"The 10
Laws for Writing Letters that Get Results Materials!"
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 sale, 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 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"
(ALWAYS 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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