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Why You’re Losing Sales (You Forgot to Add THIS to Your Sales Copy)

Time and time again I see sales copy with one essential element that is completely missing an opportunity to make more sales by helping potential customers decide to take action.

Any guesses as to what that might be?

It’s something that proves what you say is true.

The little thing that makes a believer out of a skeptic.

Sometimes it’s off to the side, and sometimes it’s featured front and center. And the better it is, the more you need to show it off.

It’s absolutely crucial for making sales and hitting the jackpot.

Have you guessed it?

PROOF That What You Claim Is True

Proof that your customers get the results you claim they well get.
Proof that your product works.
Proof that you won’t abscond in the night with your customer’s money.

And it’s the difference between almost making a sale and MAKING the sale.

Here are seven different types of proof you can use in your copywriting, regardless of whether it’s an email, blogpost or sales page. Anytime you’re talking about your product, remember to include some proof.

1: Case studies

These are also known as customer success stories, and they tell a brief story about a customer who got results from your product or service.

For example, “Joe Smith uses this software, and in the first 30 days he saw a 22% increase in conversions.”

It’s best to keep your case studies short and concise, focusing on measurable results whenever you can. Remember, numbers are more persuasive than adjectives.

2: Testimonials

These are written statements from your customers or clients, explaining why they like your product or service. They’re typically quotes from people who’ve used your products or services.

You can easily ask your contacts on LinkedIn for recommendations. Just remember to dust off your profile first and make sure it’s the best you can make it!

The best testimonials don’t just sing your praises, they also explain details of why they customer endorses you or your product. For maximum impact, use testimonials that include numbers or quantitative results.

3: Endorsements

An endorsement is like a testimonial from someone widely recognized by your prospects.

If a well-known blogger or expert in your field endorses your product, by all means add this to your sales copy. People who trust this well-known individual will then trust your product by association.

4: Research studies

If there are any research studies that clearly show the effectiveness of your product or a component of your product, then use this data in your sales copy.

For example, if you sell an herbal supplement that contains 6 different ingredients, and the effectiveness of each ingredient is backed up by research studies, you might include each study in your sales letter in the appropriate places.

The key here is to deliver the information concisely and in layman’s terms. Don’t use scientific lingo – you’ll lose your readers. Speak to them in language they will understand and relate to, but don’t patronize them!

5: Visual representation of results

An image is truly worth a thousand words, if it’s the right image. You’re familiar with this technique from weight loss products. They use before and after photos of their clients to show the changes in their body sizes and shapes.

If you can use charts, photos, screenshots or other visuals to prove your product or service works, then by all means do it.

Place captions on your visuals. Studies show that captions are read more than almost any other element on a sales page (other than the headlines.)

Make your captions – well, captivating and self-explanatory. For example, a caption that says, “Janet Smith” doesn’t tell the prospect anything about the product. But the caption, “Janet Smith, after losing 42 pounds in 67 days on the XYZ diet” tells the whole story.

Remember that you can easily use your own camera and a free tool such as Canva to supply your own unique and copyright free image. If it only looks 99% professional this can even be better than an obviously stock image.

Another excellent tool is Design Wizard. It has a lower cost licensing model and all of their tools features are available in our free subscription, unlike most of their competitors. It also includes over 20,000 professionally designed templates (10,000 free) and over 1.2 million images in the library.

6: Press coverage

If you’re received praise from a media outlet, then let your prospects know about it.

Quotes from well-known sources are best, since your local newspaper might not hold much credibility with the rest of the world.

But if a well-known publication or media outlet has good things to say about your product or service, include that in your sales copy.

7: Social Shares

This is useful if you want to show you have a large audience.

For example, if you have a track record of writing blog posts that get thousands of social media shares, you might make the case that you are a trusted source for information in your field.

Also, if a trusted expert in your niche gives you a mention on a social platform, this can boost your credibility.

But always remember to return the favor. For instance this post about blog promotion where expert blogger Enstine Muki kindly mentioned my blog.

We don’t talk about being part of a blogging community for nothing.

Now it’s your turn to implement these tips on making more sales.

How YOU Can Make More Sales

Next time you write any sort of copy that promotes a product or service, be sure to include at least one powerful element of proof in your copy.

Advanced technique 1: Use your proof as part of your headline or sub-headline. For example, “Ex-Beautician Fields Four $100,000 Job Offers thanks to Our Job Getting System.”

I don’t know about you, but if I was in the market for a new job as a beautician, I would be super excited to read that sales letter!

Advanced technique 2: Make sure your sales support is top notch and give potential customers an easy and obvious way to reach out to you with pre-sales questions. One of my tests as to whether I will purchase something is to place an enquiry. If I get a good and prompt response, I am far more likely to go ahead with the purchase. After all, if a supplier has poor pre-sales support, you can be pretty sure their after-sales support will be rubbish.

Which of these tips have you used to make more sales?