Why dont some copywriters use a P.S. in emails?

14 years ago

I don't know about other copywriters, but I use or don't use
P.S. depending on several factors.

Mostly I use them or not just to mix it up.

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Kevin-VirtualProfitCenter

14 years ago

I try not to limit my use of the alphabet. There are too many words I like to use that contain either a "p" or an "s". I can't imagine why any copywriter would intentionally not use those letters.

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Iconik

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Kevin-VirtualProfitCenter

I try not to limit my use of the alphabet. There are too many words I like to use that contain either a "p" or an "s". I can't imagine why any copywriter would intentionally not use those letters.

Haha, nice.

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Ross Bowring 14 years ago

I like to use at least one P.S. to touch on an extra benefit to the product that I haven't broached in the letter.

To restate the guarantee...

One benefit-rich one taking off from the same theme of the headline. The thinking being folk read the headline first, then head to the P.S's and you want them aligned theme-wise.

One to emphasize scarcity and the urgency of acting now.

You can merge some of these into one or two P.S's of course. But P.S's present great opportunities to give that extra nudge to buy. Use 'em.

--- Ross
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- helisell 14 years ago
  
  Maybe....just maybe...
  
  They split tested their emails and found a better response without?????
  
  Lots of people saying that it 'should' be used here...
  
  I wonder how many have actually tested it?
  
  .
  
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Len Bailey

14 years ago

Like Loren, I mix it up. I mostly use postscripts in my e-mails ... but like Direct Marketing Rule No. 2 says -- The only rule you should never break is Rule No. 1 (Test EVERYTHING).

Hope this helps ...

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Raydal

14 years ago

The P.S. is one of the most read part of a sales letter following
the headline and it's wise to include at least one. It a great
place to summarize your offer or make a surprise bonus pitch.

Would your letter die without it? Maybe not. But why omit
one of the most read sections of your sales message. Picture
titles is also another overlooked area of sales letter writing
as well.

-Ray Edwards

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Scott Murdaugh

14 years ago

I'm with Jay and Ray.

99% of the time I use P.S.'s. Although there are some exceptions.

It's VERY valuable real estate and there's no sense in wasting it.

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Anita Ashland 14 years ago

I've only had one client that was opposed to P.S.'s in emails. It was too casual for his type of business. Most of the email copy I write isn't in a corporate style, so I include a P.S. in almost every email.
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MillionDollarCopy

14 years ago

I'm with the guys here as well, and I think that Anita's reasoning for omitting the PS is one of very few justifications for not using them, and I say "them" because it's good to throw more than one in there. You want to sum up the email in the ps text. drive home benefits, call to action, scarcity element..you get the picture.

I wouldn't say you have to have a PS every single time you write, but most of the time.

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wordwizard

14 years ago

Originally Posted by MillionDollarCopy

I'm with the guys here as well, and I think that Anita's reasoning for omitting the PS is one of very few justifications for not using them, and I say "them" because it's good to throw more than one in there. You want to sum up the email in the ps text. drive home benefits, call to action, scarcity element..you get the picture.

I wouldn't say you have to have a PS every single time you write, but most of the time.

I agree. I use them a lot in sales emails. As reminders, as recaps of offers, as a way to push them over the top, and even in mostly informative emails where I use the P.S. as a reminder that there's a shortcut available ;-)

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maximus242

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Networking_now

I heard that some copywriters won't use a P.S. in any of their own emails, or emails they are writing for other people. just wanted to know why not? whats are the disadvantages of using them??

They dont use them because they forget to, thats the real no bs truth

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Snlde

14 years ago

Yeap, like they said. I always stop to read the P.S. even if it's a letter that I'm scanning through.

So I guess it's a must have really...no matter how common it may seem.

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DougBarger

14 years ago

I like to use the PS. for the reasons Jay White and Ray Edwards mentioned above.

Like they said, it's one of the most-read parts of your message and gives you a great opportunity to give your reader the last nudge to the action you want them to take.

My personal take on this is when you are using your ps., in addition to the fact its position means it gets read more than many other parts of your copy and it's one of the last portions of your message that's read,

it also contains some extra advantages not mentioned yet because of the usual frame of mind someone writing you a personal message is usually in when they include a ps. (post script).

Let me explain?

Usually, when someone is writing to a friend, the ps. will contain an important piece of information that was so important to the writer that he/she felt they could not
send the message without including it.

This in itself, means it carries more weight with the reader because your reader knows if it wasn't important, then the message would have just been closed "as is"
without the need for the post script at all.

Another built-in benefit when you use your ps. is what I call the "real time immediacy"

effect which is personability multiplied because it appears you're making yourself almost sort of vulnerable and thinking off-the-cuff "spontaneously".

For all these reasons, your post script contains more *Urgency* because of it's
"Oh, before I forget, here's something important" type positioning.

It's as if your significant other is heading out the door to the grocery store with the grocery list you made and just before they head out the door and you miss the opportunity to tell them that crucial item needed,

-You say, "Oh! Don't Forget the (________ call to action here)!

So because of the urgency and 'last-minute' importance it carries,

Your post script can really stop your reader in their tracks and compel
them to take the action you want them to take right now almost unlike any other
part of your copy.

Doesn't it make you feel that way too when you read one?

Hope this helps you in some way because it's truly my take on it.

Sincerely,
Doug

PS. Thanks for bringing up a brilliant topic for discussion because it's fun to read the responses of the great copywriters weighing in on it!

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helisell

14 years ago

How do you 'know' that it is one of the most read parts of your email??

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maximus242 14 years ago

Originally Posted by helisell

How do you 'know' that it is one of the most read parts of your email??

You can use eye tracking tests for websites, I dono how you would know by email. One of the primary reasons people say this is if you study your own behavior on salesletters you will find that you read the headline then scroll down to the bottom -- where you read the P.S.

There have also been extensive tests done by Dan Kennedy on the P.S.

1 P.S. outpulled none

3 P.S. outpulled 1 P.S.

Its not recommended to use only two, for some reason it doesn't seem to do as well as 1 or 3

You are right to be skeptical, a lot of people recommend things without test results. At the end of the day we must always return to what Caples said.

Throw out all opinions, ideas, theories... and test. If you want the definitive answer to your question, run a multivariate test and possibly eye tracking
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- Edk 14 years ago
  
  As a fledgeling copywriter I nearly always use a PS as I've been thoroughly indoctrinated in its use. But I will vary things for interest sometimes.
  
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DougBarger 14 years ago

Originally Posted by helisell

How do you 'know' that it is one of the most read parts of your email??

One easy way you can test it is to use what Jason Fladlien calls
the "double call to action" in your email and then use a different link
in the ps to track it vs. the link used in the body copy before it.

It's basically ending your message with an urgent reason to click right now followed by a strong call to action and the link following your ps. so it's the last copy there.

At that point, if you do it right, your reader is left with 2 main options:

1. Obey the command in the strong call to action which is the last thing they read

or

2. Not click.

It's a way of limiting choices and giving a good reason to click with urgency.

Also, because the last words of your copy is the call to action with the link,

it's the choice right in front of them in the moment and if they are reading to themselves internally, the last words they repeat in their head is whatever call to action you give them...then they see the link.

You can set the ps. link up using one of the free link tracking services or you can just create a different one to upload on your server as a redirect to the same salespage.

The choice is yours on how you do it, but the point is,
that's one quick, easy and free way you can measure it directly to see for yourself.

One other easy way is to simply craft two versions of your email and use your split test
feature inside your list management software.

For example, if you're using aweber, when you send a broadcast,
you have the option of selecting the split test function.

This equips you to send version A to one segment of your list
while version B is sent to a proportionate segment of your list.

Then, after it's sent, you can check to see which version
got more clicks until you're satisfied one is the clear winner.

You may even want to perform a series of these tests
so you know firsthand without relying on what anyone else
(including me here now or anyone anywhere else) has to say about it
so you know conclusively from your own results.

For more info on the "double call to action" email technique
here's a copy Jason Fladlien has authorized me to make available free:

https://fladlien.infusionsoft.com/go...report/access/

Combining his method with my twist of including it after your ps.
should give you an interesting method to test.

Hope this helps.

If it's okay with the mods, I'll share an actual email I used which resulted
in bringing in a lot of cash for everyone who used it--(the offer is sold out now.)

I'm just going to share the body copy so you can see
the 'double call to action' I used strategically placed
after the PS.

**************************
Actual Email Used to Sell Out Offer
**************************

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What's the catch?

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I'll let the creators of this amazing new moneymaking system
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(There's only 22 of the 200 licenses left to protect the value and keep it high
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=> body copy link here

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Sincerely,
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RickDuris

14 years ago

Hi All,

For years, I would integrate everything I could into the body of the communication.

Logically, there's no reason not to. And if you think about it, frankly having a PS seems kinda half-assesd in the 21st century. Like you were too lazy to go back and insert into the body of the communication appropriately.

Yet, as I became more familiar with "writing like you talk" and studying sales-oriented conversations or conversations where someone is trying to make a difference in someone else's life, I noticed something:

There's always a parting gift of information or instruction. Every time.

I was amazed. That's what the PS accomplishes today. It's that "parting gift."

For instance, let's say you're having a nice conversation with someone at Starbucks and you both get up to leave and what do you do?

You shake hands or you hug, and someone says something like "Be sure to call X. I think Y. And then we can take the next step."

In my opinion, that's the role of a PS today. It's that parting gift that informs or instructs and hopefully, compels people to action.

- Rick Duris

PS: I saw this happen full-on at an interior design boutique in Newport Beach yesterday. The Client and employee both got up to end the meeting and as they were walking to the door, the employee was sharing exactly what to do next. And the Client was appreciative and left contented with a smile on her face.

That's the power of the PS.

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perryny

14 years ago

Originally Posted by RickDuris

For instance, let's say you're having a conversation with someone at Starbucks and you both get up to leave and what do you do?

You shake hands or hug, and someone says like "Be sure to call X. I think Y. And then we can take the next step."

In my opinion, that's the role of a PS today.

Great example, Rick. There's not a meeting that I don't leave where an exchange like this doesn't take place. I actually, very consciously make a point to summarize what I will do or what I want them to do to take the next step. It's the ultimate guarantee that the sales process (or whatever the point of the meeting) will have a follow-up continuing to move in my desired direction.

For some reason I never recognized that these parting instructions were my verbal P.S.

You've just made writing a P.S. a lot easier for me. Thanks.

-Rob

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UnleashReality

14 years ago

I'm with Len and Raydal.

I also really think that the last bit of emotion that you can get across will be the thing that takes somebody from a maybe to a yes when their mind is processing whether to click away or click through (or to go away and come back)... so if your letter ends with Kind Regards or wa'eva - that's not very BAM. But if it ends with something more impactful in a P.S., then you're more likely to leave them in a state that makes them want to buy whatever you're peddling.

Also consider remixing it a lil since people often skip over stuff when they feel they know what it's gonna be - and if your customer is getting offers as much as they probably will be, then they almost definitely expect the P.S. to be one of the things mentioned above - a guarantee, one last eeking out, etc.

... so consider using, "One more thing" or "By the way:" or "I almost forgot:"

all the best
unleashreality

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Why dont some copywriters use a P.S. in emails?

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