Good letters are an essential part of the sales process - especially the first letter you write to a new contact. Whether this initial letter is following a telephone conversation, a contact with a colleague of theirs or is a personalised volume mailer, you need to present your contact with a good letter that has real impact. Good letters create good impressions, so you need to get it right first time.

Some people have a natural flair for writing good sales letters, but everyone can learn the essential points. Here are some initial suggestions about really effective letters.

HOW DO I STRUCTURE A SALES LETTER?

A good basic approach is what’s known as the ‘AIDA principle’. Base your letter around four or five paragraphs, focusing them on the following:

A – Attention. Grab the reader’s attention right away with an interesting statement or ‘hook’. A referral, person’s name or project is a good start.
I – Interest. Back up your initial statement with a second paragraph that piques the reader’s interest in you, perhaps by outlining your relevant experience.
D – Desire. Strengthen your appeal even more with further relevant facts, figures, commendations and so on. Answer the question, “Why should I consider you for this job?”
A – Finally, state the action that you will be taking. In the early stage of a contact, it’s your responsibility to follow up.
Here are some more tips on a writing good letter.

1. Clarity is crucial – you must make sure your letter is easy to read. As a rule, paragraphs should be a maximum of five lines and sentences shouldn’t comprise more than 20 words .
2. Make it interesting. This is not a report! Write as if you were talking to your reader, making the letter a continuation of your previous conversation.
3. Think about how your letter looks. Make it attractive to look at by laying it out well with plenty of white space.
4. Make sure all spelling is correct – particularly the recipient’s name and title.
5. Finally, and crucially, make sure that the letter is ‘you’-orientated. Don’t be shy – tell your reader how much hiring you will benefit them. Fill your letter with examples of these advantages. By ensuring that there are more instances of ‘you’ than ‘we’ in the letter, it will seem to make it all about them – and a little ego-massaging couldn’t hurt!

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