Marketing
Writing Letters That Sellby David Yoho CPAE
People throw away more mail than they read. And many people classify business mail as “junk mail”. The sad truth is that most direct mail doesn’t “speak” value nor does it speak “directly” to the values of the target’s motives and values.
Most sales letters are impersonal, wordy, overloaded, confusing, difficult to read and improperly planned.
Properly planned and executed, mailings of all sorts can develop an abundance of leads, boost the response to telephone campaigns, collect receivables more quickly and improve account retention. It can do all this while sales and service personnel are focused elsewhere.
Although mass mailings remain an effective marketing tool, personalized printed messages to defined users usually provide a better return on investment.
Here are some tips to sharpen three basic elements included in every effective mailing – the envelope, the letter and the reply vehicle. The tips on writing copy also hold for fax and e-mail transmissions.
People Judge Books By Their Covers
Think of the envelope like a book’s cover. According to direct marketing guru Rene Gnam, you have about 4 seconds to create value. Following are several factors that affect the reader’s initial judgement.
Who’s likely to open it? Secretaries, assistants, spouses, etc. may open and evaluate it first. Eliminate first name prefixes like Mr, Ms, etc., last name suffixes like Jr, PhD, etc. and middle initials to enhance personalization and the appearance of familiarity.
What kind of envelope is most appropriate for the contents and targets of the mailing? Choices are plain #10, window, odd-sized, over-sized, etc.
Addresses printed directly on envelopes receive a better response than labels. Window envelopes often increase response as well.
If you must use labels, match the color to the envelope or use transparent labels unless the label itself is special. Avoid numerical codes and bar codes on the envelope. They detract from importance and value.
Hand-written envelopes to executives are often perceived as unprofessional or cheap. Use hand-written envelopes if the message is personal or if it looks like an invitation.
The response to your mail is usually improved with a tasteful teaser or an outright pitch printed directly on the envelope. Selling the main idea on the envelope usually obtains better response than a teaser. Key issue: Never promise more on the outside than you deliver on the inside.
Stamps and first class mail provide a better return on investment when mailing to executives, managers and business owners. Bulk rate, third class and metered mail will provide a better return on investment when the mailing piece is an obvious advertisement.
Weigh a sample piece before you invest in printing. You might add to or subtract from the contents depending on the required postage.
Ensure the printing on the envelope, the quality of the stock, the method of addressing and the stamp are of consistent quality. And ensure the quality is consistent with the values of your readers.
Print “Address Correction Requested” beneath your return address on the envelope. When the target moves, your mail will not be forwarded but returned to you at no charge with a yellow sticker indicating the new address.
Now for the test: Save one week’s worth of mail from your home or office. Add your piece to the pile. Would you open your piece? Better yet, invite a few trusted friends and associates to test your package. If they don’t choose your test envelope, perhaps you can learn a few things from the winners.
8 Tips for Writing Copy that Sells
Write in active tense by placing the action verb in the beginning. It’s more powerful and easier to follow.
Write the letter to one person, not a group.
Paint vivid pictures with your words. Improve comprehension and impact by using a thesaurus and dictionary.
Be informal. Be concise. Use contractions.
Ask for, or recommend an action (a close) as often appropriate.
Arouse readers immediately with provocative statements or questions, potential outcomes, problems or negative conditions. But don’t pose a problem you can’t solve through their response.
Limit your letter to one page (except for rare exceptions). Use separate enclosures to give details. Print other enclosures in different colors and refer to them in your cover letter.
Edit! Edit! Edit . . . 10 or more times to tighten and refine copy.
Make it Easy to Read
People are more likely to read your letter if it’s different looking and/or easy to read. Here are some tips for enhancing your letter’s appearance:
Use at least a 12-point font. Use larger fonts or more space for older readers.
Use serif fonts (those with feet) for most “body copy”. Use sans serif fonts for headlines.
Avoid using too many fonts – probably not more than two on any one page (certainly not more than three).
Incorporate pictures, drawings, diagrams and charts to gain attention or reinforce your message.
Create graphics with copy and space by using bullets, indented paragraphs, bold face and underlining. Just don’t overdo it.
Always use a postscript (P.S.) to remind them of a key point, a deadline, a special offer, another choice, another benefit or a prompt to read the enclosures. Most people read the P.S. before they finish the body of the letter.
The Reply Vehicle
Your reply vehicle may be a card, form or even an envelope. Refer to it at least once in the letter with creative names like: a pre-paid postcard, handy information request, postage-free response card, faxback, etc. Consider using graphics or pictures. Make it a different color than the rest of the contents.
Never mail a sales letter without a reply vehicle unless you will absolutely, positively, follow that piece with a telephone call within 48 hours of the reader’s receipt. Do it anyway!
Offer 3 to 5 positive solutions on the reply vehicle and include your telephone number. The reply vehicle should stand on its own. Often, it’s the only piece readers will keep.
Measuring Your Success
Consult with others and evaluate your piece based on possible response – not necessarily how great it looks. Track data regarding cost, response, current conditions and returns on investment. Mailing campaign failures are often converted into successes with one alteration or tweak.
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David Yoho provides systems for organizations that want to command higher prices in competitive markets. He’s delivered more than 2,500 speeches to executives, managers, salespeople and business owners on negotiation, sales, management, and database mark
