How to Convey Trustworthiness in a Sales Letter
by Alan Sharpe
Published on this site: August 2nd, 2005 - See
more articles from this month
A business that might buy from you is called a prospect.
But they might just as accurately be called a skeptic. We
live in the age of the spam filter. And call-display. We live
in what fellow-copywriter Herschell Gordon Lewis calls, "The
Age of Skepticism."
Your sales letters must overcome your reader's built-in baloney
detector. Your prospective customers are on their guard. Here,
in no particular order, are some tips on how to prove your
trustworthiness on paper.
- Third-party endorsements
If your product has won an industry award for innovation,
say so. If your service was ranked among the top 10 in your
industry by a trade publication or other impartial group,
mention that. Leverage the positive press you've received.
- Testimonials
If your clients have said kind things about your company,
your products or your customer service, cite these accolades
in your sales letters, with the client's permission, of
course. Solicit these testimonials often, and file them.
Wherever possible, use the testimonials that speak to the
concerns and challenges facing each particular prospect
that you write to. To increase believability, cite the full
name, job title and company (and website if the testimonial
appears online) of each person who gives a testimonial.
- Industry accreditation
If your company is ISO 9000 certified, and if that is of
value to your prospects, say so. If you are members of your
industry association, or the Better Business Bureau, and
if saying so will increase your believability, mention that
as well.
- Longevity
The longer you have been in business, the easier you are
to trust. So mention your years in business or the year
you were founded, whichever sounds the most impressive and
plausible.
- Industry leadership
Are you the leader in your industry? That's worth a mention.
You can demonstrate leadership in terms of annual sales,
breadth of product line, market share, number of employees,
number of customers, and number of countries where you have
a presence.
Special challenges
If your company is brand new, unknown, or cannot say any of
the above things, there are still ways to communicate trustworthiness.
Incorporate your business, since having Inc. after your name
makes you look established. Get a toll-free number. It says
"big business" and "customer service."
Offer a money-back guarantee. Offer "no money up front,
pay later" terms. Add the years that your partners have
been in business and present that figure as your combined
years of experience. Locate your office at a prestigious address
in the same neighbourhood where your competitors are known
to do business (Madison Avenue, New York, for advertising,
Saville Row, London, for men's suits, and so on).
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter
who helps business owners and marketing managers generate
leads, close sales and retain customers using creative direct mail marketing. Learn more about his services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at www.sharpecopy.com/newsletter
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