| A sales letter is a document designed to | | | | something the product or service already has. |
| generate sales. It is a distinctive type of | | | | Benefits are what motivate people to buy. |
| persuasive letter. It persuades the reader to | | | | Bullet point each benefit to make it easier |
| place an order, to request additional | | | | to read. Think about every possible benefit |
| information, or to lend support to the | | | | your reader may derive from your product or |
| product or service or cause being offered. | | | | service. In many cases, people will buy a |
| For most sectors other than retail, a sales | | | | product or service based on only one of the |
| letter is the first and most important way of | | | | benefits you list.Besides the benefit stated |
| reaching new customers. The purpose in | | | | at the letter's opening, you can bolster |
| writing a sales message is to sell a product. | | | | interest by adding high-profile testimonials |
| It influences the reader to take a specific | | | | from associates or former clients. |
| action by making an offer-not an | | | | Testimonials from happy customers are very |
| announcement-to him. Sales letter attempts to | | | | useful for this purpose, as are quotes from |
| persuade readers to spend their time and | | | | established third parties such as industry |
| money on the value being offered. To sell, | | | | leaders or reputable specialists. Opinions, |
| the sales letter must be specific, go to the | | | | figures and independent statistics are also |
| right audience, appeal to the readers needs, | | | | likely to reinforce your message. Ultimate |
| and it must be informative.Before writing the | | | | motivations are what people "really" want. |
| sales letter you need to plan about the type | | | | The product or service is just a vehicle to |
| of sale campaign that you will conduct. | | | | providing these benefits so make sure your |
| Whether you will send a letter only or will | | | | sales letter focuses on these motivational |
| you include brochures, reply forms, special | | | | factors.Establish credibilityYou need to |
| inserts, samples, response cards etc.? How do | | | | establish credibility and be believable by |
| you plan to market the product or service? | | | | the second paragraph. You must anticipate the |
| Through the Internet, direct mail, email, | | | | reader's objections and doubts and offer |
| direct sales, print advertising, etc.? Do you | | | | counter arguments. There are several ways of |
| need other advertising or literature to | | | | overcoming reader's doubts which must be used |
| support the sales letter? Who is your | | | | with good judgment and should be related with |
| competition? How are they marketing this | | | | the main appeal of the letter. You can |
| product or service? What is your advertising | | | | provide testimonials, money-back guarantees, |
| budget? Are your marketing hopes realistic? | | | | trial offers, attractive warranties or free |
| Another important decision is to determine | | | | samples. Using too many points to establish |
| the specific purpose of your letter. Whether | | | | credibility will not be effective. To gain |
| you want your reader to call for a free | | | | credibility for you and your request, present |
| video, presentation or demonstration? Or you | | | | just one fact, strengthened, if necessary, by |
| want your reader to fill out an order form? | | | | an opinion or fact as a proof.Motivate |
| For these you need to know and analyze your | | | | actionIt's important to remember that people |
| audience and the purpose for writing. Try to | | | | are motivated to buy based on their emotions |
| form a mental image of the typical buyer for | | | | and justify their purchase based on logic |
| the product you wish to sell. Ask | | | | only after the sale. This means that each |
| yourself:- Who is your prospective | | | | step in the sales letter process must build |
| buyer?- What motivates a person to buy this | | | | on the reader's emotions to a point where |
| item?- What might the reader want to know | | | | they are motivated to take action. Encourage |
| about this product?- What does the product or | | | | the reader to act by an easy and clear method |
| service do for the one who needs it?- What | | | | of responding. Close with summarizing the |
| can the reader gain from buying it?- What is | | | | central selling point and clear instructions |
| unique selling point of the product or | | | | for an easy action to be taken. To motivate, |
| service?- Does your offer appeal to the | | | | you can offer a gift, limit the offer, |
| reader?- Can you transform him from prospect | | | | guarantee satisfaction, or promise an |
| to buyer?A sales letter is one of the | | | | incentive.End with an action: What result do |
| important instruments of sales promotion. The | | | | you want from your letter? Are you looking to |
| principles of effective sales letter depends | | | | get a face-to-face appointment? Are you |
| on your communication skill and your ability | | | | answering questions raised at a previous |
| to convince your reader to accept or act on | | | | meeting? Do you want to make your prospect |
| your recommendations. You may be promoting a | | | | better informed? Do you need to get a signed |
| product, a service or an idea; your sales | | | | contract? You need to close your letter by |
| letter should catch the reader's attention, | | | | requesting a specific, quantifiable action. |
| build interest, and motivate him to buy the | | | | For example: "I will call you on Thursday, |
| product or service offered. A good sales | | | | May 18 at 10 a.m. to schedule meeting" or |
| letter should possess the following | | | | "Please return the enclosed contract by |
| qualities:Emphasize good looksDesign your | | | | Friday, April 21, or call me if you have any |
| document for visual impact. Make it easy to | | | | other questions".WRITING A SALES LETTER:Like |
| navigate so your reader reaches for it | | | | any other business letter, a sales letter has |
| first-ahead of the competition's. You can | | | | three parts - introduction, the body of the |
| create professional-looking templates for | | | | letter and the concluding paragraph. Let us |
| your sales letter that use your company logo, | | | | examine in detail how to draft these three |
| branding and colors.'You' AttitudeThe most | | | | components of a sales letter. The important |
| effective word in a sales letter is "you". | | | | thing in a sales letter is the sequence which |
| Never begin a letter with "I" because chances | | | | is as following:Introduction |
| are the reader won't get to the second word. | | | | |
| It all comes down to selling benefits - your | | | | Body of the letter |
| prospects are not interested in the features | | | | |
| of your products services, but in what how | | | | ConclusionIntroductionThe introductory |
| your products or services can benefit them. | | | | paragraph of a sales letter starts with an |
| Then it must build a reader's trust. It | | | | opening sentence which has a vital role to |
| should make generous use of "you" and "your" | | | | play. In many instances, the opening sentence |
| - so it is clear the customer's needs come | | | | is the only sentence that is read, so it must |
| first, not your desire to sell something.Use | | | | immediately appeal to reader's interests. |
| bulletsThe body of your letter should contain | | | | There are several ways of writing an opening |
| key points, shown by bullets. Use bullets | | | | sentence in a sales letter, some of them are |
| because it makes the letter easy to read. As | | | | listed here with the examples: |
| the writer or seller, you benefit by | | | | |
| immediately pointing your reader in the | | | | A provocative question: What would the |
| direction of the important points you want to | | | | leaning tower fall for? The leaning tower of |
| make.Keep your letter briefIt's rare that | | | | Pisa would only be put to shame by |
| someone is going to read anything past the | | | | architectural splendor that outshines its own |
| first page, so keep your letter to one page. | | | | like the new range of luxury bathroom |
| Staying at one page will also force you to be | | | | accessories. |
| to the point, since a wordy letter is an | | | | |
| ineffective letter.Use statisticsUsing | | | | What can you get these days for Rs. 15? |
| statistics shows that you understand the | | | | Enjoy the finest that life has to offer just |
| issues of their business, while demonstrating | | | | for Rs. 15 every month!A striking |
| that your product or service can solve a | | | | information: We are the Number 1! We are the |
| problem. It also gives your prospect a reason | | | | number 1 in revenue, customer base and |
| to support your product or service within the | | | | customer satisfaction.A story or an anecdote: |
| company.Show your prospect's needsYour sales | | | | Mr. Bala went shopping with his saving with |
| letter is a very brief sales proposal, so you | | | | our VISA credit card. What will you do with |
| need to show that you are thinking about your | | | | yours? Our credit card offers 5% bonus |
| prospect's needs. You might be hesitant to | | | | savings on all purchases for first six |
| put your best ideas in your letter, fearing | | | | months.A significant fact: Hearing Loss - you |
| that your prospect will use them but not hire | | | | may not be aware of... Only about 25% of |
| your company. That's a mistake. By putting | | | | people who need hearing aid use them.Most |
| your ideas in your letter, you will make your | | | | people have a vocabulary of 2-3,000 words and |
| prospects feel like they are getting | | | | even a scholar uses no more then 5-6,000 |
| something already, and that they will benefit | | | | words in his daily life. But there are |
| from your products or services. More | | | | around 500,000 words in English language and |
| importantly, you will be demonstrating that | | | | you can use many of them to enrich your |
| you are creative and have your client's best | | | | vocabulary by using our 'Vocabulary |
| interests in mind.Use right toneUse the right | | | | Builder'.Split opening: You know English, but |
| tone in your writing. Use active voice. Use | | | | are you quite fluent in it? It may sound |
| the present tense. Be positive. Avoid | | | | incredible but classrooms can't help you |
| negatives. Keep sentences and paragraphs | | | | achieve fluency. No, they can't. No! Nor can |
| short.Proof readProof read your letter before | | | | audio video sessions. Nor translation. But |
| you send it out. This will help you determine | | | | 'Rapid English Fluency' can help you.A |
| if your letter is clear and if you're getting | | | | conditional sequence: If home is where the |
| your point across. Also, misspelled word or | | | | most number of accidents take place, think of |
| other careless mistake will give bad | | | | Woodcoat Paint as insurance.Special offers: |
| impression to the reader.One of the most | | | | Free gifts! Yours for giving the digest as a |
| effective strategies to plan and write | | | | gift this Puja and Diwali - free diary for |
| effective sales letter is to follow the four | | | | the year 2005 whether you order several |
| steps in your letter which are:- Catch | | | | subscriptions or just one will receive this |
| attention | | | | big, handy year 2005 desk diary free.Wings to |
| | | | give your children's career a head start! |
| - Build interest | | | | Avail the special offer of financial |
| | | | assistance for spectrum of educational |
| - Establish credibility | | | | opportunities in India and abroad.Body of the |
| | | | letterYou may have a lead paragraph in the |
| - Motivate actionCatch attentionTo be | | | | body of the letter. This part of the sales |
| effective, a sales letter must catch reader's | | | | letter can be used to expand the promise made |
| attention. Design your document for visual | | | | in the headline or used to deliver a second |
| impact to catch the reader's attention by | | | | major benefit of the product or service. A |
| using graphics such as layout, colour scheme | | | | sub-headline can also be used as the second |
| or illustrations. You can grab attention with | | | | part, to answer a question posed in the |
| an eye-catching headline or an interesting | | | | headline. For example, Part 1 could say: |
| opening. This might be a question or | | | | "Want to learn Kannada in 30 days?" Part 2 |
| statement. The opening should be short, | | | | could say: "Well, here's how to . . ."In the |
| honest, relevant, interesting and | | | | body of the sales letter you will begin to |
| stimulating. Keep it quite general to appeal | | | | offer proof. You expand the theme, fill in |
| to as many people as possible. There are many | | | | details, offer proof, and show how you plan |
| possibilities for opening your sales letter | | | | to fulfill the promise you made in the |
| that could persuade the reader to buy. Make a | | | | headline. Here, you give details of your |
| compelling promise for the reader, tell a | | | | unique selling point. You continue talking |
| story that the reader can identify with, make | | | | about the benefits and offer proof of the |
| an announcement of a new product or service | | | | claim you made early. You share the details |
| showcasing your unique selling point or ask a | | | | of the benefits. Prove your claim or |
| question.The headline encourages your | | | | statements by facts, logic or testimony. |
| prospects and leads them to your next line. | | | | There are several ways of doing so, choose |
| There you start to build their interest and | | | | one that suits your products best. Following |
| ensure they read the next sentence and each | | | | are some examples:Trial offers: Get on the |
| subsequent one.Build interestBesides a | | | | fitness trail! Enjoy our free offer to use |
| powerful headline, your sales letter must | | | | our machine in comfort of your house for a |
| have an immediate clear benefit for the | | | | week. If you are not satisfied we will take |
| intended audience. To build interest in your | | | | it back, no questions asked.Guarantees: |
| sales message you should highlight your | | | | Guarantee of satisfactionYou always come |
| product's central selling point, the single | | | | first with us and your complete satisfaction |
| point around which you will build your sales | | | | is our prime concern. If you are not |
| message. Be upfront and bold about promising | | | | delighted with our product you may return it |
| a prize or a tangible reward in exchange for | | | | anytime for 100 % refund.Free samples: To |
| time and attention. Whatever product or | | | | enable you to see for yourself how convenient |
| service you are selling you need to position | | | | it is to handle closet organizers, we are |
| it so that its benefits provide one or more | | | | sending you a free sample.Testimonials: Ritu |
| of the following common desires:- To make or | | | | Sharma, Bangalore: "How the web changed my |
| save money | | | | world! It can change yours too. The Sify |
| | | | internet connectivity provided me the ability |
| - To be healthy | | | | to communicate with people all over the |
| | | | planet and gave me access to information all |
| - To be popular or to maintain a social | | | | around the world."You need to explain the |
| status | | | | qualities of your product and its special |
| | | | features and convince your reader that your |
| - To have security | | | | claims are true. Remember, by the end of the |
| | | | body, the goal is to create an emotional |
| - To have free time or save labour | | | | response that will cause the reader to do |
| | | | what you are now going to tell him to |
| - To get entertainment, comfort or amusement | | | | do.Closing:In the closing part of your sales |
| | | | letter your goal is to motivate action. |
| | | | Recapitulate your points and make a final |
| - To take advantage of opportunities | | | | appeal. You may give a limited time offer, or |
| | | | limited quantity offer or special bargain |
| - To be good looking | | | | etc. Use a Post Script. For example, "If you |
| | | | order before March 1, we will include a free |
| - To achieve inner peaceShow them how your | | | | . . ." Or "Money back guaranteed . . ." Or |
| product will benefit them in making their | | | | "Discount is good until . . ." If you ask the |
| lives better, safer or easier. How will it | | | | reader to order, support, or to contact you |
| save them time, trouble, worry or money? Look | | | | for the specified reason you must make it |
| at their ultimate goal and relate it to that. | | | | easy for him to reply. Support the sales |
| Why should they buy from you? | | | | letter with a post card or an order form. If |
| | | | appropriate, supply a toll free telephone |
| For example, state what makes you an expert | | | | number, an Email link, and or your URL. |
| in your chosen field. How can you prove what | | | | Always close with a thank you and use a |
| you are claiming is true? Once you have | | | | signature at the end of the letter. Save one |
| listed down the key benefits of the service | | | | of the best points for last.Anubha Singh is |
| or product and positioned yourself as the | | | | Professor of English Language and |
| person to deliver it, the time is right to | | | | Communication at Alliance Business Academy, |
| deliver your sales pitch. Persuade your | | | | Bangalore, India. Her main research interests |
| reader to buy based on the grounds of what | | | | include a variety of linguistic theories in |
| the product or service does for him or her | | | | the areas of language variation and change, |
| (benefit), not what the product or service is | | | | phonetics, sociolinguistics, as well as |
| (feature)!A benefit is what the product or | | | | applications areas in corporate |
| service does, and what the buyer gains from | | | | communication, marketing communication and |
| the feature. A benefit is the specific | | | | human resources. |
| outcome of the feature. A feature is | | | | |