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The 10 Laws for Writing
Letters that Get Results
by Joe Vitale
The following is a letter in response
to a question about how to write sales letters. This is something you
could model in layout, tone, and ideas, to write your own letters. By
the way, this is where your letterhead should go.
Dear Fellow Chicago Seminar Attendees,
Jerry Jenkins asked me to tell you how to
write letters that get read and get results. That's a tall order! Well,
here's what I think the "laws" are:
1. Know what's in it for your reader.
Get out of your ego and into your reader's
ego. Complete this sentence: "Get my book so that you can...(fill
in the blank)." Your book (or whatever you are selling) is the
feature. What people get as a result of having your book is the
benefit. Focus on benefits. Always! Without this, your letter will
bomb.
2. Write a headline that telegraphs
the key benefit to your reader.
ALWAYS use a headline. There is only ONE
exception to this rule. When you personalize your letter, the
"Dear (whoever)" opening becomes your headline. There are
few headlines more powerful than the reader's own name. The headline
is THE most important part of your letter! Spend nearly all of your
time on it.
3. Be brief.
Say what you have to say in terms of the
reader's self interest and shut up. This does NOT necessarily mean a
short letter. If you are trying to make a sale, and the reader has
never heard of you or your item for sell, you may have to write four
or more pages to get your message across. If all you want is a return
call, a one page letter may do. Don' be afraid of length. People will
read any length of copy AS LONG AS IT'S INTERESTING!
4. Always use a PS.
Always. Why do copywriters who charge
upwards to $15,000 to write a sales letter and have weeks to draft it
always use a PS? They are always read. Always.
5. Look good.
Visual attractiveness accounts for 70% of
your letter's impact. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, bulleted
points, indented paragraphs, subheads, etc. Some people will just skim
your letter, so engaging subheads and bulleted points help reach them
instantly.
6. Outline first.
Use a planning tool such as the program Project
KickStart to help you think through your message. Or talk to a
friend. Or to a tape recorder. Or to yourself. This also helps you get
comfortable with speaking your letter rather than writing it.
7. Write first, edit last.
Turn your inner editor off. You can
rewrite later. For now, write spontaneously and quickly to get your
ideas on paper.
8. Ask for something.
Why are you writing? You want a call. Or
an order. Something. Say so!
9. Get a reader.
Find one person to read your letter OUT
LOUD in front of you. If he (or she) has trouble reading your letter,
if he wrinkles his brow or stops to reread a sentence, rewrite those
places. Don't skip this step! It's the secret of many professional
writers.
10. Rewrite your letter again.
Is it the best you can do? Be honest! If
not, throw it away and call the person instead. Or hire a copywriter
to write it for you. Why waste your time or your reader's with
something that doesn't communicate in a persuasive and interesting
way? (I rewrote this letter 24 times!)
Well, there you have it. Of course, there
are more rules, laws, ideas and suggestions for writing letters that get
results. You should always guarantee whatever you are selling, for
example, and always offer proof for all of your claims. But the above
will get you rolling.
Sincerely,
Joe Vitale
Hypnotic Writing
(Identify yourself. People look here to see who the letter is from.)
PS -- Notice that you read this PS?
PPS -- Notice that you read this one,
too?
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