4. Always place the customer first (a guy actually tried to sell me a vacuum cleaner once emphasizing that if I bought it, HE would get a trip to Florida - not smart).

5. Sell the benefits, tell success stories, mention your associations with the big shots.

6. Don't sell multiple products in a letter.

7. Do not confuse people in any way.

8. Display a picture of the product if possible. Show a "screen shot" of a web site, disk or CD-Rom if possible.

9. Show someone enjoying the product.

10. Don't mention the possibility that they might now buy.

11. Be refreshingly honest.

12. Don't overdo technical information unless it's at the level of your specific market.

13. Learn any necessary "lingo" to speak to your market.

14. Don't bombard people with exaggerated benefits, lies or even cliches.

15. Include a very long guarantee - 10 years or even lifetime.

16. Offer a free bonus, pile on the bonuses and benefits.

17. Make your letter long enough to get the reader to spend time with it instead of making it look and feel like a garage sale or flea market flyer.

18. Always mention the price (I hate it when people don't do this). Mention the price up front if it is the focal point of the letter, but hold off until later if it is a costly item.

19. Offer rush delivery, remember that the product is the star, not you!

20. Cleverness kills sales (you want people buying, not laughing).

21. E-mail to your prospect six times, vary the letter on repeat mailings, make follow up letters flow together.

53 words and phrases to use in your sales letters and ads:

Just arrived, save, breakthrough, send no money, bonus, gift, free, bargain, now, improved, you, introducing, valuable, priority, unique, rush, the truth about, miracle, easy, hurry, today, how to, at last, limited, opportunity, yes, charter, secrets, new, amazing, only chance, announcing, revolutionary, guaranteed, discount, first time ever, special, instantly, discover, forever, premium, sensational, remarkable, revolutionary, startling, miracle, offer, quick, easy, wanted, challenge, compare, bargain, hurry.

Peter Sharpe