Call me a dunce, but I cant write a single line of copy until I write my opening paragraph.
Unlike many successful copywriters, I cant follow the advice of the many direct mail copywriting gurus who suggest I write the reply device first because thats the tool that closes the sale. I cant start there. Thats the last thing I write.
So writing for me is agony. I cant begin anywhere else but at the beginning. Which, for me, is the opening line of the letter.
So I write Dear [blank]. Then I hit the return key twice. Then I wait for inspiration. Or hunt for inspiration, depending on how close my deadline is.
I get an idea. I craft the opening as a question. Too pompous. Hit delete.
I start with an anecdote. Too long in getting to the point. Backspace through that one.
I quote Aristotle. Too obscure.
I quote Mark Twain instead. Funny. But irrelevant. Delete.
I head in another direction. A statistic. A real grabber. But I sound like Im preaching, not starting a letter written by me to a real, living prospect. So I delete again.
I hunt through 3,500 Good Jokes for Speakers. Nothing.
Maybe I should try a colloquial approach. I hunt through Yiddish Wisdom, Yiddish Chochma. The husband is the bossif his wife allows, I read. Now theres a great quote. But not for this letter.
A search through The Forbes Book of Business Quotations lasts over an hour because I get sidetracked by a great line from Henry Ford and end up reading every quotable thing he said, none of them germane to my topic.
And so it goes until I finish my start. Only when I am confident that I have hooked my reader do I have the courage to write the copy that will keep the reader hooked to the end of the letter. I cant enjoy my trip until I know where Im headed.
Now if only I knew how to end this article with a bang Id have it finished by now.
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About the author
Alan Sharpe is a direct mail copywriter who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using direct mail and email marketing. Learn more about his creative direct mail writing services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com.
2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the author" message).
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