As a professional copywriter, I’ve seen my share of copywriting mistakes. One that seems to be particularly common is writing copy that’s “upside down.” When you do this – when you don’t relay your message in correct order – you lose your audience’s attention, and sale!

You’ve probably seen copy that reads something like:

Professional Virtual Assistant Services For over seven years, we have been providing virtual assistant services to global community. With a proven history of excellence, you are guaranteed quality when you select ABC Company for your virtual assistant needs. You’ll find your load lightened, your schedule freed, and your business day more organized so you can spend your time making money instead of chasing your tail. Virtual assistants allow you to do more of what you love to do!

What’s important in this paragraph? Yes, experience (“…over seven years…”) is necessary. And quality (“…you are guaranteed quality…”) is vital. But what is it that will catch attention and deliver true message about virtual assistants?

It’s this section: “You’ll find your load lightened, your schedule freed, and your business day more organized so you can spend your time making money instead of chasing your tail. Virtual assistants allow you to do more of what you love to do!” So – if this is most important part – why is it at end? Because copy is upside down, that’s why!

There are three steps to creating a powerful and effective sales letter for your business.

For Marketer, content of sales letter is "Good News" associated with product or service that is being sold. The marketer wants his or her audience to see Benefits of acting upon or responding to sales letter's invitation to buy.

The focus of entire letter is potential Benefit of message for audience. As a Marketer, I can write all about features of a particular product, but if I don't communicate how person can benefit, then I am wasting their time and my effort.

So what is this three step formula?

Let's begin with focus of communicating Benefits. With that in mind we move toward...

1. The Headline - What is Core Benefit?

In this fast-paced world, people seldom have time to focus on every advertisement and sales letter that crosses their path. This is especially true for those of us on Internet who have been conditioned for almost instant gratification. If your web page or email letter does not immediately capture their attention and entice them to look further - then sale will never be made.

In your headline you need to tell them What You Are Going To SAY about how product will benefit their needs. You've probably got less than 30 seconds to make folks want to read rest of your letter - else they will delete your email or click to another page.

If your web page or sales letter does not immediately Grab Their Attention, then they will be gone within 30 seconds and you will probably never get them back.