Business Growth Strategies » Copywriting

Ben Settle’s Dirty Little Email Secret

Ryan M. Healy — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:41:17 +0000

How the heck does Ben Settle write such witty and entertaining emails every single day?

That’s what I’d ask Ben if I had the chance.

Oh, wait.

I do have the chance.

And so do you. ;-)

For just 2 more days, ask Ben anything you want about copywriting.

And he’ll answer your question!

Want to know his dirty little email secret? Then ask him!

Or even ask him…

When is it good to lead a sales letter with a story?

How do you know when you’ve written enough bullets?

What’s your favorite method for polishing up a sales letter so it sings?

Are there any words you avoid when writing copy? Or any words you intentionally use? Why?

Do you adapt your writing voice to the market… or do you just write for markets where your voice is a natural fit? Why?

I could come up with questions all day long.

But it’d be WAY more fun if you helped me out with a few questions of your own.

So: Submit your questions for Ben in the comments section here….

http://www.ryanhealy.com/get-your-copywriting-questions-answered/

Thanks,

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. This is not an opportunity to get a critique of your sales page, so please avoid asking for feedback on copy you’ve written.Similar Posts:

Get Your Copywriting Questions Answered… for Free

Ryan M. Healy — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:30:33 +0000

My friend and copywriting colleague Ben Settle has agreed to do something unusual…

He’s agreed to answer YOUR questions about copywriting… in depth… right here on this blog… for FREE.

In case you don’t know Ben, he’s an amazing copywriter with a knack for writing some of the most interesting subject lines on the planet. What’s more, he’s a genius at coming up with big hooks for emails and sales letters.

Ben has written copy for health products, self-defense products, golf products, and more. Many of those sales letters have generated tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of dollars in revenue and profit.

Which means the opportunity to ask Ben any copywriting question you want is a BIG DEAL.

Here’s how it’ll work…

Simply type the question (or questions) you’d like to ask Ben in the comment section below. I’ll select the best questions and shoot them over to Ben to answer.

As soon as they’re completed, I’ll publish all Ben’s written answers (i.e., copywriting gold) as a brand new post here for you to read, study, print, and save.

With that in mind, go ahead and submit your questions below now…

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. I’ve done interviews with Ben before — and he always over-delivers. For example, check out this post: Ben Settle Bares All (Well, Almost)Similar Posts:

Video Killed the Copywriting Star?

Ryan M. Healy — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:33:59 +0000

Bonnie Lowe of Best Career Strategies asks:

Some say 18-25 year-olds don’t read; they search YouTube vs. Google, etc. Does this mean copywriting is doomed?

This is a great question. After all, video killed the radio star way back in 1979…

Couldn’t video also kill the copywriting star?

On the surface, it seems like a plausible course of events. And yet I believe copywriting will remain just as relevant as it’s ever been.

Here’s why:

1. Some of the best buyers are also insatiable readers. Certainly, a fool and his money are soon parted, but the best long-term clients and customers are usually highly literate. They may even prefer a print letter over an online video.

2. Good sales videos require good video scripts. And good video scripts require… words! Let’s assume for a moment video becomes a better medium than the traditional online sales letter. Even if this happens, copywriters will still need to write sales copy for the video script.

Good sales copy — whether it’s in print, on video, or spoken in person — is at the heart of every sale.

And that’s why I believe video can’t kill the copywriting star.

Au contraire…

Video can only make the copywriting star more famous. ;-)

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. Have you joined my Copywriting Code membership site yet? I can’t promise it’ll make you a copywriting star, but I can promise it’ll make you a better copywriter.

Copywriting Code

Similar Posts:

Most Popular Content on Copywriting Code

Ryan M. Healy — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 02:36:41 +0000

I just did a 13-month look back at CopywritingCode.com to see what content has been the most popular during that time period.

The results surprised me because the most popular content was added back in January and April 2010 — rather than November or December 2009.

(Older articles have a natural advantage over newer articles when it comes to popularity.)

Here’s a Top 3 List of the most popular content:

#1 – How to Write Bullets that Penetrate Your Prospectâ€™s Natural Buying Defenses (2,057 words)

Back in the year 2006, I wrote a short blog post about writing bullets. I called it “Bullets that Penetrate.”

I thought it was a pretty good blog post, but what made me realize it was better than I thought was the unsolicited feedback I got from Andy and Shawn Castimanes.

They let me know (more than once) that they thought it was one of the best posts I had written. So I made a mental note to expand that blog post at some point.

Well, four years later I finally expanded that blog post inside my Copywriting Code membership site. It starts much the same as the original post — but draws on an extra four years of experience to expand on my original ideas.

#2 – How to Write a Sales Letter to Fill a Seminar, Workshop, or Live Event (1,217 words)

It wasn’t by design, but somehow I’ve ended up writing a lot of copy to fill seats at seminars.

And I’ve been fairly successful doing this.

So this post lists out (and explains) all the different elements that should be included in a sales letter that sells a seminar.

#3 – How to Write a Sales Letter to Sell an Information Product (914 words)

I’ve also written a lot of sales letters to sell information products.

I guess this is to be expected since so many online products are digital.

What I noticed is that writing copy for information products is distinctly different than writing copy for a physical product (like, say, a water filter).

So this post lists and explains all the elements I usually include in a sales letter for an information product, not to mention the order in which you should write those elements. (When selling an info product, I almost never write the headline first.)

Not a member yet? Become a Copywriting Code member today!Similar Posts:

Copywriting Critiques: New Special Offer

Ryan M. Healy — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:35:53 +0000

Early this year I ran a special offer on copywriting critiques and limited the special offer to just 8 people. All 8 of those have now been claimed.

So I updated my copy critique page with a brand NEW offer.

This particular special offer is limited to the first 3 people only. And just like I honored the limits on the last offer, I will honor the limits on this offer as well.

And since only 3 people can take advantage of it, all the slots could be taken within a week or two.

Here are a few reasons to seriously consider hiring me for a copywriting critique:

Reason #1: Copywriting Critiques Generate Big ROI

If you hire me to write copy for you — a sales letter, emails, etc. — chances are it will cost you a few thousand dollars. Obviously, while the investment may be worth it, it could take a month or two or three for you to make your money back.

On the other hand, since a copywriting critique is so much more affordable, you can sometimes make your money back within a week or two, depending on how quickly you implement the ideas I give you.

So far, of the people who’ve hired me, the majority have reported back positive results. Just last week, one guy said “weâ€™ve just tripled the sales based on your changes.” I love getting feedback like that!

Reason #2: Copywriting Critiques Are Fast

Once you provide me with a copy of your sales letter and answer the few questions I have, I will complete your critique in 2 weeks or less. That’s my standard delivery time.

I can in some cases finish a critique in less time. If you need faster turnaround, just email me first to make sure I can hit whatever deadline you’re shooting for. (Use my Contact page.)

But whether it’s one week or two weeks, you’re going to get fast feedback. And if you implement quickly on your end, you’ll have a better, stronger, more effective sales letter working for you in just 2-3 weeks.

Reason #3: Ideas from Copywriting Critiques Can Be Outsourced

Even if I do the critique, you can still outsource the implementation of the ideas to another copywriter.

In fact, one client recently did this. He first hired a more affordable copywriter to write the sales letter. Then he hired me to do the critique. Finally, he had his copywriter implement the changes.

This way, the letter was written — and significantly improved — without my client’s direct intervention.

Check Out the Special Offer Now…

Do you have a sales letter that needs improvement?

Would you like fresh ideas that could potentially triple your current conversion rate?

Then hire me for a copy critique. Here’s the link:

Copywriting Critique Special Offer (Limited to 3 People)

-Ryan M. HealySimilar Posts:

Vote for Your Favorite Headline

Ryan M. Healy — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:39:24 +0000

Right now, I’m toying around with a few different headlines for my Copywriting Code membership site.

In fact, my plan is to rewrite the headline and restructure the entire sales letter to be more persuasive.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to do something COMPLETELY different. Rather than do a split-test (since the site doesn’t get much traffic at this point), I thought I’d see what YOU think about the following headlines.

Please vote for your favorite headline or suggest one of your own.

Also, please keep in mind that Copywriting Code is a membership site that teaches both freelance copywriters and business owners how to write direct response copy.

Take Our Poll

Thanks in advance for your help!

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. Do you have an idea that needs more explanation? I’d love to hear it. Just leave a comment below.Similar Posts:

Are Pen Names Ethical?

Ryan M. Healy — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:06:34 +0000

Last week I received an email from a concerned blog reader. He writes:

Hey Ryan,

How do you reconcile Ryan Healy’s core value of honest copy with the _________ persona? Don’t get me wrong, I understand the concept of pen and stage names, but am not aware of a marketing equivalent.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

P.W.

So, are pen names ethical? And can they be used in a marketing context?

I think so.

In fact, every freelance copywriter is a ghost writer. The sales letters I write for clients are never published under my name. They are always published under the client’s name or a persona that the client has created.

So, in a sense, every successful freelance copywriter already has dozens of pen names.

But what if you want to start a new business and use a pen name? I think this is fine, too. There is no overt deception going on. The name you use doesn’t change the content or truthfulness of your copy.

Personally, I’ve chosen to use a nom de plume for a new info-publishing business. The pen name will help avoid confusion with my primary business: copywriting.

But while I’m using a different name, I’m not going to great lengths to hide my identity either. I registered the domain in my own name. I’ve even got pictures of me on the site.

The only difference is the focus of the business and the name I’ve chosen to use.

Of course, there are dozens of examples of pen names in the literary world. The average person doesn’t know that Mark Twain was a pseudonym used by Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Even well-educated people don’t know that George Orwell was a pseudonym used by Eric Blair.

But is there any kind of precedent in the marketing world today? Absolutely!

Take for instance David DeAngelo, the persona created by Eben Pagan to market his Double Your Dating products.

And then there’s James Chartrand of the popular blog Men with Pens. James recently revealed that he is not a man. He is a woman.

Just as Mary Ann Evans published her writing as George Eliot to overcome the bias against women, so James Chartrand is the pseudonym that an unnamed woman uses in the copywriting world. (When James revealed the truth on Copyblogger, it set off a firestorm of discussion: 531 comments, 2396 tweets, and 1689 Facebook “likes.”)

As James reveals in her story, she chose a male pen name as an experiment and found that she suddenly began to collect better fees. The rest, as they say, is history.

Personally, I decided to use a pen name to avoid confusion between my different web sites and businesses. And to create a brand that could be sold later if the opportunity ever came up. (It’s hard to sell a business that bears your own name.)

Anyway, I realize that the subject of pen names in business can sometimes be controversial and not everybody will agree as to how, when, and why they should be used. What do you think?

-Ryan M. HealySimilar Posts:

They Sent This Email Not Once, But Twice…

Ryan M. Healy — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:13:41 +0000

Just about all practitioners of direct response marketing know: When a piece is mailed twice, it’s most likely profitable.

Well, the same thing is true for email. When you see the same email — with the same subject line — sent out twice, it’s probably a winner.

What’s interesting is that almost NOBODY does this. The thinking is, “I’ve already sent this email once. Surely I can’t send it a second time because my subscribers will notice.”

True, some may notice. But chances are most of them won’t notice… because… they ignored the first email anyway.

Perfect example.

I wrote an email for a client with the following subject line:

“What If…”

We’ve now sent it out five times, with similar results every time. It is the best-performing email we’ve ever used for this particular market and product.

Here’s another example:

The Oxford Club sent me an email on June 16. They sent the same email with the same subject line again on June 21. (The only change was a short intro paragraph at the top of the 2nd email.) Here’s the subject line they used:

“Why August 12 Starts Phase Two of the Euro’s Meltdown”

Pretty compelling, wouldn’t you say? When I saw this, I literally HAD to open it.

Sometimes you can find great email subject lines just by “farming” your email inbox. Here are four recent examples (and one older example) that caught my attention:

The best advice I never received…
-AWAI

The Info-Marketer’s Most Precious Business Asset…
-Daniel Levis for The Makepeace Total Package

uh-oh. he’s naming names.
-Ray Edwards

Your copy bombed – now what?
-Carline Anglade-Cole

How to Break Into Financial Copywriting
-Doug D’Anna

Notice that most of these have to do with copywriting or direct response advertising. That’s because these subjects are major interests of mine.

Looking through my own inbox can be fun, but tedious. It takes time to find the gold.

But just imagine how easy it would be to come up with great subject lines if you had 527 of the best ones all compiled into an easy-to-use PDF?

That’s exactly what Lawrence Bernstein has done with “Made You Look: 527 Subject Lines that Dare You to Look Away.”

He and his partner, Art Crowley, reviewed 18,000 subject lines mailed over a three-year period to come up with the 527 that stood head and shoulders above the rest.

They then broke these down even further into 12 separate categories for easy reference.

This little gem normally sells for $97, but Lawrence is giving it away free when you join The Ultimate Online Swipe File through this link:

http://clickora.com/swipefile

Not to mention, I’ll also give you a free membership to Copywriting Code — my private web site where I share some of my best how-to copywriting info.

But please act quickly.

This offer expires on Friday evening, June 25. Please sign up now to claim your free gifts…

http://clickora.com/swipefile

-Ryan M. HealySimilar Posts:

3 More Good Reasons to Attend the Direct Marketing Master Class

Ryan M. Healy — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:18:49 +0000

If you’re thinking about attending the Copywriting & Direct Marketing Master Class on April 12, 2010, but you’re still on the fence, then here are 3 more good reasons you should attend.

Reason #1:

I’m going to be there.

In fact, I’ve already booked my flight into Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and I’ve made my hotel reservation.

Reason #2:

I’ll buy you dinner if you register through my affiliate link.

If you register for The System Seminar or either of the Master Class bonus sessions using my affiliate link… and you’ll be at the hotel on the evening of Sunday, April 11 or Monday, April 12… then I will personally buy you dinner.

Just let me know you’re going to be there by emailing me at rhealy [at] gmail [dot] com.

Reason #3:

I’ll give you a lifetime membership to Copywriting Code if you register through my affiliate link.

Right now, Copywriting Code is only $19.95 a month. That may increase in a month or two. We’ll see.

But no matter what happens, I’ll give you a free lifetime membership to Copywriting Code when you register for The System Seminar or either Master Class through my affiliate link.

Again, just let me know by emailing me at rhealy [at] gmail [dot] com.

See you soon?

So there you have it: three more good reasons to attend the Copywriting & Direct Marketing Master Class.

Get registered here. I hope to see you soon!

-Ryan M. HealySimilar Posts:

The Hardest Part about Copywriting

Ryan M. Healy — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:48:43 +0000

The hardest part about copywriting is not the writing part. That’s actually fairly easy once you get started. What’s hard is getting your copy to convert prospects into customers.

To say I’ve written a lot of copy during the last eight years is an understatement. And I’m continually surprised by how well some pieces do compared to others.

Here are four things that always surprise me:

1. When a sales piece converts far above expectations.

2. When a sales piece doesn’t convert as well as I’d like, and none of our efforts to improve the conversion rate seem to have much effect. (Rare, but it happens.)

3. When I split-test a letter and the version I expect to win, loses. (Or when the version I expect to lose, wins.)

4. When I split-test two completely different sales letters — and there’s almost zero difference in the conversion rate!

It will always be a mystery to me why one specific combination of words works better than another. But it doesn’t stop me from learning whatever I can and pressing forward.

I always appreciate what Claude Hopkins says in Scientific Advertising. He says the market is the court of last resort. Only the market can tell you what copy works and what copy doesn’t.

So the hardest part about copywriting is not the writing, but rather the rewriting, the testing, the tweaking, the struggle to improve conversions. This process never ends and requires constant attention.

Which means writing the sales letter is often just the beginning.

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. Want to get an inside look at split-tests I’ve conducted and their outcomes? Then sign up for Copywriting Code today.Similar Posts: