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When Big Lurch woke up, he was alone in a prison cell, confused and covered in blood.
On November 7, 2003, he was sentenced to life in prison, joining a long line of offenders incarcerated for violent acts they committed while under the influence of PCP, or Phencyclidine.
Discovered by accident in the 1950s, PCP was initially used in clinical settings as an anesthetic under the brand name Sernyl. Patients, however, experienced mania, delirium, hallucinations, and severe disorientation under the drug's influence, which led to its removal from the market in 1965.
That's when hippies started using it recreationally.
You wouldn't think that PCP, a dissociative anesthetic known for inducing extreme aggression, would become a choice drug during the peace movement, but it did.
The free-spirited, nonconformist, Bohemian masses of the late 60s and early 70s loved PCP. So much so that it became ubiquitous within hippie culture, which, ironically, promoted unity and serenity, not detachment and violence.
How did this happen? How did this violent drug win over the hippies?
You could blame copywriting.
"What is it?" asked Martin, as he examined the small, white pill that was just placed in his palm.
"Try it," said the man. "It's a Peace Pill."
"A Peace Pill?"
"That's right," said the man. "Go ahead, try it. First one's on me."
Martin put the PCP tablet on his dry tongue, where it stuck. Then he took it down with a swig of beer and waited for the peace to wash over him.
When a benefit is baked into the name of a product, it sells itself.
And that's exactly what the word "Peace" in Peace Pill did in the 60s.
In Martin's case, for example, it created an expectation, an assumption, a belief in his mind that shaped his perception of the drug. So profound was his perception that he ignored any evidence - pharmacological or physical or anecdotal - pointing to the fact that PCP was not, in fact, peaceful at all.
Just think: If copywriting can sell violence to pacifists, what else can it sell?
The answer is anything.
What are you selling?
LEARN TO PERSUADE
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WRITE BETTER.
MARKET BETTER.
SELL MORE.
Because copywriters conjure emotion for a living.
The buildings in Jaipur, India are built of vibrant red brick. The entire place glows like Mars.
Writers share their work.
Perfectionists hoard it.
"I'm sorry about all this," I said.
"Thanks," he said. "But I deserve it. Things could've been different."
Here's a learning tactic.
It's what I do when I want to internalize a book — or an article, for that matter. You can do it, too.
When Big Lurch woke up, he was alone in a prison cell, confused and covered in blood.
As a content marketer, your most valuable asset is not your content.
Pressure and time. Pressure and time. Pressure and time.
Words are commodities. Anybody can fill space on a page.
Simplicity can be impactful.
Thank you, grandma.
Every time you're blocked ...
What's the purpose of your first line of copy?
They never have ...
Ideas, like love, can escape you. Don't let them.
Passion drives success.
Kevin Kelly, Co-founder and Editor of Wired magazine, on God and meaning of life.
Three billion people have access to the Internet, but only a third of those people speak English.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
And it isn't even about copywriting ...
There are two types of bullet points: Those that break up text, making information easier to digest. And those that sell.
Swearing can be a powerful gesture. It could also be meaningless ...
Three simple rules that'll make your copy bolder, clearer, and more persuasive.
You should know, I'm not sexy. Sorry.
The one question that will help you write devastatingly creative and effective ads.
Whatever it is, nobody is going to buy it without ...
Creativity is like a muscle: It grows and develops with exercise, practice.
You’ll know you’re good.
You’ll know you’re good because a few clues will give it away…
Microcopy is concise, clear, small-print text that helps or encourages readers to complete an “action” on your website or app.
It’s how the great copywriter, Gene Schwartz, thought about the discipline…
If you aspire to write good copy, watch and read these things religiously.
Make it ugly.
Let me explain…
The longer you focus, the more focused you will become.
Focus long enough and you’ll tap into something called Deep Work…
There’s a marketing tenant every good copywriter respects…
Knowing that, here are the words and phrases every copywriter should use…
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As a teenager, I sold magazine subscriptions door-to-door. At first it was hard and I was unsuccessful.
Then I picked up a trick that skyrocketed my conversion rate…
This strategy is scientifically proven to help writers — and anyone else — spur their creativity.
“I can do that,” said The Copywriter. “But first let me ask you a question.”
“And how many of us have persistence enough in following out our ideas of what is obvious?”
If your goal is to write tighter copy — copy that says more in fewer words — try this 15-minute exercise.
Sometimes that feeling — that mood — is already there, all around, omnipotent and omnipresent.
Joyce was a magisterial novelist, but he would’ve made a miserable copywriter.
Smart writing is clear and concise. It’s easy for the eyes and mind to follow. It’s accessible and unpretentious, easy to consume and hard to create.
Smart writing is readable. Effortlessly readable.
Be a copywriter, not a coward.
If you can back up your claim, write the copy. If you can’t, be a professional and do the right thing.
Don’t write headlines that are flat, invisible, like white paper on a white desk. Write compelling headlines that stand out. Headlines that contain emotion, image, logic, and promise.
Here’s how to do that.
A visceral response is a physical reaction to a non-physical experience, an emotion.
If you feel it, don’t dismiss it. Let it wash over you.
You’ll be a more empathetic person for it — and a better marketer, too.
“We’re talking about him having an accident,” said the man, whispering. “Just walk up to him, put your hand on his back, and give him one big push!”
Don't sell chips. Sell a worldview.
It boils down to a simple three-step process ...
“I was The Onion’s editor at the time so, mainly, I was just punching up or rewriting other people’s work,” said Scott. “And so when I sat down to write the pilot, I was like, ‘Shit! I have writer’s block! I got nothing!’”
CHICAGO—Saying he was ‘more than happy’ to jump on the call, Scott Dikkers, The Onion’s longest-serving editor-in-chief, graciously gave time out of his day to talk to a copywriter about how to overcome writer’s block.
As a copywriter, it’s tempting to get lost in the majesty of your creativity, your ideas.
Looking inward for ideas will burn you out.
Want more ideas than you could ever use?
Confident copy says, “Go ahead, you’re making the right decision.”
Great copy starts with efficient questions.
“You have to be more concise,” he said. “You write like a water hose. You need to be a nail gun."