Sales Letters That Get Results

Your sales letters should work for you not against you. But many do not. The reason is that the writer has forgotten the role of the letter. Your letter should be designed to generate sales. It persuades the reader to take the action you want from placing an order, to requesting additional information. To do this you must get the reader’s attention, keep that attention and encourage the reader to take action.
Here are my suggestions to make your letters powerful and get results.

Why are you writing?

Before you put fingers to your keyboard, know what you want the reader of your letter to do when they have read your letter.

Know what is in it for your reader

Have an image of your reader in mind and talk to that one person. Remember that however big your mailing list your letter will be read by one person. Ask yourself, “If I was reading this, what would I want to know? What would appeal to me?” “How will this help me?” “What is the end result of doing business with you?”
Imagine the reader was sitting in front of you. What would you say? What tone of voice would you use?
Complete this sentence. “Buy my (what your selling) so that you can (write in the result). The result people get from using your product or service is the benefit.
Your readers do not care about your company, they want to know how your product or service will help them to increase, improve, save, or reduce some aspect of their life.

You

Is the most powerful word in your letter. You is who you are writing to, you is who is reading it. You are who will buy your product or service. Do not start with “I,” “we,” “our,” “my,” A good test of your letter is to ensure that there are twice as many “you” as “I,” or “we.

Short words and sentences

Short words are easier to take in, do not take so long to read and pack more punch than long words.
For example: Free is more powerful than complimentary. Buy is better than purchase. Love is better than affection. Use simple words everybody knows and understands and do not use jargon or industry terminology. Speak the language of your reader.
Avoid phrases like, at this time and replace with now.
The average length of sentence in your letter should be 16 words.
Try to keep to one thought per sentence, one sentence per paragraph.
Use the spelling and grammar feature of word to check out readability. Aim for reading ease of between 60 and 70 and grade level 8.

Power words

Use power words in your headline and copy. These are words like:
“Free,” “How to,” “Save,” “Easy,” “Fast,” “Improve,” “New,””Discover,” “Create,” “Proven,” “Reduce,” “Increase.”

Headline

Always write a headline that tells the key benefit to the reader. The job of the headline is to get the reader’s attention and draw the reader into the rest of the letter.
“Would you like to make more profit?
Let me show you how you can
Make sure your headline promises a benefit and try to keep to 10/12 words. Try to make your promise something your competitors are not offering or talking about.

For help on writing headlines check out our article “Headlines and how to write them”

Facts and benefits

Ask for the action

This is where many letters fail. Ask the reader to do what you want. Or tell the reader what you are going to do. Order, contact you. Spell it out. Make sure it is easy to understand what you want the reader to do, avoid complicated steps or instructions. Make it easy for the reader to reply.

Always use a PS

Final thoughts

Sign your letter in blue ink. It makes it look more personal and not mass produced.
Write your letter first then edit. Write spontaneously and get your ideas down.
Read the letter out aloud. Does it sound natural?
Ask someone else to read it. Do they understand it?
Use the active voice and avoid negative sentences.
Try to avoid stereotyped openings such as “Enclosed please find.”
Always thank the reader.

Final final thought

Need personal help?

Want help from Gareth to grow your business? Give him a call on 01226 290288 or email gareth@gapmanagement.co.uk

About GAP Management

GAP Management helps business owners and managers to find, win and keep customers to increase sales and profits and to focus their sales and marketing activities.
Clients tell us that our work really works. They find working with us motivating and inspiring because we are good at finding out what they really need. We listen to them and come up with fresh ideas, and give them momentum and inspiration that helps them to increase sales and find new customers.