There are many answers to these tough questions, but here's a time-tested
idea that can help turn your email or letter into a winner.
Add a "P.S."
Yes. That postscript, sitting beneath the signature, can really boost response rates. This isn't just my opinion. It's a fact established by decades of testing.
Here are some quick postscript ideas worth remembering next time you
sit down to write or evaluate an email or sales letter:
#1. Create a sense of urgency. A P.S. is a great place to ask for immediate action. Tell the reader why it's so important to "act now." Is your offer going to expire? Is there free shipping for a limited time? Are supplies limited? Tell them in the postscript!
#2. Use a testimonial. If you haven't used testimonials in your email or letter, use a powerful one in your P.S. This is particularly appropriate when you're writing B2B emails/letters promoting products with long sales cycles. In these cases, prospects want reassurance and testimonials help provide it.
#3. Make it personal. The postscript is the place to really connect on a human level. It's your last chance to reach out and connect on a personal note. Write the P.S. with energy and enthusiasm!
#4. Restate your guarantee. As I mentioned in my December issue, guarantees help put prospects' minds at ease, and mentioning your guarantee in the postscript can help reduce doubt and skepticism.
#5. Don't be afraid of writing a long P.S. If you're communicating important news or information and can keep the reader with you, don't worry about length. I've written postscripts five sentences long and wouldn't cut a word.
#6. Use underlinings or your second color. To make your postscript jump out even more, grab your bag of tricks and pull out some graphic winners! Boldface, italics, handwriting, you name it. (As always, remember . . . a little goes a long way!).
#7. Include a link to your home page or landing page. Maybe you want to provide more information about your product or service and don't have room in your email or letter. No problem. Provide a link in your P.S. and let them go to a landing page with complete information. But a warning . . . unless you handle things correctly you can lose them there. Make sure that you continue the sales/ordering process on the landing page. Don't leave them stranded there!
