How to get marketing
materials that make money....and don't
wind up in the trash.
by Dr. Kevin
Nunley
Index
of Articles
Sales letters
can be a terrific way to get your message
out. Mailed, faxed, emailed, simply hung
on doors--you and I get sales letters everyday.
My regular mail box is constantly filled
with "junk mail."
A friend
reports several hundred unsolicited email
messages each day.
Why do
so many businesses--both large and small--use
sales letters? It's simple. Well-written
direct mail works. Here's why.
Letters
are a very personal form of communication.
Even when you know the same letter was sent
to thousands of people, it still has some
of the feel of a personal note from a friend.
People who are good at writing sales letters
know this and use it. They do their best
to create a personal bond between the letter
and the reader.
Your sales
letter should talk intimately with the reader.
Chat informally with short sentences and
simple words. Make it easy for the reader
to QUICKLY understand your offer. Most people
will only give your letter a three second
once-over before deciding to read further
or toss the letter into the trash. Make
your offer attractive and put it right up
front.
FIVE
SURE-FIRE SALES LETTER FORMULAS.
One of
the great things about direct mail--regular
or electronic--is that you get an immediate
and measurable response. Sales letters that
work bring in a measurable number of return
messages, phone calls, return cards, and
sales. Over the years, direct marketers
have landed on some favorite formulas that
always seem to work. Here are five of my
favorites.
1. Tell
a story. Notice how many of the email
sales letters you get follow this format.
One I get over and over from different people
goes "Six months ago my company was downsized
and I found myself out of a job. I expected
the worst. Then I heard about the XXX Company.
Now I'm an independent agent making three
times what I did on my old job. And I'll
never be downsized again!" It's hard to
resist reading a story, especially if it
sounds like someone who has a situation
similar to our own. People love success
stories when they tell us how to get success
ourselves.
2. A
message from the president. People respect
a note from the head of the company. It
lends authority to the message and makes
the reader feel important. That's a good
way to make a sale. This formula can also
be used to let the reader in on some inside
information, another sales letter favorite.
3. Offer
something free. Maybe it's a free or
discounted visit to your store or office.
A doctor who lives down the street from
me built his patient list by sending out
several hundred postcards offering "10%
off your first visit." The prospect who
is interested in your product or service
will appreciate more information. Offer
it in the form of a free Special Report,
brochure, or booklet. (By the way, write
me at kevin@DrNunley.com or call 603-249-9519
for my free info-packed Special Report on
marketing your business!)
4. Ask
a question. "Are your days hectic and
frustrating?" This is good old-fashioned
psychology. When you ask a question, the
reader is enticed to answer it. It mentally
involves the reader in your sales letter
and offer. Some experts say to ask a series
of questions, each likely being answered
with "yes." The final question has the reader
saying "yes" to a sale.
5. Point
out a problem that the prospect has.
This is the adverting classic. Watch for
it in marketing and commercials everywhere.
Direct the reader's attention to a problem,
then make the problem seem worse. Once you've
established the problem as a major impediment
in the reader's life, introduce your service
or product as the solution.
WRITE
A HEADLINE TO GRAB ATTENTION!
Most sales
letters begin with a headline that quickly
presents the major points. It can be typed
in all capitals like a newspaper headline:
THE
NEW WIDGET 2000 WILL SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE--AND
IT'S 40% OFF THIS MONTH ONLY!
You can
also write the headline in paragraph fashion
just above the salutation:
The
new widget 2000 will simplify your life!
And
it's 40% off this month only!
Dear
Computer Enthusiast,
And that
brings us to another point. When you're
sending out lots of sales letters, a salutation
to the general jobs or interests of your
readers works just as well as typing in
each reader's name. Instead of "Dear Friend,"
use "Dear Parent," "Dear Basketball Fan,"
"Dear Auto Owner."
Include
a P.S. at the end of your letter. Studies
show that most readers skip to the P.S.
before they read anything else! The P.S.should
briefly restate the main points of your
offer.
Finally,
stress benefits rather than features.
How do the features of your service or product
improve the customer's life, work, or pocketbook.
The benefits of your offer may be obvious
to you, but don't leave it up to the reader
to figure them out, no matter how obvious
they may seem. Stress benefits. Link them
to the features your offer.
Sales letters
can be a wonderfully personal way to introduce
people to your product, service, organization,
or idea. By using some of the ideas and
formulas I've mentioned above, you can produce
sizzling sales letters that produce results.
