Before you launch, it is very important that you do some basic tests on your copy. The first set of tests check to see whether your sales letter actually communicates the intended message, and that it isn't a pain in the ass to read.

But before you get to any of these tests, give it a rest.

You've spent a lot of time on your sales letter, and you probably can't see even basic problems with it. Put the letter aside for a week or two. Don't think about it - do something else for a while. Then come back to it and see how it reads. I guarantee you'll find some areas that need to be fixed.

I have found this single technique to be the most powerful in spotting problems in my own writing.

Here are a few other simple, basic tests that any copywriter should use.

Read it out loud: A good sales letter will read like great dialogue in a movie. Simply reading your text aloud will highlight any passages that don’t work. Does it flow quickly - is it interesting to read - is it boring or slow or a slog? If it sounds stupid when you read it aloud, your prospects will think it sounds stupid when they read it to themselves, too.

Whats in it for me: Imagine yourself as the prospect, and read through it with the idea of "what will I get out of this? - whats in it for me?" If the answer isn't totally obvious, your sales letter needs work.

Friend Test: Show your completed to some trusted friends, but remove all references to you and your product first. You could Email it to them. Tell them that you were thinking of buying the product, and ask them what they think. What they will tell you are top-of-mind objections that your letter is likely to have missed. The best person to ask is someone who is in the target market for your product.

Ask the Pros: Ask for feedback on a copywriting forum, or from someone who knows about copywriting.

The Competitor Test: Read your copy - especially your headline - and think about whether it could be used for a competing product. If it can, then your copy isn't doing its job. Your copy needs to set your product apart. If it doesn't, it should be changed.

The Basics Test: Make sure all the critical components of your letter are in place: a great headline and great first paragraph. Are you using the chain of attention? Are you answering all possible objections? DO you have a clear call to action?

Edit Without Mercy: Every word must be there for a reason. Every sentence has to contribute to the sales effort. If a reader comes in at a random point in the letter, they should still be enthralled by the writing. Every sentence should read like a headline. Make that sales letter SELL! And scrub the superfluous words, such as "that" and "which" and meaningless words like Incredible, Fantastic, Amazing, Awesome.

I guarantee that applying any (or all) of these simple (and free) techniques will improve your sales letter immensely.