Do long copy sales letters actually work?

Ask for an opinion about long copy, and you will get it! People think that it doesn't work, it's old-fashioned and nobody reads it. Well, I'm here to tell you that reports of the death of long copy have been greatly exaggerated. Long copy sales letters are not dead.

There are some specific reasons why, which I spend a lot of time talking about in my online copywriting course, which is our resource today. If you'd like to know more about how and why long copy works, check out my online course at WebCopyWritingExplained.com.

Here are three reasons long copy works:

We love to read about what we love. When you're interested in a certain product or service or video, don't you love to visit websites that tell you more about it? Don't you love to find books on your favorite topics? There's a favorite little bookstore of mine here in Spokane called Auntie's Bookstore. When I go in there with a topic in mind, I don't just buy one book on that topic, I buy ALL the books on that topic! You could verify that if you could see my office here. You would see hundreds of books on the subject of marketing, copywriting and web conversion. We love to read about what we love, and that includes sales letters about what we love!

Selling online is NOT like selling in person. When you talk to a client, you pay attention to his words and his body language, alert for clues to his thoughts. You can't read body language when you sell online! With no visual cues to hint at what your customer is thinking, you must find a way to answer any objections. The only way to do that is to define your client's objections in advance, answering his concerns before they are even voiced. This requires a lot of words, which leads us to long copy!

Long copy allows you to tell a story. Stories sell. If you doubt this, I recommend the book All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin. It talks about the power of story selling and why it's so important to your business.

Here's a formula for writing a four-part long copy sales letter that works almost every time, if it's executed properly. I credit this formula to John Carlton (and, by the way, I highly recommend all his material to you):

Here's what I have to offer. Here you explain exactly what you are offering to people reading your copy.

Here's why it's right for you. Solve your reader's problems, and explain why you are the right choice.

Here are some questions you may have. This could be your FAQ. Again, answering any objections they may have, in advance.

Here's what to do now. Tell them what to do next. Buy! Call now! Add a sense of urgency, and tell them to call you Right Now!

Interestingly, you could even use these headlines word for word to start each of the sections in your copy, and it would work great!