A sales letter is just like a salesman that works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Its job is to sell your products.
To do that, so you are highly successful, the sales “gods” have passed down to us through the decades and centuries some “can’t fail” methods.
These methods were put together in a classic marketing principle around 1925 and I am amazed how many copywriters still don’t know about it; those are the ones struggling 
Anyway, like any salesman, a sales letter should follow this long time marketing principle called…
the AIDA principle.
Whenever you see an ad, be it in newspapers, magazines or on television, it follows (or should follow) the AIDA principle.
Basically, almost every really successful promotion follows the AIDA principle.
What, you might ask, is this AIDA principle?
Simply, AIDA is an easy way to remember the most basic process in advertising; a process that covers everything from initial attraction to final conversion.
It stands for:
A – Attention
The first thing you should do is capture the attention of your prospects.
A sales letter should immediately attract your prospects enough so they are compelled to read the copy.
This is done with a powerful headline, an intriguing sub-headline and an engrossing opening paragraph.
I – Interest
After you’ve attracted a prospect’s attention you need to capture their interest.
You’ve got them to actually read your copy so you need to get their interest and convince them that it is important to them to continue reading.
D – Desire
As your prospect continues reading you need be building their desire.
This desire should be strong enough to make them want to purchase your product.
While there are many methods to do that, basically, you will be getting the prospect to feel that they really need what you’re offering.
“Hook” them with your sales copy.
A – Action
At this point, after you’ve hooked the prospect and they are ready to do what you want them to, you need to have them take action.
If you’re selling a product or service, that action is to purchase.
If you’re inviting them to join your mailing list, that action is to sign up.
Good copywriters have multiple calls to action within their copy and use various techniques to get prospects take that action.
Conclusion
All good copywriters and all good sales copy should employ the AIDA principle.
Get your prospect’s Attention, keep them Interested, make them Desirous and then have them take Action and you will be successful.
Don’t do that and, well, you should keep your day job.
Talk soon,
The Shameless (Ethical) Marketer
http://www.StreetGuideToResellRights.com
http://www.StreetGuideToWebTraffic.com
http://www.FromTheDeskOfDavid.com
http://www.8-8-8Sale.com
http://www.MusicForInternetMarketers.com
O.Y. The person who was, and continues to be, the most instrumental person in teaching me copywriting is Dan Kennedy. You can get 2 free months of his Inner Circle newsletter by going to http://www.StreetGuideToCopywriting.com/HighlyRecommends/GKIC
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I have tried to get to grip with other copywritng resources, but the writers all seem have been in love with their own words.
Your advice is to the point and effective. Please keep informing us. I speak as a retired Science teacher from the UK.
Thanks!
I hope it helps you with your copywriting, that is, after all, the point
Please do let me know how it goes.
David