Many direct marketers scorn long, advertorial-type direct mail or web pages, but there is a compelling reason they are used so often by the most successful companies.
They work.
They really work.
And for a very good reason.
They are good salesmanship.
Educating your customers as to why they should buy is crucial.
When I am considering a substantial purchase, I usually have several questions to ask the sales staff.
Of course in many cases I know that the salesperson wants to make a commission on any sale to me, and I also know that in every situation a salesperson's salary and continued employment do, or should, depend upon his or her making appropriate sales to the right customers.
We have enough conflicting interests to warrant some skepticism, but I also need the information the salesperson has in order to make an informed decision.
If I don't get that information, I won't make the purchase.
And the same with direct marketing pieces.
If I don't get the information I need in order to purchase the product, I won't buy it.
Of course, with an actual salesperson, you can ask the questions you want answered-always supposing you know all the questions you want answered, but one of the jobs in sales is to answer questions the prospect may not know he needs to know.
And answering these questions builds the trust necessary to close the sale.
A good sales letter or website answers all the questions a sales prospect has, and it mimics the give and take of an in-person sales presentation.
If your marketing piece fails to answer questions and establish rapport, then the customer will either contact you with further questions (in a best-case scenario) that a trained staff must answer, or-what is far more likely on the internet-simply proceed to another product or site that does provide the necessary incentive to action and make the purchase there.
You're usually only going to get one chance.
You better make it count.