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The first step in writing a sales letter is to get a list of addresses of prospective buyers.
The second step is to send each of the buyers on your list a sales letter. The sales letter that you send represents your company. If it looks good, you look good. if it looks bad, you look bad. If there are mistakes in the letter the quality of your product is questioned.
Effective sales letters generally have four paragraphs and are arranged in the following manner.
Paragraph One: Attracting Attention
The first sentence must get the reader's attention. Asking a question in which the answer is guaranteed to be "yes" is a good way to start. "Would you like to improve your life?" The opening paragraph, in fact the first sentence, should excite curiosity or attract the attention in some way that will make the reader continue to read the letter.
The most difficult paragraph to write in a sales letter is the first one. You have just a few seconds to get the reader's attention.
Would you like to see your factory's production increase by 15% or more?
Wouldn't you prefer to have your wedding pictures taken by the leader in the field?
Another way to start a sales letter is to write a sentence that will surprise or shock the reader.
In 1996 we helped over 250 small businesses like yours to increase their productivity.
Since 1991 we have grown from a small printing company to one of the largest publishing houses in the city.
If you are contacting the customer for the first time or if your company is unknown, you might start with a general introduction of yourself.
Example A:Alfred's Textile Marketing Co. Ltd. is a leading Russian manufacturer and exporter of socks and hosiery. The range of our product line, good quality, and competitive prices have made us one of the fastest growing companies of its kind in Russia.
Example B:Floppy Textile Buying Agency, established in 1987, is one of the fastest growing agents in India. We currently represent a number of major European importers, such as Fe Fe LaMew Mail Order of France and others.
Other Examples:The ABC Trading Company was founded in 1986 to serve the construction industry in New York state. Since then we have expanded our market year by year to where we now have customers in 12 countries around the world.
Paragraph Two: Building Interest and Desire
The second paragraph must convince the reader of the value of the product. When you have succeeded in getting the reader's attention, you must hold that attention. The best way to hold it is to build interest by describing your product so that the reader can virtually experience it. Use colorful, descriptive words.
In paragraph two you must show the reader that he/she either- needs your product (a car)- could use your product (an easier inventory system)- should not be without your product (insurance)OR - would benefit from your product (a new line of clothes he/she could sell)
Sentence by sentence you lead the reader through your sales pitch. If he closes his eyes he can see that new car, going home earlier because of his new inventory system, the comfort of having insurance, and increased sells because of the new line of clothes.
Example A:Located in Moscow, we produce a wide variety of socks and hosiery items in a cotton-woolen-nylon blend for men, women, and children. These socks are of good quality, are popular with customers, and sell well. Our total production averages 10 million pairs per year, 70% for export and 30% for the domestic market.
Example B:We are happy to announce that we are now offering this same service to American import companies like yours. From our office in New Deli, the heart of low cost and good quality ready- to-wear garments, we can supply your company with whatever kind of apparel you would like.
Paragraph Three: Convincing the Reader
If you have done your work well to this point, the reader is already interested and is partially convinced. You must convince readers that it is to their advantage to buy your product or use your service.
If the reader has read your letter to this point then he/she is interested in your product. Paragraph three convinces him/her to buy it. It is here that you show what buying your product would mean to the reader.
Example B:The wide range of Indian export companies that we work with insure you of getting just the items that you are looking for. Whether it be baby wear, children's wear, ladies and men's outer and underwear, leather wear, socks, belts, bags, shoes, or household items such as bed linen, towels, bathrobes, or table clothes we can make sure that you get the quantity you need at the best possible price. And our staff of quality controllers insure that the garments are well made.
Other Examples:The machine that we sell is called the Safehouse. It turns the lights on at your house at night when you're coming home. And you can reverse the process when you leave, turning off the lights when you have locked the door, gone down the steps, and left the yard. Amazingly, the Safehouse weighs only 150 grams and fits easily in your pocket or purse.
Paragraph Four: Directing Favorable Action
You have now reached the point where if your letter was successful, you must move the reader to act. The fourth paragraph must tell the reader what to do to get the product. Tell the reader exactly what you what him/her to do and make it easy to do. The desired action is go to your web site to get more information and, hopefully contact you for specifics or to place an order. Even the most highly motivated and excited customer will not act if the action you are requesting is too difficult
Example A:Our company is expanding its market to include the United States and we would like very much to do business with your company. Enclosed is our price list (brochure) describing our wide range of products. I would welcome the opportunity to introduce you to our line socks and hosiery. For more information or to place an order, please visit our web site at www.nicesocks.com..
Example B:If you would like to take advantage of the services that Floppy Textile Buying Agency has to offer your company, please log on to our web site at www.floppytextile.com or contact us by fax at (56/324) 785 48 96. Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you.
Other Examples:To order, please go to our web site at www.swimsuit.com, or fill out the enclosed order form and send it by fax or post to our office in Washington. Before you know it, you will be wearing this beautiful men's business swim suit - and feeling like royalty.
A Typical Well Written Letter for An Agent
Star Textile Exports, established in 1987, is one of the fastest growing agents in Turkey. We currently represent a number of major European importers, such as Blue Cloud Mail Order of France and others.
We are happy to announce that we are now offering this same service to American import companies like yours. From our office in Istanbul, the heart of low cost and good quality ready-to-wear garments, we can supply your company with whatever kind of apparel you would like.
The wide range of Turkish export companies that we work with insure you of getting just the items that you are looking for. Whether it be baby wear, children's wear, ladies and men's outer and underwear, leather wear, socks, belts, bags, shoes, or household items such as bed linen, towels, bathrobes, or table clothes we can make sure that you get the quantity you need at the best possible price. And our staff of quality controllers insure that the garments are well made.
If you would like to take advantage of the services that Star Textile Buying Agency has to offer your company, please go to our web site at www.startextile.com, or contact us by fax at (90/212) 123 45 67.
Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you.
A Very Simple Sales Letter
Dear Sirs,
We are a Polish company that specializes in making men's shirts and would like to tell you about our line of products.
Our products are special because they are made of good quality cloth . In the 15 years that we have been selling our products we have made a good name for ourselves in countries around the world.
Enclosed is a price list and brochure. If you would like to place an order or receive more information, please log onto our web site at www.polishshirts.com, or contact us by telephone.
Sincerely yours
A Simple Proposal Letter
Dear Mr Customer:
Thank you for your interest in our company. Enclosed is the proposal that you requested.
The Model XR 17 is designed to help those companies who want to sell the latest model on the market, at the best possible price. This low-cost machine is made in Germany - the land of good quality machines.
This model sells well because:
the price is competitivethe technology is state-of-the-artthere is a great demand for such a machine.
We hope that you will soon join the growing list of companies that are selling our model XR 17. If you would like more information, please visit our web site at www.modelxr17.com or contact us directly.
Just like there are good ways to sell to the USA () there are also bad ways to sell. Here are a few of them starting with the worst:
Don't Send Mass E-mail Mailouts (SPAM)
A good e-mail marketing strategy can be very effective in finding new customers. But these e-mails should be personalized (addressed to that company) and sent on a one by one basis.
You should NOT gather several e-mail addresses together and send a message to all of them at once. Importers HATE to get e-mails like this trying to sell them something. It's called SPAM and it is not an effective way of marketing your product. It called "poor man's marketing". In addition, it is illegal in the US.Think of it this way. When is the last time you ordered a product from someone who sent you a SPAM e-mail message? Probably you never have. And importers do not order products from SPAM e-mail messages either.
To find out how to use e-mail as an effective marketing tool
Don't Send A Fax
This is a step up from e-mailing, but is still a bad way to try to sell your products. Faxed pages are only black and white and you can send only one or two pages. Usually exporters can send a nice brochure by mail (the preferred way of marketing) for the same price as they pay for long distance telephone charges to send a fax. Avoid sending your sales letters by fax.Don't Send Sales Letters that Have Spelling/GrammarMistakes or Use Out-of-date English
The sales letter that you send to a prospective buyer is your representative of your company. If it looks good then you look good. If it looks bad then you look bad. For a sample of a good marketing letter
Check your letter to make sure there are no spelling mistakes. Do not use abbreviations like you are using a telex. For example, using "pls" for please and "u" for you make the importer think that you are lazy.
Do not use out-of-date sentences like "Would you be so kind..." and "Under separate cover please find..." These old sentences show that you are old fashioned.
Never push the importer to do something. Sentences like, "I am looking forward to your favorable reply" are pushy and should not be used. Never use words like "prompt", "ASAP", "at your earliest convenience" etc. They are rude and pushy. US importers are professionals. They will answer you because it's the business-like thing to do. Not because you push them.
Don't Send Letters that Use the Word "introduce"in the Opening Paragraph
Letters that start something like "We would like to introduce ourselves" are in fact screaming "I'm a boring sales letter!" Do not use the word "introduce" when trying to sell your products. It's an immediate turn off.
Here is a list of words and phrases that you should not usebecause they are old-fashion or rude(in red, like blood because if you use them yourchange of success is dead).Under it is the modern word or phrase that you should use(in green, like US money because if youuse them you'll get orders).
Would you be so kindPlease
I would like to take this opportunity to...(thank you for)Don't use this at all. Start with your sentence. Thank you for...
kindly please
thank you in advance (Don't use it. It's impossible to thank someone before they do something!)
acknowledge receipt ofThank you for
advise say, tell, let us know
am in receipt of I have received
as per as, according to
at this time now
due to the fact that as, because, since,
duly (Don't use it.)
enclosed please find enclosed, here
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