9.2. How to Pre-Sell
September 5, 2008 by Andy
OK, now you know what pre-selling is, let’s look at how to do it. What I am about to describe to you are the exact steps I go through when writing pre-sell for my own sites.
9.2.1. Summary of the Pre-selling
The following questions are designed to help you build a pre-selling blueprint that you can refer to as you create your page. Go through the questions, and write down your answers.
There is a Pre-Sell Worksheet in the Worksheet file that you can print out and fill in as you work through the pre-sell process.
These questions are based on the ones I learnt about by Maria Veloso, a professional web copywriter.
1. What are the problems faced by your visitor that this product can solve?
NOTES: Powerful pre-selling stirs emotions in the reader. It makes them realise that they don’t have to put up with the inconveniences, the struggles or the pain they are currently going through. The product you are promoting solves these problems. Make a list of all the problems faced by your visitors, and are solved by the product (but don’t mention your product here, you are simply setting the stage.
2. Why have your visitors still got these problems? Let your visitors know that you understand their problems.
NOTES: Write a sentence or two explaining the reasons why many people still suffer in silence. Is it because there are no solutions to the problem, or is it just that these solutions are hard to find, expensive, or both. Is it the fear of trying something new? e.g. if you are pre-selling a weight loss product, it could be that your target audience have tried many times to lose weight, and failed. They are just unconvinced that there is a solution that will work for them.
3. Describe what life can be like without the problems.
NOTES: Paint a picture of what their life could be like, if only the problems did not exist. Taking the weight loss example, create a picture in your visitors mind, of walking along a beach in a bikini, or fitting into that pair of jeans that have not fitted for over a year. Describe the emotions they will feel when friends or family see them for the first time after that weight loss.
4. Introduce your product.
Describe how the product you are pre-selling solves the problems where other products have failed.
NOTES: Let your visitors know who you are, and why you are convinced that this product works. Use personal success stories if you have them, or success stories of people you know. Tell them how this product is different from others they may have tried. Try to build a personal rapport with your reader, making them know that you are a real person.
5. Feature list.
NOTES: List as many beneficial features of the product that you can think of. Create a series of bullet points.
6. Final reminder of that "picture".
NOTES: With what you have written so far as a guide, create another, different mental picture for your reader. Use one or more of the benefits to re-emphasize what life could be like after using the product. Describe how they will feel when the problems don’t exist.
7. Call to Action.
NOTES: This is where you tell your visitor what you want them to do. It might be to sign up for your newsletter, or download your fr.ee. report. In most cases, it will probably be to click on one of your affiliate links.
With these questions answered, you should have a fairly comprehensive set of notes that you can use to build your page of pre-sell.
If you are interested in taking your pre-selling efforts to the next level, I highly recommend you get a copy of Maria Veloso’s book “Web Copy That Sells” from Amazon.
Web Copy is different from traditional pre-selling copy, but this book is devoted entirely to selling online.
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