When was last time you received a classic long format sales letter in the post?

26 replies
I have read several books on traditional style sales letters but I very rarely receive one in the post.

Every time I open my mailbox it is filled to the top with glossy bits of paper with colourful photos and takeaway menus but I don't receive any classic style sales letters.

Virgin credit card occasionally send me a sales letter in the traditional format which is pretty good. And I received one from Labour and the Conservative before the election (Labours offering was absolutely awful, the conservative one was well written with bullet points and on proper paper, 10x better).

Maybe it is the area I live in doesn't get targetted much, I just wondered if anyone received these type of letters often, and if so, what were they selling?
#classic #format #letter #long #post #received #sales #time
  • Profile picture of the author Hugh Thyer
    A few days ago I got one from Peter Sun in Australia advertising his upcoming Accidental Millionaire seminar.

    But usually only from him and others who run events through the same company. Yes, its very rare and a reason people should consider moving their online advertising offline. Very uncluttered mailbox compared to a very cluttered Inbox.
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    • Profile picture of the author GuerrillaIM
      Originally Posted by Hugh Thyer View Post

      A few days ago I got one from Peter Sun in Australia advertising his upcoming Accidental Millionaire seminar.

      But usually only from him and others who run events through the same company. Yes, its very rare and a reason people should consider moving their online advertising offline. Very uncluttered mailbox compared to a very cluttered Inbox.
      Yes, I wonder if open rates are better these days?

      If I get a plain white envelope with a window I will always open it. I would never throw it in the bin. If it has a real stamp stuck to it then I will open it up first as It looks hand posted and more important. If its a letter I will always at least read the first few lines.

      Problem is though that I don't trust the qulity of lists from listbrokers and it is very expensive to send a letter to lots of people. Perhaps people are not doing it for good reason?
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    I get a few from Lawn care companies and also AAA has a nice
    DM package as well. Still, I agree that this form of advertising
    is not as popular as before. A few charities also send some
    out at Christmas time.

    Maybe we are not on the right lists to get these letters.

    About 14 years ago I got a lot of work-at-home opportunity
    letters, but not anymore.

    -Ray Edwards
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    • Profile picture of the author GuerrillaIM
      Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

      Maybe we are not on the right lists to get these letters.
      A little while back, when I was reading a lot of copywriting books, I called up some list brokers and asked how I could get on some of their lists. The funny thing was that they couldn't tell me.

      There is a list of "IT decision makers" they were trying to sell me. I thought it would be a good idea to get onto the list and see what people were sending out to see the sort of thing people were doing. When they didn't know how the list was made I turned off to the idea as I lost faith the data was accurate.

      I'd still like to workout how to get onto some good lists that DM guys mail to.
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  • Profile picture of the author maximus242
    Originally Posted by GuerrillaIM View Post

    I have read several books on traditional style sales letters but I very rarely receive one in the post.

    Every time I open my mailbox it is filled to the top with glossy bits of paper with colourful photos and takeaway menus but I don't receive any classic style sales letters.

    Virgin credit card occasionally send me a sales letter in the traditional format which is pretty good. And I received one from Labour and the Conservative before the election (Labours offering was absolutely awful, the conservative one was well written with bullet points and on proper paper, 10x better).

    Maybe it is the area I live in doesn't get targetted much, I just wondered if anyone received these type of letters often, and if so, what were they selling?
    Buy some products from Agora and Philips Publishing and see what happens...
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    • Profile picture of the author ivatel42
      Originally Posted by maximus242 View Post

      Buy some products from Agora and Philips Publishing and see what happens...
      That's right about Agora I still get stuff from them I was a buyer (who returned actually)

      I don't get as many letters as I used to but being on a few buyers lists in the UK like Andrew Reynolds and Streetwise they still send long sales letters not so much Reynolds but Streetwise do!

      I'm seeing a growing number of small single page type letters that smack new people tying to make some money!

      Lynne
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      • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
        I receive classic DM packages from Learning Strategies. Boy, can they write up a storm! Sometimes I read them three or four times. And sometimes I buy!

        Marcia Yudkin
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  • Profile picture of the author GuerrillaIM
    So pretty much it seems people only mail to house lists these days.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lance K
      I get a few now and then. But anymore it seems like I mostly get magalog type pieces.
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      • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
        Originally Posted by Lance K View Post

        I get a few now and then. But anymore it seems like I mostly get magalog type pieces.
        I'd be more than happy with that.
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        • Profile picture of the author Mr. Subtle
          I forgot to mention...

          Don't think for a second that all the above mentioned sales are being done by old pharts.

          According to the 2009 Channel Preference Study by ExactTarget, approximately 75 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds have made at least one purchase resulting from direct mail. These are the kids wired to high-tech. Yet logic dictates that they prefer direct mail, because they are sick of scams and clogged inboxes that force them to waste approximately two work weeks a year dealing with junk e-mail.
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          • Profile picture of the author GuerrillaIM
            Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle View Post

            The study also reports that noncatalog direct mail continues to boast impressive ROI. According to the report, non-catalog direct mail returned $15.22 for every dollar spent in 2009.
            I guess noncatalog also covers all the glossy ads I get in my mailbox. It fills up each week with glossy stuff for car insurance etc..

            What I don't receive is a plain personalised letter introducing me to a new product. I read about things like Gary Halberts family crest letter etc.. and wonder why I am not receiving letters trying to sell me stuff like that.

            I don't doubt there are people sending them, I would just like to receive some so I can see what sort of things people are doing to make money.

            Really, thinking about it now, what I want is to see what small independant guys are sending out to cold but targetted lists to make money.

            Perhaps in the UK it is different because we do not have an equivalent of SRDS.

            I know its an expensive path to go down. Mr. Subtle, I have read your posts with interest for some time now and have seen you write that you got started by funding your own direct mail shots.

            Being able to get a successful test mailing and then roll it out to a large list is not an easy thing to do, but it is one of the goals I have set myself. I have heard it said that until you have marketing that actually generates the interest, and not just catches the existing interest, you don't have a business.

            It is very different to the PPC stuff I have done before, but ultimately where I think my career should be headed... eventually.
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            • Profile picture of the author Mr. Subtle
              Originally Posted by GuerrillaIM View Post

              What I don't receive is a plain personalised letter introducing me to a new product. I read about things like Gary Halberts family crest letter etc.. and wonder why I am not receiving letters trying to sell me stuff like that.
              If you don't own Hatch's Million Dollar Mailing$, then go to amazon and "click to look inside" the book. Sign into your account and then enter page 39 in the "search inside this book" box.

              At the bottom of page 39 is a section called "Two Theories." It's a "debate" between Gary "plain jane envelope" Halbert v. Bill "do you close the bathroom door even when you're the only one home?... blurb on the envelope" Jayme. (It's a short 2 page read.)

              Hatch covers his butt using Decker's famous "T-word" quote. But, if you read it closely you'll know which one works better. When I read the book in the early 90s I was sipping the Halbert koolaid and reading what Jayme had to say was a tough nut to swallow. But being a NOOB I still took notes. Later on I found out, after using the "T-word," that Jayme was right (at least for my product).
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              • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
                Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle View Post

                If you don't own Hatch's Million Dollar Mailing$, then go to amazon and "click to look inside" the book. Sign into your account and then enter page 39 in the "search inside this book" box.

                At the bottom of page 39 is a section called "Two Theories." It's a "debate" between Gary "plain jane envelope" Halbert v. Bill "do you close the bathroom door even when you're the only one home?... blurb on the envelope" Jayme. (It's a short 2 page read.)

                Hatch covers his butt using Decker's famous "T-word" quote. But, if you read it closely you'll know which one works better. When I read the book in the early 90s I was sipping the Halbert koolaid and reading what Jayme had to say was a tough nut to swallow. But being a NOOB I still took notes. Later on I found out, after using the "T-word," that Jayme was right (at least for my product).
                In Halbert's later work he did actually say there was a place for the other stuff, too. And in some cases it's better to go with that.

                So even he wasn't completely closed to other ideas, even if they went against what he said previously.

                He basically said there's a time and place for everything.
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              • Profile picture of the author GuerrillaIM
                Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle View Post

                If you don't own Hatch's Million Dollar Mailing$, then go to amazon and "click to look inside" the book. Sign into your account and then enter page 39 in the "search inside this book" box.

                At the bottom of page 39 is a section called "Two Theories." It's a "debate" between Gary "plain jane envelope" Halbert v. Bill "do you close the bathroom door even when you're the only one home?... blurb on the envelope" Jayme. (It's a short 2 page read.)

                Hatch covers his butt using Decker's famous "T-word" quote. But, if you read it closely you'll know which one works better. When I read the book in the early 90s I was sipping the Halbert koolaid and reading what Jayme had to say was a tough nut to swallow. But being a NOOB I still took notes. Later on I found out, after using the "T-word," that Jayme was right (at least for my product).
                Hehe, you suggested I buy that book a while ago and I did. Studied it cover to cover (some time ago) and I know the paragraph you are talking about. Funny thing is reading it now, I completely forgot about the last paragraph on the page 40. In my own head a plain windowed envelope with a real stamp affixed would be the best introduction.

                Everything that comes through my letterbox is generally one of the following:

                1. Glossy advert for a large corporate type company, sometimes direct response, sometimes just brand awareness type stuff
                2. take away menu
                3. Postcard/leaflet for local business

                I have sold technical training courses online for the last 8 years. Had my ups and downs but overall would say I have had a fair amount of success. I tried to do a few offline postcard campaigns during this time with a 100% failure rate. Never had a successful test. Never even made a single sale from it.

                DM hurts the pocket. I feel like I should be able to sell info products offline, just not sure if it's actually possible.
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              • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
                Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle View Post

                If you don't own Hatch's Million Dollar Mailing$, then go to amazon and "click to look inside" the book. Sign into your account and then enter page 39 in the "search inside this book" box.

                At the bottom of page 39 is a section called "Two Theories." It's a "debate" between Gary "plain jane envelope" Halbert v. Bill "do you close the bathroom door even when you're the only one home?... blurb on the envelope" Jayme. (It's a short 2 page read.)

                Hatch covers his butt using Decker's famous "T-word" quote. But, if you read it closely you'll know which one works better. When I read the book in the early 90s I was sipping the Halbert koolaid and reading what Jayme had to say was a tough nut to swallow. But being a NOOB I still took notes. Later on I found out, after using the "T-word," that Jayme was right (at least for my product).
                Ok, I can't share specifics but I can tell you this: Clients have bought multiple copies of Hatch's book and put one in every room in the house.

                It's that good.


                The books are beat up, weathered to the point of mutilation, markered up, highlighted, and sticky noted beyond recognition. Stuffed with notes of all kinds. I mean literally twice the normal size of the book.


                It's dated but it's timeless. And years from now, people will be referencing it like Hopkins' Scientific Advertising.


                If you don't have a copy of this book, be you an offline or online copywriter, you need to study it. And study it hard.


                - Rick Duris
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    • Profile picture of the author Mr. Subtle
      Originally Posted by GuerrillaIM View Post

      So pretty much it seems people only mail to house lists these days.
      Not sure why you'd say that. Here in the States companies make some nice pocket change selling their lists. Someone is buying and testing these lists.

      Direct mail in the States is big biz. Here's a news release from earlier this year:

      In defiance of predictions about its decline, spending on direct mail marketing is expected to increase by more than $1 billion in 2010, according to an annual study from the Direct Marketing Association.

      The “Power of Direct” economic impact study released earlier this year reports that spending on direct mail will rise from the $44.4 billion doled out in 2009 to $45.5 billion next year.

      The study also reports that noncatalog direct mail continues to boast impressive ROI. According to the report, non-catalog direct mail returned $15.22 for every dollar spent in 2009.

      The report further points out that e-mail, once thought to be next big thing as a prospecting medium, drives fewer sales than most other channels. Commercial e-mail drove $26 billion in sales in 2009. Non-catalog direct mail, by comparison, drove $445.8 billion in sales in 2009.
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  • Profile picture of the author RentItNow
    Purple Shield (coverage for funeral expenses). Was a very well done sales funnel. My spouse and I bought the coverage. Sales pitch, offer, cost was top notch though.
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    I have no agenda but to help those in the same situation. This I feel will pay the bills.
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  • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
    there are "tons" of companies that would be willing to test it. AND...if you can convert, get leads, sales or develop a full blown program for a product, even your own...you'll still find a ready, willing and able audience ready to spend their money.

    The preferred way to get on any list is to become a buyer.

    Any other way to get on a list probably isn't going to get you the mailings you want.

    FRONT end pieces are hard to write, that is, to get a letter to a cold list that works, well, it is just too expensive for many companies to test, especially with an unknown copywriter, but, once they have a buyer, I know of very few large companies that would slam the door on your face if you brought them a long letter for back ends which they could test on their house list.

    From my experience, the winners are doing such gangbusters and generating so much income that a marginal product/promotion just won't get a longer ride than they used to get. There appears, from my perspective, to have been a shift away from lifetime value to higher profit/more expensive products and once a customer is identified that way, it is easier to sell them another expensive product, and more profit driven than to involve huge mailings for smaller priced items. But, I could be wrong.

    IF you can write a long letter for a product, I'm of the opinion you'll find a company's ear.

    What I can see is a lot of writing jobs for those of you who can write for the direct marketing companies out there.

    gjabiz
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  • Profile picture of the author AustinLadyTam
    I still remember Ken Robert's memorable long copy sales letter I receive for his product, "The World's Most Powerful Money Manual." It was about commodities investing, and the sales letter was so good I bought the course and even used his brokerage firm to invest briefly in commodities. However, May Orange Juice did me in! This was back around 1997 or 1996.

    Still, it was a damned fine sales letter...
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    • Profile picture of the author LukaszKamiennik
      Originally Posted by AustinLadyTam View Post

      I still remember Ken Robert's memorable long copy sales letter I receive for his product, "The World's Most Powerful Money Manual." It was about commodities investing, and the sales letter was so good I bought the course and even used his brokerage firm to invest briefly in commodities. However, May Orange Juice did me in! This was back around 1997 or 1996.

      Still, it was a damned fine sales letter...
      Old post, sorry... but any idea where can I get the copy of Ken's sales letter?
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  • Profile picture of the author AmericanMuscleTA
    Do you ever get books delivered to you via mail?

    What do you think it is… junk mail? It’s a 300 page sales letter that sells the next book.

    So, to answer your question, I just received a long sales letter last week from Amazon. :-P
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