Practical Sales Training™ > How To Get Attention > The P.S Effect
The P.S Effect
Most people skim your email. Some read little beyond the sign off.
So put something worth reading right there, at the very bottom.
What Is It
P.S stands for postscript, from the Latin postscriptum. It simply means written after. So it’s a short line added once the main message is done.
People still notice it. Since we scan text in an F pattern, our eyes drift to whatever breaks that pattern.
Why Does It Work
It works because it catches the eye. So a P.S stands apart from the paragraph above it.
That makes it perfect for a call to action or a quick TLDR. Since people skim the middle but often still read the end.
How Can You Use It
There are two solid ways to use it. Both work, and you can pick based on what your message needs.
Use It As A Summary
Use it to reinforce your main point one more time. So if your email makes one argument, restate it here in a single sharp line.
This works because repetition sticks. But only if the second version says it slightly differently, not word for word.
Use It As A Call To Action
Use it to drive action, especially with scarcity or urgency. So add a deadline, a limited spot, or a reason to act now.
This spot suits urgency well. Since it’s the last thing a skimmer reads before deciding what to do next.
When It Works Best
This works best in emails, proposals and any message likely to get skimmed. So anywhere attention drops toward the middle, the P.S becomes valuable.
It also helps when you have one single thing you want remembered. Since a postscript forces you to choose just one point, not several.
When It Becomes Dangerous
It becomes dangerous once you use it on every message. So the eye stops noticing something that always appears in the same place.
It also fails if your most important point only lives in the P.S. Since some readers skip it entirely, the main message must carry its own weight.
Common Mistakes
Making It Too Long
Some people write a postscript so long it becomes a second email. Keep it to one line, maybe two at most.
Repeating The Exact Same Sentence
Some just repeat the exact sentence from earlier in the message. So the reader gets nothing new for the extra attention they gave it.
Using It On Every Single Email
Some add a P.S to absolutely everything they send. So it stops standing out, and readers learn to skip it entirely.
The P.S Effect – An Example
A Simple Test That Increased Clicks
There are endless possibilities, but simple examples from this site increased clickthrough for the emails being sent.
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