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Imagine you’re at a wedding ceremony...
You’re in a church, sitting in a pew.
The processional is almost over. Canon in D begins to play.
Every single person in the church turns to look at the bride. She looks beautiful! Confident! Radiant!
She’s walking down the aisle with her dad. He’s a middle-aged man, well built and clean-shaven with salt-and-pepper hair. He looks handsome in his tan suit.
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When they reach the groom, he turns to his daughter. He hugs her and kisses her and tells her how much he loves her.
She looks up to hold back her tears.
He looks down to hide his.
And that’s when he sees it…
The mess.
You see it, too. Every single person in the church sees it — the groom, the wedding party, the guests, the bride.
His tan pants are stained with urine.
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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.
This is an ad.
It’s actually the beginning of an ad.
It’s how Ben Settle once opened a sales letter for a product he was selling in the “prostate health” niche.
Settle is one of my favorite modern (read: working) copywriters to study. He’s prolific — and his writing is different, memorable, and of course, effective.
He talked about this specific prostate ad on his podcast...
But I couldn’t find his original intro anywhere online, so I made one up.
I call this style of messaging “Shock copy.”
Because it creates a visceral feeling that jolts the reader, dominating her attention and interest.
Shock copy is an ultra-compelling way to START a long-form piece of copy (e.g., an email, a sales letter) because it quickly conjures emotion.
And emotion is engaging. And the more engaged people are, the longer they read.
And the longer they read, the more likely they are to act.
Here’s the formula...
It’s a simple, 3-step process:
Step 1: Activate your reader’s imagination.
Do this by starting your copy with any of these words or phrases:
“Imagine...”
“Let’s pretend...”
“Visualize this..."
“Remember when..."
These are triggers that, consciously or otherwise, prepare the reader to hear a story:
— — —
“Imagine you’re at a wedding ceremony…”
Step 2: Take the reader to a nice place.
Tell a familiar story that makes her feel good, happy, nostalgic.
In any case, the reader should feel comfortable. She shouldn’t feel pain:
— — —
“You’re in a church, sitting in a pew. The processional is almost over. Canon in D begins to play. Every single person turns to look at the bride.”
Step 3: Pull the rug out.
Change the mood drastically and suddenly.
Say something disturbing yet relatable, something that aligns with your reader’s problem:
— — —
"Every single person sees it — the groom, the wedding party, the guests, the bride.His tan pants are stained with urine."
Shock copy is particularly painful.
So use it when you know your audience will be particularly resistant to taking an action.
Like if the action is going to the doctor for a prostate checkup.
LEARN TO PERSUADE
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WRITE BETTER.
MARKET BETTER.
SELL MORE.
“How’d it go?” said my sister.
“Ohh I fucked it up,” I said.
“Do you ever feel like no matter how much work you do, you can or should be doing more?” I said.
Do you ever feel this way? Anxious about your ability? Many people do.
I do.
The cure?
When I work this way, I find that each project nourishes the others. And if I hit my stride, I can go into a creative/connective frenzy. I become full of ideas, lightning in a bottle.
These copywriting mantras gave me an “aha moment” when I first learned of them. I remember thinking, “shit I should try writing like THAT.”
ONLY GOD CAN CREATE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING.
At the end of the day, copywriters are really just making informed guesses about what will compel an audience.
Nothing more.
“Trying hard enough” means you’re making progress toward your goal.
And your goal as a direct response copywriter should always be to…
Rule #8 is my favorite.
In a direct response ad, the purpose of design is to…
What if you could FORCE yourself to see the world through a more empathetic lens, one that will help you create better, more compelling work?
You can.
Season 3, Episode 10: “Fly”
No spoilers here. Just a valuable copywriting tactic you can (and should) start using immediately…
“OK...” said Schwartz.
What came next is a quote I have taped to my screen (so that the sentiment is always top of mind):
Someone asked me an enormous question the other day…
“What’s it like being in love?” he said.
Because it’s probably unnecessary.
People don’t want to feel in control.
People NEED to feel in control.
In no particular order, these are 13 books, blogs, movies, and shows that have shaped my ethos as a copywriter.
Just look at this brilliant campaign. It’s a perfect example…
Quality copywriting ideas are the product of quantity.
Kill your darlings.
A copywriting lesson from Robert De Niro.
This short article cites 4 tactics that will make your copy simpler and 5 tactics that’ll make it more memorable.
This advice will help you find a modicum of certainty when making creative writing decisions.
And that’s very valuable.
What you’re about to learn saves me hundreds of hours a year.
Don’t make these two big mistakes in your next sales email.
And if you do, don’t expect a reply.
If you want to immediately connect with your readers, follow this advice from legendary copywriter, Gary Halbert…
If you want to learn how to write great ads, then part of your daily routine should be to…
There’s a proven 3-step process you can follow to learn this incalculably valuable skill…
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.
“You have to be more concise,” he said. “You write like a water hose. You need to be a nail gun."
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.
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Judge not lest ye be judged.
You’ll know you’re good.
You’ll know you’re good because a few clues will give it away…