Call me weird. Call me strange.
I don’t care. Call me whatever you want, just don’t take away my junk mail, my newspapers and my magazines.
When I come across a cool piece of junk mail, I start to foam at the mouth. I used to be a packrat about this stuff.
In the past, I used to get a lot of it too. Tons. Today, it’s getting rarer and rarer. 🙁
That’s why last week I got really excited because I got to add to my Clayton Makepeace swipe file (hoard). I just got this piece from Weiss Research in the mail, and I’ve been singularly consuming it ever since.
You see, if somebody mails a piece of junk mail, you can pretty much bet they believe they’re going to profit from the mailing. Mailing is a pretty good sign.
Clayton Makepeace Swipe File
For years I’ve been getting similar pieces from Weiss Research, but THIS ONE really does put the fear of God into you–as an American. Given the current news, it cuts really close to the bone.
It’s great example of a lead acquisition package. As I’ve said, I have received similar pieces in the past, but given the topics it addresses, I’m not sure if it’s a copywriting control.
PS: I hope Weiss Research doesn’t get pissed at me sharing a bit. Like I said, it’s a really well written piece. And from a copywriting perspective, there’s A LOT you can learn from it.
So I’m sharing, not to make money from it, but for educational reasons. It’s the kinda of piece that makes you want to work harder as a copywriter.
PPS: And if Clayton’s work inspires you as it inspires me, go ahead and sign-up for Weiss Research’s various email lists:
http://www.weissinc.com/
(You’ll probably eventually buy something anyway.) The email lists are a copywriting education in and of themselves.
PPPS:This morning, I was noodling this piece again and I think I figured it out.
Plain and simple, it’s TIMELY.
Most copywriters know one “hook” strategy is structuring a piece as news. Nothing new there.
I think what makes this piece work is it’s the stories are CURRENT. It’s not just an educational piece.
The facts and figures match up. They tie right into what I see unfolding daily on Fox News. It’s almost as if Bill O’Reilly could have written the piece yesterday.
In other words, it doesn’t look/feel dated. Like I’m reading an old newspaper.
So the upshot is: The more recent, verifiable (meaning the news already matches what the reader knows, not that they can verify the information if they want) and relevant the news is to the reader, the better.
PPPPS: And if you’d like one of these packages for your product or services, contact me. I love writing them.
File Under: Clayton Makepeace Swipe File
