The Real Power of A Postscript
I use the postscript differently to most copywriters.
Naturally, my way is better.
Because let’s be honest, most copywriters you know – and if you are one, maybe read this, cringe and then forgive yourself – use the P.S. section to sell things.
You’ve all read emails like this:
Subject Line: What These Goo-Roos Don’t Know
Hey guys,
Today I was busy doing something completely-not-made-up for this email, when some evil liberal/conservative/whatever had the sheer brass balls to tell me something that made me upset.
Wait! It didn’t make me upset, because I never get upset in these emails.
I smirked, tipped my fedora and came up with some totally-real comeback that made me look like a mega-super-genius.
And boy… did that idiot cry.
And the whole bus clapped.
That really happened. Something that a goo-roo would never be able to do because they don’t have the elite whatever-skills that I do.
Anyway, just thought I’d let you know how great I am.
P.S. If you want to be able to argue with people all the time and win, probably get my masterclass on persuasion. It’s here. $497. I swear it’s worth $1497 and it’s only on sale this weekend and then it’s going away forever. I swear on the dog I don’t own.
OK
When I said, “Most of you have read emails like this,” the crazy thing is far more of you just let them sit unread until your inbox automatically starts shoving them in the junk folder and then eventually, they disappear forever.
And I’m not saying it’s all in the P.S. section, but this is the common way of doing things.
It’s wrong.
Let’s Be Honest…
If you’re a direct marketer, and you’re writing for your list, everyone already knows that sometimes, you’re going to sell them stuff.
That’s one of the reasons you’re emailing them every time. It’s also one of the reasons they signed up in the first place. This isn’t your grandmother emailing to send you a mince pie recipe. Everyone knows the deal.
And we also know that the true skill in direct marketing and emails in this way is in wrapping up the sale request in a nice enough story, anecdote or helpful piece of insightly wisdom free-of-charge that your readers want to be sold to.
So why-oh-why do we have marketers telling stupid, unrelated stories and then ending it with the copywriting equivalent of, “Oh, hey, by the way, I’m like, I’m uh, I’m going bowling this Saturday and I wondered if you’d, uh, like to come with me? Just as friends you know, unless you like me too, I mean, uh, yeah…”
Buy my course.
Don’t do this. It’s weak as hell and makes you look like a guy who read Ben Settle’s Beginners’ Guide To Writing Weak Emails.
It’s not 2016 anymore.
You can do better.
“Jamie… I Missed How You Never Get To The Point”
So let’s assume you’ve done a better job of writing your sales email by following the stuff I said above.
You’ve already made your sales pitch in the body of the email like a grown man who isn’t afraid to ask a girl on the date.
The question then rolling off your lips should be, “Jamie… what do I do with the Postscript now?”
And that’s a great question.
If you’ve followed my advice above, then you are free to do whatever you want with the postscript.
However…
My advice is to use it in the way that an old-fashioned pulp writer used a cliffhanger: you get them ready for the next one by promising that they’re going to get something even better when they hit refresh on their inbox and see the email you’re about to send.
Case in point: I’m writing this article to get the daily habit going again. Tomorrow’s article is going to be a lot better.
We’re going to be talking about how writing online has become easier than stealing candy from babies.
See you in the next one.