Thank You Letter – A Letter of Thanks to Julius Caesar

Many great leaders have graced and conquered the world with their courage and power. I, however, would like, in this letter, to single out a man whom I truly admire and has earned the reverence of many others, both when he was living and dead. This is a thank you letter to Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar.

Dear Julius Caesar,

You are certainly one of the most famous leaders in all of history. The fact that you played such a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire speaks volumes of how effective your leadership was over Rome during those days. Even today, the idea that rulers of other countries still bear the title “Caesar” shows how your reputation and name has achieved an unprecedented amount of respect.

The reality that even up until today so many individuals all across the world admire your ideals and reforms is what I admire the most. I believe that a person can only be truly noteworthy, a leader only truly effective if many hold that individual in high esteem, and respect and follow him. That is the definition of an effective leader–something you certainly were. With this in mind, you have been a great source of inspiration for me. I may have never had political aspirations like you but in many other situations that required me to step up and take the lead, I drew insight from you. For that, this thank you letter is for you.

I recall how even Shakespeare referred to you as “the foremost man of all this world” and to this sentiment of his I really can’t help but agree. Some criticize your choice of creating a dictatorship and yet the successes that your nation achieved under your guidance were undeniable. Furthermore, your approach to life, wherein you were temperate in all things, complete, evenly balanced, and self-controlled are traits, I believe, are admirable and should be emulated.

And let me just add that the Latin language has always fascinated me. I believe that it was integral in the development and evolution of English and proof of this is seen in the many terms and phrases of the English language that has its origins in Latin. This is actually something I’ve felt strongly enough for to write an article about. And in relation to you, what makes me even more impressed is that in your time you stood in the first rank of most orators. Certainly an inspiring feat for you to have done in such a captivating language!

I hope this thank you letter conveys my gratitude enough, Caesar, for all this.

Most sincerely,

Raffy Chan

Is the Letter of Intent a Worthless Document?

A Letter of Intent (LOI) is a common way to express your intentions to purchase a property without having to write a formal, legal binding contract. The Letter of Intent is presented to a seller in the very preliminary stages of a project. The intentions of a buyer are spelled out clearly and simply so the seller knows exactly how the buyer wants to purchase the property, and under what terms. Essentially a Letter of Intent is to open a dialogue and create a framework for that dialogue between buyers and sellers.

Definition of a Letter of Intent

“A Letter of Intent is basically a written statement expressing the sender’s intention, should certain circumstances arise, to take or forgo some action, like entering into a future agreement with the recipient, or, more generally, carrying out business activities mentioned in the Letter of Intent.”

I often submit a LOI right after I have found a building, quickly analyzed the operating numbers and recognized that a deal could be created. This whole process might be as a short of a time as 30 minutes. I want the seller to recognize me as having a serious interest in the building and not just a ‘tire-kicker”. The sooner he knows he potentially has a viable sale of his property, the sooner he may stop fielding calls and inquiries from others. In other words, his attention will be focused on the dialogue with me.

The letter of intent in the offer process

This Letter of Intent is not a traditional letter. You do not write it and forget it. It is a living document that should be updated and added to on a regular basis throughout the offer process. In the offer and purchase process, the letter of intent tells the property seller that you are interested not only in submitting a proposal to purchase, but in response also receiving all LOI updates and modifications. The LOI is an agreement to agree in the future. Once the Investor and the seller have come to the meeting of the minds via the LOI, a formal Purchase Contract would be written.

If the letter of intent is accepted, then the due diligence period will begin. It will continue until the time agreed upon by both parties in which, at the end of the term, a binding contract is constructed. Terms may change during this time if certain aspects of a property, previously not disclosed, are discovered. For example, there may be soil contamination in which the buyer will not want to purchase the property and will safely option out of the non-binding contract. Or, perhaps the property is in a lot worse condition than originally thought, causing the buyer to negotiate a decreased purchase price.

If not binding is the letter of intent is a worthless document?

A letter of intent is not an offer or a contract. It doesn’t commit you or the seller to the project. In other words, it cannot be enforced. Often in the LOI there is often times, at the bottom or, in the body a paragraph stating and reinforcing the non-binding character of the LOI.

This should be a basic understanding of the nature of the LOI. This language is

usually just re-enforcement inserted to let all who may read that it is not a binding document, nor an agreement to agree in the future, unless specifically written.

The Specific details of due diligence, cash flow and the buyers’ needs, how those terms will be carried out with sellers. In most of the initial presentations, the accommodation of the seller’s financial needs is what is addressed. As a result the focus becomes more about the seller’s than the buyer’s needs.

For this reason, the dialogue is broken off, and the proposed purchase falls by the way side.

When the needs of the buyer and seller are addressed up front, it helps insure a movement to contract. s are spelled out in the . Buyers are often disappointed when their deals die at the LOI stage, with emotion aside, the understanding of the nature of the LOI, it is only a tool to open dialogue to see if an acceptable deal can be created. This allows the buyer to focus on the next viable deal. So in the regard the LOI is a very worthwhile document.

Writing the Letter of Intent

Use a formal letterhead and do not handwrite the letter of intent. A letter of intent must have five basic elements in its content:

1. The Seller’s or the Seller’s Agent’s name

2. The buyer’s name

3. The property address and description

4. Your offer details, which includes:

a. Purchase price

b. Down payment

c. Financing

d. Terms

e. Due diligence conditions

5. Time frame.

The body of the LOI would address the following items;

Terms: We should spell out the offering price, and the specific terms and contingencies of the financing, the down payment, where and what kind of financing to be obtained.

Conditions: We will often use this portion of the LOI to request documentation regarding the performance of the property, such as financials or other items that may aid us in our Due Diligence.

Due diligence time: specific time frame for consummation-typically about 90 to 120 days-or a so-called “drop dead” date by which the deal must be finished and the Buyer should have its due diligence completed, financing in place and ready to close escrow.

Closing Date: The specific date by which you can complete all of the due diligence and arrange for funding and any other clauses or provisions. When a formal contract will be written up if the LOI is approved if elected, a clause that makes the LOI non-binding. State to the seller that you are, interested in being kept informed about any modification related to this property, i.e. the LOI document itself, essentially an invitation for response.

Conclusion: Your signature and a place for the seller’s signature: close the letter formally with “sincerely” or a similar polite expression. Sign your name and title. Be sure to provide correct, complete contact and reference information for future correspondence. Remember to consult your lawyer, Tax advisor and other counsel for further information before entering into the formal contract.

Letter Writing: Confrontational Letter Writing – 12 Tips

A confrontational letter is a letter that confronts a situation, a problem or dispute. It seeks a specific objective from the recipient that will not usually be granted without resistance.

The writer wants a certain objective and the recipient of the letter will not grant that objective unless convincingly persuaded that he should.

Here are some tips as to how to effectively structure a ‘confrontational letter:’

1. Appearance is very important. The letter must be a hard copy and appear impressive and professional. You must use good quality paper and have the letter printed using a good printer on a professional appearing letterhead.

Emails do not project the impressive image that is truly effective.

Emails are unimpressive and these days a hard copy is becoming more and more rare. For that reason the appearance of an impressive appearing hard copy letter signifies that the letter is a serious letter and written by a writer deserving serious consideration. An impressive hard copy letter stands out from the crowd.

Have you ever noticed how much more respect a man in a well-tailored suit receives? The same principle applies and the physical appearance of the letter is very important and must project the writer as a serious, refined, educated individual.

Behind that projected image is implied the fact that the writer has the ability and wherewithal to take the matter further – i.e. to superiors of the recipient and/or to authorities that oversees the conduct of the recipient and his organization.

The serious and impressive appearance of the letter projects the clear understanding that the writer is the type of individual who may subsequently refer the matter to a lawyer for further action if the request for relief is denied.

What must also be borne in mind is the mindset of the recipient of a confrontational letter. That is to say, the greatest fear of a recipient of a confrontational letter is that his decision not to grant your request may be overruled by his superiors.

Therefore, if the recipient has received an impressive looking letter that is persuasively written this basic fear of being overruled will weigh very heavily on his mind. He may grant the request out of fear that the letter looks like ‘trouble’ both in appearance and content. He may therefore decide to quickly grant the request and close the file. The recipient will save negative responses for letters who do not appear to be ‘trouble.’ I personally have experienced this situation many times and that is why I place particular emphasis upon the physical appearance of the letter.

A professionally appearing letterhead can be easily created by a word processor. I recommend a border around the page and that the paragraphs be justified on both sides to give the letter a distinctly professional appearance. If you have a degree or some sort of designation include it on your letterhead.

I am not suggesting that if you have a weak argument that an impressive looking letter will in itself be effective. However what I am suggesting is that an impressive letter, in every sense, shall likely ensure that the persuasive argument contained within that letter gets the serious attention and careful treatment it deserves. And that objective is more than half the battle!

2. The letter must be well-researched and well-organized. If there is background and supporting information that must be conveyed to the recipient then that information must be included, accurate and complete. In order to keep the letter itself to a minimum consideration should be given to putting supporting information in an attached appendix to the letter.

The package put in front of the recipient must be total so that the reader does not have to secure other records in order to confirm or understand the situation correctly. This too is the mark of a professional and will have a positive impact upon the recipient. The recipient will feel that he is dealing with a professional who has his act together and that feeling shall increase his concern.

3. The letter must be entirely professional in tone and content and must project a distinct tone of civility and respectfulness. To deviate from this standard gives the recipient an excuse to place the request into the category of an unreasonable request. After a request has been characterized as ‘unreasonable – whether justified or unjustified – it is very difficult to rehabilitate that request.

4. If there are facts that have to be stated make sure that they are stated clearly and in short paragraphs of one or two sentences at the beginning of the letter. Short sentences and paragraphs are easier to read and the information contained is easier to digest. You want to make your factual case very clear and consideration should be given to numbering these paragraphs so that the recipient may easily refer to them by number.

5. State the request as briefly as possible and give justification for why the recipient should grant the request. Make your argument as short and simple as possible. Your letter should be as brief as possible because if you digress and add more detail you may put something in that an unscrupulous recipient may seize upon to unfairly deny your request. The touchstone – make things as clear and simple as possible.

6. End the letter in an up-beat manner. Indicate that you hope that the reader recognizes the merits of your position and invite him to respond if anything is unclear. I find the following sentence particularly effective: ‘If you are unable to agree to my request or if I am in error on any of the facts or, on any other aspect of the case I have outlined, please specifically advise.’

If the recipient gives you a detailed explanation as to why he is refusing your request it shall be your road map to further attempts to persuade him that he should agree to your request. It may also put him on the spot in a close case when his response is inappropriate and may be reviewed by a superior.

If the recipient does not give you a detailed explanation as to why he is refusing your request then that fact can be seized upon to suggest in a subsequent letter that the recipient is not being reasonable in considering your request.

7. Never refer to your ‘request’ as a ‘demand’. It should be respectfully framed as a ‘request’.

8. Always end the letter with ‘Respectfully Yours’.

That ‘respectful’ ending further and emphatically confirms that the letter has been respectfully submitted which is crucial.

If the recipient responds in a disrespectful or less than respectful professional manner then the contrast between his approach and your approach stands in stark contrast. This fact will be to your advantage when the letter and the entire situation is reviewed by someone else… i.e. someone in authority to the first responder, a regulator, another interested third party, etc.

Many of these confrontational situations are won only narrowly and can easily go one way or the other. The fact that your letter(s) is reasonable and respectful may be the crucial difference. I have seldom seen a disrespectful, unreasonable letter secure its objective. It is much more difficult to deny a request in a polite, respectful well-written letter.

9. Do not end the letter with a ‘cc’ to the regulator or any other third party that may stand as an authority to the recipient. It is completely inappropriate, unprofessional and the mark of an amateur.

Reference to a third party may be appropriate at a later stage but the first letter should stand entirely on its own and the recipient should not be made to feel that he has a gun to his head.

The recipient well knows that you may appeal to a higher authority and does not have to be reminded. Most first responders are very sensitive to this issue and so why antagonize him by waving that threat in his face? Do you really want to antagonize the person whom you are trying to convince?

10. A demand in the letter that there be a response within a specific time frame is completely inappropriate and unnecessarily irritating to the recipient and should not be inserted within your first letter.

True professionals fully understood that a timely response should always be provided and some responders take the request for a quick response as an indication of desperation or impatience and a weakness to exploit. For that reason many first responders will purposely delay their response in order to exasperate the writer and perhaps provoke an intemperate letter which is usually always to the recipient’s advantage.

Forget about asking for a quick or timely response – you have no control over that fact so why mention it?

In fact a tardy response can be a plus in your favor at a subsequent stage. A slow response can look bad when reviewed later and will tend to indicate that perhaps the recipient to your letter is being unreasonable, unnecessarily dragging his feet and acting inappropriately.

11. Make sure that there is nothing in your letter that can be criticized. Do not allow your anger to show through. Remember at some point your this letter is very likely to be reviewed by others and it should be completely beyond reproach. An understandable temperate expression of exasperation may be in order to prove a point but not anything more.

12. If you have the luxury of time then sleep on the letter and come back to it when you are fresh.

It is amazing what a fresh set of eyes can see and it also amazing what other points may occur to you as you go about your regular schedule.

Review the letter critically and tweak it so that it is as concise as possible and flows smoothly. Remember the key to good writing is ‘re-writing’.

If possible get a friend who has good judgment and good writing skills to review it. A good second opinion together with constructive criticism can be invaluable.

How to Write a Quick & Easy Car Repo Letter

On your own letterhead paper write or print out a notice which includes the name, address, and phone number of the defaulted client. Explain that you have attempted to contact them to no avail. Notify that they must contact you in order to come to a resolution to their outstanding payments.

List the vehicle that is in question along with its VIN number.

Give a final date that all past due payments are due by (labeled “last date for payment”) and the amount due to catch payments up (labeled “amount now due”). Explain that:

“If you pay the amount now due by the last date for payment you may continue with the contract as though you were not in default. If you do not pay by that date, we may exercise our rights under law, including involuntary repossession of the vehicle in which we hold a security interest.”

Remember that as time passes until the due date you assign more payments due may accumulate. Include in the letter that by the due date these payments will also be due and list each payment by amount and normal scheduled due date, i.e. “date due_______ Amount _______”

After listing these payments that will accumulate by the final due date explain that:

“In order to fully cure your account, and in order to prevent the exercise of our legal rights under the law, the payment or payments listed above must ALSO be paid in full on or before the last due date for payments”

Inform that even if the account is caught up you still have the right to take action in the event that payments fall behind again within a designated amount of time:

“If you are late again within the next____weeks in making your payments, we may exercise our rights, including repossession, without sending you another notice like this one.”

Explain your rights to collect further monies owed under the lien contract:

“The rights we may exercise under the law include repossession of the motor vehicle securing this debt. If the motor vehicle is repossessed, either voluntarily or involuntarily, it may be sold and you may owe the difference between the net proceeds from the sale and the remaining balance due under the contract.”

Ask the client to contact you right away if they have any questions.

Close the letter with:

“If we do not hear from you within___days, we will have no choice but to put out a REPOSSESSION ORDER on the vehicle.”

Sign it and have it notarized.

Mail the letter certified with delivery confirmation and return address requested. This way you have 2 ways of confirming and proving that they did receive the notice in case legal questions arise after the repossession.

You also obtain any forwarding address if the client has moved so that you can more easily locate the vehicle. The return address requested will send the letter back to you if they have moved instead of being forwarded to them.

If payment has not been made and you are ready to repossess the vehicle you need to write or type a REPOSSESSION ORDER. This will state the following:

Repossess Order

Purchaser:
[Name]
[Address]
[Phone number]

Default of contract
[vehicle year, make, model, VIN]
Net Payoff Balance: [Total bottom line balance owed]
Repo fee: [$ amount of the repo fee you charge]
Storage fee: [$ amount of the storage fee you charge]
Damage: [$ amount of any damage known to be done to the vehicle] You may also write TBD or To Be Determined here
Total: Add up all of these amounts and enter the total here

The named buyer is in default of installment loan contract and payment is under uniform and commercial state and local codes covering installment contract.

We agree to indemnify and save [your name/business name] harmless from and against all claims damages, losses, and actions resulting from or arising out of our efforts, except as may be caused by negligence or unauthorized acts by our agents representing us.

Dealer Authorizing Repossession

[your name/business name, address, and phone number here]

Notarize at the bottom

-Make a copy of the order for your records and give the order to your repossession agent (the person performing the actual vehicle acquisition).

Note that –

* If you follow these steps you will have done a legal repossession.
* Many people do not send a notification letter because many times a client will attempt to hide the vehicle once they have received a letter like this, especially if they have no intentions of paying.
* Most people are unaware of their rights when it comes to a vehicle repossession so they usually don’t report someone who has not followed proper procedure, however, If you do not send the certified letter notifying them of their default and giving them opportunity to make payment they have grounds to report you to the state’s DMV Dealer Services and the state’s Attorney General which can result in you being fined as well as taken to court for violating repossession laws.
* Keep in mind that some states do not allow a repossession to take place on private property if the repossession agent is asked to leave (some states require him/her to leave and for you to obtain a court order).
* Some states have no restrictions on public property.
* Some states forbid repossession to take place at a client’s place of employment.
* Be sure to check specific repossession laws pertaining to your state.

Writing a Good Fitness Sales Letter

Writing a good fitness sales letter will be a necessity at some point in your personal training career. It shouldn’t be anything to fret over, because it’s pretty much a fact of life. This is especially so when it comes to increasing name recognition in a prospective client base.

Keep in mind, though, that any fitness sales letter shares many similarities to most sales letters in any other business. For starters, the letter is about promoting the services which you feel will be valuable to a customer. You’re a personal trainer after all, and your services are going to be delivered personally to others. You won’t be an unknown super-conglomerate to any of your new customers, will you?

The first thing to emphasize when writing a good fitness sales letter is to focus on the potential customer. Leave out, for the most part, how great you personally are. Veteran marketing writers call this the “90/10 rule.” The sales letter talks about the customer 90 percent of the time and you — at most — 10 percent of it.

Make sure the letter addresses your possible clientele’s own fitness issues and how you can help these people address them. The time to talk about yourself is after you’ve begun training them. Up until then, keep the letter focused on them. After all, they don’t really know or actually care about you, for the most part. They will care deeply about themselves, though, so turn that to your benefit.

This next one can’t be reiterated enough: Always make sure to offer your potential clients something valuable. What might this be? Well, the list can be long. Perhaps a secret fitness program that only you have access to. Pro marketers believe a report of from four to eight pages is usually sufficiently valuable. And if you don’t know how to write, find somebody who does. It’s relatively inexpensive to commission a letter like this, nowadays.

Keep in mind that the best sales letters all leave out a distracting letterhead format at the top of the letter. It’s a curious fact that many people prefer to have a fancy-looking header at the top, but this just serves to take the reader’s attention away from the more important sales headline. There are times when a letterhead is called for, but this isn’t one of them, to be honest.

Any sales letter has a single goal in mind: To generate a response from the reader. Confusing the reader with a potentially-distracting bunch of non-applicable writing at the top will weaken, not strengthen the sales pitch. If you want it in the letter, site it down near your signature line, after you’ve made the pitch. Try not to use it at all, though.

Learn Technical Writing – Definition of Letter and Memo

It has come to our attention that some people think of a memo as just a short letter. Not so! Specifics to follow.

That’s a memo. Maybe shorter than most, but it’s a memo and not a letter.

Letters and memos (or, memorandums) are similar in many ways, but they serve two different purposes. It’s important to know the distinctions in order to produce the type of document you’re asked to write.

First we’ll look at some shared characteristics. Both letters and memos:

– use similar format styles

– are sent as hardcopy by either an external or internal delivery system

– can be typed or printed from a computer file

– address one specific subject

– provide information to or try to bring about a desired reaction from the recipients

There are two very important characteristics that distinguish a memo from a letter. The first is that letters are specific and memos are general. That means that letters normally go to specific recipients. They’re written mano e mano. Memos are not usually considered to be private communication. They’re normally addressed to multiple recipients. There may be dozens, hundreds, or thousands of people who get the same memo. That means that the odds are much greater that a memo will be read by someone it isn’t addressed to than for a letter. Memos get put up on bulletin boards and left on tables. There’s nothing private about a memo.

The second is that letters can be as long as the writer wants them to be while memos are written in a very condensed manner with a lot of information in very little space. Nothing unnecessary is included. There’s no Dear Sir orYours truly in a memo. Just the facts.

A memo can have a number of purposes. It can:

– distribute news and information to multiple recipients

– convey thoughts or opinions for immediate reaction

– call people to action or to a meeting

The single, most important difference between a letter and a memo is that a memo is short and to the point.

Note: Technically, the plural of memorandum is memoranda, but you probably shouldn’t use it unless you’re writing in a very high-level, academic situation.

Example of Sales Letter

As the name suggests, sales letter templates assist in composing promotional letters for goods or services that you want to sell. They can be downloaded from the Internet and used as guidelines along which you can do sales copywriting. Sales letter templates specify what you can incorporate into the letter that is used to launch your produce. Initially when you start as a sales copywriter, sales letter templates may be followed to write effective letters that sell, rendering the task much easier. It is not necessary that you depend upon a template but most people find it to be a convenient tool to formulate letters that are an instant hit to set the stage for vending your merchandise.

Effective sales letter templates generate ideas in you that you can use to make the product sell like hot cakes. It is of utmost importance that letters for selling your product help you to reach your objectives. Sales copywriting is carried out with a certain segment of society in mind. Getting across to them is the sole aim of using appropriate sales letter templates.

A sales copywriter is advised to compile the letters of sale using a conversational tone. Avoid sounding too formal and earn greater appeal from prospective customers. If the letters that sell exude warmth, the readers are immediately put at ease and you have better chances of converting readers into customers.

Do not fill up every available space with words, leave white spaces in the letter. This is a good way to retain the readers’ attention all through the letter. Short, terse paragraphs make a great read. Bullets or numbering point out the salient feature keep the letter from sounding too drab. Follow the sales templates carefully and win over a larger number of consumers.

It is important not to push your customers to buying your product. Select only the parts of the sales letter templates that aid in building a trust between the readers and you. If at any point the reader feels that he is being compelled to procure the items for sale, he is likely to lose interest and this implies that you are a loser too. Instead, set a tone that depicts your genuine concern for them. By being helpful to them, you will increase your rate of success. Readers want to obtain suggestion to solve their problems through the products you are selling but prefer to be the ultimate decision makers. Simply point out ways to assist them by providing ample information about whatever you are selling but refrain from driving them to take that path.

Using a sales letter template is better than not using it at all because it can lay a firm foundation for your business. Over a period of time, you will find using a template too binding and become comfortable with writing on your own. Once you gain mastery over the letter writing skill, you can discontinue the use of sales letter templates and be able to write flawlessly.

Mortgage Sales Letter Tips

A good mortgage sales letter that produces leads from a cold list or generates new business from your old client list is worth 1000 times it’s weight in gold.

Lets say you have a list of 50 clients and 50 leads that you haven’t converted. If you send one letter at a cost of just .42, and $100 for printing. That’s just $142 in total costs for a basic mortgage sales letter.

One new loan can generate several thousand dollars in commission. If you get just one new loan from a mortgage sales letter, you are going to be profitable (assuming you aren’t mailing to an enormous list).

As a result, it’s important to create an effective mortgage sales letter to maximize your lead generation efforts.

The key is to write an effective mortgage sales letter that people read and respond to. Most mortgage brokers don’t know the power of effective writing and rely upon hype and trickery in their letters.

The good news is you don’t need to hype up your letter, and you don’t need to rely on tricks like the old ‘fake looking check in the window’ letter (by the way, this does work, but only if you do it without fooling the recipient).

If you want leads and referrals here are the three most important parts of a successful mortgage sales letter that will help you boost response rates and build your book of business:

1. A Compelling Headline. Almost every mortgage sales letter must have a headline. Why? I’ll let the late great David Ogilvy explain it to you:

“On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.” -David Ogilvy

The job of a headline is to get people interested and excited about what you have to say. For example, a poor headline might say, “Introducing Your Local Home Loan Specialist!”

A better headline would be, “Susan Johnson Saved $498.95 Per Month On Her Mortgage Payment — Here’ How You Can Save This Much or More!”

That headline needs a little work, but it’s light years ahead of the average mortgage brokers marketing letter.

2. Stories Sell. Nothing gets people more involved and motivated to take action than a good story. Instead of cramming a pitch about your products and services down your prospects throat (which puts them into the defensive mindset), tell them a story about a client who saved money instantly. And as a result of saving this money she could pay for child care or get a mini van, or go on a vacation that she has been putting off for a few years.

They key is to write a story that fits into the mindset of your audience. If you are targeting subprime mortgages, tell a story about how a down and out client with no hope. How he brought his family out of a rental in a bad part of town to owning a nice home in a wonderful school district.

3. Call To Action. The next important area of an effective mortgage sales letter is the call to action. You want your prospect to take action and call you or fill out a return reply card.

For example, a weak call to action would be, “Call me at 555-555-5555 between the hours of 8am and 4pm Monday through Friday.”

A stronger call to action would be, “For a free no obligation consultation to see how much you can save on your mortgage payment call me now: 555-555-5555. We can schedule a time to meet and discus your financial situation, or do it on the phone. You can reach me at 555-555-5555 anytime during normal business hours. Or, you can call my toll-free 24-hour voicemail at 1-800-555-5555 and leave your contact information and I’ll send you more information.”

In addition to a headline, a story, and a strong call to action, your mortgage sales letter should include a Post Script (PS), and testimonials. Studies show that up to 80% of your readers will read the PS first. This is where you restate your benefit in a conversational way. Testimonials are very effective in establish credibility, and they reinforce your claims.

If you follow these simple guidelines to a more effective mortgage sales letter, you will generate more qualified leads and referrals.

Sit down and write a mortgage sales letter tonight instead of watching Fringe or Dancing With The Stars. Send it to your current clients, and old leads. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

3 Advanced Cover Letter Strategies For Offshore Drilling Employment

When looking for offshore drilling employment, and in fact any job that requires a written application, the cover letter is arguably the most important element. It is what gets your resume read… or not. If you flub it, you can kiss your chance of an interview goodbye. Before looking at the three advanced strategies, let’s look at three important basic principles of writing this document.

Basic Principles

The first of these basic principles is to send more job applications out. It is common to send 5 job applications and get no response. But send out 100 competently written cover letters/resume and you should start to see some decent results. Prosecuting a successful job hunt is much the same as prosecuting a successful war. You need both quantity and quality.

The second basic principle is to make sure your letter looks neat and professional. Yes, this is important even for a job that requires physical labor like an offshore roustabout or roughneck. Besides looking neat, the spelling and grammar needs to be correct. However, you do not need to pay a professional writer to write your cover letter. Just run it through the spelling and grammar checker in MS-Word. You can also do the same thing using OpenOffice (a free clone of MS-Word).

The third basic principle is to make sure you include the job title in the subject heading of your letter. Use the same job title that is in the advertisement. Include any codes that are in the advertisement. This is important. If you do not tell the oil company why you are sending them your cover letter, they will trash it without reading it.

The three basic principles above seem laughably obvious. But too many job seekers are too rushed, or are too lazy or simply too careless to do things right. They basically shoot themselves in the foot. Now, let’s move on to the three advanced principles. Although the following strategies do not guarantee you an interview, they will definitely get you a foot up in the game.

Advanced Strategies

The first advanced strategy is to tell the oil drilling company why they should hire you. The simplest way to do this is to copy each point of the job advertisement’s scope and responsibilities list, and then write down your prior experiences that demonstrate that skill or ability.

The second advanced strategy is to show the human resource staffer what makes you more special than your rivals. Again, here is a simple way to do this: just note down additional skills that are relevant to an offshore drilling job but not included in the advertisement. For example, related (or at least useful additional) skills for a roustabout job would include painting, scaffolding, crane operations, welding, firefighting (as a real fireman, not learned in a course), etc.

The third advanced strategy is to make an irresistible offer. This comes in two parts. The first is to show that you can start work immediately. This means you should not be working now or serving out your notice. It means you should also have all the relevant medical certifications, skills certifications (e.g. HUET for work on board an offshore oil rig), union memberships and licensing. Part two is to end your cover letter by asking them to call you for an interview. Successful salesmen know this last strategy very well (both parts of it). It is what makes them successful – daring to make an irresistible offer and daring to close the deal.

When you are looking for an offshore oil drilling job, your cover letter will make or break your job hunt. Violate the three basic principles above and you may as well just stick to flipping burgers for McDonalds. But the three advanced strategies are what will give you a leg up on 90% of your rivals.

How to Write a Good Cover Letter – Where to Start

In today’s world with the struggling economy we have enough to worry about, writing a good cover letter shouldn’t be another worry of ours. For most, writing a good cover letter wasn’t something that we were taught in college or even high school for that matter. Which is quite sad to think about it, we spent all that time in school preparing for life, but we were never showed one of the most important aspects of job hunting and how to write a good cover letter.

When starting out, you need a good cover letter to be attached along with your resume. A cover letter is an introduction to you, prior to a prospective employer reading your resume. This is your first impression so to speak. You want to grab their attention and keep their focus and make them want to learn more about you. Doing this will make the job hunting process a little less frustrating for you.

Tip 1.

Upon the mastering the basics required for writing good cover letters, it shouldn’t take too long to whip one up pretty quickly. The first rule is simply, that your main agenda in writing a good cover letter is to get the employer to give you an interview. You should do what you can to grab their attention and keep it.

Try to imagine yourself as if you are an item for sale, and you are trying to self yourself to the employer. You need some attention grabbing headlines. Seize your opportunity of landing a second interview. The cover letter is, for all intensive purposes is your first interview. This is the reason why learning how to write a good cover letter is vital when job hunting.

Tip 2.

You need to come out swinging and keep going. You opening to your cover letter must captivate your reader. By keeping this energy going, your reader will continue reading.

Your next paragraph must explain why you are perfect for the job. Relate your skills and experience to the position your applying for. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to throw in some information about the company your applying with as well, it’ll give your reader the impression that you have thoroughly done your homework and are truly interested in working with them.

A further selling point for yourself, would be to include a few lines about something you love to do and the passion and dedication you would be able to provide to your potential employer.

Your final paragraph is the contact section. Provide your email address or phone number. Don’t make it difficult for the reader to get in contact with you. These are the essential pieces of a great cover letter, now we are going to close it out with a bang.

Tip 3.

You can close out your cover letter with a PS or post-script. This is the final step of the crucial part in job hiring. Here you summarize your letter. Here is where you include the position that your applying for.

This is how you close your cover letter in the most effective way. Once you nail down these basics and start applying them, you should expect your phone to be ringing off the hook from potential employers wanting to hire you.

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