How to Write Blockbuster Sales Letters

How to Write Blockbuster Sales Letters Benjamin Hart DIRECTMAILCOPYWRITERS.COM Outskirts Press, Inc. Denver, Colorado The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author represents and warrants that s/he either owns or has the legal right to publish all material in this book. If you believe this to be incorrect, contact the publisher through its website at www.outskirtspress.com. How to Write Blockbuster Sales Letters All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2006 Benjamin Hart This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Outskirts Press http://www.outskirtspress.com ISBN-10: 1-59800-262-7 ISBN-13: 978-1-59800-262-1 Outskirts Press and the “OP” logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc. Printed in the United States of America Contents 1. Selling.................................................................................................1 2. The two most important rules in this entire book..............................2 3. Think “inside” the box .......................................................................4 4. The #1 reason mailings fail................................................................6 5. Direct mail is about human psychology ............................................7 6. Six reasons why a letter is your most powerful sales tool.................8 7. The most important question you must answer before you write.......12 8. Your reader is not an idiot................................................................13 9. “If you are selling fire extinguishers, first show the fire”...............14 10. The absolute necessary precondition for a sales letter to work.......15 11. The sales letter writer’s two most important jobs............................16 12. Find out what your prospect wants before you write......................17 13. The nine step formula for writing successful sales letters...............21 14. Seventeen reasons people buy..........................................................29 15. The #1 reason people buy.................................................................34 16. How to construct your offer.............................................................36 17. Positioning........................................................................................43 18. Figure out your unique selling proposition (USP) ..........................45 19. Sell just one thing.............................................................................46 20. Give away your ideas and products.................................................47 21. When you build a relationship, you have no competition...............48 22. Write as people actually speak in everyday life..............................48 23. Write a package, not just a letter......................................................49 24. Generate emotion..............................................................................50 25. Seven words or less......................................................................... 52 26. Long versus short letters.................................................................. 53 27. The all-important start of your letter............................................... 55 28. Your best lead sentence might be buried on page three................. 62 29. Get to the point immediately........................................................... 64 30. The power of the word “mistake”................................................... 64 31. You can’t sell by boring your reader.............................................. 67 32. The P.S............................................................................................. 69 33. Headlines ......................................................................................... 69 34. Force an answer............................................................................... 73 35. The Johnson box.............................................................................. 74 36. The longer you hold your reader’s attention, the better your odds of getting the sale ........................................................... 75 37. The differences between letters to business executives and mass-market letters to consumers ........................................... 76 38. Short words, short sentences, short paragraphs ............................. 80 39. Forty-two magic phrases that will help every sales letter writer........ 81 40. The importance of “scannability” .................................................. 84 41. Avoid “double stoppers”................................................................. 86 42. Get rid of “that”............................................................................... 87 43. Order forms...................................................................................... 87 44. Make it easy to buy.......................................................................... 88 45. Keep it simple and clear.................................................................. 89 46. Have you heard the one about the guy who writes hilarious sales letters? ......................................................................90 47. How does your letter sound?............................................................91 48. Your zero-cost test mailing..............................................................91 49. Ben’s 24-hour rule............................................................................92 50. Edit your letter ruthlessly.................................................................93 51. The reply envelope...........................................................................95 52. Make the case for why your reader must answer your letter right now.........................................................................96 53. Repeat, repeat, repeat .......................................................................97 54. The most powerful sentence construction in sales..........................98 55. The single most persuasive word...................................................100 56. The #1 mistake made by writers of sales letters............................102 57. The most important rule in sales....................................................103 58. The #1 way to make sure you succeed in marketing and business ...106 59. Raise the level of your guarantee...................................................107 60. Turn manure into fertilizer.............................................................109 61. The purpose of graphic art .............................................................111 62. How to get your envelope opened .................................................112 63. The most important word in direct marketing...............................118 64. You will never stand alone if you stand for something.................120 65. It’s much easier to make money in a small pond than in a big pond...........................................................................124 66. The #1 business blunder.................................................................127 67. The fastest, easiest way to improve your profitability ..................128 68. The enormous value of your “multi-buyers”.................................131 69. What we can learn from the Grateful Dead...................................132 70. Become part of your customer’s regular routine...........................135 71. An easy way to reduce requests for refunds..................................136 72. Generating leads.............................................................................137 73. Generating referrals........................................................................146 74. Conduct surveys to find qualified leads.........................................149 75. Google AdWords............................................................................154 76. Offer a free report...........................................................................158 77. You can’t sell without the right list................................................159 ... - tailieumienphi.vn