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1. The best way is the simple way. Write it like you say it. Don't worry about grammar. Don't
concern yourself with punctuation (we overuse it anyway). Don't wordsmith every sen
tence. Make it human.
2. The best mail is personal mail multiplied. Write to your Aunt Minnie (or if you don't like
Auntie M., then your favorite somebody). And do it over and over and over to others. It
works.
3. If your audience is octogenarians in Oshkosh, then you become an octogenarian in
Oshkosh. Pretend you are the recipient and write to yourself.
4. Never, but NEVER talk down to your audience. Look them straight in the eye, aim at them
directly. Or even better yet, look up to them.
5. Do not tell a lie. Be honest, straightforward, up front, true. Tell a funny story, be enter
taining, weave a theme to make your point, play games any way that will help your cause,
but do not tell a lie. Ever
6. Have something to say. This may seem funny to have to say, but many letters don't say
anything. Have something specific to say, a message, and then say it. Don't beat around
the bush — come out with it.
7. Make an offer. The offer says if you do this now these good things will happen to you now.
The offer is the reason a certain percentage of your audience will respond — and it many
times is the difference between success or failure. Move those "considering" you to your
side with a good offer
8. Ask for the order! Be specific — ask your audience to do something. Don't just hint. Spell
it out in spades.
15 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR READERS
Ray Jutkins found a good set of things you need to know about your readers as people in the Mail
Order Connection newsletter. He revised them this way:
1. People are procrastinators. Give them a reason to respond now. Try a limited time offer.
2. People are skeptical. Overcome that attitude with a believable message.
3. People are lazy. Make it easy to reply to your offer
4. People worry about making a wrong decision. Use case histories to give them assurance.
5. People avoid risk. Give them a guarantee.
6. People say: "I can't read all this." Give them all they need to make a decision and not a word
more.
7. People say: "I didn't ask for this." Send your message to a qualified audience — one inter
ested in what you have to offer.
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