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The 4-Step Formula for Writing Sales Letters That Get Results
There is a simple 4-step formula that will help you create
clear, more powerful sales letters that get results. Most sales
letters forget to involve the reader and drone on and on about
how great the company is, forgetting to talk about the benefits
to the reader.
ATTENTION: To motivate the reader, you must grab their attention
quickly. One way to do this is to ask an intriguing questions
that you know is a concern to the prospect. If you asked the
prospect in person, “what concerns are you facing in your
business right now,” what would he say? For example, some people
might procrastinate and leave the marketing of their businesses
on the back burner, to get to later. Well, sometimes, later
never comes. So, to approach this subject you might ask in your
letter, “ Will 2001 be the year you get serious about marketing?”
INTEREST: Now that you’ve got the prospects attention, you have
to keep his interest by showing him that you understand the
problem and you have the solution to that problem. Restate the
problem and then offer a description of how your company solves
that problem to their satisfaction.
DESIRE: To persuade the reader you must use words that hook the
reader into your message. Many writers make the mistake of
simply talking about themselves at this point and completely
ignore the facts and benefits that the reader needs to know to
make an intelligent decision. Be specific and talk about the
details that make your product or service better than your
competitors. Insert comments from satisfied customers here or
tell about your credentials that establish you as the expert in
your field. Remember, however, to always bring the copy back to
the benefit to the reader and why he needs to act now.
ACTION: If you're selling consulting services, ask for a
contract. If you're writing a fundraising letter, include a
reply envelope and ask for a donation. In short, if you want
your letter to get results, you have to ask for them. In lead
generation, you can offer a free benefits analysis or
consultation, or give away a free booklet on the “10 ways to
improve your bottom line profits.” Make it easy to respond. Give
them your phone number, fax number, toll free number, e-mail
address and a business reply card. Tell them what to do and how
to do it to respond to you. Don’t assume the prospect knows what
you want from them.
As with any creative exercise, formulas are meant to be broken.
The AIDA formula is a great starting point to structuring your
message for maximum impact and meaningful results.
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