The Objectives of a Sales Letter

Launch your sales campaign with a dynamic sales letter.

An effective sales letter immediately captures the reader's attention, maintains his interest and motivates him to take the recommended action. Designed for visual impact and easy reading, sales letters use simple language and offer incentives to the reader. A well-written sales letter does not get tossed out --- it gets results!

Capture the Reader's Attention

Begin the letter with an emotionally compelling headline, question, anecdote, parable or story. Grab the reader's attention with a promise of better health, improved relationships, prosperity or any other quality of life indicator. For example, if you are introducing a business magazine, you could open with the following question: "Would you like to be one of the most informed and interesting people in your business community?" A company offering skin care products to older woman could open with this anecdote: "You probably spent half your life taking care of other people. This is your time to try some extreme self-care."

Stress Benefits Not Features

Make your letter stand out by answering "WIFM," or "What's in it for me?" A potential customer does not want to read through a laundry list of features. Instead, describe the benefits he will receive when he purchases your product or service. For example, a feature of the new Internet access may be bandwidth. The benefit is access to information in a fraction of the time. An educational institution offering online courses could focus on the flexibility of the program, convenient payment plan and free job counseling.

Maintain the Reader's Interest

Write in a conversational style, using short sentences and paragraphs. Maintain a positive and upbeat tone throughout the letter. Use the middle paragraphs of the letter to address the challenge presented in the opening paragraph. Present the advantages of your product or service in order, starting with the strongest benefit. For example, if the price of your product is the lowest in its category, state that upfront. Proofread your letter very carefully and ensure that there are no spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.

Call to Action

Let the reader know what she should do next. You may want her to call, email or attend a seminar. Alternatively, you may want her to fill out a reply card. Be very clear in your instructions. For example, "Please fill out the enclosed reply card and put it in the self-addressed stamped envelope. Our sales representative will call you within one week," or "Call [phone] for free brochures and application forms or for an appointment to talk with one of our admissions counselors." Include an incentive, such as a special offer or discounted rate: "We are offering you a special introductory subscription rate of only $29 for a full year of 12 issues! That's less than one-half of the newsstand price. This special rate is available for only a limited time, so please return the enclosed order card today."

References

• "Entrepreneur"; 7 Tips for Writing Dynamic Sales Letters; Cynthia Perun
• Microsoft: How to write an effective sales letter; Joanna Krotz