With email marketing campaigns to Internet landing pages now comprising a significant amount of the marketing budgets, some people have abandon the traditional, word processed pre-approach sales letter. Yet, taking this marketing and sales strategy may be somewhat short sighted.
Before anyone engages in writing any business letter, the first question needs to be answered is "What is the purpose of the communication?" Upon successfully answering this question, then and only then can a well written letter be constructed.
So what is the purpose of a pre-approach sales letter? Years ago, the answer might have been to secure that first time appointment to just a friendly introduction to just a means to increase sales. Today, I believe the purpose is two-fold:
1. First attempt to showcase what makes you different or how you stand out away from everyone else
2. First demonstration of your core values
To stand out in the crowd or to be that Red Jacket as I like to say means that you have hone and executed these sales skills when crafting that pre-approach sales letter:
1. Fact finding specific to the market place
2.Research about the qualified prospect
3. Ability to speak and write a compelling story using the A.I.D.A. model
4. Relationship selling
Sales Coaching Tip: Many pre-approach letters fail because they are not sent to qualified prospects who have a need; a dedicated budget; are the decision maker and there is urgency to take action.
Additionally, your core values must always be present from each word you speak or write to your behaviors after you send that pre-approach letter. In other words, write truthfully and avoid using language that may suggest you are less than honorable and authentic.
Every qualified prospect has specific problems or issues that they know and may not know. These issues may be commonly shared within the marketplace or be specific to that qualified prospect. Your pre-approach letter must be able to showcase your understanding of these issues and how you can potentially solve these problems.
Once you have completed your research now you must write a compelling story. The A.I.D.A. model serves as a good and consistent guideline. First your message must get their attention. Accomplishing this step may include the packaging of your letter to those first few words and how they are positioned within the letter. Small Business Sales Coaching Tip: People remember the first few words and the last ones. Your pre-approach letter needs to build interest so that they read to the bottom of the letter instead of just skipping down to the infamous P.S.
Next, your compelling story must generate both Interest and Desire. You want your qualified prospect to keep reading and begin to feel emotionally connected to what he or she is reading. Small Business Sales Coaching Tip: People buy from an emotional level first and then justify those emotions with logic.
Finally, your pre-approach sales letter must end with a call to action. If well written and there exists urgency, your letter will have your qualified prospect picking up the phone and calling you..
Research continues to demonstrate that long, pre-approach sales letters have value because these letters tell a compelling story. I believe that shorter pre-approach sales letters also have value, but you must be very careful in their construction.
Your qualified prospect is very busy. However, when you write a purposeful pre-approach sales letter that communicates an understanding of the marketplace, addresses the most pressing needs or issues and provides a potential solution all within a compelling story, you will stand out away from all of your competitors.
How to Write a Pre Approach Sales Letter that Delivers More Conversions - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors |
|
Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|
Dave Kurlan
Dave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development.
Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit.
He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine.
He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball.
He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
|
Dr. John Oda
John Oda Ph.D NLP is a business peak performance expert, an author, and speaker frequently called upon to provide corporate training, workshops and seminars for many companies in the United States. He is an expert in coaching sales and business professionals in overcoming the behaviors and obstacles that may impede their sales results and affect their bottom line. Since 1995, John has created a speaking bureau such topics, which include: time management, sales training, human diversity, leadership programs and etc. He provides companies with a strategic plan to increase their bottom line by over 25 percent yearly. - Visit Dr. John Oda's Website |
|
George Ludwig
George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance.
Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson.
His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more.
George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|
Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation.
BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them?
If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|
Vwodek Wojczynski
Business Coach and Consultant Vwodek Wojczynski (pronounced Voy-chin-ski) brings fun, awareness, accountability and fresh perspectives based on his diverse experiences in life and business.
Born in Poland and educated in Greece and Canada, he is trilingual with 8 years experience in business development with clients in Canada, USA, Switzerland and Poland.
His approach is systematic and process-driven. He fuses the know-how of proven business methods with his commitment that entrepreneurs experience satisfaction and joy based on their values, motivations and strengths. He believes that businesses succeed based on their ability to generate value by providing what’s needed and wanted.
Ultimately, he trains executives and true business owners - people who work less, produce more, own businesses that run automatically after a while and make a difference globally.
His current research focus is the development of intelligent business systems and the application of emerging artificial intelligence technologies in business.
He is also an avid traveler, spoken word performer and visual artist. He resides in Toronto, Canada. - Visit Vwodek Wojczynski's Website |
|
Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations,
networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business
ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|
The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.
|
|
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
