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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
September, 2000
Volume: 15 Number: 9
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Ask for the sale in your marketing letter
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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.
Man, he came on like gangbusters. He used every pressure
technique ever devised. He pushed and pushed and pushed
some more but I 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 high-tech marketers are namby-pamby
"1s."
It's true. High-tech marketers often go the expense
of
sending an e-mail or postal mail piece and then fail to
close the sale. All too often, an e-mail, sales letter,
or ad 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:
http://www.Anonotech.com/download/html
Yeah. That's where the e-mail ends! Not very motivating,
is it?
What's the RIGHT way to 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:
http://www.Anonotech.com/download/html
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:
http://www.Anonotech.com/download/html
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:
http://www.Anonotech.com/download/html
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:
http://www.Anonotech.com/download/html
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
wooden "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!
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How To Get In Touch
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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
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Copyright 2000, by Ivan Levison, All Rights Reserved.
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