2009: The Year of One-to-One Marketing

By Kim T. Gordon of Entrepreneur.com



As we kick off 2009, one thing is crystal clear: We're entering an entirely new era for marketers. Let's call this the year for building relationships. Right now, prospects want to make every purchase a safe one. That means they'll rely on companies or brands they know and trust.

Closing sales will require a stronger emphasis on tactics that let you relate to customers one to one. And it's never been more important to craft a set of effective letters that you can customize for individual prospects.

Writing a great letter takes a bit of time and know-how. Whether you use it to follow up a lead, close a hot prospect or introduce your products and services, a well-crafted letter will be one of your most powerful marketing tools in the new year.

These six rules will help you write letters that motivate your best prospects:...