But more importantly, watch what they do. If you do much online shopping, you're sure to have seen some great, and not so great, sales letters urging you to get that oh-so-fabulous product that will solve all your problems right now.

Some of those letters probably make you want to whip out that credit card from the moment you start reading. Others -- well your card never sees the light of day.

But that's okay. Use it as a lesson for your business. You can learn how to create a good sales letter by studying both the good and the not so good. Next time you're tempted to buy something as a result of a sales letter, don't just purchase the item. Print out a copy of the sales letter and study it.

Identify exactly what it was about the letter that tugged at you to whip out your credit card. And do the same thing with soggy sales letters too. Figure out what it was that made you hesitate to buy.

Mark up the printed version to see where it was strong and really pulled on your wallet. Make a note of the words and phrases that had the most power.

Take those nuggets of wisdom you discovered and apply them to your next sales letter. I guarantee you it will be better than the last one you wrote.

Denise O'Berry

With more than two decades of operational and management experience, Denise O'Berry has developed a sharp eye for how businesses get bloated with inefficiencies, cross-purposes and miscommunication -- and how they can retool for a sleeker, smoother, strategically focused organization.

An entrepreneur who quickly built her own successful consulting business, she helps other small business owners set priorities, take action to grow their business and create the balance they want between life and work. Her clients have ranged from telecommunications giants like Verizon to Mom-and-Pop retail shops with a primary focus on those having 10 or fewer employees and up to $2.5 million in annual sales.

Denise frequently speaks to professional organizations, is the author of three booklets, and several "how-to" manuals. She writes a weekly small business column, hosts an online small business owners forum and is called upon regularly by publications such as Entrepreneur, Bank Rate Small Business, Florida Trend, Inc., various newspapers, radio and television to provide expert comments on small business issues.