Let’s say you have a promotion going on with a particular product – you want to get the word out fast, but you also want the promotion to be effective.

A well-crafted sales letter is definitely the way to go.

How do you write one of those? Let’s break it down in 4 easy steps:

1. Promise

This needs to be in your headline, subhead, and first paragraph. You are telling the reader what they can expect to gain by reading your letter.

It’s essential that the rest of the sales letter follows through with this promise, or your prospect will walk away feeling cheated, and you will have missed out on a sale.

Notice the headline on this page? There are actually 2 promises here – write a killer sales letter (1), and increase your sales (2). A third promise in the first paragraph is “effective promotion.”

2. Picture

Imagine what would happen if you followed all 4 steps I’m about to show you, wrote a successful sales letter, and doubled your sales in less than a month…

What would your spouse say? What would the expression be on his/her face when they checked the bank account?

Would you guys pack up the kids and the dogs and head out for a much-needed vacation?

In the picture phase of your sales letter, you need to make the prospect “see” how life would be different once she’s purchased your product.

This “seeing” doesn’t necessarily need to be visual. It could be something as nontangible as peace of mind knowing you’re feeding your dog treats that are made from 100% natural ingredients.

3. Proof

Once you sell your prospect on an emotional level, which you did in the “picture” phase of your sales letter, now you’ve got to give him reason to justify making the purchase.

This phase always comes AFTER the picture phase – otherwise, you’ll bore your prospect with facts and figures before they’re ready to hear them.

For a sales letter, boredom is death…

Only after you’ve led them down the path to seeing how life can be different with your product is it now safe to back up what you say with facts, figures, and testimonials.

Is your pet food the best because it’s loaded with Vitamins A and D? Why are they so special? What will they do for my dog that the food I’m feeding him now doesn’t do?

In this phase also, you want to focus on benefits not features. A good way to remember this is to keep asking yourself, “So what?”

For example: Our all-natural dog food is 100% organic – So what?

Well, that means the ingredients contain no chemicals – Again, so what?

“No chemicals” means your dog won’t be eating stuff that can give him cancer or heart disease.

When describing your product, boil all of them down to their essential benefits this way. Keep asking yourself “So what?” until you know precisely what benefit(s) your product offers.

This is also the phase for testimonials. I can’t stress enough how important it is to use actual testimonials. You might think you can just make them up, but you’d be wrong…

Prospects can smell a fake testimonial right away. I’ve seen them, and I’m certain you have too. Do not make that mistake. Your testimonials should come from customers who have used your product.

4. Push

So you promised your customer what she’ll get if she buys your product. Not only that, but you’ve shown her how things will be different once she puts your product to use.

Then you showed her the science, and she read about other people’s experiences with your product.

Now it’s time…

To ask for the sale. You’ve earned it – and if your prospect has read this far, the likelihood of him buying is pretty high. You need to state, in no uncertain terms, exactly what you want your prospect to do next.

Is it click a button? Is it fill out a form? This part needs to be as simple and pain-free as possible.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had some horrendous experiences trying to buy things online. I remember reading the sales letter, being excited about the product, clicking the “Order Now” button, and I’m taken to a page where I’m not certain what to do next.

At this point, regardless of how much I want the product, I usually exit the page, and the marketer loses a sale.

Make it so there is only ONE OPTION your prospect can take. ONE link – ONE product.

Other stuff to keep in mind…

You’ve got to write like you talk. In fact, as I’m writing this right now, I’m mouthing the words as I type. You should, too. Keep your tone as conversational as possible – just like you’re talking to your best friend.

Which brings up another important point…

Always talk to one person when you’re writing. Avoid phrases like “you guys.” Even though thousands of people will be reading your sales letter, the only one you’re talking to is “you.”

Why would customers want to buy from you?

In a past life, I sold cars for a living…

The cars I sold could be bought at any dealership that sold Chevrolet – but you know what customers couldn’t get at another dealership? Me.

As a pet business owner/marketer, you may find yourself in a similar situation. What makes you stand out as the obvious choice? What do you have that no other pet business in the world has?

A perfect place to illustrate this is your blog. And, if you don’t currently have one, I recommend you start one ASAP.

Summary

Writing a sales letter to sell a product is one of the most effective ways to do so. When written well, a sales letter can bring you tons of business even while you sleep.

Always remember to follow what are known as the 4 P’s – Promise, Picture, Proof, and Push – when writing your sales letter. This will give you an almost fool-proof formula, ensuring you not only connect with your prospect, but that prospects are excited by the time they reach the end, ready to take advantage of your offer.

As a professional content/copywriter who specializes in the pet industry, I help pet business professionals write effective sales letters, landing pages, blog posts, and email newsletters. If you’d like some help in any of these areas, click here to contact me.