Chapter 7
Forget Benefits, and You Will Sell More
What's the single, most important element in copywriting?
Let me say it another way.
You've done your research. You found a starving market. Your product fills a need. And your sales copy shines with benefits. If everything is so perfect, then why is your product still not selling? Is it the price? The offer? The competition?
Maybe. But not necessarily.
The fact is, these things are not always to blame for being unable to sell an in-demand product, even with great copy. Too often, it has more to do with one thing:
Focus. (Or should I say, the lack thereof?)
In fact, the greatest word in copywriting is not “free.” It's “focus.” And what you focus on in your copy is often the single, greatest determinant of your copy's success.
In my experience, copy that brings me the greatest response is copy that focuses on:
1. One message
2. One market
3. One outcome
Here's what I mean . . .
One Message
The copy doesn't tell multiple, irrelevant stories. It doesn't make multiple offers. It doesn't go on tangential topics or provide extra information that doesn't advance the sale.
Copy should make one offer and one offer only.
Too many messages confuse the reader. And as copywriter Randy Gage once noted, “The confused mind never buys.” It confuses them because they don't know which offer provides them with the best value for the amount of money they are ready to spend.
Prospects want to spend their money wisely. Lose focus, and ...
