When You See Preview Pane, Think Johnson Box

Posted on April 28th, 2009 by Larry Chase

Frank Johnson was a brilliant direct marketer who did legendary work for Time Life. Though he never took credit for it and even denied it, people credit him with first using the succinct copy block and offer at the top of a sales letter, which is thus known as a “Johnson Box”.
Giving the reader a Johnson Box allows her to immediately get key points and decide whether to read on, act right then and there, or do nothing.
The Johnson Box lives online. It lives neatly nestled in many people’s preview pane. Some research shows more people are using preview panes, and some even read the entire email within the preview pane and never open the email to full screen. Long live the Johnson Box. LC

The Internet Marketing Tip above originally appeared in Larry Chase's Web Digest For Marketers which you can subscribe to at no charge at www.wdfm.com.