Discuss (i) Uses, (ii) Functions, and (iii) Systems of sales letters.
USES
OF SALES LETTERS:
1.
Selling by Mail:
Mail-order
houses use sales letters for performing the entire selling job. i.e. from
producing inquiries to shipping merchandise. The reply cards blanks order forms
and other material may be enclosed with a sales letter to make it more
effective.
2.
Producing Sales Inquiries:
Businesses
other than mail order houses confine the use of sales letter to soliciting
inquires, which may be followed by letters, telephone or personal calls.
3.
Following-Up Sales Inquiries:
The
inquiries, unsought or produced by sales letters or advertisements may be
handled in different ways. Sales letter may be used for this purpose. Printed
material may also be enclosed with it.
4.
Inducing People to Buy:
Sales
letters may induce the customers or prospective customers to buy goods /
services by arousing their interest and desire.
5.
Building-Up Goodwill:
Sales
letters may also be used to thank the customers for their patronage, extend
greetings, and announce new services, for building-up goodwill.
FUNCTIONS
OF SALES LETTERS:
1.
Attracting Attention:
Attracting
Attention of the reader through decent stationery, proper layout, neat typing, paragraphing,
etc. further, the opening sentences of the text must make the reader think by
means of a slogan or extra-ordinary idea.
2.
Arousing Desire:
Arousing
Desire by appealing to reason (for necessities) and appealing to emotion
luxuries). The desire to buy the goods or services must be created in the mind
of the reader.
3.
Implanting Conviction:
Implanting
Conviction about the good quality of goods / services so that the reader does
hesitate in making the decision desired. This can be achieved by means of
logical reasoning moderate claims, and evidence to support the claims.
4.
Stimulating Action:
Stimulating
Action by not allowing the prospective customer to put off auction. This can be
done by offering inducements for quick action, like special discount, gifts,
reply cards, etc.
Sales
Letter Systems (Series):
Sales
letters are generally issued in a series to a selected list of prospective customers,
to achieve the planned sales targets. Depending upon the nature of the product
and the market, one of the following systems is applied.
1.
The Wear-Out System:
Under
this system the total number of letters to be issued for achieving the target
and the intervals for which the different letters will be issued are determined
in advance. The terms and conditions offered are varied from letter to letter.
When all the letters in the series have been issued, the series is
automatically terminated.
2.
The Continuous System:
This
system is suitable for those products / services, which are in regular demand;
the sales letters are issued for the purpose of gaining the maximum share of
the market. At suitable intervals, sale letters in the series continue to be
issued as long as the business operates.
3.
The Campaign System:
The
total number of letters to be issued in the series is not determined in
advance. Sales letters with varying terms and conditions will continue to be
issued until the sales target is achieved therefore the series will be
terminated.
