Are They Really Two Different People?
I’ve always been a little nonplussed by those who imagine a distinction between sales people and ad writers. Are you in sales?
Imagine making a sales presentation, in writing, to a person you’ve never met and know very little about. You could do it, right?
Congratulations. You just wrote an ad. Mail it to someone, or to several someones, and see what happens.
Now organize your thoughts into the fewest possible words so you’ll be able to better hold your prospect’s attention.
Oh, so you’ve decided to make this a good ad!
Locate the most meaningful statement in your presentation and move it to the beginning.
This is going to be a powerful ad.
Trim what you’ve written so it can be read out loud in a specific number of seconds.
You’ve just created a radio ad.
Dramatically increase the point size of your opening statement and add a photograph or illustration to reinforce it.
Wow. That’s a fine-looking magazine or newspaper ad.
Instead of a stationary photograph, try using a series of video images to reinforce your radio script.
Television, anyone?
Now post any or all of these to a website.
Did I hear you say e-commerce?
Break these components back apart and use them to prepare, rehearse or illustrate your next face-to-face sales presentation. (Or are you one of those who just wings it, improvising as they go along, smiling and hoping for the best? Let me know how that works out for you.)
If you sell by presenting useful and interesting information in a clear and logical manner, you’re either a really great salesperson or a fairly average ad writer. (If you’re attractive and confident, you’re in sales. If you’re smarter than average, but not so much a people-person, you’re clearly an ad writer.)
If you’re extremely attractive and confident, you don’t even have to present useful and interesting information. All you have to do is bond with people, become their friend, listen to their stories and take their orders.
I’m sorry. Is this making you uncomfortable?
My point is that selling is selling, no matter how it’s done.
Okay, I’m done selling now.
