Do you know Drayton Bird?

In direct response marketing, he’s a living legend.

After all, not many can say they worked with David Ogilvy. And not many can claim being the top trainer for the biggest direct marketing agency in the world (Ogilvy & Mather).

Plus, Drayton’s experience runs the gamut.

He’s helped small businesses, of course, but much of his work has been with big companies… companies like Airbus and American Express.

The breadth and depth of Drayton’s experience cannot be overstated.

To put it in perspective, think about this:

He had mastered the fundamentals of direct response marketing long before most of us were even born!

Anyway, the reason I bring all this up is because both Drayton Bird and Bob Bly were recently interviewed by Ken McCarthy.

This interview is direct response gold. Yet Ken is giving away the interview for free.

Why is he doing this?

Because Drayton, Bob, and Ken will be doing a special copywriting Master Class on the Monday following Ken’s System Seminar in April.

And the free interview is a taste of what will be presented during the Master Class.

Obviously, if you like the interview, maybe you’ll consider attending The System as well as the Master Class.

But even if you don’t, you’ll still get a lot of value from listening to Drayton Bird and Bob Bly share stories and insights culled from decades of hard-won experience.

Here’s the link to download the interview (opt-in required):

http://www.thesystemseminar.com/319-34.html

Just so we’re clear, this is my affiliate link. If after downloading the interview you decide to attend The System or the Master Class, I will get a commission.

But potential commissions aside, I still think this interview is worth your time. With that in mind, here’s the direct link you can use if you’d rather not use my affiliate link:

http://www.thesystemseminar.com/masterclass/

Enjoy!

-Ryan M. Healy

Here is a guest post from copywriter David Tendrich. You can learn more about David by reading the author bio included at the end of his article. Enjoy! -Ryan

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What is gut-wrenching copy? It’s controversial. It pushes reality. It inspires.

It’s the kind of copy that, while you read it, your mind thinks, “What? Is that really possible?” but in your stomach you feel this tiny tickle as you imagine your life how you want it to be.

This copy lets you believe for just a second that your ideal way of life can really happen. If you just take a leap of faith, and buy the product, things will just come together. They really will this time. You see the testimonials of other people who were in your shoes, and how their lives were changed. You read the promises of the sales page… “If you just take action and put this product to use… I GUARANTEE it…” and you feel motivated to make it work, at all costs.

It’s copy that doesn’t cater to the mind. The mind is satisfied too easily. It’s copy that caters to the burning desires deep inside a person. Tap into what someone wants on a mental level, and you get sales. Tap into what someone wants deep down in their heart of hearts, and you might run into the wonderful problem of selling out.

Luckily, writing gut-wrenching copy is not guesswork. It’s not magic either. You can do it in these two steps.

Step 1: Talk to your clients

The first step is to ask your clients some questions. They are the real “magic” behind gut-wrenching copy. You’re going to pretty much take their answers and put them straight into the copy, with a little touching up of course.

You’ll want to hand-select a group of clients who you feel completely represent your “ideal” client, or your target market. Here’s an example…

1. I’m putting out a product that will teach you 100 free or low-budget ways to instantly get more clients, what doubts/skepticisms cross your mind? (These are your objections you’re going to counter in your copy)

2. If you could finally get tons of clients for free, how would that benefit your business? (This is where you get your fuel for connecting to people’s minds)

3. How would those benefits carry into other parts of your life? Like your family life? Your home life? Your love life? Your happiness? (And this is where the magic happens.)

Ask them to go into great detail on their answers to question three. Find out their goals in life, their dreams, their ambitions — what they really want. You may get some heavy answers — but that’s good. The heavier they are, the more honest and real they are.

Step 2: Connect the dots

Now, when you write your copy, you’re going to connect using your product to these dreams that your clients described for you.

That way, you’re not just selling a course on copywriting… you’re selling a guide on how to spend more time with your little girls so you never miss out on a single second of them growing up… How to take your family on a dream vacation to Hawaii where you stay in the nicest hotel, in the nicest room, and enjoy life in a way you never have before… How to work two weeks out of every month so you can spend the other two weeks doing whatever you feel like…

And when you gather testimonials, ask people to tell you how the product carried into their life! Ask them to tell you what they’ve accomplished. That way your testimonials build on your copy, and together both inspire your reader to take action.

The cool thing is, from the moment someone reads your sales page they’re thinking about what they really want. Then, when they buy the product, they’re way more likely to put it to good use because every time they see it they start thinking about these burning desires. So by writing this kind of copy you’re actually doing people a service!

See, these dreams transcend money. Well, they use money as a stepping stone, but if your readers could accomplish all of their dreams while having $0 in their bank accounts, they’d be just as happy. I know I would. So keep prying until you find the real reasons someone wants your product, because once you tap into that you’re set.

About the author: David Tendrich is a copywriter in Atlanta, GA where he and his life partner, Louisa Levit, run a copywriting, marketing, and graphic design company. You can learn more about David by visiting his blog on copywriting.

In high school, I joined the newspaper staff as soon as they would let me, and I took all the honors English classes I could. I was in love with reading and writing — I couldn’t get enough of it.

In honors English we would read a book every two weeks (usually a classic), then write an essay about the book we had just read. It was like clockwork. Every other Monday a new essay was due.

But there was a catch. We never wrote our essays at home. We didn’t even type them! Nope. We wrote them out by hand… in class… in 90 minutes or less (we were on a block schedule with four 90-minute periods a day).

The reason my teacher did it this way was because essay web sites were just coming into fashion. Students could download dozens of pre-written essays on just about any book they wanted. The business of plagiarism  had hung out its shingle and students were responding in kind.

At that time, search technology was in its infancy, so it was actually fairly difficult for teachers to discern whether a paper had been plagiarized or not. Thus the dilemma: Let students write essays at home or force them to do them in class?

My teacher chose the latter. And while it was stressful back then, I’m extremely grateful she decided to do it that way.

You see, the discipline of writing a timed essay by hand once every two weeks forced me to be an efficient writer. I learned how to write fast without editing myself. I learned how to build sentences in my head faster than my hand could transcribe them.

Now, years later, I will sometimes use an $8 dial timer that I picked up at Bed, Bath & Beyond to time myself. If I’m feeling distracted or I’m having a hard time focusing in on my writing, I’ll set the timer for 45 minutes. I’ll force myself to write for the entire time.

Guess what? Every time I set that timer, I write faster. The power of a micro-deadline works just like a normal deadline: it makes you work!

Next time you find yourself struggling to write, pull out your timer or stopwatch, set it for 30 or 45 minutes, and start writing. You’ll be amazed by how quickly your mind snaps to attention. And you’ll be amazed by how quickly the words spill onto the page.

-Ryan M. Healy

After speaking with a potential client for an hour, he told me he was really glad that I hadn’t used the word “deliverables.”

He also said, “I like your plain language.”

That really struck me because plain language is really what copywriting is all about. It’s about writing like you talk. Not in a fancy way either, but in a plain way that is easy for people to understand.

There’s no room for miscommunication when you’re trying to make a sale.

Unfortunately, what a lot people do is write to impress. They use big words. They write long, hard-to-follow sentences. And then they wonder why their copy doesn’t bring in new customers!

One of the keys to good copy is using plain language. Don’t use a ten dollar word when a nickel word will do.

And always, always look for ways to clarify and simplify your sales message.

-Ryan M. Healy

Why is it that more often than not an artist’s freshman effort outshines his sophomore effort?

And why is “beginner’s luck” so prevalent in just about every field of creativity?

These are questions I’ve been thinking about lately. And just so we’re tracking, let me share an example with you.

Back in 1995, Jars of Clay released their first album. It did phenomenally well. To this day, there are many folks who own that first album, but none of the follow-ups.

Since 1995, Jars has made great music, but (in my opinion) it took them a few years and three albums to come close to topping the beauty and cohesiveness of that first album. And it took them a few albums more (and a total of 14 years) before they released an album that I would consider better than that first album.

So — why did it it take so long to best that initial achievement?

Well, I have a theory about that.

When we’re starting something new — something that requires creative effort — we are moved by inspiration. There is some inciting moment or force that propels us to create.

This inspiration is where “beginner’s luck” comes from. You might think of inspired creativity as the romance of the honeymoon. It feels good, exciting, effortless.

Then, after inspiration has given birth, reality sets in. The moment has passed. Now it’s time to dig in and work.

And it’s during this second phase where so many people fall down. They get so used to the inspiration, they aren’t prepared for exerting themselves without the training wheels of inspiration.

This can lead to a string of mediocre creativity, a feeling of burn-out, and the nagging thought that “Maybe I’m not cut out for this after all.”

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way, especially if you’re prepared. Here are three ways you can move beyond inspiration and continue to tap into the wells of creativity inside you.

1. Create — even when you don’t feel like creating.

Dan Kennedy gets up early every day and has a dedicated writing time. By having this routine built into his schedule, his brain looks forward to that time. There is an expectancy that creativity will happen.

In my reading, I discovered that Dan credits this one habit with much of his success in the copywriting field. He gets up every day and writes, no matter if he feels like it or not. In a very real way, he schedules his creativity.

2. Be inspired by others in your field.

For many people starting out, it’s a dream that inspires you. The idea of achieving wealth and fame as a rock star, a novelist, a painter, a direct mail copywriter.

But this is not the only way to be inspired.

You can also be inspired by other people in your field. More specifically, you can be inspired by their work. Have you ever read the liner notes of music albums? Often the band credits various groups and musicians for how they’ve influenced (inspired) the band’s own direction.

So here’s a suggestion: Study the work of peers you admire. Be inspired by it. Model them when you’re lacking direction or drive. I think you’ll find it easier than you thought to “refill” your creative tank.

3. Master the art of synthesis.

Synthesis is the process of forming new ideas out of old ones. Roger von Oech shares a great example in his book A Whack on the Side of the Head.

What Gutenberg did was to combine two previously unconnected ideas: the wine press and the coin punch. The purpose of the coin punch was to leave an image on a small area such as a gold coin. The function of the wine press was to apply force over a large area to squeeze the juice out of grapes. One day, Gutenberg, perhaps after he’d drunk a goblet or two of wine, asked himself, “What if I took a bunch of these coin punches and put them under the force of the wine press so that they left their image on paper?” The resulting combination was the printing press and movable type. (pp. 5-6)

So arguably the single greatest invention in the last 600 years came from synthesizing two ideas into a new idea. That’s the power of synthesis.

One easy way to become better at synthesizing ideas is to get outside of your field.

If you’re a retailer, for instance, don’t just study other retailers. Go study manufacturing businesses, or service businesses, or advertising businesses. Take the ideas you find there and see how you might be able to apply them in your own business.

This is how innovation happens.

Unfortunately, it’s too easy to get “land locked” in your own industry. And when that happens, you wind up with “idea incest” — everybody recycling the same ideas over and over again.

Don’t let that happen to you. Get out of your bubble and see what other people are doing. You never know when you’ll be re-inspired by some random observation — and be able to easily best your freshman efforts.

-Ryan M. Healy

Yesterday I was on the phone with a potential client. He has a very unique product (nothing to do with marketing, biz opp, real estate, weight loss, or anything like that) — and due to the nature of the product, he expects it will be quite viral.

During our conversation, he told me his overriding belief (modified slightly to maintain anonymity) was that, “When people know we exist, they’ll [buy].”

He also said that he had no interest in educating the market because he isn’t in the business of growing the market. He is in the business of getting hungry prospects within the market to convert to his product.

This is all very smart. The best markets to be in are hungry markets. Your only job then is to persuade your prospect to buy your product instead of the other guy’s.

But here’s the big question: Is it enough to just let people know you exist? Is that enough to convert prospects into customers?

Perhaps.

If you’re value proposition is sufficiently unique, you might get away with it, at least for a little while.

But at some point, I think you’ll find that “letting people know you exist” isn’t going to cut it. Your going to have to sell them, show them how you’re different, and — most importantly — give them a reason to buy.

At any given time, there is a segment of your list (or your prospects) who are already sold. The only thing they’re waiting for is a reason to buy. So give it to them!

You can create good reasons to buy around:

• Time- or quantity-limited sales.
• Compelling stories.
• Once-a-year events.
• Newly updated or upgraded products.
• Breaking news.
• Product launches.
• Or a combination of the above, etc.

Example: There was a copywriting course I had been intending to purchase for about a year. What held me back? Nothing, really, other than I didn’t have a compelling reason to buy right now.

I wanted the course, but my perceived need wasn’t urgent. I figured I could wait.

But when the product creator threw in a limited number of bonus gifts… and reduced the price for a couple days… I jumped on it. Funny thing was I was already sold. I didn’t even read the sales letter. I was just waiting for a reason to buy. And he gave me one.

The same situation holds true in every business in every market. There are people right now who know you exist, they’ve already decided to buy — but they’re not buying!

Your job: Give them a reason to buy now.

-Ryan M. Healy

Most copywriters and direct response business owners know that even the best of sales letters will fatigue over time. The market gets tired of seeing it… or times change such that the old copy is no longer as effective as it once was.

This recently happened to a letter I had written for a client. Conversions were falling, sales were slowing. What to do?

Rather than test a new headline or lead or guarantee — I simply wrote a new letter.

Sometimes you can’t revive a dying sales letter; you just have to let it die.

But before passing the old letter on to the “sales copy morgue,” I set up an A/B split-test to make sure the new letter and sales process were going to beat the old one.

And so far, the test results haven’t disappointed me.

First, a little background:

1. Most traffic comes from Google Adwords, although there’s some organic traffic.
2. The product sells for $97 up front plus overnight shipping, then $97 a month.

The old sales letter is converting at 0.31% — that’s one third of one percentage point. Not good.

But the new sales letter is converting at 1.89%, which is…

A 509% Increase in Conversion Rate!

The only question now is, will the results hold for the remainder of the test?

I certainly hope so.

And if the old letter picks up a little, or the new letter slows down a little, I’ll still be happy with a 300% increase in conversion rate. ;-)

Now, here’s something you should know: I was kinda scared to put up this new letter because it’s a bit different from most of the work I’ve done in the past.

In fact, it takes TWO pages to make the sale instead of just one (not counting the order check-out pages). The average direct response copywriter might look at the page and think, “That’s not direct response!”

But it is.

The lesson here is this:

Be Willing to Experiment with New Approaches

And certainly be willing to experiment with new tested approaches.

The approach I used for my client’s new sales letter probably wasn’t as risky as I’ve lead you to believe.

It was an approach I’d gotten from reading Terry  Dean’s Monthly Mentor Newsletter. And he got the tip from Glenn Livingston, the guy who runs the only PPC ad campaign management company endorsed by Perry Marshall, Howie Jacobson, and a host of other trustworthy experts.

Hint: When you listen to the right people, and apply the right strategies at the right time, things just work.

But the guy who keeps doing what he’s always done is probably going to find that his results decrease over time.

Changes happen — both in the market at large and in your market specifically. So be bold. Try new approaches. Many times, your creative effort will pay off big.

-Ryan M. Healy

You probably already know this, but I’ll tell you anyway…

When you write, write. When you edit, edit. Try not to mix the two.

If you try to edit yourself while you’re writing, your brain will get all jammed up and you’ll experience that dreaded disease called “writer’s block.”

That’s because writing and editing involve two different parts of your brain. One is creative; the other is critical.

Okay.

With that in mind, how should you go about editing your sales letter once it’s finished?

Naturally, read through your copy to see if there are any misspellings, blatant grammar mistakes, grossly confusing parts, etc. Change whatever you feel needs to be changed.

This is good.

What’s better is this:

Read Your Copy Out Loud!

Print out the copy, close your study door, stand up and start reading aloud.

You’ll probably feel goofy… a little bit uncomfortable. But who cares?

You’re alone and nobody is watching.

So you’re reading out loud.

What’s going to happen is your going to get tripped up… by what YOU wrote!

If you ever have to slow down your pace of reading — or you literally have to stop reading because you can’t figure out what you wrote — then that’s a part of your copy that you need to improve.

You see, when you read quietly to yourself, you read faster and tend to skip over things that would normally trip you up. But when you read out loud, your reading pace slows w-a-y down. You’re literally forced to pay attention to bad writing.

And you’re forced to change it.

So next time you’ve got some copy you’re ready to edit, take the extra time and effort to read it out loud. It will most definitely be worth it.

-Ryan M. Healy

Question: If your client is enthusiastic about his product, but you’re not, should you write the copy?

In a perfect world, you would always write copy for products and services you’re personally excited about. But I’ve occasionally found myself in the position of writing copy for products and services that don’t get me excited.

Here’s the thing: Copywriters are hired guns. If you’re a copywriter, your job is to channel your client’s enthusiasm using the written word — and not necessarily your own.

This is where trust comes in.

If I’ve accepted a client, I trust he is being honest and truthful. And I trust that his enthusiasm is warranted. Just because I don’t have the same vision and excitement as my client doesn’t mean I can’t or shouldn’t write the copy.

That’s why I say it’s the copywriter’s job to channel enthusiasm. And to do this effectively, you have to trust your client.

So as a copywriter a better question to ask is this: “If I don’t trust my client, should I write his copy?”

And the answer is clearly: no.

All good business relationships are founded on mutual trust and respect. So long as this foundation is in place, then you can easily channel a client’s enthusiasm (not to mention, his customers’ enthusiasm) when you’re writing the copy.

Obviously, it’s an advantage when you are excited about a product or service you’re writing copy for, but it’s not totally necessary.

In the end, so long as you believe the product or service has value to someone (although maybe not to you personally), then it’s perfectly okay to write copy to sell the socks off it.

-Ryan M. Healy

Do you know who your true competitor is?

Do you really know?

Nearly everybody has read about or heard of the success of Southwest airlines. While reading The Contrarian Effect by Michael Port and Elizabeth Marshall, I came across this little gem:

By offering low-cost fares, frequent flights, and fast, friendly service, Southwest quickly became a customer favorite — and a threat to the competition. Instead of focusing on its airline competitors, the company understood that the automobile was its true competitor and that it had to provide enough value for business travelers to decide to fly instead of drive. (p. 148, emphasis mine)

Most people assume their true competitors are those who are offering the same kind of product or service as they are.

But consider this:

• A copywriter’s true competitor may not be a similarly talented copywriter, but may actually be the client himself! (Many times, a client is comparing the cost of hiring a copywriter to the cost/hassle of buying a how-to course and writing the copy himself.)

• A company that sells skis may not really be competing with other ski manufacturers, but rather with those companies that manufacture, market, and sell snowboards.

• A restaurant is not necessarily competing with other restaurants, but rather with the convenience and affordability of eating at home. (To increase business, perhaps restaurants need to tell the story of why eating out is a better option than eating at home.)

Whatever business you’re in, figure out who your true competitor really is. Once you figure this out, you may quickly find new ways to strengthen your offers and draw in more clients and customers.

-Ryan M. Healy