I read a lot of old books. Very old. The writers in the ’20′s thru the ’50′s especially had to know what they were doing with regards to marketing and sales, because they didn’t have the ‘net to easily test theories and the cost of a campaign was much higer than it is today.
One old time business writer, Frank Meeks, discovered that he got a tremendous response from a flip little collection letter he wrote that left room for the reader to make a smartass reply.
Checks rolled in … with little smartass remarks !
That gave Mr. Meeks an idea. That idea made him famous and wealthy.
The idea ? When you write a letter, let the prospect get in a word edgewise. Leave ‘em room to make a wisecrack, smartass reply or clever retort of some type.
He proved, thru testing and tracking, that customers bought more just to make their remarks.
It works. And it’s been proven to work in in other areas of life. I found a reference to Madame Recamier, pictured above, who’s been called one of the most socially successful ladies who ever lived.
She had no money, no social status and lived in a modest 4 four-room flat in Paris. Yet, all of the famous men and women in Europe paid tribute to her.
Her secret of power ?
She made them feel clever. She was never the life of the party, she let others be the focal points.
She never made clever remarks, but she drew them out of others.
These actions made other want to be around her, to be near her.
I know of a salesman like this. He’s as dull as can be, but he he leaves room for the others to make the witty remarks in the conversation.
Customers pass by the better schooled, better looking salesmen to buy from him.
These methods seem to work for blog posts, too.
Think about it. Do you get more comments when you tell the whole story, or when you leave a little to be said ? Easy answer.
Do you get more interaction when you’re the expert-know-it-all, or when you ask leading questions that can be answered easily ?
Do blog posts that are a bit snide get more remarks that are, shall we say, tame ?
Do you get Tracbacks and links from those who you make feel clever or those whose views you trash ?
Do you get more page views when you keep the conversation going with a reply to a comment ?
Do you have an instance you can point us to where this worked for you ?
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