Dust off this ol’ standby when you want to power-pack your message – SCN Encourager

Don’t let those headline-jumping scanners and skimmers just rush past you without putting up a fight.

Put the brakes on.

Build a speed bump.

Slow them down.

Research reveals 70% of all readers will never read past any headline.

(And I’m assuming this stat is bad, okay? Since 98% of my readers won’t even read my headlines, my experience with research like this is skewed.)

It’s now funny to read about the technique many experienced copywriters are using to get readers to pause and catch their breath.

It seems so old school.

Almost too perfect for someone like me…

As this technique involves going back to attaching a strategic “PS” at the end of your multi-point informational letters.

Mind you, that’s “PS” as in Post Scriptum.

Not “PS” as in Play Station.

Because scanners and skinners will typically jump down to the bottom of every letter quickly after reading the headline, attaching a “PS” accomplishes several things.

First of all, if you tease out a mystery in your “PS,” you might motivate readers to dig back into your letter to see what they missed.

Here are three sample mystery teasers for a “PS”:
1.  Thank you, community! We’re the first district in the midwest to cut energy costs by over 40%.
2.  Can you believe we’re giving away 50 tickets to the Super Bowl? Unbelievable!
3.  We’re giving our school communicator a 35% raise retroactive to 2013 – and also eliminating football – unless you carefully follow the steps outlined above.

Secondly, believe it or not, many readers actually feel they’ve read the entire letter just by reading the opening greeting (the headline) and the closing “PS.”

As goofy as this sounds, these same readers tend to hold the writer of the letter in high regard.

Go figure!

But I’ll take it.

Good PR doesn’t get much easier than this.

And here’s another “PS” that’s a model of superb writing and a proven winner:

PS   Don’t forget to sign up for the FREE Lunchinar on Feb. 3.

(Ha! You knew I’d work this in somehow, didn’tcha?)

Have a great weekend!

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