The P.S is one of those clichés of copywriting. It seems like every sales page has one. Maybe you think it’s outdated. Maybe you think it’s unnecessary. Until you learn the logic of why it works. So before we get into that, do me a favor. Say the following words quickly, and then look away from the screen for a moment when you’re done reading the list. Elephant Cow Monkey Glass Window Ruler Buddha Carpet Swing Stereo OK, did you do the exercise? Before you keep reading, which words do you remember? It doesn’t matter how good or bad your memory is. . . . . . . . . . If you’re like most people, you remembered elephant. And Buddha. And stereo. Why those three? Elephant was the first word, so it stuck in your brain. As your brain struggled to remember the other words, it hit ‘Buddha’, which was unusual. Again — it stuck in your brain. As we finished off the set of words, the last word was ‘stereo.’ Your brain was frazzled with trying to pay attention to so many words, and so it remembered the first, the last, and the unusual. So what’s first, last and unusual in your copy? First is obvious, right? Of course — it’s the headline . The “unusual” part is often a story or an example. And last? It’s the P.S. So what do people remember? We already covered that part, didn’t we? And since your customers tend to be people, what do you think they are going to remember? That, my friend, is why the P.S. is so vital. Because the customer is almost certainly going to read the P.S., no matter what else they read (or skip). So what should the P.S. contain? Well, in effect, the P.S. is simply a summary of what you’ve just written. So the P.S. needs to state the following: What the reader stands to lose (the prospect’s problem) What the reader stands to gain (the solution you offer) The urgency factor . This could be the deadline, a limit on the number of items you’ll sell, or whatever you need to get the reader to act right away. Not only does the P.S. do the vital job of summarizing, but because it’s the last thing that’s read, it’s also one of the three things that customers remember. Still want to leave the P.S. out of your text? About the Author: Sean D’Souza offers a free report on ‘Why Headlines Fail’ when you subscribe to his Psychotactics Newsletter . Be sure to check out his blog , too. P.S. Having a hard time getting the word out about your business? Confused by the usual lame, cheesy, and contradictory marketing advice? Copyblogger offers a free 20-part e-tutorial to help with that. Click here to sign up today — why wait to start reaping the benefits of smarter, more effective internet marketing?

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The Sales Boosting Logic of the P.S.