Copywriting Fundamentals

Yes, Anyone can master this skill Practice and Patience Be Open to Critique and Copy Others

You Like Outsource When Sensible –

Understanding what Your Business Needs is Different than Doing Every Job

We will cover a lot of marketing and Psychology

Great Copy uses the Dan Kennedy Formula of: Problem, Agitate, Solution….

Always Focused on the Prospect Get a Clear Picture of Them in Your Mind

Habits Age Preferences Gender Lifestyle What do they watch, read, eat? Where do they go

out? What do they do with their free time?

What do They Long For? What do They Fear? What Keeps Them Awake at Night? This will tap into the problem you

solve

Picture One Person in Your Minds’ Eye

Write to THAT Person ALWAYS ONE PERSON

ONLY ONE PERSON is reading, watching, listening

THE WRITING PROCESS Now…Start with Your Headline or Lead Write Several – Don’t Edit – Yet If You Can’t Come Up with the Lead, Start

on the Body

Writing Ad OR SalesLetter or Website, White Paper, CaseStudy, eBook, Newsletter, Email…

Create Your Bullets – Index Card Method? Cut and Paste. Stay open, keep the process fluid

4-6 Key Reasons – Whether or not You Incorporate into Copy

Bring in USP – Why Should I Buy From You Instead of Your Competitor?

Create Big Promise – What Will I Get? Make Sure Body Copy Stays in Touch with Big

Promise and Headline/Lead Make Certain You Present Benefits of Every

Feature Put Benefits into Sentences, Play with Order

The American Dream Has Changed, Have You?

OR: Get Free From Corporate Bondage OR: Bust Out of the Corporate Shackles but Keep

the Income, Benefits and Perks

PROBLEM:Dear Name, Does this description fit you? You have a

healthy six figure income and some enviable perks and benefits. You’ve paid your dues in late meetings and long hours, unrealistic expectations, lost sleep, crappy airport meals, missed family events – maybe you’ve compromised your health.

AGITATE: It’s a harsh reality check, but the days of working for one company and trading your loyalty for their beneficence are gone. Over. Finished. A relic of a bygone era. These days everyone is replaceable and their jobs outsource-able – from the C Suite to the factory floor

AGITATE: Businesses of every size and description are working under the threat of extinction and the fear of job loss looms at every level. Corporate employees are constantly looking over their shoulders and for the worker over 40, there’s always a chance of being tossed on the scrap heap while they replace you with someone half your age, with twice your energy that works for half your pay.

AGITATE: All your life, you’ve been told to work hard and get ahead. You’ve done that and you’re proud of your accomplishments, but still, there’s a nagging dissatisfaction. Long hours, stress and exhaustion may be in your way of engineering a better solution.

SOLUTION: You Can Translate Your Skills and Knowledge Base into a Lucrative Business I call it the ‘Independent Executive Lifestyle’. Great income, ultimate freedom. Imagine feeling energized when you put your feet on the floor in the morning, excited to take on the day instead of worn out before you even brush your teeth. You look forward to what’s next – challenges included - because they’re yours to solve, on your terms, for your reward.

Copy American Express Letter and….over 6 weeks, along with…

Project: Hair Growth Product for Men: short letter or advertorial

Features: Natural ‘secret’ ingredient from Amazon

rain forest Has scientific proof from independent labs Has testimonial proof from satisfied clients

Project: Hair Growth Product for Men: short letter or advertorial

What do They Fear? Less attractive Less Sex (Romance!) Perceived Loss of Virility Lost Confidence Aging sanfranciscoschoolofcopywriting.com/speci

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What is Most Compelling of these Factors?

Write a Headline to Grab Attention Using their Key Fears Restore Your Hair and Your Confidence A Thick Head of Hair = More Romance Restore Your Hair in Only 4 Weeks

List Your Features and Benefits Features:

Grows Hair Easy to Use Not Messy Revolutionary Technology

Benefits of Those Features: More Confidence + Not Time Consuming – Can Work with Your Busy Life Not a Lot of Screwing Around with Formulas – You’ll Actually Use it… You’re Cutting Edge/Cool

Lay out Negative – Paint Picture of Fear and Disappointment

Lay out Positive – Removal of Fear and Anxiety

Provide Solution Offer Proof Remove Obstacles to Buy

Providing Proof Testimonials Pictures Stories Audio Video

Removing Obstacles Guarantee Trial Period No Money Down Introductory Price Liberal Return Policy Sample (Chance to Sell)

Why Guarantees are Important Prospect Needs to Rationalize

Purchase Builds Trust Enters Realm of Agreement as

Opposed to Sale Dispels Negative Feelings that Crop

Up

Negative Feelings: This Won’t Work Sure, Women Will Be Interested…Yeah,

Right I Can’t Spend Money on This – What if it

Doesn’t Work? Offer a Money Back Guarantee? Ultimate Satisfaction? Builds BIG Trust

Reinforce in the P.S. People Often Read Subheads and P.S.

First Guarantee in the P.S., Puts Them at

Ease to Read in Buying Mentality Restate Benefits in P.S. P.P.S. to Cement Credibility

Ask this: Does my copy use Problem, Agitate,

Solution? Did I make a compelling case? Did I prove genuine value? Did I illustrate clearly and in certain terms

how the product solves their problem? Did I make them feel the pain of their problem first?

Did I tell about features and provide benefits for all of them?

Now You’ve got a First Draft What Now? LET IT SIT Overnight at Least Then Edit

Editing – be Ruthless First Read Through Read Again Notice any Place that Made You Stop - Glitch Start there

What to Look for – COPY KEYS Do Your Sentences Flow one to the

Next? Are they in the Correct Order so the

Conceptsare Easy to Understand? Does EVERY single Word And Sentence Move the Reader Forward and Serve the Mission of the Copy?

Edit with a Chain Saw! Look for ‘that’, in order to Take Out Passive Language and Future Tense Write it all in the Present Benefits Exceptions on Occasion Short Sentences are Better Subheads Tell a Story

Editing is Often Much More Work than Writing

Don’t Get Married to Clever Don’t Fall in Love with Your Ideas

Make a Copy and Remove anything that Keeps Catching You

Remove Entire Sentences, Re-read for Clarity and Crispness

Get Input From Coach/Mentor/Copy Colleague

Your Writing Will Improve Focus on One Area at a Time Move on to Others with Greater

Confidence Be Patient Emulate Pieces Your Like – Literally

Write them Out

This week: Write the American Express letter

out longhand Start Hair Gro if you feel ready

Make a List of Questions that Pop Up for You: Why he uses a technique What the point of certain ideas is Something you would do differently or

don’t understand Anything else that jumps out sanfranciscoschoolofcopywriting.com/special92

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