What can Ernest Shackleton Teach You About Sales?
May 12th, 2009 by Sales DNA
Ernest Shackleton placed this advert in papers around London in the early 1900′s. You might imagine that the response would be terrible.
Who would be mad enough to seek out a ‘hazardous Journey….with safe return doubtful’?
Well, it seemed to strike a cord with men of the day because the response was overwhelming and Shackleton was oversubscribed for his Antarctic expedition.
Why was this advert so powerful and what can you learn from it?
- It is short and straight to the point. If you can make your point in about 25 words, don’t take 150!
- It appeals to a human emotional desire. Most adverts get caught up in the language of features. Shackleton managed to speak straight to one of mans basic human desires. The desire for adventure. What emotions can you speak to in your sales letters and adverts?
- It is truthful. Frighteningly so! There was no need for hyperbole about how great the adventure would be because Shackleton emphasised the ‘negatives’ and managed to ultimately turn them into benefits which were compelling to his target audiene. If you have so called ‘negatives’ in your product or service, how can you emphasise them to show your honesty, integrity and maybe even make them seem an irresistible attraction?
What can you learn from this advert that you can apply to your sales letters and adverts?
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It is clear that this man, Shackleton, knew exactly what type of men it was he was looking for, and exactly how to communicate effectively to these men. The true foundation of the sales process is communication, and this guy was a genius!
Nice Post!!!!
The sales letter is an essential part of your direct mail package and often stands alone when following up a cold call. Writing a good sales letter can be time-consuming if you care enough to get it right.
Thanks for the comment. If that’s Mark then it is good to hear from you. You are on my list of people to contact as I am finishing off a book about making sales appointments in 2009 and beyond leveraging technology and a mix of approaches – not just cold calling.
If you would be interested in being in the book with a sales letter or an approach you have used then give me a shout at links AT salesdnaltd.com
I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed or disillusioned after this ad. Great story. You’ve got to love the business.
Interesting comments on this blog as well by a professor: http://www.salesleadershipblog.eu
I like your blog!
Hi Cary, Many thanks for your post and recommendation. I’m glad you like the blog.