Livro Advertise!

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.

1918. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVII THE ADVERTISING LETTER The nearest approach to actual, personal salesmanship is the letter. While a step more remote than a personal conversation, it has the advantage of accessibility and none of the disadvantages under which the ablest of salesmen is bound to labor--such as personal antagonism, moods, etc.

When a small amount of money is to be expended, a letter plan is by far the most effective means of advertising. It is one of the few ways in which results may be obtained and traced with a very limited expenditure.

When large campaigns of advertising are carried on, the letter should be an important supplementary feature. Considering the importance of the letter, it has received a relatively small amount of consideration in the advertising field.

Of all advertising, the letter is probably the most difficult piece of work; as a proof of this, note the hundreds of thousands of poor, uninteresting, ineffective advertising letters that are sent out.

Did you ever see a druggist prepare a dose of castor oil? He suspends it between palatable concoctions in so skillful a manner that the medicine is down before the victim.knows it.

That is the way an advertising letter should be written. The advertising should be sandwiched in between such an interesting personal beginning and ending that the reader is impressed even after he realizes that it is a piece of advertising.

It is not always necessary that he should realize this at all--for the letter may be used by those who have not yet dared other more open forms of advertising.

If the letter does not get the attention of the reader with the opening sentence, it is a failure. The first three to ten words must arouse interest. This first sentence must go smashing like a brick against the dull disinte...