Seven Things #2: Advertorials
In April 2008 I attended my very first real seminar. We socialized at the bar every night (Thursday night through Sunday night) and one of those nights, starting drinking in a group of people that included Bruce Wedding -- copywriter!
Bruce is slightly ahead of where I'm at (he does $4000 copywriting jobs) and he spoke a little bit about how he has been trying advertorials.
An advertorial is exactly what it sounds like: an ad that teaches some kind of information.
I wrote a sales letter a couple of days after returning from the event and it was an advertorial. I wrote it like an action-packed article and it ended up being a 20 page sales letter.
If you know my PHP products, I sell a package of seven scripts... each script contains source code, PDF instructions, and a how-to video.
I was able to split the long sales letter into seven sub-letters. There was an overarching story throughout the whole thing, but each sub-product had its own story.
I registered seven extra domain names (each for its own script), put each sub-page as its sales letter, put up an order button and upsold it all to the main product.
Don't forget, I also wrote solo ads and setup affiliate programs for each product.
A lot of work, but there you have it... 8 products!
Tomorrow, Jason Fladlien and I are launching the Daily Seminar where we give advice about how we create products quickly, write sales letters quickly, sell without selling, and more stuff... we give advice every weekday!
Gimmie ten comments down below and I will share the next tip with you.
Filed in: Seven Things
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Robert–
An advertorial sounds like the process for preparing for a traditional product launch where you give folks free stuff of value over several sessions, all with an overarching theme.
I hadn’t been aware that this is called an advertorial. Cool. I learned something.
Liz Nichols
http://liznichols.blogspot.com
Great idea Robert,
I’ve been experimenting with a variation of that and building three part articles where part one is posted to an article directory, such as EZA, then the author bio leads to part two, which is a page on my website, whichleads to part three, which is available by subscription only.
I’ve been writing 1,500 to 2,250 word advertorials and spliting them into three parts with a cliffhanger at the end of parts one and two.
Seems there are lots of opportunities for using advertorials.
Kirk
WOW!
here’s comment #1 toward the 10 comments…!
Hi Robert,
How about sharing the URLs of you seven sites so I can better absorb your work. I specifically want to see the detail of the messages, size – who much you give.
Thanks,
I have may alarm set for 10:
Dale Maxwell
http://www.road-to-health.com
http://www.yourhealthwiz.com
800-366-1460
help desk http://www.roadtohelp.com
Hi Robert,
Sounds like you’ve got a great technique for cranking out copy. Care to share more…? 🙂
~Mike Cowles. <
Wow, very productive…
So you took your 7 php products from the package and made them into 7 individual products. And then upselling to the product that had all 7?
I suppose that will increase the likelihood of people
finding it on the search engines, and so it’ll increase sales. Cool idea.
Elisabeth
Famous copywriters like Dan Kennedy use advertorials all the time. Look forward to having you help us with this.
Shiny objects everywhere! I’m trying to concentrate!
Would you please stop coming out with unbelievable bargains?
The solo ads and affiliate programs sounds like the hardest part of that work. Well, really, all of it sounds hard. Stories to go along with each product, and an uber-story to umbrella over it all. Wow. Commendable!
Advertorials have been around for ages — disarms prospects so they are not uptight about a sales pitch. It’s been very effective for me offline, but never thought to use them online. Thanks for the tip Robert!
Will we get the chance to see the 8 letters??
That is Genius!
A seperate salesletter for each php script- then an upsell to all seven.
Were you selling each script alone for a low price- with an upsell? Or Giving all buyers all seven…
did anyone actually end up paying a low price and only getting one of the seven scripts?
All right Robert I’ll make my contribution toward the ten 😉
I have to say I have enjoyed watching your marketing grow and evolve. You do a great job of incorporating an upbeat perspective and exude great energy. Not to mention the fact that you put out quality products.
Copywriting is an interesting craft. Doing what you did with your letter is a great step toward having control over the process. I’ve written over 100 sales letters for myself and clients. I love writing a conversation and telling a great story is my favorite. The advertorial is a great tool as well.
Many thanks my man!
Onward & Upward!
Sam Knoll
Sam’s Marketing Blog
Hi Robert,
That sounds like something I want to be a part of, count me in. Looking forward to some great insights and useful information.
Onward,
Gerald
i’m counting 13 comments already….!
nu, robert? nu?
😀
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