Thinking about becoming a copywriter in 2024?

Copywriting CAN be a great career IF you can provide supreme value for your clients.

However, before you can provide them value, you must master a few basic copywriting skills.

If you master these skills…

You will always be in red-hot demand and can realistically earn “10k/month” while writing from anywhere in the world.

In this blog post…

I’m going to reveal what copywriting is, the 5 must-have copywriting skills and how to quickly master these copywriter skills so you can kick major bootay in 2024 and beyond!

 

What is Copywriting?

It’s VERY simple.

Copywriting is salesmanship in print.

Meaning:

Instead of selling face-to-face, using your mouth, you are selling to hundreds, thousands, even millions at a time through your writing.

This is the power of copywriting.

It’s sales on steroids.

Copywriting will always be in hot demand because companies will always need to convert more customers and sell more products.

Your main job as a copywriter is to help companies sell more products and grow their businesses.

 

What are Copywriting Skills?

Copywriting skills go beyond just stringing words together.

It involves understanding consumer psychology, creating a connection with your audience, and using language to evoke emotions and trigger desired responses.

A successful copywriter needs to be versatile and adapt their writing style to suit different mediums, from social media and emails to websites and print materials.

However, the core copywriting skills needed to craft a persuasive message remain the same on ANY media you write for.

Speaking of core copywriting skills…

 

The 5 Main Copywriting Skills You Must Have to Succeed

1. Storytelling

Telling stories is one of the easiest and most effective ways to write sizzling hot copy that sells.

When you tell a story in your copy, you're not just selling a product or service; you're selling an experience, a solution to a problem, or a vision of a better future.

This emotional resonance is what makes your message memorable and persuasive.

In a world inundated with information, stories stand out.

They slice through the noise like a katana blade and engage readers in a way that straightforward, facts, features and benefits simply cannot.

Stories cover all the bases over creating powerful copy - solves problems, paints vision, educates, entertains, taps into emotions, and so on.

Tell learn more about how to master the art of storytelling in copy, read this blog post:

How to Use Storytelling in Copywriting to Multiply Your Income (With 5 Examples from Real Ads)

 

2. Clarity

In the wise words of the greatest copywriter who’s ever lived…

“No man ever went broke overestimating the ignorance of the American public.”

Good copywriting is stupidly simple, clear and easy to understand (at a glance).

It’s not that your readers aren’t intelligent, but their attention runs cracker thin.

Nowadays, we are bombarded by ads on a daily basis.

We have a million different ads, messages, notifications, fighting for our attention at once.

So, to cut through the noise and increase the chances of getting read, make your ad extremely clear, and simple to read and understand.

2 ways to achieve this…

1. Write at a 5^th grade level
2. Use simple everyday language. Write how you would talk to a close friend.

 

3. Grab Attention

If you don’t grab your reader’s attention, they will never read a word you write.

And, more importantly, they will never buy from you.

So, you must become a MASTER at grabbing attention.

This is the job of your headline.

I’ve written over 2,000 words explaining how to write attention-grabbing headlines. This is a VERY DETAILED crash course giving you everything you need to grab your audience’s attention. You can read it here.

However, if you understand this, you will be a-okay:

Every headline you write should flag down your ideal reader’s attention. Like a giant red stop sign with their name on it.

 

4. Turning Features to Benefits

One of the top copywriting skills to have is the ability to turn boring features into exciting benefits.

Benefits are what the features will DO for the reader.

Your readers only care about what’s in it for them.

They will only read your copy and buy from you if they WANT to.

So, to get them to want to buy from you, make sure you load up your copy with heaps of irresistible benefits.

How do you turn features into benefits?

How do you make these benefits irresistible?

Click here.

 

 

5. Persuasive Call to Actions

The purpose of your call to action is to get your readers to take a specified action (usually to purchase a product or join an email newsletter.)

You can have the best writing in the world, but if you don’t tell your readers EXACTLY what to do next (buy), your hard work will be for nothing.

And, to get readers to buy from you, you must give them crystal clear, step-by-step instructions on what to do.

Plus, you must add urgency and scarcity to light a fire under their booties and get them to click “buy now”.

To learn how to write killer CTAs go here:

The Ultimate CTA Copywriting Guide for Copywriters Who Want to Boost Sales

 

 

How to QUICKLY Improve Your Copywriting Skills

The best way to quickly improve your copywriting skills is to learn, practice and WRITE.

Read these 10 copywriting books:

1. The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
2. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman
3. How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab
4. Scientific Advertising By Claude Hopkins
5. The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy
6. Ogilvy on Advertising By David Ogilvy
7. Tested Advertising Methods By John Caples
8. Cashvertising By Drew Eric Whitman
9. The Copywriter’s Handbook By Bob Bly
10. Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel By John Carlton

To learn more about these books and their authors (all great copywriters), click on this blog post.

While you read, practice these 5 copywriting exercises.

And write, write, write.

 

Conclusion

Copywriting is just like any other skill.

To improve your copywriting skills, you must practice.

The more you learn, practice and write, the better you’ll become.

The day you stop improving is the day you die.

So, get to writing! And never stop.

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If you want to write copy that sells, you HAVE to learn from the godfather of advertising.

Scientific Advertising by Claude C Hopkins is the Bible for copywriters who want to persuade readers to open their wallets and buy from them.

It is jam-packed with valuable copywriting principles, strategies and secrets that can explode your income.

In this blog post…

I’m going to reveal the 5 biggest lessons I’ve learned from Scientific Advertising.

I’ve added my own insights to help you get the most out of them.

If you apply them to your writing, I can almost guarantee you will boost sales with every ad you write.

 

Who Was Claude C. Hopkins?

Claude C. Hopkins was one of the founding fathers of direct response advertising.

He worked for a handful of big wig advertising agencies like Swift & Company and Lord & Thomas.

In 1907, Claude was hired by Albert Lasker to work for Lord & Thomas for a starting salary of….

$185,000.

Guess how much $185,000 was back 116 years ago?

$5,000,000

Per year!

Claude C. Hopkins could command these elephant-sized fees because he got RESULTS for the companies he worked for.

You see…

Claude understood that advertising’s sole purpose is to sell products.

Not to be clever, humorous or entertaining.

None of that mumbo jumbo you see on TV.

Instead, ads should be measured by scientific tests and justified by the sales they produce.

Claude C. Hopkin’s data-driven approach transformed advertising & copywriting forever.

He single-handedly turned a once mysterious profession into a crystal clear system for advertising success.

If you follow the hard-won secrets found in his book, you too can follow a clear path for getting results through your writing.

 

5 Valuable Lessons from Scientific Advertising to Transform Your Writing Skills (With Quotes)

1.“Remember the people you address are selfish, as we all are. They care nothing about your interests or profit. They seek service for themselves. Ignoring this fact is a common mistake and a costly mistake in advertising”

How many self-centered ads do you see each day?

We are bombarded with ignorant ads that brag and boast about the company.

How superior their product is, how many shiny awards they’ve won, how many customers they have.

Yada. Yada. Yada.

It’s all about them, them, them.

This is ASS BACKWARDS.

It’s common knowledge amongst sales pros and psychologists…

Humans only care about themselves.

We are deeply selfish.

But you can tap into this human trait by writing about what your READERS want most.

Find out through research…

Then…

Get inside their world and write about what THEY are interested in.

Write about what THEY want.

Fill your copy with “you” language.

Talk directly to your reader in a friendly, down-to-earth way and help them solve their problems.

If you give them what they want, they will reward you with their credit cards.

 

2. “Use pictures only to attract those who may profit you. Use them only when they form a better selling argument than the same amount of space set in type.”

In Scientific Advertising, Claude C Hopkins made it window clear that pictures in ads have one main purpose.

To grab your ideal reader’s attention and guide them to read your copy.

You should never add anything to your ad, or any piece of copy, that does not strengthen your sales message.

Pictures should not be added to get a cheap laugh, entertain or impress.

The overall layout, structure, pictures, highlighted words, etc, all should push your sales message along and get readers to read every word you write.

This concept expands just pictures and layout though.

It relates to EVERY word you write.

Every word you write should help attract eyeballs, engage readers and persuade them to buy.

If not…

Delete them.

 

3. “We learn, for instance, that curiosity is one of the strongest human incentives.”

In Scientific Advertising, Claude C Hopkins revealed the BIGGEST reason why people buy from ads…

Curiosity.

Curiosity is the single most persuasive sales technique to use in your copy.

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 fierce itch on our brains that we MUST scratch.

If you soak your copy in curiosity, you will grab attention, engage your readers and make it virtually impossible NOT to buy from you.

2 best places to add curiosity:

1. Headlines/subject lines
2. Bullets

 

4. “Ads are not written to entertain. When they do, those entertainment seekers rare little likely to be the people whom you want. This is one of the greatest advertising faults. Ad writers abandon their part. They forgot they are salesmen and try to be performers. Instead of sales, they seek applause.”

Throughout Scientific Advertising, Claude Hopkins stressed how copywriting is nothing more than salesmanship in print.

The same principles of good salesmanship apply to writing persuasive copy.

Your ad’s #1 goal is to SELL.

Claude gives tons of time-tested sales lessons and principles throughout Scientific advertising.

Perhaps the best being…

Find out what people want…

Then…

Help them get it.

Simple, huh?

If you discover what people want most and demonstrate how you can help them get it through your writing, you can earn virtually any amount of money you desire.

 

5. “In the same way it is found that an offer limited to a certain class of people is far more effective than a general offer.”

Scientific Advertising taught me how trying to please everyone in my writing is the WRONG move.

Good copy is written to ONE person.

Your IDEAL buyer.

Everything you write MUST be targeted to them and only them.

Appeal to their interests, wants and desires and strike emotional chords with this particular buyer.

If you talk about what they’re interested in, you will NEVER bore them.

And if you offer them a risk-free guarantee of something they desperately want or need, they will buy in droves.

 

Conclusion

Apply these 5 copywriting lessons PRONTO.

They are worth their weight in gold.

Also, make sure you read Scientific Advertising by Claude C. Hopkins AT LEAST 10 times.

It will be one of the greatest copywriting educations you ever receive.

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The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert holds a special place in my yellow heart.

It’s the first copywriting book I’ve ever read.

The wisdom inside these letters has helped me build my copywriting skills, launch my career and have directly resulted in thousands of hard-earned coinage over the years.

The same can be true for you.

There is a treasure chest worth of copywriting principles, tips and strategies just waiting to be discovered by aspiring copywriters.

I’m going to share 6 valuable lessons from The Boron Letters that have transformed my copywriting.

Just one lesson can make you a more persuasive writer and boost your sales almost overnight.

Apply all 6 to your writing, and you’ll be in a league of your own.

In this blog post…

I’m going to quickly cover who Gary Halbert is, what The Boron Letters are, and reveal 6 money-attracting tips to help you write better copy.

 

Who is Gary Halbert?

Gary Halbert, The Prince of Print, is probably the most famous copywriter who’s ever lived.  

He revolutionized copywriting as we know it and has fathered thousands of successful copywriters through his ads, seminars and courses.

Gary specialized in direct response copywriting in the ‘60s.

Over his 40+ years of writing copy, he has sold billions worth of products through his magnetic ads.

One of his ads, The Coat of Arms Letter, is the single most mailed piece of advertising in US HISTORY.

Halbert has a success record as long as a giraffe’s neck, filled with blockbuster ads, world-famous clients and dozens of successful business ventures.

 

What are The Boron Letters?

The Boron Letters is like the bible for copywriters.

Gary Halbert wrote 25 letters to his son, Bond, while serving time in Boron Federal Prison.

I’m glad he went to prison...

Because these letters hold some of the greatest lessons on copywriting, marketing, sales & business.

They are extremely fun, engaging and quick to read.

You’ll learn the basics of direct response copywriting and discover tons of valuable tips to explode your writing skills.

As you read The Boron Letters, pay extra attention to Gary’s writing style.

The lessons he teaches are dynamite, but studying Gary’s structure, flow and writing style will help you understand good sales copy like nothing else.

Go here to read The Boron Letters online for free:

The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert

 

6 Copywriting Secrets from The Boron Letters That’ll Turn You Into a Pro Copywriter

1. The #1 Copywriting Formula

Gary spends a few letters specifically on his favorite copywriting formula:

AIDA.

AIDA stands for:

Attention

Interest

Desire

Action

This is a foolproof structure to follow when writing sales copy.

It’s the essential steps (in order) that you must make to craft a persuasive sales message.

Here’s how it’s done:

Grab your ideal reader’s attention by flagging them down and appealing to their self-interest.

Then…

Suck them into your copy and get them reading like a pimply geek by piquing their interest with interesting facts about your offer/topic.

Then...

Turn things up a notch by talking about all the juicy benefits of your product. What will these benefits DO for your reader? How will their lives change? What new, desirable life will they gain?

Now…

Seal the deal by telling them exactly what to do next. Give them crystal clear instructions. Stress how easy it is to buy and tell them WHY they should buy NOW.

Follow this structure the next time you write copy. You’ll be shocked at the results.

 

2. Why Clickbait is for Losers

Gary primarily wrote direct mail advertisements (you know, the pieces of paper you throw in the trash each day).

To prevent getting spiked into the garbage can, Gary would use “grabbers”. Lumpy objects to grab attention, like coins, bags of sand, widgets, etc.

However, he always explained WHY he included these grabbers, within the first few sentences.

Waaaay too many marketers and copywriters who have not gotten this message.

NOBODY LIKES CLICKBAIT.

You know, those ridiculous articles, social media posts and ads that trick you into clicking something totally irrelevant.

This sleazeball shenanigan may get a quick click, but it pisses people off and burns bridges.

Do not do this in your copy.

By all means, grab your reader’s attention any way you can, but pay it off FAST in your copy.

 

3. The Power of Awareness

 

Gary explained how a big determining factor between those who make it in copywriting vs those who don’t, has to do with awareness.

You must be aware of what’s going on in your reader’s world.

More specifically:

How are current events, news and industry trends affecting your readers?

In the wise words of Robert collier:

You always want to enter the conversation your readers are having inside their heads.

Well, by paying attention to what’s effecting your readers, and then strategically bringing it up in your copy, you are entering the convo inside their head.

This instantly builds rapport and shows them you are one of them. Plus, people will read just about anything that interests them. Stay inside their world, and you cannot lose.

 

4. Believability

Gary Halbert revealed that believability is one of the most important ingredients of brewing steaming hot copy.

One of the easiest ways to get readers to believe your claims is to give exact details.

• Numbers
• Facts
• Stats

Load your copy with specific details about your product, benefits, features… stories you tell… your reader’s problems, desires, and so on.

The more details you give, the more believable your copy will be.

And the more believable you make your copy, the more sales you’ll rake in.

 

5. Common Sense

I love this quote from The Boron Letters...

“If you use good common sense, your chances of success are excellent. Where people go wrong is by making it too complicated

One of my favorite books is Obvious Adams.

It’s all about the concept of simplifying things.

Often, the answer to our big problems is so obvious and simple, it’s silly.

The simplest way for you to write knockout copy is to study your market intensely.

Solely base all your copy on what your READERS want, need and are interested in.

If you dig deep enough, you’ll almost always find the answers poking you in the face.

 

6. Reason Why

Believe it or not, writing is not the most important part of copywriting.

In fact, it’s only 20%.

Ad success = 40% the market + 40% the offer + 20% the actual writing.

Gary gave away solid gold for writing killer offers…

Add a reason why your offer is so good.

For example, if you offer a discount, add a quick reason WHY you are giving a generous discount.

It’s not hard to do.

You can practically say anything:

• I’m slashing 20% off because it’s my birthday
• My warehouse burnt down and only 50 products remain

It only takes a few sentences (or words) to back up your offers with reasons why. And the results can be night and day because they make your offers more believable.

 

Conclusion

Apply these 6 lessons from the Boron Letters to your writing ASAP.

Plus, make sure you read The Boron Letters many times.

You can grab The Boron Letters online here:

The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert

There are hundreds of additional copywriting, marketing and business secrets to multiply your earning potential.

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One of the biggest mistakes beginner copywriters make is trying to sell using logic.

Logic equals:

• Facts
• Figures
• Scientific studies
• Stats
• Features

Don’t get it twisted, logic does have a place in your sales message.

However, to sell effectively, you must write emotional copy that taps into your readers’ core emotions.

Jim Camp, the world’s most feared negotiator, explained how top doctors and psychologists discovered that humans with severe brain damage, who lost the ability to feel emotions, were incapable of making decisions.

Emotion drives decisions.

Emotional copywriting fuels purchases, NOT logic.

Over the last 100+ years, the top copywriters & marketers have pinpointed the most powerful emotional triggers to persuade prospects and convert them into raving customers.

In this blog post…

I’m going to reveal 10 of the most powerful emotional triggers to target in your copy to effortlessly persuade your readers. The more emotional triggers you “hit”, the more persuasive and effective your message will be at driving desirable results.

 

10 Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Writing to Instantly Sell More Products

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #1: Honesty

Joseph Sugarman explained how honesty is the most powerful emotional trigger.

You MUST convey strong feelings of integrity and honesty throughout your sales message.

Why?

People will buy from you ONLY IF they BELIEVE what you say is true.

This is why 95% of copy online SUCKS hairy donkey balls.

It is laced with unbelievable claims, hype and straight-up lies.

So many red flags jump out and attack innocent readers and scare them away.

Sure, a few suckers may fall for ridiculous claims, but most won’t.

Most readers are very skeptical.

Write to the skeptics.

The best way to tap into this emotional trigger is to BRUTALLY HONEST with everything you say.

Bring up common flaws, disadvantages and objections (early in your copy) BEFORE your readers do. Do not try to hide the rotting rhinoceros.

Plus, sprinkle proof elements throughout your copy (especially around your claims):

• Testimonials
• Case studies
• Facts, figures, stats (see, there is a place for logic)
• Demonstrations
• Personal true stories

When your readers believe your claims, they will be much more willing to part with their hard-earned mula.

 

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #2: Credibility

People want to buy from experts, not some no-named stranger.

We feel a LOT MORE CONFIDENT in buying from someone who is considered a well-known expert.

It’s not brain surgery…

Would you feel comfortable getting a nasty cavity removed from some young dude straight out of college?

Heck no!

You’d want to make sure this dentist had years of experience, a long track record of success, tons of education, certificates, positive reviews, and on and on she goes.

The same is true with ANYTHING you sell.

Add all the credibility you can muster up:

• Years of experience
• Certifications & awards
• Number of products sold
• Number of lives changed
• Anything you or your client specialize in

Throw in anything that will boost your credibility, and in turn, you will boost response.

 

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #3: Simplicity

We DESPISE complicated.

We crave SIMPLE.

When we feel as if there is a SIMPLE solution to our complex problems, we are much more likely to pull out our credit cards.

Throughout your copy, and especially in your call to action, stress how simple, easy and effortless it is to take action and experience positive results.

Whenever possible, give exact, step-by-step instructions on what to do and how to achieve the desired goal.

 

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #4: Instant Gratification

We live in a world of instant gratification.

Social media plays a big part in this.

We are dopamine addicts who crave instant satisfaction.

To boost response, give your readers a potent hit of instant gratification.

Here are a few ways of achieving this…

• Help your readers get quick wins
• Give an instant solution to a nasty problem
• Tell them how soon they will receive their product after purchasing
• Stress how readers will gain instant results as soon as they buy your product or service
• Make your product as close to a magic pill solution as possible, and clearly express this in your copy

 

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #5: Insecurity

Insecurity is a dark emotion that we all experience and desperately try to escape.

If you tap into your reader’s insecurity, you can sell like hot potatoes.

The key is to find out what your reader is most insecure about.

Then, agitate this insecurity.

Make them feel/see it through stories, word images, specific details. And then, give them a solution for overcoming it… I.E. buy your product.

This works for just about any market.

Weight loss – insecure about going to the beach.

Entrepreneurship – insecure about not being able to support family and follow their dreams.

Skincare – insecure about how they look.

Help your readers overcome a big insecurity and they will reward you with many sales.

 

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #6: Fear of Loss

Believe it or not…

Fear of loss is MUCH more powerful than the desire to gain.

We won’t do much to gain $10 but we WILL waste an entire day to not lose the $10 that we already possess.

Here’s how you can profit from fear of loss:

Explain everything your reader has to lose if they do NOT take action NOW.

What will they lose if they delay and put off purchasing your product?

List everything you can think of and put it in your CTA before asking them to buy.

 

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #7: Sense of Urgency

Humans are natural procrastinators.

In fact, it’s very unlikely for your readers to buy from you, no matter how badly they want your product, IF they do NOT feel a strong sense of urgency to buy now.

Here’s how to crank up their feelings of urgency:

• Add a special time-limited discount with their name on it
• Mention that there’s only a limited number of products available, so they better act FAST
• Emphasize everything they have to gain if they act now and everything they’ll lose if they fail to act

 

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #8: The Desire to Belong

Since elementary school, we've all had a strong desire to belong to “the group.”

You can tap into this emotional trigger in a few ways:

1. Exclusive community – we all want to be an “insider”. By adding feelings of exclusivity to your copy, you will make readers want to join, so they can be part of the group
2. Insider language – if you use insider language, the desire to belong will pound on all your readers’ hearts who do not “get” this insider slang
3. Authority figure - use a well-known figure who your readers aspire to be like. For example, if you’re selling to golfers, having an ad with Tiger Woods using your products would crank up your readers’ urge to belong.

 

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #9: Hope

We all hope for a better life.

To earn more money, to look more attractive, to feel happier, to find true love, etc.

Find out what your ideal reader’s core desires are and make them feel hopeful in achieving them (by buying your product or service).

Paint a bright vision of hope by giving specifics on how they can achieve their dreams.

And back up these claims with proof – testimonials, stories, stats, and so on.

 

Emotional Triggers to Use in Your Copywriting #10: Status & Prestige

Now, this may be hard to believe, but people don’t spend hundreds of thousands on a Ferrari for better mileage and a slightly more efficient car.

They buy it for the status that it gives them.

Luxury, jealousy from neighbors, spicy looks from the opposite sex.

That’s the stuff that sells.

Find ways to add status and prestige to what you are selling.

If you do, you can boost response lickity split.

 

Conclusion

Always remember this…

Emotion sells. Logic justifies the purchase.

Try to tap into as many of these 10 emotional triggers as possible when writing emotional copy.

If you get your readers to FEEL these intense emotions, and then relate them to your product, you will explode your sales.

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The Adweek Copywriting Handbook, by Joseph Sugarman, is one of my favorite copywriting books of all time.

My unhumble opinion:

This $10 book is more valuable than 99% of high-ticket copywriting courses sold online.

There are so many gems packed inside that have helped me build my copywriting skills and launch my copywriting career.

I want to give back by sharing 5 BIG lessons from The Adweek Copywriting Handbook that have made the biggest impact on my writing.

If you use just one of these lessons in your writing, I can almost guarantee you’ll experience shocking results for your clients and yourself.

Alright champion, let’s get to the good stuff…

 

5 Copywriting Tips from Joe Sugarman’s The Adweek Copywriting Handbook to Help You Write More Persuasive Copy TODAY

1. Slippery Slide

In Sugarman’s book - The Adweek Copywriting Handbook - he talks about the importance of getting your readers to read every word you write.

He used a great analogy for achieving this…

Picture your entire piece of copy as a giant slide.

As soon as your readers get to the top of your slide (your headline), you want them to slide down (from first sentence to last) as fast as possible.

How do you achieve this?

Make your slide SLIPPERY.

Here are some slippery lubricants to grease up your slide:

• Tell engaging, relatable stories
• Use short sentences, short paragraphs and short words
• Add juicy sub-heads throughout as eye relief and to rev up your readers’ engines
• Talk about what they’re interested & load it up with benefits
• Paint mental images through specific details and touching on your readers 5 senses (touch, taste, smell, hear, see)

 

2. The Purpose of All the Graphic Elements of An Ad

This really blew my eyeballs…

And it’s something that I always keep in mind whenever designing ads, structuring copy and writing my headlines.

Joe Sugarman revealed the 10 elements that make up every ad, including:

1. Headline: to get your attention and draw you to the sub-headline.
2. Sub-headline: to give you more info and further explain the attention-getting headline.
3. Photo or drawing: to get your attention and to illustrate the product more fully.
4. Caption: to describe the photo or drawing.
5. Copy: to convert the main selling message for your product or service.
6. Paragraph Headings: to break up the copy into chunks, thereby making the copy look less imposing.
7. Logo: to display the name of the company selling the product.
8. Price: to let the reader know what the product or service costs.
9. Response device: to give the reader a way to respond to the ad. By using a coupon, toll-free number or ordering information (usually near the end).
10. Overall layout: to provide the overall appearance for the ad

However, all 10 elements have the same job.

To get you to read the first sentence of the copy.

That’s it.

Never forget this.

It will help you tremendously when writing copy and keep you on track.

However, this concept doesn’t only apply to these 10 elements. It also applies to every sentence you write…

 

3. The Sole Purpose of Your First Sentence

The only purpose of each sentence is to get the reader to read the NEXT SENTENCE.

This relieves confusion and stress because it’s much easier to write when your goal is to simply get someone to read the next few words, rather than buy from you.

By keeping this in mind, you will make every word you write count.

Plus:

It will help you push readers down your slippery slide and read your call to action (“buy now”, “click this link”, etc.), boosting your chances of getting them to take your desired action.

 

4. The Incubation Process

Do you experience creative slumps?

Joe Sugarman’s advice will solve that real quick.

Sugarman revealed the secret to unlocking creativity.

He came up with a way to crank out breakthrough ideas, on command.

He calls it the incubation process.

The incubation process is where you take a break away from your writing.

When you give your brain some “breathing” room, you allow your subconscious mind to work its magic.

If you give it enough time to “incubate”, your subconscious will feed you all the ideas you need to write killer copy.

The best time to “incubate” is after the research phase (before you write your first draft) and during the editing phase, between drafts.

Incubating is extremely easy to do.

Simply take a break from work.

Go for a jog, grab lunch with a friend or hike a mountain. Do anything but work on your copywriting project.

Often, you will be hit with big ideas while “incubating”.

WRITE THEM DOWN, ASAP.

By giving yourself breaks you allow your mind to “incubate”. During this time, your subconscious is hard at work, brewing breakthrough ideas for you, while you’re out having fun.

 

5. Honesty

In The Adweek’s Copywriting Handbook, Sugarman revealed 31 emotional triggers that tap into your readers’ psychology and “force” them to respond to your copy.

The most powerful of these emotional triggers is honesty.

If you want readers to buy from you, you must make your claims believable.

The easiest way to make your readers believe you, is to simply tell the truth.

Wild concept, huh?

If you are brutally honest in your writing, you will not only boost response but you’ll stand out like a skinny pig because most ads are full of BS hype.

Here is the best way to make your claims more believable:

In the wise words of Gary Bencivenga, never make your claims bigger than your proof.

You want to sandwich your claims around proof elements.

Proof elements:

• Social proof – testimonials, reviews, etc.
• Case studies
• Personal stories
• Credentials
• Demonstrations
• Specific details
• Stats, figures, data

 

Conclusion

These 5 copywriting tips can earn you a fortune.

Make sure you buy, read and APPLY all the juicy copywriting lessons in The Adweek Copywriting handbook.

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Are you an aspiring copywriter desperately trying to learn the ropes & break into copywriting?

If so, this blog post will show you how.

Everything you’re about to learn is from my own journey of breaking into copywriting.

In 2020, I was a complete beginner.

I had no experience or “natural” writing abilities.

But, despite this, I was able to learn the basics and feel confident in my skills within a few short months. And then, I secured 50+ paying clients within the next 3 months. My momentum only skyrocketed from there.

However…

This blog post will focus on helping you build your copywriting skills to the point where you can feel confident enough to get clients and provide them with REAL value.

Read on to discover the exact step-by-step blueprint I followed to become a pro copywriter VERY FAST.

 

The 3 Major Steps Every Aspiring Copywriter MUST TAKE to Quickly Become a Pro Copywriter

1. Learn the Basics

In 2019, I tried getting into copywriting.

I failed MISERABLY.

The main reason:

I was paralyzed by information overload.

My education was more scattered than a squirrel-brained TikTok fiend.

I’d read dozens of blog posts, watch hours of YouTube videos, browse oodles of copywriting groups & forums, buy expensive courses and read a few books here and there, but was still confused as a grandma on Instagram.

I had no clue what I was doing.

But in 2020, I decided to give copywriting another shot. This time I did things MUCH differently.

I was VERY picky with what I learned and who I learned from.

Instead of learning from every teenage guru claiming to be a “6-figure” online copywriting expert, I only learned from a select few copywriters who have decades of experience and have proven their success time and time again through products sold and blockbuster ads.

This is the most important step for a raw beginner.

You want to learn from the top copywriters who have paved the way in this industry.

If you learn the rock-solid principles and fundamentals of direct response copywriting (the stuff that sells), you will start your career off on the right foot.

This crucial 1^st step will act as your silver compass. Steering you in the right direction along your exciting (and profitable) copywriting journey.

So, what exactly did I learn?

I read these 10 copywriting books from these top copywriters…

1. The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
2. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman
3. How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab
4. Scientific Advertising By Claude Hopkins
5. The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy
6. Ogilvy on Advertising By David Ogilvy
7. Tested Advertising Methods By John Caples
8. Cashvertising By Drew Eric Whitman
9. The Copywriter’s Handbook By Bob Bly
10. Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel By John Carlton

To learn more about these books and their authors (all great copywriters), click on this blog post.

Read each book 2 times.

The first time, read it for fun.

Then, read them again. This time, take detailed notes (I scribbled +20-page summaries per book when taking notes).

Gameplan:

Read 20-50 pages per day.

 

2. Practice

If you want to become a pro copywriter in a few months, passive learning from books ain’t gonna cut it, bucko.

You also need hands-on experience.

You can achieve this by doing copywriting practice exercises.

Here is what I personally did to quickly improve my copywriting skills without writing for clients.

Each day, I would plow through these 3 copywriting practice exercises…

1. Read, analyze and handwrite successful ads

This exercise is the most important of the 3.

Because it will help you gain a very deep understanding of what goes into writing engaging & persuasive copy.

It’s easy to do:

I start by reading a successful ad out loud, then write it out by hand, and then break it down to find out WHY it worked so well.

Reading an ad out loud helps you pick up the “flow” and “rhythm” of good copy.

Writing ads out by hand helps you internally imprint successful copy (as Gary Halbert liked to put it).

Analyzing top ads helps you gain a very deep understanding of what it takes to write killer copy. You will pick up on the core elements at play, like – emotional hot buttons, biggest benefits, human behavior, storytelling, handling objections, bullets, etc.

Start with these 10 ads:

10 Best Ad Copy Examples that will Make YOU a Better Copywriter

Gameplan:

Practice this exercise for 1 ad each day (can break into multiple days if ad is exceptionally long).

2. Turn features into benefits

One of the most important aspects of writing copy is turning boring features into irresistible benefits.

This exercise will turn you into a benefit machine.

It’s simple…

Here’s what you do:

Find products on Amazon.

Then, copy and paste 3-5 of the product’s features into an Excel spreadsheet or Word document.

Then, write the benefits of each feature.

After you write a benefit, write another benefit.

I call this the “ultimate so what benefit”.

The first benefit is a direct benefit.

For example:

A direct benefit of jumping rope is to lose weight.

But the ultimate benefit is what this new loss in weight will DO for the person, like: feel confident in their new skin, be more attractive to the opposite sex, find true love, live a longer, healthier life, etc.

For each direct benefit, ask “so what”, until you uncover the REAL (emotional) benefit.

Gameplan:

Do this for 3-5 features of a product, each day. This should not take you longer than 5-10 minutes.

3. 4 Us Headline Practice

Your headline is probably the most important aspect of your writing.

After all, if you don’t grab your IDEAL reader’s attention, they will never read all the great copy you wrote.

Don’t worry.

I’m going to show you how to write attention-grabbing headlines with ease.

Here’s what ya wanna do:

Simply improve already-existing headlines you find online.

I like to improve headlines from online articles displayed on Firefox’s home page.

Like this:

Then…

After you find a headline you want to improve…

Write 4 new headlines using the 4 U’s headline technique.

Write a headline that is:

Ultra-specific – specifics are more believable and interesting.

Unique – what’s unique grabs our attention (think clickbait articles – although never clickbait your readers. “Pay off” your headline right away)

Urgent – urgency makes us ACT NOW (and read more).

Useful – the biggest benefits of your client’s product or service.

The reason why you want to improve existing headlines using the 4 U’s technique is because each “U” makes your headlines more attention-grabbing and persuasive.

Here’s a quick example:

Original headline - "Book a free trip with our new card"

Unique

BREAKING: For the first time ever… New “mystery” card allows you to travel anywhere in the world - for FREE

Useful

Spice up your love life by taking your spouse to a sexy tropical getaway – without spending a single dime! Here’s how….

Ultra-specific

10 vacation spots you can travel to for FREE this summer

Urgent

Use this card to book your next trip for FREE – only good until the 30^th

Gameplan:

Do this for 1 headline each day (4 separate headlines per U). This should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

 

3. Write Daily

 

The last step you want to take to become a pro copywriter is to WRITE.

The more you write, the better a writer you’ll become.

This ain’t rocket science.

And the great thing is…

You don’t have to have copywriting clients to start writing.

Simply find ads, websites, sales pages, headlines, etc. from brands you enjoy. Then, re-write them. Improve upon them using the new-found knowledge you gain from reading the 10 books described above.

I spent around 1 hour per day (sometimes a LOT more) re-writing existing copy – mainly from websites and ads.

Gameplan:

Re-write 1 piece of copy each day.

 

Conclusion

If you follow these 3 big steps, I can almost guarantee you will go from a clueless beginner to a pro copywriter in just a few short months.

Remember, this is exactly what I did to feel confident as a lion in my copywriting skills. It gave me the starting point I desperately needed to launch my copywriting career (very quickly).

You too can experience similar results IF you put in the work.

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It’s no secret…

The most important aspect of copywriting is the infamous headline.

Why?

If you don’t grab your target audience’s attention, within a split second, they will not read a single word you write.

Lucky for you…

Top copywriters have already discovered the best ways to grab attention.

And one of the best ways to learn how to write attention-grabbing headlines is to study successful copywriting ads.

In this blog post…

I’m going to cover the importance of grabbing your reader’s undivided attention, 5 little-known tips for grabbing attention FAST and 10 copywriting ads to model after when writing headlines.

 

Why Is it SO IMPORTANT to Grab Your Reader’s Attention?

Your headline is the first thing readers see.

If your headline does not grab their attention, and get them to read your first sentence, then you have failed as a copywriter.

You can have the best copy in the world, but if your headline doesn’t glue eyeballs, it won’t matter.

All your hard work will be for nothing, because no one will have read your copy.

Read these following 5 tips to quickly improve your headlines and boost the chances you’re your copy gets read…

 

5 Sure-Fire Ways to Grab Your Reader’s Attention FAST

1. Flag down your target audience

Claude Hopkins, the godfather of advertising copywriting, explained how the best headlines flag down a specific person.

A BIG mistake is to write a one-size-fits-all headline.

Instead, you want to call out your ideal reader.

Make it specifically for them, and only them.

The easiest way to achieve this is to mention them in your headline.

No, you probably won’t be able to call them out by name, but you can do this…

Say you’re writing to single mothers who want to lose belly fat.

You could say something like:

For single moms who want to shave 20 LBs of flab before July 4^th

This headline calls out a specific reader and taps into something they want to achieve/overcome.

If I left the first part out (“For single mothers”, it would not be nearly as specific or attention-grabbing.

2. The only job of your headline

Joseph Sugarman (no, not the horse man) said it best…

The one and only job of your headline is to get your ideal readers to read your first sentence (body copy).

That’s it.

This removes a lot of stress and confusion.

It makes your job a LOT simpler.

You aren’t trying to sell your product in one sentence, you’re just trying to push people to READ your first sentence.

3. Offer the biggest benefit

John Caples (a pioneer of advertising copywriting & author of “Tested Advertising Methods”) explained that the best headlines appeal to their reader’s self-interest.

The best way to do this is to simply place the biggest benefit, your reader is trying to achieve, in your headline.

Don’t know what the biggest benefit is?

Find out through research.

After you spend enough time understanding your market (their wants, needs, desires, etc.) you’ll pinpoint their biggest desire. Once you do, display it in your headline in a dramatic way.

4. Start with a problem

Sean D’souza, author of The Brain Audit, revealed that problems grab our attention much more effectively than solutions.

But not just any problems.

They must be relevant problems that we are currently experiencing.

So…

Uncover what your reader’s biggest problem is, and display it front and center in your ad.

The more emotion you can stir up, the more attention-grabbing your headline will be.

5. Enter your reader’s convo

One of the greatest copywriters of all time – Robert Collier – wrote in his book, The Robert Collier Letter Book…

“You want to enter the conversation your prospect is already having inside their mind.”

The easiest way to do this is to step inside their world.

Imagine:

You are bored and mindlessly scrolling through Facebook, what’s the ONE thing you could read that would snap you out of your purple haze and get you to stop scrolling?

Whatever this is, include it in your headline to grab attention (keep it relevant to what you’re writing about).

 

10 Attention-Grabbing Headlines from Successful Copywriting Ads to Model After (Plus Insider Tips & Insights)

1. "The Secret to Making People Like You"

Who doesn’t love a good secret?

Secrets, little-known info, insider tips…. All grab our attention.

Plus, this headline offers a VERY desirable benefit – making people like you.

 

2. "Are You Ever Tongue-Tied at a Party?"

This headline brings up a BIG scary problem that a lot of people face.

Asking a relevant question that calls out a specific problem that your audience struggles with is a surefire way to grab their undivided attention.

 

3. "How to Win Friends and Influence People"

This is a pure benefit-driven headline.

We all want more friends.

We all want to influence people.

Find out what your audience wants and “dangle the carrot” in your headline to grab their attention.

 

4. "Do You Make These Mistakes in English?"

This headline’s got 3 things going for it:

1. It’s curiosity piquing. If you’re insecure about your English skills, how could you possibly skip this without finding the answer? Tapping into your readers’ curiosity is a bullet-proof way to grab their attention.
2. It targets a specific problem. If you are insecure about your English skills, you will feel instant anxiety and embarrassment over mispronouncing words and making a fool of yourself in front of others.
3. It asks the reader a specific question. Questions grab our attention like red stop signs.

5. "How I Improved My Memory in One Evening"

“How to” headlines are probably the safest way to write killer headlines.

You simply start with the words “how to” and then follow up with the desired benefit.

Plus…

Everyone and their mama wants a brainless, effortless magic pill solution.

Improve your memory by studying for 3 months? TOO HARD!

Improve your memory in ONE evening? Aaaaah. Much better.

 

6. "To men who want to quit work some day"

This is a classic example of flagging down your target audience.

John Caples clearly calls out who this ad is for.

Also…

Notice the words “some day.”

He wrote this same headline without these 2 words and it flopped.

But when he added them, it was a huge success.

Why?

Believability.

People won’t read your copy if they don’t believe you. So, always back up your claims with proof (testimonials, stats, credibility, etc.)

 

7. "Have you ever wondered what you would look like with a million dollar smile?"

If you’re insecure about your smile, this headline will most definitely grab your attention.

Also, it makes you envision your new life with a “million dollar smile”.

Great copy always paints a bright vision in its reader’s minds.

 

8. "The amazing blackjack secret of a Las Vegas mystery man!"

This one is dripping with curiosity.

Who wouldn’t want to read on to discover this “mystery man’s” amazing blackjack secret?

This is a great example of grabbing your audience’s attention with a unique “hook”.

Don’t know what a hook is or how to write one?

I’ve written over 1,5000 words on this fascinating subject. Read this blog post to learn how to write irresistible hooks that command attention.

 

9. "The Lazy Man’s Way to Riches"

This has 2 main things going for it:

1. “Lazy man” and “riches”. Contrast grabs our attention like racking a shotgun. It’s almost impossible to ignore.
2. Taps into something 99% of people desperately want… “get rich quick” without any work.

10. "For people who are almost (but not quite) satisfied with their own cooking – and can’t figure out what’s missing"

This is probably the best example of flagging down your ideal reader.

This headline enters the convo (and experience) playing inside the ideal reader’s head.

If this applies to you, you will undoubtedly stop what you’re doing and read on.

 

Conclusion

By studying good copywriting ads with killer headlines, you will undoubtedly improve your headline game.

Create a giant swipe file of copywriting ads and model after the best ones.

Improve upon them and make them unique to what you’re writing about.

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The best copywriters all have one thing in common:

They are life-long learners.

If you want to get good at copywriting, you must learn, every single day.

Over the last 4 years, I’ve consumed a LOT of copywriting resources.

I’m talkin’ hundreds of books, courses, articles, interviews, videos, blog posts, etc.

And lucky ducky for you…

I’ve compiled a GIGANTIC list of my favorite copywriting resources, to help you learn copywriting (the right way), build your skills and improve your writing.

Virtually none of these copywriting resources are “new”.

They are not taught by online “gurus”.

Every copywriting resource is from elite copywriters, marketers and salesmen who have proven their success through decades of hard-won experience and products sold.

I’ve organized this list in terms of media (books, blog posts, courses, etc.). Refer back to this giant list often.

And stay learning!

IMPORTANT:

You’ll get the most bang for your buck if you plow through each copywriting resource AT LEAST TWICE (I’ve gone through many of them +10x).

The first time, just read for fun.

The second time, take detailed notes/summaries.

Plus, you should extract at least one big idea from each copywriting resource. Something new that you can apply to your writing, marketing and/or lead gen, right away.

Alrighty, let’s get this party roaring…

 

The 7 Best FREE Copywriting Resources to Get Started

 

Let’s kick this hippo off with some free goodies.

Don’t let the price fool you, these resources for copywriters are worth their weight in platinum.

1. The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
2. The Gary Halbert Letter
3. Gary Halbert & John Carlton Interviews with Michael Fortin (link has access to multiple interviews, listen to them all, they are pure diamonds)
4. Gary Bencivenga’s Bencivenga Bullets
5. Ben Settle’s Antiprenuer Podcast and TheBenSettle.com Podcast
6. Dan Kennedy’s Magnetic Marketing Podcast
7. Neville Medhora’s Kopywriting Kourse YouTube Channel

 

The 10 Best Copywriting Books for Beginners

If you’ve read any of my previous posts, I talk about these books a loooot.

They are some of the best copywriting resources you’ll ever discover.

They are the 10 copywriting books I read as a raw beginner to quickly learn the basics and feel confident in my skills.

However, they are helpful for copywriters at any level.

If you haven’t read them yet, you’ll want to change that, FAST.

Here they are:

1. The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
2. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman
3. How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab
4. Scientific Advertising By Claude Hopkins
5. The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy
6. Ogilvy on Advertising By David Ogilvy
7. Tested Advertising Methods By John Caples
8. Cashvertising By Drew Eric Whitman
9. The Copywriter’s Handbook By Bob Bly
10. Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel By John Carlton

To learn more about these books and their authors (all great copywriters), click on this blog post.

5 More Copywriting Books (Beginner to Advanced)

Here are some of my favorite copywriting books that I read after these first 10 books. These copywriting resources are worth reading multiple times and taking detailed notes.

1. Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz
2. Crypto Copywriting Secrets by Ben Settle
3. The Lazy Man’s Way to Riches by Joe Karbo
4. Brain Audit by Sean D’souza
5. My Life in Advertising by Claude Hopkins
   

 

The 7 Best Books & Courses on Direct Response Marketing

Along with copywriting, every copywriter should study marketing, sales and human psychology.

Marketing is important because you will need to market yourself effectively to grow your freelance business (or move up the itchy corporate ladder).

Here are 7 great marketing resources:

1. Magnetic Marketing by Dan Kennedy
2. Getting Everything You Can Out Of All You’ve Got by Jay Abraham
3. Dan Kennedy’s No BS Newsletter
4. 26 Instant Marketing Ideas by Tom Schreiter
5. 10 Million Dollar Marketing Secrets By Dan Kennedy
6. The System Club Letters by Ken McCarthy
7. Dotcom Secrets by Russel Brunson

 

The 7 Best Books on Selling

At its core, copywriting is nothing but salesmanship in print.

Gary Bencivenga (considered the world’s greatest living copywriter) recommends that every copywriter reads and studies the top sales books on the planet. As you read these books, look for ways to implement these sales secrets into your writing.

Here are some of my favorite sales books:

1. KISS: Keep It Simple, Salesperson by Fred Herman & Earl Nightengale
2. The Secret of Selling Anything by Harry Browne
3. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
4. The Patterson Principles of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer
5. No Lie: Truth is the Ultimate Sales Tool by Barry Maher
6. No by Jim Camp
7. Start with No by Jim Camp

 

The 5 Best Books on Human Behavior and Buyer Psychology

If you want to grab attention, engage your readers and sell to them, you must tap into their psychology.

All good copy digs deep into their reader’s psychology and sells on emotion.

Every resource on this list will help you understand human behavior and buyer psychology, but these books take it to the next level. They give you a deeper understanding of how humans think, feel and act.

1. Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy by Martin Lindstrom
2. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
3. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
4. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
5. Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade by Robert B. Cialdini

 

The 8 Best Online Courses for Copywriters

No.

Not all copywriting courses suck.

But, to be fair, I’ve never taken a “new” copywriting course from online gurus.

However, I have spent THOUSANDS (if not tens of thousands) on copywriting courses from proven, old direct response copywriters.

Here are a few of my favorites (they can get VERY EXPENSIVE but will pay their cost back in spades IF you apply them).

1. Matt Furey’s Email Copywriting Course
2. Matt Furey’s Toa of Email Seminar
3. Eugene Schwartz’s Rodale Press Speech
4. Titans of Direct Response by Brian Kurtz
5. Doug D’anna’s Long Copy That Sells
6. Gary Halbert’s Copywriting Seminar
7. Gary Bencivenga’s “100 Seminar”
8. Ken McCarthy’s “Advanced Copywriting For Serious Info Marketers” course

 

The 10 Best Copywriting Blogs

See this blog post for more details on these blog posts and discover my top 3 favorite posts per blog.

1. Copyblogger

Why I like this blog…

This copywriting blog stands out for its comprehensive approach to copywriting and marketing. The blog's main focus on building an online presence and cultivating a strong writing style makes it a go-to resource for copywriters – no matter what type of copy you write.

Website: Copyblogger

2. The Copywriter Club

Why I like this blog…

The Copywriter Club stands out for its dynamic format, combining written content with podcast interviews. It offers a glimpse into the real-world experiences of copywriters and provides a platform for industry professionals to share their insights.

Website: The Copywriter Club

3. Joanna Wiebe's Copy Hackers

Why I like this blog…

Copy Hackers stands out for its focus on practical techniques backed by psychological principles. Joanna Wiebe often shares detailed breakdowns of successful copy, providing actionable insights that can be directly applied to your own writing.

Website: Copy Hackers

4. Kopywriting Kourse

Why I like this blog…

Kopywriting Kourse is known for its simplicity and effectiveness. Neville Medhora breaks down copywriting into actionable steps (using relatable examples) making it an ideal resource for those starting their copywriting journey.

Website: Kopywriting Kourse

5. The Gary Halbert Letter

Why I like this blog…

The Gary Halbert Letter is known for its straightforward and no-nonsense approach. Halbert's storytelling techniques and emphasis on direct response marketing provide a foundational understanding of persuasive writing.

Website: The Gary Halbert Letter

6. Dan Kennedy's Blog

Why I like this blog…

Dan Kennedy's copywriting blog is characterized by its direct and strategic approach to marketing & copywriting. It provides insights into effective marketing and copywriting techniques, often challenging conventional wisdom and encouraging a bold, results-oriented mindset.

Website: No B.S. Inner Circle

7. Ben Settle's Blog

Why I like this blog…

Ben Settle's blog is known for its irreverent and contrarian approach to copywriting. He challenges traditional marketing norms and emphasizes the power of simplicity and authenticity in email communication.

Website: Ben Settle

8. Bob Bly's Blog

Why I like this blog…

Bob Bly's blog is a wealth of traditional copywriting wisdom. His posts often delve into the psychology of persuasion and provide practical tips for crafting compelling copy in various marketing contexts.

9. Gary Bencivenga's Marketing Bullets

Why I like this blog…

Gary Bencivenga's blog is a treasure trove of classic copywriting wisdom. The blog's "bullets" format presents concise and impactful insights, making it a valuable resource for those seeking to understand the fundamentals of persuasive writing.

Website: Bencivenga Bullets

10. John Carlton's Blog

Why I like this blog…

John Carlton's blog reflects his reputation as a copywriting legend. The content is infused with storytelling, humor, and real-world anecdotes, making it an engaging and educational experience for copywriters at all levels.

Website: The Rant 

 

3 Great Email Copywriting Newsletters to Subscribe to

I love copywriting newsletters because they are sent to you frequently and have zero flab hanging from their body. They give valuable tips, secrets and advice to implement pronto.

See this blog post to learn more about each copywriting newsletter.

1. Ben Settle's Email Copywriting Newsletter

Ben Settle publishes my favorite email copywriting newsletter.

He sends out daily marketing, copywriting, sales and business tips with a heavy focus on email marketing.

2. John Carlton's Email Copywriting Newsletter

John Carlton, labeled “The most ripped-off writer on the Web”, is a veteran copywriter. He shares a wealth of copywriting secrets in his email copywriting newsletter.

3. Bob Bly's Email Copywriting Newsletter

Bob Bly is another copywriting legend.

He has worked as a successful direct response freelance copywriter for nearly 40 years.

Bly has an email copywriting newsletter where he gives away valuable copywriting tips each week.

 

Conclusion

These copywriting resources will probably last you a lifetime (especially if you go through them several times, which you should).

And that’s a good thing.

Because if you want to earn the big kahuna bucks, you’ll be learning (and re-learning) from the top copywriters, salesmen and marketers UNTIL YOU DIE.

I’m not being dramatic…

The day you stop improving is the day you die.

Speaking of valuable resources for copywriters…

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