When I start working with a client on a full sales funnel – from opt-in to sales page and all those emails in between – I never launch straight into the writing.

Before any words make it onto that Google doc, I’m head down, bum up in research mode.

This is an overview of my sales research process because if you’re currently writing your own copy, this could be super helpful…

Here are the three phases of research I go through to create high-converting copy for an easy sale.

Phase 1: Understand your product

Understanding the product is an important first step because I need to truly GET what we’re selling, how it works and who it’s for.

This means I look over anything and everything you can give me about your product/program.

If you’re writing your own copy, you already know what your product is, but it’s useful to write it all down anyway so you’re completely clear on your offer.

I will usually do some keyword research in this phase as well to find out what people are searching for when it comes to products like yours.

Phase 2: Understand your customer

This is possibly the most important, yet overlooked, issue when it comes to putting a product out there for sale.

If you don’t know what conversation is happening in your ideal customer’s mind, how can you possibly join that conversation to pitch your thing?

If you already have customers who’ve bought from you before, the first step is to talk to them.

Send out a short survey or, better yet, actually interview them.

• Ask them what they were really struggling with before they bought your product.
• Ask them what else they were considering doing about this struggle or problem.
• And ask them: “what is the biggest transformation or change you’ve experienced since you started working with me?”

This will not only help you create awesome testimonials, but it can provide some of the highest-converting copy for your sales page and emails.

Importantly, if you don’t have any customers or you’re launching a completely new thing, you STILL NEED TO DO RESEARCH.

Jump onto Amazon and look at the reviews of books and/or products that are similar to what you offer.

What are people saying? What do they like/dislike?

You can also look at Facebook comment threads and other online review sites.

Even *gasp* Reddit can be a good place to look for customer insights…

Pick out the words or phrases that seem to be coming up most often or the ones that feel most powerful or ‘sticky’ to you and keep these in your research file.

Phase 3: Understand your competition

The point of this is not to get into comparison-itis or copying.

In fact, please don’t.

This is all about finding out what your competitors are saying (and how they’re saying it) so you can say it DIFFERENTLY.

You’re looking for ways to flip the ‘usual way’ of doing things on its head because this will make your message stand out in the market.

OK, so that’s my research process in a nutshell!

I’d love to know if you have any questions or extra ideas for me.

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P.S. Want to know more about creating high-converting copy for an easy sale? Get my 5-Step Sales Copy Process or buy my Sales Page Template here.