I coined the term "P.O.W.E.R. Marketing" to describe five steps you must take when crafting any ad or sales letter.

P.O.W.E.R. is an acronym for: Provoke a Problem, Offer a Solution, Win Trust, Evoke Emotion, and Remove Risk.

Many small business owners forget some of these steps when they create their marketing materials. But the most successful sales letters contain ALL of these elements.

Let's look at each step of the P.O.W.E.R. Marketing System:

1/ PROVOKE A PROBLEM:

Your ad should begin by stoking the fire under a problem your prospect

identifies closely with. This is often done in the headline, the sub-head

and the first few paragraphs of the body copy.

An example might be the famous mail-order ad that asks, "Do You Make

These Mistakes In English?" The goal is to stop your reader in his tracks

and make him want to read more.

2/ OFFER A SOLUTION:

If you write your ad correctly, the solution to your prospect's problem

should be YOUR product or service. But many ad writers remember the

"solution" but forget the "offer" part.

You need a solid offer so your prospect knows what he's getting. Your

offer should include your product, the price (which may include a

discount with an expiry date), payment terms and even bonuses.

Bonuses are especially effective if offered for a limited time only.

Spend a lot of time creating your offer. Make it irresistible. Your offer will

make or break your campaign. And it's the most essential part of the

P.O.W.E.R. Marketing System.

3/ WIN TRUST:

When your prospect reads your ad or sales letter, he is often doubting

what you say. He knows you are trying to sell him something. He's been

burned before by other, unscrupulous marketers. Why should he believe

YOU are any different?

So remember to present your credentials. State your years and level of

experience. Quote the results of tests performed on your product. Show

photos of your product in action. All will enhance your credibility.

But the best way to win your prospects' trust is through the use of

testimonials. You've read statements from customers that began, "I was

skeptical at first. But then I tried XYZ brand." Your prospect will believe

a testimonial over YOU because he perceives that the customer is

someone like him.

As soon as you can, start collecting testimonials from satisfied

customers. Most are happy to oblige. (And while you're at it, ask for

referrals too.)

4/ EVOKE EMOTION:

People buy things based on emotion not logic. They may realize buying

your product would be a smart move. But you must get them excited to

get them to take that step.

To get your prospect excited, speak in terms of benefits, not features. A

feature is a specific characteristic of your product. A benefit is what your

customer will get from that feature.

An example? The lighted keypad on a cell phone is a feature. The

benefit? No more fumbling in the dark to answer a call or dial a number.

When describing your product, make sure you always translate each

feature into its corresponding benefit to the consumer.

5/ REMOVE RISK:

To really explode your sales, you need to remove all risk from your

prospect. To do this, develop a strong guarantee and promote it heavily.

It's not good enough to simply state "Guaranteed" at the end of your

offer. In fact, the more specific you make your guarantee, the more

powerful and effective it becomes.

Here's the guarantee I use for my "How To Start Your Own Home-Based

Coupon Book Business" manual:

"Try my manual for 60 days FREE.

If you're not completely convinced

that this business is the one you've

been waiting for - send it back

for a FULL REFUND. NO QUESTIONS ASKED."

For my "Coupon Book Business Builder's Tool Kit," I offer a ONE-FULL-

YEAR Unconditional Guarantee.

Some marketers even offer double or triple your money back.

Don't be afraid to make a strong guarantee. Sure a few dishonest

people will take advantage of you. But your increase in sales will far

out-weigh your losses.

Remember to use these five steps in all your marketing messages. Employ the P.O.W.E.R. Marketing System and watch your sales sky-rocket.

Tags: Jonathan Hook, article marketing, internet marketing tips, internet marketing, affiliate marketing