Mail Enhancement

Today's post, following on the heels of yesterday's, traces its origin to the Gilded Age of capitalism.  Robber Barons and railroads.  Americans were moving into the cities, finding work in factories.  In 1902, a telegraph cable crossed the Pacific Ocean, effectively encircling the globe.

And there was patent medicine.

Snake oil, long known to be supremely effective to "cure what ails ya", was sold by a variety of characters.  In those days the monopoly of such a boon to society as medicine was considered unethical.  [Incidently, the oil of Chinese watersnake, in a sample from San Francisco Chinatown in 1989, is 20% EPA omega 3.  Courtesy of Wikipedia, so please check your references.  American snakes have a very different profile of fats.  And the Snake Oil medicines usually had none at all!]

It is with these characters, these mountebanks and hawkers of medicine, that we look for inspiration.  Stay with me here.  Early copywriting grew directly out of this industry.  Claude Hopkins himself did some of his early work for Dr. Shoop's patent medicine.  So, in fact, their techniques live on.  And you've been studying them.

Ever been talking with someone, only to have him ask you the very question you just answered?  As if you're playing some kind of Jeopardy.  If so, you have some idea how difficult it is to get someone's attention.  And to keep it long enough to influence them to a sale.  This is where that old snake oil salesman stuff comes in handy.

We've been talking about camouflage.  Flying below the radar.  But there are times when nothing will do but to hit your prospect square between the eyes with a claim so astonishing that they can't help but want to know more.  Now.

Knowing when to use what technique comes from measuring, studying the work of others, and a dose of intuition.  On top of that, most top copywriters actually have a losing record.  Think of it in terms of baseball.  Batting .350 ain't bad. 

Here's where we tie it all in.

It is extremely difficult to make the sale on first contact.  At least in most industries.  So hedge your bets.  Use a sequence to multiply your results.  An advertorial type ad, or a plain white envelope delivered hand addressed with a first class stamp; these have the best chance of being at least scanned.  But if your prospect knows your company, who you are, consider the outside of that envelope real estate, and put an ad on it.  'Teaser copy'.  And if you know your list is reasonably up to date, for business to consumer sales, send it third class.  Sometimes it's better for your prospect to know there's a great offer from the company they trust coming in.  Online, this principle means making a sales page a sales page.  Strong, compelling, even obvious sales copy.

And that brings us to our last point today.

Just because a few charlatans developed and exploited classic sales techniques – not to mention the spammers and scammers of today – doesn't mean they are evil.  Using powerful 'white hat' sales strategies will help you build a loyal clientele that will support the life you dream of.

To your Copywriting Mastery,

Sheridan Randolph