Copywriters Podcast

Discover the intriguing world of copywriting as the hosts break down the differences between direct and indirect leads. Learn how the right lead can dramatically impact sales and engage readers more effectively. The discussion includes the art of persuasion through indirect communication, especially on sensitive topics. With practical examples and personal stories, they reveal when to use each lead type to capture attention, particularly in marketing strategies like landing pages and social media.

Explore the concept of 'monster creativity' as a learned skill rather than just talent. Hear how curiosity and perseverance can enhance creative abilities, along with the importance of experience and reflection. Discover the art of effective copywriting, where practice sharpens instincts. Learn strategies for generating innovative ideas and the significance of incorporating diverse examples to connect with customers. Plus, get insights on navigating ethical responsibilities in persuasive writing!

Discover how perceived value can transform consumer spending decisions, showcased through a personal story about investing in costly music software. Learn the power of 'value stacking' to enhance customer perception and communicate benefits over mere features. Explore key reasons behind consumer purchases and how aligning offerings with these motivations can elevate perceived value. Finally, gain insights into effective advertising strategies that frame products as must-have choices while enhancing your copywriting skills for future success.

Discover the art of powerful copywriting by likening it to building muscle. Learn how active voice clarifies your writing and engages your readers. Personalization is key—include individuals to boost connection and conversion rates. Explore effective storytelling techniques that use strong hooks and cliffhangers to maintain interest. Plus, get actionable tips from notable writing books to enhance your craft. This is your chance to make your writing not just good, but muscular!

On June 23, 1965, a group out of Detroit called The Contours released a record which became a big hit. The tune was written by written by Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers, and it was called “First, I Look At The Purse.” Many other groups covered this song afterwards, including the Jay Geils Band. It’s a very interesting song… but, when it comes to critiquing copy, I have my own version. Actually, I don’t have a whole song, just a title at this point. Maybe someday I’ll write the song and then release it first on this podcast, Nathan. We could even do it as a duet. But for now, just the title. It’s… “First I Look For The Hook!” In any piece of copy, your hook’s so important. We’ll get into what it is in a minute, and how you can find your best hook for any copy you’re writing. This will be a revelation to a lot of people. But before we do, first an important announcement from your conscience: Copy is powerful. You’re responsible for how you use what you hear on this podcast. Most of the time, common sense is all you need. But if you make extreme claims… and/or if you’re writing copy for offers in highly regulated industries like health, finance, and business opportunity… you may want to get a legal review after you write and before you start using your copy. My larger clients do this all the time. What is a hook? How is it different than the headline? 1. My own story: Let your clients do your selling. 2. Ted Nicholas story: The only way left for the little guy to get rich. 3. Stuart Lichtman story: How to get lots of money for anything fast. What do these all have in common? (besides money) All came from paying attention First two cases, just looking and listening In the third case, research — digging, asking questions, seeing if you could look at it a different way Here’s one that’s not about money — it’s about another one of life’s necessities, beer Claude Hopkins - Schlitz First one to tell There was resistance — but they finally agreed to use it, and it worked There is a technique to create a hook quickly, which we’ve talked about twice before (most recently in “The USP Shortcut,” episode 38) STEP 1: Make a list of what people hate about competitors STEP 2: Find the one thing highest on the list that you can do the opposite of STEP 3: Use that as your hook, your USP Example - BMW, about 10 years ago Even though there’s that technique and it can work, the best hooks usually come from observation or research Here’s a short list of things to look for: What have you or your client overlooked that’s simple and emotionally compelling? What’s a memorable way to say it? What “lights up the boards?” (Gets a lot of response.) (Ted Nicholas example.)Download.

Copywriting is a lot like magic. With good sales copy, you can hold a reader captive. You can take them on a journey and open them up a world of opportunities. You can spell out some words and cast a spell on your readers. David Allan is both a copywriter and a magician. He joins the podcast this week to share some of his knowledge with our listeners. We talk about the overlap between his two worlds, including the skills he's been able to bring over from one to the other. David reveals some of the secrets of human nature that makes magic work. Then he explains how those same aspects of our nature apply to persuasive sales copy. This one is a "must listen" episode. Download.

How does copywriting apply to a sales funnel? David Allan joins us to break it down. We start with the 5,000-foot view by exploring what funnels are and how they work. Then, David goes over some simple rules to follow when building your sales funnels. We cover some of the most common mistakes people make when crafting their sales funnels. And David shares some of his favorite resources for people to learn more. If you're trying to build out a full-fledged marketing machine for your business, this is the episode for you. Download it now.Download.

Discover how emotional appeals can revolutionize copywriting, especially for those coming from a journalistic background. Explore the Seven Deadly Sins and how they can be leveraged in marketing, from lust and greed to sloth and wrath. Learn how tapping into human emotions, like fear of loss, creates impactful messages. Uncover the potential of pride as a motivator, transforming it into an asset for consumer engagement. This lively discussion demystifies the psychological factors driving purchasing decisions.

1 Bob story "Like my family's kitchen." My experience was a little different - Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford. I knew how to ask questions - but still hadn't learned how to ask engaging questions that helped people to open up. That's what I've spent the last 40 years learning, and I'll share what I can today with you. 0.1 Warning Copy is powerful. You’re responsible for how you use what you hear on this podcast. Most of the time, common sense is all you need. But if you make extreme claims… and/or if you’re writing copy for offers in highly regulated industries like health, finance, and business opportunity… you may want to get a legal review after you write and before you start using your copy. My larger clients do this all the time. 2 What interviewing is It's not an interrogation It's a conversation starts with building rapport Stan Russell - Jerry Richardson, The Magic of Rapport http://a.co/e3JqwHo Comes from experience, common sense, skills training, clarity of your purpose of the interview -- and, research ahead of time. "It's all part of the job-one must be prepared to be a host, to share food, to entertain with stories, to basically do anything and everything to make the subject feel comfortable, to put them at ease, so that when you turn on that tape recorder and begin asking questions they feel like they're talking to a friend. It's not always easy to be such a chameleon, but that is what a good in­terviewer must be." From a book I'll mention later. 3 Why interviewing is important There's stuff you need to know You can't find out all of it from book/internet research alone. So you need to talk to people. And people are glad to talk to you, almost all of the time, if you can convey to them that you are truly interested in what they have to say. That's where interviewing comes in. 4 -- 3 tips - what to do 1. Prepare. Find out all you can before the interview. Not to show off your knowledge. More to avoid annoying the person you're interviewing by showing a lack of respect for their time, asking a question you could easily have found the answer to, yourself. 2. Listen. Strive to understand what the person is saying. Don't be in a rush. Respect their time, but give them time to answer. 3. Be ready for the interview to go in a different direction than you had planned. Sometimes you'll get gems from tangents! 5 - 3 tips - what not to do 1. Avoid the urge to show how clever you are. I learned this the hard way, starting on the South Lawn of the White House in 1976. The person you're interviewing appreciates intelligence, but they may resent your efforts to one-up them. Be humble. 2. Don't be like an interrogator in a detective show on TV. Harsh yes/no questions leave people cold and defensive. You want to do the opposite -- make them comfortable so they open up. 3. Don't be in a rush. Respect the time limits you've agreed to, but be as relaxed and focused as you can be. One of the great interviewing skills is to make the person you're talking to feel like they are the most important person in the world! 6 Summary and book rec Prepare; make it a conversation where the person you're interviewing does most of the talking. You can tell a little about yourself to disclose who you are as a person, and as the interviewer doing this job -- but keep it short. Develop and maintain trust. Take really good notes or better yet, record with permission. Book recommendation: The Art of the Interview, by Lawrence Grobel. One of the great journalistic interviewers of our time. This gives you a lot more than you need to know for what you'll be doing -- unless you'll be interviewing celebrities for articles in major magazines -- but you can glean tips and techniques from one of the greats. He also taught a class on this subject at UCLA, his alma mater. He really does know how to teach through storytelling! http://a.co/iLgeYPCDownload.

The podcast discusses the importance of having a strong USP in copywriting and its relevance in selling products. They share a personal story about cigarettes with a strong USP and explore whether a USP can be used to market healthy and good products. They also provide a shortcut for creating a USP and discuss the power of addressing customer skepticism.