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Writing Sales Letters That Work

From start to finish, focus on the customer's needs

By Holly Ocasio Rizzo, Writer and editor, Holly Ocasio Rizzo
A sales letter generates sales by persuasion. It provides information about your product or service in a conversational tone, using stories, questions and key points to lead the recipient of your letter to the decision you want him to make. A successful sales letter contains these elements:
  1. It tells rather than sells, letting customers know from their perspective what they can gain from your product or service.
  2. The headline – sales letters always have headlines – focuses on the key benefit you offer.
  3. The closing asks directly for whatever you want the recipient of your letter to do. Do you want a call, an order, a visit? Say so.

 

Say it with software

For less than $40, you can turn your computer into a writing assistant that creates polished, targeted sales letters.
Try: Easy Letters, available as a download or a CD-ROM, includes 2,200 letters you can personalize, plus words and phrases to guide you. Instant Sales Letters allows you to fill in the blanks in its samples, creating letters in minutes.

Enlist a professional writer's help

Some writers and writing services specialize in sales copy of all types, including promotional materials and sales letters tailored especially to your business.
Try: The Sales Support Center gives free estimates, charges an hourly rate and provides quick turnarounds. Darn Good Copy offers flexible pricing and product options.

Get it printed and ready to go

Choose high-quality paper and envelopes reflecting the level of professionalism customers can expect from your business.
Try: Find printing services and supplies easily at FedEx Kinko's, Staples and Office Depot.

 

  • Sales letters vary in length, depending on what you intend to accomplish with them; selling a product requires more explanation than requesting a call.
  • Use subheds and bulleted points to attract the receiver's attention.
  • Write first, then edit.
  • Ask someone to read your letter to you, and watch for any wording that causes her to pause or stumble. Rewrite those sections.

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