The Art of Preselling

Do you hate “selling”? That’s a big problem when you’re actually in the business of selling something, whether it’s a product or service. Selling can feel sleazy, salesman-sy and dirty.

Here’s something that might make you feel better about selling your wares. Brian Clark of Copyblogger.com says that, in fact, “People love to buy stuff, but they don’t like to be sold to.”

The answer, then, is not to sell, but to presell.

What Is Preselling?

Preselling means getting your prospects in a buying mood. You’re not actually selling something, like a salesman does. Instead, you’re creating the desire to buy.

You get pre-sold all the time. For example:

• Your girlfriend calls you gushing about the new Italian restaurant that opened in town. You make a mental note to try it after your next movie.

• You’re looking for a breadmaker but don’t know which model to buy, so you read a blog which reviews and compares different models.

• Your brother tells you how he completely cleared his sinus infection by using a neti pot. Since you suffer from allergic rhinitis, too, you decide to go out and try a neti pot yourself.

In each of these examples, the people you interacted with did not try to sell anything to you. They were simply giving you information that you might find helpful. In fact, except for the blogger, none of them had anything to gain  from your purchase of the product or service in question.

This is what preselling is all about.

Preselling Principles

How do you presell effectively through content?

1. Start by providing useful content, which by itself, is valuable, useful and appreciated. At the same time, the content should point to the benefits of your product or service.

For example, if you sell organic yogurt, your content could be about the benefits of yogurt, particularly organic yogurt. If you’re selling an ebook of natural remedies for insomnia, your content could be about the harmful effects of sleeping drugs.

2. Your content should have a subtle “sell.” It should point to your product/service as a solution for your readers.

Relate the product or service to the topic. Say whom the product/service is perfect for. Finally, let your readers know how they can get the product or service.

3. Make sure there’s a product-to-market fit. No matter how skillful you are at preselling, you won’t succeed you’re preselling to the wrong market. So make sure to offer your content to those who will appreciate it.

Preselling is an important skills for affiliates. They can warm up their readers so that, when they reach the sales page, all they’re looking for is the order button.

If you’re the product/service seller yourself, then you need to presell as well. You don’t want all your content to be hard-selling all the time, after all.

Master the art of preselling and you’ll see an increase in your conversions. Your readers will be glad to have found the solution to their problems, and you’ll be happy with your profits.

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About the Author

Alexis Rodrigo is a passionate blogger, copywriter and Internet marketer – when she isn’t changing diapers or cooking meals, that is. A self-confessed word nerd, she is a lifelong student of how words influence people’s thoughts, attitudes, feelings and actions.

Visit Lexi Rodrigo Online at: TheSavvyFreelancer.com

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