One of the most powerful ways of selling a product or promoting a service effectively is still the time-honored Sales Letter. Whether it’s used as an offline direct mail piece to a prospective list, or online – as the main part of a ‘Mini-Site’ – it can be one of the most effective, economical and responsive methods there is for getting maximum sales at minimum cost. And it’s even more powerful if it’s aimed at an opted-in list, and can be personalized. Likewise with a personalized sales E-mail, following up an initial approach.
How to Write a ‘killer’ Sales or E-mail Letter That Gets Results
The effectiveness of your Letter or E-mail copy depends on THREE vital elements:
1. A knowledge of the target market you’re aiming at, with copy tailored to suit their needs, and subtle use of personalization, if applicable
2. an understanding of the main benefits and features of your product or service that your readers would be looking for most, and what those benefits would do for those readers
3. the persuasiveness of your sales letter writing – particularly the Headline and Sub- Heads – and the sequence in which your copy ‘leads’ the reader through all the best benefits and features right through to powerful ‘Call to Action’ and order copy. (With Emails, don’t forget a short but effective Subject Line heading is also vitally important!)
Those 3 elements above are just as effective as they were 20 years ago, and with today’s E-Mails, and web-based Sales Letters you have the obvious advantage of being able to exploit these elements to the full…
Get it right – and expect more sales!
With E-Mails and online sales letters, you can test copy variations and gain instant feedback, create instant links to a Web-site or special Web pages, providing further information, sales messages and order systems, and generally multiply their selling potential, exploiting the fact that::
Your Letter or E-Mail is an easily personalized communication to your chosen recipients, and can be tailored specifically to suit them, including mentioning past purchases or communications. Get it right, and –
If written well, and with a few clickable links to other marketing back-up, they can be just (or more) effective than a glossy brochure, ‘bells and whistles’ website, or full mailing pack
they can also feature audio and video snippets and – best of all – link to an instant and secure ordering and payment system
they can also exploit that last minute ‘clincher’ feature: a powerful P.S!
Overall, an Email or online sales letter (or even a general business e-letter) is the most economical ‘stand alone’ selling or promotional medium there is today. (No postage costs, and fast processing!
An Email or Sales Letter’s Many Uses
To a known list of prospects or customers, Emails can provide Advance News of a new product/service/benefit – to get a known customer or potential new customer interested in a forthcoming promotion.
It can also act as a persuasive ‘Deal Clincher’ – with added benefits or price reduction – to back up a previous offer that wasn’t responded to, as well as being a powerful Follow-Up, ‘Thank You’ or ‘Welcome’ message – making the recipient feel ‘valued’ (and put in a good frame of mind for future offers/announcements).
Emails can also be used for Re-generating ‘lapsed’ (Retention) or past (Re-Sell) customers – to try new products/offers or services.
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