Direct Response Copy

The most important thing for you to know:

Direct response copy - in this case, a one-page online sales letter site - is the most difficult copy to write. I'll be honest, I learned to write copy in 2004, but I didn't get the hang of writing online sales letters until 2006.

If you plan on using this method of selling be prepared for the reality of this kind of copywriting:

1. Hiring a good direct response copywriter isn't cheap.

2. Doing it yourself isn't easy.

Hiring a Copywriter

You might find an up-and-coming copywriter who knows enough about writing good copy to give you a deal, while still writing effective copy.

But you're better off hiring someone who knows what he or she is doing and paying the higher fee for it.

It takes a few weeks to write a good sales letter, so basically, you have to pay your copywriter three to four weeks salary, or she simply can't survive. A newbie may be willing to work extra hard while working another job, but he won't be able to keep up that pace for long.

The important question is: Are you getting the value you need from this project?

If you wrote an e-book and you want to use an online sales letter to sell it, think about how much money you want to make from it. An inexperienced copywriter might get you few sales, if any. A really good copywriter may get you a high conversion rate - that means a decent percentage of your website visitors to your website will buy your product.

But keep in mind that 1% can be considered a high conversion rate in many cases. Also keep in mind that if the audience for your product is fairly small, you may not be able to get enough visitors to make a good, long-term profit.

So be analytical. The best copy in the world won't make you money on your product or service until you've done at least these three things:

• Researched the market to ensure that there is sufficient demand for this product or service, insufficient supply, and a target market who will pay enough for it to bring you a profit;
• Developed a high-quality product or service to offer - and one that can be differentiated from the competition in a way that's meaningful to your target audience; and
• Planned a solid method for generating traffic.

Even then, know that there's always a risk that your product won't sell. You can't be sure you'll generate the traffic you want. You can't be sure that the demand for this product won't suddenly go down, or that the supply will suddenly go up.

Writing your own direct response copy

Many internet marketers take this option. And some become very good at it. But those are the ones who work hard at it and realize that it takes at least as much work to learn to write a good direct response sales letter as it does to have created the product you're selling.

If you've written your own copy, you can request a critique at a forum for direct response copywriters:

The Copywriting Board

Be prepared, though. It takes a lot to write an honest, persuasive online sales letter. So if you get some harsh feedback, consider yourself lucky - you're probably getting the help you need!

On the other hand, be aware that anyone can offer a critique there. Be sure you understand the "why" behind the comment before making changes, or you may make the copy worse.

If you're going to write your own copy, be sure to read some good books on the subject.

The one I link to below used to cost $30, but it's free now. Don't confuse free with lacking in value. This e-book has really valuable information about copywriting. Just be sure to take your time with it and take the advice to heart. It's good!

Make Your Words Sell

Just scroll to the bottom of that page and you'll find a link where you can download the e-book.
If you're creating e-books or other information products, a one-page sales letter website can be a good means to high profit. But it's also a risky one.

The slower methods of income generation, such as informational websites and multi-page sales sites, can help you build a solid business more slowly. These kinds of sites allow you to build trust, which takes time, and with trust, you can build a loyal following.

On the other hand, if you find just the right keywords and market, this kind of site, well done, can be very profitable.

As always, if you have any questions, contact me.