Many people say they can spot a good letter when they see it, but the problem is when it comes down to writing one, they simply freeze up. That's why I want to take you behind the scenes of a successful sales letter I wrote and illustrate the thinking that goes into writing a killer letter that generated a healthy 3810% ROI. This letter sold all of the clients overstock merchandise and they even created a waiting list.

You'll find my comments in the side notes below so let's get started...

I guarantee by using the same elements, I just illustrated, you'll see your next sales letter produce incredible results.

(c) Surefire Marketing, Inc.

by Yanik Silver
www.InstantSalesLetters.com

Did you notice the title for this article?

Of course, it's a headline. That's right and it uses a shop-worn classic format which still continues to amaze me with its power. Just 2 simple words...

"How To..." Stick with me on this, I know it sounds too easy.

The simple, lowly "How to" headline is still tops in my book for simplicity and effectiveness. You really cannot go wrong with it. The 'how to' headline is so versatile. You can follow it with several benefits, a question, an offer, almost anything - and it works great!

In fact, using the 'how to' formula is one of the best places to start when writing headlines because it forces you to think of what your product/service actually does for the person.

Here are a couple of winning examples to get your juices flowing:

How to Collect from Social Security at Any Age

How To Get FIVE Money-Making Web Sites In 29 Minutes Or Less...Without Spending A Fortune!

How to avoid the biggest mistake you can make in building or buying a home

How to cruise the world for $19 a day

How to get Enthusiastic Applause - Even a Standing Ovation - Every Time You Speak (Ted Nicholas)

How To Win Friends And Influence People

How to make your car invisible to radar and laser!

How to make your computer as easy to use as your telephone

How to fix cars

Check out the last winning headline on our list - "how to fix cars". I mean it really can't get any simpler than that, but it works...and it works big time!

Now here are a few "How To.." headlines you can plug-in and use right away when brainstorming:

=============== "How to" Formulas ===============

How to get ____________
How to have __________
How to keep__________
How to start __________
How to begin _________
How to become ___________
How to improve your _________
How to develop _____________
How to get the most out of_____________
How to avoid ________________
How to end________________
How to get rid of _____________
How to conquer _____________
How to enjoy _______________

Even just adding the word "how" in front of a headline gives it an additional appeal. Compare these 2 examples:

A strange accident saved me from baldness

How a strange accident saved me from baldness

Which one is more compelling? I think you'll agree #2 does the trick. And that one is a winning headline used over and over.

Okay, but maybe the tried and true "how to" is too boring for you. No problem! Spice it up by adding a little something before the 'how to'

Here's HOW TO...

Discover HOW TO...

If you think a 12% annual return on your money is good, here's HOW TO set your sights on 100% or more

All new course reveals HOW TO use Pop-Ups to double your opt-in rate, explode your sales, and squeeze up to 300% more revenue out of each visitor to your Web site! (Jonathan Mizel)

I'll show you HOW TO hit golf shots as straight as you can point, or this video golfing lesson is free...and I'll pay you $25 for wasting your time! (Jeff Paul)

Ohio man discovers the secret of HOW TO escape the American Rat Race

Or if you still want to change it up a little - just use "How you..." or "How I..." like these winning examples:

HOW I earn my living in 4 hours a day

HOW YOU Can Make Well Over $300,000.00 Per Year As A Real Estate Agent Working Less Than 40 Hours A Week.... Have A Top Income AND A Life..... And NEVER Have To Make A Call You Dread Or Waste Your Time With Unrealistic Sellers Or Insincere Buyers, Ever Again (Craig Proctor)

I think you'll agree for getting the most bang for your buck - "how to" headlines are the way to go.

I need to say these are not the only things you need to watch for in your business letters.

There are the 'Four Cs' of business letters writing that I talk about in my five day e-course (if you subscribed to my newsletter you already got it or you're just getting it) that you should be aware immediately when writing business letters although I have nested few tips about them nicely in the PDF version of this checklist which you can download now for free. (Hint: look down...)

So besides looking that every business letter you send is complete, concise, clear and correct, these are some obvious things you should be checking for before sending another important business letter...

Feel free to post a comment (look down) and I'd appreciate if you tell me if there are any other things you usually check for in your business letters or think that it should generally be a good idea to check for...

If you want me to send you a nicely designed one-page PDF version that I created for an easy reference, which you can also print out, please enter you details in the fields below (double-check ;) you entered your correct email address) so I could send it to you now:

That way I will also be able to send you updates on the development of this checklist and maybe some other free goodies and recommendations...
If you subscribed to my newsletter, you don't need to ask for the PDF version version of the cheklist here - you already know where you can get it (hint: Resources Vault - forgot the link? - email me!) and don't worry - you will receive updates on development as well!

If you're anything like me then the very first thing you do in the morning is check your mail whether it be the e-mail on your computer or something that's awaiting you on your desk.

Then you start replying. And these replies contain anything from giving instructions, answering all sorts of queries, counseling, advising people... In short, you're covering many subjects. One could say you're doing your business over your desk, through the medium of the business letter.

The right kind of business letter is capable of doing whatever a personal representative can do. And it even has some advantages like a much reduced cost and practically, with today's e-mail, no limits to how many people and how distant areas it can reach at the same moment.

It just has to be used correctly.

Indeed the business letter can serve not only for the simplest needs of routine but for much more - it has the possibility of getting you in touch with your business correspondent. And that is always a good thing. You will be remembered and your business letters will stick out among other people's business letters.

Even if you are using it for the simplest means of routine, you should consider using it more often. Do not miss the opportunity to talk business through the mail. Think of it as a means of getting inside people's skin, in a good way.
And if you really pull it off in the right way, it could literally cement you into people's minds.

That's why you should not do it carelessly - always make it a product of the most analytical thought.

Make the trouble of making it right with any business letter you send. If your argument is to convince it must be planned logically, if your description is to paint a mental picture it must be clear, if your appeal for action is to get results it must be a real appeal with real inducement.

The personal touch you give your letters will mark your letters among thousands of others. Study every one of your letters before you send them. A goo way to start is to download a checklist for writing business letters and use it before sending any important business letter future. And that's every business letter.

For FREE!

(download now!)

Hello,
My name is Dom Delimar and I created this website to help other business people like you write business letters and improve your business communication.

Here's the story... I created this cheat sheet initially for my own personal use while studying Business English at the first year of college to always have it as a way to quickly remind myself of some business letter rules when doing business letter assignments for class.

It helped me not to loose too much time on opening the business letters book (that contained all the rules plus explanations of business letter rules) but to immediately remind myself of the business letter format and especially how to write certain parts of business letters correctly.

But wait, there's more. My friends saw it and were absolutely delighted with this single sheet of paper as I gave it to them so they could use it also.

What's more, one of my friends told me just that:

It get's even better: That friend of mine, even though I was uncertain about giving our professor an advice on using my cheat sheet over her own handouts, actually handed this to her without asking for my permission!

What, you ask, I did then? There's not much I could have done as the next thing I know, the professor was telling in front of the whole class how good cheat sheet I created and that they should use it also!

Not only that, but she started recommending it to all of her classes!

I gotta tell you, I ain't something of a guy who likes to stick out but I became kind of popular with this little paper at the first year of my college. As popular you get to be as the author of a single sheet of a paper that just helped students format business letters and learn to write business letters quicker...

So I decided to do something about this.

I know you might think I'm nuts now, but this whole situation kind of gave me more confidence than ever and so I decided to extend the reach of this little paper to all students or anybody else who might need it.

And that means I want to give this to YOU if you really need it. Here's what you will find on this cheat sheet:

• ways to open the business letters

• adequate ways to close the business letters

• how you should start the business letter

• how you should answer the business letters

• how to do referring in the business letters

• how to give good or bad news in the business letters

• how to properly and politely state what you can and cannot do in the business letters

• the proper way of giving reasons without giving a sound of apologizing

• even how to apologize when you have to

• how to request action clearly without avoiding being rude in the business letters

• how to close your business letter properly

And the best thing is, it's all on one single sheet of paper that you can print out and keep always close to your desk so you can look at it whenever you need help in writing business letters or business letters formatting.

It's packed as an Adobe Acrobat PDF document optimized for easy viewing and easy printing.

So what you need to do now in order to get this information sent immediately to your email address is write your name and valid e-mail address in the fields below:

And that's just for starters... After you download this cheat sheet you will stay subscribed to my newsletter in which I will occasionally be sending you various tips and suggestions on written business communication.

You'll love it! And in case you won't, you can unsubscribe easily...

I hope that this information will be of great help to you.

Sincerely,
Dom Delimar

Gerald R. Ford said: “If I went back to college again, I'd concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.”

And I share his thought, that nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.

Can it be thought? Or is it something that we learn throughout our lives?

Well, I believe life is a big teacher and we learn as long as we live. But I also think everybody can come to a satisfactory point where they feel comfortable communicating with others and where they can communicate effectively.

And I wish to help you do just that - feel more comfortable expressing your thoughts and do it effectively.

One of the most important things I have learned from my English professor (well, actually, since I'm a Croat it was my Croatian professor but you know what I mean) and will remember as long as I live is there are 4 main points to communicating effectively. You need to surpass them all in order to communicate effectively.

First, you must clear with yourself what your message is. What do you want to communicate? Knowing the subject matter inside and out doesn't always have to be. It's just that you need to think about what you're going to say next.

Secondly, you need to give a good thought to what you are actually saying - there are many ways to say things and you need to ask yourself whether you're doing it correctly? Are you communicating exactly what you are thinking? Could it be comprehended in many ways?

Next, we come to a point where you need to know what your correspondent(s) actually heard. Now this comes down to a very simple thing as you won't try doing a meeting in a subway during rush hour, right? Almost in every case your correspondent(s) will hear what you said, unless you mumble. And if not, you will know it then.

And the final point is what did your correspondent understand from what you said? Now this is the most difficult one and will be obvious only after continued communication as you can't know what's happening inside people's heads just by looking at them. Maybe if one looks you with a strange look, then you'll know you said something that doesn't make sense at all.

The point is, I'm not telling you to find out answers to all these 4 questions literally. Just make sure you pay attention to the first two points, that concern you, and the rest will fall in place.

With written communication it's even harder to know whether your correspondent(s) understood what you wrote the way you wanted to as you can't see people's faces and reactions on what they read. That's why you need to pay even more attention to what you write.

This website is dedicated to help You write professional business letters with ease.
I will also try to help You use Your word processing application in order to be more efficient in Your everyday business letters writing.

Feel free to browse through the categories on the right where You will find many useful articles and make sure to check out resources that are also here to help You.

I will add more content soon and will try to add it regularly so make sure you come back often. You can easily bookmark this site (by pressing Ctrl-D) or you can subscribe to our RSS Feed. If You use Firefox, You may click this little orange icon in Your address bar to bookmark this site's RSS feed. That way you will be able to easily check for updates on this site from time to time.

If you have any remarks, comments, suggestions or critics about this site, please use the contact form.

Sincerely,
Dom Delimar