| Gaining attention means diverting a man from | | | | Why carry an old head on younger shoulder? |
| what he is thinking about, to what one wishes him | | | | Were you born in August? |
| to think about. When a person is attentive he | | | | 2. An interesting suggestion: |
| waits for something significant to follow. Unless a | | | | Throw this letter away and you are throwing |
| sales letter succeeds in gaining the buyer's | | | | business away. |
| attention it cannot arouse his interest. Therefore, | | | | 3. A courteous command: |
| the first paragraph of the sales letter is carefully | | | | Shed no tears over your onions. |
| designed in order to attract the attention of the | | | | Buy now or you will repent later. |
| reader. The sales letter is uninvited; it is | | | | If you cannot drink milk, eat it. |
| unwelcome; it may go to a stranger; there is a | | | | 4. Challenging statement or proverbs: |
| built-in resistance in everybody. The first | | | | 85% of offices use our steel furniture. |
| paragraph of the sales letter has to overcome all | | | | Be slim by taking slimming tablets. |
| these hurdles. Opening sentences like following | | | | A penny saved is a penny gained. |
| cannot succeed in winning the attention of the | | | | |
| reader: | | | | 5. Split openings: (Such openings have an effective |
| "We have recently put a new product on the | | | | appeal to curiosity.)a) We cannot cater to all_ |
| market. We hope you will be interested in it." | | | | So we cater only to the fastidious!b) We cannot |
| The opening sentences must be striking like | | | | publish all good books_ |
| newspaper headlines. Newspaper headlines are so | | | | So we publish only the best books! |
| attractive that the reader is tempted to read | | | | The split opening should be used carefully so that |
| what follows. Similarly the sales letter must | | | | it may not give the reader a feeling of being |
| interest the reader at a glance. The writer should, | | | | tricked. |
| therefore, avoid a dull, negative and irrelevant | | | | 6. Humorous anecdotes: (The story should not |
| opening. He should not start talking about his | | | | merely entertain but must be relevant to the |
| product or his company as illustrated in the | | | | sales message.) |
| foregoing sentences. He should also avoid | | | | When a famous artist was once asked how he |
| sensational opening or vague statements. The | | | | mixed his colors, he replied, "With brain, Sir!" This |
| beginning should aim at evoking the right response | | | | is exactly how Taste-well coffee is blended. |
| in the reader and induce him to read on. It should | | | | It is not the intention of the sales letter writer to |
| be more direct, personal and original. | | | | stop the reader at the first paragraph. After all, |
| Types of beginnings: | | | | he has to carry the reader along with him till the |
| Various types of opening sentences are used for | | | | end of the letter. The attention-winning devices |
| winning attention. | | | | are only a means to an end. Their purpose is to |
| Examples: | | | | make the reader go through the entire sales |
| 1. A pertinent question: | | | | massage and promote the sale of products. |