Support Your Sales Letter With

Response-Boosting Components

Is your sales letter feeling a bit lonely? He may be if you’re sending him out all alone, with nothing to share his envelope. And he’s probably worn out from doing the hard work of selling all by himself.

He could do a lot better if he had a little help. Adding a few components to your mailing will give him the support he needs – and boost your response rates at the same time.

Envelopes That Get The Sale Started

It’s estimated that your prospect is inundated with 17 different solicitations in his mailbox every week. So, like most of us, he checks his mail with his sales-defense shields on high. He sorts his mail standing over a trash can, giving each piece about 3 seconds consideration before deciding its fate. 

Your job is to get past those defenses and get your letter opened. And your envelope has a lot to do with your chances for success.

There are two common tactics in sales letter envelopes. Tactic #1 is to try getting in under the radar: Leave the envelope blank, hand write the address if possible, and leave the return address blank (or include only the actual address, with no company name).  Hopefully, your prospect will mistake you for an actual personal letter, and you’ll at least get opened.

Tactic #2 is to come out with phasers on kill: Not only does your envelope admit to carrying a sales message inside, it actually launches into that message before it’s even opened – with a headline printed right on the outside.

So which one works better? Well, Tactic #1 may be opened more often. But Tactic #2 will usually have a better response (with one important caveat, which we’ll talk about in a minute). Why?

Because Tactic # 1 gets your envelope opened, but unfortunately, it’s for all the wrong reasons. Your prospect tore it open thinking it could be a letter from Dear Aunt Susie. Or perhaps an old Sweetheart – who knew? Instead, he’s hit between the eyes with a sleazy sales message! He’s immediately disappointed and a bit miffed, and the letter winds up in the round file after all.

Tactic #2 works better because it’s honest. When well done, it connects with the prospect’s core buying emotion and sets him up for the sale. It draws him in, tickling his desire from the get-go.

Notice I said, “When well done.” (That’s the important caveat). Teaser copy on an envelope is just like a headline: It’s got to be good to work. Boring, irrelevant teasers get tossed. “Me-based” teasers get tossed.

But great teasers, the ones that look at the package from the prospects point of view, and speak directly to his core desires and emotions, get opened. And, if the letter inside continues to tap into those emotions, and fulfills the promises made in the teaser, a great teaser can deliver on the promise of a great response.

Buckslips That Back Up Your Sales Message

Imagine you’re holding a tiny slip of paper, about the size of a check. Hold it so that it’s long instead of wide. But be sure you hold it carefully, because that little slip of paper is packed with power.

The power to increase response to your sales letter by up to 50%.

“Really?” you say, looking down in disbelief. “This little slip of paper?”

Yes! Because that little slip of paper you hold in your hand is called a “buckslip.” Write a testimony on it from a satisfied customer, or an expert of some kind. Maybe use it to tout a benefit not otherwise covered in your sales letter. Or even pound home your guarantee.

Then, insert that little slip of paper with your sales letter and watch your response rate grow! Well-written buckslips can – and often do – increase response rates by as much as 50%. That means a letter that’s pulling a decent 1% can jump to an even healthier 1.5% just by adding a buckslip.

So what is it about these little slips of paper that make such a big difference?

Well, a buckslip is a hard working little guy. He actually serves 2 purposes: First of all, he brings the prospect into the letter with a good feeling, and second, he provides a final push after the letter has been read.

Some prospects will tear into your sales letters, holding them over the trash while they read, thinking they’ll just skim over it before tossing. A good buckslip jumps right out at those hurried readers, capturing their attention and pulling them into your letter before they even realize it.

Others read your letter and are almost convinced. They’re interested, but just aren’t ready to commit and plunk down their hard-earned cash. But then out pops our powerful buckslip, who gives them that final push towards the sale.

Just remember: buckslips are powerful little guys. They’re not a whole second sales letter.

The most successful buckslips hit one selling point – and hit it hard. They’re written on a small piece of paper for good reason. Lack of space forces you to narrow your focus and give your prospect a specific, concrete reason why he should purchase your product or service right now.

Reply Devices That Seal The Deal

You should never treat your reply device as an afterthought. Because studies have shown that, once your prospect has opened the envelope, he reads the reply device before he reads anything else.

That holds true no matter what kind of mailing you’ve sent – be it lead generation, direct sales, or even fundraising.

That makes your reply device a crucial component of your overall package. Use it to get your prospect into the copy.

How? You make sure to include all of the most compelling elements of your sales letter. Be sure it speaks in the same tone of voice as your letter, and connects with the same emotions.

Re-state your big promise or idea. Go back over a benefit or two. And reiterate your offer so your prospect knows what he’s getting.

And above all, hammer home your absolute no-risk-whatsoever guarantee. Be sure your prospect understands that he has nothing at all to lose by giving your product or service a shot.

Make it as easy as possible for your prospect to respond. Give him a number to call. A website to visit. A handy-dandy postage paid envelope – whatever you can offer him.

Remember, your reply device is the first impression in what you hope is a long relationship. Make it as simple, easy and compelling as you possibly can.

Stronger Components, Stronger Package

There’s no doubt that your letter does the major pulling when it comes to generating response. But when it has the help of several other strong components, your entire package is strengthened. Your response rate goes up and you make more money.

And that is what business is all about.

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Does your marketing forge an emotional connection with your prospects? It can. Lisa Packer is “The Copywriter You Can Count On” for powerful, persuasive copy delivered on time, every time. Visit www.lisapacker.com and unleash the power of words in your business today!