In this penultimate part of your “Lost Secrets of Marketing Legends” e-course, we are revealing two fantastic resources on letter writing.
We will also pre-view these resources and give you some hints and tips that will guarantee improvements in your letter writing.
No matter what business you’re in.
Back in 1921, Publisher A.W. Shaw collected 5,063 letters that had made big sales for their originators. The publishers whittled this list down and published 72 of these letters.
These 72 were analyzed and dissected. The result was their publication: “72 Letters and What Made Them Pay.” This book contains sections on letters that open doors; letters that increase sales; letters that turn prospects into your friends; in fact, letters for many occasions. 72 of them.
There are examples of letters that pulled 18% to 20% returns. Letters that gave 61% returns. What would you give for returns like that?
Take for example this opening sentence:
“There is a man in Boston who has a unique way of making a living.”
Now who wouldn’t be interested in that? Most people, and that’s why they keep on reading the rest of the letter.
That opening sentence above could be used as a headline for a sales copy. You could play around with a bit and come up with something like: “There is a man in
Even if you have to give something away to entice your prospect to reply, the letter still has to be effective.
Within the above opening sentence was a sufficiently good “hook” to get the prospect to read further. But the letter sooner or later had to reveal the “Big Idea”. Suffice it to say that this particular letter did get the results (a 61% return) and the pulling power of such a letter makes it well worthy of study.
“72 Letters and What Made Them Pay” will help you put together a persuasive letter for any situation, no matter what line of business you are in.
Here’s another example of a letter from that book that gave a good return:
A golf club wanted to increase its membership. So it decided to write to a number of desirable prospects, names that were forwarded by existing members. The letter sent to these prospective members had an element of personal invitation and signed by the chairman of the club, A. R. Davis. The letter began:
The other day I met a friend of yours, Mr. H.A. Roefer. He handed me your name and said, “There’s a fellow, Davis, that I’d like to see join the club…….
Because of the personal nature of the letter, many of the prospects actually went to the trouble of writing a personal letter in reply.
And the club wrote a further letter with more details to the prospects that didn’t reply to the first. All in all, the campaign was a great success. The letter pulled a massive 30% return.
Many other clubs have since used the same letter with equal success.
Another master writer was Robert Collier. He went to work in New York for his uncle’s publishing company.
His first successes were that he sold many thousands of the Harvard Classics. These were books put together by Dr. Eliot of Harvard and sold by Collier as what became known as the “Famous Five-Foot Shelf of Books.”
Collier had an idea of writing a set of books on psychology. He worked day and night to get them finished. The books were titled: “The Secrets of The Ages.” He sold over 300,000 sets of that title and went on to write more self-help titles and books.
He was a prolific writer but his best abilities were in writing killer sales letters.
In 1934 he wrote, the now famous: “The Robert Collier Letter Book.”
Here are just a few of his secrets to writing sales letters.
Collier became famous for one letter in particular. His: “Will you do me a favor?” letter. He conceived this idea when he read about a manager who asked one of his competitors for a favor – he wanted to know how to handle customers that took advantage of their terms. And this technique helped to bring the two companies together.
Collier thought that this technique may well work in print. He wasn’t wrong! Take a look at how he phrased that letter:
Will you do me a favor?
For twelve years now, you know, we have
been selling the famous “Keepdry” coat direct
to the customer, at a saving of many dollars
from the usual price.
This year I want to vary the line a bit, so I
have changed the fabric to one that looks
like a smart topcoat – but will still shed
rain. And instead of the usual double-
breasted raincoat model, I’m using a single-
breasted topcoat model that appeals to men
because it has style, and yet retains that
loose, comfortable look of the well-tailored
overcoat.
I believe that anyone who gets out in stormy
or wet weather will like this “Any Weather”
coat better than any raincoat or topcoat he
can buy, but you know how it is in
merchandising – you can never be sure of
such things until after you have sunk a lot
of money in them.
Which brings me to the favor:
I want to make sure of the demand – or lack
of demand – before we sink too much money in
this new coat. So I’ve come to you as a
customer of the house:
Will you try out one of these new “Any
Weather” topcoats for me for a week – WEAR
IT – see how it feels, how it looks, how it
compares with topcoats you have bought at $25
or $30? Above all, how it keeps out wind
and rain? And then write me?
Needless to say, I’ll send you a coat you
can be proud to wear anywhere – a coat that
will fit you as though made to measure by
your own tailor.
I can do it, you know, because we have so
much greater a range of sizes than any retail
store. Where the retailer carries coats in
half a dozen sizes and only one length, we
have 57 different sizes and 5 different coat
lengths.
More than that – where ordinary raincoat or
topcoat serves but one purpose, this new
“Any Weather” is topcoat, motor coat, sport
coat, and raincoat – all in one! It can be
worn on every occasion that a light over-
coat is used – and in a heavy downpour as
well! Every man needs a coat like this for
rainy days – for chilly nights – for auto
rides.
Stormy days will never again mean chills
and colds and ruined clothes if you wear
an “Any Weather” coat. It will protect
your health and your clothes, yet keep you
looking and feeling as smartly dressed as
ever.
But I did not start out with the idea of
selling YOU the coat. I just want to
satisfy you that it is one you will be
proud to wear anywhere, in any company, in
any weather.
If you will fill in the three simple
measurements called for on the enclosed
card – I’ll get one of these new “Any
Weather” coats off to you at once by pre-
paid Parcel Post – to be worn for a week
at my risk and expense – FREE!
At the end of the week, if you should like
the coat so well that you want to keep it,
you can pay – NOT the $25 or $30 that you
are accustomed to paying for coats in
stores, not even our low-direct-to-the-
user “Keepdry” price of $16.85 – BUT OUR
SPECIAL INTRODUCTION PRICE TO YOU, ONLY
$14.85!
Otherwise just send it back at our expense,
and in payment for the week’s wear, tell
me frankly your honest opinion of the coat
and its saleability.
Naturally, I am not making offers like
this to everyone, so whether you accept it
or not, I should feel obliged if you would
return the card so as to insure against its
falling into the wrong hands.
Naturally, too, your opinion will be of
value to me only if I get it NOW – before
the Fall season has really opened – before
we are definitely committed for any great
quantity of these new all-weather coats.
Won’t you, therefore, fill in the three
simple measurements on the card TONIGHT if
you can, and mail it? On second thought,
better mail it right away – while you
have it in your hand – so there will be no
chance of forgetting it.
I thank you for your courtesy.
Yours for mutual cooperation
This letter was responsible for selling 20,000 raincoats and over a dozen other products.
The letter contains some strong psychological principles. Also, people like to help.
Just as Collier knew all those years ago, people like to give opinions. He uses that technique in the above letter. So can you.
If you operate your business off-line, ask in your direct mail or your letters for people’s opinions.
If you operate on-line, a good technique to use is polls. If people aren’t yet ready to buy, they do love to give their opinions.
It becomes even stronger if you give them something for free in return. Something of value, like a report with some useful information. But what ever you give them, it has to be useful.
Now you may be thinking, OK, this letter was written over 70 years ago. Surely, this technique is out-dated. Think so. Well, here’s a recent letter that Boardroom Reports, one of the top direct marketing companies in the country, put out:
Our records show that you’re one of our best
customers, and that’s why I’m writing.
Frankly, I need your help.
I’m asking you to take part in a little
marketing trial I’ve put together. Our
company has a lot riding on the outcome,
so I’m really hoping you’ll participate.
If you do, I’ll send you one of the most
valuable gifts we’ve ever given away. It’s
our giant new, 51,000 word book, the
“DOCTOR’S LITTLE BLACK BAG OF
REMEDIES AND CURES, Vol. I”
I’ll explain our marketing trial in a
moment…and why your “verdict” is so
important to us. But first, let me tell
you about a special free gift you’ll
receive just for taking part.
(Tells about free gift)….
You can see why I say this is such a
valuable book, and it’s yours FREE for
just taking part in my marketing trial. So
what’s this “marketing trial” all about?
Here’s the story….
We’ve just launched what I believe is the
most unusual and valuable health magazine
ever published. It’s called Bottom Line
Health, and I very much need to know what
you think of it.
Here’s why…. (Goes on to explain how the
fairest, most honest way to introduce new
products is through sampling. Then makes
call to action).
Robert Collier also succeeded with another kind of letter opening. Here’s how he did it:
“With your permission, I am going to send
you FREE a new, self-filling black beauty
fountain pen-pencil; with your name
stamped upon it in 24 carat solid gold
leaf.”
Or,
“With your permission, I am going to make
an analysis of the soil of your lawn to
determine – at my own risk and expense -
what elements are lacking in it, what you
need for stronger, healthier, more closely
grown turf.”
These openings have been used over and over again because they work.
Take a look at this opening from Rodale Press. They used a very similar type of opening – “With Your Permission.”
Hot new book reveals…
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Learn to enjoy the best sexy of your life, at any age…with the amazing secrets and discoveries in this just-released “For Men Only” book that is dramatically changing men’s (and women’s) lives literally overnight…
- With your permission (and with strict precautions for privacy), I am going to send you one of the most important and exciting books ever released by an
American publisher.
Just before his death in 1950, Robert Collier was asked to pick his 15 most powerful and hypnotic letters. These were compiled and sold as: “Robert Collier’s Million Dollar Sales Letters.”
That’s all for this penultimate part of your e-course.
In the final part, #9, we’ll review the “inventor” of USP (Rosser Reeves) and the works of other admen: Leo Burnett; Clyde Bedell; and James Webb Young.
Want even more long lost secrets? Remember, this e-course is only a tiny sampling of what’s waiting for you. Get 4 nearly forgotten yet timeless Long Lost Marketing Secrets at www.secretsofmarketinglegends.com.
