Comments on: An Ode to Logic http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/ bly.com direct marketing blog Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:03:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Erik Sherman http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673498 Erik Sherman Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:42:17 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673498 Could it be that they were trying to create an unconscious sense of getting something for free as a way to increase response rate? (Of course, whether that panned out, and whether the people they induced had a high fall through in payment, would be another question.) Or maybe they were testing a different response card? Could it be that they were trying to create an unconscious sense of getting something for free as a way to increase response rate? (Of course, whether that panned out, and whether the people they induced had a high fall through in payment, would be another question.) Or maybe they were testing a different response card?

]]> By: Elizabeth Adams http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673475 Elizabeth Adams Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:32:09 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673475 Well, Bob, I guess it just goes to show that you can't be too careful ... especially on the order form! I guess they didn't have what I used to keep handy: a nine-year-old boy. If you ever want a no-holds-barred assessment of your most cherished passages, show 'em to a nine-year-old boy! They've got built-in B.S. Detectors! I remember one time I started a letter off with the word "we" and my nine-year-old said, "Who's we? The king and queen?" He was amazingly quick at math, too. He would have picked up on that boo-boo on the order form in a flash. Regards, Elizabeth ... <a href="http://elizabethadamsdirect.com/template/" rel="nofollow"><b>Create Quality Sales Pages with CSS</b></a> <b>P.S.</b> I've found that the only way I can reliably spot things like this in my own work is to read it slowly out loud to myself. Vocalizing the words on the page seems to force my eyes to slow down and really *look* at what's *actually* there instead of what my eyes trick me into *thinking* is there. Maybe that's what happened in this case. Maybe whoever proofed the copy just sort of slid over that bit about the payment without actually seeing it. It is *so* easy to do! :) Well, Bob, I guess it just goes to show that you can’t be too careful … especially on the order form!

I guess they didn’t have what I used to keep handy: a nine-year-old boy.

If you ever want a no-holds-barred assessment of your most cherished passages, show ‘em to a nine-year-old boy! They’ve got built-in B.S. Detectors!

I remember one time I started a letter off with the word “we” and my nine-year-old said, “Who’s we? The king and queen?”

He was amazingly quick at math, too. He would have picked up on that boo-boo on the order form in a flash.

Regards, Elizabeth …
Create Quality Sales Pages with CSS

P.S. I’ve found that the only way I can reliably spot things like this in my own work is to read it slowly out loud to myself. Vocalizing the words on the page seems to force my eyes to slow down and really *look* at what’s *actually* there instead of what my eyes trick me into *thinking* is there.

Maybe that’s what happened in this case. Maybe whoever proofed the copy just sort of slid over that bit about the payment without actually seeing it. It is *so* easy to do!

:)

]]> By: Michael http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673474 Michael Sat, 19 Apr 2008 19:23:27 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673474 Ah, I get ya, Bob. It does seem confusing, because my first thought on reading it was that they didn't want the prospect to send them cash. I'm wondering...how effective is "bill me later" as part of the response mechanism as opposed to only offering immediate payment options (i.e. send a check, give us your credit card number and sig)? Ah, I get ya, Bob. It does seem confusing, because my first thought on reading it was that they didn’t want the prospect to send them cash.

I’m wondering…how effective is “bill me later” as part of the response mechanism as opposed to only offering immediate payment options (i.e. send a check, give us your credit card number and sig)?

]]> By: Bob Bly http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673472 Bob Bly Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:41:36 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673472 Michael: Trust me: It does NOT mean "do not send cash" but pay with credit card or money order instead. It means it is not necessary to send payment with order because they will bill you later. Michael: Trust me: It does NOT mean “do not send cash” but pay with credit card or money order instead. It means it is not necessary to send payment with order because they will bill you later.

]]> By: Michael http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673471 Michael Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:32:00 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673471 Ack! How stupid is that!? I should have read all the other comments before I wrote comment #13. I would have realized that nearly everyone else said what I said. Ack! How stupid is that!? I should have read all the other comments before I wrote comment #13. I would have realized that nearly everyone else said what I said.

]]> By: Michael http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673470 Michael Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:30:10 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673470 I think they probably meant "Do not send cash." I think they probably meant “Do not send cash.”

]]> By: Jodi http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673469 Jodi Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:09:16 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673469 Bob, what I meant to say was not that I didn't see the appeal of "bill me" but that it seemed odd that they would ONLY want the bill me option - and have no interest in immediate payment. I agree with your initial opinion. The 'send no money' should be removed and the card should offer two choices: 1) payment enclosed (get the money now) 2) you can bill me later Apparently the coffee hadn't kicked in yet when I wrote my original reply. That will teach me to post things at 7:17 AM! Bob, what I meant to say was not that I didn’t see the appeal of “bill me” but that it seemed odd that they would ONLY want the bill me option - and have no interest in immediate payment.

I agree with your initial opinion. The ’send no money’ should be removed and the card should offer two choices:

1) payment enclosed (get the money now)
2) you can bill me later

Apparently the coffee hadn’t kicked in yet when I wrote my original reply. That will teach me to post things at 7:17 AM!

]]> By: Bob Bly http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673468 Bob Bly Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:54:18 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673468 Elizabeth: The standard offer is bill-me, for which a standard copy line is "Send no money now," which means do not enclose payment with order -- cash, check, or credit card. They decided to add a "payment with order" option, not realizing it logically conflicts with "Send no money now." Someone should have changed it to "No need to send money now; we can bill you later," but they overlooked it. Elizabeth: The standard offer is bill-me, for which a standard copy line is “Send no money now,” which means do not enclose payment with order — cash, check, or credit card. They decided to add a “payment with order” option, not realizing it logically conflicts with “Send no money now.” Someone should have changed it to “No need to send money now; we can bill you later,” but they overlooked it.

]]> By: Elizabeth Adams http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673467 Elizabeth Adams Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:23:30 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673467 Hello, Bob ... From my experience in running a direct-mail operation out of the basement of my home for many years, if there's one thing I know about, it's how many ways there are to interpret what you say on your order form! No matter how carefully -- how precisely! -- I worded my order forms, there was always *somebody* who got it wrong and messed it up. That said -- and bearing in mind that the language you're quoting here is open to interpretation -- my best guess is that when they say, "DON'T SEND MONEY," they mean, "DON'T SEND CASH." But dey shuda sed what dey ment! Regards, Elizabeth ... <a href="http://elizabethadamsdirect.com/greatheadlines/" rel="nofollow"><b>Guide to Writing Headlines</b></a> <b>P.S.</b> If, as you say, the standard in the magazine industry is to send out a "bill me" offer because it's been proven to bring in more subscriptions than a "pay me" offer, and if that's the sort of offer they meant to send out, then you would think they would *not* have said "You can select either 'payment only' or 'bill me.'" You would think they would have provided only one choice, "Bill me," and then used the word "payment" instead of the word "money" in their all-caps red-letters caution, "DON'T SEND PAYMENT." But like I said, you just wouldn't believe how many ways there are for people to misinterpret what you say in your order forms! :) Hello, Bob …

From my experience in running a direct-mail operation out of the basement of my home for many years, if there’s one thing I know about, it’s how many ways there are to interpret what you say on your order form!

No matter how carefully — how precisely! — I worded my order forms, there was always *somebody* who got it wrong and messed it up.

That said — and bearing in mind that the language you’re quoting here is open to interpretation — my best guess is that when they say, “DON’T SEND MONEY,” they mean, “DON’T SEND CASH.”

But dey shuda sed what dey ment!

Regards, Elizabeth …
Guide to Writing Headlines

P.S. If, as you say, the standard in the magazine industry is to send out a “bill me” offer because it’s been proven to bring in more subscriptions than a “pay me” offer, and if that’s the sort of offer they meant to send out, then you would think they would *not* have said “You can select either ‘payment only’ or ‘bill me.’” You would think they would have provided only one choice, “Bill me,” and then used the word “payment” instead of the word “money” in their all-caps red-letters caution, “DON’T SEND PAYMENT.”

But like I said, you just wouldn’t believe how many ways there are for people to misinterpret what you say in your order forms!

:)

]]> By: Bapes http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673466 Bapes Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:19:47 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/general/an-ode-to-logic/#comment-673466 I deffinitely think you should never send cash I deffinitely think you should never send cash

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