Why Does Long Copy Outsell Short Copy?

If you go back and think about an ad you’ve seen about a not-so-well-known product that you bought, it’s quite likely that you read through a lot of copy.

So why does long copy usually sell so well? Let’s consider an analogy. A prospect walks into a store and looks at a product. He is then approached by a salesperson who explains the benefits and features of the product the prospect desires, quotes a price and goes on to serve another customer. The prospect lingers, undecided. The salesperson engages the prospect once again and throws in a few bonuses to sweeten the deal. The prospect is now hooked, but still not willing to part with hard earned money. By now it’s probably a good half-hour that the prospect has spent in the shop. The salesperson then plays upon the prospect’s emotions, offering a take-it-or-leave-it offer. After deliberating for awhile, the prospect relents and makes a purchase.

The whole process from the time the prospect walked into the shop to the point the sale was made, probably took around 40 minutes.

Interesting isn’t it? The more time a prospect spends in a shop, meaning the more time he invests in the salesperson’s proposition, the more likely he is to buy.

This is the simple reason why long copy works.

The best sales copy keeps the reader engaged for a long time. Involving the reader in the copy is the key to keeping the reader engrossed. Copy that plays upon the readers fears and spells out exactly how the reader will benefit by using the product or service.

Astute marketers nowadays cleverly add video and audio to the mix for a complete multimedia experience. For instance adding an audio or video testimonial dramatically improves the believability factor, and increases the propensity to buy.

You may probably be wondering if long copy works in an age where attention spans are shorter, people are busier, and the target audience is getting younger.

Yes it’s true that people are busier and attention spans are getting shorter. The challenge is therefore to make copy even more interesting, compelling and to focus it like a laser shattering the objections of the target audience. And replace it with compelling reasons to purchase.

What success would a man have if he asked a pretty girl to marry him on the very first date? Most likely, he would end up with a bruised cheek. Of course he has to woo the girl first. Wine and dine her. Pique her interest in him. And then make the offer. That’s just what long copy does.