Peter Fadeyev, a writer with a corporate background, sent me some copy to look at the other day. He’s experienced at writing but not necessarily at copywriting. So his copy, although well-written, was not yet good copy. This is what I told him… You write well but you rely on that too much. You put words together nicely – they sound like copy is [...]
I got a lot of great feedback from last week’s post about making copy more interesting. And some great suggestions on how to do it. Dr. Stuart C. Marmorstein likes keeping it conversational, using questions, story, and completing the circle (as he points out I did by starting and ending with popcorn). James Lang is a fan of self-deprecating humor. (Personally, I’ve got lots [...]
Writing out great copy by hand can do wonders for improving your copywriting skills. But something I learned from John Caples in an obscure article he published long ago in Printer’s Ink may be even better. And that is: Take a piece of great copy, study it, outline it, and then, only referring to the outline, attempt to recreate it (or parts of it). [...]
The simple secret to coming up with lots of good ideas is to come up with lots of bad ones. That’s because coming up with bad ideas gets your brain going. And they create a kind of raw clay from which to shape great ideas. So if you need to come up with a great idea, try starting by coming up with lots of [...]
It seems like the idea of “10x-ing your business” is 10 times more popular these days. And rightfully so – it’s a great mindset to have. But it’s also a great way to think about writing copy. Don’t settle for incremental improvements. However deep you think you need to go in researching your market and prospect, go 10x deeper. However much excitement and conviction [...]
Copy written by the legendary Jim Rutz was like popcorn. So buttery, salty and delicious that if you just take one taste, before you know it you’ve consumed it all. It didn’t just keep your interest – it made you hungry for more. One day I asked him what his secret was. How did he use to keep the reader devouring his words? I [...]
Everything else being equal… the faster you write, the more money you make. Or, the more time you have to do other things. Here are some things I’ve done to put the pedal to the writing metal: 1. Write every day – Writing is a muscle. It gets stronger with use. When you do it every day it’s easier and flows more quickly. 2. [...]
You can spend months working on your copy. But if it’s poorly presented, fewer people will read (or watch) and respond. If it’s well presented, more people will read (or watch) and respond. That's because done right, design attracts and keeps attention, involves and engages, and propels prospects toward the action you want them to take. Want to see how today’s top direct-response designer [...]
I’ve probably read a hundred books on copywriting. And taken dozens of courses on copywriting, persuasion, and anything else I thought could improve my writing. But you know what's the one thing that has helped me the most by far? Talking to, getting coached by, and having my copy reviewed (a nice way to say “torn apart”) by great writers. Like Rutz. Carlton. Halbert. [...]
If you want to find truffles in the forest, it really helps to know what a truffle looks like. Or smells like, if you’re a truffle-hunting pig (aka “truffle hog”). Same with big ideas. You probably won’t find one if you don’t know what one looks (or smells) like. So what do you look for? And how do you know when you find one? [...]
