“When Long Form Sales-Copy Doesn't Outpull Short Copy:  An Eye-Opening
Inside Secret Finally Revealed!”

by Craig Garber

Today I'm going to reveal an eye-opening secret, about the ONLY time shorter sales copy will produce better results than long-form sales copy.

If you know anything about direct-response marketing, you're already "convinced", either through testing on your own projects... or hearing from others who've tested it, how long-form sales copy always outpulls shorter copy.

The quick, "cliff notes" reason why this is so, is... if someone wants to buy something from you, they want to know as much as possible about it, before buying.

Assuming of course...

You're Saying Something Worth-While In The First Place!

If you're not, that's another problem altogether, and... it's one a simple little conversation between the two of us right now, certainly won't solve.

Anyway, there is one time, when testing has shown using less copy is actually more effective.

And that time is, when you're setting up what's called a "name-squeeze", or "fly-catcher" web page, as the "entrance," or portal, to get into your web site.

Here's the deal: 

If you go to my "main" page, www.KingOfCopy.com, you'll see it's a "name-squeeze" or "fly-catcher" page. 

Meaning, it's designed to capture the name and address of people who are interested in getting to your content "inside" your web site.

I tested using long-form sales copy on my namesqueeze page, like this (you can click on this page and it will open up in a new window so you can print the page out, if you want):

Over the period I tested this long-form sales copy, I got a 29.45% "conversion" rate. 

Meaning, 29.45% of the people who saw this page, opted to sign in, entering their information and becoming a subscriber of mine.

While I was running this long-form sales copy, I was also testing a shorter version, like this (again, you can click on this page and it will open up in a new window so you can print the page out, if you want):

This shorter-form sales copy, had a response rate of exactly 1% higher, converting visitors to subscribers at a 30.45% rate!

And a 1% boost in your conversion rate, every single day... 365 days a year... for the rest of your life....

Will Make You A King’s Ransom!

And the good thing is, both of these tests were ran over a large enough population, to make their results valid.

(As an aside, depending on how people find out about me, nowadays my usual "conversion rate" varies widely, from 30% to 50%.)

At first, I found these results very surprising, but since that time, I've spoken to other people who've tested the exact same thing, with the same exact results:

Unlike sales copy that is selling something, where (good) long-form sales copy always outpulls shorter copy, when you're using a namesqueeze page...

Shorter Copy Is The Way To Go!

I can't say for sure exactly why this is so, but I do have a theory:

If someone lands on your page, at a minimum, they at least want to get more "information" on what you're offering, and they want it as soon as possible -- longer sales copy delays their access to your information -- and... as you know...

Delay Is The Death Of A Sale!

And that's why the shorter copy works -- it gives you faster access.

The bottom line on all of this, and I hope you're taking this message away from me today, even more than the actual results of my testing, is...

The Most Effective Advertising Is Always Measurable!

Otherwise, how in the hell are you supposed to know what you're doing... why you're doing it... and whether or not you should do it again... change it... or stop it altogether?

Make sense?

P.S.  If you've tested long-form versus shorter copy, in your namesqueeze page, and found that your long-form copy actually outpulled your shorter copy, let me know -- I'd love to tell the rest of my subscribers. 

Thanks!

P.P.S.  Last week, a subscriber of mine phoned me up to let me know she enjoyed my website.  She didn't leave her name... or her number.

So if you happen to know who this mystery woman was... or if it happens to be you... know this:

I Really Appreciated Your Call!

Any comments?

Send them to me by scooting over to the contact form on my "Here's How To Contact Craig" page, and maybe I'll publish them -- I appreciate your feedback!

You can reprint, or link to this article, or to any article on this web site, as long as you include the following text-box:

“Craig Garber is America's top direct-response copywriter.  Join the ranks of Garber's swelling list of global VIP's who subscribe to his unconventional weekly marketing moments, and discover how to dramatically boost your sales and improve the response to your sales copy, on his website at http://www.kingofcopy.com. Copyright © Craig Garber.  All rights reserved.”