August, 2020
In a recent Sunday issue of the New York Times, I came upon a 12-page letter insert promoting The Economist, a wonderful magazine that I've enjoyed for years.
The two-page pitch-letter, that was part of the lead-generation package, sounded as if it were written by a non-native speaker . . .
Dear Colleague:
There is no doubt that The Economist is enjoying an unprecedented dynamism in the latter half of its second century. Its unlikely name is bandied about and bragged upon in the highest places. Our essentiality has arrived.
The interdependency of the world has been brought home all too clearly. The case for global intelligence has been made. The Economist provides it in a unique and refreshing way. Thus, our reputation . . . . . . . .
Nice, huh?
How should the writer have begun the letter? More importantly, how should you begin your next email, landing page, sales letter, etc?
My advice is to come out swinging. Right from the start, grab the reader's attention.
Let me show you how much better the Economist letter would have been had the writer (in this case me) skipped the illiterate fluff. I discovered that elsewhere in the letter the writer buried some amazing testimonials. I started putting them to work right from the get-go . . .
Dear Friend:
Bill Gates, the Chairman of Microsoft, recently said, "The
magazine I spend most of my days reading is
The Economist."
Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, said, "I used to think. Now I just read
The Economist."
If you want to see for yourself why The Economist has such incredibly enthusiastic
(and successful) readers, here's a no-risk FREE offer not to be missed . . .
Return the postage-paid "Free Trial Acceptance Card" and I'll make sure you
get four free issues of The Economist at no cost and with no obligation to whatsoever.
All I ask is that you be the judge and decide . . . . . . . .
You get the picture. When you're starting a letter, email, web page, or anything else, don't get to the point slowly. Jump right in and go for it!
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If you want me to do some copywriting for you, give me a call. If you want results, like the kind I've delivered for countless clients over thirty-five years, I warmly invite you to get in touch right now at (415) 461-0672 or email me at [email protected]
