Long Form Advertising: A Growing Opportunity
Author: Ad Hacks October 8 | Blog
Check out this Long-Form Ad Framework written by our Masterminder Jaime Harmon
Based on 16 Word Sales Letter
“The secret to converting copy is to define the one belief, then answer these ten questions.” -Albuquerque, Evaldo. The 16-Word Sales Letter™
Note most explanations are pulled directly from the book or are paraphrased.
- In order to convert you need to make your target audience believe the ONE BELIEF.
What is one belief? It is your intent, what do you need your audience to believe in order to convert for what you are selling? This is your north star when you’re building your copy and your action plan.
You need to make your reader believe that: This new method or opportunity is the key to their desire and the best way to attain it is through our new product.
New Method/Opportunity: You must identify the differentiating factor in your product that makes it unique or innovative from all others in your industry. “Clear & radiant skin” can’t be your new opportunity.
The new opportunity is what makes your product truly unique, its your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). But if it is then your prospect will have no idea they need it… You need to show why they need it. Your product must be the key to their desire.
Prospect Desire: Your product can only be the key to their desire if it provides benefits, it can be the key to their desire only if it makes your target audience feel more valued, desired and respected. What will increase your prospect’s mental, physical, social or emotional well being? OR what can decrease or eliminate the risk of events that will negatively impact their mental, physical, social or emotional well-being?
The new product: Once your readers believe the new method or opportunity is the key to their desire, they must believe you’re the only one who can meet that need. You have to make them believe ONLY your product can help them.
Example: Simple ingredients like Cherries, papaya and pineapple are the keys to beautiful, plump, younger-looking skin without the pain of a chemical peel… And you can only get that combination Savor Beauty’s Cherry Collagen Peel.
Create your ONE BELEF here:
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- The next step is to answer Question 1: How is this different from everything else I have seen?
First, you need to explain what this new product is… If it is not unique, it won’t work because it won’t trigger your audience’s desire for novelty, which creates a dopamine hit.
It should feel like a breakthrough like you figured out something and your revealing it.
This will also be used to create a headline or a start to your ad.
Example: We have created one of the most effective peels that you can use without worry about sensitive skin.
By combining cherries with the incredible enzymes of papaya and pineapple AND the collagen-boosting magic of pea peptides… We’ve created a peel that is both natural, powerful and less harsh than alpha-hydroxy…
Something that has never been seen before.
Show how your product is different here:
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- Now you have to show to your audiences: What’s in it for me?
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and ask yourself “what promise can I make here at the beginning of my letter that will get my customer salivating?” The big promise must be tied to your customer’s key desires.
Example: You can have radiant, younger-looking skin and without using harsh chemicals… Or experiencing blotchy red skin for hours or even days after a peel.
Show what is in it for them here:
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- Now you need Social Proof: How do I know this is real?
At this point, if you have done your job in the first two questions, your audience might be skeptical. You will need to show them some proof that you can deliver on the promise you have made.
There are many ways to show proof, one tried and true method is the ABT structure:
From 16 Word Sales Letter: “What’s an ABT structure? It’s a simple story-telling format. A lot of copywriters show proof and more proof and more proof, but they never create a story around those proof elements. Therefore, their sales letters become boring to read and fail to convert prospects into customers. And there you have it. I just used the ABT structure, which stands for “And” “But” “Therefore.”
Example:
Peels are one of the most effective ways to create younger-looking skin. They can make your skin look plump and pretty but they can be harsh on skin…
Sometimes taking days for your skin to recover.
But… Using a natural peel that has antioxidants and enzymes will create the same results for even the most sensitive skin. It is even safe for you when you are pregnant.
Allure Magazine even featured our Cherry Collagen Peel… The showed it has, “all ingredients that help turn over skin cells to leave you looking brighter. All those natural ingredients mean it’s also reportedly pregnancy-safe”
Show what is in it for them here:
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- Now show your target: What’s holding me back?
When your prospects hit the sales page, many of them have already tried numerous similar products. Maybe they have invested tons of money and haven’t seen any return or maybe they’ve tried other products and they just didn’t work. You need to justify why those didn’t work.
This step is easy because you just need to reverse the first question.
Example: If you’ve ever had the experience of a painful peel in a spa or from an at-home product, you’re not alone.
Many women are super sensitive at certain times…
A long day in the sun… A surge of hormone… Pregnancy. These can all cause a normal peel to have negative reactions.
But you don’t have to stay away from peels all together when your skin is feeling especially sensitive.
You can choose a product made with all-natural ingredients, which is exactly why we made the Cherry Collagen Peel.
Show what might be holding them back here:
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- Us vs Them: Who/What is to blame
This is the place to show why others haven’t done this and you have.
Example: You might ask why hasn’t anyone created a natural peel like this before?
Well… Most beauty brands come from chemists and big brands. Savor Beauty is the ONLY skincare brand that also has its own spas and our estheticians help us create every new product.
Inspired by the day to day experiences of our spa customers and sensitive days when they need a gentle peel.
Show why you created this and others didn’t here:
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- Why Now?
This is the next question in the process is designed to create a false dilemma in the mind of your prospect with the “either-or” technique. This is the place to create urgency.
Example 2 Seasonal: And the Cherry Collagen peel has arrived at the PERFECT time of year… Using a peel over the next few months will create radiant skin for all those holiday parties you will have to attend before you know it.
Example 2: Handmade: It is made in the US at our upstate New York facility, which means we only keep the freshest products in stock and it can run out quickly…
So today is the day to make your order while we still have them ready to ship.
Show why now here:
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- Why should I trust you?
This will be the credibility section of your ad. There are three main “storylines” I’ve found that work best to establish authority and make your prospect trust and like you. The first and most powerful one is the “I’ve been in your shoes” storyline.
Example: And the thing is, Savor Beauty knows how to make products for sensitive skin.
Our founder, Angela, had a terrible allergic reaction before going on stage to perform as a classical concert Pianist.
That experience led her to start creating her own natural and safe skincare in her kitchen 9 years ago…
Today Savor Beauty is a renowned skincare line sold around the country at our own spas and top stores like Nordrstorms.
Show why they should tust you here:
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- How does it work?
It’s time to reveal how your new mechanism actually works. If you can do that by exploring an existing belief. Your prospect needs to understand exactly how your new mechanism gives him the end result you’re promising.
Example: The amazing thing is there are so many benefits to natural ingredients that will make your skin glow.
We combined the ingredients in the Cherry Collagen peel because they have powerful benefits:
- Cherry Juice provides powerful antioxidants for the elasticity of skin.
- Papaya and Pineapple enzymes gently exfoliate
- Pea Peptides help repair cell damage and boost collagen production
Show how it works here:
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- How do I get it?
Now you close
Example: We just released it on September 15 and XX magazines already said they are falling in love with this product…
Now is your chance to get it today!
Get yours online at https://www.savorbeauty.com/products/cherry-collagen-peel
*If you wanted to expand out more, here is the framework recommended in the 16 Word Sales Letter:
Reveal the special report (the main offer)
Introduce subscription service (you get the report when you join the service)
What others are saying (testimonials for the service)
False Close (Anchor a high price)
Extra Bonuses (Show how each bonus has value)
Close here:
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