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Peer Review

Sales Introduction Letters

Reviewed:

Jul 6, 2005 by Business
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.1 stars
Content Quality: 4.7 stars
Effectiveness: 3.0 stars
Ease of Use: 4.7 stars
Overview:

The author provides detailed advice on writing effective sales introduction
letters.
Type of Material:

Reference material.
Recommended Uses:

Recommended use of this material would be in conjunction with a homework
assignment or project in which students are required to write a sales
introduction letter.
Technical Requirements:

None.
Identify Major Learning Goals:

The major learning goal is to develop and improve students' abilities to write
effective sales letters.
Target Student Population:

The target population would most likely be students in a personal selling or
sales management class.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

A basic understanding of sales would be useful, but not required.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

The site provides detailed instructions and clear examples of sales letters. A
major strength is its brevity. Upon reading the material provided, students
should have a good idea of what comprises an effective sales letter. Also,
although the author is from the U.K., he presents material for both U.K. and
U.S. audiences.
Concerns:

There is a link embedded in the material to the site
http://www.businessballs.com/acronyms.htm. This page includes adult language.
The page clearly identifies the language as adult, and those who are sensitive
to adult content are encouraged to leave the site. However, the instructor
needs to be aware of the presence of adult content. Please note that adult
content is not included in the site being reviewed; it is associated with the
linked site only.

The entire module is predicated on getting the envelope opened, but it does
not offer any guidance on constructing the envelope. As a question for thought,
would a distinct envelope or design allow you to stand out among the
“twenty, thirty, or even fifty sales letters received every day”?

As the author correctly states, “use the 4-8 second rule when designing direct
sales letters opening statements and headlines. One must grab attention in 4-8
seconds; that’s about fifteen to twenty words. This implies a headline, which
is why headlines are often used.” Again, little guidance is offered on how to
construct headlines beyond aesthetics. “Focus on a single theme and result–do
not try to list lots of benefits.” The module could benefit by the addition of
further guidance in this area.

Finally, a P.S., in many cases, may be the first and only thing read before
deciding to proceed to the next step. It should be included in the letter to
strive for immediacy and give a reason to call or contact you now. The author
makes a great point that the letter is “trying to sell the appointment not the
product.” With three or four paragraphs, sentence length should be varied and
include subheadings.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

Using this module will certainly improve sales letters, although the instructor
should use this as a starting point, that he or she must supplement. Also, after
students write the sales introduction letters, they could trade letters with
classmates and conduct a peer review. The guidance could be helpful in the peer
review process.
Concerns:

Although not really a concern, the instructor would want to follow up with
students to investigate letter quality.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

The site is simple to navigate and the material easy to comprehend. The
instructor could provide a specific recipient for the letter, or ask students to
create their own in designing one based on the principles outlined in the
letter.

Concerns:

Both faculty and students would need Internet access.
Other Issues and Comments:

Overall, I think this is a very useful site.
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