The cold sales letter
We all have to approach people we don’t know and make them aware of our product or service. It’s how we all find new customers. One of the most effective ways of doing this is by letter.
A cold sales letter can be particularly effective because it:
• is personal to the recipient and relevant to their situation,
• gets read, unlike most advertising or leaflet drops,
• encourages your prospect to respond, even if it’s to say no!
All good sales letters follow the same sequence. They are also short; fitting comfortably on one side of your A4 headed notepaper. You need to avoid the risk of your prospect losing interest and not bothering to turn the page.
Here are the elements of a successful sales letter:
1. Salutation – if possible, start with Dear name. Avoid ‘dear sir or madam’ at all costs. At worst, use something like ‘dear homeowner’, that links the reader to your offer.
2. Headline – start the letter with a bold, relevant statement, claim or question.
3. Establish rapport – explain why you’re writing and why they need to read further
4. Define the opportunity – say exactly what you think you can offer. Quantify this in monetary terms if at all possible.
5. Offer alternatives – give two options, neither of which is to throw the letter in the bin!
6. Ask for a response – say why the reader should respond and make what you are asking for simple and low risk.
7. Sign off – always, always sign your sales letters personally. Always use blue ink so that it’s obviously genuine and not computer generated.
Example sales letter
(1)Dear householder
(2)Will your central heating break down this winter?
(3)Every winter I find myself repairing broken down central heating systems. The house is cold, there’s no hot water and everyone is stressed and uncomfortable. (4)Yet when I service a system before the bad weather comes, it doesn’t break down in mid winter. What’s more, planned maintenance almost always costs less than emergency repairs!
I service gas, oil and solid fuel systems, both domestic and commercial and carry all the relevant certifications and insurances. A typical home heating service costs just £80 including VAT. (5)I also offer a very affordable annual maintenance contract which covers servicing, any callouts and even spares.
(6)Please call me now and I’ll make sure you keep warm all winter. You can pay for a service, or simply start a maintenance contract and spread the cost. My number is 0123 456789 and I don’t mind being called in the evening!
I look forward to hearing from you and to servicing your central heating ready for the winter.
Yours sincerely
(7)