Copywriting Tips

When it’s smart to feature your flaws

There’s an old ad industry saying that goes: If you can’t fix it, feature it. It’s a bit crass, but there’s truth to it. Here’s what I mean… Let’s say you have a wonderful product. But it has a characteristic that your prospect may automatically perceive as a flaw. Most companies try to hide it, [...]

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Adopt an imaginary friend for more persuasive copy

Many moons ago when I was a newbie copywriter, I taped a note to my monitor that read in big black letters, “Who are you writing to?” That reminder kept me from sounding like a corporate drone. As a direct-response copywriter, my copy is usually selling something to a mass audience. And when you’re writing [...]

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Why you should use online forms like pick-up lines

The other day, I clicked an email link to download a free report from a company I don’t know, but they were recommended by a source I trust. Yes, I know this “free” report was a lead generation device. But when the report seems interesting enough and the source seems credible enough, I’m willing to [...]

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Does your copy pass the cup o’ Joe test?

    Have you ever noticed how you suddenly sound more formal when you write a letter or type an email? Take a typical past due letter. So many companies talk about customer service and developing customer relationships. Then they shoot stuff off like this: Dear Mr. Smith: We appreciate your business. However, our records [...]

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A dead billionaire’s secret to selling

Charles Revson, the founder of Revlon Cosmetics, is famous for saying, “Look, kiddie. I built this business by being a bastard. I run it by being a bastard. I’ll always be a bastard, and don’t you ever try to change me.” What a guy. Revson was so offensive, vendors often refused to do business with [...]

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Creating sales-driven taglines

Do you have a tagline or a slogan? What’s the difference you ask? Here’s my non-marketing-speak definition: Slogans are rather generic and can apply to different industries. And taglines show a unique and specific benefit of the product and can’t apply easily to other products or industries. A slogan example is Nike’s “Just do it.” [...]

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The selling style that gets repeat sales

Do you like being sold to? The kind of selling where the salesperson talks fast, doesn’t let you get a word in and almost shouts things at you Of course, there’s a place for everything. And if you don’t want referrals, if you don’t want your customer to buy from you again, and you enjoy [...]

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How to offend your prospects

The other day, I got the type of email you’ve probably seen dozens of times in your own inbox. It was a cold-call sales letter. You know…junk mail…sp*m. Confucius said you can learn something from everyone. So we’re going to look at the offending email to see what NOT to do when soliciting prospects. Starting [...]

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Generate 3X more responses with these two sentences

You probably know when people read a sales letter (online or in print), they read the headline first. Once you capture their attention with your eyeball-grabbing headline, what do you think the reader looks at next? The postscript.  Yep, they skip all the way to the end. After feeling intrigued by your headline, the reader’s [...]

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Rodent feces and other details that sell

Years ago when I picked my boys up from school, they’d scramble into the car as if each second spent on school grounds infected them with some incurable disease. They couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I’d ask, “How was your day?” In a synchronized monotone they’d answer, “Fine.” “What made it fine?” I’d [...]

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