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THE LEVISON LETTER
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Action Ideas For Better Direct Mail,
E-mail, Web Sites & Advertising
Published by
Ivan Levison, Direct Response Copywriting
March, 2009
Volume: 22 Number: 3
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Don't Be Shy. Ask For The Sale!
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My wife and I were sitting in the car dealer's cubicle.
The moment of truth was arriving fast. We had taken a test drive and made
our final offer. The salesman had "taken our offer to his Sales Manager"
(yeah, sure), and returned to us to engage in the final, desperate
hand-to-hand battle. Godzilla meets Frankenstein.
The salesman came on like gangbusters. He used every pressure technique ever
devised. He pushed and pushed and pushed some more but I gritted my teeth
and bravely stood my ground.
Finally, when it looked like we were literally ready to walk, he leaned
towards us and said, "Ivan and Wendy, let me tell you something. My daughter
recently died of leukemia and I really need to make this sale. Can't we do
business?"
I kid you not. This guy was so low that he would either:
1. Lie in the most despicable way imaginable. Or . . .
2. Use the death of his daughter as a sympathy-getter to close the sale.
Nice.
So why am I telling you this?
Because if the car salesman I mentioned was a "10" on the hard-sell scale,
many Web marketers are namby-pamby "1s."
It's true. Marketers often go to the expense of sending an email or postal
mail piece and then fail to close the sale. All too often, their piece will
end with a simple listing of an 800 number or a URL. Pity.
Let me give you a typical example how an e-mail I recently received, ends.
(Company name and URL changed.)
Finally, Anonotech is easier to use than ever! A totally redesigned
interface gives you one-click access to all of its powerful features.
Download a free trial version at:
www.Anonotech.com/download
Yeah. That's where the e-mail ends! A URL is not very motivating, is it?
What's the RIGHT way to end an email or letter and get the prospect to act?
There are many ways to get prospects moving. Let me give you just four. In
each example, we'll pick up the copy where Anonotech leaves things (with the
URL), and then keep on truckin'.
1. Tell them what they can expect to learn.
Let readers know exactly why it's worth spending their precious time finding
out what you're offering.
EXAMPLE:
www.Anonotech.com/download
Why should you spend your valuable time finding out what Anonotech has to
offer? Here are just five great reasons for putting Anonotech to the test
right now . . . ETC.
2. Tell them what they'll risk or miss if they don't act.
This can be a very powerful motivator!
EXAMPLE:
www.Anonotech.com/download.
I want you to know that if you don't take a look at what we've got waiting
for you, you could be in big trouble. You see, very soon the version of the
software you're running right now simply won't be able to solve the problems
you deal with every day. Why? Because . . . ETC.
3. Tell them that you want to PROVE to them that everything you say is true.
This can add some spunk and energy to your copy.
EXAMPLE:
www.Anonotech.com/download
But don't take my word for how terrific Anonotech really is. All I ask is
the chance to prove that we can solve some of the toughest problems you face
every day. In just five minutes, we can show you how you can. . . ETC.
4. Close on a personal note.
E-mail is a very cold medium. Nothing to touch. Just pixels on a CRT. That's
why a personal close can warm things up.
EXAMPLE:
www.Anonotech.com/download
A final note . . . I want you to know that all of us here at Anonotech have
worked extremely hard to make our software easier to use than ever before!
So please consider this a personal invitation to download a free,
fully-functioning version of Anontech from our Web site right now. I know
you'll love what we've got waiting for you. In fact, that's a personal
promise . . . ETC.
The take-away message this month?
It's vitally important to do more than simply lay out the "features" and "benefits," write down your URL or 800 number, and expect the world to beat
a path to your door. As I say so often in The Levison Letter, you've got to
get out there, grab the reader's attention, and start selling!
How to get in touch . . .
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