By the time you have finished reading this sentence, you’ll already be wondering what these mistakes I’m talking about are.

Moreover, there is a high probability you are contemplating whereas there really is a need for writing in a sesquipedalian comportment.

In those two sentences I just illustrated the title.

1. Tell me what you’re selling
Your customers are not stupid, they know you are selling something, and they want to know what it is. Get to the point, do it quick and then go into the explanations and sales copy.

If you hover around, talking about how great you think they are and how fantastic you think their company is for more than a sentence or two. You are already starting to lose readers (translating into losing sales).

You should give them the courtesy of explaining yourself right away, especially when you are writing to a customer that you haven’t done previous business with. If they aren’t interested in what you are selling, they will not read much past the introduction. But if you make the deal the only thing they read, then that is what they will remember, giving you the opportunity of scoring a reference instead when someone asks them about where to buy your particular widget.

Make a statement, explain the offer and invite to read more. This should be the quintessence of a sales letters opening.

2. Speak my language
If you want to sell me something, do me the courtesy of speaking to me in my language. I’ve been to college; I can decipher even Shakespeare when I want to. This is normally not when I’m opening the mail, and especially not when I’m getting lots of it and the weekly sales meeting is going to start in 9 minutes.

When you write the sales letter, Use your voice, it’s more a question of speaking than writing. Check your language by asking yourself if this is how you would speak if you had a customer sitting in the chair across from you.
If it’s not, tune it to become a conversational tone. Most people have busy schedules, and sales letters file so nicely in the circular archive.

If your product or service is so complex that you need a very long letter to explain it, maybe you should consider breaking it down into a shorter letter with a call to action to contact you for more information.

When something is so complex, a personal presentation will almost always be superior to the letter.

Start writing conversational to the point letters. You will see the difference.