Human Rights

Human Rights  » Top Ten Checklist for your Sales Letter

Top Ten Checklist for your Sales Letter

Top Ten Checklist for your Sales Letter Judy Cullins c. 2005 All

Rights Reserved.

Every product and service you sell needs a sales letter. You

need a short sales letter to prompt new ezine subscribers. You

need a longer one on your Web site for coaching and other

services. You need a sales letter for each book you sell.

If your web site or emails are not attracting buyers, you need

this top ten sales letter checklist:

1. Include on your home page (if you have more than one product

or service) a strong, benefit-driven headline for each with a

link to your sales letter.

The following phrase is a link to the marketing your business

online sales letter by your coach. "Discover How in Only Four

Months You Can Quadruple your Monthly Income and Reach 10,000 to

100,000 Internet Users Who Want your information--GUARANTEED-To

Move you to the Top Profits You've Been Dreaming About."

Without a headline that hooks your potential buyer or client,

you will not convince they must have your product or service.

2. Prepare for your Sales Letter a List of 5-10 Benefits.

Many professionals get mixed up as to what are benefits and what

are features. Know that benefits sell and features explain. What

will your customer experience after they buy your service? These

outcomes (benefits) usually include a completion of a goal, or

an understanding of a concept to help your audience do something

better. The biggest benefits? Saving time, saving money,

creating money, and creating great relationships. They want to

know what value they will receive when they buy.

Now, list these in order of the biggest benefit to the smallest.

For instance, for your book coach's ebook on how to get a book

written and published, the biggest benefit is that it will

bought by many and make you life long income. Other benefits

include: you will become a leader in your field and you will

feel happy your message reached your audience. Writing benefits

include more compelling, easy-to-read, and organized chapters.

Be sure to include visual and feeling words such as "Imagine

yourself in your perfect relationship," or "See yourself..." or

Feel more energetic, happier, enthusiastic...."

Without benefits bulleted throughout your sales pieces, your

potential buyer won't have a reason to buy.

3. Prepare for your Sales Letter a List of 5-10 Features.

For a book, features include the number of pages, tips, how

to's, practices, exercises and pertinent quotes. For coaching, a

feature could be, "gives you email backup as an added value," or

"devotes total attention to your challenge each session," or

"gives you field work to move you through your process easier

and faster."

It's a good idea to combine benefits and features. "Save

yourself disappointment and money down the drain with my

"Fast-Forward Writing Technique," or enjoy your life to the

fullest when you follow the Five Steps to "The Easy and Fun

Life" book.

4. Explain how your product or service is better or different

than your competitors.

You always need to give your potential customer a reason to buy.

Think about your uniqueness. What makes you stand out from the

crowd? Study other people's web sites and their sales letters.

Notice how they approach this challenge.

My mentor is Dan Poynter, author of the "Self-Publishing

Manual." My book on how to write your e or print book takes off

where his book ends. It teaches authors to pre-market with the

essential "hot-selling points." and it shows them step-by-step,

how to put each chapter together--the" fast-forward writing

technique."

Think about gurus in your field, and compare yourself to them.

If possible, create a one-sentence sound bite that people will

remember.

5. Share what your product or service is not.

Clarify your service. If you are a coach, how does that differ

from a consultant? When you share the downside, you let your

visitor see the human side of you. If you have a book, you can

establish more rapport with your potential buyer by saying

something like, "It alone can't change your life; you will need

to take some action on the steps offered."

6. Present the "YOU" point of view in your sales letter.

When you refer to others such as we or they, you don't speak

directly to your to be buyer. Involve them with phrases such as,

"You will feel renewed energy after you read this book, so much

so, that you'll ask your kids to dance with you." Or, "you can

finish your book in less than a month, and get it selling

immediately, so you can take that Caribbean trip, pay for your

children's college, or buy that new car you've been wanting.

One big mistake is to use too many "I's" in your sales material.

That's self-serving and people don't care about you; they care

about what you can do for them.

7. Make your Online copy easy to read.

Online copywriting is different than print. People don't want to

see long paragraphs or long sentences. They will tune right out.

Instead, keep your sentences under 15 words, and include only

3-4 sentences in your paragraphs. Apply this technique to your

articles, tips, ezines and sales letters.

Use one-sentence paragraphs for emphasis or drama.

8. Use power words to attract your waive ring potential client.

Power words elicit emotion. They create visual pictures in your

readers' mind. Bring a sound or feeling to mind, and imply a

reason to buy. When you use my service, you will feel confident

you are on your way to solve your challenge, or you look as

fresh as a spring day in New York. Here are a few of the most

important ones: FREE, NEW, DISCOVER, AMAZING, BREAKTHROUGH,

LATEST, PROVEN, GUARANTEED, TOP, SECRETS, ACT NOW, and EASY.

Make sure your power words address your audience's challenge.

Today's Popular Articles

• Free-Market Economy and Free-Market University

• Powerful Thoughts

9. Write your sales letter in a friendly, conversational style.

People love to read a short story, so if you have one from a

client or yourself that will relate to others, be sure to use

it. If you want a shorter piece, then use an analogy.

Start your letter, "Dear Fellow Coach... or Dear Fellow Small

Business Person....

Open your letter with the challenge of where your potential

client is right now. Address the problem, then follow with what

you can offer and how you will deliver it. "Are you disappointed

and tired of time and money down the drain using traditional

marketing? How would you like to attract more clients than you

ever dreamed of in less time and never have to leave your

office?"

Here's an example for book coaching: "You will be working with a

person who lives a balanced life. I love my work, enjoy friends

and family and relax enough to feel energetic each day to enjoy

it all--with a sense of humor."

10. Make sure you include information to create a high-perceived

value for your service.

In one coaching letter, I make these services known:

-On a path of mastery, I keep myself abreast of what's important

in publishing, promotion and marketing. An expert with Internet

marketing, I share this avenue with you freely so you can hit

the ground running and sell your books or service. You learn

what I learned and what I am learning.

-As your success partner, we come together as prepared as

possible. You have done your assigned bimonthly fieldwork of

writing 5-6 pages to discuss and brainstorm with, and share with

me where you are now. Each session you bring questions you want

answered in addition to receiving feedback on your writing that

helps to make it more organized, easy to read, and compelling.

-As you need them, I freely give special reports for a

particular skill you need to work on. These give guidance in

between our calls. You can also email me with a question that

needs answering right now.

-When you become a committed, ongoing client I am totally

devoted to you. I give you full support in our partnership.

If you haven't finished your sales letter for your service or

product, use this checklist and contact a writing coach who can

help you create a sales letter that attracts new clients and

customers. Your web site copy must back up your other promotion,

or you will experience lackluster results.

About the author:

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works

with small business people who want to make a difference in

people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a

consistent life-long income. Author of Write Your eBook or Other

Short Book Fast and 10 others, she offers free help through her

2 monthly ezines, "The Book Coach Says. . .," and "Business Tip

of the Month." at www.bookcoaching.com. Email her at Ju