Writing Effective Junk Mail

1
Writing Effective Junk Mail

• Components Strategy
• A good product learn about the product
• A good mailing list choose and analyze audience
• A good appeal choose a central selling point

2
A Good Product/Service/Cause

• appeals to a specific segment of people
• is not readily available in stores
• can be mailed
• provides an adequate profit margin
• fills an identifiable need

3
A Good Mailing List

• has accurate addresses
• is a good match to the product

4
A Good Appeal

• offers believable description of benefits
• links the benefits of the product or service to a
  need or desire that motivates the reader
• makes the reader want to read the letter
• motivates the reader to act

5
Sales Letters Why So Hard to Write

• It must create a need for your product, like the
  print ad, radio commercial, or billboard.
• It must show how your product looks, like the TV
  commercial.
• It must explain how your product works, like the
  in-store demonstrator.
• It must ring up the sale, like the person at the
  checkout counter (credit card policy? refund
  policy? check policy?)

6
Your Product--Selling Points

• Function--needs it meets, problems it solves,
  benefits it brings
• Objective features--size, color, materials,
  mechanism, options
• Cost--what value for the money
• Distinguishing features--how different from
  competitors
• Use--how easy to install, to use, to maintain

7
General Approach

• Rhetorical Approach
• Easy in, easy out
• Content Organization
• Capture, Convince, Control
• Format Style
• Readable
• Concise
• Appropriate
• Correct

8
Sales Letters The Opening

• 1. Question
• 2. Narration, Stories, Anecdotes
• 3. Startling statements
• 4. Quotation

9
Sales Letters The Body

• Information useful to readers even if they dont
  buy
• Stories about how the product was developed or
  what the organization has done.
• Stories about people who have used the product or
  who need the organizations help
• Word pictures of readers using the product and
  enjoying its benefits

10
Sales Letters The Closing

• Tell the reader what to do respond.
• Make the action sound easy
• Offer a reason for acting promptly
• End with a positive picture

11
Sales Letters The P.S.

• Reason to act promptly
• Description of a premium the reader receives for
  giving
• Reference to another part of the package
• Restatement of central selling point