Why was the Rolls Royce Letter kept short and sweet? Shouldn't it be like other sales letter that can boast of being 8 to 24 pages long and super persuasive?

I am currently working on a direct mail with a grabber but I am confused as to whether this mailing should be as long as a usual sales letter or kept short and sweet like Gary Halbert's Rolls Royce Letter?

Pls advise.

All sales letters are not long. Some are indeed "short and sweet."

On the other hand, some sales letters are entirely too long.

Your sales letter only needs to be long enough to effectively tell your story - no longer.

In other words, be pithy:

Precisely meaningful; forceful and brief.

In the words of Peter Stone:

You should write fearlessly, but edit ferociously!

Dale King

This letter was a lead generation letter. And it rides on the already existing desire for a Rolls Royce (no need to write a 20 page letter creating the desire for the car. Rolls Royce's years of advertising have done that)

All Gary had to do was give enough logical reasons why he can give the reader a good deal. (bargain appeal)

Thanks!!!

Techcopywriter, your reply blew me away... something I never thought about

He used the perfect technique:
Why can I do this? Because...
offering tons of legitimate reasons why the deal of the century was being offered.

I love it!

Let's digress for a moment and see how that relates to the AIDA formula

Attention (Checked) - The photo of the Rolls Royce

Interest (Unchecked)

Desire (Unchecked)

Action (Checked) - Ass-kicking close plus "Zeigarnik Effect" applied in the 2nd P.S.

As techcopywriter mentioned, there is no need to build up an intense interest and desire for a Rolls Royce as the "dirty work" has already been done leaving Guru Gary to RIDE ON / LEVERAGE on "what has already been done" and pushing it to the edge by spicing up with an incredible Deal of the Century

PS: Oh yah, almost forgot... the letter is an example of a Reason Why copy

speaking of gary...anyone know what he's up to these days? it's been quite a while since he's posted anything to his website.

I'm one of the "****weasels" Halbert referred to who didn't like the letter. Nothing about the letter did anything to make me start reaching for my wallet.

Halbert writes:

"What you are looking at is a picture of a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow I can sell you so cheaply you will find it hard to believe! Why is this car so inexpensive?"

Why is it so inexpensive? He never even mentioned the price. Define cheap. Define inexpensive. We all have different definitions of these two words.

"First of all, I am not a "used car dealer" in the usual sense of the word."

Come on, give me a frickin' break. Who can't smell the BS? If this guy isn't selling new Silver Shadows, then he's selling USED Silver Shadows. A "previously owned" car dealer is still a used car dealer.

"You see, many people in the car business are only in it for the money, but that's not true with me."

Yeah right! hahaha Explain why it isn't true. Tell 'em you're a multimillionaire who collects Rolls Royces and selling these cars is just a hobby because you want everyone to experience the thrill of owning one.

"A Rolls Royce lives forever. The one you drive today could be driven by your grandchildren."

Anyone have kids or grandkids in here? Betcha not one of them wants to drive a Rolls to school. They all want Crotch Rockets or Beemers...not some old phart car.

The good news about the Rolls Royce letter is: If this letter is successful, then EVERYONE in this room can be a six figure copywriter.

my Superheros, I loved your analyse (I am serious), but your conclusion make me in trouble.
in what can I spend all this money (I am not serious)?

"The Still loving Brave Emotionnal Superheros"

I was just going to make my vision about the salesletter, and then I asked my self "hum why not to go to see the result".

and I found this :

The Gary Halbert Letter

it is realy interesting.

however, the crazy damned genius don't give any argument on the copy he revealed the secret that induce to phone call.

and the result as pointed in the link above is a success.

but honnestely, I found my self in many of those who thinked that it was not a good letter, but then I thinked a lot about this:

why it was a success.

I think that it is about a good human nature knowdlege.

to be the costumer imply Empathy, and not self projection.

perhaps the true rich are those who spend less.

and may be cliché sell.

again human nature.