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by Patrick Tan

A sale transaction occurs when a buyer is convinced that an exchange of money for good or service is favorable to him. This act of convincing is what we commonly call "selling". In many instances, particularly in cyber-selling, a sale may be concluded solely by written persuasion via the emails or web pages.

Contrary to popular belief, successes in sales do not always go to those who rely on a "gift of gab" for success. Instead, they go to those who have thorough knowledge and understanding of what they have to offer to their target consumers.

Similarly, the secrets to successful sales writing lie in thorough thinking and preliminary planning. If the right questions have been asked and answered beforehand, the writing will be easier and the message will be many times more persuasive.

+ Do you know your product well?
+ What are its best features?
+ How is it different from competitive products?
+ What are its strengths and weaknesses with references to competitive products?
+ Who are our prospective customers?
+ What are their needs and how best can we serve them?
+ What specific action is wanted?

From the above questions, you should notice that it is not enough just to have good product knowledge. You must have in- depth knowledge of the competitions and consumers as well. You may have to undertake some research by going through past industry and newspaper's reports.

The emphasis here is to cultivate a "YOU" attitude - everything you say or write must be presented from the consumer's perspective in the right competitive environment.

With all the relevant facts and figures on hand, you are now ready to start writing the sales letter. A common approach is to use the AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire and Action) procedure, which summarizes the selling process in four steps:

1. Getting the prospect's attention.
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The first sentence is the most important message in an unsolicited sales letter. It must grab the reader's attention and arouse desire to read the sentences that follows.

There are many successful techniques. You can highlight a solution to a problem; announce a bargain; offer a gift; raise a question; or identify a product's key feature. The choices are limited only by your own imagination.

Nevertheless, a good attention-getting technique must have the following characteristics:
+ It is related to the products and its key benefits.
+ It focuses on a key selling point.
+ It addresses the reader's needs.
+ It is original, interesting and straight to the point.

Remember that people are unique and they respond to stimulus differently. You should try each and every technique you can think of and in the process, monitor the responses to your sales letters to identify the best way to appeal to your prospects.

For example:
source: IMC Web site http://www.aloha-city.com/imc/

Why reinvent the wheel ... when you can learn from the experts!

A group of highly successful Internet marketers have created a private Web site to share their experience and expertise. Why waste your time, energy and resources doing everything on your own? Learn from the experts and direct your time to building your business and making more money in a shorter period of time.

2. Arousing interest in the product.
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You are off to a good start if your first paragraph helps the reader identify something that he may need to solve his problems. Taking the cue from the above example, you should then proceed to stress the key benefits of joining the private Web site as a member.

Note: You must always remember to use an active voice. Put the reader in a scenario where he can see how the product or service will benefit him.

For example:

Can you picture the speed at which your business will grow and thrive when you're able to...
+ Get your questions answered free of charge by Internet consultants as often as you want.
+ Get your Web site or marketing campaign evaluated free of charge by these experts. + Get the latest insider's tips on starting, promoting and marketing your business, product, or service online.
+ The information on the site is constantly updated! As an IMC member, you'll learn everything we know as soon as we discover it!

Sound good so far? Then stop what you're doing and listen carefully: Because the Internet is evolving so fast - and the rules of the game are changing at lightning speed - few businesses can keep up. That is our challenge. We will keep you on top of the "rules of the game" so that you can meet the challenge and win... over and over again!

The above example only presents a one-sided argument on the merits of taking up the IMC membership. How is it different from competitive products? What are its strengths and weaknesses compared to competitive products?

These questions are most likely to be raised in the reader's mind, and if left unanswered, would pose a hindrance to closing a sale. Continuing with our above example, IMC must explain why referring to marketing books and other online marketing courses won't deliver the desired results.

3. Creating desire by presenting convincing evidence.
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In step 2, you have successfully introduced your product or service and made various claims on its purported benefits. Assuming that you have aroused the reader's interest, you must now present enough supporting evidence to turn the interest into desire.

Few people will believe us if we exaggerate claims or make general statements without supporting them with facts and figures. The key is to be objective at all times. Whenever possible, you can also rely on the following tools to support your statements:

+ Use testimonials.
A good testimonial from a satisfied customer is worth a thousand words. This is especially so if the customer has a credible track record in the industry. If your customers do not send testimonials to you voluntarily, you can request for their comments through questionnaires or follow-up correspondences.

+ Offer a guarantee.
Nothing beats a "full refund if you are not satisfied" guarantee, especially in overcoming the inherent inhibitions that consumers have in making purchases online.

+ Present your credentials.
This is absolutely necessary if you are offering a professional service. Most people will believe anything a winner says and will take the extra steps to emulate his success. If you are an expert in a particular field, don't hesitate to present your track records prominently in your sales letter. It can work wonders!

4. Calling for action.
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You can increase your chance of getting an action by: + asking for a specific action confidently; + offering a reward or bonus for taking action; and + creating an urgency to act immediately with a special time- sensitive offer.

Let's go back to our IMC example to see how this is done:

By registering today, Thursday, June 01, 2000, I will personally see to it that you get 50% off the standard registration fee of $500.00 per year!

Plus, you will get all three bonuses - Ezine advertising database and three months of free web hosting. And don't forget - your IMC membership is also tax-deductible!

So, if you want the $250.00 price reduction, register today. This is a limited time offer. We have raised the membership fee numerous times over this past year. It's very simple... you must take action today if you want results tomorrow!

The above writing tips should help you get started on writing an effective sales letter yourself. Remember that practice makes perfect and the best way to learn how to write sales letter effectively is to try out as many versions as you can. Monitor the responses from each version closely and in the process, identify the best way to appeal to your prospects.