Secrets of a Master: “The Secret of the ‘Naïve’ Narrator” By John Forde

"Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy those are who already possess it." (Francois de la Rochefoucauld)

In the last issue of The Golden Thread Online, I told you about "The Secret of the 'Skeptical' Narrator." Today, I'm going to introduce you to a close cousin of this sales technique: "The Secret of the 'Naïve' Narrator."

AWAI co-chairman, Paul Hollingshead, is anything but naïve. He consistently manages to write some of the most effective direct-mail packages in the newsletter industry.

Paul is a master of making prospects feel at ease. How does he do it? This excerpt from his piece for the AWAI copywriting course might help explain:

"It doesn't take a 'superior intellect' to do what we do. I'm living proof of that. I'm probably no smarter than you. I was a below average student in school. Never did better than a 'C.'

"You don't have to be an English major or literary genius, either. Ask me to dissect a simple sentence and you're likely to see one of the blankest stares you've ever seen. And I'm embarrassed to say I can count the number of books I've finished reading on one hand. (Mrs. Schefchuck, my high school English teacher, once said my reading and writing skills were that of a sixth grader. She was probably right!)"

Again, we've got someone selling what's actually a very good product. So, again, product quality makes it easier for Paul to make the sale.

But the added boost to his pitch is the "naïve narration." Paul used the same technique to write a successful promotion for an investor's alliance called the "Oxford Club":

"I never made a dime buying and selling my own accounts …"

I don't have Paul's Oxford Club original here with me, so I'm paraphrasing in the above quote. But what he did, in short, was tell the story of an investor – himself – as he learns a better way to invest.

"Yeah, but …" you say, "what should I do if that isn't my story?" No problem. It doesn't have to be your story. Any testimonial that shows an unassuming type making great accomplishments will do.