Writer's Digest Direct Mail
TURN YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR, YOUR FIGHT WITH THE LANDLORD, YOUR LOVE AFFAIR, YOUR LIFE ... INTO WRITING THAT SELLS.
One day years ago my writing professor handed back a story I had written, shook her head gravely, and said, "This is so bad it makes me want to quit teaching."
You can imagine what that did to my day.
And yet, this year I will make more than $125,000.00 writing in my spare time at home.
You can too.
With a little help from...
Writer's DIGEST
NOW AT A PRICE SO LOW--
IT'S LIKE GETTING SIX ISSUES FREE!
Dear Friend,
If somewhere deep inside, you'd like to stay home and write a blockbuster...
If you'd like to turn your life's experiences: your sense of humor, your pain, your love affair, your fight with the landlord, your fantasies, your unique vision of the world...
...into filmscripts, plays, suspense novels, romance fiction, magazine articles... that pay...
If you'd like to sit face to face with today's top mystery writers, novelists, poets, screenwriters, playwrights, reporters... and learn their secrets for success...
...then read on.
First you'll discover how to turn your ideas into eagerly sought-after manuscripts. Then you’ll lean how to save $15 (and get an extra issue free) …
NOW AT A PRICE SO LOW — IT’S LIKE GETTING SIX ISSUES FREE!
Client: F&W Publishing
Assignment: Grow circulation for Writer's Digest. Beat a long standing control by the famous copywriter, Linda Wells.
Direct Mail Copywriter: Josh C. Manheimer
PROBLEM: How do you motivate non-readers to believe they too can become successful writers and make a killing telling their life story.
SOLUTION: Use a true personal experience to tell a compelling story.
POSITIONING: How to turn your sense of humor, your fight with the landlord, your love affair, your life ... into writing that sells.
RESULT: 10-year-control. Featured in INSIDE DIRECT MAIL.
Hallie Mummert: Manheimer’s “Blockbuster” package, which was designed by David Wise, tested against Wells’ package and became control in 1989.
Since then, it has been mailed continuously, with F&W Publications giving it a break periodically to guard against fatigue.
While the letter is the main voice in any direct mail package, it truly becomes the focus in an appeal that reaches out to fledgling writers.
Manheimer’s letter is four pages long, and creates instant rapport form the first paragraphs by sharing the story of a failed writing assignment from his college days.
This puts him on a level with the members of the audience who have had similar experiences, and it also reminds the readers of their pain of not being acclaimed.
Once they have been reminded of defeat, Manheimer delivers victory, by next revealing that he has since become a successful copywriter who earns a handsome income for his professional services.
At this point, readers are hooked, because there is the promise of turning failure into success.