What do you do when
you get a brochure in the mail?

Most people will either
toss it out or file it away. Hardly anyone gives it more
than just a casual glance on the way to the circular file.

What you need is an action device, and that's what a letter
will give you. You need to take advantage of the greatest
benefit direct mail has for you - personalized, intimate
conversations.

A letter allows you to "talk" one-on-one to your prospect.
That means you should use "I" and "me" and "you" freely in
your letter. Don't use the corporate sounding "we".

Remember just one person is reading your letter at once.
So don't write in the plural, even if your mailing is going
out to thousands and thousands of people. Just sit down and
write the same way you'd talk to a friend over dinner
explaining the advantages and benefits of the product or
service you're offering.

Start your letter with a compelling, benefit-driven
headline. Prospects will decide to continue reading by the
headline. If your headline fails to capture their attention
and keep them engaged, your letter will quickly end up in
the rubbish.

The most common mistake you can make is to put your company
name, big and bold on top of the letter. This is the worst
thing you can possibly do. You see, every person is
concerned with one thing: *What's in it for me?*

Your company name does not show what, if any, benefits, the
prospect will get from your letter. So put your company
name at the bottom of the page where it belongs.