Entries Tagged 'Lessons' ↓

A couple days ago, Elana Centor referenced my article “How to Write with Authority.”

Based on the tone of her article, I can’t say she was enthusiastic about my suggestion to not give attribution when it’s not necessary.

Which is why I thought I would clarify that point.

First: I do not suggest or condone plagiarism. It is against the law.

What is plagiarism? It is copying somebody’s words as they wrote them.

The remedy is simple. Write your own words!

Here’s what really irks some people. While you CAN copyright words, you CAN’T copyright ideas (with the exception of some inventions protected by patents). As such, ideas can’t be plagiarized.

At some point in time:

• Somebody had the original idea of making a drip coffee maker. Now there are dozens of different brands and styles.

• Somebody had the original idea of making a gas-powered car. Now there are hundreds of different makes and models.

• Somebody had the original idea of printing books with movable type. Now there are hundreds of book publishers who print millions of books a year.

The point: Once an idea is released into the world, you can’t stop it from propagating. It WILL spread. And as it spreads, the source of the idea will stop receiving credit.

Now, if you’ve come across a new or unique idea, and you want to write about it, should you give credit to the person who introduced the idea to you?

I think so. It’s good manners.

On the other hand, if an idea has become so ordinary as to become common knowledge, you don’t need to give attribution to anybody.

That’s why I used the example of procrastination in my last article. Everybody knows procrastination is a primary reason for not getting things done. Therefore, attribution isn’t necessary.

Likewise, I can say the most important element of a print advertisement is the headline. Do I need to source that? No.

Furthermore, who would I source? I’ve been studying advertising so long, I wouldn’t have a clue who to give credit to.

Imagine how silly it would sound if I wrote, “According to most advertising experts, including Claude Hopkins, Eugene Schwartz, and others, the headline is the most important element of a print advertisement.”

This phrasing gives unnecessary attribution, transfers credibility away from me… and makes me sound like I’m NOT an expert.

So:

• When quoting somebody verbatim, give attribution. (Do NOT plagiarize!)

• When writing about an idea or story that is new to you, give attribution — even though you don’t have to. (This is that “gray area.”)

• When referencing or writing about an idea that is considered common knowledge, DON’T give attribution.

By following these rules, you’ll be following the law and exercising good manners. Plus, your writing will naturally have more authority (always a nice perk).

-Ryan M. Healy

Popularity: 17% [?]

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Why do some blogs get traction while others languish?

And why are some people recognized as experts and others aren’t?

One factor is this: the ability (or inability) to write with authority.

If you’ve ever come across a new blog, you can usually tell within a few seconds whether the person is an expert… or “not quite there yet.”

Without analayzing one blog vs. another, you’d never know what makes the difference. With that in mind, here are a few tips for how to write with authority and project yourself as the expert you are.

Tip #1: Challenge commonly held beliefs in your market.

Every market has its “sacred cows”: beliefs so strong they are considered fact.

Can you challenge these beliefs?

Can you offer a different (better) point of view?

If you can, do it.

Not only will it get people’s attention, it will help to establish your authority.

After all, who challenges the status quo?

Usually, it’s either fools or experts. And as long as you’ve made your case effectively, most people will consider you an expert.

Tip #2: Write about your subject from a different perspective.

With a gazillion blogs out there, you have to find a way to stand out and attract readers. One way to do it is by “seeing different.”

Instead of re-stating the obvious, how can you make a new observation… or cast an old observation in a new mold?

Warning: This will require you to think.

If all you do is think easy thoughts and write easy stuff, you’ll never cultivate the voice of authority. Rather, you’ll cultivate the voice of “everybody else.”

Which is why writing with authority takes effort. And courage. Specifically, the courage to think hard thoughts and write about challenging subjects.

Tip #3: Say something worthwhile. And say it like you mean it.

First of all, you need to say something that your audience finds worth reading.

And second of all, when you make a point, say it like you mean it. Don’t hedge your bets.

If you’re hedging, that implies you’re not fully committed. You’re not really an expert — you’re just trying “expert” on to see how it fits.

Writing with authority requires you to commit. It requires you to take a stand and not back down.

This might make you uncomfortable. That’s okay. Get used to being uncomfortable. It’s good for you.

Tip #4: Don’t give attribution when it’s not necessary.

All that you are and all that you think is a collection of everything you’ve ever heard, read, or experienced.

Which means you could probably attribute every word you write to somebody.

For instance, my views on life go back to a series of teachers starting with my parents.

Do I need to give my parents and all my teachers attribution every time I write about something?

No. I don’t.

That’s why, if you already know something as a fact, avoid giving attribution. To do so steals your authority and transfers it to the person you’re giving attribution to.

Let’s look at a hypothetical example:

“John Doe says procrastination is the single greatest reason why people don’t get things done.”

Clearly, we don’t need to reference John Doe. Simply say, “Procrastination is the single greatest reason why people don’t get things done.”

Much stronger, isn’t it?

Obviously, if you’re quoting somebody verbatim, you need to give attribution. Otherwise, it’s not necessary. And the more attributions you leave out, the more authority your writing will have.

-Ryan M. Healy

Popularity: 31% [?]

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With Terry Dean railing against “hypercopyitis” on his blog, I thought it would be a good time to define what “hype” actually is.

Because lately I’ve noticed consumers of information are very “anti-hype.” I believe this has been caused by market fatigue (too many people making similar outlandish promises), but also because people have told them they should be anti-hype.

The problem: Most people don’t understand what hype really is.

First, it helps to know that hype is simply a slang form of the word “hyperbole.”

Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines hyperbole this way: “Exaggeration for effect, not to be taken literally. Example: This story is as old as time.”

Hype is then defined as: “Deception; especially, loud, exaggerated promotion or publicity.”

Here’s my definition of hype:

“Promise without Proof”

By my definition, it’s perfectly okay to be enthusiastic in sales copy or any persuasive medium — so long as there is proof to back up the claims. Without proof, claims are just hype.

But with proof, a claim is justified. It becomes a legitimate promise a potential customer can expect to receive should he or she buy the product or service being advertised.

A bold promise with proof to back it up is a stroke of genius. Especially if it’s a promise everybody else is afraid to make.

This should not be classified as hype, but rather as good advertising.

Some of the symptoms Terry describes in his tongue-in-cheek blog post are, I believe, symptoms of greed. And when a person becomes seized by greed, they are more likely to “try too hard” in their copy. This often manifests as hype.

Unfortunately, many people assume that something is hype just because it has an exclamation point behind it, or it is written in a persuasive manner.

But just as a knife on the dinner table doesn’t indicate meat is being served, neither does an exclamation point at the end of a sentence indicate hype is being served.

The key to remember is this: Hype is deception. It is a promise without proof.

As you read and study sales copy, use this definition as your measuring stick — and be careful of labeling as hype all forms of persuasive communication.

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. What are your thoughts? How do YOU define hype?

Popularity: 70% [?]

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First of all, if you’ve submitted a question about how to make it as a freelance copywriter, I want to thank you.

I value your input and appreciate you taking time to “play along” with me.

Secondly, based on some of the questions I’ve received, I can tell certain people are NOT yet ready to be freelance copywriters.

How do I know this? Simple. The questions that are being asked reveal where somebody is at in the learning cycle.

Obviously, my goal is to attract the right kind of copywriter into the coaching program John Angel and I will be releasing in a couple of weeks.

But — equally as important — I want to help you determine whether you are the type of person who will succeed as a freelance copywriter.

With that in mind, allow me to address a few observations I’ve made (without naming names).

Sign #1: If you won’t invest money into generating leads, you’re not ready to be a freelance copywriter!

Somebody recently asked what he should do if he couldn’t afford to mail out lead generation letters.

I was floored.

Let’s calculate the cost to mail out 50 letters to a narrowly targeted list. About $0.42 for postage on each letter, plus maybe an extra $0.15 per piece to cover the cost of paper and envelope.

So what are we looking at? A “whopping” $28.50, right?

Look. If you’re not willing to invest $28.50 in your own copy, how in the world do you expect somebody else to invest $3,000 or more in your copy?

Okay, let’s change our assumptions. Let’s assume you’re going to overnight all 50 letters (which is a lot of letters to overnight, by the way). And let’s assume the cost is $30 a letter.

That would set you back $1,500.

But what if you got just one client for $3,000? Would the mailing have been worth it?

And what if you got a 40% response rate (which is on the low side of what’s possible)?

You would have 20 new clients. If each of them paid you $3,000 apiece, you’d have made $60,000!

Would you pay $1,500 to get $60,000 back?

I would.

Now, obviously, you couldn’t handle 20 new clients all at once. So you want to stage your mailings so you can handle the new clients coming in.

The point I’m trying to make is this: You’re NOT ready to be a freelance copywriter until you’re ready to invest in yourself.

Sign #2: If you don’t know what “direct response” means, you’re not ready to be a freelance copywriter!

I am a direct response copywriter. So is John Angel.

Which means we’re paid to get results.

We are NOT paid to write content, fill up web sites with articles, or write ebooks.

Ordinary content writers are a dime a dozen. You’d be lucky to make a living as a content writer. That’s because there’s so much competition from people who are willing to work for fees that equate to less than minimum wage.

You’d probably be better off pushing carts at Costco.

If you’d like to make real money as a copywriter, you must be in the direct response biz. You must place yourself at the start of the money funnel where you live or die based on your ability to convert prospects into customers or clients.

This is how you get paid (and paid well!) to write.

Sign #3: If you’re not confident in your ability to produce results, you’re not ready to be a freelance copywriter!

There have been times I wasn’t confident I could produce results; the client hired me anyway.

In fact, the more I split-test and see what really works, the more I question my abilities.

Because the results I see often fly in the face of popular copywriting theories — the same theories I studied before becoming a copywriter!

Furthermore, there was a time when I wasn’t that confident about my own abilities. But I was confident that I could eventually produce results.

In other words, if I failed the first time out, I knew I could try again and again and eventually succeed.

Just knowing that time was in my favor gave me confidence.

But that wasn’t enough. So to build my confidence, I took on low-risk, low-pay projects at the beginning of my freelance career.

I got a few easy wins under my belt, which gave me enough confidence to start asking for bigger fees and going after higher-profile clients.

So there are ways to get around the whole “lack of confidence” issue.

Still, if you’re afraid of working for clients… and so completely unsure of your ability to produce results… then you’re probably not ready for the freelancer’s life.

Better to postpone the freelance copywriting career and build up your experience — and your confidence — before making a commitment you won’t be able to fulfill.

In addition to what I’ve shared so far, I thought it would be helpful to point out that the best copywriters fit a certain profile. This has been recognized by some of the top copywriters who’ve ever lived.

Joe Sugarman, in his book Advertising Secrets of the Written Word, says this about what makes for a great copywriter:

The best copywriters in the world are those who are curious about life, read a great deal, have many hobbies, like to travel, have a variety of interests, often master many skills, get bored and then look for other skills to master. They hunger for experience and knowledge and find other people interesting. They are very good listeners. [...] The thirst for knowledge, a tremendous curiosity about life, a wealth of experiences and not being afraid to work are the top credentials for being a good copywriter. (p. 11)

Beyond this, David Ogilvy quotes the work of Dr. Frank Barron in Confessions of an Advertising Man. Ogilvy says Barron’s observations about creative people match his own. Namely, that:

Creative people are especially observant, and they value accurate observation (telling themselves the truth) more than other people do.

They often express part-truths, but this they do vividly; the part they express is the generally unrecognized; by displacement of accent and apparent disproportion in statement they seek to point to the usually unobserved. They see things as others do, but also as others do not.

They are born with greater brain capacity; they have more ability to hold many ideas at once, and to compare more ideas with another — hence to make a richer synthesis.

They are by constitution more vigorous, and have available to them an exceptional fund of psychic and physical energy.

Their universe is thus more complex, and in addition they usually lead more complex lives.

They have more contact than most people do with the life of the unconscious — with fantasy, reverie, and the world of imagination. (pp. 44, 45)

As you read these passages from Sugarman and Ogilvy, did you see yourself? Could you relate to their descriptions?

If so, then perhaps you are ready for the copywriter’s life.

As you decide whether or not freelance copywriting is for you, heed the ancient Greeks’ advice: “Know thyself.”

For only you can make the decision.

My Best,

-Ryan M. Healy

Popularity: 72% [?]

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John “Angel” Anghelache and I have just released yet another complimentary training video. And this one is all about setting copywriting fees and finally getting paid what you’re worth.

When you watch this video, you’ll learn:

• A Simple Formula for Determining What You’re Worth.

• 3 Easy Ways to Charge Fees.

• How to Increase Your Fees Fast.

• Beyond Fees — How to Double or Triple Your Income in 12 Months.

• 4 Rules for Commission-Based Copywriting.

This 18-minute training video is 100% FREE when you sign-up here:

==> http://www.copywritingcode.com/lessons/

Will we try to sell you something after you opt-in?

Of course.

John and I are getting ready to release a coaching program for freelance copywriters later this month.

The free training videos we’re releasing are our way of giving back to our readers and subscribers while at the same time getting freelance copywriters to raise their hands and say, “I’m interested.”

Now, the coaching program will not be for everybody. And the number of students we will accept is limited.

So if it turns out you ARE interested (and it’s totally okay if you’re not), then you’ll want to stick with us for just a little while longer. We plan to release more information about the coaching program in a week or so.

In the mean time, I strongly encourage you to watch training Video #4: How to Raise Your Copywriting Fees & Finally Get Paid What You’re Worth.

Why?

Because this video — along with all of the others — provides real, practical value that you can implement starting today.

Just yesterday evening, I received this email from Matt Hegedus. He writes:

As you can see, even experienced copywriters are getting a lot of value and insight from these free training videos. And I think you will, too.

You can get instant access to “The Copywriting Fee Video,” plus all the others, when you sign-up here:

==> http://www.copywritingcode.com/lessons/

My Best,

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. We love hearing from you! Make yourself heard by leaving a comment below.

Popularity: 55% [?]

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In late May, I went on a three-day cycling trip in southern Colorado. I got to see some amazing places, including Pagosa Springs, Wolf Creek Pass, La Veta, Cuchara, and even Chama, New Mexico.

As I was grinding my way up steep mountain passes, I had a lot of time to think. And I began comparing marketing to bicycling. Here are some of the lessons I learned.

Hitting the Road: Kevin, Rick, Bruce & I get ready
to drive to southern Colorado.

Lesson #1: Consistency Is Key

Question: How do you climb more than 14,000 vertical feet in 3 days on a bicycle?

Answer: One pedal rotation at a time.

It really is that simple. You just grind it out. Set your sights on an object you can see in the distance and commit to pedaling until you get there.

After you’ve achieved that mini-goal, pick another object you can see. Keep pedaling until you get there. Next thing you know, you’ve eaten up miles of road almost without realizing it.

It’s the same way with marketing.

Marketing is not an event. It is a process. And so the spoils of marketing go to those with endurance. You have to consistently take action over time to see results.

The Pay-Off: Kevin & me at the top of Cuchara Pass.

Lesson #2: You’ve Got to Work Hard for the Pay-Off

When you’re climbing up a mountain pass, it’s hard work. Sometimes you might be going uphill for 1-2 hours straight without a single downhill section.

But when you get the top, what an awesome feeling that is!

I remember back in 2001 when I did The Triple Bypass. After climbing Squaw Pass, Loveland Pass, and Vail Pass, I got to enjoy more than 20 miles of downhill into the small town of Avon.

But I had to go 100 miles before I reached the “pay off.”

It’s the same in marketing. You’ve got to work at it. You’ll have moments when you’re coasting and moments when you’ve got to put your nose to the grindstone. But if you stick with it and focus on doing what works, you’ll eventually experience that “pay off” moment.

Cottage in the Trees: Ahh, peace and quiet.

Lesson #3: Take Time to Rest

Day 1: 46 miles

Day 2: 63 miles

Day 3: 37 miles

The only way you can have the strength to keep going when you’re logging miles like this is to make sure your body has sufficient rest.

After each day of riding (especially Day 2), I was exhausted. All I wanted was to sit and eat. So that’s what I did. Lots of sitting and lots of eating. And, of course, some good conversation to pass the time.

Each night my body began to shut down about 9 p.m. I got to bed early and allowed my body to recover before the next day of riding.

Marketers need “down time” too. You can’t stay plugged in 24/7. It kills your creativity, your passion, and your drive to get things done.

Just like your body, your brain needs rest. It needs time to digest information and clear out the tangle of information strung up in your gray matter.

Unfortunately, with Twitter and iPhones and WiFi, it’s hard to get away.

But you’ve got to get away.

So be deliberate about unplugging from the grid. Give yourself structured down time… and watch your creativity, focus, and productivity soar.

-Ryan M. Healy

Popularity: 41% [?]

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As you might already know, I’m currently looking for any questions you may have about how to grow your copywriting business.

Tammy responded late last night. Although she’s not currently looking for clients, she still asked an excellent question. Here it is:

What steps do you take to learn every single thing you can about your prospects? Would you explain the steps you take in a way I can understand as a fairly new writer?

I empathize with Tammy. Here’s why…

I remember when I was writing copy for the homeschooling company. For a long time, I struggled to understand how to write to a single person. I was always writing to “you-all” (a group of people) instead of “you” (just one person).

It was really difficult for me to grasp the idea that I was writing to “Amy” or “Jill” or “Judy.”

My breakthrough came when I was put in charge of the biweekly ezine. It was my responsibility to collect the best forum posts from the week and write a short introductory article to introduce that particular issue of the ezine.

When I began doing this, I started getting responses from the readers. All of a sudden, I realized, “Hey, there are real people out there! My words are causing these people to respond!”

I began to visualize an imaginary homeschool mom… a single person who represented all homeschool moms. I then began writing to her every time I wrote something for that market.

Since then, I’ve made a lot of progress. And I’ve discovered that one of the best ways to get into your prospect’s head is to…

Use Your Imagination

I personally like to imagine that I’m walking in my prospect’s shoes.

What would I be concerned about if I was a homeschool mom with four kids? How would I feel? What would I be thinking about?

Imagine what life would be like as your prospect. This is a good starting point.

But to really get inside your prospect’s head, you can’t rely solely on your own intuition and imagination. You’ve got to know for sure what’s really on your prospect’s mind. And a great way to discover this is…

Participate in Forums

Almost every market you’ll ever write copy for has a forum where people gather and talk about their problems and successes.

Another breakthrough for me was when I started actively participating in the homeschool forums. I got to see firsthand what homeschooling moms are thinking about, talking about, struggling with, etc.

Let me tell you… it was a real eye-opener!

But it gave me an improved ability to write to that market. And I needed every advantage I could get. (After all, I was a 22-year-old married man without kids at the time… writing to middle-aged moms with 2-10 kids each.)

While forums are great… and help you get a pulse on the market… sometimes you can get into your market’s mind simply by…

Asking!

You’ll notice I wrote my last post specifically to find out what freelance copywriters are thinking about. All I did was ask.

My “survey” was fairly informal. I simply asked my readers (that’s you!) to leave a comment on my blog.

You can also do something more formal by creating a real survey. (Check out Survey Monkey or the ASK Database.)

A formal survey may best if you expect a large response. You’ll be able to see trends and patterns more easily when you use software designed to slice-and-dice the data in seconds.

Another strategy for becoming “one” with your market is to…

Study Successful Ads

In almost any market you ever write for, there will be a successful advertiser.

This advertiser has already thoroughly researched the market… determined his prospects’ emotional triggers… and crafted offers and appeals that successfully sell a product or service to that market.

Why not study those ads to discover what’s already working?

By studying more than one ad, you’ll quickly notice themes and patterns. You’ll see which triggers keep “popping up” repeatedly.

If you see some idea, concept, or phrase appear in multiple ads, and you have good reason to believe those ads are profitable, then it’s probably a good idea to include those same ideas, concepts, and phrases in your ad as well.

Here is one final strategy for getting into your prospect’s head…

Become Your Target Market

This strategy is especially powerful. Because now you are your target market. You are immersed in the same issues and problems as every other person in your market.

For instance, I’m already a freelance copywriter. I have a pretty good idea what keeps freelance copywriters up at night… because I am a freelance copywriter!

So… how do you become your target market?

Let’s use “golfing” for example. If you are not a golfer… and you want to sell things to golfers… what might you consider doing?

1. Go to the driving range. Hit a bucket of balls for $5.
2. Go shopping for clubs and golf gear. See what the salesman says to you. Take notes.
3. Go play 18 holes at a few local courses (or play 9 holes on a par 3 course if your golf skills are lacking).
4. Sign up for golf lessons.

If you did these things, you would very quickly begin to understand what it’s like to be a golfer. You would begin to understand what motivates them, what problems they have, what emotional hot buttons you can push.

I realize there are some markets you can’t become a part of. For instance, you can’t voluntarily experience what it’s like to have cancer or have a rodent infestation in your home.

But in these markets, the problems are obvious and the appeals are simpler.

Nevertheless, if you plan to sell to a certain market for a long time, and you have the inclination, become a member of that target market. It will help you immensely.

To recap, here are the 5 strategies you can use to get inside your prospect’s head:

1. Imagine walking in your prospect’s shoes.
2. Participate in forums where your prospect hangs out.
3. Ask your prospect what his biggest problems are.
4. Study successful ads that your prospect has already responded to.
5. Become a member of your target market… become a prospect yourself.

No matter where you’re at in your copywriting career, these strategies should help you get inside your prospect’s head, find out what motivates him, and (ultimately) sell him your product or service.

-Ryan M. Healy

Popularity: 46% [?]

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A copywriter’s job is to recognize people as they are, and not how he wishes them to be. This is one of the secrets to becoming a great copywriter. If you can see people as they actually are, then you will be much better equipped to write in a way that connects with your readers and influences them to take the action you desire.

Here’s one of those ugly human traits most good copywriters recognize: people don’t like to take personal responsibility. Rather, they like to blame other people, circumstances, government, and everything else for all of their problems.

Take responsibility? No.

Blame others? Yes.

It’s this deep understanding of human nature that leads to the creation (and use) of certain copywriting strategies like the one in which you create a common enemy.

Have you seen this strategy before? It goes something like this:

If you’re struggling to make ends meet; if you can’t seem to ever save any money; if you’re going deeper and deeper into debt every day, week, and month of the year… it’s not your fault!

What’s more, the situation you’re in is certainly not unique. Thousands of people around the country are in the same exact situation. Why? Because big business is doing whatever it can to milk you for all you’re worth.

Every advertising campaign you witness, every product you buy, and every purchasing decision you make has been designed to get as much of your money as possible… often leaving you with nothing left! (Except for a big credit card balance.)

I just wrote that off the top of my head so you could actually see what I’m talking about. In this case, the common enemy is “big business.” It could just as easily be “credit card companies,” “the wealthy elite,” or even “Wall Street.”

By creating a common enemy,
you are siding with your reader.

All of a sudden, you’re the good guy. Imagine… your reader is standing next to you and you’ve got your arm around his shoulder. You point at your common enemy and play the blame game. “It’s your fault we’re in this mess!” you yell together.

All this is really just a set-up for making the sale. Because while your prospect is distracted by blaming everybody for his problems, you’re getting ready to present the solution. And since your reader’s state of mind has been altered, he will be more receptive to whatever solution you present him with.

The ironic (sad?) part is, the solution being offered will probably also be designed to get as much money as possible from your prospect. Although your reader won’t recognize this immediately because he sees you as a friend.

Let me give you an illustration not at all connected with business, sales, or marketing:

David Barsamian: In A People’s History of the United States, you quote Randolph Bourne, “War is the health of the state.”

Howard Zinn: Randolph Bourne wrote that around the time of World War I. He saw that war was something that the state needs, that the government needs, for various reasons but one of them being that it gives the government a reason for existence. It gives the government a rationale for all it does. It gives the government more security from the possible rebelliousness of its own population when they face difficult situations. Because war gives the government, the state, as Randolph Bourne put it, an opportunity to unite the country around a foreign enemy and therefore to put into the shadows the grievances that people have against their own system.

[Source: Original Zinn: Conversations on History and Politics by Howard Zinn with David Barsamian, p. 89]

I found this passage illuminating because as we do in war, we also do in advertising.

Just as the government wages war to unite the people against a common enemy, thereby making citizens more receptive to legislation that takes away personal freedom, so copywriters “wage war” against a common enemy, thereby making prospects more receptive to products that take away their money.

“Advertising is much like war,
minus the venom.” –Claude Hopkins

My observations are by no means unique. Claude Hopkins made some of the same observations many decades before I did. Although I might alter Hopkins’ quote to say simply, “Advertising is much like war.” Period.

In business, there are casualties along the way (overextended consumers), and often the ends (profit) justify the means (advertising), even though the means are not always entirely above board.

But that is the nature of the business we find ourselves in. The trick, then, is to recognize these things and act in a way that is ethical, honorable, even admirable.

-Ryan M. Healy

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A surprising number of business owners view copy as a cure-all. They believe sales copy can fix whatever problems they may have in their business.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but copy is not a cure-all. It will not make up for a bad product, a bad offer, or a bad list.

Let’s look at a real-life example.

A client came to me with a problem: her site wasn’t converting as well as she wanted. I could see a few big problems right away, and told her so.

She decided to hire me to rewrite the copy on her primary landing page. So I did. The copy went live, and I thought it was a significant improvement over the old version.

A couple weeks after the new copy had been put up, my client and I exchanged a few emails (edited for clarity).

<–Start Conversation –>

CLIENT:

We put up the copy you gave me and everything went lower than it was… so we added photos and still nothing… I liked what you wrote, but I am sad that nothing has gone forward… will it take a month or so?

RYAN:

What was your conversion rate before? What is it currently?

I can help, but need to know some numbers.

Has traffic tapered off or has it been steady?

CLIENT:

We have had only 112 visits and 2 orders from the time the new info went up. Before that I had at least 5 orders in 2 weeks… I thought that was very bad, that’s why I called you.

My web guy said it was because I lowered my daily money to AdWords. I was at $30.00 a day and I lowered it to $10.00 a day. I just couldn’t afford the monthly bill.

This is all so beyond me… and I thought I would be rich and famous long before this!

RYAN:

Hmmm… it’s hard to compare results. For instance, 5 orders out of how many visitors?

It may be that the new page is converting better. Two orders out of 112 visits is 1.79% conversion rate. Not great, but certainly not bad.

If we don’t know how many visitors it took to get five sales, then we don’t really have any basis for comparison.

It sounds like at the moment you have more of a traffic problem than a conversion problem. Although with a split-test, we may be able to improve the conversion rate a bit.

Ultimately, it’s not about how many sales you get… it’s about how many sales you can get at a profit.

It does you no good to get five sales worth $100 if it costs you $300 in advertising.

But if you can get two sales worth $30, and only spend $5 in advertising, that’s much better.

<–End Conversation –>

As you can see from our email exchange, my client slashed her daily AdWords budget from $30 to $10, which probably reduced her traffic by at least 66%. Assuming no change in conversion rate, this would automatically reduce the number of sales by 66% as well.

But with no “before” numbers available, it’s hard to say if there was an improvement or not. Based on the information she provided, the numbers seem to indicate the conversion rate actually went up.

The bottom line is this: my client expected a miracle. She got good copy instead.

Copy is a multiplier.

It is important to be realistic about what sales copy can and can’t do.

If you have a good source of quality traffic, a solid product, and a reasonable offer, then good sales copy can multiply the sales you get. Depending on your volume, an extra half point tacked onto your conversion rate could mean thousands of extra dollars a month.

But let’s look at the flip side. If you have only an okay source of mediocre traffic, an average product, and a weak offer, then good sales copy will not rescue the project. The copy might get you a few extra sales, but you won’t experience the breakthrough results you’re looking for.

There are too many other variables negatively affecting the project–variables that are, for the most part, completely outside the expertise of your average copywriter.

What is copy worth?

It all depends on where your business is. Copy isn’t worth much to a person who has no plan, no product, no marketing savvy. But copy that converts is worth a fortune to a business owner who has the other critical pieces in place: traffic, product, offer.

(Here I’m speaking of what the copy can actually do in terms of real results. It is entirely possible for a person without any business sense to overvalue copy. And it is possible for a person with a well-run business to undervalue copy as well.)

All is to say, copy is worth the most when all the variables are working together in harmony. Copy is worth less when those same variables are missing or out of synch with each other. Which, really, is just another way of reiterating my main point: copy is not a cure-all.

-Ryan M. Healy

Popularity: 49% [?]

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One of the biggest benefits of being a copywriter is I get to learn while I earn. I learn something new from every single client I work with. This was especially true when I recently wrote a sales letter for Ed Oakley.

Ed is the co-author of two books: Enlightened Leadership and Leadership Made Simple. As part of my research, I began reading the latter of the two. Then, on page 27, I came across a “gold nugget” of insight.

Nothing redirects people’s thinking better than a well-phrased question.

This really struck a chord with me because of a few “coincidences” that all happened around the same time.

For one, I started using questions as post titles on my blog. Based on Alex King’s Popularity Contest plug-in, I’m able to see which posts are most popular. Currently, on this blog, my post titled “Eight Months to Write a Letter?” has been the most popular.

On another blog, the most popular post was a blog carnival I hosted (the people who participated in the carnival linked back to the post, which produced a lot of out-of-the-ordinary traffic).

But the second and third most popular posts both use questions as post titles. The second most popular post is “Are Cars Worth It?” and the third most popular post is “Should You Tithe When You’re Broke?”

And yet it seems using questions as blog post titles isn’t the only place they’ve been proven effective. They’ve also worked extremely well in direct response sales letters.

Examples from sales letters.

• One of the greatest copywriters of all time, Bill Jayme, is most famous for this headline that was used to promote Psychology Today magazine: “Do You Close the Bathroom Door Even When You’re the Only One Home?”

• And Gary Bencivenga got good mileage out of this famous headline phrased as a question: “Has This Man Really Discovered the Secret of Inevitable Wealth?” (Kudos to Ben Settle for digging this one up.)

• One of Maxwell Sackheim’s most famous headlines was for a space ad that advertised the Sherwin Cody School of English. The headline said: “Do You Make These Mistakes in English?” (Note: If you have the AWAI Hall of Fame book, you can read the entire ad on page 257.)

• Eugene Schwartz made his mark selling a unique type of rose plant that produced incredibly large quantities of blooms throughout the entire growing season. To sell this plant, he asked a poignant question: “Who Ever Heard of 17,000 Blooms from a Single Plant?”

• And perhaps the most imitated headline on the entire Internet was a question written by John Caples. It was originally to sell a laundry detergent: “Who Else Wants a Whiter Wash–with No Hard Work?”

The bottom line: questions
definitely work as headlines.

So, in light of all this proof, does it make sense to always phrase headlines as questions?

The answer, clearly, is no. I believe questions as headlines are some of the riskiest types of headlines you can write. Many times the question simply won’t be compelling enough to capture your readers’ interest. In most cases, you will be better off with a statement or promise of some kind.

But I also believe the right question used as a headline can have the biggest payoff. My recent experience has proved this to be true.

Recently, I conducted a headline split-test for an upcoming real estate conference. The headline that won by a long shot was a question: “Would You Like 2008 to Be the Year in Which You Build the Foundations for Long-Term Real Estate Wealth?”

(I actually thought this headline variation would lose the split-test. But the actual results proved otherwise.)

Anyway, the whole point of this article is this: Whenever you are brainstorming headlines for blog posts, sales letters, articles, etc., always consider headlines that are phrased as questions.

You may ultimately decide to go with a statement or promise, but occasionally you will happen upon a well-phrased question that outperforms all the other “normal” headlines you can possibly think of.

-Ryan M. Healy

Popularity: 77% [?]

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