A pathetic sales letter will kill your direct mail campaign. To provide you with some ammo to understand and write your own sales letter, review the Example Sales Letter I wrote to promote my firm’s small business web design services. After you’ve read it, come back and I’ll break it down for you! Download the Example Sales Letter before reading on.
Analysis Of An Example Sales Letter.
What Is A PURL?
A PURL is a custom web address for each recipient in your direct mail campaign. So, for example, if the prospect’s name was John Smith, the reader was directed to a customized version of Formulis.com at www.Formulis.com/John.Smith. PURLs can have a dramatic impact on response rates. This example sales letter consistently scored an impressive 3.5% response rate in multiple tests of 5,000 and 10,000 mailings. Without the PURL website address, the example sales letter still did well, at a respectable 1.2% response rate.
An Inside Look At The Example Sales Letter
Example Sales Letter: First Paragraph
When writing a sales letter, the goal of the first sentence is to peak the reader’s interest to get them to read the rest of the first paragraph. Since this example sales letter was directed at small business owners who had been in business for a year or two, but still did not have a website, the question “don’t think you need a website for your business” was a bit of a personal challenge to the reader. As in, “you must know something most people don’t if you’re too ignorant to ignore the overwhelming benefits of a website.”
Example Sales Letter: Second Paragraph
The second paragraph takes a step back and says, “maybe I’m wrong to challenge your intelligence and worry. Maybe you (the reader) simply needs guidance in doing what every other small business with a website is doing.” So a solution is proposed in the form of helpful information on the Formulis website. Now keep in mind, this example sales letter has one and only one purpose — to drive visitors to our website for more information and further selling. That’s important for any sales letter. Provide one major call to action and streamline the sales letter to focus on that one purpose. Too many options creates confusion and inaction.
Example Sales Letter: Bullet Points
Moving onto the bulleted points (bulleted lists are part of my eight copywriting tips) in the example sales letter, I focus on why the reader needs to visit the website. What inside information do I have that will improve their business? So I bring out the big guns and appeal to them with emotional selling, targeting to their sense of intelligence, greed, desire to be successful, fear of failure and sense of self-worth in the bulleted list. Keep in mind bullets are important because most people will scan your sales letter. And don’t forget that selling is all about emotions! People don’t buy your products and services because it’s logical; they buy it because you’re fulfilling an emotional need.
Next I skip on to tell the reader that there’s a lot more waiting for them on the Formulis website and I anticipate their question, “it may be free, but what’s the catch?”
Example Sales Letter: Last Paragraph
The last paragraph in the example sales letter explains why I’m willing to impart such helpful information on the reader. Why am I giving this information away for free? Because I want you to be successful! And again, I appeal to the reader’s emotions and provide benefits of a website.
After the last paragraph, the call to action is again repeated, but this time, a second option is added in case the reader is ready to buy now.
Example Sales Letter: Postscript
And lastly, another important part of any sales letter is the postscript. Multiple studies have proven that postscripts are usually the first thing read. They are so important, that it’s often a good idea to add two, as I’ve done in the example sales letter. Think of the postscript as a super-condensed version of your sales letter. Peak the reader’s interest, then direct them to your call to action.
PS – And in true sales letter fashion… If you need help with your direct mail campaign, or feel like your head is going to explode, give us a call at 866-247-0605. And be sure to check out How To Write A Sales Letter. PPS – Don’t forget to download the Example Sales Letter discussed in this article.
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