Here’s one way not to open a sales letter
When a new copywriter sends me inept stuff, I understand. But inept stuff from people who should know better takes me aback.
Take, for instance, the opening sentence from an email that graced my inbox today. It was written by a recognized pro. Right after “Dear Steve” it said, “I know your time is valuable. So I won’t waste it. I’ll get right to the point.” Really? The writer just wasted 17 words divided into three sentences with reader-stopping periods to tell me she would get right to the point — when she could have gotten right to the point. Setting aside that the “I’ll get right to the point” thing is overused and woefully non-compelling, she would have lost no meaning and wasted less of my time had she at least nixed the first two sentences.
I didn’t bother with the fourth or any other sentences.
—Steve Cuno
When a new copywriter sends me inept stuff, I understand. But inept stuff from people who should know better takes me aback.
Take, for instance, the opening sentence from an email that graced my inbox today. It was written by a recognized pro. Right after “Dear Steve” it said, “I know your time is valuable. So I won’t waste it. I’ll get right to the point.” Really? The writer just wasted 17 words divided into three sentences with reader-stopping periods to tell me she would get right to the point — when she could have gotten right to the point. Setting aside that the “I’ll get right to the point” thing is overused and woefully non-compelling, she would have lost no meaning and wasted less of my time had she at least nixed the first two sentences.
I didn’t bother with the fourth or any other sentences.
—Steve Cuno
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