Most people think that postscripts are places where cute or mushy messages are collected at the end of a note to a loved one. In fact, the postscript may be a surprisingly powerful tool for marketers.
I have attached a postscript [one or two "PS"] to almost every marketing letter or email written to my client. Interestingly, nine out of ten new customers will be asked to delete the first time they encounter a postscript. Some people suggest that "adding PS is silly." "These information belongs to the body of the letter," others insisted. "No one will read this," others claim.
But they are all wrong. Well-written postscripts add a powerful influence to the letter and can significantly increase its success rate. why? Because people actually read the letter.
You see, a common misconception is that people read letters in a linear way - starting from the top and moving to the bottom line by line. Decades of direct marketing research have proven that this is not the case. Most people first glanced at the greetings to see what the purpose of the letter was [even if the envelope had been written to the reader before], so the first thing the recipient saw was "Dear Bob", "Dear Mr. Smith, "" Dear customer," or anything you choose. [By the way, this makes choices more important than you might realize. The more you call, the more interested your readers are.]
The second place people see is the bottom of the letter to see who it comes from. If there is a postscript, it is the next place in their eyes. Most people will read the whole postscript before deciding whether the letter is worth the time. If the information in the postscript is fascinating, compelling or interesting, they are more likely to go back and read the entire letter - when they are done, they will read the postscript again.
In other words, the postscript provides a first impression of your attempt to sell, promote or communicate, and the reader's last impression of your message. That's why it's usually a good idea to include one, and why you should think carefully instead of treating it as a one-off line.
How should you use postscript? There are several ways to be particularly effective. First, you can reiterate or re-present your quotation or key information such as "PS Remember - we will offer our top veeblefetzer 40% discount by June 1st". You can use the postscript to highlight the main advantages of the products you offer, such as "PS our veeblefetzers improve your productivity by eliminating radiation in half the time between competitors and models."
If your quotation contains content that eliminates or reduces risk, please use the postscript instructions such as "PS You can try our veeblefetzer for free for 30 days" or PS We offer the only two-year parts of the veeblefetzer and labor warranty! "You can also use postscript to share positive testimonies, for example." PS Bob Smith of Veggiworks last year thought our veeblefetzer increased his vertical production by 62%! "Another common strategy is to suggest that it is foolish to take no action:" PS I don't know why anyone would give up on this proposal because there is absolutely no risk or obligation. "
Watch out for marketing letters and emails received next month to see how many of the most effective and compelling letters include that trusted tool. Start merging them into your own letters and see what they do.
Still not convinced? If you frequently send a sales letter, perform a so-called "split test." Split your mailing list into two halves. Send a set of letters containing postscript, and another set contains letters without it. Then compare the results.
PS They are definitely worth the effort!
Orignal From: PS: I love you
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