Sales Letters Pt 1 – What Are They & Why They Are Important
A sales letter offers a chance at one on one communication with a prospect and takes the place of a salesperson.
It is a part of direct mail and usually comprises an outer envelope that encloses the sales letter and may also accompany a brochure.
The sales letter speaks about the product and its benefits.
For a sales letter to be effective, the writer needs to first be intimately familiar with the product and how it functions.
Secondly, the writer also needs to have a deep understanding of the prospect and their needs.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of a sales letter and why you should use it in your business in the first place!
The Importance Of Sales Letters
Sales letters are a powerful tool for generating leads and conversions.
They can be an integral part of any business’s marketing strategy, and they allow you to present your company in the best possible light before making contact with potential prospects.
A well-written sales letter will help to introduce your company and demonstrate its value proposition to prospective customers who might not know much about your company yet.
Sales letters should be short and concise, but there is no set length that every one of them has to adhere to.
Some may only need a paragraph or two, while others will require multiple pages.
Regardless of their length, all good sales letters share certain qualities: clarity, brevity, credibility, and consistency.
So, what exactly are the benefits of a sales letter, and how can you realize the above-mentioned qualities?
Let’s find out!
The Personal Flare
The sales letter, in essence, replaces the salesperson!
It can thus add that personal touch to your advertising in a way that other advertising methods simply could not.
After all, a deep understanding of the audience is needed before you can draft the sales letter.
1:1 Communication
As we said, the sales letter steps in the place of a salesperson, and for that reason, it needs to provide the product information and answer the most likely questions that the reader may have.
A sales letter, therefore, allows for more personalized communication.
That is if you do it right! So think in terms of – What objections will my clients have? What questions will they ask? How can I make this feel individualized?
The Convenience
Since the sales letter is sent directly to the prospect, you don’t have to worry about your competitors grabbing your prospect’s attention… at least for the moment.
The recipient provides their undivided attention to the copy.
And this, my friends, is the convenience factor in a sales letter – It is simply easy and comprehensible!
The Brand Trust
By having that one-on-one communication with your prospects, you help build customer trust in your brand.
This is likely to stay with them into the future and turn them into loyal, returning customers!
Therefore, the sales letter is not just a way to convince prospects to purchase your products but also show that your business can offer solutions to their problems consistently.
Oh, It’s Dirt-Cheap!
Granted, sending an email or other forms of digital messages is the cheapest way for a business to communicate with prospects.
However, the sales letter is a close second and outperforms other forms of advertisement such as billboards. It is also way cheaper than other forms of paid digital advertisements.
If you are looking for a cost-effective way to reach your prospects, this is it.
Covers A Wide Area
You might think that everyone is on the internet nowadays.
However, there are still people who live in rural areas that cannot readily access the internet.
Sales letters can reach people living in such areas and deliver the business message!
Don’t write off traditional marketing methods!
Customer Education
As the sales letter steps in the place of a salesperson, it needs to have the right information.
A sales letter can be used to educate the customer not just on the product but also on how to use it.
This means it can be used as a guide.
Providing all the information that a customer needs may be all the convincing that they need to make a purchase.
Serves As A Reminder
Businesses can use the sales letter to convince the first-time prospect and remind a shopper about a product, too!
Let’s say a shopper failed to complete a purchase. You can send a sales letter to remind them to finish their purchase.
This is a great way to pull customers back to your business and improve conversions!
Final Word
The sales letter is a powerful tool for any small business looking to increase revenue.
In this post, we’ve discussed the basics of what makes up an effective sales letter and some tips on how you can use them to drive your own success.
We hope that you have found it helpful! To learn more about sales letters and how to write them, follow up with us in part 2 of this article series!