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Secrets of Super-Effective Electronic Sales Writing:

Write eMail That is Read & Retained, Not Ignored & Deleted Are your electronic sales letters doing a good job of opening prospects' doors and closing sales? Or is your eMail being ignored (or worse yet deleted) before it is read? "eMail can be an extremely effective sales tool if you know how to grab and hold the reader's attention," says Nancy Flynn, executive director of The ePolicy Institute and author of The ePolicy Handbook and Writing Effective E-Mail. "The @rt of eMail is the ability to write persuasive eLetters that open doors, generate leads, and close sales. With 130 million Americans sending 2.8 billion business-related eMail messages every day, the battle for the eReader's attention is fierce. Ensure effective eCommunication by mastering the @rt of eMail with letters and memos that are easily read and acted upon," advises Flynn. The experts at The ePolicy Institute (www.epolicyinstitute.com) offer tips for business writers eager to produce super-effective electronic sales letters. Write a Subject Line with OOMPH. A small but powerful weapon in the battle to capture reader attention, the subject line should reveal what the eMessage is about before it's opened. Attracting and Retaining Top Performers, for example, says more than Employee Benefits. Never Begin with Thank You. You only have a few seconds to grab the reader's attention. Start strong. Make your point in the first few words of your eMail, then repeat, rephrase, and reiterate. Write as Though Mom Were Reading. Don't write anything you wouldn't feel comfortable saying in an elevator crowded with customers, colleagues, and competitors. An inaccurate keystroke or the recipient's decision to forward your message could land it on thousands of unintended readers' screens. Obey the Rules of Netiquette. No shouting. No flaming. No spamming. Translation: Don't write in capital letters. Don't send hostile messages. Don't forward electronic junk mail. Remain Gender Neutral. Your intended reader may be male, but the ultimate decision-maker could be a woman. Avoid masculine pronouns and other "turn-off" language. Inquire About Attachments. Some companies prohibit the opening of attachments. Always ask if the recipient would prefer receiving material as an attachment or as part of the eLetter itself. Resist the Urge to CAPITALIZE!!! The eye is accustomed to reading a mix of upper and lowercase letters, so stick with standard style. Don't slap exclamation points on the end of sentences!!! Instead, pump up your writing with descriptive language and well-crafted sentences. Don't Use eMail to Deliver Bad News. Without the benefit of body language, facial expressions, or intonation, eMail is no way to deliver bad news. Meet or use the phone to notify a customer of production delays, reject a prospect's credit application, or fire an employee. Acknowledge eMail's Limitations. eMail is the best way to deliver news fast, but it's not the best route to a quick reply. Your reader is under no obligation to check in-coming messages regularly, if at all. For an immediate reply to a pressing issue, opt for a phone call or meeting. The ePolicy Institute is a leading online source of ePolicy and eWriting training tools and content. Devoted to helping employers reduce eRisks, while helping employees enhance eCommunication skills, The ePolicy Institute offers visitors to www.epolicyinstitute.com a wealth of FREE ePolicy and eWriting tips and information. ePolicy Institute Executive Director Nancy Flynn, author of The ePolicy Handbook and Writing Effective E-Mail, is available for interviews. Contact 614/451-3200 or Nancy@ePolicyInstitute.com.