A Direct Mail Package So Bad They Had to Send It Twice

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I recently received two copies of the same direct mail package on the same day.

When I opened the first package and pulled out the letter, I discovered that two gentlemen named Jeff Vacek and Ken Preuss had “reserved a free seat” for me to “personally attend” their “Info Marketing Millions Ultimate Blueprint Event.”

I also discovered this event featured Jeff Vacek and Ken Preuss teaching me “LIVE for 3 Full Days!”

They even included their photos on the front page of the letter so I would know what they look like.

See for yourself (and click the image to download the PDF of the full first page):

There are many things about this letter that don’t add up.

First of all, they sent me two copies of the same package. Apparently, this was so last-minute they couldn’t find time to de-dupe their mailing list. I hope this is not one of the strategies they’re teaching because failing to de-dupe a list will cost you millions, not make you millions.

Then there’s the prehead…

I’m not one of their students, nor one of their subscribers. And while everybody would like more income, they’ve already missed the mark.

Then there’s the disingenuous statement that they’ve reserved a free seat for me. Call me crazy, but I’m skeptical. In the world of hard-to-fill seminars, they will take anybody they can get just to make the room appear more crowded.

After the prehead, I arrive at the headline:

Somehow the headline feels clunky and poorly worded. I get what they are trying to say, but they haven’t really said it.

And then their faces.

• Who are these guys?

• Why should I care about them?

• What could they possibly teach me?

• Have they actually made “info millions?” Or is this just an empty claim?

Well, my questions are left unanswered. They don’t explain who they are or why I should listen to them.

Nevertheless, they press on. They tell me…

I’m guessing the words PERSONAL HANDED FACE-TO-FACE BRAIN DUMP are all really important because they are in ALL CAPS.

And because Jeff and Ken say they’re offering “unprecedented face-to-face access,” I can only assume they’ve never taught students in a face-to-face situation before, right? (“Unprecedented” = “having no previous example.”)

Maybe the seminar in Salt Lake City in August 2012 was unprecedented… but the seminars in Portland in September 2012 and Houston in October 2012 certainly won’t be.

Anyway… I don’t know if this sales letter worked or not. I’m guessing it didn’t.

The whole pitch rests on the credibility of Jeff and Ken, and none is provided on the first page. Very little is provided inside the letter either. (Not to mention, the entire letter reeks of low ethos.)

If you’re going to make a pitch via direct mail, you can’t base it on the credentials of two unknown people… and then fail to provide the credentials.

And who knows? Maybe Jeff and Ken really know their stuff when it comes to marketing info-products on the Internet. But one thing’s for sure. Their direct mail skills need some work.

Need a professional copywriter to help you with your next written sales piece?

Tell me about your project by emailing me at rhealy@gmail.com, or call 720-344-7788.

-Ryan M. Healy

About Ryan M. Healy

Ryan Healy is a direct response copywriter. Since 2002, he has worked with scores of clients, including BoostCTR, Alex Mandossian, Terry Dean, and Pulte Homes. He writes a popular blog about copywriting, advertising, and business growth, has been featured in publications like Feed Front magazine, and is a regular contributor to WordStream.com, BoostCTR.com, and MarketingForSuccess.com.

Tagged as: Credentials, Direct Mail, Ethos, jeff vacek, ken preuss, Proof, sales letter, seminar

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