By Bill Truesdell

Men and women against white space:
How to conquer your fear of writing sales letters.

Business and sales letters go together like coffee and cream. You’re in business to sell products or services, so every opportunity to present your case—in person, on the phone or in a letter—is one more chance to increase sales, grow market share and increase your customer base. No arguments so far, right?

I’m guessing you feel pretty good about personal interactions and telephone skills. If you’re good at what you do, you’ve learned the basics of face-to-face and telephone salesmanship. But what about in writing? The mere mention of letter writing often strikes terror to the hearts of even the most savvy salespersons. But it needn’t. A compelling sales letter is little more than transferring the principles of good selling to writing.

You follow certain unwritten rules in a personal or telephone conversation. The same is true in a sales letter. Generally, what you do in a voice-to-voice interaction (present benefits, ask for the order), you will do in a written sales letter. The same applies to things you would never do (be rude or obnoxious, scream at the customer). The rub comes because speaking is very natural. You don’t have to work at it as you might your writing.

What’s more, in face-to-face conversations, you have the benefit of immediate feedback in the form of eye contact, facial expressions and body language. Even in phone conversations, you can gauge reactions by tone of voice, pauses and the general tone of the exchange. On paper there is no feedback. You’re alone against white space.

Fear not. Simple guidelines and a little practice can help you write confidently. By analyzing how you succeed in other communication venues, you’ll be able to build the same sincerity, emotion and commitment into your writing. The following guidelines are just that. They do not represent a foolproof, can’t-fail approach to sales letter writing. Chances are, though, if you make an honest effort to follow them, work hard and become a student of the letters you receive, you’ll be fine. While there are differing opinions about how to write a good sales letter, most effective writers agree on the basics.

Study letters. Examine carefully the letters in your mail that move, impress or persuade you. Analyze them and try to understand why the writer succeeded in getting to you.

Get it right. Language can be confusing. If you’re not used to writing, get a copy of the Associated Press Stylebook. It’s the bible of journalists and a superb resource.
Keep it simple. Simplicity is the soul of effective writing, and there is no better guide than The Elements of Style by William Strunk. It is a thin, practical and indispensable reference.

Define your purpose. Why are you writing the sales letter? What do you want to accomplish by writing it? Be specific in your answers. If you don’t know what you’re doing, chances your readers won’t either.

Know your audience. Who is going to read your letter? What is their job function? Do you know what their problems or frustrations are? Does your letter make it clear how your product or service will solve a problem for them, lighten a load or reduce their costs?

Attract attention. Use a compelling headline. Maybe it’s an arresting statement or a provocative question. The typical recipient of your letter may get a dozen per day. Sit awhile in his chair and ponder how you will break through the clutter with a riveting headline. Examples: Forty-eight days to the work you love. Five steps to recession-proofing your portfolio. Learn the health secret that could save your life. You can bold a headline, but be tasteful. Don’t scream at your reader by using all bold caps which are harder to read. And don’t go overboard with cutesy little icons, brash colors or a string of explanations or question marks. Remember, this is a sales letter, not a circus broadside.

Make it personal. Address your reader by name, but don’t be too familiar. Unless you’ve had ongoing communication with the recipient, a first name might be too casual. When in doubt, use the appropriate title in front of the last name.

Deal in benefits. A stainless steel gizmo or a ceramic-lined thingamajig are features and are simply not important to the reader unless you explain how they solve a problem or make life easier or better for them. Make your letter about your prospect, not you, your product or service. Deal in benefits not features.

Present a simple, logical case. Pose a question or isolate a specific problem, lay out your solution and explain why you are equipped to deliver. Use simple, powerful language. Avoid jargon, acronyms, unfamiliar abbreviations, personal pronouns and questionable slang. Use the tool in Microsoft Word to determine the reading level of your letter. Aim for about a ninth grade reading level, which is about where most newspapers fall. Another hint: Use the active voice (where the subject of a sentence is doing something) instead of the passive voice (where the subject is being acted upon) whenever possible. Examples: The U.S. swimmer won the gold medal (active). The gold medal was won by the U.S. swimmer (passive). End with a clear call to action. Directing the reader to the next step is your responsibility.

Use a postscript. Readers usually read the greeting of the letter, glance down at the signature and then read the body of the letter (if you’re lucky). So summarizing or restating your key benefit or offer in a postscript makes sense.

So there you go—ten easy-to-follow guidelines for writing an effective sales letter. You may not click on your first try, but the more you work on it, the easier it will become. Reading a good sales letter should remind you of dominoes falling. Once you’ve set the process in motion with a strong headline, it moves almost effortlessly through its various stages and ends so skillfully that taking the next step is nearly irresistible.

So don’t fear white space anymore. Use these guidelines to build confidence and conquer your fear of writing.

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