35 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
35 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Dear Friend, It's just so old..

by snowcloud
30 replies
Hey everybody. I was curious what you all think about opening your sales page with:

Dear Friend,

I really don't like it.. It just doesn't jive with me for some reason. I understand that "Dear Friend" is about the most unassuming way you can address a potential customer but, it just seems so over played at this point.

Furthermore, it doesn't do any justice to the theme of your product.. For instance if your product is about better vision without glasses, you could open up with something like:

Fellow Sight Seeker,

Or if your product is about wood working, you could open with:

Dear Artisan Of Carpentry,

Something.. anything but "Dear Friend". What do you guys think?...
#dear #friend
  • Profile picture of the author debra
    To All You Carpenters at Heart,

    You know who you are. Just so happens, I'm one too......
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6327553].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Nightengale
      Originally Posted by debra View Post

      To All You Carpenters at Heart,

      You know who you are. Just so happens, I'm one too......
      This is EXCELLENT! Love it!

      Michelle
      Signature
      "You can't market here. This is a marketing discussion forum!"
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6335886].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author FNHPWR11
    Yeah, I always thought that kind of sounded generic too.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6327565].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Blimeyoreilly
    Originally Posted by snowcloud View Post

    Hey everybody. I was curious what you all think about opening your sales page with:

    Dear Friend,

    I really don't like it.. It just doesn't jive with me for some reason. I understand that "Dear Friend" is about the most unassuming way you can address a potential customer but, it just seems so over played at this point.

    Furthermore, it doesn't do any justice to the theme of your product.. For instance if your product is about better vision without glasses, you could open up with something like:

    Fellow Sight Seeker,

    Or if your product is about wood working, you could open with:

    Dear Artisan Of Carpentry,

    Something.. anything but "Dear Friend". What do you guys think?...
    Dear Friend (...or Dear Hanging-on-a-thread),

    You could be right & your alternative examples make the theme a little more interesting for sure.
    Signature
    Be HaPpY, LuCkY & Successful in life!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6327571].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author snowcloud
      Originally Posted by Blimeyoreilly View Post

      Dear Friend (...or Dear Hanging-on-a-thread),

      You could be right & your alternative examples make the theme a little more interesting for sure.
      You could not have put this more blunty.. That is exactly how I feel when I read "Dear Friend"

      ..as if I am two seconds away from hitting the back button :rolleyes:

      ..and thank you. I think connecting with your customer literally like a LEGO brick is the single most essential quality of marketing.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328295].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Blimeyoreilly
        Originally Posted by snowcloud View Post

        You could not have put this more blunty.. That is exactly how I feel when I read "Dear Friend"

        ..as if I am two seconds away from hitting the back button :rolleyes:

        ..and thank you. I think connecting with your customer literally like a LEGO brick is the single most essential quality of marketing.
        I wondered when I was going to get a reaction.
        It is supposed to be blunt & you are not a customer.
        Hanging-on-a-thread...
        Are you sure: "Fellow Sight Seeker?" while addressing someone who has a serious eye-sight problem... yeah right... more interesting an alternative in that you are likely to be hunted down by the Blind Association.
        It is your short-sightedness with that example that tells me I am dealing with a lego brick who only deserves being patronised.
        Signature
        Be HaPpY, LuCkY & Successful in life!
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328395].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author snowcloud
          Originally Posted by Blimeyoreilly View Post

          I wondered when I was going to get a reaction.
          It is supposed to be blunt & you are not a customer.
          Hanging-on-a-thread...
          Are you sure: "Fellow Sight Seeker?" while addressing someone who has a serious eye-sight problem... yeah right... more interesting an alternative in that you are likely to be hunted down by the Blind Association.
          It is your short-sightedness with that example that tells me I am dealing with a lego brick who only deserves being patronised.
          I was just thinkin up some examples off the top of my head.. That one is a poor example.. I was only tryn to point out the relation to the theme of your product..

          I feel "Dear Friend" is too run of the mill and just makes the person loose interest that much quicker
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328451].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author Blimeyoreilly
            Originally Posted by snowcloud View Post

            I was just thinkin up some examples off the top of my head.. That one is a poor example.. I was only tryn to point out the relation to the theme of your product..

            I feel "Dear Friend" is too run of the mill and just makes the person loose interest that much quicker
            Be that as it may I think 'Dear Friend' with the poor examples is more likely to do a better job. You would never get two people with eye-sight problems address each other like that.
            Signature
            Be HaPpY, LuCkY & Successful in life!
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328487].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Patrick Batty
    Ya.. Dear Friend always sounds completely insincere to me.

    How about you just open with something very informal like:

    Hey guys...
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6327573].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author tooAlive
    That's usually how those Nigerian scam emails start too..
    Signature
    <img src="$2,387.44-clickbank-check.jpg">

    "Action is the real measure of intelligence." - Napoleon Hill
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6327593].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author eternalwarrior
      Lol, true!

      Originally Posted by tooAlive View Post

      That's usually how those Nigerian scam emails start too..
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6329836].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author retsced
    It's waaay too presumptuous and maybe even a wee bit disrespectful to assume your potential customer wants you to speak to them as if you have anything other than a product you want to sell. It's way too cheesy and comes across as pretentious. I hate it!!
    Signature
    Strong Men and Women put themselves in harms way
    for the freedoms weak people give away for safety
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6327594].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Michael Meaney
    Someone a lot smarter than me once said every word of copy has to earn its place on the page.

    So marketers started using "Dear friend" in an attempt to build rapport.

    I'm not keen on it myself.

    Smart marketers use something like "Dear frustrated X", which is an opportunity to build rapport while qualifying the prospect.

    Which I am keen on.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6327632].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author snowcloud
      Originally Posted by Mick Meaney View Post

      Someone a lot smarter than me once said every word of copy has to earn its place on the page.
      I almost didn't see this.. Thanks a ton.. That is one of the best pieces of advice about a sales copy I have heard.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328304].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author BrianMcLeod
    While "Dear Friend" is an old and dear friend to me indeed...

    I prefer to tie the salutation to the pre-head above the headline (where you initially indicate WHO this letter is for...).

    It offers another opportunity to give the reader reinforcement that they're in the right place, and that...

    Signature
    Brian McLeod
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6327666].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author iw433
    it may be old and worn out, but it is still better than, "Hey Dude."
    Signature

    Bill Skywalker Edwards
    Address-O-Lite

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6327691].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Big Al
    Might sound daft and I know you don't write copy for yourself but personally I find "Dear friend" helps me in how I should think about them... confused?!

    It reminds me that I should be writing to them and for them and not thinking "Hey dude how can I sell you this".

    And thanks to Brian... I learned something about copywriting today
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328214].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author DeadRooster
    You could always go with:

    Dear Chum...

    But, I've always thought the word "chum" was a goofy sounding way to indicate friendship. Also, I know the word is sometimes used to indicate a bunch of blood-soaked fish parts you throw in the water to attract sharks...

    Back to the drawing board...
    Signature
    Get my latest book! Available in both paperback and Kindle
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328285].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Adevictus
    Dear Money Slave,

    Hurry up and submit your CC to these rebills so that I can keep driving a Beamer

    ^ That's how I treat all of my subscribers and it works like a charm, I'm not even kidding.
    Signature

    It's all about the money...

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328325].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author snowcloud
      Originally Posted by Adevictus View Post

      Dear Money Slave,

      Hurry up and submit your CC to these rebills so that I can keep driving a Beamer

      ^ That's how I treat all of my subscribers and it works like a charm, I'm not even kidding.
      HAHHHHHHAHAHHHHAHH

      Some how I know you are telling the truth
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328364].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author rekerlolz
    Do all of you actually pay a person to write your sales copy or do you write it yourself?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328466].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author quercus5
    I never use "Dear Friend". Its so personal that it becomes impersonal. I usually go with a "Hey guys".

    Dear Artisan of Carpentry cracked me up.
    Signature

    FREE WSO Ebook: Offline Marketing Vault ($17 Value): Download Here

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328787].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    Your Friend or Dear Friend screams spam/scam.
    My filters are set to auto delete anything with those two words.
    Signature
    Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

    ― George Carlin
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328988].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Galasso22
    Originally Posted by snowcloud View Post

    Hey everybody. I was curious what you all think about opening your sales page with:

    Dear Friend,

    I really don't like it.. It just doesn't jive with me for some reason. I understand that "Dear Friend" is about the most unassuming way you can address a potential customer but, it just seems so over played at this point.

    Furthermore, it doesn't do any justice to the theme of your product.. For instance if your product is about better vision without glasses, you could open up with something like:

    Fellow Sight Seeker,

    Or if your product is about wood working, you could open with:

    Dear Artisan Of Carpentry,

    Something.. anything but "Dear Friend". What do you guys think?...
    I agree 100%. I HATE dear friend. First, you don't know me. I worked with a lot of overseas folks and they used that all the time. That is instant goodbye for me. I like the idea of having it closer to the niche.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6328998].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author econnors
    I agree with many others here. I don't like the "Dear Friend" bit...I guess SPAM spoiled that for me. Now it just makes me immediately leave the page when I see it...

    My thing is - why include a salutation at all? Start off with a high-impact question.

    I dunno...maybe something like "Does your life suck?"
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6329637].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author cogapartments
    I agree with you, it may be old and worn out, but it is still better than,..
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6329795].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author snowcloud
    Thanks for all your help you guys.. I was wondering if I was the only one that thought "Dear Friend" was just way too tacky..

    Im getting ready to setup my own sales page and, I now have a much more interesting greeting in mind
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6335772].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
      "Friend" is not only an abused name in IM but in everday life too!

      I use the word sparingly since it begins to take on a greater meaning as life passes.

      How sentimental of me....


      Daniel
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6335809].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Angela V. Edwards
    Originally Posted by snowcloud View Post

    Hey everybody. I was curious what you all think about opening your sales page with:

    Dear Friend,

    I really don't like it.. It just doesn't jive with me for some reason. I understand that "Dear Friend" is about the most unassuming way you can address a potential customer but, it just seems so over played at this point.

    Furthermore, it doesn't do any justice to the theme of your product.. For instance if your product is about better vision without glasses, you could open up with something like:

    Fellow Sight Seeker,

    Or if your product is about wood working, you could open with:

    Dear Artisan Of Carpentry,

    Something.. anything but "Dear Friend". What do you guys think?...
    During the last Presidential Election Season one of the candidates used to start his speeches by saying "Friends". My husband complained about it every time he heard it.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6335923].message }}

Trending Topics