| One of the most-quoted copywriting phrases in | | | | to most people. |
| the world is, "sometimes people will buy your | | | | Especially the people we were targeting. |
| products because of just one bullet." | | | | To see what I'm talking about, here are a few of |
| And that's true. | | | | the bullets: |
| People really will read an ad that's 5, 10, 15 pages | | | | - Why sellers will (rightfully) not let you look at |
| or more...but whip out their wallet simply because | | | | their supplier list before you make an offer...and |
| of a bullet point buried somewhere on page 8. | | | | the one "almost magic" way to get them to show |
| However, there is also another side of the bullets | | | | it to you almost 100% of the time! |
| story where bullet points can actually hurt your | | | | - The ONLY thing your business should technically |
| sales. | | | | "own"! |
| Let me give you a "real life" example. | | | | - The chilling financial and physical consequences of |
| A few years back I wrote an ad that was long | | | | buying businesses with union employees! (Hint: my |
| (one of my copywriter friends even said, "What is | | | | car was smashed up with me in it...after a union |
| this the Declaration of Independence!"), copy | | | | negotiation that went bad.) |
| intensive and had something like 60 or 70 bullet | | | | - How to make sure you don't get stuck paying |
| points. | | | | all the landlord's taxes, maintenance and insurance |
| I was dang proud of that ad. | | | | costs when buying a business on land you don't |
| And when I finished it, I sat back, laced my | | | | own! |
| fingers behind my head and congratulated myself | | | | Now, these kinds of bullets are fine if written to |
| on a job well done. | | | | people already familiar with buying businesses. |
| Until that same copywriter friend of mine above | | | | But to the "kitchen table" entrepreneurs on our list |
| gave me his feedback. | | | | -- people who know nothing about buying million |
| "Ummm Ben..." he said. | | | | dollar businesses now, but would love to do it -- |
| "Pretty awesome, isn't it?" I boasted. | | | | these bullets would either: |
| "Yeah, this is great except...with this | | | | 1.) Mean nothing to them |
| market...nobody's going to care about any of the | | | | 2.) Confuse them |
| stuff in your 14 pages of bullets." | | | | 3.) Make things sound complicated |
| I was floored. | | | | All three of which will destroy the sale. |
| Here was a guy who gets paid $25,000 to write | | | | Anyway, I hope the message is clear. |
| a single sales letter -- making his opinion worth its | | | | Yes, bullets are awesome. And just one or two |
| weight in gold -- telling me all those wonderful | | | | bullets really can make the sale for you. |
| bullets I'd written were worthless. | | | | But, at the same time, you have to be constantly |
| And as much as I hated to admit it...he was right. | | | | asking yourself, "Does my reader know what this |
| You see, this was an ad showing people how to | | | | means or care?" |
| buy large, multi-million dollar businesses, without | | | | If the answer's "no", scrap the bullet. |
| needing any money, credit, banks or prior | | | | Because no matter how powerfully written those |
| experience. | | | | bullets are, they will most likely bore, scare of |
| And while the benefit of this is universally | | | | confuse the reader -- and kill the sale. |
| desired...the details of how this is done is foreign | | | | |