Internet Marketing Blog

Lost Genius Reveals How to Write Sales Materials that Sell
(or "Bruce Barton's 6 Points for Writing Ads")

by Joe Vitale

Bruce Barton was a celebrity in the 1920s. He was a
bestselling author, confidant to presidents, master
copywriter, philanthropist, congressman, and co-founder
of the largest advertising agency in the world, BBDO.

He helped five men become US Presidents. He wrote a
fund raising letter that got a 100% response. The only
book ever written on Barton and his ideas is The Seven
Lost Secrets of Success. I recently discovered Barton's
six points for writing ads, which he probably delivered
in a speech in the early 1930s. Here they are, as Bruce
Barton himself delivered them:

1. The theme. "A lot of time and money is wasted by
our failure to think through and get a theme before we
start. The theme ought to be based on two
principles---first, that a man is interested in
himself; second, that he is interested in other people.

Our formula for Every Week (magazine) was Youth, Love,
Success, Money, and Health---all things in which people
are vitally interested."

2. Interesting headlines. "I think any public notice I
may have had has come from titles. Nobody was more
surprised than I when The Man Nobody Knows became a
best seller. The title is what sold the book."

Barton also mentioned that when he edited magazines, he
often used provocative titles to stir up controversy
and interest. Examples included, "Why I never hire any
woman under 30," "How my wife has hindered me in
business," and the other side of the question, "How my
wife has helped me in business." These interesting
headlines guaranteed readership.

3. The visualization. Barton didn't elaborate on this.

But I'm sure he was referring to the layout of any
sales piece. He once said, "A picture is worth two
pages of type, and a headline is worth almost all the
rest of the ad put together." For Barton, the
illustration, headline, and body copy made up the
layout, or visualization, of any sales piece.

4. The copy. "The introduction can be eliminated
almost always. The mind starts cold when you begin to
write, and you don't get into high until the second or
third paragraph. Cut out the introduction, and then you
have a good hot start.

"Another elementary fundamental of advertising is to
make the copy fit the space. To this day, I never write
a piece of copy without counting the words. The
picture, the headline, and the layout should be set
before you begin the copy. To me, writing the copy
before you have visualized the layout is backwards."

5. Adjectives. "After you finish a piece of copy, go
back and cut out all the adjectives. Henry Ward
Beecher's father was once chairman of a committee to
draw up resolutions on slavery. One sentence in his
resolution read: 'It is an outrage.' Some one suggested
that it should read: 'It is a terrible outrage.'

Beecher said that was the way he had it in his first
draft, but he had cut out the word 'terrible' for the
sake of emphasis.

"Adjectives are like the leaves on a switch. They make
the switch look pretty, but if you want to hit a blow
that will cut, you take off the leaves. Literature that
cuts has very few adjectives. The greatest things in
life are expressed in one-syllable words---love, hate,
fear, home, wife, child."

6. A purpose. "We should never write an ad without the
idea that something is going to happen. What do we want
the reader to do? Write with the conviction that he is
going to do something when he gets through reading---go
to the store and buy; clip the coupon and mail it. And
remember the power of the direct command. Don't say,
'If you would like this beautiful booklet, we will be
glad to send it.' Say, 'Sit down right now and fill in
this coupon.' People want things made easy; they want
you to make up their minds for them."

-----

Dr. Joe Vitale, the creator of the 'hypnotic' marketing line,
is a best-selling author who is well-respected by his peers
for getting results fast.

posted by Mike Merz  # 9/22/2004 03:59:00 PM