Seven Ways to Boost Impact with a Johnson Box

Sixty some-odd years ago a copywriter names Frank Johnson decided that instead of making readers wade through an entire sea of copy before getting to the offer, he’d front the good stuff in a centered rectangular box at the top of the letter. The results were terrific and the “Johnson Box” has been going strong ever since; some sources even claim that this magical box boosts response rates by up to 40%!

Here are seven ways you can make that magic box work for you:

1. Put the right info in the box: the offer, the benefit, the URL, the phone number to call, the expiration date, the money-back guarantee, the special incentive, etc.). Mix and match.

2. Don’t over-use it. The Johnson box is perfect for a non-personalized marketing letter (the “classic package” with peek-a-boo teaser copy that goes out bulk rate) but if you’re writing a first class letter, the Johnson box is going to feel a bit tacky and out of place.

3. Size it right. Two inches deep by three and a half inches wide is about right. Make sure the box and the salutation are both above the hold.

4. Frame it up! Go simple and use the classic asterisks or fine line, or jazz it up by making a double frame and throwing a second color inside the box.

5. Or don’t fame it at all! A thin horizontal line running across the top and bottom (no sides, please) works really well in an email sales letter and is really easy to create when you’re writing fast and can’t stop to design!

6. Clone it. There’s no hard-and-fast rule that says you have to have a J box only at the top. Throw your guarantee in the middle, or your very-soon expiration date throughout the copy.

7. Format it for email. In an email, your Johnson box should easily fit in the reader’s preview window. You don’t want the reader to have to start scrolling to see your message.

Today’s take-away? Think inside the box. ;>)