Shop Assistant Kills Sales
Shop Assistant Kills Sales
There’s a common mistake many newbie copywriters and marketers make in their sales copy.
It’s a trap anyone can fall into. And you have to be so careful when writing your ad you don’t succumb to this howler as well. You see I gotta confess something. I used to make this mistake in my early days. Not any more though.
I’ll illustrate what I’m talking about for you with a quick story.
There’s a very large shop in the town where we live. It’s actually a very successful business. Yet I’m sure by making this mistake I’m sure they lose business.
What is this profit killer?
It’s namely this: Anytime I go into this shop and pause for a fraction in front of an item a shop assistant invariably comes over and murders her sales by asking this question;
“Can I help you?”
Answer “No”.
So the shop assistant retreats. A lost opportunity. No opportunity to build rapport with me. No chance to build a relationship. Perhaps a lost sales opportunity.
What’s this got to do with copywriting?
Everything.
You see the mistake is this. NEVER ask a question in your copy your prospect can say “No… or… Maybe” to.
Because you stand the chance of losing them. You make your reader stop and think. If you’re giving them the opportunity to say “No” in their mind then all of a sudden they’re thinking “Actually this isn’t for me. And you lose them.
Whereas, you want them to keep reading on and on.
Does this mean you should never ask a question in your copy?
Well, no. After all some mega successful copywriters have questions in their headlines. And in their opening paragraphs.
So how do these guys get round this?
Here’s the answer;
If you do ask a question in your copy you’ve got to be like a courtroom lawyer. They never ask a question they don’t know the answer to beforehand. It’s like a loaded question.
So be very careful if you ask a question in your ad.
Incidentally I was recounting the shop assistant story to some other copywriters the other day and one of them replied with what the great marketer Jay Abraham teaches retail stores. Namely this;
Shop assistants are told to go up to a prospect and introduce themselves and then retreat.
Imagine this scenario:
“Good morning, my name is Jane and if there is anything I can do for you or you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask me.”
And then she smiles and retreats.
See how low pressure this is.
Friendly rapport. No opportunity to alienate the prospect by asking them any question they can say “No” to. No sales pressure whatsoever.
You’re responding with a smile and thinking how polite and helpful the staff in this shop are. After all, as people we like to buy but we hate being sold to.
So there you go don’t fall into the question trap.
Until next time.
Mark
website: www.markpocock.com
Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/markpocock
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