Dear friend,

Let’s put our glasses together and finally agree.

If you’re going to write a great sales letter that makes people stop in their tracks and say, “Wow! I want that!” …

… there are some mandatory floor exercises that you must follow.

1. You need to grab your reader by the neck.

(The direct answer is an interrupted form of advertising. Why should your potential client stop making love to his spouse … his neighbor … his favorite concubine … and pay attention to him?)

2. You need to build a one-to-one relationship with a qualified buyer.

(Wow, soldier! If you don’t go, my husband is going to … wait … come out … you’re cuter than I thought.)

3. You should slide your unique selling proposition under the nose of your potential customer using language that makes them nod in familiarity.

(Okay buddy, why is your damn sepia pub better than the damn pub I already own?)

Four. You must submit an offer that motivates someone to act – now!

(What! Derek Jeter is about to break Lou Gehrig’s record, and you want him to turn off the television …)

Oh, did I mention you need to do all of this, fast?

Ideally, in 5 or 6 paragraphs. Paragraphs should be no more than 5 lines and about 10 to 12 words per line … in 12 point font. (We can discuss the source later).

That’s the bad new.

This is the good news. Some talented copywriters have hacked into this brush before you and left clear paths to follow. You just have to swallow your pride and go where they take you. Let’s see a great card in action and I’ll show you what I’m talking about.

Darlene, open the vault, honey, and take that Ken Sheck package from the slide-out file. You know, the ECONOMIST.

Here it is. What a gem!

Dear colleague,

Every Monday morning, a rather unusual publication hits the desks of a select circle of individuals in positions of power and influence.

News discreetly published weekly (one is almost tempted to say it grudgingly) includes presidents (of countries, banks, universities, and Fortune 500 companies), high-ranking executives (in business, government, and industry), and prominent thoughts (in laws, science, readers). , economy and military strategy).

Now, it may not surprise you to learn that the average income of North American subscribers to this unique publication exceeds $ 144,800 per year. However, you may be surprised to find that despite the enormous influence and wealth of its world-renowned readers, only a relative handful of Americans are aware of the existence of this exclusive publication, let alone the intelligence it provides. .

But now, with this letter, you are cordially invited to join the extremely select circle of men and women who would not think of starting each workweek without the incomparable information and reporting of The Economist.

Now let’s examine what Ken does that separates him from simple typists.

First, let’s look at what Ken doesn’t say. Don’t mention anything that’s in the news because by the time the prospect reads this, anything you can say will be out of date.

So instead he cleverly leans to the left and focuses on the exclusivity of the pub … the wealth and power of its readers … and, by implication, the exclusive club you’ll join when you too sign up. .

Also, keep in mind the tone you set at the beginning:

Every Monday morning, a rather unusual publication hits the desks of a select circle of individuals in positions of power and influence.

I could have said …

On Mondays, the magazine is read by bigwigs like Henry Kissinger and Walter Cronkite.

… but I would have gained fewer yards, IMHO. The best way to get a qualified buyer is to catch the tone of the product. In this case, Ken’s client is The Economist, do not Newsweek. It takes a little more nose in the air.

Let me now show you how I shamelessly borrowed from Ken to create a package for The Far Eastern Economic Review and kicked some serious direct response butt.

Darlene, where are you honey? Awakening! It’s 9:00 am and you’re already lit up like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Bring me that package, the one at your feet.

Every week a highly influential magazine is discreetly delivered to two dozen spy agencies around the world.

It is eagerly awaited by prime ministers and presidents … by savvy corporate executives and forward-thinking global investors … from Sweden to Swaziland, from Pyongyang to Peoria.

Now, with your permission, we would like to include you among this distinguished group of world leaders. Introducing …

THE FAR EAST ECONOMIC REVIEW

Then I went in my own direction, still not talking about anything on the news …

Dear executive:

It was a beautiful summer day at the Clearwater Bay Golf Club, and so far the game of golf between the two businessmen had been friendly enough.

Then he suddenly stiffened.

“How could I borrow $ 400 million to build our new plant at such a high interest rate?” yelled the CEO on hole 4.

“I’m sorry … sir …” the executive stuttered, missing his putt. “I thought my information was reliable at the time …”

the CEO interrupted. “Not good enough. The Review has been hinting for months that interest rates would fall!”

Why was the CEO so brusque?

Why didn’t he have another second to lose? Because he knew that any entrepreneur who did not take advantage of the “early warning” provided by The Far Eastern Economic Review would lose opportunities and be at a clear disadvantage when trying to negotiate successful (and profitable) businesses in Asia.

Get the idea? Sometimes it’s better, as Darlene likes to remind me, to keep your mouth shut. If you sell a news post, saying less can be more.

Health!