Copywriting Tips - How to Write a Good Sales Letter
By Jackie Griffiths
The first thing I think of when writing a sales letter is would I like to read this myself?If what I'm about to write is going to be pushy, annoying, unbelievable, and possibly insult my intelligence, why do I think it might entice other people to buy the product?
You want to makes sales, yes, but you don't want to make out that this product is the new God. It may be a great bargain, or some of the last products available in that particular model etc, but it's not the answer to life and death. Don't go overboard in your praise. Treat your reader with respect.
Use the P.S.
When letters are sent in printed form, research indicates that one of the first things people read is the PS. Use this part of the letter for a very short, important message that reinforces the core of your sales letter: the product is very cheap, or it's going to help change your habits, or it's rarely available, etc. If you intend the sales letter to be distributed by e-mail, the PS is not so significant. It's much more important to write a good title that catches the attention.
I like to keep my sales letters brief. The less words you use, the less effort the reader has to make, the less time it takes to get your main points across, before they fold it up and put it in the recycling.
Headings & bullet points
Use headings and bullet points - but not too many, and certainly don't completely capitalise your headings (research shows that using all capitals slows reading time down by 10%). Italicising long sentences is also not good - although for emphasis on the odd word it's fine.
Again, less is more. Subtlety is better than trying to shout in someone's face. You want to entice the readers to seek out more, to make the call to action you talk about, not turn away with a look of displeasure, annoyed at being harangued.
The first fifty words
Your first fifty words are crucial. That's not very many - perhaps three A4 lines? You have to grab your reader's attention there and then, otherwise it's all over and it's back to the recycling bin. Readers have a very limited attention span for sales letters (many people call them junk mail). If you want yours to stand out don't make it like all the others. Simple, but many people forget this, and their letter just blends in with all the other unwanted pieces of paper slipped through the letter box.
Educate your reader, or surprise him or her. Make them immediately think, "oh yes, this could be something for me."
The best way to do this is to be honest, to present the facts, and be brief. Avoid hype and keep the wording friendly and informative.
Call to action
Finally, make sure that there is an obvious call-to-action that's easy to complete. The reader can make a phone call, go to a website, or fill out a very simple form. Whatever you want him or her to do, make sure they can do it easily, straight away, and with minimum hassle.