Admiral Byrd Letter #27

— Overview —
This classic letter is another good example of the use of transubstantiation. Every paragraph in this
letter goes toward making an unusual adventure trip into a mission of lasting importance. The writer
offers the reader prestige and uses the “show, don’t tell” rule to help the reader see the opportunity.

This $10,000 offer up front

is an incredible “High
Hurdle.” The reader wants
to see how this ends!

Everything in
these leading
paragraphs
is designed
to make this
more than a
trip — It’s
a ‘mission’
with ‘great
significance’
and a lasting
impact on
‘mankind.’

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 Admiral Byrd Letter #27

Each
paragraph
builds
the feeling
that you
will gain
prestige by
participating.
In 1968
— when
this
letter
mailed
— the
Soviet
Union
was the
perfect
“Common
Enemy” to
identify ...

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 Admiral Byrd Letter #27

The writer
even names
names
— nothing
could
be more
personal ...

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 Admiral Byrd Letter #27

Breathtaking
experiences
deserve
breathtaking
prose. The
writer creates
a potent
PICTURE
here ...

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 Admiral Byrd Letter #27

This is an
adventure.
The writer
hints at
risk only
because
he knows
that’s what
these
prospects
will want ...

The
promise
of fame
is almost
too good
to pass
up ...

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 Admiral Byrd Letter #27

By asking
prospects
to be
responsible,
you also ask
them to take
your offer
seriously ...

This 1968
“Drop-Dead
Deadline”
set a
precedent
for direct
mail that
followed.

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 Admiral Byrd Letter #27

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