Whew. I just finished writing a sales letter that had been a long time coming.
There is a case to be made that I procrastinated, at least on the surface.
I had needed, and wanted, to write this sales letter for a couple weeks. I knew the one I had was not quite right.
But there is also a case that I was allowing the pressure, and the content, to build.
I heard Eugene Schwartz refer to the process of creativity in that manner. “Building,” he said.
The material for the sales letter was building in his mind.
A sales letter is a funny thing. It is clearly an assembly of ideas.
The best sales letters also read as an organic expression of a sentiment.
They float across the reader’s mind as a breezy message. The best letters are unified in effect and sound as natural as a light wind.
In my case I was feeling pressure in my mind. I had to write this letter. I made the move to start it a few times but deliberately pulled my fingers back from the keyboard on a couple occasions.
I knew it was still building.
Today I went to the page and moved a bunch of copy down.
Then I started writing the sales letter.
It came out better – much better – than I had hoped. It was exactly what I wanted.
And I knew throughout the phase of “scientific procrastination” that I had to let it cook before I set it down.
I hesitated to write this message because it can be used as permission to procrastinate on anything. Most messages I get out in 2-7 minutes. They are good and they are for certain applications.
But I wanted the sales letter to capture all of me, and all of what I was trying to say.
I am happy with it. During the process there were moments of discomfort. This was using the pressure of procrastination to my benefit. I know that sometimes letting the pressure build is what you need to get it good.
For you, take this message with the grain of salt. If you need a sales letter, write one. If it isn’t exactly what you want, reset your intention to write a better one and let the pressure build. Don’t not do something because it isn’t perfect. You should always have something out there. And if you want it to be great you will be able to produce it when the pressure has done its job.