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As I'm sure you know from your own personal experience, people want to know the point as quickly as possible. Since people are bombarded by over 3,000 commercial messages a day, and if you surf the web – even more, they don't have time to read through a lot of copy unless something immediately captures their interest.

1. Be accurate. Whatever claims you make, benefits you offer, statistics you quote, testimonials, testaments, or endorsements you present, make sure they are true and not inflated. Nothing is worse than starting off a relationship with exaggerated or even false information.

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2.Be brief. Your job is to capture interest, and start the dialogue. Then provide more information if it's wanted inside the salon. Identify the most important benefit to the recipient and sum it up in a single short sentence. Think of it as the 10-second "elevator pitch" in mail form.

Too many ads have "we're the best because blah, blah, and blah. And blah, and blah and blah and we have 5 levels of tanning." These are features! What's the benefit to consumers? Instead it should read, "5 levels of tanning for every skin type and budget." Be brief and tell them the benefit to them.

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3. Be genuine. But remember that hype that works with consumers so its a fine line between the two. Your relationship is built on trust. Make sure everything you say conveys you are a genuine, upstanding, honest person running a reputable business.

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4. Speak their language. Talk to the reader. Whatever you're going to say, write in words they understand and are comfortable with. Don't write down to them or above their comprehension level. People tend to understand and react better to words they use in everyday conversations. Write as if you were writing a letter to someone and then edit it down to 6 words or less for each paragraph.

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5. Put yourself in your customers' shoes. Try to picture the daily routine of the people you're contacting and reflect that in your writing and offers: "I know you're busy, so I'll get right to the point." Don't say it. Do it.

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6. Watch out for a "knowledge gap." Don't assume recipients have the same knowledge about your product or service you do. Don't talk over their heads. After you've captured their interest and have reached the "additional information" stage when they inquire on the phone, try an additional offer to seal the deal. But don't offer additional information on the phone - you will probably just be talking yourself out of a sale. Instead, go for the close!

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7. Write your ad copy as letters, not as ads. A forthright message written as though you were writing to someone you know is much more effective than a message that looks and smells like an ad.

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8. Take your time. As you would with a letter you'd write to a friend, let your message sit for a day or two after you complete it. Look at it again with a fresh perspective and then edit, edit, edit! In almost every case, the passage of time and and editing will help you improve your messaging and writing.

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9. Remember your mail is likely to be passed around or viewed by people other than the intended recipient. You may want to pose your message in a way that includes information that is relevant to others.

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10. Mimic your verbal presentation. Although a lot of what you say in person may not be necessary or appropriate for a mailing, you should still take into consideration how you verbally present your product or service, whether by phone or in person. Write the same way that you talk. This will add comprehension and character to your brand and message.