It seems like it doesn’t matter if I’m talking to a home-based or small business owner, a marketing executive, or a copywriter, almost everyone in this business is faced with the same burning question about every direct answer. promotion they create:
“How do I know how strong the sales copy is in my promotion before I show it to prospects?”
If you can relate, you’re going to love this. The next time you’re tempted to put down a draft, send it to a client, or send it to a design artist or web developer, do the following:
Set aside an hour. Lock yourself in a quiet room. Pull the phone jack from the wall. Mentally insert her dogs into a prospect’s Nikes, then read her sales copy just as he or she would.
DO NOT get carried away with editing or changing anything. Instead, notice every fleeting thought that crosses your mind and every feeling—excitement or boredom, conviction or skepticism, clarity or confusion—that arises within you as you read the sales copy.
Then, as soon as you’re done, take this test. Please rate how well your sales copy achieves each of these 37 objectives on a scale of one to five as follows:
1: non-existent or pathetically weak
2: Room for Major Improvements
3: I’ve seen worse
4: pretty strong
5: Wow, this is perfect. I must be a fucking direct answer genius.
Ready? Here it goes…
1. Is the topic or benefit presented in the headline likely to resonate powerfully with a significant number of your best prospects?
1 2 3 4 5___
2. Does the headline and headline instantly grab your attention?
1 2 3 4 5___
3. Are they instantly and completely believable?
1 2 3 4 5___
4. Do they present compelling benefits the prospect will get from reading this?
1 2 3 4 5___
5. Do they explain why it is crucial for the prospect to read this right now?
1 2 3 4 5___
6. Do they establish the spokesperson’s qualifications beyond the shadow of a doubt?
1 2 3 4 5___
7. Do you sell on the opening reading?
1 2 3 4 5___
8. Does the opening copy connect directly to the headline and headline, and intensify your desire to continue reading?
1 2 3 4 5___
9. Do the emotions you experienced while reading the copy that follows the open make you willing to continue reading?
1 2 3 4 5___
10. Are all key factual statements supported by sufficient detail to make them credible?
1 2 3 4 5___
11. Does the spokesperson present a compelling reason for writing this or offering this product or service at the beginning of the text?
1 2 3 4 5___
12. Is the prospect told why they absolutely need to read this?
1 2 3 4 5___
13. Does the spokesperson’s personality and conviction come through loud and clear?
1 2 3 4 5___
14. Does the copy feel like a one-on-one conversation between two friends with a common interest?
1 2 3 4 5___
15. Is the emotional tone of the copy appropriate to the topic?
1 2 3 4 5___
16. Is it clear that the spokesperson is an advocate for the prospect and has an emotional interest in getting this information to you?
1 2 3 4 5___
17. Is the prospect likely to find an emotional soul mate, someone who articulates their feelings, in the spokesperson?
1 2 3 4 5___
18. Does the spokesperson feel like a friend and advocate, and not just another salesperson?
1 2 3 4 5___
19. Do you feel that the copy moves faster as you advance in the piece?
1 2 3 4 5___
20. Are the practical benefits of the product and/or premiums fully dimensioned?
1 2 3 4 5___
21. Are the positive emotional benefits provided by the product/premiums fully addressed?
1 2 3 4 5___
22. Are the negative emotions your prospect has regarding the topic at hand fully explored and neutralized by the product?
1 2 3 4 5___
23. Are there entertainment items scattered throughout? If so, are they appropriate to the topic?
1 2 3 4 5___
24. Is the value of the product and all the premiums fully dimensioned and the price completely trivialized?
1 2 3 4 5___
25. Is a plausible justification given for the discount, premiums and other elements of the offer?
1 2 3 4 5___
26. Does the guarantee reaffirm the benefits and is presented in a way that deepens the bond between the spokesperson and the prospect?
1 2 3 4 5___
27. Is the prospect’s desire for instant gratification addressed? Have you emphasized how quickly he or she will receive the product?
1 2 3 4 5___
28. Did you feel your excitement grow as you got closer to the end?
1 2 3 4 5___
29. Does the spokesperson present a compelling reason to buy now?
1 2 3 4 5___
30. Is there an urgent motivator: a quick response bonus, a limited offer, a deadline, etc.?
1 2 3 4 5___
31. Would I be strong enough to make you act?
1 2 3 4 5___
32. Does the closure leave you with the feeling that it would be crazy NOT to ask?
1 2 3 4 5___
33. Are there any special incentives to order right now, over the phone?
1 2 3 4 5___
34. Does the copy of the order form convincingly reaffirm the benefits and warranty?
1 2 3 4 5___
35. Does the order form seem simple and easy to use?
1 2 3 4 5___
36. Are the ordering instructions clear and easy to understand?
1 2 3 4 5___
37. Does the order form thank the new customer for their order and start the matching process?
1 2 3 4 5___
How would you do?
Do you want a general reading? Simply add up all your answers and check your score…
37-109: Wow. You just gave yourself an “F.” And you were going to give THAT to a client or a designer? If the First Ones on Earth ever find out that you were willing to kill a tree to make paper for it, your life won’t be worth a dime. Better get back to the drawing board – FAST!
110-128: The bad news is that you have a “D” copy on your hands. The good news is that you know exactly how to fix it. Just work on each of the weak sections until you can honestly give them a substantially better rating.
129-146: OK – that’s about a “C”. Not bad for a draft… but certainly NOT good enough to make it into a final one. I suggest you start with the sections you rated a “1” or “2” first, and when you can honestly give each one a 4 or a 5, move on to the ones that scored a 3.
147-165: So you’re in the “B” rank, a great start. Just a little adjustment in the weaker sections, and you’re done. Be sure to pay special attention to the headline, headline, and open copy – when you can honestly give them a 4 or 5, you just might have a big winner on your hands.
166-184: Do you want a job? Oh really.
185: Yes of course. Whatever. Oh my bad. I forgot to mention that you have to do this SOBER!
I’m pulling on your chain a bit here. The fact is that the overall score doesn’t make much sense. The important thing is that you’ve identified the things you still need to do to turn this sales copy into a huge home run.