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 […]
Tag Archives: Direct-Response Copywriting
16
Aug
Aug
‘When we tell stories about creativity…we neglect to mention those days when we wanted to quit, when we believed that our problem was impossible. Instead, we skip straight to the breakthrough. We tell the happy ending first. ‘The danger of this scenario is that the act of feeling frustrated is an essential part of the […]
Drayton Bird wants me shot… I’m not sure if he’s aiming for a fatal wound or if he just wants to ‘see me dance’ as per the poker scene in Goodfellas. Either way, it’s not every day that a legend of the copywriting industry issues a bounty on your head. So, what happened? Well, as usual, […]
Apologies to those who missed the June reading list. Due to me travelling so much last month, I wasn’t able to put one together. But I’ve taken this opportunity to slightly change the angle of my reading lists. Whereas before I was telling you what I’ll be reading over the next month, from now on […]
For months my partner couldn’t sit. In fact, she could hardly walk. And at the lowest point, it seemed like the problem would never go away. Physical therapists advised exercises, strapped tape across her bum (I’m still not sure why) and prescribed painkillers to mask the discomfort. Still, nothing improved. Eventually an MRI scan was […]
I’ve just published a new book for Kindle… Buy This Now: A Beginner’s Guide to Direct Response Copywriting. Inside I’ve brought together ten simple rules that I recommend you follow when it comes to starting out in your copywriting career. This isn’t abstract stuff. It’s specific advice that you can apply to any copy you’re […]
15
Mar
Mar
I wrote a new article for a fellow copywriter, Alastair Allday, that is currently featured on his website, Allday Creative. You can read the piece here. In it I reveal five things that could help you improve your writing. But these aren’t regular copy tips and it isn’t a list of typical ‘how to’ textbooks. […]
15
Mar
Mar
I want to talk about the end… The moment you know the inevitable is upon you. The moment you see everything flash before your eyes and wonder if you’ve done enough. The moment you quietly whisper into the vast, empty abyss and ask… Dear reader, do you actually want to buy this? Yes – I’m […]
15
Mar
Mar
I often compare writing a successful direct-response sales letter to passing your driving test… Providing you don’t make any major errors and you manage to keep the minors to a minimum – you should be OK. If figures then that when you start learning about copywriting, you generally tend to focus on avoiding the bigger […]
Once upon a time, direct-response copywriting was considered ‘the Don’ of copywriting… Not the Don Draper. Far from it. You see, Don Draper – the famous fictional copywriter from the TV series Mad Men – is an indirect-response man. He writes copy that’s designed to briefly get your attention and then force the product to linger in your […]