Corporations have it easy. They've got the necessary resources to make the best sales letter. But small businesses like the one you're running can't compete in the same ground and thus, you have to personally make sure that everything goes right with your sales letter. Customers are often unforgiving and with long memories so make sure that you get your sales letter right the first time around.
Step by Step Guide on How to Write a Sales Letter
Step #1 Get the Date Right
Try to determine when's the earliest date your recipient will get a hold of your sales letter and make sure that you date it accordingly. People like to read about the latest things and anything that's a week old will usually be considered unimportant. Make sure as well that your recipient will be provided ample time to think about their purchasing decisions.
Step #2 Create a Headline with Strong Impact
After the date line, the next thing to tackle is your headline. This is a one-line summary of the content of your sales letter. More importantly, it tells readers WHY they need to read your sales letter and what they'll get from it.
Step #3 Personalize It
After the headline, it's time to address the letter to the intended recipient. It's always encouraged for businesses to address customers - existing or otherwise - by their given name. Your following introductory paragraph must include additional complimentary details about the recipient if possible.
Step #4 Illustrate a Situation
The next paragraph is where you slowly lead the readers to the main purpose of your sales letter. Illustrate a situation that your readers - or customers - could easily relate to. The situation must be something that you're assuming your customers still have problems in and something that your products or services are able to solve. If you're selling a credit card, you might use situations where people are suddenly faced with an unexpected mountain of debt or expenses with no one to turn to.
Step #5 Get Rid of Potential Problems
Of course, your customers might think of several problems and concerns they have with what you're selling but don't wait for that to happen. Be the first to talk about them and present a solution for each.
Step #5 Enter: Product or Service
It's time for your products or services to make a grand entrance by way of a hero. The situation illustrated earlier on or more to the point, the problem described will naturally be solved by the product or service you're offering. Focus on how much the product or service will be of help to the customer. Place strong emphasis on the benefits and not the futures of your products and services. Effective sales letters always focus not on what a company's offering but why customers need the company's offering. Don't hesitate to assume that your customers need what you're selling. Take it as a given and a lot of people will immediately follow your line of thought.
Step #6 What are You Waiting for?
When you're done explaining all about the wonderful benefits of your offer, you proceed by making it seem like it's a foregone conclusion that they're going to buy. Act like it's impossible for you to conceive that a customer would delay buying because the offer's just too good to be true so why let it slip by?
Step #7 Call Me
And lastly, don't forget to give your contact details. Persuade them to contact your office even if they're only marginally sure about buying. Right now, obtaining interest is more than enough!
Dos and Don'ts for Writing a Sales Letter
Write in the language your target market is accustomed to. If your business' primary target market is made up of businessmen, adopt a businesslike tone. The more statistics and figures you use to support your claim the more they're inclined to believe in what you're offering.
Don't ignore what your competitors are doing right. Originality is always good, but if you notice something that your competitor is doing to make an effective sales letter, know their trade secrets and find a way to incorporate and improve on it with your sales letter.
Do double check that you've got the right name and address of your recipient. It would just give you too much hassle if you've sent the sales letter to the wrong recipient.
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