The Boron Letters - Chapter 15

Tuesday, 9:09 AM

June 26, 1984

Dear Bond,

Happy Birthday!

You know son, you are the joy of my life. I hope you pass your driver’s test today. But, if you don’t, it’s ok, just keep working on it till you do.

Yesterday, as you remember, we left off after discussing the baggie and today, I think I need to begin to teach you the particulars of how to write copy.

As you will note, we haven’t talked about writing copy as of yet. What we have talked about mainly is the “conceptualization” of our marketing effort. However, now that we have conceptualized our piles, let’s get a little more technical about the whole process of writing copy.

Here’s how to begin: The first thing you need to do is to assemble a file that contains everything you can get your hands on that is relevant to your promotion. Here are some of the things that might be included in your file:

1) List cards describing the lists you are going to test

2) A copy of the report you intend to sell

3) Copies of DM pieces that other people have used to sell products or services related to what you want to sell.

4) Copies of space ads that other people have used to sell products or services related to what you want to sell.

5) Copies of books and reports on real estate investing.

6) Copies of exceptionally good ads and DM pieces, even if they are not related to real estate.

7) A copy of that book I’m going to give you that contains hundreds of headlines.

8) Anything else you can think of that might be an “idea generator”.

OK now, after you have assembled all this stuff, what you need to do is start reading and taking notes.

Now, here is a little quirk of mine: I have a special way of taking these notes which, incidentally, I call “nugget notes.”

You see, what I do is take my notes in the form of little nuggets of information. When I am done the paper I have been writing on looks like this:

Remember this when you are taking these notes don’t stuff yourself.

Sometimes, my nugget notes consist of just one word. Sometimes they consist of meaningless phrases. Many times my notes make sense but many times they don’t. No matter. I never worry about it. I just keep writing. I write what occurs to me as I read the list cards, the jackets of books, the ads, the DM pieces, and all the rest of the material I have assembled.

Now here are a few things you should always include. A complete description of your product including how many pages, how many words, how many photos, who wrote it, facts about the author (his age, background, success stories, etc.). You should also take notes on what this product will do for you. Will it make you wealthy? How will more money help your customer? Will he be able to buy a better car? Take more vacations? Afford a better home? If so, put it down.

OK now, after you have taken all these notes what I want you to do is re-read the notes and the really good ones, put a star * beside them. And the ones that are even better put two stars ** next to them. And then, the red hot ones you put three *** or more stars beside them.

Now, at this point, what you need to do is stop working on this project. That’s right. Just let it go. Put it right out of your mind. Just go on about your other business for a day or two.

Now then, often what happens during this time, is that an outstanding sales idea will occur to you. Sometimes this idea will be how to get attention like with my baggie idea.

Bond, I got interrupted here. Two prison guards came over and searched me and B. and told us to stay out of the little park where we take our breaks. Apparently, some little kid was caught smoking pot here yesterday.

Ah well, that’s life in the big city.

So let’s get started again. As I was saying, sometimes your breakthrough idea or “aha experience” will be a way to get attention like my baggie idea, or a new way to help the prospect visualize the benefits of owning what you have to sell, or a new order generating sales point or whatever. Anyway, at this point you now need to begin writing your letter according to formula.
By formula I mean you should work within a proven sequential outline like AIDA.

What does AIDA stand for? It stands for ATTENTION, INTEREST, DESIRE, ACTION. So, to make it clearer your letter should:

1. First, get his attention

2. Second, get him interested

3. Third, make him desire what you are selling

4. Compel him to take whatever action is needed to get whatever it is you are selling.

Tomorrow, we’ll go over this in more detail. But for today, once again I want to wish you HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I love you and good luck!

Dad