to erode the trust and confidence your customers have come to expect from you.   10. Call to action   Do not assume that your reader knows what to do to receive the benefits from your offer. You must spell out how to make the order in a very clear and concise language. Whether its picking up the phone and making the call, filling out an order form, faxing the order form to your office etc. you must tell them exactly how to order from you.   Your call to action must be "action-oriented." You can do this using phrases like Pick Up the Phone and Call Now!" or "Tear Off the Order Form and Send It In Today!" or "Come to Our Store by Friday and " Be explicit and succinct in your instructions.   Plant your call to action throughout your letter. If you are asking the reader to call your free information line then perhaps some of the testimonials might say, "When I called their free information line". Or in your offer you might say, "When you call our free information line" Then when you give the call to action at the end of the letter, people wont be surprised or confused. It will be consistent with what you said all throughout your letter.   11. Give a Warning   A good sales letter will continue to build emotion, right up to the very end. In fact, your letter should continue to build emotion even after your call to action. Using the "risk of loss" strategy, tell the reader what would happen if they didnt take advantage of your offer. Perhaps they would continue to:   - Struggle day to day to make ends meet - Work too hard just to get a few customers - Lose the opportunity to receive all your valuable bonuses - Keep getting what theyve always got - Watch other companies get all the business - Etc.   Try to paint a graphic picture in the mind of the reader about the consequences of not taking action now. Remind them just how terrible their current state is and that it just doesnt have to be that way.   12. Close with a Reminder   Always include a postscript (P.S.). Believe it or not, your P.S. is the third most read element of your sales letter. Ive seen good copywriters use not just one postscript, but many (P.P.S). In your postscript you want to remind them of your irresistible offer. If youve used scarcity in your sales letter, include your call to action then remind them of the limited time (or quantity) offer. It sounds like a simple step but postscripts get noticed.   Voila! You now have a powerful sales letter. Using this 12-step formula anyone can write