Let Jesus make you rich.

[GordonJ]

I want to call some attention to this 16 page sales letter from an old timey Mailorder guy; and his affiliate.

The old timer is Russ von Hoelscher and his affiliate is T.J. Roheleder...both are well known names from the pre Internet days of Remote Direct Marketing.

I'll leave my opinions out of this (for now) but it is a very interesting ad...

see what you think. The ad is at the end.


It reminds of those old timey LONG ads, booklets even, like Jay Abraham sent out and even Harvey Brody back in the day. Maybe they will make a comeback?

https://fliphtml5.com/bookcase/ohiqe

If this link doesn't work for some reason, try
http://www.xlbworld.com/STS/

And go to the flip link for MAY.

Gordon

[Dien Rice]

Just wanted to quickly chime in and thank you, Gordon, for this great find!

I'll write more later...

- Dien

Originally Posted by GordonJ

I want to call some attention to this 16 page sales letter from an old timey Mailorder guy; and his affiliate.

The old timer is Russ von Hoelscher and his affiliate is T.J. Roheleder...both are well known names from the pre Internet days of Remote Direct Marketing.

I'll leave my opinions out of this (for now) but it is a very interesting ad...

see what you think. The ad is at the end.


It reminds of those old timey LONG ads, booklets even, like Jay Abraham sent out and even Harvey Brody back in the day. Maybe they will make a comeback?

https://fliphtml5.com/bookcase/ohiqe

If this link doesn't work for some reason, try
http://www.xlbworld.com/STS/

And go to the flip link for MAY.

Gordon

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by Dien Rice

Just wanted to quickly chime in and thank you, Gordon, for this great find!
I'll write more later...
- Dien

I've read this several times, maybe for the Target market it is working gangbusters, but I see about half of it simply repeated over and over...maybe that is the readers of this pub need.

Not big on either TJ or Russ...recently (the past few months) had a transaction with Russ and wasn't satisfied...and TJ, who was once brilliant (when working with his wife)...just seems to have become one more of the same old same old, and this turn to Jesus. Well, OK.

Reminds me of an SCI copywriter who sold gold crosses with sand from Jesus' tomb embedded on it.

I always wonder, what would Jesus do, considering he threw over all the tables of the money changers, marketers of his day.

But gods have always found their UNITY groups. From a copy perspective, I feel both these guys are much better than this promotion...but maybe it is killing it in the circulars.

What do you think of it, copy wise?

Gordon

[Dien Rice]

Hi Gordon,

I've read through it now...

In reality... I found it very repetitive and boring...

Looking from marketing perspective, the religious angle will be motivational to some people...

I noticed that TJ Rohleder also recently wrote "The Jesus Diet" book... Another religious angle...

As I was reading through the promo, I thought to myself... "This sounds like an MLM."

And it turns out it's been reported that Rohleder had promoted MLMs and even apparent pyramid schemes before... https://behindmlm.com/mlm-reviews/si...-cash-gifting/

It's still an interesting angle for a long-form print salesletter / "bookalog" (though some may question its ethics)... From a marketing point of view, I'd say it commits the sin of being boring!

- Dien

Originally Posted by GordonJ

I've read this several times, maybe for the Target market it is working gangbusters, but I see about half of it simply repeated over and over...maybe that is the readers of this pub need.

Not big on either TJ or Russ...recently (the past few months) had a transaction with Russ and wasn't satisfied...and TJ, who was once brilliant (when working with his wife)...just seems to have become one more of the same old same old, and this turn to Jesus. Well, OK.

Reminds me of an SCI copywriter who sold gold crosses with sand from Jesus' tomb embedded on it.

I always wonder, what would Jesus do, considering he threw over all the tables of the money changers, marketers of his day.

But gods have always found their UNITY groups. From a copy perspective, I feel both these guys are much better than this promotion...but maybe it is killing it in the circulars.

What do you think of it, copy wise?

Gordon

[GordonJ]

Consumers of Shore To Shore are well acquainted with MLM, Gifting, Pyramidesque, downlines, etc., etc. Pert near all their ads are targeted toward this.

I have NO way of knowing, but my best guess would be...he's preaching AT the wrong crowd, the choir...suspecting many of the readers are already Christians, probably tithing.

Also, I would guess it is akin to a Glenn Osborn test, to see what kind of a response is generated to help them refine their promotions and get feedback.

Next generation promo will be different, less boring, more target enriched.

Both are old pros, and in this case TJ is the affiliate. Like I mentioned recent transactions I've had with Russ, did not go well.

Recently, there has bee a rash of these EXPERIENCED and mostly respected old timers...seemingly making what appears to be DESPERATE moves. Maybe for coin, maybe for relevance, or ego, who knows.

Of course, they could NOT CARE any less about what we think of them or their efforts, and that is all well and good. I was more amazed at how bad the promotion was, almost AI with a stutter.

Originally Posted by Dien Rice

Hi Gordon,

I've read through it now...

In reality... I found it very repetitive and boring...

Looking from marketing perspective, the religious angle will be motivational to some people...

I noticed that TJ Rohleder also recently wrote "The Jesus Diet" book... Another religious angle...

As I was reading through the promo, I thought to myself... "This sounds like an MLM."

And it turns out it's been reported that Rohleder had promoted MLMs and even apparent pyramid schemes before... https://behindmlm.com/mlm-reviews/si...-cash-gifting/

It's still an interesting angle for a long-form print salesletter / "bookalog" (though some may question its ethics)... From a marketing point of view, I'd say it commits the sin of being boring!

- Dien