the letters that come to me that are hand addressed always make it to my "A" pile. They usually come from someone I know. Even if the letter has nothing more than my name and address typed onto the envelope with a return name and address in the upper left hand corner, Ill usually open it.   This confirms direct mail research that states the highest "letter opening rates" for plain white letters with a real stamp and a simple from and to address either hand written or typed on the front of the envelope.   Hint: You can now buy fonts that mimic actual handwriting. All you have to do is send them through the printer and you cant tell the difference between hand addressing and computer addressing.   3. The Headline   Once a piece of mail is opened you have about five to eight seconds to overcome the next obstacle - getting it read. To do this you have to have a powerful headline, with possibly a good supporting graphic. Every direct mail piece, whether it be a Val-Pak ad, a postcard, or a letter, should have an attention-grabbing headline.   Your headline can include your biggest benefit or ask a provocative question that makes the reader want to keep reading. Do not put the name of your business at the top of the letter. At this point, your reader couldnt care less about the name of your company. Theyre too busy asking themselves, "Whats in it for me?"   I included a rather lengthy explanation on how to develop headlines in the chapter on advertising, so I wont spend a lot of time on this topic. I will say again that its very important. Eighty percent of your time should be spent on developing a good, attention- grabbing headline.   4. "Whats In It For Me?"   As I stated before, youve got to make sure your writing answers the question, "Whats in it for me?" Write with the understanding that people are constantly asking themselves that question. Your reader has problems, and all they care about is how you will solve their problems for them.   Your copy should be benefit-laden. It should be all about them and very little about you. It should tell the story about why their life would be so much better off with a spa or pool. Dont bog them down with a bunch of features and technical jargon. Just tell them in simple, easy words how your spa or pool is better than all the rest. A simple way to gauge this is to count the number of "Is" you have in your text and then compare it to the number of "yous" in your text. You will quickly learn whether youre writing to your ego or to your prospect.   If you pick up most pieces of corporate direct mail or look at most ads in the newspaper