Obviously using a teaser marks envelope as containing a commercial solicitation. This will insure it gets tossed unopened by 95% to 98% of recipients who have no interest in buying an airplane. But that's OK, because my goal isn't to convince unconvinceable. I want to reach real prospects, 2% to 5% who could be in market for this kind of product.

There are plenty of times when using a teaser is not appropriate. If you aren't sure to use one or not, you can always test. In that case, perform an A/B split test using a small part of your mailing list. Then, whichever version gives better result is used when rolling out complete mailing.

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But that's just part of equation. You also need to paint that fear or greed in ways that are believable to your prospects. And you need to offer a real solution to emotional needs triggered by your copy. That's what prompts your prospects to buy.

For example, let's say "fear of never finding a soul mate" is emotional trigger you want to exploit in marketing an online dating service for hopeless romantics.

You might begin such a sales letter like this.

"Dear Friend,

"Last year I received a letter that broke my heart. It was from a woman named Kathy who had completely given up on ever finding true love.

"Life held no special joys for Kathy. Her words on that single hand written page painted a grim portrait of an empty, lonely life..."

If someone reading your letter fears never finding true love themselves, this opening will probably evoke an immediate emotional response. They can identify with Kathy. You have their attention, now what do you do?

You need to offer a solution, perhaps to Kathy's immediate problem, but certainly to your prospect's problem. (They're really one and same, aren't they?) And you need to offer lots of specifics to help make it believable. Maybe continuing letter with something like this:

"But there's a happy ending to this story. Only four months afterwards I received a second, much longer letter from Kathy. She told me about just returning from an incredible honeymoon in Paris, and all about her wonderful new husband Brian.

"She shared their plans for an exciting, bright future together in a picturesque New England town. She told me about some of little things in life that suddenly held special meaning, like picking apples together and long walks on beach. About what it meant to have finally found her true soul mate after so many years.

"I was ecstatic for Kathy of course. But hardly surprised. In fact I could tell you about 5,735 other success stories just like Kathy's. That's how many couples have gotten married after first connecting through Soul Mates Forever.

"And you could be next success story."

Deciding which emotional trigger to emphasize in your copy can be challenging. You need to carefully study nature of both product and prospects to choose right one. When in doubt, look to those old standbys fear and greed and you won't be far off mark.

This article may be reprinted freely as long as author's resource box is included and article content is not changed in any way.