Want to quickly improve your copywriting skills?
One of the best ways is to study the best copywriters of all time.
This is what I did as a raw beginner.
I spent 3 months studying the best copywriters. Devouring their books and writing their ads out by hand.
In this post…
I’m going to share 10 valuable copywriting tips I’ve learned from 10 of the best copywriters on the planet.
Each tip is designed to be consumed & applied ASAP so you can experience desirable results.
Let’s get it on like Donkey Kong…
10 Copywriting Tips from Famous Copywriters to Explode Your Income
#1 Copywriting Tip: Gary Halbert's A-Pile vs B-Pile
Gary Halbert is probably the most successful copywriter who’s ever lived.
He launched his copywriting career in the 60s as a direct response copywriter.
He’s sold billions worth of products through his advertisements and sales letters. Including, The Coat of Arms Letter, the most mailed ad in HISTORY.
Gary was famous for his direct mail ads.
To boost response, he came up with an Einstein way to get his mail delivered and read by more customers.
How?
He reverse engineered the process people go through when receiving mail.
Gary realized how most people open their mail next to a trash bin and sort their mail into 2 piles.
B-pile: blatant advertisements they quickly toss in the trash.
A-pile: personal-looking letters they save for later.
Gary boosted his sales by writing direct mail that looked personal – like a relative was writing to you (from the outside cover to the inside message)
You can use this concept to boost results on ANY platform you write for (Google Ads, YouTube, blogs, etc.)
Here’s how…
Reverse engineer the exact process your target audience goes through on whatever platform you’re writing on.
Before you write, spend some time-consuming content on this media.
While you do…
Ask yourself:
What content gets you to stop scrolling and read more?
What makes you quickly ignore posts and scroll right past them?
Does any content entice you to click a link? Why?
Break down your reader’s process.
Figure out what type of content gets people to stop scrolling, read and click on, then… model after it.
If you do, I can almost guarantee you will experience shocking results.
#2 Copywriting Tip: Claude C. Hopkin's Curiosity
Claude Hopkins is the founding father of direct response advertising.
He worked for a handful of big advertising agencies like Swift & Company and Lord & Thomas.
Claude taught how advertising’s sole purpose is to sell.
Not to be clever, humorous or entertaining.
Instead, ads should be measured by scientific tests and justified by their results.
Claude C. Hopkin’s data-driven approach transformed advertising & copywriting as we know it.
He single-handedly created a crystal clear system for advertising success through scientific tests.
In his famous book, Scientific Advertising, Claude explained the importance of curiosity.
Believe it or not…
Curiosity is the single most persuasive technique you can use in your writing.
Fun fact:
Did you know people will buy a product, they had no intention of buying, solely because they were curious?
It’s true.
Curiosity creates a furious itch on our buying glands.
If you sprinkle curiosity throughout your copy, you will effectively grab attention, engage your readers and make it virtually impossible NOT to buy from you.
#3 Copywriting Tip: Eugene Schwartz's Alarm Clock
Eugene Schwartz is one of the best copywriters who’s ever lived.
He started his c career at an advertising firm – Huber Hoge & Sons – as a messenger boy and quickly worked his way up to head copy chief.
In 1954, Eugene went into business for himself and was very successful because of his advanced copywriting skills.
The 33.33-Minute Productivity Hack
Eugene revealed his secret for writing EXTREMELY fast.
Here it is…
Whenever Eugene wrote copy, he set a 33.33-minute timer.
During these 33.33 minutes, he worked like a mule.
When his timer went off, he stopped writing and took a short break.
Then, once his break was up, he’d start the process over again.
He repeated this until he was done with whatever he was writing.
How did this help him write faster?
Work expands the time given.
When you give yourself strict deadlines, you’ll automatically work faster.
Whenever I write, I set a timer (The time I set varies for what I’m writing. For example, 7-minute timer for emails.)
The next time you write, set a 33.33-minute timer. You’ll double your writing speed (if not more).
#4 Copywriting Tip: Joe Sugarman's Headline Hack
Joseph Sugarman was a direct response advertising legend.
He founded JS&A Group, a company recognized for innovative products (such as BluBlocker sunglasses).
The ONLY Purpose of Your Headline
Headlines are VERY important.
So much so, that it can be very stressful to create a “winning” headline.
However, this tip will make your job a LOT easier
In Joe Sugarman’s book, The Adweek Copywriting Handbook, he revealed the true purpose of your headline.
It only has ONE goal…
To get your readers to read the first sentence.
Simple, huh?
Never forget this.
It will help you tremendously when writing headlines.
#5 Copywriting Tip: Victor O. Schwab's Emotions vs Logic Secret
Victor O. Schwab was one of the most successful & influential direct response copywriters of all time. He was one of the first copywriters to use scientific principles in advertising.
Sell on emotion, justify purchase with logic
2 elements go into a sale.
Emotion & logic.
Victor Schwab was one of the first copywriters to clearly articulate that people buy off emotion and justify their purchase with logic.
These two “sales” forces work together in harmony.
Logic backs emotion so that we can justify our spending to friends and family.
Plus…
Emotion backs logic because the stronger the emotional appeal is presented, the more readily your proof material (logic) will be believed.
Every time you write copy, tap into your reader’s core emotions through stories, image words and painting a bright vision of their problems, wants, desires, and all relevant emotions.
Then, back up all your emotional claims with logic – testimonials, case studies, specific details, credentials, stats and all that good stuff.
#6 Copywriting Tip: Doug D'anna's Copywriting Treat
Doug D’Anna is one of the best copywriters. He has an impressive track record of direct response copywriting success.
His writing has generated $100+ million in sales for companies, including Agora, Forbes, Boardroom and Men’s Health.
Would you like to know how to instantly boost sales through your writing?
I’m going to reveal one of the simplest ways.
I learned this secret weapon while listening to an interview between Ben Settle and Doug D’anna.
Doug told Ben how copywriters make selling WAAAY too complicated.
Proof:
Imagine…
You’re at your friend’s house.
He has a dog.
And you want his dog to come to you, instead of your friend.
How would you achieve this?
Easy.
Hold up a yummy treat.
Believe it or not, this simple concept applies to selling to humans too.
The treat?
Find out what your ideal reader wants most.
Then, simply mention it throughout your copy.
Emphasize its benefits, how easy it is to obtain, how they must act fast before it’s gone, and all that yummy stuff (copywriting 101).
#7 Copywriting Tip: Mel Martin's Fascination Bullets
Mel was a mail-order advertising legend.
After Eugene Schwartz (mentioned above) helped Marty Edelston build the foundation for Boardroom (multi-million dollar publishing company), it was Mel Martin’s copywriting that launched it into a $100 million per year beast.
Mel Martin is celebrated for his “fascination” bullets.
He’s labeled “the best fascination copywriter you've probably never heard of".
Here's 3 of my favorite bullets he’s written:
- What never to eat on an airplane
- Bills it’s okay to pay late
- What credit companies don’t tell you
If you want to become a better copywriter, study Mel’s bullets and write them out by hand.
Here are a bunch of bullets to get you started:
https://swiped.co/person/mel-martin/
https://infomarketingblog.com/mel-martin-fascinations/
#8 Copywriting Tip: John Carlton's Copywriting Hooks
“The most ripped-off writer on the Web” is an infamous copywriter.
Carlton started as a freelance copywriter.
He was the secret sales weapon behind many companies (ad agencies would “sneak” him in through the back door to do the selling that their employees couldn’t do).
John Carlton’s One-Legged Golfer ad is probably the most ripped-off ad of all time (especially by online marketers).
For one simple reason…
The unique hook he used in the headline:
Amazing Secret Discovered By
One-Legged Golfer Adds 50 Yards
To Your Drives Eliminates Hooks
and Slices… And Can Slash Up To
10 Strokes From You’re Game
Almost Overnight!
Carlton was a master at finding unique hooks to display in his headlines and base their overall themes around.
To learn more about how to write attention-grabbing hooks, see this ultimate guide I created: The Ultimate Guide to Copywriting Hooks (#1 Way to Write Killer Headlines)
#9 Copywriting Tip: Gary Bencivenga's Proof Sandwhich
Gary Bencivnga is widely considered to be “the greatest living copywriter in the world.
He is one of the most famous copywriters in the financial direct mail niche. He has sold billions worth of products through his writing.
Nowadays, we are bombarded by ads and pounded with their cringe hype and unbelievable claims.
Gary realized this and used it to his advantage.
He revealed that when you add proof to your claims, you make them far more believable.
This is a MUST.
For readers to buy from you, they must BELIEVE what you’re saying is true BEFORE they pull out their wallets.
The best way to make your claims more believable is to “sandwich” proof elements between them.
Proof elements:
- Social proof
- Scientific studies
- Awards won
- Years of experience
- Testimonials
Make sure you lace your copy with proof and that your claims are never bigger than your proof elements.
#10 Copywriting Tip: Robert Collier's Conversation
Collier was a successful author of self-help books. His book The Secret of the Ages sold 300,000+ copies. Collier wrote about the practical psychology of abundance, desire, visualization, and personal development. His book, "The Robert Collier Letter Book," emphasized the importance of persuasive writing in direct response copywriting.
Whenever writing copy, you want to enter the conversation your prospect is already having inside their mind.
Here’s how:
Picture yourself as your prospect…
You are bored.
You’re mindlessly scrolling through social media (or whatever platform you’re writing for)….
What’s the ONE thing you could read that would get you to stop scrolling?
Find this out, through research, and place it in your headline.
If you do, you will instantly boost response.
Conclusion
You now possess something very valuable.
10 proven copywriting tips to explode your writing skills and help you boost your income.
Study these 10 best copywriters and read any ads, books and information you can find online.
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