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<\/a>Here’s an easy-to-follow, 7-step sales letter template\u00a0for professional or business service providers.<\/p>\n1.\u00a0\u00a0 Get attention<\/strong><\/p>\nGetting the attention is the primary importance of any direct marketing piece.\u00a0\u00a0 The goal is to engage the reader enough to get them to read the rest of the letter.\u00a0 The key to doing that is to make it interesting enough, but also it must be believable.<\/p>\n
Here are several ways you can grab the reader’s attention in a sales letter…<\/p>\n
\n- Promise a benefit (“Reduce\u00a0 your marketing costs in half in just 90 days”<\/li>\n
- Ask an intriguing question:\u00a0 (“What do 90% of all small businesses overlook when saving on income taxes?”<\/li>\n
- Make an offer (“Reply now and get a 10-page free report to help you get more customers”).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2.\u00a0 Identify the problem your reader has<\/strong><\/p>\nAfter you get the reader’s attention, you immediately want to identify the relevant problem the reader has that your service can solve.\u00a0 Generally, the problems for most businesses fall under these general categories:<\/p>\n
\n- how to save money (reduce costs)<\/li>\n
- how to make more money (increase revenues, increase profits)<\/li>\n
- how to improve operations, increase productivity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You’ll want to state the problem in a way that the reader can recognize it.\u00a0 In a essence, you must help the reader discover (or rediscover) a real problem, pain or predicament they have, so that they will be thinking about when you introduce your service\u00a0as the solution to it in the next step of the letter.<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0 Position your service as the solution to the problem.<\/strong><\/p>\nNow that the reader is thinking about or feeling the pain of the problem you just identified, you now want briefly position that your service is the solution to that problem.<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0 Prove that your service is the solution to the problem.<\/strong><\/p>\nTo prove the case, there are three basic items you should try to include in the letter to reinforce your position.<\/p>\n
\n- mention the primary benefits of your service, and how they can measurably solve the problem the reader faces.<\/li>\n
- mention any “social proof” that you have that your service provides the benefits you are promising.\u00a0 This can be done by mentioning testimonials of real clients, or describing “mini case studies” or success stories of previous client projects.\u00a0 It’s important to note results here, not just just make claims.<\/li>\n
- what credentials do you have?\u00a0 In support of the other two items above, you can weave information about your experience, training, technology you use, professionalism, etc.\u00a0\u00a0 While these credentials aren’t usually effective on their own, they do help support other types of proof in your letter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5.\u00a0 Give them an offer<\/strong><\/p>\nAll sales letters need an offer.<\/p>\n
Are you offering a free seminar?\u00a0 A free special report?\u00a0\u00a0 A complimentary assessment or one-hour consultation?\u00a0\u00a0 Or perhaps a low-cost introductory sampling of your service?<\/p>\n
What is it that you are offering to\u00a0get them to reply to you?<\/p>\n
Offers can be spiced up by adding two elements:\u00a0 scarcity and\/or exclusivity.\u00a0 Doing so you\u00a0state\u00a0that the offer is good only for a limited time, or for a limited number of people.<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/p>\n
“Our seminar only has 30 seats available.”
\n“We are only offering the report until Dec. 31”<\/p>\n
6.\u00a0 Make sure it has a guarantee.<\/strong><\/p>\nA guarantee helps “reverse” any risk the reader might be worried about if he or she replies to your offer.<\/p>\n
If you’re offer is free, you might try something like “The consultation is absolutely free.\u00a0 There is no obligation to purchase the\u00a0service.”<\/p>\n
Other guarantees include:<\/p>\n
“If you aren’t satisfied with our work, you don’t pay.”
\n“Everything is done\u00a0in 30 days or less, or your money back.”<\/p>\n
7. Tell them what to do<\/strong><\/p>\nThis is the “call to action.”\u00a0\u00a0 Many sales letters forget this part, even though it seems obvious to include it.<\/p>\n
You must tell them exactly what you want them to do to get the offer — and make it easy for them to respond<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\nSome examples:<\/p>\n
“Fill out the postage-paid reply card and drop in in the mail today”
\n“Go to .www.ourwebsite.com and enter your email address on the top of our home page.”
\n“Call us at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and our trained representatives will get the report out to right away.”<\/p>\n
It’s also a good idea to provide multiple ways for readers to respond (such as mail, telephone, fax, email, etc.).\u00a0\u00a0 The more way they can respond, the higher potential for response.<\/p>\n
One of the\u00a0best resource for free sample sales letter or templates is your own mail box.<\/h2>\n
Why?<\/p>\n
Just think of all the free, unsolicited direct mail you get every day.\u00a0 You often think of it as junk mail.\u00a0 But consider this:\u00a0 most professional marketers and copywriters keep what they call a “swipe file.”\u00a0\u00a0 A swipe file is selection of sample sales letters you get that you like.<\/p>\n
You can create your own swipe file of free sample sales letters\u00a0 (and generate a sales letter template from them) by just spending a few extra minutes a day opening your junk mail.<\/p>\n
If you collect these for a few weeks, you’ll begin to notice that some large companies that send them to you are repeating the same one.\u00a0 That’s often because they have tested this sales letter template or format and know that it works (which is why they send it more than once).\u00a0\u00a0 Big companies spend thousands if not millions of dollars testing sales letters to find out which ones work best.<\/p>\n
By\u00a0spending some time building and analyzing your own swipe file you can take advantage of lots of expensive testing, and devise your own template for a successful sales letter.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>How to write a referral letter<\/h2>\n