How to Write a Sales Letter: 5 Tips for Pros

Want to know how to write a sales letter but not sure where to start? You’re in the right place. This blog outlines 5 tips that are sure to help you write like a pro in no time.

1. Your headline matters: a LOT!

Have you spent hours writing and re-writing your sales letter? If so, stop. There’s absolutely no point spending hours lovingly crafting the perfect letter if potential clients take one look at the headline, decide they’re not interested and toss it straight in the bin.

If you want people to read your letter in full you’ll have to grab their attention immediately. Spend time perfecting your letter’s header. Make it short, snappy and to the point. The idea is to get people to continue reading: so give them a reason to.

Do: Consider including numbers and statistics: they are eye-catching.

Don’t: Try to list all of your offers in the headline: save something for later.

2. Get personal

Now that you have their attention, you need to hold on to it. Give you the best chance of doing this by making your opening paragraph punchy and give the reader something to think about. Try to get your reader to imagine a situation and then work your services into the scenario. Consider starting with a question or statement that presents a problem and follow up swiftly with the solution: your services.

Do: Put the client first. It’s not so much a case of what you have: it’s what you can do for them that matters at this point.

Don’t: Rush in with a long list of specific services and offers. This will only overwhelm the reader.

3. Don’t ramble

Now that you have successfully engaged the reader, it’s time to get to the point. Be specific and give examples of your services: being vague at this point will get you nowhere. Whatever you do, don’t ramble. Say what needs to be said and leave the reader with a clear idea of the services you provide.

Do: Think about sentence structure and content. Be specific.

Don’t: Try to cram everything into one long never-ending sentence. Big blocks of text aren’t pleasing to the eye. Try using short sentences or bullet points that can be read quickly and easily.

4. Invite them in

By this point in the letter anyone reading about your business should be interested enough to want to know more, so help them! A solid call to action (or CTA) is crucial if you want to generate leads and sales from your letter. Remind the reader of the key services of your business and give them a nudge in the right direction by telling them what they should do next. Provide a location, website and contact number: anything they can use to get in touch.

Do: Remind them what you can do for them.

Don’t: Introduce new information- you’ll only confuse things.

5. Include a Postscript

The P.S message of a letter is the second most read part of a letter, so take advantage of it! Strip your main message down to its keywords and encourage action. For example:

– P.S. This weekend’s massive bed and bath sale is first-come, first-served, so get here early to avoid disappointment.

Get started

Interesting in finding out more? Check out our handy letter writing tool. It will show you how to write a sales letter in a few simple steps.

How can we help?

If you need help with your direct marketing, Selectabase can help. We provide a speedy Create and Post service, allowing you to print and send professional looking letters to your target audience. Contact us today to find out how we can help take your business to the next level.