Урок №6. What makes this e-mailed sales letter hypnotic? Part I
MMR совместно с Business Spotlight Ukraine представляет шестой урок в рамках новой рубрики «A Lesson for a Marketing Person».
by Dr. Joe Vitale
I sent the following short sales letter by email to my own list of some 800 names. There was an immediate boost in sales. Amazon.com had to back-order the book I was selling in the letter. My publisher’s online server went down due to all the orders they got at once. But something even more shocking happened.
Many people wrote to me and actually asked how I was able to ‘make’ them read the letter. They said they couldn’t stop reading it! Others said they felt compelled by some unseen force to read every word of it. Still others just mindlessly read the letter but then automatically — as if obeying a subliminal command — went to amazon.com and ordered the book I was selling. Afterwards, they wrote me and confessed they felt they had been «hypnotized».
What in the world makes this letter so hypnotic? Read it and see what you think:
Subject line: I was nearly in tears…
Dear Friend:
I was just in the bathroom, reading a letter from my sister, when I got to the line…
«I got your book and I read it and I thought it was great. And after I read it, I went out and got myself a new car.»
I thought she was kidding. My sister has been on welfare, struggled to raise three kids, been wrestling with health problems, and has fought toe to toe with poverty for years. I wrote my latest book, «Spiritual Marketing,» for her, in an attempt to help her.
But it wasn’t until moments ago that I discovered that my book had such a profound impact on her that she not only read it, and liked it, but she went out and made a dream of hers come true.
Later in the same letter she wrote, «Dad read your book before I did and he knew I wanted a new car and he told me that once I read your book he would guarantee that I would buy a new car.»
That’s even more unbelievable. My father has never even acknowledged receiving any of my books, let alone taken the time to read them. But he read «Spiritual Marketing,» and it apparently had an impact on him, too.
I’m sharing all of this with you today because you are someone on my personal email list, and this is personal news which I think can inspire others to go for, and get, their dreams. Whether it’s a new car, a new house, more money, real love, or happiness in this moment, it’s all possible.
Just ask my sister.
Joe Vitale
PS Amazon.com now carries «Spiritual Marketing».
Well, what do you think? Why does this letter hypnotize people?
Here’s what I think:
1. The headline, «I was nearly in tears…», which was the subject line on the email I sent out, is riveting. People want to know why I’m nearly in tears. Did something bad happen? Or something good? Was I crying? Or laughing so hard I cried? Your headline has to be a gun in a prospect’s face. While most headlines have to be benefit-oriented, curiosity-invoking headlines are proven to grab readers, too.
To be continued
sales letter — рекламное письмо, письмо с предложением о продаже
immediate boost [ɪ’miːdɪət buːst] — мгновенный рост
the server went down — сервер «упал»»
to back-order — дозаказать
to feel compelled — иметь ощущение, как будто кто-то заставляет
to obey а command — выполнить команду
subliminal [səˈblɪmənl] — действующий на подсознание
to confess — признаваться
to be on welfare [‘welfeə] — получать социальную помощь
toe to toe [təu] — лицом к лицу
profound [prəˈfound] — сильный, основательный
riveting [‘rɪvɪtɪŋ] — захватывающий
benefit-oriented — ориентированный на преимущества
curiosity-invoking [ˌkjuərɪ’ɔsətɪ ɪn’vəukɪŋ] — вызывающий любопытство
to grab readers — захватить внимание читателей
LANGUAGE POINT
What in the world…? Идиома, которая используется, как правило, в вопросах для усиления удивления или возмущения. В некоторых контекстах возможен перевод какого черта? What in the world is he doing here? ‑ Какого черта ему нужно здесь? В нашем тексте в вопросе What in the world makes this letter so hypnotic? эта идиома используется для привлечения внимания читателя, ставится вопрос, на который читатель вскоре получит ответ — Что же делает это письмо таким гипнотичным?
LANGUAGE LEARNING TIP
Кто-то лучше запоминает услышанное, кому-то предпочтительнее увидеть или прочитать, как пишется слово. Если у вас получается хорошо запоминать услышанное, больше слушайте на английском. Если увиденное — больше читайте. Но самое главное — пользоваться прочитанным и услышанным.
Exercise
Допишите буквы в ниже приведенных прилагательных