Read the Boron Letters

One of the biggest names in direct marketing – and copywriting – was an incredibly smart entrepreneur named Gary Halbert.

This guy made millions, lost millions, went to prison, got out of prison and made millions again, before tragically dying from a heart attack in his mid-sixties.

From his vast experience came one of the most comprehensive strategies for direct mail marketing the industry had ever seen and the best part about all of it is that he made it available to everyone… for free.

The Claim to Fame

His most notable work was on the PostScript – or the “P.S.” line of his sales letters. Even with today’s technology, the P.S. in an email remains just as valuable as it was during the prime time of snail mail.

Halbert’s emphasis on the importance of the P.S. line cannot be understated: “the P.S. is like a second headline. Many read the top, skim to the bottom and read those two things more than they read the rest of the letter (email).”

PostScript How To’s…

With the importance of the P.S. line now at the top of your mind, consider the following tips when crafting one for your next email campaign:

  • What the reader stands to lose (if they don’t act on your offer)
  • What the reader stands to gain (by acting on your offer right now)
  • Scarcity of the product (There are only a few things left in stock)
  • The urgency of a limited time offer (only X days or hours left to act)
  • Re-state the benefits (or a previously unmentioned EXTRA benefit. Sweeten the deal with something else included but not yet mentioned)
  • State the mission/vision/reason for taking action
  • A free tip or extra value (like a relevant podcast, or a tip of the day etc.)
  • Make a connection – email me with questions, join our social media platforms
  • Create an objection handler… (“Are you still on the fence? We have a 30-day money-back guarantee”… on the fence? I was too until I discovered…)
  • Summarize the benefits of your offer
  • Share some interesting statistics (Studies show 36% of people with this problem…” or “65% of web visitors are now on mobile…”)
  • Try an open-loop hook – Some crazy, weird, off-topic bit of information that creates interest and links back to the lander/website.
  • What to expect when you order (leverages the ‘assumed order’ sales technique) – “Once you’ve purchased, you should expect ___ within 3 days, we glue the boxes, tie the strings…”

Rules for a killer P.S. line

  • Keep them short. No walls of text or big block paragraphs. Two lines tops.
  • Only use one. Tests show a P.P.S. or even P.P.P.S are rarely read and create too much work.
  • Make sure it’s something the reader would actually care about.
  • Write them conversationally. If they sound like marketing speak or corporate-speak, they’ll convert less – No jargon or buzz words!

Taking the next steps…

This was just a quick dip in the pool of awesome copywriting. If you’re ready to jump in with both feet, head on over to mailerskills.com course page.

There you’ll find the fastest, easiest way to get your feet firmly on the ground in this amazing industry.

Check out Rookie to Rockstar and you’ll have mastered everything you need to know in just one weekend.

Want to add to the conversation? Leave us a comment or question, we’d love to hear from you!