A sales letter is only one of many factors in the sale of a product or service. A need must exist, or be imagined; the customer's interest must be aroused and a choice must be made among competing salespersons and products. A sales letter probably won't accomplish all these things, but it can persuade the reader that he or she will be helped by buying the product or service.
Sales letters may be personal letters or duplicated letters (circulars) distributed to a large number of private individuals and firms. Many sales letters are prepared in series of two, three or more letters (sales series).
Sales letters often take advantage of visual aids. These include such devices as CAPITAL LETTERS, "quotation marks", underlined words, dashes --, dots ..., short paragraphs, phrases punctuated as sentences, indented paragraphs, exclamation points, and postscripts.
The purpose is to hold the attention of the reader, who, thus becomes eager to read on to find out what is interesting enough to deserve this special presentation.
There are some things that a writer of a sales letter has to bear in mind: The reader will want to know why he or she should buy; not what the product or service can do, but what it will do for the reader. This statement can be strengthened by a guarantee. Present a testimonial from a well-known person; offer a free trial period or a money-back guarantee. Let the reader know you are interested in his or her welfare.
This is what a writer of a sales letter should do:
1. Use an effective attention-getting opening.
2. Develop a central selling point. Be vivid and specific in talking up the product.
3. Present proofs of your statements.
4. Close by moving the reader to specific action.
Nouns (imenice): | Verbs (glagoli): |
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sales letter - reklamno / prodajno pismo sale - prodaja product - proizvod service - usluga salesperson - prodavac duplicated letter - cirkularno pismo circular - cirkularno pismo visual aid - vizuelna pomoć device - sredstvo quotation marks - znaci navoda dash - crta dot - tačka guarantee - garancija testimonial - uverenje, pismena preporuka trial period - probni period welfare - dobrobit schedule - raspored maintenance - održavanje venue - mesto događaja proof - dokaz lifetime warranty - doživotna garancija incentive - podstrek, stimulacija |
arouse interest - pobuditi interesovanje make choice - izabrati accomplish - postići persuade - ubediti, uveriti, nagovoriti distribute - razdeliti, raspodeliti take advantage of - koristiti hold attention - držati pažnju bear in mind - imati na umu strengthen - pojačan, ojačan develop - razviti, izgraditi talk up - promovisati fit somebody's needs - odgovarati nečijim potrebama supplement - dopuniti, nadograditi maintain - održavati hesitate - oklevati |
Adjectives and adverbs (pridevi i prilozi): | Prepositions and conjunctions (predlozi i veznici): |
among - među eager to - voljan da attention-getting - koji privlači pažnju hasty - koji je u žurbi vivid - jasan, snažan, živ on referral - po preporuci time-consuming - koji troši vreme various - različit in addition to - pored, osim unsurpassed - nenadmašan, neprevaziđen exceptional - izuzetan outstanding - izvanredan insured - osiguran licensed - ovlašćen, koji ima dozvolu |
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Nouns (imenice): | Verbs (glagoli): |
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sale – selling, marketing, dealing, trading product – goods, produce, production, creation, merchandise service – facility, system, resource salesperson – sales rep, sales representative device – gadget, machine, tool, instrument, appliance, utensil, widget guarantee – warranty, contract, bond, guaranty testimonial - reference, recommendation, credential trial period - test period, probation welfare – well-being, good, interest, security, benefit, success, profit schedule – plan, programme, agenda, calendar, timetable maintenance – upkeep, keeping, care venue - locale, locus proof –evidence, testimony, confirmation, verification, certification, authentication incentive - motive, encouragement, motivation, stimulant |
make choice – choose accomplish – realize, produce, effect, finish, complete, manage, achieve, perform persuade - urge, convince, assure distribute - hand out, deliver, give out, share take advantage of – use hold attention - keep attention bear in mind - keep in mind strengthen - reinforce, support, confirm, establish develop - form, start, develop talk up – speak in favor of; promote supplement - add to, reinforce, complement maintain – support, look after, keep hesitate – shrink from, think twice, boggle, scruple, demur |
Adjectives and adverbs (pridevi i prilozi): | Prepositions and conjunctions (predlozi i veznici): |
among – between, amidst eager to - keen, enthusiastic, passionate attention-getting - eye-catching, catchy hasty -speedy, fast, quick, prompt, rapid vivid - clear, detailed, realistic various – different, distinct in addition to - over and above; besides. unsurpassed - supreme, exceptional, incomparable exceptional – remarkable, special, excellent, extraordinary, outstanding outstanding – excellent, brilliant, impressive, distinguished licensed - permitted, allowed, sanctioned, authorized |
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Nouns (imenice): | Verbs (glagoli): |
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service - damage salesperson - buyer, client, customer, shopper, user guarantee - breach, disagreement testimonial - disapproval, concealment welfare - dissatisfactory, loss, misery schedule - disorganisation maintenance - negligence incentive - discouragement |
make choice - ignore, refuse, reject accomplish - forfeit, fail persuade - discourage, hinder distribute - withhold, maintain take advantage of - overlook, forget hold attention - ignore, reject bear in mind - disregard, abandon strengthen - discourage, neglect, weaken develop - ignore, neglect talk up - ignore, withhold supplement - reduce, take away maintain - abandon, destroy, give up, neglect hesitate - persist |
Adjectives and adverbs (pridevi i prilozi): | Prepositions and conjunctions (predlozi i veznici): |
among - away from, separate eager to - unenthusiastic, unconcerned, apathetic hasty - leisurely, cautious, careful vivid - boring, gloomy, insignificant, murky time-consuming - active, exciting, lively various - alike, similar, resembling in addition to -apart, separate unsurpassed -inferior, poor exceptional - common, inconsiderable, inferior, unexceptional outstanding - insignificant, unexceptional, unnoticeable insured - insecure licensed - unauthorised |