If you cannot persuade readers to take a specific action, you are NOT a real copywriter.

Your services possess little value, and you will be replaced by AI or more skilled copywriters in the near future.

However…

If you’re able to persuade readers to buy from you, you can earn 6 figures+…THIS year.

The highest paid copywriters all have one skill in common:

They are MASTERS of persuasion.

They understand how to tap into their reader’s psychology and trigger an immediate response (through sales, leads generated, webinar sign-ups, etc.).

Don’t know how to persuade your readers?

No sweat.

In less than 10 minutes, you’ll gain the 10 most persuasive copywriting techniques known to copywriter.

Once you pack these persuasive copywriting tips into your writing, you will explode your sales & income.

In this post…

I’m going to reveal what persuasion is in copywriting and my top 10 insider persuasion copywriting techniques to help you influence your readers to buy from you.

 

What is Persuasion in Copywriting?

According to Webster’s dictionary:

“Persuasion is the act of influencing or convincing others through communication to adopt a particular belief, attitude, or behavior.”

Persuasion in copywriting is simply convincing your readers to take a specific action.

What type of action?

It depends on your client’s objective.

The most common actions include:

• Purchase a product or service
• Sign up for an email newsletter or webinar
• And all of these actions include clicking a link or button that will take them to a sales or checkout page.

Over the last 100+ years, copywriters have studied, tested and discovered smart ways to persuade their readers.

Now that you know what persuasive copywriting is…

Here are the 10 most persuasive copywriting techniques that have helped me boost my income and can do the same for you too.

 

10 Persuasive Copywriting Techniques to Explode Conversions

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #1: What You Say vs How You Say It

This is the most important lesson of the gang.

It applies to all the other tips…

WHAT you say is 100x more important than how you say it.

Why?

Because WHAT you say refers to your target audience.

The specific group of readers you are trying to persuade.

Everything you write has to be in harmony with WHAT your readers want.

WHAT are the biggest problems they’re currently trying to overcome?

WHAT do they desperately want more than anything in the world?

WHAT thoughts are constantly on their mind, throughout their day?

WHAT feelings and emotions do they have related to your product/topic?

Dig up the answers through copywriting research.

Then, write about them in your copy.

If you can write about what your readers want (and stir up intense emotion), it doesn’t really matter HOW you write it.

Here’s a controversial example:

Imagine…

Your child (or loved one) is kidnapped.

They have been missing for 24 hours.

All of a sudden…

Your phone dings.

You received an email with the subject line “About your child”. And the email goes on to explain where your child is and how to get them back.

Would it really matter HOW this message was written?

Hell no.

The message could be written by a 1^st grader with poor grammar, spelling mistakes up the ying yang and barely readable.

But you’d still drop everything you were doing in a heartbeat to read this message and respond (take action).

This is an extreme example, but it proves the point I’m trying to tattoo into your brain….

If you want to persuade your readers, write about WHAT they are interested in.

Keep your readers (and their wants, needs and desires) in mind, at all time, when writing copy and chowing down on the next 9 persuasive copywriting tips.

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #2: What Is Your Problem?

In Sean D’Souza’s brilliant book – Brain Audit – he clearly explained how problems grab our attention and spur us to action 10x more effectively than solutions.

This is proven by psychologists.

And, this concept is why Dan Kennedy favors the PAS copywriting technique (which he’s made millions from in dozens of his sales letters).

Listen good:

One of the most persuasive ways to write copy is to start with a problem.

But not any problem.

Uncover your market’s most urgent, biggest problem.

And feature it in your headline and intro.

Then, agitate the problem.

Make your reader’s problem larger than life, and worse than death.

Get them frustrated enough to punch metaphorical holes in their wall like a rowdy teen named Kyle.

Quick tips to agitate your market’s problem:

Paint a bright vision of your reader’s problem inside their noggin.

The easiest way to paint this painful (emotional) vision is to talk about their problems using specific details and word images.

Get as specific as possible when talking about their problems.

Cover all the bases.

Plus:

Play an HD mental motion picture of their problems by using word images.

Word images are words that touch on our 5 senses – taste, touch, sight, smell, hear.

When you create a clear vision of your reader’s problems, it’s almost impossible for them to NOT take action to relieve their pain.

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #3: Specifics

The more specific you are, the more persuasive your writing will become.

Include specific details in your writing:

• Features
• Benefits
• Stats
• Figures
• Stories
• Comparisons
• Number of steps to take
• Vivid descriptions

When you describe something with specific details it is more believable and is easier to imagine in our minds.

Here are a few examples of headlines using the power of specificity:

• "FIVE FAMILIAR SKIN TROUBLES – WHICH DO YOU WANT TO OVERCOME?"
• "SIX TYPES OF INVESTORS – WHICH GROUP ARE YOU?"
• "76 REASONS WHY IT WOULD HAVE PAID YOU TO ANSWER OUR AD A FEW MONTHS AGO"
• "$80,000 IN PRIZES! HELP US FIND THE NAME FOR THESE NEW KITCHENS"

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #4: Hell to Heaven

I learned this persuasive copywriting secret from Eugene Schwartz.

This is my favorite way to tell persuasive stories in my writing.

Stories are one of the most persuasive tools in your copywriting toolshed.

We are naturally influenced and persuaded by them. Stories have been the main way we have communicated with each other since the dawn of hooman.

Anyway…

The goal of the “hell to heaven” story is to talk about someone in your market who your audience can relate to.

Someone that has gone from “hell to heaven”.

Meaning…

They have faced incredible challenges (in hell) but overcame their nightmarish experience and are now living a great life (in heaven).

This works best for markets that solve big problems like Health & wellness.

However, it can work for any market, if you use a lil creativity.

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #5: KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

 

If you want to persuade your readers to act, you must make your message stupidly simple to understand.

Your writing should be readable at a 5^th grade level.

Here are some tips to make your writing easy to understand:

• Use short sentences, paragraphs and words
• Use easy-to-understand language – do not use jargon or try to sound sophisticated
• Break up your copy – vary your sentence/paragraph length. I.E. one-word sentence. Then 11-word sentence. A few 3-5 sentence paragraphs, followed by a 3-word paragraph, etc.

The easier it is for readers to grasp your message, the easier it is for you to persuade them.

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #6: Be a Dirty, Naughty Tease

Believe it or not, we all love being teased.

Proof?

Strip clubs…

Flirting on the playground….

Casinos…

Enough said.

How do you tease your readers?

Tell them what to do, but NOT how to do it.

Why?

If you give away all the goods in your copy, (specific actions to take, valuable solutions or reveal your product’s biggest secrets), you will have quenched your reader’s thirst to the point where they’re hydrated and aren’t thirsty enough to buy from you.

Your copy should tease the ever-living Bojangles out of your readers.

Here’s how I like to think of it…

I am dangling a giant glazed donut in front of my reader (by mentioning the irresistible benefits, interesting facts, painting a bright vision of their new life, etc.)

And, right when they are about to chomp on my juicy donut, I yank it back.

Then, I put it closer to their drooling mouth.

As they lung for it, I yank it back again.

This continues until they get to my CTA (call to action).

By now they are STARVING.

They can’t hold their hunger any longer, so they click “buy now.”

Takeaway:

Persuade your readers by teasing them with all the goodies of your product (without giving away the how-to value).

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #7: Urgency and Scarcity

Nobody takes action without deadlines.

Humans are natural procrastinators.

So…

Persuade your readers to respond NOW by powdering your copy with urgency and scarcity.

3 bullet-proof ways to add urgency:

• Limited availability (for products, webinar seats, etc.)
• Strict deadlines
• Special discounts

Increase believability by giving a reason WHY behind your urgency and scarcity. Add in specific dates/times that readers must respond by to get the discount.

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #8: What Will Your Product DO for Your Readers?

Readers only care about themselves.

They constantly think in terms of “what’s in it for me.”

So…

For every feature and benefit you write, ask yourself what does this DO for my reader?

What is the main emotional benefit they get from using your product?

My favorite way to uncover this is to apply the feature, benefit, real benefit copywriting practice exercise.

Write down the features of your product. Then the benefits. And finally, the ultimate benefit.

Here’s a quick example:

Product: Lipstick

Feature: Shiny gloss coating

Benefit: Stunning lips

Ultimate benefit: Make cute guys head’s turn as you walk

If you want to persuade your readers, you must always think in terms of what your product DOES for them.

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #9: Proof

To get readers to respond, they must BELIEVE your claims.

This is harder than ever before.

Because today we are bombarded with thousands of ads filled with vomit-inducing hype and over-exaggerated claims.

How do you bypass people’s natural skepticism and persuade them to respond?

Stuff proof elements into EVERY claim you make.

Good rule of thumb:

Never make your claim bigger than your proof. 

Surround your claims with stronger, bolder proof.

Ways to add proof to claims:

1. Social proof: testimonials, reviews, case studies.
2. Avoid hype trigger words & phrases – “get rich quick”, “become a millionaire”, “FREE”
3. Use the “If…Then” technique. If readers meet a specific requirement, then they can experience a big benefit. Example: “If you have 5 minutes per day, then you can lose 10 pounds this month.”

 

Persuasive Copywriting Tip #10: Repetition

 

Repetition helps you get your point across.

Repletion helps you establish credibility.

Repetition helps you persuade your audience.

Why?

Because repetition & redundancy create familiarity with your readers.

Often, consumers need to see an ad 10+ times before they buy.

In the past, I would send out around 7 cold emails before getting a reply from prospects.

And for the last year or so…

I’ve sent DAILY emails to my list selling my offers.

Why?

The persuasive power of repetition.

The more your audience sees your message (and main selling points), the more likely they’ll be persuaded to believe them and buy from you.

This is contrary to what we’re taught.

We were taught in school to not be redundant.

However, the greatest salesmen and copywriters ALL use reputation throughout their sales message.

Often, they’ll repeat a few core benefits/concepts/appeals DOZENS of times (with slightly varied language) throughout their sales message.

Plus…

I like to repeat the first few words of a sentence 3 times, like this:

Copywriting is persuasive.

Copywriting is powerful.

Copywriting is life changing.

When you use repetition in copywriting, you can effortlessly persuade your readers.

 

Conclusion

Your income as a copywriter is directly locked into how many readers respond to your ad.

Use these 10 persuasive copywriting tips to effortlessly boost your response.

Want more insider copywriting tips? Enter your email below:

 

 

If my headline did not reach out and grab your attention, you would not be reading this blog post right now.

The same is true with your writing.

Your first (and most important) job as a copywriter, is to flag down your target audience, grab their undivided attention and get them to read your first sentence.

If you fail?

Nobody will read a single word you write.

You could have the best copy in the world, but it won’t matter.

All the blood, sweat and crocodile tears that went into your masterpiece would have been for nothing.

But that’s not going to happen.

Ol Jmac’s got your back, amigo.

I’m going to show you how to write irresistible headlines that call out your ideal readers and suck them into your copy like a Dyson V8 vacuum.

In this post…

I’m going to reveal my top 10 copywriting tips for writing mouthwatering headlines.

I’ve learned these copywriting tips by studying the greatest copywriters of all time. I’ve used all 10 copywriting tips in headlines I’ve written for clients and my own business. And I’m always amazed at how effective they are.

You can quickly read these copywriting tips within minutes and apply them to your next headline.

 

The 10 Best Copywriting Tips for Copywriters Who Want to Write Better Headlines TODAY

Copywriting Tip #1: News Headline

 

What’s the most watched TV show?

The NEWS.

Pretty obvious, huh?

But do you know why?

Lean in close, I’ll tell you…

The news brings us NEW stories every day.

This works like gangbusters because we are naturally attracted to what’s NEW.

We crave “new” like Homer Simpson craves donuts.

What’s more effective?...

Selling a tried n true shampoo used by your grandparents for removing dandruff…

Or…

A new discovery made by Harvard scientists that kills every white flake on your head, in seconds.

Old is boring.

New is exciting!

Look for new concepts, features, stories, etc. when researching your client’s product & company.

When you find something “new”, put it front and center in your headlines for all eyes to see.

Here’s a few examples from real ads to get the butter in your brain churning:

• "161 NEW WAYS TO A MAN'S HEART --- IN THIS FASCINATING BOOK FOR COOKS"
• "HOW A NEW KIND OF CLAY IMPROVED MY COMPLEXION IN 30MINUTES"
• "NEW SHAMPOO LEAVES YOUR HAIR SMOOTHER --- EASIER TO MANAGE"
• "ANNOUNCING...THE NEW EDITION OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA THAT MAKES IT FUN TO LEARN THINGS"

BONUS TIP:

Start your headline with words like:

• “Introducing”
• “Announcing”
• “New”
• “Breaking”
• “Now”
• “At last”
• “SHOCKING”
• “Breakthrough”

 

Copywriting Tip #2: How-to Headline

This is probably the most effective headline of all time.

When in doubt, use a how-to headline.

How-to headlines offer your readers useful information. 

The best headlines are those that appeal to your target audience’s self-interest.

Headlines that are based on key emotional benefits that readers gain by USING your product/service.

This type of copywriting headline offers your readers something they want and can get from you.

Think:

What is the biggest benefit of your product?

What does this main benefit DO for your readers once they use it?

It’s as easy as pumpkin pie to create these types of killer headlines.

Simply start with the words “how to”… then… follow with the desired result.

Template:

How to [achieve desired result]

Examples from successful ads:

• How to win friends and influence people
• How to do wonders with a little land
• How to launch your own business for under $1,000 and make $25,000-$50,000 a year!
• How to get what the U.S. Government owes you!

 

Copywriting Tip #3: The Curiosity Headline

 

Ever wonder why characters in horror movies walk TOWARD the spooky sounds?

One word…

Curiosity.

Curiosity acts like poison ivy on our brains.

It creates an intense itch that we MUST scratch.

Arousing your readers’ curiosity is a marvelous way to grab their undivided attention and get them itchin’ to read your next sentence.

Want a perfect example?

Think clickbait headlines on social media….

Everyone KNOWS that the article they click on will disappoint them, but they just can’t help to click out of curiosity.

(NEVER clickbait your readers. You will suffer gravely from it. Always pay off your headline very quickly by making whatever comes next relevant).

4 idiot-proof ways to add curiosity to your headlines:

• Tell readers what NOT to do
• List common mistakes they’re probably making
• Give controversial solutions. (I.E. how to achieve desired result by doing something they think would not possibly work.)
• Reveal SECRETS (everyone loves secrets, they wrench on our curiosity)

Examples from real headlines:

• "A little mistake that cost a farmer $3,000 a year"
• "The secret of making people like you"
• "Why some foods “explode” in your stomach"

 

Copywriting Tip #4: Emotional Headlines

In copywriting, you sell with emotions and just the purchase with logic.

Also…

You can grab your reader’s attention by tapping into their emotions.

First:

Find out what emotions your market has around the BIG problem your product or service helps relieve.

How do they currently feel about this big problem?

Insecure? Scared? Guilty? Ashamed?

Find out and feature it in your headline, in a dramatic way.

Do this and you will almost always grab your reader’s complete attention.

Examples:

• "Do you do any of these ten embarrassing things?"
• "Are you ever tongue-tied at a party?"
• "Advice to wives whose husbands don’t save money – by a wife"

 

Copywriting Tip #5: Question Headlines

 

Questions act like giant red stop signs in our brains.

So…

In your headline…

Ask a relevant question readers would like to see answered.

The questions you ask should always focus on your reader’s self-interest.

Question headline examples:

• "Have You Ever Wondered What You Would Look Like With a “Million Dollar Smile”?"
• "Who else wants a screen star figure?"
• "Do you make these mistakes in English?"
• "Five familiar skin troubles – which do you want to overcome?"

 

Copywriting Tip #6: Contrast

 

Believe it or not…

Paying attention to what’s contrasting is deeply programmed into our psychology and neurology.

This goes thousands of years back to when humans lived in caves.

If we noticed something different in our surroundings (contrast), we’d jump up into survival mode (fight or flight).

Why?

Because it could mean a predator was lurking in the bushes and about to swallow us whole.

But guess what?

Contrast still has a BIG effect on our caveman brains.

And you can tap into contrast’s power to stop your target audience dead in their tracks and pull them into your copy.

Here’s how to add contrast to your headlines…

Add polar opposites.

For example:

Dirty … clean.

Night … day.

Failure … success.

Examples from ads:

• "WHO EVER HEARD OF A WOMAN LOSING WEIGHT --- AND ENJOYING 3 DELICIOUS MEALS AT THE SAME TIME?"
• "HOW I MADE A FORTUNE WITH A "FOOL IDEA"
• "11 amazing secrets discovered by top ad expert can help you make huge amounts of cash… even during a recession."

 

Copywriting Tip #7: The Call Out

This one’s obvious and very easy to do.

Picture you are walking down a busy street in your nearby city. You see a friend in the distance. How would you grab their attention?

It’s obvious.

Just call out their name!

This is what you want to do with your headline.

Grab your audience’s attention by calling them out.

No, not by their name, but there are other ways to achieve this.

Simply fill in the below templates…

Templates:

To/for [target audience] who want [desirable result]

To/for [target audience] who are experiencing [problem]

For people who are [experiencing specific situation your lead magnet addresses and solves]

Examples:

• "To men who want to quit work someday."
• "To people who want to write – but can’t get started."
• "For golfers who are almost (but not quite) satisfied with their game – and can’t figure out what they’re doing wrong"

 

Copywriting Tip #8: NUMBERS

Humans LOVE numbers.

Humans love LISTS.

Humans love EXACT instructions.

Hook your reader’s eyeballs by listing the number of benefits, mistakes to avoid, reasons why to act now, and so on.

Begin your headline with numbers, like this:

• 10 ways to…
• 8 reasons why…
• 3 mistakes to avoid…
• 25 benefits of…

Examples:

• "76 REASONS WHY IT WOULD HAVE PAID YOU TO ANSWER OUR AD A FEW MONTHS AGO""
• "7 Ways To Collect Your Unpaid Bills"
• "21 Secret Power Tools that will Build Your Business, Free Up Your Time and Put More Money in Your Pocket... NOW!"
• "102 Easy Ways to Make Money at Home"

 

Copywriting Tip #9: The “if…then…” headline

I learned this killer headline technique from Gary Bencivenga.

Gary is known for teaching the power of using PROOF in your copy.

For your readers to buy from you, they must first believe your claims.

They must believe that what you’re saying is true and can actually help them escape pain and achieve pleasure.

Well, one of the best ways to add proof to your copy is to use the “if… then” technique.

This technique bypasses our inner skeptic.

Here’s how you do it:

Start your headline with an easy-to-achieve requirement for your readers. Then, finish with the desired result they want.

For example:

Let’s say your client sells weightless pills.

A 30-day supply of these supplements costs $10 and clients can expect to lose up to 10 pounds in a month.

Your headline could look like this…

“If you have $10, then you can potentially shred 10 pounds of belly fat within the next 30 days.”

Why does this work so well at grabbing attention?

You are telling your readers how to achieve a desired result that is BELIEVABLE.

It’s easy to write these headlines:

Template:

IF you meet this [“requirement”] + Then you can achieve this [desired result]

Here are a few more examples of headlines that tap into the “if…then” power:

• "If you’ve got 20 minutes a month, I guarantee to work a financial miracle in your life."
• "If you’ve got 20 minutes a month, I guarantee a thinner, healthier you."

 

Copywriting Tip #10: Celebrity Status

 

It’s no secret…

We live in a celebrity-obsessed society.

Humans are naturally attracted to celebrity news, gossip and stories.

Using a well-known celebrity’s name in your headline can grab attention quicker than a red fox.

Does your client use well-known influencers to promote their product or service?

Has a celebrity given them a raving testimonial?

Is your client a celebrity within their industry?

It doesn’t have to be a movie star or famous singer.

It can simply be someone who is well-known within the niche you’re writing for.

Do some digging and I’m almost certain you’ll find some way to add celebrity status to your headlines.

Here are some headline examples that tap into celebrity status:

 

Conclusion

My friend, you now possess something VERY special…

The power of writing attention-grabbing headlines.

Use these 10 copywriting tips to hook your readers and boost sales for your clients.

Want more insider copywriting tips? Enter your email below:

 

 

David Ogilvy's “Ogilvy on Advertising” was one of the first copywriting books I’ve ever read.

Within my first year of reading it, I read it TEN times.

Why?

Because it is stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey with copywriting GOLD.

There are hundreds of timeless copywriting tips, tricks and secrets packed inside this classic advertising book that are still relevant today.

In this blog post…

I’m going to reveal 7 of my favorite quotes from the godfather of advertising’s book, Ogilvy on Advertising. Plus, provide my own insights and insider tips so you can profit from David Ogilvy’s copywriting wisdom.

These lessons can be learned within minutes and applied to your writing TODAY.

Each tip can potentially put thousands (or more) in your piggy bank and help you rocket launch your copywriting career to the moon.

Alright, enough small talk, let’s get this party going…

 

7 Quotes From “Ogilvy on Advertising” to Help You Write Better Copy (With Insider Tips & Insights)

1. “I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.”

David Ogilvy makes it as clear as a crystal that advertising is not about entertainment, creativity or quirkiness.

Advertising has only ONE purpose:

Sales.

In fact, David Ogilvy once said that mail-order copywriters (direct response) are the only people you should learn from.

Why?

Because each piece of copy they wrote was intended to get a direct response from their readers (buy now) and was constantly tested to figure out which sales message worked best.

David Ogilvy followed direct response principles and applied them to his advertising to create some of the most successful ads of all time.

He wrote ads for a specific audience and made these ads intensely interesting to his ideal readers.

So interesting, that they bought MILLIONS worth of products from him & his clients.

How to apply this lesson today:

When writing copy for a client, spend 80%+ of your time researching their company, product and, most importantly, their market.

Uncover what their market wants most and give it to them in your copy.

By doing so, you will naturally write copy that piques your reader’s interests and motivates them to buy from you.

 

2. “The most effective leader is the one who satisfies the psychological needs of his followers.”

Advertising is merely salesmanship in print.

Selling on paper (or screen) vs face-to-face.

To sell heaps of products through the words you write, you MUST tap into your readers’ psychology.

Crawl inside their minds and their hearts.

What do they want most?

What problems are they currently trying to overcome?

How do they FEEL about their current problems?

Are they scared? Angry? Insecure? Hopeless? Worried?

What thoughts are constantly playing inside their mind from the moment they wake up until they fall asleep?

Enter the convo in their mind and tap into their emotions in your copy.

It’s not as hard as it sounds…

All the answers can be found through market research.

My favorite place to find these answers is Reddit.com.

Simply type your niche’s keyword into Reddit and browse their subreddit.

In seconds, you’ll gain access to an entire community of your market where they are venting (unfiltered) about their problems, frustrations, desires, fears, etc.

This is your master class into your reader’s psychology.

Study up!

 

3. “Some copywriters write tricky headlines – double meanings, puns and other obscurities. This is counter-productive. In the average newspaper your headline has to compete with 350 others. Readers travel fast through this jungle. Your headline should telegraph what you want to say.”

Ogilvy is considered one of the best ad men of all time.

But he despised 99% of advertisements and advertising companies.

Why?

Because they had no idea what they were doing.

You see, most companies try to impress their clients/customers by sounding “cool”, “creative” and “sophisticated.”

Don’t make this mistake.

It will bite you in the ass like a wild rottweiler. Especially when you try to “impress” your readers in your headlines.

David Ogilvy explained how your headline has one job…

Flag down your ideal readers and get them to read your first sentence (body copy).

You do so by making your headline specifically for your ideal reader (and ONLY them).

The best way to do this is to use a keyword in your headline that calls out your reader.

For example:

If you’re writing for pit bull owners, you’d simply add “pit bull owners” to your headline.

Then…

Motivate them to READ your copy by adding a BIG benefit to your headline.

For example:

“For Pit Bull owners who want their pups to live long, healthy lives”

When you create a headline for a specific person and offer them a rewarding benefit, you will dramatically increase the chances that they read your copy and buy from you.

 

4. “Tell your prospective client what your weak points are, before he notices them. This will make you more credible when you boast about your strong points.”

There’s no way around this…

Your prospects have dozens of objections firing off in their brains as they read your writing.

Instead of trying to hide your weak points (which they’ll sniff out from a mile away, anyway), you should blatantly tell readers about them.

This is copywriting 101.

Raising and handling objections.

By doing so, you not only handle objections, but you also increase trust, credibility and integrity with your readers.

My favorite way to raise and handle objections is to “make the skeleton dance”.

This little-known method was taught by sales trainer Barry Maher.

Maher explained how you want to turn perceived flaws into selling points by BRAGGING about them.

This takes raising and handling objections to the next level.

Here’s a quick example to help you better understand:

Imagine…

You’re writing for a fitness instructor who has the most 1-star reviews in his industry.

BUTTTT…

He also has the most reviews.

So, a smart way to turn this perceived flaw into a reason to work with him, is that he also has the MOST reviews because clients know that he is the best option available. He has the most 5-star reviews too because he provides the most value.

See how this works?

The next time you are writing for a client figure out their perceived flaws (product flaws, negative reviews, lack of experience, etc.) and come up with smart ways to turn these flaws into reasons why your readers should buy from them.

By doing so, you will have turned your reader’s natural skepticism into reasons why they should buy from you.

 

5. “It isn’t the whiskey they choose, it’s the image.”

This is one of the biggest mistakes copywriters make.

They try to sell the product, instead of selling what the product DOES for their customers.

Listen good my freckled friend…

Do not focus on a product’s features and benefits.

Focus on the new life that this product will create for your readers (after they purchase).

 

The most successful ads for cigarettes, whisky, glasses, clothing, perfume, and just about every mundane physical product, have created a new life for their readers.

They have featured someone or something that readers can identify with and strive to become.

Here’s a quick example:

Did you know that Avatar sunglasses sold like waffles after the original Top Gun movie aired?

How come?

People wanted to become Tom Cruise’s character (he wore avatars in the movie).

They wanted to live his badass, carefree, women-crazed life.

When you are writing copy, find out WHAT your readers fantasize about.

Who do they want to become?

What do they daydream about?

Then, help them hop the picketed fence to the greener side of the grass by explaining how your product/service is the portal to their new, exciting life.

For example:

Say you are trying to sell jump ropes.

A deadly mistake would be to blab about the physical product (the length of the jump rope, how lightweight it is, the comfortable handle grips, etc.)

Instead…

Figure out WHY people want a jump rope in the first place.

What new life are they trying to live?

Are your readers single moms who have packed on extra belly flab? Paint a vision of how the jump rope will help them transform their dating lives by making them slimmer and more confident.

The key is to figure out what new life your readers fantasize about. Then, show them how they can achieve this new life (by buying your product).

 

6. “Only amateurs use short copy.”

There’s nothing necessary wrong with short copy.

However, there IS something very wrong with clients who limit you to a set number of words to write.

(Yes, I realize certain platforms have a word limit. But take this as a general principle for writing good copy).

Do you know why this is wrong?

Because copywriting is salesmanship in print.

You would NEVER limit a salesman to a set number of words to use.

That would be crazy.

You’d want the salesman to do a complete selling job.

Sometimes it takes 10 minutes. Sometimes a few hours. Sometimes days, even weeks.

The point is…

Your copy should be as long as it to be to get the job done.

You want to hit on every single selling point, main benefit, emotional trigger, etc.

Limiting your copy length based on anything other than telling a complete sales message is bad for you and your client.

Don’t stress over how long your copy is.

Instead, stress over if you’ve done a complete selling job.

If so, it doesn’t matter if you wrote 5 words or 5,000.

 

7. “Consumers still buy products whose advertising promises them value for money, beauty, nutrition, relief from suffering, social status and so on.”

The beautiful thing about being a copywriter is that once you learn the basics, you never have to stress over “what’s working now.”

What worked 1000 years ago, works today.

There are no “new” secrets when it comes to selling.

Why?

Because selling is simply human psychology.

Human psychology does not change.

Guess what?

Every single breathing person walking around today has the same basic needs, wants, emotions and desires that the CAVEMEN (and cavewomen) had thousands of years ago.

The same basic psychological appeals ALWAYS work.

So…

Here are the top 10 appeals to use in your copywriting:

1. Money and better job
2. Security in old age
3. Popularity
4. Praise from others
5. More comfort
6. Social advancement
7. Improved appearance (including sex)
8. Personal prestige
9. Better health
10. Increased enjoyment

Plus…

Here are six basic buying motives coined by Homer B. Smith:

1. Profit or gain
2. Fear of loss
3. Comfort and pleasure
4. Avoidance of pain
5. Love and affection
6. Price and prestige

Refer to these basic appeals/buying motives often and include all the relevant appeals whenever writing copy.

When you tap into your reader’s psychology, you can sell them just about anything that they WANT to buy.

 

Conclusion

There are hundreds of quote-worthy tips from David Ogilvy’s book, Ogilvy on Advertising.

Grab this book and scoop up all the copywriting diamonds.

If you apply just one of these 7 tips to your writing, you can improve your copy overnight and boost sales for your clients.

Want more insider copywriting tips to help you explode your income? Enter your email below:

 

 

In my first few months as an email copywriter, I SUCKED.

HARD.

It would take me 30+ minutes to write ONE email.

The main reason for my struggles?

I did not have a proven structure to follow.

After paying thousands on email copywriting courses and studying hundreds of successful emails from top copywriters (Matt Furey, Ben Settle, etc.), I created a very simple structure for writing promotional emails that works for any niche or product.

More specifically:

A simple 5-step email copywriting checklist.

By following this copywriter checklist, you can drastically cut down writing time, eliminate writer’s block and multiply your opens, clicks and purchases with each email you send out.

In this blog post…

I’m going to cover why you should use my exclusive email copywriting checklist and break down each step, so that you can write killer emails in as quick as 7 minutes.

 

5 Reasons Why This Copywriting Checklist Will Help You Write More Effective Emails, in Less Time

#1 Remove guesswork

By following this copywriting cheat sheet, you will no longer stare at an empty screen, wondering what to write about. Instead, you will bang out persuasive emails each time you sit down to write because you know EXACTLY what to include.

#2. Sell more products

These steps are rooted in direct response copywriting principles and fundamentals (selling through the written word). They are designed to get an immediate response from your readers.

#3. Double your writing speed

After following this email copywriting checklist, you will be able to write 2x faster (at least, but probably faster). It takes me 7 minutes to write an email each day. Part of the reason why I can write so fast now is because I follow this proven email copywriting checklist.

#4. Write more consistently

A copywriter checklist ensures that your email content is hitting all the right hot buttons. You will consistently write persuasive emails by following the 5 steps laid out for you in this checklist.

#5. Feel confident in your writing ability

You can quickly check each email to make sure you hit each main step in the copywriting process. When you can “check off” each step, you can be certain that you’ve got a powerful email.

 

Your 5-Step Email Copywriting Checklist for Writing Touchdown Emails

#1. The “From” Line

Are emails being sent under your client’s name?

If not, advise them to change the “from” line to their name (NOT the name of their company/brand).

Why?

Because people do NOT buy from companies.

They buy from people.

People they like, know and trust.

And one of the best ways to get your emails opened (and not deleted on the spot or marked as spam) is to make sure your client’s name is being shown on the “from” line.

The “from” line is the first thing readers see when viewing an email.

If it comes from someone or some brand they do NOT recognize, they will ignore/delete it automatically.

The best way to prevent this is to have every email come from someone whom your readers like, know and trust (your client).

Changing the “from” line to your client’s name can instantly increase open rates, click-through rates and sales…. PLUS… reduce spam complaints.

 

#2. Subject Line

 

Does your subject line stop your readers from scrolling and motivate them to open your email?

An email’s subject line acts the same as a copywriting headline.

If your subject line does not grab your reader’s undivided attention and influence them to open your email, they will never read what you wrote (no matter how good it may be).

So…

To help you boost open rates and give your emails a chance at success…

Here are 5 bullet-proof favorite ways to write subject lines that command attention:

1. Curiosity

This is my favorite type of email subject line.  

Curiosity acts as a giant magnet for attracting our attention.

When you tap into your reader’s curiosity, you create a fierce itch that NEEDS to be scratched (I.E. opening your email and reading it.)

The good news is…

Writing curiosity-piquing subject lines is one of the easiest ways to write attention-grabbing subject lines.

Because you can write about ANYTHING.

It just has to be unique and different from what people are accustomed to seeing in their email inboxes.

When your email stands out from the crowd, it will naturally attract attention and “stop the scroll.”

Here are 5 ways to inject curiosity into your subject lines:

• Add controversy – for example: how to lose weight by eating junk food
• Reveal SECRETS (everyone loves secrets)
• Tell readers what NOT to do
• Warn readers of common mistakes to avoid (do not give away mistakes or solutions in the subject line)
• Say something totally bizarre

Here are 3 examples of curiosity-piquing subject lines that worked like magic:

“Cocaine straws vs pipelines”

“The REAL reason people buy”

“Why I LOVE to fail”

 

2. Ask questions

Relevant questions are psychologically impossible to ignore.

So…

Ask your readers a relevant question in your subject line.

You can make them more powerful if you add curiosity.

3 examples:

“Is this common investing mistake costing you money?”

“Are you making your customers uncomfortable?”

“Is your wife losing interest?”

 

3. X ways to

Everyone loves helpful tips and exact instructions.

Grab your reader’s attention by listing the specific number of ways to get something they desperately want.

It’s easy!

Simply start your subject line like this:

• 3 ways to…
• 5 tips for…
• 7 secrets of…

Here are a few examples:

“5 ways to shred body fat today”

“7 insider tips to sell more homes this year”

“5 seduction secrets from Don Draper to explode your dating life”

 

4. Biggest benefit

Often, the best way to grab attention is to simply state what your readers want most.

Hook their eyeballs by appealing to their self-interest.

The easiest way to write benefit-driven subject lines is to start with the words “how to”… and… follow with the desired benefit.

3 examples:

“How to raise your IQ overnight”

“How to potty train your child in minutes”

“How to double your income using social media”

 

5. Mistakes to avoid

Nobody likes to make mistakes.

Grab your reader’s attention by listing common mistakes to avoid.

Like this…

“10 little-known mistakes costing you an arm and a leg”

“5 mistakes new parents make that can harm their baby”

“Are you making these common copywriting mistakes?”

Alrighty.

Now that your readers have opened your email, you’ve got to get them to read your copy…

 

#3. Opening Line

“Is your opening line easier to read than to ignore?”

Great. You’ve captured your reader’s attention and got them to open your email.

Your job is FAR from over.

Now you’ve got to keep their attention and push them through your copy.

The key is to write a VERY SHORT opening line.

I’m talkin’ 1 sentence or less.

Often, I’ll start my opener with a few words that are so achingly complete that it’s almost impossible to stop reading.

Here are some examples:

“I’ll be brutally honest with you…”

“I’m flabbergasted”

“You won’t believe what happened to me today”

“Enough is enough”

These opening lines work because they are extremely welcoming and easy to read.

They also create curiosity because of how incomplete they are.

You almost can’t help but keep reading.

Plus, they lead into a story…

 

#4. Story

 

“Are you telling a compelling story in your email?”

Now that you have your reader’s attention and got them to read your first sentence, you must hold their interest and keep them engaged in what you are saying so that they read your entire email.

The easiest way to do this is to tell a compelling story.

Telling stories is the #1 way that humans communicate with each other.

When you tell stories in your emails, you engage, motivate and persuade readers – almost effortlessly.

Stories are the easiest, most enjoyable and most profitable way to write emails that sell.

Believe it or not, 99% of my emails contain at least one main story.

Wanna know something odd?

The best way to tell stories in your emails is to write about anything that comes to mind.

What happened to you at work today? Any workplace gossip?

See a weird story on the news this morning? What was it about?

Did your cat do something funny?

Did you have an interesting convo with a friend?

Write about it!

Then…

Transition into your email’s CTA (whatever the main objective of your email is… selling a product, getting readers to read a blog post, attend a webinar, etc.)

This is the #1 way to write irresistible emails that grab attention, hold interest and motivate readers to click on your CTA button/link.

Here are some “out of the blue” stories I’ve written in emails...

I then talked about the importance of headlines and included a link to a product that showed copywriters how to write killa headlines.

---------------

 

I started with a random story, then made it relevant to my target audience – writers. Plus, I included a link on how to protect writers from “extinction” from AI.

---------------

Same concept as the above example.

See how simple this is?

Don’t overcomplicate it!

After you’ve told an engaging story, Segway into what you’re selling.

It’s easy.

If your story relates to what you’re selling, just naturally transition to your CTA (click link to learn more/buy product).

If your story doesn’t have anything to do with your product, then do this…

Latch onto a concept from your story, or a theme, or a thought, or even a word from the last sentence (refer to the above emails to see how I do this.)

This is just one EASY way to write engaging stories that sell. There are many other types of persuasive stories to use in emails. You can read this blog to learn about them all.

 

#5. Call to Action

 

Are you telling your readers what to do next? Are you giving them a good reason why they should do it NOW?

Okay…

Your readers have opened your email and have scrolled down to the end, now you must motivate them to click your link.

Every email you write should include a call to action.

Give your readers crystal clear and direct instructions on what to do now (I.E. click your link).

The more clear, specific and direct you are with the action you want readers to take, the more likely they’ll take it.

Boost your response rates by adding urgency and scarcity.

4 ways to motivate your readers to take action NOW:

• 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
• Summarize & emphasize the main benefits and selling points of your offer

 

Conclusion

This email copywriting checklist gives you a clear, step-by-step framework for writing emails that sell.

Use this email copywriter checklist every time you write an email.

You will be shocked at the results.

Want more copywriting checklists and insider tips? Enter your email below:

 

 

After 6 months of freelance copywriting, I decided I wanted to work as a junior copywriter at a company.

I was luckier than a rabbit’s tail.

Within the first few weeks of applying for jobs, I had dozens of interviews lined up.

However, I was scared shitless.

Especially when interviewers asked me questions about copywriting.

I had no clue what to say.

My first interview went horribly:

My shaky hands could barely grasp the phone as I stumbled over answers to curveball questions.

However, after a couple dozen interviews, I could answer just about any question interviewers threw at me… with lion confidence.

Fast forward 3 years…

I’ve mustered my way through 100+ copywriting interviews and have landed 5+ copywriting jobs.

In this blog post…

I’m going to reveal the top 10 most common copywriting interview questions and give you my exact answers plus bonus tips.

If you can answer these 10 questions with confidence, you dramatically increase your chances of acing your interview and landing your copywriting dream job.

 

3 Bullet-Proof Tips for Answering Copywriting Interview Questions

Before tackling the copywriting interview questions and answers, you must understand these 3 core concepts for acing interviews…

#1. Research

Just like with copywriting, research is the foundation for winning interviews. You want to research the company, the job listing, the key qualifications, etc…. BEFORE your interview. Study this info and know it well enough to relay it back during the interview.

#2. It’s all about them

The interviewer only cares about what’s in it for them and their company. Every answer you give should be delivered through the “what’s in it for them?” lens.

Why should they hire you?

What main benefits do you provide?

Why separates you from the competition?

Find out what they want by studying their job listing.

You can usually find all the answers you need from this.

#3. Tie in the benefits

This plays off the last tip…

With each answer you give, you want to tie in the core qualities and benefits they’re looking for in their job description.

For example:

If you’re asked…

“What are your top 3 qualities?”

Your answer should be whatever the top qualities they listed in their job post.

When you do this, you are very focused on them and ensure you are giving them what they want.

Alright, let’s get moving…

 

The 10 Most Common Copywriter Interview Questions and Answers

Copywriting Interview Questions #1

“Who is your favorite copywriter/s, and why?”

For some reason, this is probably the most asked question I’ve received during 100+ copywriting interviews.

Usually, I’ll just respond with my favorite copywriters:

Gary Halbert, Gary Bencivenga, Joseph Sugarman, or Eugene Schwartz.

However, here is a golden tip:

If I’m asked just one copywriter, I usually reply Gary Halbert.

Why?

There’s a 99% chance your interviewer has at least heard of him (if not read some of his work). It’s good to give famous copywriters whom your interviewer has heard of.

But there’s a caveat…

If you are asked about multiple copywriters, include at least one that only hardcore copywriters would know.

For example:

Mel Martin, Ben Settle, Matt Furey, Jim Rutz, etc.

Why do you want to do this?

Because you are showing them that you are an avid student of copywriting and know more about copywriting than your interviewer.

As for the “and why?”…

It’s simple.

Give your honest reason.

List one big lesson or idea that these copywriters have taught you.

If you need to, write a list of your top 3-5 copywriters, and provide 1 or more big lessons/ideas from each.

WARNING:

I would not recommend applying for a copywriting job until you’ve read at least 5-10 copywriting books from the top copywriters in this field (if you haven’t, read this blog post. It covers the top 10 copywriting books for beginners with links provided)

 

Copywriting Interview Questions #2

“What do you hope to accomplish in the next 5 years?”

Companies want to hire ambitious copywriters who will be long-term assets to them.

They don’t want some lazy bum who has no goals in life.

The key to answering this is to demonstrate that you are looking to grow your skills with a company (their company).

Here is my go-to answer (not word for word, but the main jist):

“Mastery of my copywriting skills. I want to grow my skills as a copywriter with a company that helps make the world a better place.”

This shows them that I am always improving my skills (which will benefit them) and that I am seeking to grow with a company (stay with them long-term).

Do not say something like, “I want to grow my own company.” This does NOT help your interviewer or their company. Always give answers that benefit the company you’re interviewing for.

 

Copywriting Interview Questions #3

“What do you like about our website? What would you change?”

An interview is merely 1:1 selling.

Instead of a product, you are selling yourself.

And one of the best ways to sell is to paint a bright vision of your prospect’s problems and then convince them that you are the guy or gal to deliver the right solution.

So…

With that said…

Here is how I usually answer this question:

“I think it’s pretty good. However, this particular part confused me. Who is it for? What are you trying to convey? Etc.”

(Study their website beforehand and make notes on things you like and would improve upon.)

Then, after you say this, they’ll likely ask how you would improve upon it.

Simply give your suggestions.

The key is being honest.

Don’t say something is confusing unless it really is.

However:

99.99% of companies’ websites have laugh-out-loud bad copy.

It’s easy as candy to call out something and give quick suggestions.

By doing this you are demonstrating your value as a copywriter.

That you are an expert and can help them solve their copy problems.

 

Copywriting Interview Questions #4

“What’s your writing process?”

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten through an interview without being asked this question.

The answer?

Simply tell them about your writing process.

Step 1… step 2… step 3… etc.

This is what I’ll usually say:

“My writing process is research, writing and editing. I spend at least 80% of my time on research. I research your company, your product, your target audience, etc. to make sure that I create a message that resonates with your market and shows them why they should buy/work with you.”

I like to give details on the research phase because this demonstrates to the company that I take the time to get to know them and their audience.

 

Copywriting Interview Questions #5

“What's the most important element of good copy?”

My answer:

Research.

More specially, their readers.

Then, I’ll elaborate by explaining how good copy is about understanding your readers at a deep emotional level, resonating with them and proving to them that you can help them overcome their problems and achieve their desires.

This demonstrates that you know your stuff and will write result-driven copy that is tailored to their audience.

 

Copywriting Interview Questions #6

“How do you adapt to different brand voices?”

Companies want to make sure that you can write in their brand voice.

The easiest way to answer this question is to say something like this…

“Over the last X years, I’ve written for dozens of companies in different niches. Each time I write for a new company, I study their brand voice and focus on how they communicate with their customers, the language they use, the certain key phrases, the tone, etc. This enables me to write in a way that speaks to your customers on a personal level and strengthens your bond with them.”

Give more details if you have experience with brand voice.

IMPORTANT:

(This is more of a general copywriting tip but I think you’ll find it helpful)

In my 4 years of writing copy, I’ve never once tried to write in a company’s “brand voice”.

This term is misleading.

Nobody likes brands or wants to buy from them.

We want to buy from people we like, know and trust.

Instead…

Write in your reader’s voice.

Enter the conversation already playing inside their head.

For every client, I write in a way that speaks to their customers on a personal, emotional and 1:1 conversational level.

The result?

I’ve never had a client once tell me to edit my copy to make it sound more like their brand.

 

Copywriting Interview Questions #7

“What was your most challenging project?”

Companies want to know that you are a problem solver and can remain cool under pressure.

The best way to answer this question is to tell a dramatic, over-the-top story of a BIG challenge that you had to overcome.

Why?

Because you are demonstrating that you can remain calm under a shit storm (something much worse than the day-to-day issues).

Haven’t faced a challenging project yet?

Give this answer:

“A very common challenge I faced was not getting enough information about my clients’ market, product, brand voice, etc. So, to overcome this, I created a copywriting brief (list of market research questions).”

This challenge – lack of communication – is a very common challenge that copywriters & clients face.

By giving this answer, you demonstrate that you take initiative and are a problem solver.

 

Copywriting Interview Questions #8

“Talk about a time when you received harsh feedback/criticism from a client. How did you handle it?”

Companies want to know that you aren’t a fragile baby.

Show them that you can handle feedback in a professional way.

Simply tell them about a time when you received feedback and provided the client what they wanted.

2 ways to go about this…

#1. Admit you made a mistake and made it right for your client (wrote extra words, slashed $50 off your fee, etc.)

Or…

#2. You can tell them how the client was a looney tune (not in these exact words, obviously) but being the bigger person, you still made it work for them.

I like the latter…

#2 is very easy because clients usually have no clue what they’re talking about.

Their brother who is an English teacher goes over your copy and marks it up to the Nth degree (and ruins the entire sales message), etc.

This expresses to your clients that you are the expert and can provide them results without babysitting.

 

Copywriting Interview Questions #9

“What results have you generated in the past?”

Before you give an answer, make sure you understand WHY they are currently hiring a copywriter.

Do they want more sales?

Are they trying to rank #1 on Google?

Are they trying to grow their social media following?

Figure this out.

Then, tell a story about how you helped a similar company (preferably within their niche) achieve similar desirable results.

The more specific your answer, the more effective it will be.

For example:

If your interview is with a golf company, and their main objective is to generate more clients through promotional emails, your answer could look something like this: “I wrote 10 emails for [golf niche company] last fall. These 10 emails got them 5 times more sales than previous email campaigns.”

Haven’t gotten any past results for clients?

No sweat.

I snagged a copywriting job without any either.

Here’s what I said:

“Unfortunately, my past clients did not track results (or did not give me access to their data), so I cannot give you any specifics. However, I do have some testimonials demonstrating my value which you can view via my portfolio.”

This is very common. Most companies do not track data and/or give you access to view it. So, this is an acceptable answer.

 

Copywriting Interview Questions #10

“What is your style of copywriting?”

A common mistake copywriters make is to run their mouths about their “unique, creative” writing style.

Guess what?

Companies couldn’t give less of a fork.

Instead, shine the light on them.

What does your writing style DO for this company?

How does it benefit them?

Look at the job listing and see what kind of copywriter they are looking for.

What main qualifications do they want you to have?

Then, simply respond with a relevant answer.

For example:

If I’m applying for an SEO copywriter position, I’m giving an answer like this “I focus on writing copy that helps you rank #1 on google. This means, I write content that follows Google’s best practices, provides your readers with an excellent experience (Google’s #1 goal) and implements SEO keywords WITHOUT ruining the reading experience.”

If I’m applying for a social media copywriter position, my answer would change.

My “style” would be – “engaging content that resonates with the brand’s target followers.”

 

Conclusion

Treat each interview like a copywriting assignment.

Use your copywriting and selling skills to ace your interview.

Convince your interviewer that you are the right copywriter for the job by giving them what they want.

Remember:

It’s all about them.

Keep this in mind when answering questions.

If you do, you will lock down a new copywriting job, very quickly.

Want to improve your copywriting today? Enter your email below:

 

 

In July 2020, I decided to niche down as an email copywriter.

However, I struggled like a slug to write high-converting emails.

The main reason:

There are so many different types of email campaigns that companies are sending to their subscribers.

Welcome series, newsletter sign-ups, flash sales, and so on.

Fast forward 3 years…

I’ve written thousands of emails for freelance clients and dozens of emails for every major type of email campaign.

Along my bumpy journey, I’ve discovered the best email copywriting templates to quickly bang out top-notch emails for my clients.

In this blog post…

I’m going to reveal what email copywriting templates are, why you should use them and 24 email copywriting templates to use to impress clients and boost sales (organized per email type).

 

What are Email Copywriting Templates?

Email copywriting templates are pre-designed structures or outlines that serve as a foundation for crafting engaging email copy.

These templates provide you with a helpful framework for organizing your thoughts, tailoring messages to specific audiences, and streamlining the overall writing process.

Each template typically includes placeholders for essential elements such as the subject line, introduction, body copy, and call-to-action.

The goal is to provide a starting point that not only speeds up the writing process but also ensures your message gets across to your readers in the most persuasive and effective way.

For copywriters…

Email copywriting templates are valuable tools that enhance efficiency, eliminate writer's block, and encourage creativity within a defined proven structure.

With these fill-in-the-blank email copywriting templates, you can simply copy and paste your relevant content and bang out money-oozing emails in minutes.

All of these email copywriting templates are taken from proven emails.

 

How can Email Copywriting Templates Benefit YOU?

Top 3 reasons why you should use email copywriting templates:

#1. Saves your precious time

By using email copywriting templates, you will slash your writing time in half (at least). It normally takes anywhere from 10-30 minutes to write an email from scratch. Using these templates, you can realistically bang out an email in 5 minutes (or less). Just imagine how much time you’ll save on assignments where you have to write 5, 10 or even 20+ emails.

#2. Eliminates writer’s block

Do you stare at a blank screen when trying to write emails? If so, these email copywriting templates will fix that for you ASAP. They eliminate writer’s block because they give you a proven structure. You will no longer be stumped on what to write. You simply copy and paste relevant content into these battle-tested structures.

#3. Explodes conversions

These email copywriting templates are valuable because they are proven to work. Each template has generated thousands in opens, clicks and/or sales. When you improve upon a proven email (by making it personal, persuasive and relevant to your target audience), you will likely boost conversions.

 

24 Proven Email Copywriting Templates to Quickly Multiply Sales

 

I’ve included 1 (or more) templates for each major type of email campaign.

The key to making these email copywriting templates work is to add relevant, personalized content.

You can simply copy and paste content to the brackets [ ] and the text before my comments (comments).

Feel free to change as much content as you like.

2 Email Subject Line Templates

Your subject line is the first thing readers see in their inbox.

If your subject line stinks week-old sour milk, your emails will never be clicked or read.

Here are 2 proven subject line templates to instantly boost open rates:

#1. Numbers Subject Line

Humans love numbers.

Pull your readers into your emails by listing the number of benefits, mistakes to avoid, reasons why to take action, etc.

Simply start your subject line with numbers, like this:

• 3 ways to…
• 5 reasons why…
• 20 mistakes to avoid…
• 10 benefits of…

Examples:

• 5 daily habits of successful realtors
• 7 liabilities murdering your time & income
• 3 copywriting tips from Walter White

#2. How-To Subject Line

How-to subject lines offer useful information to your readers.

The best subject lines are those that appeal to your target audience’s self-interest.

So, start your subject lines with the words “how to”, then follow with the desired result.

Template:

How to [achieve desired result]

Examples:

• “How to impress copywriting clients WITHOUT having any prior work to show.”
• “How to make real estate 3x more fun.”

 

4 Cold Email Copywriting Templates

 

One of the best ways to secure new freelance clients is by sending them cold emails.

However, a lot of companies will also hire you to write cold emails for them.

Here are 4 proven cold email copywriting templates to get more clients.

Cold Email Copywriting Template #1

Hello,

My name is [your name].

I’ve worked with [company names - within same niche if possible].

I help [niche] companies turn leads into happy customers through copywriting (Add the service you provide/ultimate benefit of what your copy will do for them).

[Custom compliment]

I was curious if you needed any help writing copy at the moment?

Best,

[Your name]

---

Cold Email Copywriting Template #2

Hello [NAME],

I’m a [niche] freelance copywriter.

I would love to write for [company name].

Are you currently hiring any copywriters?

I specialize in [types of copy].

Here are 3 of my best [niche] samples:

What’s the best time to discuss this?

Thanks!

Best,

[Your name]

---

Cold Email Copywriting Template #3

Hi [NAME],

My name is [Your Name], and I'm a freelance copywriter with a passion for helping businesses like yours stand out in a crowded market (ADD THE USP OF WHATEVER YOU OFFER).

I've recently had the pleasure of working with [Similar Company], where my copy increased their conversion rates by 20% within just three months (add real results).

I'd love the opportunity to discuss how my copywriting services can benefit your brand.

Could we schedule a brief call this week at your convenience?

Looking forward to the possibility of working together.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

---

Cold Email Copywriting Template #4

Hello [NAME],

My name is [Your Name], and I'm reaching out because I specialize in helping businesses like yours overcome common marketing challenges through strategic copywriting (add what you specialize in and the biggest challenge you help relieve).

One issue many companies face is [Specific Problem], and I've successfully assisted [Number of Companies] in solving this problem through my targeted and impactful copy.

I'd love to explore how my expertise can benefit [Recipient's Company].

Could we schedule a brief call to discuss your current challenges and how I can contribute to your success?

I look forward to the opportunity to connect.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

 

3 Follow-Up Email Copywriting Templates

The REAL results come from follow-up messages.

I usually send 3-5 emails before I get replies.

You should send a follow-up email every other day for the next week.

Then 1 or 2 emails/week for the next month

Here are 3 follow-up email copywriting templates to boost replies. You can also use these when writing follow-up emails for clients.

Follow-Up Email Copywriting Template #1

Hey [NAME],

I’m following up with you on the below email.

Do you have some time next week for a quick 15 min chat on how my [ADD YOUR SERVICE] can quickly convert more customers and grow your business?

Best,

[NAME]

---

Follow-Up Email Copywriting Template #2

Hi [NAME],

Hope your week is off to a great start.

I’m following up with you on the below email.

Would you have 15 min next week for a quick chat? Every email I write for you can boost [COMPANY]’s sales and win new customers.

Best,

[NAME]

---

Follow-Up Email Copywriting Template #3

Hey [NAME],

I wasn’t sure if you received my last email, so I wanted to reach out again.

Does [Company name] need any help producing copy or content right now?

Best,

[NAME]

 

3 Newsletter Subscription Email Copywriting Templates

Most companies have email newsletters that they send out to their subscribers. This makes them one of the most in-demand types of emails to write for potential clients.

Use these Newsletter Subscription email copywriting templates to grab attention, create desire and drive email sign-ups.

Newsletter Subscription Email Copywriting Template #1: Classic Welcome

Subject: Welcome to [COMPANY] Newsletter!

Hello [NAME],

Thank you for subscribing to our [frequency, I.E. weekly] newsletter!

We're thrilled to have you on board.

Get ready for a healthy dose of [industry-related insights, tips, or news] delivered straight to your inbox.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or specific topics you'd like us to cover.

Plus, keep your eyes peeled for exciting updates!

Best regards,

[Company Name]

---

Newsletter Subscription Email Copywriting Template #2: Exclusive Content

Subject: Unlock VIP Access - Your Newsletter Subscription

Hi [Name],

Welcome to the [Company] family!

By subscribing to our newsletter, you've just gained access to exclusive discounts, juicy tips and special updates that we only share with our most valued members.

Keep an eye on your inbox for our upcoming newsletter, where we'll dive deep into [relevant industry topics].

If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to reply to this email.

Warm regards,

[Your Company]

---

Newsletter Subscription Email Copywriting Template #3: Community Connection

Subject: You're In! Join Our [Industry] Community

Hello [Name],

Thank you for subscribing to our exclusive newsletter.

We're excited to share insider stories, insights, and tips to help you [Main benefit /reason why they subscribed].

Stay tuned…

Your first newsletter issue is just around the corner!

Cheers,

[Your Company]

 

3 Limited-Time Sale Email Copywriting Templates

 

Just about every company on the planet uses email campaigns to promote special sales. Impress your clients and boost their sales with these proven email copywriting templates.

Limited-Time Sale Email Copywriting Template #1: Flash Sale Announcement

Subject: Hurry! Limited-Time Flash Sale Starts Now!

Hello [Name],

For a limited time, we're offering exclusive discounts on your favorite [products/services].

Don't miss out on the chance to [save big/experience something new]!

Shop now before [offer expiration date] to secure your savings.

It’s easy, just use code [FLASHSALE20] at checkout.

Happy shopping!

Best regards,

[Your Company]

---

Limited-Time Sale Email Copywriting Template #2: Early Bird Special

Subject: VIPs Only: Early Access to Our Exclusive Sale

Hi [Name],

As a valued customer, we wanted to give you a quick heads-up:

Our exclusive sale is about to kick off, and you get early access!

Enjoy [percentage off] on select items before the sale opens to the public.

Shop now and treat yourself to something special.

Limited quantities available [get more specific if possible], so act fast!

Warm regards,

[Your Company]

---

Limited-Time Sale Email Copywriting Template #3: Last Chance Reminder

Subject: The clock is ticking…

Hello [Name],

Time is running out!

Our [limited-time sale] ends tonight.

This is your last chance to take advantage of [discounts/offers].

If you want to save big while [solve problem/achieve benefit], act now before [TIME].

Best wishes,

[Your Company]

 

3 Customer Welcome Email Copywriting Templates

Help your clients make a positive first impression on their new subscribers with a warm and inviting welcome email.

These templates help your client introduce their brand, set expectations, and encourage new customers to explore products or services.

Customer Welcome Email Copywriting Template #1: Warm Welcome

Subject: Welcome to the [Company] Family!

Hello [Name],

We're thrilled to welcome you to [Your Company]!

[Add company back story/mission statement].

As a way of saying “thanks”, here's a [special offer/discount] on your next purchase.

Explore our [products/services], and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

We're here to ensure your experience with [Your Company] is exceptional.

Cheers to new beginnings!

Warm regards,

[Your Company]

---

Customer Welcome Email Copywriting Template #2: Getting Started Guide

Subject: Your New Adventure Begins Now!

Hi [Customer's Name],

A warm welcome to [Your Company]!

We're thrilled you've chosen us for your [product/service] needs.

To help you get started, we've prepared a quick guide on how to maximize your success with [reason why they signed up].

[Include brief instructions, tips, or links to resources.]

If you have any questions along the way, feel free to reach out.

Here's to helping you achieve [main benefit].

Best regards,

[Your Company]

---

Customer Welcome Email Copywriting Template #3: Exclusive Member Benefits

Subject: Access Your Exclusive Benefits

Hello [Customer's Name],

Welcome to the [Your Company] family!

As a special thank you…

You now have access to exclusive member benefits, including [discounts, early access, personalized recommendations, etc.].

Explore your perks and connect with like-minded people.

If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to reach out.

Warm regards,

[Your Company]

 

3 Abandoned Cart Email Copywriting Templates

 

These types of emails are mainly used by Ecommerce brands. Boost your clients’ sales by using these easy, fill-in-the-blank copywriting templates.

Abandoned Cart Email Copywriting Template #1

Subject: Oops! You’ve left something behind…

Hi [Name],

We noticed you left some items in your cart, and we wanted to remind you before they're gone for good.

Complete your purchase now and enjoy [free shipping/discount] on us!

Your cart is waiting for you.

Click below to pick up where you left off.

[Shop Now Button]

Best regards,

[Your Company]

---

Abandoned Cart Email Copywriting Template #2: Limited Stock Alert

Subject: Hurry! Limited Stock on Your Cart Items

Hello [Customer's Name],

Your recent cart items are selling out fast, and we wouldn't want you to miss out.

Secure your favorites now before they're gone!

Complete your purchase with a simple click below.

[Complete Purchase Button]

Warm regards,

[Your Company]

---

Abandoned Cart Email Copywriting Template #3: Special Offer to Encourage Checkout

Subject: Exclusive Offer Inside – Complete Your Purchase!

Hello [Name],

It looks like you forgot something in your cart.

Enjoy an additional [percentage off/freebie] when you complete your purchase TODAY!

Don't miss out on this exclusive offer.

Click below to finalize your order.

[Complete Purchase Button]

Best regards,

[Your Company]

 

3 New Testimonial Email Copywriting Templates

 

New Testimonial Email Copywriting Template #1: The Appreciation Email

Subject: Thank You for Choosing [Company]!

Dear [Customer's Name],

Thank you!

We wanted to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for choosing [Company].

We strive to provide exceptional [product/service] and are committed to ensuring your experience exceeds expectations.

We value your opinion, and we would be honored if you could share your thoughts about your recent experience with us.

Your feedback is crucial in helping us continually improve our services and better serve our valued customers.

If you have a few moments to spare, please consider leaving a testimonial on our website or replying to this email with your feedback.

Your words mean the world to us, and we greatly appreciate your time.

Thank you once again for choosing [Your Company]!

Best regards,

[Your Company]

---

New Testimonial Email Copywriting Template #2: The Follow-Up Email

Subject: Your Feedback Matters to Us!

Hi [Name],

Thanks for choosing [Your Company]! We'd love to hear about your experience. Could you take a moment to share your thoughts? Your feedback helps us improve.

Reply here or visit our website to leave a testimonial.

Thanks a bunch!

Best,

[Company]

---

New Testimonial Email Copywriting Template #3

Subject: Special Gift Awaits Your Feedback!

Hi [Customer's Name],

Enjoying [Your Product/Service]?

Share your experience, and we'll send you a special thank-you gift!

Simply reply with your testimonial.

We appreciate your time!

Best, [Your Name]

 

3 Quick Tips to Help You Maximize Your Success with These Email Templates

1. Make your messages personal & sincere – improve these email templates by making them personal and sincere to your prospects (or your clients’ readers).

2. Improve upon them – these email templates give you a structure to work within. But you will experience supreme results by improving upon them by applying your copywriting knowledge and skills. Focus on improving the most important elements – subject line, intro, story and call to action.

3. Respect your reader’s time – people are busy. They don’t have time to read a lot of text. A concise, easy-to-understand and straightforward email respects their time and allows you to get your message across effectively.

 

Conclusion

Use these email copywriting templates to quickly write powerful emails.

By adding personal details and making these templates relevant to your readers, you will help your clients boost opens, clicks and sales.

Want more email copywriting tips? Enter your email below:

“Advertising is nothing but an expense (not an investment) unless it gets the kind of action desired by the advertiser.”

Victor O. Schwab

 

When I started copywriting in 2020, I read 10 copywriting books.

One of my favorites was How to Write a Good Advertisement, by Victor O. Schwab.

Victor Schwab is one of the pioneers of advertising and direct response copywriting.

Many of the copywriting principles and tactics used today were founded by him.

There is a mountain of gold to be discovered from this copywriting legend.

In this blog post…

I’m going to cover who Victor O. Schwab was, why you should study him and 8 copywriting secrets from Victor O. Schwab’s How to Write a Good Advertisement to help you write better copy instantly.

 

Who is Victor O. Schwab?

Victor O. Schwab was one of the most successful & influential direct response copywriters of all time.

When Victor Schwab was 19, he met Max Sackheim (famous copy chief for leading ad agency, Ruthrauff & Ryan). Sackheim hired Schwab as his private secretary. In no time, Victor Schwab was promoted to head copywriter.

He became a research pioneer by using keyed coupon ads to split test headlines, offers, images, call to actions, etc.

Victor O. Schwab was one of the first copywriters to apply scientific principles in advertising.

His background in psychology and advertising research helped him craft extremely persuasive copy.

Victor O. Schwab Accomplishments

• Victor Schwab was the advertising mastermind behind best-seller “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” He created the title of this book and turned it into one the most sold self-help books of all time.
• He worked on the Charles Atlas and Sherwin Cody’s English Classics Course – a multi-million dollar company and leading English language training course.
• He turned the Book-of-the-Month Club into a giant in the book subscription industry.

Where to Learn More About Victor O. Schwab

Victor O. Schwab created one of the best copywriting books of all time – How to Write a Good Advertisement.

Plus…

He wrote several revolutionary ads.

Here are 2 of his best ads:

How I raised Myself from Failure at 29 to become a $250 per day success!

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Read Victor O. Schwab’s book (at least 10 times) and study his ads.

I recommend every copywriter to read his ads out loud, handwrite them and analyze them, line-by-line. This will give you an inside-out understanding of how to write killer ads.

 

8 Copywriting Lessons from Victor Schwab to Help You Write Better Copy TODAY

#1. 100 Best Headlines

This first tip isn’t really a tip.

It’s more of a goldmine of copywriting headlines to study and profit from.

In Victor Schwab’s book, How to Write a Good Advertisement, he revealed the top 100 headlines (at the time) and gave great insights into why they worked so well.

This is by far the most valuable part of this book.

Here is a link to these 100 headlines plus Victor Schwab’s insights:

Study them and use them as inspiration for writing your own breakthrough headlines.

 

#2. The 5-step Process for Writing Winning Ads

This 5-step process works for any type of copy, but especially for advertisements.

The 5 fundamentals of writing a good ad include:

1. Get attention
2. Show people an advantage
3. Prove it
4. Persuade people to grasp this advantage
5. Ask for action

This was Victor Schwab’s secret for writing million-dollar ads.

How to Write a Good Advertisement covers these 5 steps in great detail.

However, to persuade readers and motivate them to buy from you, you must have all 5 elements within every piece of copy you write.

Here’s some quick tips for each step:

1. Get attention – Grab your ideal reader’s undivided attention with your headline. Use the top 100 headlines to sharpen your headline skills.
2. Show people an advantage – This is the main benefit of your client’s product or service. Focus on what this benefit will DO for your reader (not what it is).
3. Prove it – lace your copy with heaps of social proof: testimonials, case studies, credentials, etc.
4. Persuade people to grasp this advantage – paint a vivid motion picture in your readers’ minds of them using your product and experiencing the big benefits. The easiest way to achieve this is to demonstrate what the product will do for them.
5. Ask for action – You ask for action in your CTA (call to action). Tell readers exactly what to do next. Make it stupidly simple, clear and easy to take action.

 

#3. The 2 Attributes of an Attention-Grabbing Headline

 

Victor Schwab’s simple 2-step secret for writing killer headlines:

1. Select your reader
2. Promise them a worthwhile reward for reading your copy

In every headline you write, you should flag down your target audience and emphasize the biggest emotional benefit they seek to gain.

Here is an easy way to flag down your ideal reader:

Simply start your headline with “For [IDEAL READER]”

3 examples:

For real estate agents…

For chiropractors…

For pre-school teachers…

Then, add the biggest benefit they hope to achieve.

Like this:

For chiropractors who want to double their income by next fall.

For pre-school teachers who crave to pump passion back into their careers.

For real estate agents who want to grow their business without cold prospecting.

This is just one way of adding these 2 elements to your headlines.

When you add these 2 key elements to your headlines, you will have a much easier time grabbing your ideal reader’s attention and sucking them into your copy.

 

#4. Hierarchy of What Pictures Readers Want to See

This tip isn’t necessarily about writing.

But it will help you grab your reader’s attention and get them to read your copy.

In Victor O. Schwab’s book, How to Write a Good Advertisement, he revealed the elusive hierarchy of images in advertisements.

Image hierarchy:

1. Children
2. Groups of adults
3. Sport scenes
4. Animals
5. Natural scenery

Keep this hierarchy in mind when working with clients.

This can help your clients boost engagement and sales (plus this will impress clients because it shows you have multiple skill sets).

 

#5. The Top 14 Core Desires People Want to Gain

 

Victor Schwab revealed the top 14 core desires that every human wants to gain in life.

Keep these core desires in mind when writing benefits.

People want to gain:

1. Health
2. Time
3. Money
4. Popularity
5. Improved appearance
6. Security in old age
7. Praise from others
8. Comfort
9. Leisure
10. Price of accomplishment
11. Advancement: business, social
12. Increased enjoyment
13. Self-confidence
14. Personal prestige

Try to tie your main benefit around one or more of these appeals.

Plus, target all relevant appeals throughout your copy.

The more you can tap into, the more effective your copy will be at stirring up desire.

 

#6. The 2 Forces Needed to Pull a Sale

To sell anything to anyone, you must include these 2 selling assets:

Emotion & logic.

Victor Schwab was one of the first copywriters to clearly explain that you sell on emotion and justify the purchase with logic.

They work together in harmony.

Logic backs emotion by justifying the purchase to us and so that we can justify our purchases to friends and family.

And…

Emotion backs logic because the stronger the emotional appeal is presented, the more fully and readily your proof material will be accepted and believed.

For every piece of copy you write…

You want to tap into your readers’ core emotions.

Discover the right ones to hit through research.

Then tap into them by telling stories, using image words, and painting vision of their problems, wants, desires, and all other relevant emotions.

Then…

Make sure you back up all your claims with logic – testimonials, stats, figures, case studies, specific details, credentials, etc.

 

#7. The Missing Piece to Get Readers to Purchase

 

Lots of copywriters leave this out.

It’s a deadly mistake.

Because you can have the best copy in the world but never make a sale, if you do not give your reader a reason to act now.

Victor O. Schwab expressed the importance of eliciting immediate action from your readers.

He gave away 6 main ways of doing so:

• Offer a risk-free guarantee
• Make your offer irresistible by adding premiums (bonuses)
• Time limit - give a time limit on your offer (order by midnight tonight)
• Limited supply
• Raise price
• Gain or loss - stress what your reader gains by purchasing your product immediately, or what he loses daily by not owning it.

By adding these elements to your call to action, you can boost response rates and drive more sales for your clients.

 

#8. Booster Stations of Power and Interest

In How to Write A Good Advertisement, Victor Schwab dedicated several pages to the importance of “eye relief”.

Meaning:

You must make your copy pleasant on your reader’s eyeballs.

A great way to achieve this is to break up your copy with subheads.

Victor expressed how subheads act as booster stations of power and interest.

Each subhead charges your readers’ engine and gets them chugging along down your copy.

Here are 3 of my favorite ways to write engaging subheads:

1. Curiosity – electrify your readers by tapping into their curiosity. This will hook their attention and get them to keep reading.
2. Questions – ask relevant questions to hook your readers and get them to keep reading for the answers
3. Bizarre – I often use bizarre, seemingly unrelated text for subheads. This wakes readers up and pulls them out of their daze.

 

Conclusion

Study Victor O Schwab’s ads and read his book, How to Write a Good Advertisement.

There are hundreds of copywriting gems buried inside his work just waiting to be discovered.

If you apply them to your writing, I can almost guarantee you’ll transform your copywriting skills very fast.

Want more insider tips to help you explode your copywriting income? Enter your email below:

 

If you dream of becoming a copywriter, I’ve got exciting news for you…

Copywriting is one of the fastest careers to break into in 2023.

You can realistically learn the basics within a few short months.

After:

You can potentially start writing for paying clients RIGHT AWAY.

Unlike traditional jobs, there are no set-in-stone restrictions to how fast you can start writing for clients or how much you can earn.

3 reasons why:

1. You do not need a college degree
2. You do not have to climb a corporate ladder
3. You are the captain of your own ship

This last point is muy importante.

Your success as a copywriter is 100% dependent on you.

And only you.

However, to help you break into this wonderful career as quickly as possible, I’m going to reveal what I personally did to become a copywriter (and get dozens of clients) within a few short months.

If you follow my advice, you too can become a copywriter very fast and get paid handsomely for it.

I believe this is the single best way for any aspiring copywriter to break into copywriting with gorilla force (as you’ll soon see why).

Enough chit-chat, let’s get started…

 

How Long Does It Take to Learn Copywriting?

It depends…

For example…

In 2019, a year after I graduated college, I decided I wanted to give copywriting a shot.

I had an extremely hard time learning the basics and had no luck getting clients.

Unfortunately…

I quit cold turkey after 1 year of trying desperately to break in.

Then, when Covid lockdowns hit in 2020, I leaped back into the copywriting arena.

This time…

I took off like a Space X Rocket.

I learned the copywriting basics in 3 months…

Then…

I went HARD with getting clients.

Within the next 3 months, I had over 50 paying clients in my front pocket.

Before my 12-month mark, I secured over 100+ freelance gigs, worked with a marketing agency as their junior copywriter and shnagged a senior copywriting position at a real estate investing company.

Why were my results in 2019 vs 2020 so different?

It had to do with my copywriting education.

This rapid-fire experience and early success would have never been possible If I had not taken 3 months to learn copywriting… the right way.

 

What Skills Do You Need to be a Good Copywriter?

 

Believe it or not, you do not need to be artistic, creative or even a decent writer to write copy.

You really only need ONE skill.

Salesmanship.

Copywriting is simply salesmanship multiplied (instead of selling face to face, you’re selling to hundreds/thousands at a time).

By reading the 10 books I’m about to share with you, you will quickly learn the basics of salesmanship and how to apply it to your writing. Plus, you will learn how to write interesting, engaging and persuasive copy.

 

How Can You Teach Yourself Copywriting?

Most copywriters are self-taught.

At least, the successful ones are.

This may be contrary to what you’ve heard, but it needs to be said.

Stay FAAAAR away from colleges or any online program with certificates claiming to “teach” copywriting.

No school will teach you how to write effective copy.

Why?

Same reason why you want to avoid reading blog posts, YouTube videos, and social media.

You want to learn from the best copywriters who have been writing for their entire careers and have made a fortune through products sold via their copy.

99.99999% of teachers at schools are NOT writing “million-dollar” copy.

They are probably not writing any copy for clients at all.

They are pure theorists.

Spouting cotton-candy fluff from their ivory tower thrones.

Instead, learn from the OGs of copywriting.

You will get the best copywriting education from reading and studying the 10 books mentioned above.

This is the quickest way to teach yourself copywriting and the safest way to ensure your success.

 

Is Copywriting Hard to Learn?

 

It was hard as rocks for me to learn copywriting in 2019.

I was extremely confused and lost in an ocean of stinky seaweed information.

I scrapped together bits and pieces from blog posts, YouTube videos, online forums and any social media platform I could get my hands on.

This made it worse…

Much worse…

All this information did was send me down a deep dark rabbit hole.

I experienced extreme information overload and analysis paralysis.

However, the second time I tried learning copywriting it was a piece of velvet cake.

Why?

Because I only read 10 books.

However, these 10 books were not written by any “modern” copywriters on the internet.

They were from some of the greatest copywriters who have ever lived.

If you learn the proven copywriting fundamentals from the godfathers in this industry, who have paved the way to riches, it is very straightforward and pleasant to learn copywriting.

Which brings me to my next point…

 

How to Learn Copywriting in 3 Months and Get Dozens of Jobs Right After

I’m going to be brutally transparent with you.

I’m going to share the exact steps I took to learn copywriting and break into this field faster than a lightning bolt.

Here goes…

The importance of learning the basics

I recommend all aspiring and beginner copywriters learn the direct response copywriting basics.

You need to learn the principles, the fundamentals, the basics of copywriting to get a really good foundation of your knowledge of what successful copy is and also what it's not.

Learn from the top copywriters in the history of this industry who have paved the way in this field and who have proven their success through the money they've made with their copy (through products sold).

This is the most important step when starting out because this is going to lay the groundwork for everything else you do in your copywriting career.

If you get a good education on the principles and fundamentals of what makes successful copy, you'll be building your career off on the right foot and this will help you with everything you do later on.

You can think of it like building a house.

You're laying the foundation.

If you mess up the foundation, the house is going to crumble.

It's the same with your career.

You need to learn what makes good copy and to really understand the fundamentals and the laws of copywriting, salesmanship, marketing, and human psychology, at a DEEP level, which these 10 books are going to cover in full detail.

So many copywriters struggle because they skip this do-or-die first step.

They never truly learn the fundamentals of copywriting.

This curses them from the beginning and almost guarantees low-paying gigs, mediocre writing and mountain-high obstacles throughout their entire (short) careers.

All of which COULD be avoided IF they learned the basics BEFORE trying to get clients.

 

The Top 10 Books to Read

The main reason I was able to break into copywriting so fast and secure so many clients right off the bat is that I felt confident in my copywriting skills.

I was confident that I could provide extreme value to my clients.

This was only possible because of the knowledge and wisdom I learned from these 10 books.

They are all written by top copywriters who have had a tremendous impact in this field.

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

Within the first 3 months of my copywriting education, I read these books twice.

The first time, I just read for enjoyment.

The second time, I took very detailed summaries (which I give away to Copy Kings members as a juicy bonus for subscribing).

In addition to reading these 10 books (twice), I practiced my copywriting skills.

Top Copy Practice Exercises to Quickly Write Like a Pro

Along with learning the basics, you also want to practice what you are learning.

This will help you understand how to write successful copy at a deeper level.

There were 3 main copywriting exercises I practiced, each day, to quickly build my skills.

1. Read, analyze and handwrite successful ads

I learned this “technique” from Gary Halbert.

He recommended reading successful ads out loud, writing them out by hand and analyzing them.

Break them down, line by line, and figure out what made them so successful.

Why did they use this particular word? What psychology and emotional triggers are at play? What are the core benefits? Etc.

By doing this, you will quickly gain a very deep understanding of the selling process through the written word.

To learn more about how to do this, read this blog post.

I cover these 3 copywriting practice exercises in full detail.

2. Feature, Benefit, Ultimate Benefit

Benefits are one of the most important elements of copywriting.

To become a successful copywriter, you must be a genie at writing mouthwatering benefits.

This copywriting practice exercise helps you become a pro at turning boring features into irresistible benefits that open wallets.

I cover how to do this in this blog post.

However, here’s the short version:

1. Find a product on Amazon you want to write about.
2. Copy and paste 3-5 features of this product into an Excel spreadsheet.
3. Write benefits per feature
4. Then put your benefits under the “so what” microscope. Meaning: What does this benefit DO for your reader? What’s the ultimate benefit?

3. 4 Us headline practice

This is where you turn dull headlines into attention-grabbing headlines by using the 4 Us headline technique.

The 4 U’s headline formula:

Ultra-specific – specifics are more believable and interesting.

Unique – what’s unique grabs our attention. This is why clickbait articles get read, even though we KNOW they are going to disappoint us. (don’t clickbait your readers but you can write unique headlines as long as you pay it off early in your copy).

Urgent – urgency makes us take ACTION NOW (and read from headline to CTA).

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

I applied this headline formula to existing headlines online.

Open your internet browser.

Now, look at the online articles below, like this:

Choose some headlines you want to improve upon.

Write a new headline for each U.

 

Your 2-Step Gameplan for Learning Copywriting in 3 Months or Less

If you’re serious about becoming a copywriter, you must learn the basics.

Here is a quick game plan to follow over the next few months as you learn this life-changing skill.

1. Read 25+ pages, each day, from the above 10 books.

2. Practice the 3 copywriting practice exercises (mentioned above).

• Read, analyze, handwrite ads – strive for 1 ad per day (can break up if it is a long ad). This will take you around 30 minutes per day.
• Features/benefits exercise – one product on Amazon per day. Write for 3-5 features. This will take around 10 minutes
• 4 Us headline practice – 1 headline per day. This will take 5-10 minutes.

Total time per day:

Copy practice exercises = 50 minutes

20+ pages = 1hr

Around 2 hours per day.

If you devote at least 2 hours to learning copywriting, you can easily pick up this skill over the next for months.

The more time you spend, the faster you’ll learn.

After you’ve completed these 10 books (twice, notes second time), you’ll be more than ready to start getting clients.

Once you’re ready to start reaching out to clients, read this blog post.

 

Conclusion

“How long does it take to learn copywriting?”

3 months from now, you can realistically feel confident in your skills and provide real value to your clients.

Be careful:

This is the most important step in your copywriting career.

If you mess this up, you could waste years (like I did) and lots of money.

Follow the golden tips I’ve laid out for you in this post and run all the way to the bank with them.

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