One great way to sell more products – either your own products or affiliate products – is through your email list. That’s because it’s a perfect platform for warming up your audience and sending them to the sales page already in a heightened buying mood.
So how do you presell products in your emails? By using this checklist. Take a look…
Begin by deciding whether to send a single email or multiple emails.
In most cases, it’s a good idea to send multiple emails to presell an offer. That’s because most people need multiple touches or exposures to a particular offer before they purchase it.
What’s more, most people on your list probably don’t read every single email you send. So if you send multiple emails, you have a better chance of getting your message in front of more people.
Still can’t decide? Ask yourself these questions:
- Is this an upcoming or newly launched product?If so, it’s a good idea to send multiple emails to introduce your readers to this offer. If the product hasn’t launched yet, you can begin sending emails about a week before the launch date.
- Are you an affiliate for this offer?If so, sending multiple emails is a good idea, since the multiple exposures make it more likely your readers will buy from you rather than the competition.
- How much is the product?In general, products with higher ticket prices require more selling, which makes multiple emails a good choice.
Next…
Now you need to ask yourself the following questions about the offer, as your readers will be looking for you to address these issues.
- What are the benefits of the offer?In other words, what does the product do for customers?
- What all is included in the offer?This includes the main product, any bonus products offered, the price, and if the product comes with a guarantee.
- What objections are prospects likely to raise?Common objections (reasons for not wanting to buy a product) include:
It’s too expensive (I can’t afford it).
It’s too cheap (must be junk).
I should spend my money elsewhere.
It won’t work for me.
It’s too _____ (whatever characteristic applies to your product).
- How do you answer these objections?In other words, how you can you raise them and then answer them so that prospects can no longer use that excuse to not buy the product?
For example:
The objection: the price is cheap, it must be junk.
The answer: this is a limited-time introductory price to create a large pool of beta users.
- What sort of proof do you have that the sales claims are true?This may include but is not limited to:
Case studies.
Testimonials.
Screenshots.
Pictures (including before and after pics).
Videos.
Newspaper clippings.
Scans of documents.
- What are your personal feelings about the product?This is particularly important if you’re an affiliate for a product. Ask:
Would you personally use this product?
Would you recommend it to your best friend?
(If the answer is “no” to either of those, then find something else to promote.)
- What are the product’s flaws?No product is perfect. Trying to pretend like a product is perfect will only lead to distrust among your readers.
- How can you turn these perceived flaws into assets?This is basically about objection handling. Tell people why the flaw isn’t a deal-breaker… and why it may even be a good thing.
Example: The mouthwash Listerine is known for having a strong taste. They turned that perceive flaw into an asset by suggesting the strong taste reflects the germ-killingpower. Here’s how they did it: “Listerine: you can handle it, germs can’t.”
Another example: perhaps you’re selling an ebook that’s much shorter than the competition’s ebooks on the same topic. Some might assume it’s short because it doesn’t have much detail. You can handle this by saying it’s short because it’s a no-fluff, no-filler guide designed for busy professionals.
Next…
Now that you know the types of points you need to address in your email or emails, it’s time to outline and write them. This is where a series comes in useful, because you can handle the above issues across multiple emails.
Here’s an example of a four-part series for a product:
- Email 1: Introduce the problem, introduce the solution, share the benefits of this solution, and then offer a call to action.
NOTE: If you only send out ONE email on a product, this is the type of email you’ll send.
- Email 2: Objection handling. In this email you raise and handle the most common objections. You may even present this email in the form of a FAQ (frequently asked questions).
- Email 3: Social proof. Here you share testimonials and case studies.
- Email 4: Reminder to buy now. This email is short, summarizes the main benefits, and gives your prospect a reason to buy now (such as reminding them that a special offer ends soon).
Now it’s time to write the email. Use this checklist to cover the main points:
- Create an attention-getting, benefit-driven subject line. E.G., “Double your traffic with one easy step!”
- Create an email opener that hooks readers fast.
Five good ways to open an email include:
1. Starting with a shocking statistic or fact.
2. Telling a story.
3. Asking an engaging question.
4. Identifying the signs and symptoms of a problem.
5. Asking readers to imagine how they’d feel if their problem was gone.
- Engage readers on an emotional level.
Three ways to do this:
- Tell a story.
- Remind prospects of the pain of their problem.
- Use emotional words. (E.G., Imagine, frustrating, heartbreaking, exhilarating, etc.)
- Share the benefits of the offer. Set these benefits apart in a bulleted list so that even skimmers will see them.
E.G., You’ll get a surprising trick for doubling your conversion rate – and it only takes two minutes!
- Insert a call to action. Tell readers to click on the link, and give them a good reason to do so.
E.G., Click here to find out the secret that Hollywood stars are using to lose weight fast – and do it now, because this special introductory offer ends soon!
And finally…
Now the final touches before you send this email or series:
- Proof for spelling errors, grammar errors and typos.
- Polish by cutting out unnecessary words, and clarifying in other places as needed.
- Make it look professional. If you’re sending out HTML emails, then use a professional.
- Be sure your email and template are responsive and look good across devices.
- Check that the links work.
That’s it, you’re done. Now you can load it up and hit the send button!
Conclusion
So as you discovered, the key to preselling content is to focus on addressing the issues that are most important to your readers, such as the benefits of the offer, handling any objections they may have, etc. Use this checklist to create your next preselling email or series, and I’m betting you’ll like your response rate!
