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How to Write a Letter to Offer Your Services

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When you're writing a letter introducing yourself to prospective clients or customers, it should include persuasive language, an easy-to-read format and a clear call to action. Including those key elements will make it as simple as possible for that prospective client to understand what you're doing and why he should follow up with you; and of course, knowing how to generate a solid list of sales leads.

Use People's Names

Address the recipient by name, so that your message appears personal. Be sure to personalize the message throughout the email, so that it touches on that particular person's needs.

Explain Why You're Writing

State why you're writing the letter, using persuasive language that pulls the reader in. Tell a brief story, share an interesting statistic about users who use your product, or share a success story, for example. Adopt a confident, upbeat tone throughout the letter.

Explain What You Offer

Describe exactly what you do and why that will benefit her in the first or second paragraph. Then touch on what you want from her, whether that's a chance to meet and discuss her financial goals or to try your product, for example.

Be Concise

Use short paragraphs and be as concise as possible with every sentence, to keep the entire letter brief. Don't use more than one or two examples, and don't overwhelm the reader with every detail of how you'll get the job done.

Include a Call-to-Action

Write a clear call-to-action at the end of the letter, which tells the reader exactly how he can take the next step. Give him your phone number and good times to call, a website where he can sign up for your next seminar, or another clear, easy-to-follow process.

Use an Appealing Subject Line

Write an inviting subject line when you're sending the letter via email. For postal mail, make the envelope look attractive and non-spammy. Both forms of sending the correspondence can work. Only send the letter and no additional materials that could overwhelm the reader.

Follow Up

Write back to any recipients who haven't responded after a few days, to inquire whether they've received your letter. If you do hear back from recipients, set up a meeting or otherwise follow up as soon as possible, so as to not lose out on the opportunity to turn the prospect into a new client.

Tip

If you're sending out a mass mailer, test the letter on a small percentage of your target audience before sending it to the rest of the group. If you don't get a strong response from that small percentage, you'll know you need to tweak the letter again. A response rate of less than 2 percent usually indicates that your letter didn't have the impact you wanted, while you can consider a response of more than 7 percent a success.

Tips
  • If you're sending out a mass mailer, **test the letter on a small percentage of your target audience** before sending it to the rest of the group. If you don't get a strong response from that small percentage, you'll know you need to tweak the letter again. A response rate of less than 2 percent usually indicates that your letter didn't have the impact you wanted, while you can consider a response of more than 7 percent a success, according to an excerpt from the article Successful Sales & Marketing on the Entrepreneur website.
Writer

Nicole Vulcan has been a journalist since 1997, covering parenting and fitness for The Oregonian, careers for CareerAddict, and travel, gardening and fitness for Black Hills Woman and other publications. Vulcan holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism from the University of Minnesota. She's also a lifelong athlete and is pursuing certification as a personal trainer.

Photo Credits

Михаил Руденко/iStock/GettyImages