I’d like to talk about salutations, my good friend. Or should I say Fellow Copywriter? Perhaps Intrepid Freelancer would be better? Of course, this is my point: There are far more options when it comes to addressing a reader than the classic ‘Dear Reader’. Sure, it’s a small thing. But still, it’s there on a letter for a reason […]
With the help of the always excellent @rhinett, I’ve updated and expanded my popular copywriting infographic… It now covers an entire direct response sales letter. As you can see below, I’ve included the main sections you’ll find on a typical letter and offered some advice on how to handle each. Of course, this is by no means the structure every long […]
For reasons that are quite frankly beyond me, I was recently reading a sales letter in the bath – Vince Stanzione’s Making Money from Financial Spread Trading, to be precise. I realise it’s not an image you want in your head… But there you have it. I’m sorry. The good news: There were three very clever […]
As a copywriter, you likely spend a ton of your time trying to come up with new and original subject lines to grab attention. It’s hard work, right? So let me ask you… Should you even bother? Especially when there’s a way you can hijack existing subject lines – that are otherwise considered boring – and use […]
You know that feeling when you read something you agree with and you start nodding? Even though you’re just reading words on a page, the author has written something that strikes such a chord, you can’t help but crack a wry smile, nod along and think: yeah, I thought that too. Do you ever get that? […]
To write truly successful sales letters, you need to understand inherently what makes people buy things. It’s not easy. It takes time. You need to watch people. You need to listen to people. You need to interact with people. Put the time in and eventually you’ll start to think differently. You’ll be able to look […]
There’s a small, six-letter word that’s used far too much in copywriting… And I don’t like it. Do I hate it? Possibly. To me, it’s a sign that – as a copywriter – you’re being lazy, that you’ve run out of steam and can’t be bothered to think properly about what you’re writing. Actually, to […]
James Altucher and Glenn Fisher. (Original design by @rhinett) I read a book called Choose Yourself. It made me think, which I guess is the best thing a book can do. The author is a chap called James Altucher. As well as being a successful author, he’s also a well-known blogger, a super-intelligent entrepreneur and a well-respected investor […]
Often the first few lines of a direct response sales letter are redundant. Sometimes, even the first few paragraphs are too. Look again at the opening of any sales letter you’re working on and ask if it would not be stronger to start a little further in. You see, when we start writing we are […]
So this is a trick I teach any copywriter or editor I work with… It isn’t difficult. It isn’t time consuming. And it certainly isn’t fancy. In fact, it’s a very simple and purely technical change you make to your word processor each time you’re writing copy that will be read via email. It’s particularly […]