When writing direct mail it is vital that you understand what direct mail is and how is intended to work. Direct mail is in essence a written brochure with a twist. It is a form of direct-response advertising, but unlike other printed ads it has the added goal of asking the reader to follow a specific call to action (such as send a reply card, visit a website, call you back, use a coupon, etc.). One of the most common forms of direct mail is a personal letter. Writing a direct mail letter may sound very simple, but this is hardly the case. Sales letters are one of the most complex and least understood of all direct mail.

If your first sentence does not hook the reader they will toss it aside before they ever get to your message. If the call to action is not clearly stated your response rate will suffer. As a guide for those taking on the task of direct mail advertising, I have provided the following top 15 tips for how to write a direct mail sales letter:

1.) Your message must match the audience

If your message (and your letter should have only one main theme) does not meet the needs of your recipient, don’t be surprised if your letter fails to drive anyone to act.

2.) Get directly to the point

Never begin your letter with fluffy introductions or general information – you will loose your reader within seconds. It is of critical importance that you hook the reader with the first line of your letter.

3.) Lay out your entire message in the first paragraph

Like writing for a newspaper, you must understand that many people will not go beyond the first paragraph. The first paragraph must summarize your entire message in just a few lines. If a person only reads the first paragraph of your letter you want to ensure your message was received.

4.) Always sell the benefits, never sell the features

If you are a marketer than you should already know this, but many business owners (and clients) fall in love with the features of their products. They already know the product and feel the features are the most important, your potential customers do not. Customers want to know how they stand to benefit from your product. For example, a feature of the word processing software you are using to write your letter is that it allows you to write and edit your letter on-screen, rather than having to retype the entire page with each revision. The benefits are the time savings and increased productivity. Sell the benefits!

5.) Keep the letter personal

Every letter MUST be personalized and use the reader’s name in the salutation. This can easily be accomplished by running a mail-merge on your list – there is no excuse for ever using a generic greeting. You must also keep the writing style personal. The letter must sound genuine and appeal to the reader. Many marketers who write direct mail letters for a living aim to use “you” words at least five times for every “I” word. It is important for the reader to hear you speaking directly to them.

6.) Your letter’s intent is to generate leads – not sales

This is probably one of the most misunderstood concepts of direct mail. The goal of any direct mail letter is to generate leads through a specific response or call to action. Your letter should not intend to sell a person directly. The sales pitch is a very distinct and subsequent step in the process. The purpose of your letter is only to get a foot in the door.

7.) Keep it simple

It doesn’t matter if your target audience is highly educated, you must dumb down your writing. You have to avoid using big words that make the letter look technical. Keep to short words and sentences throughout the letter. You do not want your reader to toss the letter aside because it looks long or complex without even reading it. When you are writing your letter ask yourself honestly, “Would I read this if it came to me in the mail?”

8.) White space is your friend

Readers are instantly turned off by large blocks of text. If your first paragraph is more than a few lines, you have already lost the reader. People make an instant assessment of the letter and decide whether or not they will actually read it. The letter must look like a quick read from the moment the recipient lays eyes on it. Always use short paragraphs and try to use bullets and numbered lists when ever possible. Leave space between paragraphs to allow the reader some time to breathe and rest their eyes.

9.) Always keep your letters to one page

Remember that decision makers (and in general all people) are very busy. You have a only a couple of minutes to state your intent and develop a call to action, so keep your letter brief and to the point. Make your point, sell the benefits, keep it simple and easy to read, and keep it to one page and you will get a much better response rate.

10.) Make a “free” offer

Offer the reader something – anything! Provide them with free information, tips, coupons, samples, whatever. Just give them something they can take from the letter without owing you anything. Often this can be accomplished simply by using your website. Direct them to a free resource, video demonstration, presentation, or archive of further reading.

11.) Add a ticking clock

Deadlines and time-frames generally increase response rates. If the reader feels a sense of urgency they are more likely to follow your call to action now as opposed to put it off. Even if there is no real deadline, make one up.

12.) Offer a guarantee

This may not apply for every situation, but if you can offer a guarantee – do it. Even if you simply guarantee a personal follow-up, a second letter, your customer service, pricing, whatever, try to offer something that you guarantee will happen (and be sure to make it happen). Guaranteeing a follow through on your promise or offer will develop a sense of trust in the reader.

13.) Provide testimonials

Why try to convince your reader something directly, when you can have satisfied customers do it for you? Nothing speaks louder for your product or services than a happy past customer.

14.) Call to action

Of all the tips I have presented on this page, the call to action is by far the most important. Before writing your letter, identify what your goal is. What are your trying to get the reader to do? Keep in mind you are looking to generate leads at this stage, not sales, and that your call to action must be clearly defined. Do you want them to call you directly, visit your website, return a survey, attend a seminar? Once you have identified your call to action, you must come right out and ask for it. If your goal is for them to contact you for a demonstration, why not end the letter with, “Call me today at 800-123-4567 for a free demonstration.” If you never tell your reader what you expect of them, don’t be surprised if they let you down.

15.) End with a postscript (P.S.)

Study after study has shown that as people drift their eyes across the page they tend to stop on the postscript, often reading it before they even read the first sentence of the letter. For this reason, I almost always include a postscript to restate the call to action and remind the reader of the main benefit of the offer or product.