Tag Archives: GOOD COPY

Copywriters: Are you writing truly enough?

“And the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them.” These days it’s almost cliché to say so… But, as a copywriter, I find the writing of Ernest Hemingway such a useful resource. If you’re not regularly reading his work, you […]

Speak to your mate because your reader isn’t listening

I blame Dostoyevsky… Even his name is difficult to read. Is that even how you spell bloody Dostoyevsky? Who knows? Who cares? OK. OK. Yes, I accept – he probably was one of the greatest writers that have ever lived… And yes, his novels are deeper than a deep thing that’s very deep. But here’s […]

Five things I definitely don’t know about copywriting

Too many copywriting gurus go on and on about what they DO know… So to freshen things up a little, here are five things about copywriting that I definitely DO NOT know. 1. I don’t ever know what the best headline is for any particular product or service that I am selling. Even when I […]

A copywriting great no copywriter knows about

At the end of the 80s there was really only one widely recognized skateboarding company: Powell Peralta. Started by two of the biggest names in skateboarding – particularly Stacey Peralta – the company was very successful. Indeed, it was pretty much THE team to ride for. Its elite skating team – the Bones Brigade – actually included […]

Your questions answered about Write Better Copy

I know a lot of people have already got hold of Write Better Copy… But if you haven’t had a chance to get your copy yet, I thought it’d be useful to answer a few of the questions I’ve had from readers. First off, I can tell you that yes… rather than a 30 day money […]

This old bird can teach you a lot about good copy

I’ve had a lot of emails from people asking which copywriting products I think are worth the money… It’s difficult. A lot of stuff is nothing more than swipe file collections (which you can build for free), audio interviews (which involve one copywriter gushing over another) or long and boring part-work courses (that take forever and a day to […]

Car crash copy: why bad news is better than good

You get an email telling you the good news… If you act in the next two hours, you can claim a £100 discount on so and so’s latest copywriting seminar. That’s great news. But is it the best way to promote that offer? Is good news always a good thing? Not necessarily. When it comes […]

Bad news beats good news

You get an email telling you the good news… If you act in the next two hours, you can claim a £100 discount on Tony Owl’s brand new copywriting seminar. That’s great news – you love Tony Owl. But is it the best way to promote Tony’s offer? Is good news always a good thing? Not necessarily. […]

How sleeping with your readers will improve your copy

Coming up with a headline that will grab your reader’s attention is hard. You might spend weeks writing and testing different ideas for nothing. Even if the product or service you’re selling is amazing, it doesn’t necessarily make writing a captivating headline any easier… But there is an exercise you can do that will help […]

Does your copy embarrass you AND your customer?

When someone decides to pay money in return for a product or service, it’s a serious thing. Good copy should respect that. I was sat in a meeting recently when a sales letter I had written was brought up on the screen. Though I naturally recognized it as mine, the people I was meeting with […]