While the goal of direct mail and sales letters is the same -- to generate business -- the approach is very different. Direct mail is usually a mass mailing seeking an immediate response. A letter does seek a response, but it's usually more personalized. It focuses more on building a relationship, and future business, with the customer or prospect. You may send only a few each week or day.

Follow These Tips for Effective Letters

• A well-written sales letter targets the specific recipient. Because such letters are more personalized, you should have an idea of your reader's wants and needs. Use the letter to tell about a product that truly meets those needs. If your intent in sending the letter is to build trust, you won't get far by pitching a youth checking account to a 60-year-old couple. KNOW your recipient and take time to personalize your letter's content.

• As with all business communication, appearance counts. Any business communication you send out is a reflection on your company and the way you do business. Take the time to check grammar and spelling. Have someone else read your letter to check for typos and clarity.

• Try to limit your sales letters to one page, enclosing a brochure for additional information if needed. Use the standard business letter format, with one-inch margins, single-spaced paragraphs and double-spacing between paragraphs. To keep the recipient reading, the layout of the letter should be easy on the eyes. Bullets are another good way to highlight benefits of a product and make the letter easier to read.

• I've seen sales letters that go heavy on the underlining, bold, italics and color. Used sparingly, these can draw a reader's eyes to key points in the letter; however, if overdone, they can come across as screaming and annoy the reader.

• Write in a conversational tone, using short paragraphs and sentences. Use the words "you" and "your." Write in the active, not passive voice. Compare the effectiveness of the following sentences.
  

  "Eliminate hours spent cleaning and enjoy more time with your family. Hire XYZ Cleaning."

  "You would be eliminating hours spent cleaning and could be spending more time with your family, when you use XYZ Cleaning."

  It's pretty easy to see that the first sentence, using active voice, has more impact. Notice too, that while the first sentence doesn't start with the word "you," the "you" is still implied.

• Focus on the benefits of your product or service, not the features. Features are the characteristics of your product. Benefits are what these features do for the customer. Make sure to answer the customer's question of, "What's in it for me?" In the previous example, XYZ Cleaning's benefit is "quality time with your family." The company may be fast and efficient, but their most valuable benefit is time spent with loved ones.

Use These Samples When Writing Sales Letters