-------------------------------------------
THE LEVISON LETTER
-------------------------------------------
Action Ideas For Better Direct Mail,
E-mail, Web Sites & Advertising
Published by
Ivan Levison, Direct Response Copywriting
February 2006
Volume: 21 Number: 2
=======================================
Remember The A La Mode! -
Comparing two email marketing messages
=======================================
So I'm sitting with my wife and another couple at The Lark
Creek Inn restaurant in Larkspur, California.
We've just finished enjoying some great appetizers and
hearty main courses. Our waiter approaches the table,
surveys the empty plates, and instead of handing us dessert
menus, says "I guess you don't want any dessert."
What the heck does he expect me to say? "No, my guests
and I are all pigs, so we're going to cram down some pie and
ice cream!"
The waiter just didn't make it very easy for us to order. He
shut us down.
Dissolve: We're down the block and across the street at
Fabrizio's and have finished our entrees. Fabrizio
Martinelli himself comes over to our table with a tray of
fabulous-looking desserts.
Before we can say a word, he launches into an enthusiastic
description of every item. He even points out that the
sorbet in the kitchen doesn't contain a single gram of fat.
(I chose the cheese cake because Fabrizio is such a nice guy!)
So, have I given up copywriting and become a food critic?
Not at all. I just can't help noticing good and bad selling
when it's staring me in the face. And it's good to stay
sensitive to these issues. You see, we're so busy thinking
about affiliate programs, clickthrough rates, and this week's
business model that it's easy to forget some simple facts:
We have to be super salespeople.
We have to be dynamite motivators.
Our ultimate job is to SELL PRODUCT!
As I often say, this should be obvious but it apparently isn't.
Let me prove the point by comparing two email messages. One
I received, one I wrote.
We'll start with a message from a CEO kicking off a brand
new e-newsletter. (I'm changing the name of the company.)
"Welcome to the inaugural issue of The Reporter, an
online newsletter for the ABC Software community. The
purpose of The Reporter is to keep our partners, customers
and other interested parties up to date on events at the
company. I am pleased to report that the first quarter of 1999
was a period of tremendous progress for ABC Software. We
significant technology milestones which have enabled us to
better serve our customers. These milestones include . . . etc."
You get the picture. What we have here is an annual report
masquerading as an email. In the email environment, this
is DEATH. You simply can't be boring or pompous or stuffy
and still be successful.
Now let¹s take a look at the start of an email that I wrote
a while ago for Shockwave:
"Hey, have we got something for YOU.
Shockmachine. Free. Now.
It's dynamite and it's waiting for you at:
http://www.shockwave.com/freeshockmachine
Why does Shockmachine deserve a place on YOUR hard drive?
Well, first of all Shockmachine is free so it will cost
you absolutely nada. (Not a bad selling point!)
And that's just for starters. Here are four more great
reasons to put Shockmachine to the test yourself right now: etc."
See what I mean? The copy, written for a GenX audience, is fun and
lively. (Want me to write some lively copy for YOU? Get in touch
and let's talk about my copywriting services!)
The take-away message this month?
Don't forget that if you want to make money in the mail or
on the Web, you must ultimately be a sales-person who engages
prospects, and uses your powers of persuasion to turn them into
paying customers.
Important food for thought.
=====================================
How To Get In Touch
=====================================
Ivan Levison
Direct Response Copywriting
14 Los Cerros Drive
Greenbrae, CA 94904
Phone: (415) 461-0672
Fax: (415) 461-7738
E-mail: ivan@levison.com
Web Site: http://www.levison.com
=============================================
How To Subscribe/Unsubscribe
=============================================
SUBSCRIBE FREE to The Levison Letter at
http://www.levison.com
UNSUBSCRIBE by sending a Reply to this message with
just the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
IMPORTANT: Your subscription information will NEVER
be traded, sold, or used by anyone else. That's a personal
promise.
_______________________________________________
Copyright 2006, by Ivan Levison, All Rights Reserved.
Recent Back Issues of The
Levison Letter
