The "Not-So-Secret" Formula For Good Sales Letters.
By Ronald Dunn
Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Do you know the formula for writing a good sales letter?
There are three steps to creating a powerful and effective sales letter for your business.
For the Marketer, the content of the sales letter is the "Good News" associated with the product or service that is being sold. The marketer wants his or her audience to see the Benefits of acting upon or responding to the sales letter's invitation to buy.
The focus of the entire letter is the potential Benefit of the message for the audience. As a Marketer, I can write all about the features of a particular product, but if I don't communicate how the person can benefit, then I am wasting their time and my effort.
So what is this three step formula?
Let's begin with the focus of communicating Benefits. With that in mind we move toward...
1. The Headline - What is the Core Benefit?
In this fast-paced world, people seldom have the time to focus on every advertisement and sales letter that crosses their path. This is especially true for those of us on the Internet who have been conditioned for almost instant gratification. If your web page or email letter does not immediately capture their attention and entice them to look further - then the sale will never be made.
In your headline you need to tell them What You Are Going To SAY about how the product will benefit their needs. You've probably got less than 30 seconds to make folks want to read the rest of your letter - else they will delete your email or click to another page.
If your web page or sales letter does not immediately Grab Their Attention, then they will be gone within 30 seconds and you will probably never get them back.
Make sure that your marketing pieces begin with a Benefit Rich headline that tells the reader how they will benefit if they read your letter and act upon its invitation. Tell them immediately what you have that will benefit them, or the sale will be lost.
2. The Body - How is this going to benefit me?
With the headline you told them what the core benefit was. Now you need to tell them how this will happen and expand on how that will benefit the people visiting your site.
You need to describe the features and benefits of your product. When they get done reading your letter they will know...
... exactly what they will get if they respond to the letter
... the specific features of your product with their benefits
... testimonials of how others have benefited
3. The Call To Action - How to you get them to take action?
You've got their attention.
You've told them about the benefits of the product.
Now it is time to recap those benefits in such a fashion that you prompt your audience toward a specific action.
What do I mean by "specific action"?
The conclusion of a sales letter should recap the benefits and then tell them Exactly what they need to do to get what you are offering. Too many otherwise Great sales letters fail because they leave prospects and customers hanging, trying to figure out how to get what the seller is offering.
If they need to click a certain link and complete an order form, then say: Click Here Now and complete the order form.
If they need to call a phone number and place an order, give them that number and the hours that somebody will be available to take the call.
Make it easy for them to acquire the benefits that you're offering - or they won't.
Probably the most important part of your sales letter is...
You!
Sign your name. People do not like anonymity. They Want to Know who they are dealing with.
To communicate the benefits you want your audience to enjoy...
... Grab their attention with your headline
... Tell them how your product will benefit them
... Be specific on the course of action and Sign Your Name
About the Author
Ronald publishes The Christian Marketer and is the owner of RJDunn Enterprises - Ebooks-4-You. By subscribing to his newsletter, you will receive articles, tips, resources and education that will aid you in both your Christian and Internet Marketing life. To subscribe, go here: (http://TheChristianMarketer.com)
