How to Capture Attention with a Winning ‘Sales Argument’
I just wrapped up a product launch at Simple Programmer.
This project had a couple of unique twists to it.
For one thing, I was NOT the one writing most of the copy.
Instead I was “copy chiefing” a software developer and (relatively) new copywriter named Dan.
Then there was the topic of the course itself.
Mostly what we talk about at Simple Programmer is “soft skills” stuff, all the non-technical skills that are still critical for success. Things like communication, attitude and mindset, planning your career, and so on.
This course, though, dealt with a “hard skill”—namely learning to program in JavaScript.
That presented a unique challenge:
How do we get an audience of programmers who aren’t thinking about learning JavaScript to sit up and at least *consider* the idea?
The answer lay in constructing the right “sales argument.”
The sales argument is a logical chain of ideas that leads, step by step, to your product.
As you make each point, you bring in enough proof to get your reader to agree with what you’re saying before moving on to the next link in the chain.
In this case, the audience we were talking to mainly consisted of developers who are satisfied with their current choice of programming language—for the sake of simplicity let’s say they are all PHP developers.
So how do you get a contented PHP developer to consider learning JavaScript?
The first step in the sales argument is:
Change happens fast in technology.
And we gave several examples where developers were caught flat-footed when their language of choice suddenly fell out of favor. Uh, oh.
Next:
Demand for traditional “backend” languages like PHP seems to be slowing.
More proof, leading them to wonder, “Is there a trend away from my ‘bread and butter’ technology?”
Then:
Momentum is shifting from these old-school languages to JavaScript.
Still more proof that shows how developers and companies are switching to JavaScript in record numbers.
Finally:
By learning JavaScript today, you’re hedging your bets in case the job market shifts dramatically.
NOW the reader is ready to hear about all the high-paying job opportunities in JavaScript, and how learning JavaScript doesn’t have to be a long and painful process.
The sales argument sets the stage for your reader to consider the benefits of your product or service.
Do it right, and you can get them from “meh, don’t care” to “huh, maybe I SHOULD buy this after all…”
P.S. Not every single piece of copy needs an elaborate sales argument.
Typically this is a tool you reach for when your audience’s “state of awareness” of what you sell is low.
This “state of awareness” idea is one of the most critical concepts in marketing.
When you understand it, you develop an “internal compass” that guides you to write copy that makes sales.
The BEST way I know to get this pounded into your muscle memory is CopyHour.
I don’t run CopyHour—but I’ve taken it myself.
Twice, actually. It is THAT valuable.
Enrollment is open now at: