the difference they make. You'll also see that very few people ask for their money back because you've got a great product.
Now let's look at the sixth persuasion element to craft a message that makes the cash register ring.
#6. Urgency
If you find a product that can solve a problem, do you buy it, immediately?
Or...
Do you think about for a few days?
Especially if the product or service is expensive.
It's normal to put off the decision to make a large purchase. Unfortunately your customers may put off the purchase decision until someday. And as you know, someday is not a day of the week.
So how can you create urgency... to motivate them to make a decision today.
You can do it through pressure... or you can do it by stacking the cool.
The goal of a sales page is to make the customer feel good about buying.
We don't want to force them into a decision that they will later regret.
So a negative way of pressuring someone to buy is through fear. Fear of loss. So you could say there are only 50 products available. When they are gone, they are gone.
This creates urgency which motivates the customer to make a decision today.
Can you create urgency in a more positive way?
Absolutely!
You do this by stacking the cool.
You say that if they buy today (or before a deadline) they will also receive a must have bonus for free.
For this to work the bonus must be something the customer would happily pay for. This stacks the cool and creates urgency in a positive way.
If you sell a product. A good bonus is a book or video showing the customer how to get the most out of their product.
I recently bought a new iPhone. Apple shocked me by offering me a 30 minute call with a Genius to get the most out of my iPhone.
What a great way to help the customer. What a powerful way to strengthen the relationship with your customer. What a great bonus that you can offer for free. A bonus that stacks the cool. And makes your customer feel good about buying.
The more you can help your customer. The more you strengthen the relationship. And the more you make them happy to buy.
So...
Now you can see the 6 persuasion elements to craft a message that makes the cash register ring. It's time to use them in the right order. So you can...
Lead Your Customer By The Hand On A Thrilling Ride To The Sale
The first thing you've got to do, is make your customer excited to read your message.
You need a headline that is a drop everything message. A headline that forces your customer to read on.
You can do this in many ways. One winning formula is...
The One-Two Punch Headline
The One-Two Punch Headline fuses a feature and a benefit. You bring together a product feature and a benefit in one powerful sentence.
Noise isolating is a feature of headphones.
The benefit is that you hear only the music in a noisy environment such as commuting to work.
So your headline could be...
Enjoy A Concert For One On Your Commute With Noise Isolating Headphones
This headline leads with the benefit. The headline uses emotion to pull you in. And the feature satisfies the logical left side of your brain. That's the power of the One-Two Punch Headline. It satisfies the reader logically and emotionally.
Another powerful headline formula is...
Tell A Story Headline
Here's an example...
Bankrupt Photographer Accidentally Discovers The Secret To Make £672,989 In Just 9 Days!
The headline starts a story. You want to know how you can make £672,989 in only 9 days. And you want to know how a bankrupt photographer discovered the secret.
Can you see how the ad story almost writes itself from the headline?
Once you've pulled your reader into your message you've got to earn their trust. You do that by telling your inspirational personal story.
If your headline is a story, then the start of your ad is a continuation of that story. You've got to justify the claim in the headline. And you've got to show your story of struggle to success. You've got to take the reader on the emotional rollercoaster to reach the solution. That's how you earn their trust.
Weaved within your inspirational personal story should be authority statements. If you have been featured in well known media. Or if you write a column for magazines or websites. Then tell the reader which publications.
Once you have walked your reader through your journey of struggle to success. Once you have made them feel the pain of your failures and the delights of your successes. You can prove that these results are repeatable with customer success stories.
Customer success stories make the reader see that you deliver on your promises.
Then you can go into your offer.
Tell the reader what you've got.
Tell the reader what it will do for them.
Tell the reader why they need to act now.
Tell the reader why they risk nothing today thanks to your super-generous money back guarantee.
Then you've got to tell the reader what to do next. This could be as simple as click the link below to get instant access. Or click the link below to complete your order.
Don't assume your reader knows they need to click the buy button no matter how big it is. Tell them what they need to do to complete their order.
That's the whistle-stop tour to write a persuasive message that makes the cash register ring.
If you take nothing else away from this post. Please remember this.
Story & Offer
If you tell an inspirational personal story and you give an irresistible offer then you will make sales. It's that simple.
The other persuasive elements help you on the journey. The other persuasive elements grease the slide for the reader and rush him excitedly to the sale.
Now It's Your Turn
You now know the 6 persuasive elements to craft a message that makes the cash register ring.
You know how to use them to craft a message that pulls your reader into your ad.
Now it's time to use it.
You'll find the biggest wins in your story and your offer.
So if nothing else, ask yourself if you have an irresistible offer.
Ask yourself how you can stack the cool to make it easier for your customers to say Yes today.
That's where you'll find your biggest win.
If you've found this useful then please leave a comment below.
If you know a business owner with a great product or service... that struggles to get their name out there... then please share this with them.
Until next time...
Carpe diem
Roland Eva
P.S. When bankruptcy stole my first business. I made a commitment to myself to discover a repeatable system to turn strangers into customers on demand. A journey that ended when I made £30,105 in 9 days… without making a single sales call.
It’s a system that I’ve used in multiple industries. To sell products and services ranging in price from £5 to £12,000.
A system that I’ve used repeatedly in campaigns that have dwarfed that initial success.
I’d like to show you how to use my simple 3 step system in your business so you can turn strangers into customers on demand. And build your dream business. A business that gives you the income and lifestyle you want.
Unfortunately, I can't show you how to use my simple 3-step system here. The post would run too long.
that's why I've written the book Consistent Profits Pyramid. The book shows you how to use my simple 3-step system in your business. So you can turn strangers into customers... on demand.
I’d like to give you a FREE copy.
To download your FREE copy now. Click the link below.
What you have in this book is 7 years of learnings, struggles and successes. You have one powerful resource that shows you how to turn 'strangers' into customers... on demand.
Here’s just a taste of what’s in the book:
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How to find 'red hot' leads without spending a penny. Red hot leads are people that need your help and are willing to pay for it.
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How to create a competitive advantage that no one can steal.
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How to answer the question "Why should I do business with you?" in a way that makes people say "Wow! Tell me more."
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How to turn 'strangers' into customers using an irresistible offer. I'll walk you through my 5-step system to create your own irresistible offer.
To download your FREE copy now. Click the link below.
If you've got a business that you'd like to grow, then you cannot afford to leave this book on the table.
To download your FREE copy now. Click the link below.
About The Author
I'm a copywriter and marketing expert that turns expertise into cash.
For the last 5 years, I've helped business owners to sell products and services in many industries. The products and services have ranged in price from £5 to £12,000.
My most successful campaign made £672,989 in 9 days.
I took that result and transformed it into a simple repeatable system. A system that I teach to ambitious entrepreneurs that want to make money on demand without a sales team.