Got this question recently…<\/p>\n
“Ben is it really necessary to read my sales letters out loud?? why can’t I just read silently since that is what my readers are doing??”<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
There are many reasons.<\/p>\n
One of which is obviously catching errors.<\/p>\n
For example:<\/p>\n
Just last week I was editing a 28 page (ugh!) sales letter and read it silently several times. Then I started reading it out loud. Usually I like to do so 10 times, but time was of the essence so I could only do it 5 times.<\/p>\n
Anyway, on reading #3 I caught a doozy.<\/p>\n
The word?<\/p>\n
“workalcoholic”<\/p>\n
(Instead of “workaholic”)<\/p>\n
Jinkies!<\/p>\n
I missed it on the “silent” readings and first 2 aloud ones.<\/p>\n
And here’s something else:<\/p>\n
I cannot explain it, but when tediously reading a sales letter out loud (in addition to annoying anyone within earshot) you will generate many more ad ideas, solutions and improvements than you would otherwise.<\/p>\n
Different ways of phrasing things pop up.<\/p>\n
New headlines appear in your mind.<\/p>\n
And you might even see whole sections that should be moved, eliminated or expanded upon.<\/p>\n
So there you go.<\/p>\n
Reason #1001 to read ’em aloud.<\/p>\n
And you know what?<\/p>\n
Last year I wrote a series of 5 newsletters showing you how to write ads from scratch (one of which included my methodology for editing<\/em> sales letters).<\/p>\n
Very important stuff.<\/p>\n
Today they’re in The Copywriting Grab Bag:<\/p>\n