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"from the desk of"?

by Steve L
6 replies
so what's the reasoning behind most copywriters putting "from the desk of" and the date. do visitors really fall for the ever changing date? do they really think that it was written that very day? it's flat out lying in my eyes.

how do you all feel about this?

thanks in advance,
steve
#from the desk of
  • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
    It's just one of those things everyone does because everyone else does it.

    However, the changing date thing does have some impact... if you have a date on your site that is more recent the visitors think that the site is up to date and that the content is still relevant.

    Some people assume that because the date on your site is a few years old that the info on it is also out of date. That is very common perception on the internet where we are all searching for the latest and best info on whatever subject.

    I will tell you this though...

    I have found that leaving off the corny crap introductions in my copy and just jumping right into what I want to tell them leaves a more genuine impression and has produced my highest converting offers.

    Leave off the "Dear ___" garbage and only use "from the desk of" when it is more likely that the visitor either knows who you are or will recognize your name as an expert on the subject.

    It actually makes you sound fake and will immediately cause a visitor to be suspicious of your intentions and put up their guard if you use these introductions improperly or where they are not necessary and natural.

    Instead just lead into the natural flow of the copy by speaking directly to the person like a real human being and capture their interest.

    Your goal should be to have your visitor identify with the message or immediately find exactly what they are looking for.

    Many times it is far better to just start off by leading them into a compelling headline or intro video followed by a story that they can identify with that is then followed by the solution its features and benefits and how to get it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stephen Root
    One of my rule of thumb(s) in copywriting is that if you don't understand why something works, don't do it. Like in this case "from the desk of" is from direct mailing where some marketers try to imitate personal letter. Do you usually think webpages are written only for you? Nope so don't put it there, it looks stupid
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    • Profile picture of the author Asher
      Originally Posted by Stephen Root View Post

      One of my rule of thumb(s) in copywriting is that if you don't understand why something works, don't do it. Like in this case "from the desk of" is from direct mailing where some marketers try to imitate personal letter. Do you usually think webpages are written only for you? Nope so don't put it there, it looks stupid
      I would like to respectfully disagree.

      Just because its something you don't understand why it works,
      doesn't mean you should not do it.

      What I think is stupid is to not do it just because it "looks" stupid
      but have not tested it before.

      Asher
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      • Profile picture of the author Stephen Root
        Originally Posted by Asher View Post

        I would like to respectfully disagree.

        Just because its something you don't understand why it works,
        doesn't mean you should not do it.

        What I think is stupid is to not do it just because it "looks" stupid
        but have not tested it before.

        Asher
        Umm, you totally missed my point. My point is that if you have to ask "should I add something", you probably don't want to put it there. You can of course test it but you shouldn't put it in your primary version.

        So are you saying that it's best to copy what somebody says is successful blindly without understanding the logic behind it?
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve L
    good points from both of you, thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author Sean Kelly
    In the case of the Rich Jerk it was

    from the bed of another man's wife
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