Frequently clients will ask me, “How can you write effective sales letters so fast?” 

One of my clients even shared with me how much time he was spending, hunched over his keyboard, trying to create the “perfect” winning sales letter.

A long time ago, my personal mentor and good trusted friend told me a secret that I have used ever since to write sales letters and any other type of business (or personal) letter.  I shared this tip with my client and he’s spending much less time agonizing over his sales letters now.

The “secret” is a little copywriting trick known by the acronym:  AIDA.  No, I’m not talking about some Italian opera ... AIDA stands for:  Attention, Interest, Desire and Action, the 4 components every good letter must have.

Here’s how it works:

Attention
Think about the person you are writing to.  What will benefit them?  Why should they care about what you have to say? If you keep your writing focused on how what you have to say will benefit them, you’ll capture their attention and compel them to keep reading.

Interest
Once you’ve captured their attention with your benefits, it’s time to back those benefits up and hold your reader’s interest with a few facts.  Keep it short and sweet, but give ‘em the facts – this stuff just isn’t that interesting and won’t keep your reader riveted to your letter for long.

If you told your reader at the start of your letter that your product would help him lose 30 lbs. by next week – you better be ready to back that up with some facts about the ingredients in your product that will do just that.  (And if you DO have a product guaranteed to cause that kind of weight loss, call me!)

Desire
Now that your reader is interested in what you have to say, you need to help them understand why they should buy from you … most people buy on emotion, and then look for logical reasons to back up their decision.  Don’t make them have to work too hard to rationalize their decision!  Tell them about the advantages of buying from you, provide an iron-clad guarantee, offer a great deal and back it all up with testimonials from satisfied customers.  (If we were fishing, this is where I’d tell you to “set the hook”!)

Action
Here’s where you reel ‘em in!  Make sure you close with a strong call-to-action that gets them to click the “order now” button or pick up the phone immediately.  Something like:

HURRY!  Limited Time Offer – Act Now – Don’t Miss Out!  Call Now to Place Your Order or visit us as www.lose30lbsnow.com (hey, if you DO have that product, that domain is available – I just checked as I made it up).

Make sure you provide order details or instructions on what you want the reader to do – what kind of action should they take?  Call for more information?  Place an order immediately?  State it very clearly and make it super-easy to do and you will be surprised at how successful this simple little formula will make your next sales letter writing project!

About Melberg Marketing
Melberg Marketing specializes in powerful copywriting, compelling graphic design and professional marketing consulting that gets you noticed.  If you'd like to start marketing DIFFERENTLY, give us a call!

Ask us how we can put AIDA to work for your business, improving your sales letters - and your profits!

Want to see more articles like this one? Visit our website and click on "learn more" from the home page - you'll find our past issues of Blue Chip Tips archived there for your reading enjoyment.

Want to use this article in YOUR eZine or business publication? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Caroline Melberg, "the Blue Chip Marketing Guru" publishes the popular "Blue Chip Tips" bi-weekly eZine. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, increase your sales and ignite your speed to market by learning "insider" Blue Chip Marketing secrets, get your FREE tips now at www.melberg.com.

Caroline Melberg • Melberg Marketing • caroline@melberg.com • 952-473-1007 • www.melberg.com

2.  Blue Chip Quip:

"The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams”
-- Oprah Winfrey

3.  Blue Chip Interesting Facts:

According to the findings from the latest Direct Marketing Association Statistical Fact Book (compiled by the DMA’s research department):

• Internet advertising in 2005 surpassed $12.5 Billion, up more than 30% from 2004.

• 63% of consumers shop from catalogs, on the Internet, via phone, or by mail – because it is more convenient. 

• Reports of Direct Mail’s death are greatly exaggerated:  Direct Mail (excluding catalogs) is still the top direct marketing method used by marketers.

4.  Questions and Feedback

Have a Blue Chip Marketing question, problem or idea to share?  Send it to us at: bluechiptips@melberg.com

We'd LOVE to hear from you!