Your Pre Approach Letter
Your Pre Approach Letter
But he has to open the envelope first, and if he's like most of us who get a lot of mail, much is discarded unopened. In most cases it's the stereotyped ones, those with a company name in the corner, a typed address, and mass mailing stamp.
So don't use a company envelope, use your own, write the address by hand, and stick on a real stamp. This doesn't mean the prospect will read your letter, but it increases the probability that he'll open the envelope.
When he unfolds your letter you must have something to grab his attention, and get him to read on. A bold-faced line at the top of your message. If you've been referred it could read, "Why did Jack Jones consult me?", or "Why did Jack Jones suggest that I contact you?".
If you haven't been referred, then you have to have a very strong 'grabber' headline.
The tabloids at the supermarket check-out counters are good at this. They name a well-known person and state something unbelievable about them such as "Kirstie Alley now weighs 302 pounds!", or pose it as a question "Which well-known TV star now weighs 302 pounds? (see inside)".
And people take them off the rack to leaf though or buy. So we know that it works.
How can we use it?
Find a well-known person whose financial record is abysmal. For example, "What top TV star left his debts to his widow?"
The exact amount of the debts would add to the urge to read on. For example, "What top TV star's death left his widow $1,200,000 in debt?" has more grabbing power.
Your message might then read, "Unfortunately, he could never spare the time for a financial advisor to explain better ways to pay off his outstanding tax liabilities.
"You probably don't owe as much as Ernie Kovacs did, nor have a movie actress wife such as Edie Adams who could earn enough (though it took her years) to pay it all off.
"You are more fortunate than him though, if you can spare the time to see me for a few minutes next week to explore some financial planning ideas that can benefit both you and your family.
"Please expect my phone call Monday morning to arrange a suitable time."
The sole purpose of the letter is to set up an appointment, so don't add in other stuff that might distract from this all -important goal. Tempting though it may be, do not add product promotions.
Oops! Running too long. More in the next issue.
Your Pre Approach Letter - To learn more about this author, visit Donald F. Pooley's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
The last issue dwelt on the significance of your letterhead in building credibility with a prospect you haven't yet met.
But he has to open the envelope first, and if he's like most of us who get a lot of mail, much is discarded unopened. In most cases it's the stereotyped ones, those with a company name in the corner, a typed address, and mass mailing stamp.
So don't use a company envelope, use your own, write the address by hand, and stick on a real stamp. This doesn't mean the prospect will read your letter, but it increases the probability that he'll open the envelope.
When he unfolds your letter you must have something to grab his attention, and get him to read on. A bold-faced line at the top of your message. If you've been referred it could read, "Why did Jack Jones consult me?", or "Why did Jack Jones suggest that I contact you?".
If you haven't been referred, then you have to have a very strong 'grabber' headline.
The tabloids at the supermarket check-out counters are good at this. They name a well-known person and state something unbelievable about them such as "Kirstie Alley now weighs 302 pounds!", or pose it as a question "Which well-known TV star now weighs 302 pounds? (see inside)".
And people take them off the rack to leaf though or buy. So we know that it works.
How can we use it?
Find a well-known person whose financial record is abysmal. For example, "What top TV star left his debts to his widow?"
The exact amount of the debts would add to the urge to read on. For example, "What top TV star's death left his widow $1,200,000 in debt?" has more grabbing power.
Your message might then read, "Unfortunately, he could never spare the time for a financial advisor to explain better ways to pay off his outstanding tax liabilities.
"You probably don't owe as much as Ernie Kovacs did, nor have a movie actress wife such as Edie Adams who could earn enough (though it took her years) to pay it all off.
"You are more fortunate than him though, if you can spare the time to see me for a few minutes next week to explore some financial planning ideas that can benefit both you and your family.
"Please expect my phone call Monday morning to arrange a suitable time."
The sole purpose of the letter is to set up an appointment, so don't add in other stuff that might distract from this all -important goal. Tempting though it may be, do not add product promotions.
Oops! Running too long. More in the next issue.
Your Pre Approach Letter - To learn more about this author, visit Donald F. Pooley's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
Nice layout.Easy to use
Commented on Your Pre Approach Letter. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|||
Kim CastleWith 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 |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Donald's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Why New Businesses Fail Super Productivity Women Entrepreneurs Networking To Get Results Powerful Living |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs | |
 |
Top 50 Blogs For Startups
Top Blogs To Watch In 2009 | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
