How much information can you fill your letter with?

As much as you have to build a solid argument. Start by openly addressing customer's frustrations and fears. "Are you tired of throwing away money on lukewarm ads that just don't sell?" The reader is hard-pressed to disagree. Next comes aspirations; hope for a better tomorrow: "Imagine an ad campaign that can triple your sales at a minimal cost to your business!"

Pose your company as having solution; secret key, pot of gold at end of rainbow. "Watch your sales rate explode!" "Discover secrets that successful marketers know!" They're not really secrets and nothing is literally going to explode, but such language creates a sense of excitement and urgency. Build your credibility with testimonials and success stories. "Bob Luken had this to say about our system:" (list testimonial). "Marla Thompson lost 49 pounds in three months thanks to our weight loss program!"

Finally comes call to action: "Buy now, and get on path to a more properous tomorrow!" "Click here to start saving immediately!" A word to wise: once you make your point, wrap it up. Beware hypnotic effects of repeated ideas and words, and endless streams of mind-numbing copy. Not everyone succumbs to such trickery! I speak for myself when I say that after four or so paragraphs, reader is likely losing interest. At this point, one of two things may happen. They will scroll all way to end and click BUY NOW, or they will grow disgusted and leave your website.

How strong of a message do you require?

The flashy, all-I-need-now-is-a-megaphone Sales Letter doesn't work for everybody. Take hospitality industry, for example, which calls for a bit more subtlety and finesse. You don't want to appear frenzied or desperate to make sale, or you may scare away customer. Strong language can do just that. Some Lengthy Sales Letters use what I consider marketing brainwashing tactics. The brainwashing comes when you start repeating what you've already said, but in a slightly different way. Or when you follow formula I've outlined in previous paragraph, but do it no less than 12 times in body of your letter. This is a form of "loud" advertising in itself!

If you ask yourself right questions, you'll get a better idea for whether a Long Sales Letter, or any other type of advertising strategy you might have learned about, is best approach for your own company. Be honest with yourself during questioning process. It also helps to "put your feet in consumer's shoes." In my ten years as an advertiser, one thing rings true as far as I can see: more aggressively you push your products and "busier" ads, more lowbrow or "low-confidence" consumer you'll attract. As a general rule, when creating ads, less is more. So if you have a good point to make, make it in best way you can, but don't go to extremes. If your ads are always long-winded, bold and frantic, you'll attract plenty of attention. But it may not be kind of attention you want.

Copyright Dina Giolitto 2005. Use with permission.