How to Write Blockbuster Sales Letters

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The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author represents and warrants that s/he either owns or has the legal right to publish all material in this book. If you believe this to be incorrect, contact the publisher through its website at www.outskirtspress.com. How to Write Blockbuster Sales Letters All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2006 Benjamin Hart This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Outskirts Press http://www.outskirtspress.com ISBN-10: 1-59800-262-7 ISBN-13: 978-1-59800-262-1 Outskirts Press and the “OP” logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc. Printed in the United States of America
Contents 1. Selling .................................................................................................1 2. The two most important rules in this entire book..............................2 3. Think “inside” the box .......................................................................4 4. The #1 reason mailings fail ................................................................6 5. Direct mail is about human psychology ............................................7 6. Six reasons why a letter is your most powerful sales tool.................8 7. The most important question you must answer before you write .......12 8. Your reader is not an idiot................................................................13 9. “If you are selling fire extinguishers, first show the fire” ...............14 10. The absolute necessary precondition for a sales letter to work.......15 11. The sales letter writer’s two most important jobs............................16 12. Find out what your prospect wants before you write ......................17 13. The nine step formula for writing successful sales letters...............21 14. Seventeen reasons people buy..........................................................29 15. The #1 reason people buy.................................................................34 16. How to construct your offer .............................................................36 17. Positioning ........................................................................................43 18. Figure out your unique selling proposition (USP) ..........................45 19. Sell just one thing .............................................................................46 20. Give away your ideas and products .................................................47 21. When you build a relationship, you have no competition...............48 22. Write as people actually speak in everyday life ..............................48 23. Write a package, not just a letter......................................................49 24. Generate emotion..............................................................................50 25. Seven words or less ......................................................................... 52 26. Long versus short letters.................................................................. 53
Page 1: How to Write Blockbuster Sales Lett
Page 5 and 6: 52. Make the case for why your read
Page 7 and 8: Chapter One Selling All of us spend
Page 9 and 10: to-face than by answering a piece o
Page 11 and 12: look at what lists we mailed. We’
Page 13 and 14: Chapter Five Direct mail is about b
Page 15 and 16: 2. You can target your market preci
Page 17 and 18: ut to ask your TV responders to sud
Page 19 and 20: store because of all the added spac
Page 21 and 22: You are not selling fire extinguish
Page 23 and 24: to figure out what I’m trying to
Page 25 and 26: survey report. This is usually ince
Page 27 and 28: Chapter Thirteen The nine step form
Page 29 and 30: can identify the product achieving
Page 31 and 32: you are selling. Technical specific
Page 33 and 34: purchases would be banned after tom
Page 35 and 36: today, not several days from now wh
Page 37 and 38: 7. Comfort People want comfort. The
Page 39 and 40: 14. Desire for meaning in life Peop
Page 41 and 42: than tall people (Thomas Jefferson,
Page 43 and 44: Unit of sale Are you selling one at
Page 45 and 46: higher interest rate. Or if there
Page 47 and 48: Free extras If you are selling a su
Page 49 and 50: * * * * The writing and creative wo
Page 51 and 52: Chapter Eighteen Figure out your un
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USP. So, in the final analysis, eve
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patience to figure out what I am tr
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college professors. Great salesmen
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can’t convey your message or offe
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importance. Every word should count
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I work best with entrepreneurs and
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we are raising your credit limit to
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“You’ve won a free trip for two
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Why is this? I think it’s because
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People also want to hear about cost
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Chapter Thirty-One You can’t sell
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Chapter Thirty-Two The P.S. After y
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“How I put excitement back in my
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Chapter Thirty-Four Force an answer
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The text in a Johnson Box is genera
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So bore the business executive at y
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on all your marketing efforts by 50
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Chapter Thirty-Nine 42 magic phrase
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29. “Because...” 30. “Better
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5. Red type in the body of your let
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Chapter Forty-Two Get rid of “tha
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to mail back this reply envelope—
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Chapter Forty-Seven How does your l
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Writing is very difficult work, men
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Editing is as painful a process as
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Many writers think they are creatin
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false, or that sounds like all the
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facts to back up what you say... BE
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eally, really scary”? No, he simp
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solve a marketing problem and then
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Chapter Fifty-Nine Raise the level
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I’ve outlined here can help impro
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turn the tables on and out-maneuver
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expecting a response rate of 2-3%,
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12” Tyvek envelope—the kind you
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How much should you spend on person
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color glossy brochure with your let
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was clear to us that he, like Clare
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Defying conventional wisdom, by def
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So not only was The Dartmouth Revie
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Chapter Sixty-Six The #1 business b
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population are givers. The rest of
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customers will ever be worth much t
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charts—or any ranking on the pop
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You would never consider showing up
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purchase and then fades over time,
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Businesses buy even paper, pens, an
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your service or business, another w
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McDonalds, Coke) know they must be
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Hold a seminar Holding a seminar in
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nominees then receive a letter sayi
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knows he’s looking for life insur
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The results of this survey will be
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• Approximately how much do you s
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Jeeves, EarthLink, Hot Bot, and oth
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for you. What counts are quality cl
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Offering me free gasoline would hav
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far, the most likely to answer your
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their lists and refund postage cost
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7. Tailor letters to the lists you
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the broker sent you weaker names th
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like what you’re selling. Here ar
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and their proper title (Mr., Mrs.,
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6. Establish your “unduping” po
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your house list who help pay for yo
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8. Keep an updated copy of your hou
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6. Use an old-fashioned typewriter
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13. Be sure all photos and exhibits
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your first choice in your salutatio
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month, consider printing 600,000 an
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compare your bills to all your sign
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well-executed letter is still, by f
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Much of the information that appear
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Can you think of ways to use brief
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You’ll get the facts. No bias. No
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I’m almost certain (though not 10
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Popular Mechanics 250 WEST 55TH STR
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All this, and much more, is in Volu
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“sold” on the POPULAR MECHANICS
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yourself-guy, I can’t imagine tur
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American Express Card security, eme
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Dear Reader: Prevention Emmaus, PA
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latest medical research findings...
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Of course, I could go on and on abo
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vogue because they are effective. S
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The Kiplinger Letter not only keeps
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There is no real way to precisely m
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pay for itself almost immediately w
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direct mail—a $48,000 item. Not o
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Marketing Boot Camp schedule for en
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Plus, I’m holding periodic telese
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NOTES
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