Many marketers underestimate the power of the personal sales letter in an envelope direct mail piece.  Its’ the reason why an envelope package almost always beats a postcard, brochure or self-mailer.
 
In any direct mail campaign, the way that you begin your sales letter is critical. Here are 3 guidelines to help you construct a winning opening that really pulls readers in…
 

1. Skip the warm ups.
   • Don’t waste valuable time with long introductions that don’t have anything to do with your sales message.
2. Always start with your strongest selling point.
   • Why not hit the ground running? If you save the best for last, you’re likely to lose your prospect along the way.
3. Surprise your readers.
   • Build curiosity into your opening and give prospects a reason to keep reading. If you start off with something they’ve heard 100 times before, they’ll be snoring by the third sentence and you won’t make the sale.

Here’s an excerpt from a letter that my agency created and mailed for an investment client.

• Are you following these guidelines in your direct mail campaigns?
• If so, how are they working?
• If not, what do you think of these guidelines?

 
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