| Your direct mail package clears a major | | | | and be more competitive.Are you selling an |
| hurdle as your prospect opens the envelope. | | | | award-winning product with good reviews? If |
| One hand reaches in and pulls out the letter | | | | so, here's another way you can put your |
| while the other sets the envelope aside. | | | | positive press to good use...with this |
| Unfolded now and in full view, the reader | | | | straightforward opening that cuts to the |
| glances down at the first couple of lines.The | | | | chase and gets right down to business:Windows |
| moment of truth has arrived and you are -- in | | | | User Magazine voted it the Best Windows |
| the form of your letter -- face-to-face with | | | | Utility of 2004. |
| your prospect. Your fate is in their hands. | | | | |
| And the next three to five seconds will | | | | PC Magazine says it's "...essential...hard |
| largely determine whether your marketing | | | | to imagine running Windows without it..." |
| effort succeeds or fails. Because it's during | | | | |
| these critical first few seconds that your | | | | PC Computing says it's "...a lean and mean |
| prospect decides whether or not to continue | | | | program-launching machine that should be |
| reading.That's why the foremost objective of | | | | found on every Windows user's |
| your opening is to capture the prospect's | | | | computer..."This is what legendary copywriter |
| attention. Every competent sales person knows | | | | and direct marketing Pro Herschell Gordon |
| that this is step one in the selling process, | | | | Lewis calls the "here's what the experts say" |
| for without attention there can be no | | | | opening and no lead-in is needed. Immediately |
| -Interest | | | | after the salutation you launch right into it |
| | | | by quoting the favorable comments of industry |
| Conviction | | | | experts.3.Build Rapport - As you know, in the |
| | | | beginning of every sales presentation you |
| Desire | | | | make a concerted effort to build a rapport |
| | | | with your prospect. You try to find common |
| Close"OK. Show Me What You've Got."Have you | | | | ground. Interests that the two of you share. |
| ever had this happen to you in a face-to-face | | | | You look for opportunities to pay sincere |
| sales presentation? You're escorted into your | | | | compliments.Starting your sales letter off in |
| prospect's office. And no sooner than you | | | | a similar fashion can be a good way to |
| shake hands and settle into your chair the | | | | capture the favorable attention of your |
| prospect, arms folded across his chest, | | | | prospect. For example, you're a tour guide |
| stares across the desk at you and says: "OK. | | | | and your specialty is scuba diving |
| Show me what you've got."While this type of | | | | expeditions. You target a list of known scuba |
| "show me what you've got" reception is rare | | | | divers and this is how your letter opens:You |
| in face-to-face sales presentations, speaking | | | | and I are part of a remarkable group. |
| from experience I can tell you it does | | | | |
| happen. On the other hand, "show me what | | | | Someone who's never been on a scuba dive |
| you've got" is likely to be the prevalent | | | | could never understand it.See how the writer |
| attitude you encounter when "selling on | | | | creates an immediate rapport with the |
| paper." Keep this fact firmly in mind as you | | | | prospect? The core message here is, "you and |
| craft your letter opening and you'll avoid | | | | I are part of a very exclusive and very cool |
| the type of dull and irrelevant openers we | | | | group." What if the writer had started off |
| all see way too much of in our mailboxes. | | | | instead by saying, "You are part of a |
| Most important, you'll make the most of those | | | | remarkable group." The impact wouldn't have |
| critical first few seconds when your prospect | | | | been nearly as strong, would it? That's |
| focuses on your letter.Three Effective Ways | | | | because "You and I" infuses the line with the |
| To Open A Sales LetterThere are literally | | | | magical element of rapport.Here's another |
| hundreds of effective, attention-grabbing | | | | example from a B-to-B mailing:If you're like |
| ways to open a sales letter. Here are three | | | | I am, before you make a big decision you make |
| that I have found to be particularly | | | | sure you have all the facts. Just logical, |
| profitable, all of which are easily adaptable | | | | isn't it? When the stakes are high, there's |
| to any number of direct mail marketing | | | | no such thing as "too much information." |
| situations:1. Ask a question - A good | | | | (But too often we get too little |
| question is immediately reader involving; it | | | | information.)The subtext here is, "You and I |
| provokes thought and will draw the reader | | | | are smart guys. Before we make a big |
| into your message. Here are a few examples | | | | decision, we do our homework."Paying someone |
| from my client files:If I could show you a | | | | a sincere compliment can also be an excellent |
| way to slash your health insurance costs by | | | | rapport builder and letter-starting |
| 40% -- and still get top-quality care...would | | | | technique. Just be sure there's some basis |
| you be interested?A similar version of the | | | | for the compliment. (This speaks to the |
| same opening:Fed up with the high cost and | | | | importance of good list selection.)Here are a |
| burdening state mandates of ordinary health | | | | couple of examples, the first from a |
| insurance plans?And here's another | | | | subscription solicitation letter for Bon |
| question-asking opening. One nicely set up | | | | Appetit Magazine:Congratulations!You know |
| with a provocative lead in:You may regard | | | | more about sound nutrition and smart consumer |
| this as "none of my business." But I'd | | | | shopping than any generation before. You |
| appreciate your digesting this information | | | | cook with more imagination. You serve with |
| before reaching that conclusion.Here's the | | | | more style.The next example comes from a |
| question: Are you paying too much for payroll | | | | letter sent out by a collision repair shop to |
| services? And getting short-changed on | | | | build new referring relationships with |
| service?2. Be Direct and To The Point - In | | | | insurance agents.You didn't get to be as |
| many cases you're likely to be writing to the | | | | successful as you are by accident. Far from |
| classic, type A, dominant-driver | | | | it. You got there by knowing your business. |
| personalities that make up a majority of the | | | | And by knowing what's important to your |
| world's business owners and top executives. | | | | clients. Before you write your sales letter |
| One effective approach with this audience is | | | | think long and hard about what type of |
| to open your letter in a very direct and to | | | | opening will work best. Because surviving |
| the point manner such as -You've got enough | | | | your moment of truth -- when your prospect is |
| people trying to waste your time with | | | | at point blank range with you and your |
| products and services you don't really want | | | | company -- will determine whether -checks |
| or need. I'm not one of those | | | | come in |
| people.Or...Right off the bat I want you to | | | | |
| know one thing. I won't waste your time.This | | | | the phone rings |
| letter - every word of it - is about how my | | | | |
| company can help your company make more money | | | | your follow-up phone call gets through. |