After having read several great reports that have recently come out, I found some great info on direct sales and long copy sales letters. There has been a decline in long copy salesletters and an increase in the popularity and versatility of video-based salesletters. Especially after reading the Friday Traffic Report the other day, and seeing Michael Frotin post, I thought it would be timely to share some thoughts…

Both John Reese and Michael Fortin have touched on this very subject in their latest reports (The Rebirth of Internet Marketing, John Reese and The Death of The Salesletter, Michel Fortin) and have stated what I have thought for some time, and that is that long copy salesletters are great if they are good, compelling, personal, and if they strike the user’s ego.

There are so many spammers and marketers that are out there to grab the customers money and run, and then there are those of us who are there to supply information and to be of help to others. Of course we all want to make money, that is our business, but, technology is changing. In order to have long-term, steady, sustainable success and growth, we have to evolve with technology.

Long copy devices will falter more and more over time or be perceived as Michel Fortin says, as snake oil salesmen by an increasing majority of people. The copy we produce will need to be better, and we will have to work harder at communicating proof, credibility, and trustworthiness in our copy.

In the past few years we have seen technology grow and expand in many ways, we have seen some technologies come and then leave….others have stayed a bit longer, or have evolved. In direct sales its important to be able to not only spot the new trends, but to spot the important trends that affect how we understand and serve our markets better.

Some trends are simply trends whereas other trends are the result of a trend that has taken shape in a new form or expanded on the previous form. As Michael has stated, in watching these trends we can spot behavioral patterns which will tell us more about our market. Our job as salesman and saleswomen is to serve, and to sale, more effectively. When customers, prospects, whatever you choose to call them, come to your site, you want them to stay long enough to absorb the information you are providing.

With Web 2.0 strategies, our job is made much easier. Allow your visitors to collect information and act on the data that you provide, in a way that best suits them. What are these technologies? Instant messengers, blogs, RSS feeds, emails, alerts, widgets, applications, push technologies, multi-tabbed browsers, and the list goes on. All that having been said, there is a place for long copy, when used correctly and informatively. Use all the resources that are available to you.

Never underestimate the possibility of a technology.

If a particular technology needs tweeking….tweek it…make it better and use it to benefit others.

For Information:

The Friday Traffic Report:

http://www.jackhumphrey.com/fridaytrafficreport/

John Reese:

http://www.marketingsecrets.com/index.html

Michel Fortin:

http://www.michelfortin.com/