Got a dwindling budget and a real need for more business? Feel as if your advertising is simply putting your cash in other people’s pockets? Maybe you should think a little more about a sales letter.

Barclays bank obviously thought long and hard before they issued their open letter to shareholders recently - the result, a 60% jump in its share price and an abrupt halt to its dwindling fortunes on the stock exchange. That’s 60% up on the strength of a letter and a few well-chosen words. Now does that sound like junk mail to you?

So why the spectacular success? It all comes to down to thinking again. When you think about the person who is going to receive your letter, think about what you what them to do – and think about what they really want to hear right now – then surely your letter is going to be anything but junk.

In Barclays' case a simple sales letter helped them save a huge company from a real threat. Just imagine what a few well-chosen words – and a very inexpensive medium – could do for you.