Although I didn't identify much with Laurie Goodman's beef about writing for direct marketing (“DM: Love It Or Leave It,” Jan. 24), I did feel the response offered by Paul Hollingshead and Don Mahoney, of the American Writers & Artists Institute, to be self-serving and heavy-handed (“DM: Yes, Laurie, We Love It,” Feb. 7).
True, I did enjoy Paul and Don's use of bullet points and focused promotion of their business. And, I agree that copywriting is a craft. But, making Laurie the underdog did not make me want to sign up for a course. So boys, you might want to bone up on your Herschel Gordon Lewis do's and don'ts? First, keep it short! Also, add some breakheads, use underlining … an ellipsis here … and there — some double dashes — and don't forget a Johnson Box, OK?
I write copy in order to get a positive response from my customers. Period. Anything I can do to keep the customer engaged and interested in buying from me is of the utmost importance. That's why I enjoyed Dean Rieck's “6 Secrets for Winning Creative Awards” (Jan. 17). I worked in broadcast television for 13 years in the Raleigh-Durham market before my conversion to direct marketing, and I can recall many a pompous Addy Award presented to advertising that was full of itself, costly and of main interest to only the hip and cool. Now, that's what I call “niche marketing!”
