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Secret #5: The One Element Missing 69

His friends tried to stop him. They said he wasn’t an
expert. They said there were already far too many books
on the subject. They said it would ruin his reputation.

Barton wrote the book because of his sincere desire
to share his thoughts. Robert Bedner said, “There is
no doubt that the book was written out of sincere
conviction.”

The result was a best seller in 1925 and 1926 that is
still in print today—over 80 years after it was written.

The magic of sincerity.
Do you support what you sell or do?

“The advertisements which persuade people to act are written
by men who have an abiding respect for the intelligence of
their readers, and a deep sincerity regarding the merits of the
goods they have to sell.”

—Bruce Barton, 1924

Here is Bruce Barton’s famous 1925 solicitation letter
for Berea College. He sent it to 24 people, hoping to raise
$24,000. The result was a response of about $30,000. This
is considered one of the most effective letters ever writ-
ten. See if you can detect how Barton used every one
of the strategies in this book when he composed this
incredible letter.

Dear Mr. Smith,

For the past three or four years things have been going
pretty well at our house. We pay our bills, afford such
luxuries as having the children’s tonsils out, and still
have something in the bank at the end of the year. So far
as business is concerned, therefore, I have felt fairly well
content.