20 Ways to Increase Sales With Direct Mail Letters

1. Adapt letter-headed paper

If you're using company letterhead for through mail then adapt it to your necessities. The company name and marketing advantage should stand out. If you want people to email you, then the email address should stand out. If you want them to phone, then make the phone number noticeable. Use the footer as a place to increase sales by diagram attention to a trade association or excellence control mark. Make legal info as small as possible.

2. Postal replies

Do you want potential customers to reply by post? Include a pre-paid envelope.

3. Long letters

Don't be scared to write long letters (over a page). Nobody will buy somewhat without plenty information to make a choice. Keep marketing until you have run out of sales points. Every word should be related - no rambling.

4. Be friendly

Speech your letter to a known person if at all possible because it shows that you care who they are. Second best is to address them by their job or interest, eg. 'Dear Dog Owner'. The worst salutation is 'Dear Sir/Madam'.

Sign off in a friendly way. instead of a secretary signing the letter on your behalf, sign it yourself. Include your Christian name and a friendly title. 'Customer Services Manager' says that your company cares about its customers.

5. Powerful headlines

At the top of the letter write a important that communicates the product's main value. It gives the potential customer a motive to read on. Keep it clear and simple - think communication not clever word play.

6. Powerful openings

Grab your reader's courtesy. Study magazine articles and newspapers. How do they it? What works? Use your research. Here is a list of letter openers to get you started: http://www.procopytips.com/sales-letter-openers

7. Subheadings

Subheadings make letters palatable. Each subheading should sell the product.

8. Ask for what you want

Don't beat about the bush. If you want your reader to buy your soaps then tell them so. If you want them to take out a subscription, ask them to sign up (and make it super easy). Ask straight away - don't leave it until the middle of the letter.

9. Talk benefits

Know the difference between sorts and benefits. Instead of saying 'the X65 lawnmower has a barrel of sixty rotating blades' say 'the X65 lawnmower develops a healthy lawn within weeks'. Decide which is the most important benefit and put that first. All the other benefits follow.

10. Make it personal

Address the reader as if you were sitting beside them. Make it about them and not you. Every time you write 'we' try and change it to 'you'.

11. Emphasise important points

Highlight important words by using bold or underline, but don't overdo it or the power is lost. Indent to underline key paragraphs.

12. Make sure the letter flows

Guide the reader gently from one point to another. Sentences should be linked ('what's more... ', 'but... ) and ideas should be set out in logical order.

13. Entice the reader to act

Your letter must end with a 'call to action'. Now you've (hopefully!) sold the reader make it easy for them to act. Don't make it complicated by providing lots of alternatives which involve decisions. Give an incentive too: 'reply by 20th August and you will receive a free watch'.

14. Provide reassurance

Make sure the reader knows they can't lose. For example, say you won't take payment until the product has been transmitted or that they won't be charged for 60 days.

15. Use a PS

When you receive a letter do your eyes go straight to the PS? So do your reader's. There should be a new 'just remembered' benefit here to seal the sale.

16. Make it a parcel

You don't have to send a letter on its own. A original package is likely to generate a higher response rate. You could include a sample of your product or a promotional item which will be a constant reminder of your company eg. a drink coaster or a pen.

17. Include a reply device

Pre-paid postcards with tick boxes make life easy for possible customers. If you can print their name and address for them, all the better. Reassure people that a salesman will not call and that they are under no obligation to buy.

18. Include an validation

Comments from satisfied customers go a long way as do market research statistics: '85% of our customers have used us for over 2 years'. Always be ingenuous. Never be tempted to lie - to do so cheats your customers and undermines your reputation.

19. Involve the reader

Ask bombastic questions: 'What would you do if... ? Write questions that potential customers might ask and answer them: 'How much will it cost?' Provide an example of a company or individual who reaped the benefits of your product: 'When James & Son bought our product they halved their production costs in a week'.

20. Overcome objections

Make a list of all the possible reasons your customer might have not to buy. Decide how you would answer these objections and put them in your letter. For example: 'I can't afford it now' could be solved with an easy payment plan. If you think people will want to compare deals with other providers then provide a evaluation chart.

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