Sales Letters

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Sales Letters

• Concentrate on a few features of product or
  service
• Providing convincing evidence of excellence
• Use believable or convincing language
• Introduce price in middle of letter (Ex. 1.99)
• Offer something special when possible
• Include envelopes, telephone numbers.

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Central Idea of Persuasion

• People accept what seems to
• fit their existing values,
• wishes, and attitudes.

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Rational Appeal

• Effective with wholesalers and retailers
• Physical or factual description of product in
  terms of its makeup and appearance composition,
  dimensions, and shape
• What it will do for them!

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Emotional Appeal

• Spontaneous desires appeals to senses, social
  instincts, and elements of human
  nature--satisfies a desire.
• Sells People Not Products!

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Two Studies

• Product Study
• Product knowledge about the product. Also
  comparison to other products.
• Prospect Study
• Knowledge of people
• Emotional Appeal
• Rational Appeal

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Sales Formulas

• The most basic structure for persuasive letters
  usually has four parts, commonly known as the
  AIDA formula for sales presentations
• A- Attract the readers favorable attention
• I- Arouse the readers interest
• D- Create desire and convince the reader
• A- Make clear the action the reader needs to
  take.

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AIDCA Formula

• A- Attract favorable attention
• I- Build interest
• D- Create desire
• C- Get conviction
• A- Ask for action

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AIDPPA Formula

• A- Attract attention
• I- Build interest through
• D- Description of the product
• P- Persuade the reader or buyer to react to the
  desired action
• P- Proof of what will be received
• A- Action

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DDPC Formula

• D- Start by being Dramatic
• D- Continue by being descriptive about
• P- Use persuasive talk--benefits reader or
  buyer will receive
• C- Clinch by getting desired response leading
  to specific action

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PPPP Formula

• P- Paint a picture of product and benefits for
  the reader, buyer
• P- Promise picture will come true if offer is
  accepted
• P- Prove the pleasing picture will hold
  treasures for the reader.
• P- Push for action

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Attention (promise star)

• Begin with a relevant statement or a challenging
  question that entices the recipients to read on
  because they want to know.
• The starting point begins with the
  envelope--color, enticing words, fonts,
  handwritten addresses, announcements.

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Interest (picture chain)

• Build upon the theme in the attention getting
  opening. Begin to tell what your project,
  product, service, or idea is and what it will do
  for the reader.
• Describe it in two ways
• Physical description
• Value or benefits to the reader (appeals)

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Desire and Conviction (prove chain)

• Readers will desire to do as you request and be
  convinced if you present proof.
• Give evidence your statements are true
• Include needed facts, pictures, figures,
  testimonials, tests, samples, guarantees, etc.
• Be aware of your legal responsibilities for truth.

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Action (push hook)

• Clearly state what the reader should do to comply
  with your request and gain benefits.
• Make action easy
• reply form, envelope, phone number, location
• Induce reader to act now or within a certain time
• End on reader plug which may tie in with your
  opening attention statement.

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From Satisfied Users

• Facts about users experiences with the product.
  Verifiable reports/statistics.
• Names of other buyers and users.
• Testimonials. Select persons or firms that are
  bona fide users of the product and whose judgment
  the reader respects. Be specific. Get users
  permission to use name. Avoid exaggerations.

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From Recognized Testing Laboratories, Agencies,
Disinterested Persons

• Performance Tests
• Whenever recognized experts, testing
  laboratories, or authoritative agencies in a
  field relative to your product have made
  satisfactory performance tests on it, their
  evidence offers convincing proof. Also,
  effective are statements, reports, and statistics
  compiled by impartial, reliable witnesses Good
  Housekeeping Seal of Approval, Consumer Reports.

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From the Prospect

• Free Trial
• Nothing provides a more effective form of proof
  than letting the prospect try your product on a
  free-trial basis.
• The customer gets the added benefit of using it
  before buying or paying for it.
• This sends a message to the consumer that you
  have absolute confidence in your product.
• Ex Mrs. Fields Cookies

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Guarantee

• With the guarantee, the customer pays for the
  product before using it, but gets a written
  promise that if not satisfied he or she will get
  a refund (or credit), free repairs, or free
  replacement of the product.

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Price of Your Product

• Break it down into easy weekly or monthly
  payments
• State it in terms of unit prices (1.99 each)
  instead of case lots, dozens, or sets.
• Interpret it on the basis of benefits to be
  gained
• Emphasize cost on a daily, monthly, or yearly
  basis (only 3 cents a day)
• Compare it with the amount the average reader
  spends daily for nonessentials or luxuries

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Attention Openings

• Question Do you remember.
• Proverbs (retooled) It is better to burn a
  candle at both ends
• Quotation All work and no play
• Forceful LOVE NEVER ENDS
• Facts There are 22 million accidents...

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Getting Action

• Having convinced your reader that your
• product, service, idea is valuable, needed, and
  worthy of purchase, you must encourage the most
  important step--performing the action you request.

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What do you Want?

• State the action you desire
• make action easy
• Date the action (when desirable)
• Offer special inducement to act by specified time
  (when desirable)
• End with a last reader-benefit plug
• credit card, easy payments, no money now, free
  gift, free trial, no obligation to buy, premium,
  special price for a limited time.

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Letters that reply about Products/Services

• A person who asks about products or services for
  sale rightfully expects a prompt, complete, and
  coherent reply.
• Develop the interest that prompted the inquiry
  and
• Make a bid for the sale

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Letters that Reply

• Answer all inquiry letters promptly and
  courteously. A prompt reply demonstrates a basic
  interest in people and their needs.
• Be as helpful as possible by giving complete
  information even if it means doing more than the
  inquirer asked. (Goodwill)
• Show an interested, gracious attitude.
  No-help-at-all replies can be pleasing in tone.

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Letters that Acknowledge Orders

• Order responses may be classified by specific
  types
• Standard/routine acknowledgment
• Defective-order acknowledgment
• Back-order
• Misdirected order
• Substitute order
• Combination acknowledgment

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Acknowledgement of First Order

• Sending the ordered items
• State what, when, and how shipped. State when
  (approximately) shipment should reach
  destination. Express appreciation for order and
  remittance.
• Avoid trite, vague language such as We have
  shipped your order. Say The bedspread (204)
  you ordered on September 4 was sent to you today
  by UPS.
• Use specific resale talk

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