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Try Your Hardest, Then Let It Go
I’m reading Bossypants by Tina Fey. It’s hilarious, but also includes some useful lessons and anecdotes about life as a writer. On page 123, Fey writes about “Things I Learned from Lorne Michaels.” (In case you don’t know, Lorne Michaels is the creator and producer of Saturday Night Live. He is the guy who hired […]
Continue readingTrite Headlines and Old Virgins
The headlines and copy used in big brand ads are often so ridiculous they’re hardly worth commenting on. But I found this post by Nancy Friedman both funny and interesting. She writes: “X just got better” [is] a formula frequently employed by headline writers short on time and imagination. She then lists 18 specific examples […]
Continue readingAn Ancient Copywriting Lesson for Modern Times, Courtesy of Rick Santorum’s Nephew
Recently, fellow copywriter Robert Stover introduced me to the concept of ethos in sales copy. Ethos literally means “character.” In other words, we often judge the persuasiveness of a sales message based on the character of the person who is doing the selling. While the idea that some sales people are more trustworthy than others […]
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Selling Newsletters with Direct Mail? Here’s 1 Thing You Must Remember…
I recently wrote my first direct mail package for a newsletter that covers economic and geopolitical issues. As part of my research, I read through portions of the direct mail books I’ve got on my shelves. That’s when I came across this little gem on page 327 of Million Dollar Mailings by Denny Hatch. Newsletters […]
Continue readingNetflix Kills Qwikster
Today, Netflix announced that DVDs and streaming videos will stay under one brand: Netflix. There will be no Qwikster. Customers spoke. Netflix listened. Good for them. Here’s the email they sent:
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