The first thing to remember when you set out to write an ad or a marketing letter is that most people want a good reason NOT to read it.
They don’t want to miss anything that might benefit them, but they’re really hoping yours is a message they can simply toss or delete.
Everyone gets too much email these days. And unless we’re hiding under a rock, we also see too many marketing messages. If we tried to read all of it, we’d still be reading Monday’s messages on Wednesday.
That means most people don’t want to waste time on reading anything that isn’t interesting or directly useful to them.
What kinds of openings cause a reader to think “Who cares?” Here are a few examples:
- My name is…
- I wanted to let you know…
- I noticed that ….
- I can…
Even if what you say later might be of interest, beginning with a message all about YOU and what you want can be a deal-breaker. So start with a statement or a question of interest to the reader, and answer the reader’s unspoken question “So what?” just as quickly as you can.
If you go too slow, they’ll lose interest and crumple the mail or hit delete.
When you write, put your message to the test.
Ask the question, and if the answer isn’t evident, start over.
