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Why Paying Closer Attention to Your Ad Copy Improves Sales
John E. Kennedy is often credited with saying, “Advertising is salesmanship in print.” If you read Reason Why Advertising, you will see he actually said, “Advertising is just Salesmanship-on-paper.” Same idea, slightly different wording. Later, on the very same page, he says, “Advertising is just Salesmanship multiplied.” Apparently, this was a commonly repeated idea during […]
Continue readingDrayton Bird: How to Become a Better Copywriter & Marketer
There’s a set of three videos you ought to have this year. They are not bird-watching videos… they are Drayton Bird videos, in which he teaches you How to Write (and Persuade) Better. In case you don’t know who Drayton Bird is, let me paint a brief picture of the man:
Continue readingThe Stages of My Agonizing Writing Process in 106 Words
Research. Research some more. Brain storm. Write headlines. Scrap headlines.
Continue readingThe 10 Commandments of Copywriting
Have you ever wondered what the hard-and-fast rules of copywriting are? Wonder no more… Introducing “The 10 Commandments of Copywriting,” which I have now scribbled on digital stone for the benefit of copywriters everywhere. While I was inclined to mimic the language and style of the Bible, I realized by doing so I would be […]
Continue readingSales Letter Surgery
Yesterday I finished a rewrite of a financial sales letter that didn’t pull quite as well as expected. The original version was 3,143 words. The new version is 5,422 words — a 72% increase. Today I finished expanding a fundraising letter from two pages to four. At first, we thought we’d keep it to two […]
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