Tom The Printer: Long copy works! Better copy for your leaflets in 7 easy steps. Part 4: Incorporating Proof and Believability

When your prospect reads your leaflet, you want to make sure he believes any claims you make about your product or service. Because if there’s any doubt in his mind he won’t bite, no matter how sweet the deal. In fact, the ‘too good to be true’ mentality will virtually guarantee a lost sale… even if it is all true.

So what can you do to increase the perception of believability? Because after all, it’s the perception you need to address up front. But of course you must also make sure your leaflet copy is accurate and truthful.

Here are some tried and tested methods that will help:

If you’re dealing with existing customers who already know you deliver as promised, emphasise that trust. Don’t leave it up to them to figure it out. Make them stop, cock their heads and say, “Oh, yeah. The ABC Company has never let me down before. I can trust them.”

Include testimonials of satisfied customers. Where possible be sure to put full names and locations. Remember, 'A.S.' is a lot less believable than 'Andy Smith, Smith & Sons, Manchester.' If you can also include a picture of the customer and/or a professional title, that’s even better. It doesn’t matter that your testimonials aren’t from somebody famous or that your prospect doesn’t know these people personally. If you’ve enough compelling testimonials - and they’re believable - you’re much better off than not including them at all. (If you’ve visited my printing website you won’t have failed to notice my customer testimonials, displayed big and bold on every page).

Pepper your copy with facts and research findings to support your claims. Be sure to credit all sources, even if the fact is common knowledge, because a neutral source goes a long way towards credibility.

If you’ve decided to produce copy in the form of a letter, including a picture of the author always helps. But I’d put the picture at the end near the signature, or midway through the copy, rather than at the top where it will detract from your headline. And… if your sales letter is from a specific individual, be sure to include his credentials to establish him as an expert in his field (relating to your product or service, of course).

If applicable, cite any awards or third-party reviews the product or service has received.

If you’ve sold a lot of widgets, tell them. It’s the old “10 million people can’t be wrong” adage (they can be, but your prospect will likely take your side on the matter).

Include a GREAT return policy and stand by it! This is just good business policy. Many times, offering a double refund guarantee for certain products will result in higher profits. Yes, you’ll dish out more refunds, but if you sell three times as many widgets as before, and only have to refund twice as much as before, it may be worth it, depending on your offer and return on investment. Crunch the numbers and see what makes sense. More importantly, test! Make them think, “Wow, they wouldn’t be so generous with returns if they didn’t stand behind their product!”

When it makes sense, use 3rd party testimonials. What are 3rd party testimonials? Here’s some examples from some Web site copy I wrote when there weren’t any customer testimonials available:

“Spyware, without question, is on an exponential rise over the last six months.”
- Alfred Huger, Senior Director of Engineering, Symantec Security Response (maker of Norton security software)

“Simply clicking on a banner ad can install spyware.”
- Dave Methvin, Chief Technology Officer, PC Pitstop

A deployment method is to “trick users into consenting to a software download they think they absolutely need”
- Paul Bryan, Director, Security And Technology Unit, Microsoft

Do you see what I did? I took quotes from experts in their respective fields and turned them to my side (making sure I got their consent first!). Note that I also pushed an emotional hot button: fear.

It’s been proven that people will generally do more to avoid pain than to obtain pleasure. So why not use that tidbit of info to your advantage?

Within your leaflet reveal a flaw about your product. This helps alleviate the ‘too good to be true’ syndrome. You reveal a flaw that isn’t really a flaw. Or reveal a flaw that is minor, just to show that you’re being ‘up front’ about your product’s shortcomings.

Example:

“You’re probably thinking right now that this tennis racket is a miracle worker - and it is. But I must tell you that it has one little…shortcoming.

My racket takes about 2 weeks to get used to. In fact, when you first start using it, your game will actually get worse. But if you can just ride it out, you’ll see a tremendous improvement in your volleys, net play, serves, …” And so on.

There’s a tendency to think, with all of the ads that we’re bombarded with today that every advertiser is always putting his best foot forward, so to speak. And I think that line of reasoning is accurate, to a point.

But isn’t it refreshing when someone stands out from the crowd and is honest? In other words, your reader will start to subconsciously believe that you’re revealing all of the flaws, even though your best foot still stands forward.

Use ‘lift notes’. These are a brief note or letter from a person of authority. Not necessary a celebrity, although that can add credibility, too. A person of authority is someone well recognised in their field (which is related to your product) that they are qualified to talk about.

If you’re limiting the offer with a deadline ‘order by’ date, be sure the deadline is real and doesn’t change. Deadline dates that change every day are sure to reduce credibility. The prospect will suspect, “if his deadline date keeps changing, he’s not telling the truth about it… I wonder what else he’s not telling the truth about.”