The 10 Laws for Writing Letters that Get Results
by  Joe Vitale

The following is a letter in response to a question
about how to write sales letters. This is something you
could model in layout, tone, and ideas, to write your
own letters. By the way, this is where your letterhead
should go. 

Dear Fellow Chicago Seminar Attendees,

Jerry Jenkins asked me to tell you how to write letters
that get read and get results. That's a tall order!

Well, here's what I think the "laws" are:

1. Know what's in it for your reader.

Get out of your ego and into your reader's ego.
Complete this sentence: "Get my book so that you
can...(fill in the blank)." Your book (or whatever you
are selling) is the feature. What people get as a
result of having your book is the benefit. Focus on
benefits. Always! Without this, your letter will bomb.

2. Write a headline that telegraphs the key benefit to
your reader.

ALWAYS use a headline. There is only ONE exception to
this rule. When you personalize your letter, the "Dear
(whoever)" opening becomes your headline. There are few
headlines more powerful than the reader's own name. The
headline is THE most important part of your letter!

Spend nearly all of your time on it. (See 30 ways to
write a headline in my book, The AMA Complete Guide to
Small Business Advertising.

3. Be brief.

Say what you have to say in terms of the reader's self
interest and shut up. This does NOT necessarily mean a
short letter. If you are trying to make a sale, and the
reader has never heard of you or your item for sell,
you may have to write four or more pages to get your
message across. If all you want is a return call, a one
page letter may do. Don' be afraid of length. People
will read any length of copy AS LONG AS IT'S
INTERESTING! For proof, check out the long letter that
got a 100% response in The Seven Lost Secrets of
Success. 

4. Always use a PS.

Always. Why do copywriters who charge upwards to
$15,000 to write a sales letter and have weeks to draft
it always use a PS? They are always read. Always.

5. Look good.

Visual attractiveness accounts for 70% of your letter's
impact. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, bulleted
points, indented paragraphs, subheads, etc. Some people
will just skim your letter, so engaging subheads and
bulleted points help reach them instantly. 

(IMPORTANT NOTE: Don't be afraid to break a sentence at
the bottom of a page to ...

... make the reader have to keep reading on to the next
page.) 

6. Outline first.

Use a planning tool such as the program Project
KickStart to help you think through your message. Or
talk to a friend. Or to a tape recorder. Or to
yourself. This also helps you get comfortable with
speaking your letter rather than writing it.

7. Write first, edit last.

Turn your inner editor off. You can rewrite later. For
now, write spontaneously and quickly to get your ideas
on paper.

8. Ask for something.

Why are you writing? You want a call. Or an order.
Something. Say so!

9. Get a reader.

Find one person to read your letter OUT LOUD in front
of you. If he (or she) has trouble reading your letter,
if he wrinkles his brow or stops to reread a sentence,
rewrite those places. Don't skip this step! It's the
secret of many professional writers.

10. Rewrite your letter again.

Is it the best you can do? Be honest! If not, throw it
away and call the person instead. Or hire a copywriter
to write it for you. Why waste your time or your
reader's with something that doesn't communicate in a
persuasive and interesting way? (I rewrote this letter
24 times!)

Well, there you have it. Of course, there are more
rules, laws, ideas and suggestions for writing letters
that get results. You should always guarantee whatever
you are selling, for example, and always offer proof
for all of your claims. But the above will get you
rolling. 

If you want more free information, see some of the
other articles here at The Copy Writing Profit Center
or send me e-mail at joe@mrfire.com.

Sincerely,

Joe Vitale Marketing Specialist (Identify yourself.
People look here to see who the letter is from.) 

PS -- Notice that you read this PS?

PPS -- Notice that you read this one, too?