The 10 Laws for Writing Letters that Get Results
Dear
Readers,
Let me 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 ITS 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 re-read 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?
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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