1930's letter - A Timeless Treasure

Trebor · **1930's letter - A Timeless Treasure -** 07-15-2005, 06:23 PM

I ran across this the other day in one of my old (30's) copy books.

I thought members of this board would enjoy it. So, like a fine bottle of wine, I'm sharing it here for those of you who savor master copy.

(Two pieces of yarn, one read and one blue were stapled to the top of this letter… )

Quote:

Dear Mr. Jones:

Just two little pieces of yarn – but what an important story they tell you.

Pull the ends of the red yarn and notice how the strands separate and fray easily. Now pull the blue yarn and notice the difference – it will not fray.

The red yarn was spun by machine. The blue yarn was spun by hand in far off Persia.

Genuine oriental rugs are made only with the hand spun yarn. The wool for this yarn comes from the backs of sheep which graze most of the year in the warm, sunny pastures of the lands across the sea. It is the extra strength of this wool and the skill of the hand weaver which enables the genuine oriental rug to hold its beauty for centuries.

I would like you to see the exceptional Oriental rug in my shop which was hand-woven so firmly that there are as many as 400 knots to the square inch, compared to the two hundred knots in the average oriental rug.

I would like to show you some of the genuine Orientals which have journeyed thousands of miles across oceans and continents to reach my shop. I can promise you one of the most pleasant half hours you even have enjoyed, just “talking rugs” …telling you some of the truly romantic legends behind those rugs and showing you magnificent pieces which will add charm, distinction and character to your home.

Of course, you will not be under the slightest obligation. Stop and see these rugs any night this week between seven and ten.

Sincerely yours,

Moose · **. -** 07-16-2005, 12:51 PM

Great Letter...thanks for sharing.

I love seeing examples of letters with "grabbers". I've never used them before, but am planning to try something. I'm wondering (for those who have used grabbers before) how much it costs to have a grabber attatched to the top of your letters?

I don't mean to hijack your thread. Just thought it was an appropriate place for it... rather than start a new thread.

07-17-2005, 08:19 AM

This is probably going to sound really ignorant, but what's a "grabber"?

Thanks,
Jane

Moose · **. -** 07-17-2005, 12:04 PM

Hi Jane,

A "Grabber" is something you attatch to the top of your sales letter to grab attention......but it must fit into the story of your letter.

A sales letter about making/saving money might have a dollar bill or penny or foreing currency attatched at the top.

A sales letter about rugs might have two pieces of yarn attatched at the top (like the above letter).

Perhaps the most successful sales letter of all time had a dollar attatched at the top and received a 90% response. It was a letter soliciting donations for a children's charity.... and it brought back millions or dollars... and that was in the 1930's (or somewhere around there).

John Ritz · 07-19-2005, 10:41 AM

Gary Halbert uses grabbers a lot. You can see an example of it here:

http://www.thegaryhalbertletter.com/...eleseminar.htm

Btw, Gary references grabbers so much in his newsletters, that you may want to catch most of them by googling the following:

grabber site:thegaryhalbertletter.com

Best regards,

John

B-Lowe · 07-19-2005, 01:58 PM

Thank you for sharing that, Trebor! It's a wonderful letter. I bet it was hugely successful!