How To Write A Sales Letter

Is There A Secret Structure In How To Write A Sales letter?

Well, if you want a powerful, effective sales letter that produces an avalanche of sales, then there most definitely is. 

And the structure that will knock a prospect’s socks of is briefly explained below. 

1.  The Secret of The Promise

Make your prospect a promise.  Professional copywriters may address as many as 37 different emotions to fire up their readers when writing a sales letter.  The most common ones are fear, greed, curiosity, vanity, benevolence and insecurity.

Try to diagnose the primary emotion you’re trying to evoke in your prospect.  And then tell her what you’re going to do for him … what benefit you have for him … to wipe out his fear or fulfill his desire.  Or help him achieve his dream.

2.  The Secret of The Picture

Allow your prospect to “see” herself realizing the benefits of your promise.  Paint a vivid picture in words of what benefits she’ll receive.

3. The Secret of Proof

You can’t just tell her about the benefits she’ll receive.  You have to prove to her … in a compelling way … that what you say is true.  And your proof has to satisfy your prospect’s concerns. 

4.  The USP

Your Ultimate Selling Proposition.  Show your prospect how and why your product or service is the best and only answer to her needs.  And why it’s unique.

5.  The Close

This is pretty much what it says.  Here is where you close the deal.  And you get your prospect to take the action you want them to take.

6.  The Offer

Where you tell your prospect exactly what she’s getting and for how much.  

The Actual Components Of How To Write A Sales Letter

The Headline – Where you grab your prospects' attention.  And pull them into your copy.  How?  By saying something meaningful to them.  Something that appeals to their core beliefs, feelings and desires.

Master copywriters may spend 50% of their time on the headline and the lead.  A winning headline gets attention.  And you only have about five seconds to get your reader’s attention.

The Lead – Where you “hook” your prospects.  And deliver the big promise.  Where you show them how your product or service will make them richer, smarter, sexier or more powerful.    

Make sure you offer your prospects a promise they can’t refuse.  Paint a picture in your prospect’s mind.  Maybe debunk a common myth.  Or spout off some facts and figures that make your product stand above your competition.

The Body – Where you do most of your hard selling.  And the only way to do this effectively is to become intimate with what you’re selling. 

Think of all the ways it can improve your prospect’s life … then load up your letter with benefits.

Proof – Now you’re ready for the “proof” part of your letter.  What kind of evidence would you need to persuade your prospect?  Perhaps a specific study?  Facts and figures?

Testimonials are powerful ways of proving that your product or service is as good as you say it is.  Dig deep to get the proof you need.

You need to establish credibility.  Whether it’s by using articles, studies, testimonials, or any other “independent” data that supports your argument.  Show you prospect that you can back up what you say. 

The Close – This is it.  When you “look” your prospect straight in the eye and ask for her money.  You must cement the buying decision in your prospect’s mind.

There are four important parts of this process:

·  Before you even mention the price, remind her that she’s hit the jackpot with all the wonderful benefits she’ll gain from your product or service.  This is also the perfect time to throw in some additional benefits.

·  Now you make the offer.  In simple, crystal-clear terms, you tell her what you’re offering for a modest payment.  This is no time to be cute or clever.  If it’s a book for $19.95, then say it’s a book for $19.95.

·  After revealing the price, you’ve got to prove to your prospect that she’s really got nothing to lose by trying your product or service.  That all her money will be refunded if she isn’t happy with what you sold her.

·  And finally, a strong PS is a powerful component when considering how to write a sales letter.  It’s a surefire way to reignite your prospect’s desire right before she fills out the order.  Moving her towards that final step you need to close the sale.

The Order Device – Where you turn your prospect into an actual buyer.  And a future customer.  You use this element to re-energize his buying decision.  And eliminate any possible buyer’s remorse.

Effective order devices review benefits, restate the money-back guarantee, and rephrase the special bonus (if you have one … and you will want to have one).  Make the Order Device as persuasive as you possibly can.

Weave These Into Your Letter For Kick-Butt Emphasis

Paint A Picture – By creating a vivid image in your reader’s mind, you develop a connection between him and your product or service.

Remember that some of the most effective “pictures” in direct mail have been only a few lines long.  Don’t overdo it.

Paint the picture.  Lay out the benefits.  Move on.  That's how to write a sales letter.

The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) – As mentioned above, it tells your readers how your product is the best … and only … answer to their wants and desires.  How it’s different, more unique or better than anything else available.

USP’s are most effective when woven throughout a letter.  AWAI … the people who trained me in the secrets of copywriting … refer to this as “The Golden Thread.” 

Do some research and find out what makes yours better than the competition.  Does it save a lot more time?  More money?  Make him smarter than his buddies?

Subheads – Subheads are mini-headlines.  They break down big ideas into easily digestible bits.  And draw readers’ eyes to your most important copy.

In fact, subheads are a perfect place to use headlines that didn’t make your cut as your headline.

The False Close – Is a more advanced change-of-pace technique when discussing how to write a sales letter.  It keeps your prospect from jumping ahead because they know what you’re selling.  And that they don't need it.

When they're expecting the big close, you pull the plug.  And switch to something completely different. 

Go somewhere else.  Tell a different story and then lead them back to your real close.  By pulling back, you lower your readers' defenses.  And the real close becomes much easier. 

Of course, writing a killer sales letter to sell your product or service requires a lot more than simply reading a how-to article.  It is usually best left to a pro. 

But if you want to DIY … or you have an in-house writer to do it for you … using the techniques above will show you how to write a sales letter if you don't want to hire a pro.

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