Promotion marketing: How much content versus how much hype?

I've a confession to make -  I subscribe to many email lists. NimdX Admin team members track many email promotions so as to keep our web directory up to date on products new to internet marketing. So we get to see and compare many different types of sales letters.

Debate still continues in the industry's forums on the effectiveness of longer versus shorter sales letters and videos. A sales presentation needs to contain certain information such as product owner credibility, product benefits to the customer, why the product should be purchased now, pricing, warranty details and more. How long it takes to describe these points and in what order or format is a matter of sale technique. Because customer preferences differ, many internet marketers develop more than one type of sales letter for each product.

However, having worked through many sales letters and nowadays video marketing promotions, I believe many of them could be significantly improved if they would cut down the hype. It is a well promoted statistic that over 90% of those entering the online marketing field do not succeed. So while it is understandable that developers naturally target their products to this market, it is somewhat unfortunate to see how much sales promotion strategy plays on the customers' presumed "desire for the good life." Sales letters almost always dwell and expand on how the product owner initially failed in internet marketing until he/she discovered the "secret formula" and which they now want to sell to those still struggling. Then follow the predictable pictures of the large new house, car and recent holidays, exemplifying the success expected to be achieved through using the new product . How unnecessary and unprofessional!

The internet continues to attract an ever growing number of users and entrepreneurs looking for positive business solutions. Many of these internet marketers either have some previous business experience or are at least savvy enough to focus on the facts and not the hype. Instead of spending valuable sales promotional time of irrelevant issues such as how long they struggled before eventually finding the path to fortune, product promoters would be better served in the long run by demonstrating how their product will help the customer succeed in their business.

Don't get me wrong. The hype-style sales technique certainly works, but in many cases, customers awaken from the sales copy-induced dream and realize that the product does't fulfill their particular needs. So the next time they are wary of that marketer's promotions. Building a long-term business with returning customers means building credibility. And credibility is earned by repeatedly providing quality products and services, not by showing screen shots of affiliate earnings.

Removing unnecessary hype from sales letters and further emphasizing a product's unique benefits to the customer would improve the letter's quality, cut down reading or viewing time and in the end, translate into more sales.

If you have an opinion on this topic, we love to hear from you in the comments section below.

To your success,

Mike Firer
NimdX Admin