Sales and Persuasive letters
Goals:
able to use appropriate format
able to use appropriate tone
able to develop content
Sales and Persuasive Letters--basic information below, there is more information in your handbook
Between the "pure" sales and the persuasive pieces there are four letters to write.
For this portion of the assignment, you will be asked to prepare a sales letter for your company. Sales letters are a form of persuasion. In other words, they have to be appealing enough to get your foot in the door. Whatever company you are asked to represent, or whatever product or products you are trying to sell, you must conform to the potential buyer’s needs and interests. (Remember the “you versus I” rule.) You will very likely to be doing one of three things either you will be trying to get the potential customer to (1) get into the product market, (2) switch from one provider to your company or (3) you will be trying to get the customer to upgrade.
Greeting: Dear Ms. or Mr.: If you do not know the name (sometimes a little research will reveal this information), then use an appropriate title not a throw away name/title.
1st section - Opening: Identify yourself and the company you represent.
If you do not have a specific product that you are attempting to sell, give the reader details about the success your company has had and it’s specialty (ies). You do not want the reader to immediately think junk mail and throw your letter in the nearest trashcan. Come up with a catchy line or reach out to a specific person.
If you are selling a single piece of equipment, you have one set of issues. If you are selling a long-term relationship (new accounting customer, new large stock trader, major manufacturer using long term and large amounts of equipment, etc.) then you need to do a much better job of reaching a person.
2nd section- The Solution
This part should explain, in detail, to the reader the benefits they will have buying from your company. Why you? Why not someone else? Why the product at all?
3rd section - Expectation
In this section, express to the reader what you would like to happen. If you would like to set up an appointment, or if they would like more information, ask them to call you, or tell them when you will contact them.
Students seem to have several problems with the sales letters, especially if they have never been a sales person. Look at examples: letters you have received, company websites, and sales brochures—see what they do and do not say. Commercials are also a good reference. Sales letters are not easy, and take a great deal of research to produce an effective letter that is not doomed to the trashcan immediately upon arrival.
Assignments—Direct Sales:
1. Sell a piece of $10,000 equipment to a company you have never done business with previously.
2. The maintenance of vintage cars is becoming a big business. Maintenance includes making heads, and other parts. You want to sell the Vintage Auto Restorer Company the tooling, painting, and other equipment they need to run their restoration business. You DO NOT restore cars, you make the equipment used to restore cars.
Persuasive Letters are a form of sales—usually not the sale of a concrete object
For this portion of the lettershop, you will be asked to write a persuasive letter. It could be a letter asking for a new partnership, a letter indicating that change is needed at your current job, or many other types. The important key in writing a persuasive letter is getting your reader to see and accept the idea you are promoting. Yes, persuasive letters are close to sales letter, proposals, and have elements of good-news letters. They are different only in that they are generally not asking someone for a one-time sale, or a one-time cash issue of any sort. Persuasive letters begin a much longer more detailed relationship. Persuasive letters tend to be the hardest letter that students must write. They are not easy to write. However, one clue to writing an effective letter is to turn the situation into a series of questions. Ask yourself what it would take, what you need to know, what you feel is expected of you and then compose the letter answering the questions. Give the letter to someone who does not know what you are attempting to do. See what questions that person asks and then revise your letter.
Greeting: If you choose to ask for something you really must be specific to whom you are writing. If you are sending out a letter announcing a great opportunity, you need to make people feel like you are really looking for a specific type of person. Think about this: You receive a letter announcing a great stock that is under valued and therefore a true bargain. The letter has John Jones or current resident as an address. Even if you are John Jones do you really think they are talking to you? How much worse if the salutation line is vague?
1st Section : Identify the problem, or the opportunity.
You want to offer a specific issue here. If you are asking for changes within your company, tell them why change is needed. (Based on the past 2 years, our employee turnover rate has increased by 15%.) If you are asking for funds or partnership of a new company, tell the investors why your new company will work. “According to Consumer Reports, 95% of consumers are not getting the customer service they want in the food service industry.” The reader will need to be informed about what and why you are trying to change.
2nd Section : this section should offer any supporting detail needed.
“Our employee turnover rate is calculated by individual departments, rather than company wide. Therefore, we can identify exactly what reforms will be effective.” This part should explain, in detail, what solution you have come up with. Do not only inform them about the changes or request that you asking of them, but also explain how the solution will work. Going back to the 1st section, explain how your solution will decrease the turnover rate. Or how your new company will be successful based on customer demand. Its not always good to tell people how they erred causing a problem, but rather focus on showing them how much better their lives will be if they accept your persuasion.
3rd Section:
In this section, express to the reader what you would like to happen.
If you would like to set up a meeting, conference, or information session, tell them where and when the conference will take place.
Persuasive Assignments:
1) You want to set up a four star hotel on the edge of the Outback in Australia. You need to raise money. You are therefore forced to decide between soliciting from average income investors and very wealthy investors. The two groups require some of the same pieces of information and some different pieces of information. You have to detail out very different letters for the two groups. Simply let me know which group you selected. [For a bonus point challenge, write both types of letters.]
2) Write a letter getting a person/group to allow you to use his/her/its name as a sponsor for your campaign/charity/etc.
Grading for the letters
45% content
20% format
35% grammar, spelling, logic
