1 post tagged “carlton”
We left off yesterday in a section where Kennedy is hammering home the headline. Reiterating that it is the most valuable skill, and that if you possess it, which he proved you surely can, you will work less and less. Until your sole occupation is climbing in and out of your hammock. Stay on that yes train.
Below the next order link, there is a highlighted sub head. "How the Awesome Power..." I'm not going to analyze this in as much detail, but I can tell you, when I first encountered this letter, he had me hooked. I devoured this story. I don't have employees, but have dealt with them in my father's business. As a result, I'm pretty prejudiced against them. Good help really is hard to find.
Everyone knows numbers are incontrovertible, so a little simple arithmetic strengthens the story. He goes on to make some good points. But do they really prove the premise? It's a great story, but it seems rather to prove that a corporate reorganization and refined business model were the solution, ultimately ennabling more time for copywriting. Not the other way around.
Drop below the next order link.
Anyone who's seriously involved in chasing copywriting gurus will know the name Gary Halbert. In fact, he's legendary. But does he endorse this product? Not explicitly, but do you think having his name here ads to credibility? This trick is often done with celebrities as well. You have to be careful how you go about it, but it can be a response multiplier.
"With wisdom I lacked..." Don't often see the word wisdom in a sales letter. Followed by a little rule-breaking ("Screw the bankers..."). A wise rebel. There's a little bit of a hook in that. The box there draws your eye. A mathematical proof, and the eye easily finds what you're meant to read next. "Total: $270,000.00 cash," notice how he adds those extra zeros after the decimal point. Looks more substantial. The word 'total' recalls the phrase 'grand total', which I always stop to hear. "in less than ten days." Well, of course it happened fast. I've been saying 'yes, copywriting brings fast easy cash' for several pages now. Also, 'cash' is a selling word, especially the 'cold, hard' kind.
Next he shores up his promise, then launches into another emotional ride into economic insecurity.
John Carlton has a graph. The vertical axis is interest, the horizontal is magic. The more magical your solution becomes, the further out on the graph, the greater the interest, moving up on the graph. Dan Kennedy doesn't waste time. Note the cartoon of the wizard. Alchemy. Medieval. This is sheer fantasy. But see how well he ties it in.
Then the promise of a secret society. Finally I'll be special and understood. While my competitors struggle in their ignorance. A reference to a venerable success guru, Clement Stone, and why what he has to offer is now better. And if you know how many copywriters start out, the highlighted text is bound to hit home with that crowd.
Next, a confession. He goes off the deep end. It helps that it comes later in the letter, but see how he manages this without going 'huckster'. (You've seen those furniture store commercials, right?) It helps that he tells the story of one of his colleagues. For credibility, and to cut down on the use of 'I'.
Then the turn. Now the entreprenuer is the hero. Finally he – the wizard with secret knowledge – is granting us our superpowers. How I have waited for this day. See how he's given himself such authority. Life and death over the poor, helpless CEO. Delicious fantasy. This is followed by a transition which begins to set up price.
Have you noticed he's been anchoring big numbers? How he's sequencing stories? Some of which really have nothing to do with the selling situation at hand. This is why face to face sales is so important for copywriting. To get that sense of sales thinking, for what to include.
Next up, my favorite part of this letter. It's like in the Wizard of Oz, where we see technicolor for the first time. Stay tuned.
To your Copywriting Mastery,
