Last Sunday I was with my wife and her family at a café. And while we were sitting there, I noticed a sign which said:

“Uni Exams Are Over. Hooray!”

Now what does that sign actually achieve? Well, obviously it resonates with the target market in the area - many of whom are uni students.

It also talks in their language, and makes an attempt to actually understand them.

As I first read in the book “How To Win Friends And Influence People” by Dale Carnegie, one of the keys to making friends is to really listen to others. To understand them. And to put yourself in their shoes.

So if you’re selling to someone with the printed word, do you think you’ll have more chance of making the sale if you became their friend?

Of course you would.

And yet, the magic question is: How do you do it?

Let’s run through a few scenarios.

1. Let’s say you’re writing about something your prospective client may be frustrated with. For example, a sales letter for somebody with back pain.



Start out with:

Are you frustrated by (problem)?

Then aggravate the problem, and ensure the reader becomes aware of the pain and frustration the problem causes them.

Follow this up with 5 magic words:

“I Understand How You Feel”

Think about it. If you tell somebody your problem, wouldn’t you appreciate it if they empathized with you?

Ok, onto the next method of making your prospective customer your friend…

2. How’s this for an opening? It’s from a ‘control’ (otherwise known as a best selling sales letter) from the Conde Nest Traveler Magazine:



We know you…

… You find a few extra dollars in your pocket – a crack in your impossibly busy schedule – and what do you do?

Take off, that’s what! For a Greek Island, a Carribbean beach, a Colorado Ski Slope… (and it goes onto list all of the other places)

The letter follows up with…

In many ways we are you…

Not satisfied only with (a list of things)

Endlessly curious about (a list of things)

Wanting to know (a list of things)

The reason I haven’t listed everything in the list is because I want you to understand the psychology. It starts with ‘We know you’. And then follows up with ‘In many ways, we are you.’ What’s more, it makes an effort to show the reader what they both have in common.

Talk to anybody who’s ever done a good sales course and ask them what one of the best things is to do in order to build rapport?

And sooner or later, they’ll mention you need to find a common ground.

Now doesn’t the letter above do this perfectly? It basically says, ‘heck, I am just like you.’

So think about how you can go about winning friends within your sales letter. Because, one of the things I learnt from the legendary sales trainer, Brian Tracy, when I was selling seminars many years ago, is that trust (not closing) is the number one most important aspect of making a sale.

Scott Bywater is a professional direct mail copywriter and author of the manual, Cash-Flow Advertising. To get access to his highly prized complimentary copy of '7 Ways To Boost Your Turnover... No Matter What The Economy' (valued at $29.95) and a free subscription to his "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter where you'll discover the truth about why most ads and sales letters don’t work (And how to make yours different) visit his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au


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