Copywriting points that sell

Despite the variety of new marketing methods available today, copywriting remains one of the most effective means of delivering a powerful selling message. A well-written sales letter is simple, personal, easy-to-read, and effective.

While copywriting is something of an art form, you can write an effective sales letter by following a simple, step-by-step formula:

Consider using a headline or Johnson Box. Not every sales letter will have these elements, but they are ideal for telegraphing your offer or a clear benefit statement. Just remember that they make your letter look less personal and more like advertising.

Use an appropriate salutation. Personalization is best when you can do it. Otherwise, use a salutation that connects with the reader as closely as possible. Dear Friend is safe but general. Dear Cat Lover is more targeted and specific. If youre mailing to a business audience, use the occupational or professional title.

Make your first sentence short and attention-grabbing. Dont waste time with a long windup before your pitch. Involve the reader immediately. Make a startling statement. Start an interesting story. Hit an emotional hot button. Or just state the offer and get to the point. This last approach is often the best tactic and offers the least room for error. Then the sentences that follow can expand on this first sentence to pull the reader into the body copy.

Present your offer on page one. If you dont give your offer in the headline or first sentence, you should put it somewhere early in the sales letter text. The better your offer, the earlier you should mention it. Be clear and specific about what your reader will get by responding.

Make the body of the sales letter work hard. Once youve grabbed your readers attention and generated interest in your offer, follow immediately with benefits, details, word pictures, testimonials, and proofs to eliminate doubt.

End the first page in the middle of a sentence. Whether its curiosity or an urge for closure, cutting a sentence in two at the bottom of a page helps encourage the reader to turn the page, finish the sentence, and keep reading. You can also use this technique on successive pages.
Keep your copy on track. You're not writing a novel, but your main idea should be a thread that weaves through the whole letter. At minimum, present your theme on page one and end on a similar note on the last page.

Call for action. Quickly restate the main points of your offer and ask for the response you want clearly and directly. Restate information on involvement devices, motivators, incentives, etc. Restate the big benefit.

Make response easy and clear. How should the reader respond? Give your toll-free number. Explain the ordering process one-two-three.

Guarantee your offer. Assure the reader that there is no risk. State your guarantee in strong terms. This should directly follow your call to action.

Stress urgency. Why should the reader respond now? Is it a limited-time offer? Are supplies limited? Are prices going up soon? Give a logical, sensible, and honest reason why this is the best time to respond. And be clear about what will happen if the reader does not respond. Mention the lost opportunity or the consequences.

End the sales letter when you're finished. Just as your letter shouldnt have a long windup at the beginning, it shouldnt prattle on at the end. End a letter as bluntly as it began. Often this is a quick restatement of your instructions for responding or a simple thank you.

Have the right person sign your letter. Your sales letter should be signed by the highest-authority person available or by someone relevant to the reader. Ideally, the signature should be in blue ink. (Hint: Consider how the signature looks. Does it suggest confidence and believability, or is it shaky and uncertain?)

Use your P.S. effectively. The postscript is one of the most-read parts of a sales letter. It should present an important message, a prime benefit, a restatement of the offer, a reminder of the deadline, a sweetener, or whatever you feel is most effective in this prime spot. Some call the P.S. a headline at the end of the letter. Ideally, it should be short, about one to three lines.