Everyday Marketing Ideas

How to Identify the Essential Structures of a Money-Making Sales Letter

Once you decide to write a powerful, money-making sales letter, an important thing to realize is that there are two structures you’re building simultaneously. One which is seen – the physical structure. The other which is unseen – the “invisible” (psychological) structure.

The physical structure is the easiest one to identify. It’s the skeleton of the letter. The connecting parts which contain the unseen, “invisible” parts.

Here’s an example of what I mean. The connecting parts, are:

1. Pre-headline.

2. Headline
3. Post-headline
4. Salutation
5. Lead-In/Opening Sentence
6. First Paragraph
7. Body Copy
8. Close/Call to Action
9. P.S.

Visually, it would look something like this:

Pre-headline

Headline (usually red, and in quotes “_”)

Post-headline (usually bold, black)

Salutation (Greeting),

Lead-in (opening sentence)…

Body Copy (“copy” simply refers to “words that sell”)… i.e., the body copy refers to the paragraphs where you use your powers of persuasion to achieve your objective – (usually a sale, or some other call to action, e.g., gain a new subscriber, etc.)

Next is …

the Close (and, finally, the) P.S.

That’s the physical structure.

Now the ‘invisible’ parts:

1. Identify a problem

2. Promise a solution.
3. Paint a picture
4. Introduce yourself & your credentials (build credibility)
5. State your USP (what makes you or your offer unique)
6. Sprinkle in a few testimonials
7. Present your offer (your solution and it’s benefits)
8. More testimonials
9. Eliminate risk with a strong guarantee
10. Make a call to action (state exactly what you want them to do, and exactly how to do it)
11. Create urgency
12. Eliminate Buyers Remorse (by repeating your strongest benefit(s), and no-risk guarantee

That’s the invisible structure.

Success comes when you merge the invisible “psychological” structure, and it’s underlying “physical” structure together, while weaving your sales message throughout the two.

Virgil Stanphill is an author, a publisher, and freelance copywriter with a background in direct sales, having sold on strictly commission for more than 25 years. Get information on his book: (The Beginner’s “Easiest Book in the World” for Learning How to Write Powerful Sales Letters) and his “Let’s Increase Sales” newsletter at: http://www.LetsIncreaseSales.com