I just listened to a discussion about how to structure an unusual sales letter.
The product on sale is a training video for an AR-15.
That’s a short-barrel assault rifle, in case you don’t know. I didn’t, so I had to look it up online.
A few minutes later, I went on Reddit. And I felt like I was having deja vu.
Because right there on the front page, there were two (countem: 2!) stories about Beto O’Rourke and AR-15s.
Apparently BO’ said something about revoking gun rights in the Dem debate last night.
And one Texas politician tweeted in response, “My AR-15 is ready for you.” (Which I guess you could take in two ways. The obvious, threatening way. Or the conciliatory, “You’re right Beto, come pick up my AR-15” kind of way.)
Anyways, this Beto catfight would make a perfect hook right now for an ad or an advertorial to precede that AR-15 sales letter.
And that’s a general thing you can try to do with all your promotions.
It doesn’t have to be the day’s fleeting news, and it doesn’t have to be as tightly connected to your product as Beto is to AR-15s.
It can also be general current trends that have nothing to do with you or your product.
For example, I remember reading how Joe Sugarman once wrote a press release for snowmobile rentals at a ski resort.
This was back in the late 1960s, when the Women’s Lib movement was dominating the news.
So Joe, intuitive marketing genius that he is, wrote a press release that said:
“Ski Resort Bans Women Snowmobile Drivers”
Why? Because they drive badly and cause accidents.
If I remember correctly, it caused a nationwide uproar. The ski resort was forced to revoke its female-centric ban. But during and after this whole uproar, snowmobile rentals also exploded at the resort.
Something to keep in mind if you’re trying to drum up publicity for your offer.
And if you’re running ads or advertorials, and you want more ideas besides tying them into current news, then check out the following: