Some people who have no problem communicating with prospects face to face or on the telephone run into problems when writing – whether it’s in an email, a blog or part of a social media post.
And their written word usually doesn’t work for one of the following reasons:
- The message is not clear, because the salesperson is confused.
- Instead of making the message clear and brief, the salesperson tries to incorporate too much information.
Set a goal
Your written words will be better if you decide beforehand what you want to accomplish. The more you know about the purpose of the letter, the easier it will be to make it effective and deliver the message you want.
Here are tips to writing more effective sales letters:
- Understand that writing is a process and it happens in stages. You start with an idea, you begin to write, and you edit your writing. Don’t be afraid to scrap what you’ve written and start over again.
- Try to get the reader’s attention in the first sentence. Work to develop a compelling opening and keep it short.
- Focus on the benefits and not the features of your product or service. Prospects respond to benefits, not features.
- Try to call the prospect to action by creating a sense of urgency. Give him or her a reason to act now.
Adapted from the book “Sales & Pitch Letters for Busy People,” by George Sheldon, who’s authored more than 30 sales and marketing books and works as an editorial consultant.
