Jim Camp, The World’s Most Feared Negotiator, taught the importance of systems.

He was a jet fighter pilot in the Vietnam War.

And he revealed the simple reason why the army can turn shaking scared beginners into fearless fighter jet pilots who remain calm amid battle, with bullets flying at them from every direction.

The reason?

The systems they learned during training camp.

You see, as long as Jim stayed within this system, he would be safe, even with danger all around him.

If he went outside of this system, they’d be picking up his body parts for 100s of miles.

Jim also created a negotiating system that allowed him to negotiate billion-dollar deals with top companies and become the CIA’s go-to guy for negotiating with terrorists in intense hostage situations.  

Point is…

If you follow a proven system, it is almost impossible to fail.

The same is true with copywriting.

There are dozens of proven systems that the top salesmen and copywriters rely on to sell billions’ worth of products and services every year.

These systems work.

And if you stay within them when writing copy, you will automatically write effective copy that persuades readers and turns them into happy customers.

In this blog post…

I’m going to reveal what copywriting frameworks are, why you should use them and the 5 best copywriting formulas to effortlessly transform your writing skills (even if you’re a raw beginner).

 

What is a Copywriting Framework?

A copywriting framework is a proven persuasion system for writing effective sales copy.

These copywriting formulas have been used by the greatest copywriters of all time to sell stadiums worth of products and services.

These frameworks work so well because they tap into human buyer psychology and salesmanship.

They give you a helpful structure to write within and make it easy to unload your thoughts & ideas in a way that is most persuasive and engaging to your target audience.

 

How Can a Copywriting Framework Benefit YOU?

As a beginner copywriter, using a copywriting framework can help you in a bunch of ways. Here 5 of the biggest benefits of using a copywriting formula:

#1. Provides Structure

A copywriting framework provides a helpful structure for writing copy.

It helps you to organize your thoughts, ideas and main selling points in a logical, straight-forward way.

With a copywriting framework, you can easily identify the main selling points you want to communicate to your target audience.

Not only does a copywriting formula provide guidance, but it gives you a proven persuasive structure that makes it easy is strawberry shortcake to sell your clients’ products & services.

#2. Saves Time

Using a copywriting framework can save you from deadly writer’s block and slash your writing time in half (or more!)

By using a copywriting formula, you are never really starting from scratch. It’s more like filling in the blanks to a template that’s proven to work. This can help you write much faster and more effectively.

#3. Improves Quality

A copywriting framework can also help you sell more products and get more desirable results for your clients.

By following a proven copywriting formula, you will automatically write in a clear, engaging and persuasive way.

This can help you connect with your audience on a deep, emotional level and get them digging for their credit cards.

#4. Provides Consistency

By using a copywriting framework, you can quickly bang out homerun after homerun, on a consistent basis. Because you are not reinventing the wheel, you’re simply following a proven structure that sells.

#5. Helps You Learn

By studying and applying proven frameworks used by the best copywriters in the world, you will gain insights into the strategies and techniques used by copywriting legends and sales psychology baked into them.

 

The 5 Best Copywriting Frameworks to Supercharge Your Writing Skills

#1) AIDA Copywriting Formula

Gary Halbert preached the AIDA copywriting framework and used it to sell millions’ worth of products and services.

He wrote about it in great detail in The Boron Letters. I highly recommend that every beginner copywriter reads this book (multiple times).

AIDA is a very popular framework used in copywriting, sales and marketing.

It’s especially useful for beginner copywriters because it helps you create persuasive and powerful sales messages that resonate with your target audience.

The framework is based on the idea that customers go through a series of stages before making a purchase.

The first stage is getting their attention, followed by sparking their interest. Then, after you’ve ignited their interest, you create a desire for your product, and then, encourage them to take action and buy.

Applying AIDA

To apply the AIDA framework, you need to understand each stage of the buying process and how to create copy that resonates with your target audience.

Here's a breakdown of each stage:

1. Attention

The first step is to grab your reader’s attention. You achieve this by writing an attention-grabbing headline that flags down your ideal reader. The goal is to get them to stop scrolling and read your first sentence.  

2. Interest

Once you’ve grabbed their attention, you need to generate interest in your product or service. This can be achieved by highlighting all the cool & unique features.

3. Desire

After you’ve hooked their interest, you need to create desire for your product. This can be done by painting a bright vision of what your product or service will DO for your readers. I.E. all the enticing benefits they’ll gain from using it. Tap into your readers’ emotions and deepest desires.

4. Action

Your readers should be foaming at the tongue by now, itching for a way to get your product and experience the desirable results. So, now, tell them exactly what to do next. Make your call to action (CTA) clear, concise and easy to follow. Give your readers step-by-step instructions on what to do. Boost your response rate by giving a discount, adding some bonuses, and using scarcity & urgency to push them over the fence and buy your product.

The AIDA formula is an extremely powerful persuasion weapon that can transform your copy. Simply follow the steps listed above.

 

#2) PAS Copywriting Formula

This is my favorite copywriting formula to use.

Why?

Because the key to selling is solving your readers’ problems. You start your sales message with your prospect. Paint a vision of their problems and then offer them a solution (your product). This copywriting formula makes this easy to achieve.

The PAS copywriting formula is a tried-n-true framework used by salesmen, copywriters and marketers to sell products.

By using this copywriting formula, you can instantly write interesting, engaging, and persuasive copy that grabs your readers and forces them to take immediate action.

The PAS copywriting formula stands for…

Problem

Agitate

Solution

It's very simple and super effective.

Here’s how ya use the PAS formula to write killa kopy…

1. Problem:

Bring up the biggest problem your prospect is currently facing.

2. Agitate:

Agitate their problem by tapping into their EMOTIONS. Tap into their anger, resentment, guilt, embarrassment, fear, insecurity, greed - any and every negative emotion.

Make their problem larger than life, worse than death.

Get them prancing around their house saying “This has got to stop! I’ve got to do something about this right now!”

3. Solution:

Then, offer the solution to their problem! It helps to make this solution a quick fix and easy to obtain.

Here’s a quick example of PAS in action for selling homes:

Problem:

Are you struggling to sell your home?

Agitate:

Need to be out by the end of the month and worried you’ll have to take a huge pay cut?

Solution:

Here’s how you can sell your home, for MORE MONEY than you’re currently asking for, in under 30 days – guaranteed. I show you how, step-by-step, inside my free ebook.

 

#3) The 4Cs Copywriting Formula

The 4Cs formula is a proven copywriting framework used by some of the most successful copywriters in the game to effortlessly create money-dripping copy.

The bread and butter of this formula is to make your copy clear, concise, compelling, and credible.

Here’s how…

1. Clear:

If your copy isn’t clear to your readers at a glance, it will never be read.

Use simple everyday words.

Break down complex topics and ideas into easy-to-digest stories and analogies.

Do NOT try to sound clever or sophisticated. Also, avoid using jargon or technical terms unless you are 100% certain that the vast majority of your readers understand and use them.

You should strive to write at a 5^th grade level. Don’t know what a 5^th grader talks like? No sweat, pork chop. Simply copy and paste your writing onto this site - https://hemingwayapp.com/

2. Concise:

Trim the fat. Remove unnecessary words & phrases and irrelevant details that don’t push your sales message along.

Keep your copy direct and to the point. Don’t yammer on and on like a looney toon about details your readers could care less about.

As long as you talk about things THEY are interested in, you will keep their interest.

3. Compelling:

Use emotional triggers, storytelling, and other copywriting techniques to hook your readers and keep them engaged throughout your sales message.  

4. Credible:

Gary Bencivenga’s secret weapon was using proof in his copy to make his message more credible and believable.

Your readers won’t buy if they don’t believe your claims, no matter how enticing they are.

So, add credibility to back up your claims.

Use facts, demonstrations, testimonials, and other evidence to build trust and credibility with your readers.

Applying 4Cs

To apply the 4Cs formula to your copywriting, start by identifying your target audience and understanding their problems, desires, needs and motivations. Then, use clear and concise language to communicate your message in a persuasive way that resonates with your readers. Tell stories and tap into your audience’s emotions throughout your copy to make it more compelling and add proof elements to make sure your copy is believable.

Here are some bonus tips for getting the most out of the 4Cs formula:

• Write short sentences and paragraphs to make your copy easier to read and understand.
• Write in an active voice to make your copy engaging and persuasive.
• Use sensory language to appeal to your reader's 5 senses (touch, taste, hear, smell, see). This helps them picture what you’re saying in their mind’s eye and makes your words come to life.
• Use sub-heads, bullets, pictures, etc. to break up your text and make your copy easy on your reader’s eyes.
• Use testimonials, reviews, and other social proof to build credibility and authority with your readers.

By applying the 4Cs copywriting formula, you can create effective copy that vibrates with your target audience and gets desirable results for your clients.

 

#4) The FAB Copywriting Formula

FAB is a famous copywriting framework that stands for:

Features

Advantages

Benefits

This technique works wonders to help you turn bland features into persuasive benefits that sell your products.

The Features are the physical or functional aspects of your product.

The Advantages are the positive outcomes that result from the features.

The Benefits are the emotional and psychological needs that your product satisfies.

The FAB framework helps you connect with your audience by showing them how your product or service can solve their problems and achieve their desires.

Applying FAB

To apply the FAB framework, you need to identify the key Features of your product or service.

For example:

Color, weight, size, durability, material, etc.

Then, once you've identified the Features, come up with enticing Advantages that they provide for your readers.

For example:

Let’s take an Old Spice deodorant stick.

Feature: 24-hour scent technology

Advantage: smell good all day long

Benefit: Attract the opposite sex

When you're writing copy using the FAB framework, it's important to focus on the Benefits rather than the Features.

Features do not sell.

Your customers don't give two buttons about the technical details of your product or service - they just want to know what it will DO for them.

By using the FAB framework, you can create copy that speaks directly to your customers' needs and desires.

It's a powerful copywriting formula that can help you increase conversions and build stronger relationships with your readers.

 

#5) The QUEST Copywriting Formula

The QUEST framework is a copywriting formula that guides you in creating a narrative that leads your readers through the following steps:

1. Qualify: Start by qualifying your target audience. Clearly identify WHO your ideal customer is.
2. Understand: Crawl inside their mind and understand their needs at a deep emotional level. This involves market research. Uncover your target audience’s pain points, desires, motivations, etc.
3. Educate: Convince your readers that you understand them on a personal level and can help them solve their problems. You can achieve this by educating your audience on how your product or service can help them overcome their unique challenges.
4. Stimulate: Arouse interest and enthusiasm for your product or service. This involves creating a sense of urgency and excitement around your offering.
5. Transition: Finally, transition your reader into taking action. Provide a clear and compelling CTA that encourages your audience to take action NOW.

Applying QUEST

To apply the QUEST framework, start by identifying your ideal customer. Ask yourself who they are, what are the biggest problems they face, what motivates them, what do they want most, what do they need your product right now, etc. After you have a clear understanding of your target audience, you can begin to write copy that speaks directly to their needs on an emotional level (emotions sell).

 

Conclusion

Use these 5 proven copywriting formulas to transform your writing skills and explode sales for your clients.

Choose one that interests you and use it TODAY.

Want to grow your freelance copywriting business faster than a bullet? Enter your email below and I’ll show you how:

 

One of my favorite copywriting resources is a seminar that legendary copywriter, Eugene Schwartz, gave to Rodale Press’s copywriters.

In this seminar, Eugene broke down his step-by-step process for writing copy.

The same copywriting process he used to crush A-list copywriters and sell billions worth of products.

He spent a good chunk of time talking about the importance of copywriting research.

Believe it or not…

For each copywriting project, Eugene spends 80%+ of his time on market research, and only 20% on writing copy.

Why?

Because you do NOT write copy.

You ASSEMBLE it.

Meaning:

What you write about – the benefits, features, hooks, angles, emotional triggers – already exist.

All the answers to crafting million-dollar ads are already out there.

And your job is to find them and assemble them.

Then, display them in the most persuasive way to your target audience.

Your success as a copywriter has more to do with research than it does writing. Research is what separates struggling copywriters from thriving A-list copywriters.

In this post…

I’m going to cover what copywriting research is, why it’s imperative to your success, my own copywriting research process, The 10 best copywriting research questions and 7 little-known market research tools to use.

 

What is Copywriting Research?

Copywriting research is simply the research you do before writing.

It’s vital information about your client’s product, market, company and competition, that you’ll base your copy around.

This is the first crucial step in the copywriting process.

Usually, copywriters create a copywriting brief (filled with market research questions) that they give to their clients to fill out and then study.

I like to view copywriting research as digging for gold.

When researching your client’s market, product, etc. you are looking for golden bricks that you can use in your copywriting.

However…

It’s much easier to find this gold if you know where to search and have helpful tools to dig it up.

I’ll cover what to look for in the following section, but before we get into that…

 

Why is Copywriting Research Important to Your Success?

Copywriting research is important to your success because without it you will never persuade your readers to take action.

If your readers do not respond to your copy (click your link, buy your product, exchange their email for a lead magnet, etc), you will not get results for your clients.

No results = no money for you.

So, if you want to become a top titty copywriter, you must spend a TON of time on copywriting research.

The goal of copywriting is to sell.

And the ultimate secret to selling anything, to anyone, is finding out what that person wants and then helping them get it.

It’s that simple.

And what your readers want are solutions to their problems.

But in order to solve their problems, you have to know WHAT their problems are.

You have to know what they want most, what pain they’re trying to avoid, what motivates them, what holds them back from buying your product or service, and so on.

Copywriting research holds all of these answers.

A common mistake copywriters make is spending too much time on the HOW and not nearly enough on the WHAT.

How you write - making your copy easy to read, highlighting the key points, making it engaging - is important, but ONLY if you are writing about WHAT interests your audience.

If you don’t…

It won’t matter how good your copywriting is.

As Gary Halbert said, you can write the best sales letter of all time, hitting all the major copywriting techniques and tactics, but it won’t sell a dime if you’re writing about the wrong subject. For example, writing about how great knitting equipment is to golfers.

 

How to Do Copywriting Research

When I was a naked & afraid newbie copywriter, I struggled a lot with copywriting research.

I didn’t know where to start.

I had no clue what questions to ask or where to find the answers.

However, after lots of crashing and burning (and from studying the best copywriters of all time), I’ve come up with a fool-proof method for copywriting research.

Here is everything you need to know about copywriting research, so you can improve your researching skills right away and write better copy.

 

What Should You Research?

There are the three main things I research before writing copy (in order of importance):

1. Your market
2. Your product (including the company you’re writing for: brand voice, USP, etc.)
3. Your competition

However, your market is by far the most important.

I usually spend 80% of my time studying the market I am writing for.

Often, you can write successful copy without even studying the product or competition IF you know exactly what your customers want and what motivates them to respond.

 

The Copywriting Research Process

Whenever writing copy for clients or myself, I spend at least 80% of the time on market research.

To help you understand everything that goes into the copywriting research process…

Here is EXACTLY what I do when taking on a new project:

After negotiating the deal…

I send my client a copywriting brief.

This brief has 10+ pages of market research questions.

Specific questions about their market, product, competition, testimonials, brand voice, USP, etc.

Then, when I receive this copywriting brief, I study it intensely.

Plus, I usually do some more digging (using the 7 market research tools discussed in the next section) and add my findings to the brief.

After I’ve gotten all the market research info I need, I study this BIG list (usually 30+ pages by now), 3 times.

The first time, I just read it.

The second time, I mark it up to the hilt. Emphasizing the key points, emotional triggers, biggest benefits, negative emotions, positive emotions, biggest objections, advantages over competition, etc.

I rank the top 5-10 benefits, objections and challenges.

Then, I go through it one more time.

I usually give myself at least 2 hours in between studying this info.

Then, after I have gone through this 3 times, I give myself at least an evening to let it “marinate” in my brain.

Then, I write my first draft in the morning.

When I write this draft, I let everything flow out.

I write very fast and do not edit anything – misspellings, incomplete sentences, etc.

One of the biggest benefits of doing extensive market research is that it completely eliminates writer’s block.

Once you study your market this intensely, when you finally sit down to write, everything will flow right out of your head, onto your laptop.

If you cannot think of what to write, then you haven’t done enough research.

Depending on the project and deadline, I will spend anywhere from 5 hours to as much as 7 days on copywriting research.

 

The 10 Best Copywriting Research Questions to Ask Your Client

If you don’t have a copywriting brief filled with market research questions, then start with these 10…

These 10 questions were created by copywriting & marketing legend – Dan Kennedy.

You can learn more about them in his terrific copywriting book The Ultimate Sales Letter.

I still use these market research questions whenever I’m writing copy for a new market.

These market research questions are not your typical wet towel copywriting questions. They work so effectively because they tap into your market’s emotions – their pains, problems, desires, etc.

Use these 10 questions whenever you are researching your client’s market.

 

7 Copywriting Research Tools to Write Million Dollar Copy

These are my 7 go-to market research tools to answer your copywriting research questions.

I use them every time I write for clients or my own business…

Where to dig up market research gold:

#1) Talk to your market

Probably the best way to answer your market research questions is to talk to the people in your market.

This can be online or in person.

One way you can meet people in your market is to network.

One of the easiest (and fun) ways to meet new people in your market is to sign up for meetup groups.

Just type in the keyword and you’ll likely find a few groups on the subject and upcoming events.

(For example: if you’re writing to golfers, type in “golf”)

Then, TALK to these people.

Get to know them.

What are they gossiping about? What are they complaining about? What are they most interested in? What pain are they trying to escape?

#2) Conduct online surveys

There are several sites online where you can copy and paste your market research questions. Just type in “market research survey” and you’ll find a bunch. You can also ask these questions in forums and social media groups…

#3) Online forums and social media groups

This is my favorite market research tool for uncovering the emotions, problems and desires of my market.

Here’s a few of my favorite sites… Reddit, Facebook Groups and Quora.

You can usually find answers to most of your market research questions on Reddit alone. Simply type your market’s keyword into Reddit’s search bar. I.E., “golf”.

Plus, you can type – “[your niche] + best online forums” – into Google to find some online forums where your market is congregating and communicating with one another.

#4) Comment section on relevant & popular blogs (related to your niche).

Another great place to find market research answers are blog post’s comment section.

Be on the lookout for questions and common topics your market is talking about.

#5) Amazon reviews

Search for relevant products in your niche.

I like to look at the common questions asked, the “by feature” section and the reviews (tip: look for EMOTIONAL reviews).

#6) Google search

You can also uncover market research gold by typing a market research question into Google. Simply ask the question and add your niche (For example – “what makes real estate agents angry?”) Click on relevant answers, especially ones answered by your market (Quora & Reddit).

#7) Competitor ads and websites

Study your client’s competition.

What are they saying? How are the saying it? What hooks are they using? What is their big USP? What emotional triggers are they using? Benefits? Etc.

Get inspiration from the competition and see if you can add/improve upon what they have.

 

Conclusion

It should be no secret by now…

Research plays a BIG role in your success as a copywriter.

If you research your client’s market enough, you can leap over 99% of common obstacles copywriters face and quickly improve your copywriting skills (and income).

Want more copywriting tips to help you achieve your copywriting goals? Enter your email below:

 

 

In 2019, when I wanted to become a copywriter, I failed MISERABLY.

I really struggled to learn what copywriting was and how to write copy that sells.

I was caught like a lobster in a trap with all the fluffy nonsense spread around the web like a yeast infection.

But then…

In 2020, I did something that changed my life…

Instead of learning copy from a million different people, I focused on the select few famous copywriters who have proven their success through products sold.

I set out to find the elusive best copywriters of all time & learn from them.

I stopped reading blog posts, Reddit comments and watching YouTube videos from online copywriting “gurus”.

The result?

I built my copywriting skills and confidence within a few short months and have secured 100s of freelance clients and a handful of copywriting jobs over the last few years.

The point is…

To be the best, you got to LEARN from the best.

And ONLY the best.

So, if you want to become a top-paid copywriter, you ought to learn, study and APPLY the wisdom taught by the greatest copywriters of all time.

In this post…

I’m going to share 20 of my favorite copywriters, their influence on the copywriting game and ONE BIG idea to take home & apply right away to improve your own copywriting skillz.

 

The 20 Best Copywriters in the World

#1. Gary Halbert

Gary Halbert is probably the most famous copywriters of all time.

He began his career in the 1960s as a direct response copywriter. He specialized in print advertising. Gary wrote the MOST MAILED piece of advertising in US history – The Coat of Arms Letters.”

He has sold billions worth of products through the words he’s written and has revolutionized copywriting as we know it.

If you’re serious about copywriting, you should study Gary’s work intensely. Plus, make sure you read The Boron Letters and The Gary Halbert Newsletter.

Study Gary’s top ads:

https://swiped.co/ - type in “Gary Halbert” and you’ll find a bunch of his most successful ads.

Big Lesson

Sell to a starving crowd.

Gary held a seminar for aspiring copywriters.

He asked them…

‘Imagine you’re opening a hamburger stand —what advantages would you need most to succeed?’

The students replied:

“The best meat”

“The tastiest sauce”

“A great location”

Gary’s reply?

“I’ll grant you all these things, and in return I only want one, I want a STARVING CROWD.”

Meaning, your success as a copywriter has more to do with the MARKET you are writing to, than the product you are selling.

If you choose a hot market, you can get away with mediocre products (and mediocre copy).

 

#2. Eugene Schwartz

 

Eugene is one of the best copywriters who’s ever lived. He started his copywriting career at an advertising firm – Huber Hoge & Sons – as a messenger boy and quickly worked his way up to head copy chief.

Then, in 1954, he went into business for himself. Using his elite copywriting skills as the fuel to his business’s success.

Eugene speciated in direct-mail advertising and wrote 10 books, including one the greatest copywriting books of all time – Breakthrough Advertising.

BIG IDEA

You do not create great copy, you assemble it.

When I heard Eugene say this, my mind exploded.

Ever since, I have viewed copywriting in a completely different light.

Meaning:

You do not write copy, you assemble it.

Every claim, feature, benefit, emotion, etc. already exists.

Your job is to find it.

Then…

Assemble it in the most persuasive and engaging way.

How do you find this vital info?

Research.

 

#3. Matt Furey

 

Former world champion wrestler turned email copywriting legend. Furey is renowned for his massive success in the fitness & self-improvement niches mainly due to his master marketing & copywriting skills.

His background in athletics and personal development played a BIG role & theme in crafting persuasive emails and sales pages that resonate with his target audience.

Most copywriters nowadays don’t know who Matt Furey is, and that’s a shame.

Because he’s probably the greatest email copywriter of all time.

He’s sold millions worth of his own products through email and really changed the email copywriting game.

BIG IDEA

Storytelling.

Matt Furey’s secret weapon was his storytelling abilities.

This guy started 99% of his emails off with fascinating stories that sucked you into his copy and persuaded you to buy.

Big takeaway:

Start your copy with a story. Don’t overthink it. You can tell a story about anything. After all, humans are natural storytellers.

Learn more about Matt Furey...

Matt’s website:

https://www.mattfurey.com/

Matt’s terrific email copywriting course:

https://knockoutmarketing.com/the-original-matt-furey-email-copywriting-seminar/

 

#4. Ben Settle

 

If Matt Furey ain’t the best email copywriter on the planet, Ben Settle is.

Ben worked as a freelance copywriter for many years for some big-name entrepreneurs – Michael Senoff, Ken McCarthy, Captain Chris and many more.

Then, Ben went into business for himself.

He’s best known for his Email Players newsletter (a monthly print newsletter where he shares email copywriting and marketing secrets).

BIG IDEA

Mock the trolls.

Most people give in to their critics.

Ben does the opposite.

Instead of lying down in fetal position, he openly mocks his trolls for all eyes to see in his daily emails.

Not only is this very entertaining, but this also helps repel rotten clients and strengthens the relationship with his ideal clients.

Check out Ben's website & subscribe to his email list (he drops daily copywriting gems):

https://bensettle.com/

 

#5. Joseph Sugarman

 

Joseph Sugarman was a pioneer in direct response marketing and advertising. He founded JS&A Group, a company known for innovative products such as BluBlocker sunglasses.

One of my favorite copywriting books of all time is his book: The Adweek Copywriting Handbook.

Big Idea

Slippery Slide.

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

And he used a great analogy for doing this…

Picture your copy as a slippery slide. You want readers to slide down your copy as fast as possible.

Lube to grease up your slide – stories, short sentences, talk about what they’re interested in, benefits.

 

#6. Victor O. Schwab

 

The man who made “How to Win Friends and Influence People” a best seller, is one of the founding fathers of advertising and copywriting. Victor worked on ads for Charles Atlas & Sherwin Cody. Victor 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.

Big Idea

In his book – How to Write A Good Advertisement – he gave away the 100 most successful headlines (at the time).

But the really valuable thing was, he gave insights on WHY these headlines were so effective.

I recommend every copywriter read this book (multiple times) and study the 100 headlines and insights given.

 

#7. Claude Hopkins

 

Claude Hopkins was one of the greatest pioneers of direct response advertising. He believed advertising’s only goal was to sell, rather than to be clever or entertain. That it should be measured by scientific tests and justified by the results it produced. Hopkin’s data-driven approach transformed advertising as we know it.

Big Idea

“Reason Why” copy.

In Claude's magnificient copywriting book, Scientific Advertising, he really emphasized how copywriting is based on proven human psychological principles. And that if you can give your readers a reason WHY they should respond to your copy, you can succeed.

 

#8. Dan Kennedy

 

Dan Kennedy is one of the greatest copywriters of all time. He’s worked as a marketing consultant, high-end freelance copywriter, author and business owner. His books and teaching have transformed direct response marketing and have turned 100s of struggling entrepreneurs into “renegade” millionaires.

Dan Kennedy's book, The Ultimate Sales Letter, is one of my favorite copywriting books.

Big Idea

10 market research questions.

Dan used to only give these valuable market research questions to seminar attendees. However, they are widely accessible online now.

I still use these market research questions whenever I’m writing copy for a new market. These market research questions are not your plain Jain copywriting questions. They work so effectively because they tap into your market’s emotions – their pains, problems, desires, etc.

Use these 10 questions whenever you are researching your client’s market…

 

#9. David Ogilvy

David Ogilvy, The "Father of Advertising," is one of the most famous copywriters of all time. Madmen’s Don Draper was based on this copywriting legend. Ogilvy founded the notorious advertising agency, Ogilvy & Mather. He became well-known for his iconic ad campaigns for – Dove, Rolls Royce, Guinness, Hathaway, and many more big-named companies.

Here are two great books written by the legend himself:

Ogilvy On Advertising 

Confessions of an Advertising Man

Big Idea

Homeruns.

Ogilvy explained that if you want to make big bucks as a copywriter, you’ve got to hit homeruns.

Homeruns = your copy is based around a BIG IDEA.

The best way to come up with big ideas is through market research.

Study your market & product INTENSELY.

Then, after you’ve filled your brain with loads of info… take a break.

Give your brain some breathing room.

You’ll be amazed at how many BIG IDEAS your brain will feed when it’s had some R&R.

 

#10. Mel Martin

 

Mel Martin was a mail-order advertising wizard. After Eugene Schwartz (mentioned above) helped Marty Edelston lay the foundation for Boardroom (multi-million dollar publishing company), it was Mel Martin’s copywriting that turned it into a $100 million per year goliath. Mel Martin is known for his “fascination” bullets. He’s labeled “the best fascination copywriter you've probably never heard of".

Here's 3 of my favorite bullets he’s written:

• What never to eat on an airplane
• Bills it’s okay to pay late
• What credit companies don’t tell you

It’s hard to find Mel’s work online (couldn't even find a pic of him), however, I managed to find these 2 beauties (notice how 90%+ of this ad is pure bullets):

https://swiped.co/person/mel-martin/

https://infomarketingblog.com/mel-martin-fascinations/

Big Idea

Bullets.

This man is the KING of bullets. If you want to become a better copywriter, study his bullets and write them out by hand.

 

#11. John Caples

 

John Caples was a famous copywriter who was Vice President of ad agency BBDO, Inc. Caples created some of the most successful and swiped ads of all time, like - “They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano”… and… “They Grinned When the Waiter Spoke to Me in French,”. Caples was another pioneer for his research and data-driven approach to advertising.

Here are two of the greatest copywriting books of all time written by Caples:

How to make your advertising make money

Tested Advertising Methods

Big Idea

Headlines.

In his book, Tested Advertising Methods, Caples covers headlines in great detail (based on proven headlines backed by tests he ran).

John concluded that the 4 most important elements in successful headlines are: 1. Benefit  2. News  3. Curiosity 4. Ease of use.

Make your headlines better TODAY by adding 4 key elements.

 

#12. John Carlton

 

“The most ripped-off writer on the Web” has had a long and impressive copywriting career.

He started out as a freelance copywriter. John was the secret sales weapon behind many ad agencies (agencies would “sneak” him in through the back door to do the selling that their copywriters couldn’t do). John’s written ads for many successful direct response companies, including Rodale Press. And was one of the first marketers to crack the code of how to sell online.

Check out John’s website:

https://www.john-carlton.com/

This is one of my favorite copywriting courses:

https://marketingrebel.com/kick-ass-copywriting-secrets-of-a-marketing-rebel/?cookieUUID=2b16a75a-5b23-44e5-8a2a-c63e86cf4866

Big Idea

Hooks.

John Carlton’s One-Legged Golfer ad is probably the most ripped-off ad of all time.

Why?

Because of the unique hook used in the headline:

Amazing Secret Discovered By
One-Legged Golfer Adds 50 Yards
To Your Drives Eliminates Hooks
and Slices… And Can Slash Up To
10 Strokes From You’re Game
Almost Overnight!

Carlton was a master at finding unique hooks to display in his headlines and base their overall themes around.  

To learn more about how John finds & uses hooks in his copy, listen to this interview between him and Micheal Fortin:

https://michelfortin.com/interviews/john-carlton/

 

#13. Bob Bly

 

Bob Bly is another copywriting legend. He has worked as a successful direct response freelance copywriter for nearly 40. He’s written for hundreds of clients including, Intuit, Network Solutions, Medical Economics, Business & Legal Reports. Plus, he has published over 100 books.

Big Idea

4 Us headline technique.

This is one of my favorite ways to write serial killer headlines. I practiced this headline technique when I first learned copywriting back in 2020

The 4 U’s are – unique, ultra-specific, useful and urgent.

Add these U’s into your headline.

The more U’s you add, the more effective your headlines will be.

Bly goes into great detail about how to apply the 4 U’s headline technique in his book – The Copywriter’s Handbook

 

#14. Doug D’anna

Doug D’Anna is one of the greatest copywriters of all time with an impressive track record of success. His copywriting has generated $100+ million in sales for companies. D’anna has worked with some of the most well-known companies in the publishing industry, including Agora, Forbes, Boardroom, Men’s Health, Lombardi Publishing and many others.  

Check this short but valuable copywriting course out

https://www.milliondollarcopywritingformula.com/long-copy-that-makes-money/

Big Idea

Prospect to product bridge.

Most copywriters start with the product, talking about its features, benefits, USP, etc.

However, instead, Doug taught how you should start with your prospect first. Then, after you’ve entered their world and talked about what they’re interested in (their problems, desires, etc), tie in your product.

The best way to do this is to tell a story about someone your prospect can identify with, who faced similar challenges and then overcame them (by using your product) then tie in how your product can solve their problems.

You start with your prospect, before ever mentioning features and benefits.

 

#15. Clayton Makepeace

 

Clayton Makepeace is called the "World's Highest-Paid Marketing Coach and Copywriter" by The American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI). His copy has generated over $1.5 BILLION in sales in the Health and Financial niches.

Check out his course:

https://www.awai.com/makepeace/7-days-or-less/p/

Big Idea

Make it personal.

Clayton stressed the importance of conversational copy. Your copy should read as if you are talking to ONE person. When writing, picture you are sitting at your favorite restaurant with a close friend. Write as if you’re talking to them. Lace your copy with the most powerful word in advertising – YOU.

 

#16. Drayton Bird

Drayton Bird is one of the best copywriters in the world. He has an extensive background in direct response marketing. Some of the companies he’s written for include, Toyota, Visa, Microsoft, IBM, Mercedes, Nestle and Proctor & Gamble.

Check out Drayton’s well respected book:

Commonsense direct marketing

Big Idea

Write to the ideal prospect.

When writing copy, you want to write to ONE person (even though you’re writing to many). Who is this one person? Your IDEAL prospect. Your copy should be irresistible to your ideal prospect. Always strive to tighten your message to market match.

 

#17. Gary Bencivenga

Gary Bencivnga is named “the greatest living copywriter in the world.” He is one of the most famous copywriters in the financial direct mail niche. Gary has sold billions worth of products through his magic words.

Check out his extremely valuable “marketing bullets”:

https://marketingbullets.com/

Big Idea

Proof.

Gary Bencivenga revealed that his secret weapon for stomping out A-List competition and selling BILLIONS (with a B) worth of products is… PROOF.

You want to load up your copy with haystacks a PROOF.

Nowadays, we are pounded to the pulp with outrageous claims.

We can hardly breathe with all the fluffy BS clogging our windpipes.

However, when you add proof elements to your claims, you make them far more believable.

For readers to buy from you, they must BELIEVE what you’re saying is true BEFORE they whip out their credit cards.

The best way to do this is to “sandwich” your claims between proof elements.

Proof elements can be – social proof, impressive titles given by peers, awards won, years of experience, testimonials, etc.

 

#18. Robert Collier

 

Robert Collier was a famous author of self-help and metaphysical books. His book The Secret of the Ages sold over 300,000 copies. Collier wrote about the practical psychology of abundance, desire, visualization, and personal development. His book, "The Robert Collier Letter Book," emphasized the importance of persuasive writing in direct response copywriting.

Big Idea

Enter the convo already playing inside your reader’s mind.

Whenever writing copy, you want to enter the conversation your prospect is already having inside their mind.

BECOME your prospect.

Picture yourself as your prospect…

You are bored and mindlessly scrolling through social media (or whatever platform you’re writing for), what’s the ONE thing you could read that would snap you out of your daze and get you to stop scrolling?

You find this out through research.

 

#19. Leo Burnett

 

Leo Burnett was one of the best copywriters in the game.

He was the founder of Leo Burnett Company and has created countless iconic advertising campaigns for worldwide companies like, Coca-Cola, Fiat, Marlboro, Kellogg's, Kraft, McDonald's and Nintendo.

Big Idea

Believability.

Leo was a strong advocate for making his ads believable to his target audience. Whenever you write copy, you should be extremely transparent and honest. Don’t make outlandish claims like every other ad you see, stand out by being one of the lone wolves in the forest with brutal honesty – admitting flaws, handling objections, etc.

 

#20. Brian Clark

Brian Clark, the founder of Copyblogger, is a direct response copywriting and online marketing genius. He’s worked in a ton of different industries and has contributed a ton of valuable tips and insights on digital marketing.

Big Idea

Instead of just one big idea…

Go here and grab hundreds…

https://copyblogger.com/copywriting-101/

 

Conclusion

There ya have it, my friend.

The 20 greatest copywriters of all time (in my opinion).

Don’t let their wisdom go to waste, look them up, read their books, study their ads and PROFIT from their timeless wisdom.

Speaking of profit…

Want to multiply your income?

Enter your email below and I’ll send you daily copywriting secrets to improve your skills and sales:

 

 

Over the last 4 years, I’ve made more copywriting mistakes than I can count on foot.

Lucky for you…

25 copywriting mistakes have left permanent scars on my cerebellum.

I see copywriters make these same gosh darn mistakes over and over and over again.

And that’s a bad thing.

Because these common mistakes block copywriters from writing persuasive copy that gets results.

And if you can’t get desirable results for your clients, you will never earn a lot of money as a copywriter.

So…

In this post…

I’m going to reveal the 25 most common, yet deadly, copywriting mistakes.

Read them carefully.

Make sure you’re not making any of these mistakes

If you are, fix em FAST.

Because just one of these common copywriting mistakes can cost you an arm and a foot.

 

Are You Making Any of These Common Copywriting Mistakes? (Avoid these Copywriting Mistakes at ALL Costs)

 

1. Writing for everyone

This is a common copywriting mistake I see over and over again.

When writing copy, you want to write to a specific target audience.

And ONLY write for them.

By doing so, you will make your copy more persuasive and interesting to the people who matter most – your target audience.

 

2. Long sentences

You should strive to keep sentences no more than 15 words.

There are exceptions, however, the point is to make it easy to read.

Long sentences intimidate readers and can repel them.

Short sentences are welcoming and pleasant on our eyes.

 

3. Sounding sophisticated

Get off your high horse!

Believe it or not, you should strive to write so a 5^th grader can understand you.

Do NOT try to impress readers with your pinky-up vocabulary.

Make your writing stupidly easy to read.

Do so by writing in a conversational tone, like you are talking to a buddy at the bar.

 

4. Using jargon

Unless you know that the vast majority of your readers use industry slang (jargon)… avoid using it at all costs.

Why?

Because, by using jargon you are isolating a large group of readers.

You are speaking foreign to them. If they don’t understand what you’re saying, they will simply stop reading.

 

5. Not solving problems

The main reason people buy is to solve their problems.

So, your job is to be a problem solver.

Find out what your target audience’s BIG problems are and demonstrate how they can relive and overcome their problems by using your client’s product/service.

 

6. Creating a dry slide

 

Joseph Sugarman once said your copy should act as a slippery slide.

Meaning:

You want your readers to read every word you write.

So many copywriters create dry slides by writing clever, boring, hard-to-read copy that is of no interest to their readers.

Instead…

Grease up your slide by keeping everything super relevant to your readers and adding stories, analogies, demonstrations, benefits, etc. to get them down the “slide” as quickly as possible.

 

7. No urgency

If you want to get readers to take some sort of action (which every piece of copy you write needs to do) you’ve got to give them a reason to ACT NOW.

Dan Kennedy said it best…

Picture your reader as a giant slob who procrastinates like no tomorrow. What would YOU say to this person to get them to buy now?

 

The best way to get your readers to respond ASAP is to add urgency.

For example, a limited-time discount.

 

8. Forgetting the flag in your headline

A killer mistake copywriters make when writing headlines is they do NOT flag down their target audience.

If you don’t grab your target audience’s attention, in the first few seconds, they will never read what you have to say.

So, one of the best ways to get their attention is to call them out…

For example:

For real estate agents who want to double their sales this month.

For copywriters who struggle with writer’s block.

Which brings me to the next common copywriting mistake…

 

9. Believing writer’s block is real

Hate to break it to you bud...

Writer’s block is NOT real.

Why?

Because you are NOT a writer.

You’re an assembler.

You see, your job is to assemble already existing claims, benefits, emotions, etc., and display them in the most persuasive and dramatic way.

The key to writer’s block is more research.

 

10. Spending more time writing, than researching.

This is one of the BIGGEST mistakes copywriters make.

Never forget this…

The answer to ALL of your copywriting problems lies within your market.

You should spend at least 80% of your time researching your market, product, company, etc. (but mainly your market) and only 20% of your time writing.

Then, when you sit down to write, it will be a LOT easier to write persuasive copy that sells.

 

11. Not using deadlines

 

The cure for turtle-speed copywriters is to set strict deadlines.

Because…

Work expands the time you give it.

I like to follow Eugene Schwartz’s method:

Whenever I sit down to write, I set a 33.33-minute timer and write until it goes off. Then, I take a 5-10 minute break. And repeat this until I finish whatever I’m working on.

 

12. Keeping the cat alive

Curiosity killed the cat.

And the lack of curiosity has killed off THOUSANDS of copywriters.

According to the GOAT himself, Gary Halbert, curiosity is the #1 reason people buy.

So...

Load up your copy with herbs & spices of curiosity

 

13. Letting your ego get in the way

A very deadly copywriting mistake is to let ego get in the way of your writing.

But not just your ego.

Your client’s ego, your peer’s ego, other copywriters ego, marketers, gurus, etc.

Because the ONLY opinion that matters is your customers.

Do not let your ego convince you otherwise.

 

14. Suffocating your subconscious

One of the beautiful things about our subconscious mind is its supernatural ability to create.

Did you know your subconscious mind can literally hand you million-dollar ideas?

It’s true.

However, in order for your subconscious to work its magic (literally), you need to give it breaks.

I recommend taking a 5-hour break in between drafts (days are ideal).

Doing so will let your subconscious go to work. And when you get back to your draft, your brain will feed you new ideas.

You’ll see your copy in a new light, with fresh eyes and a fresh mind.

 

15. Taking days off

I’m not a fan of Gary Vee’s hustle, grind, hustle, grind lifestyle.

No.

I’d much rather work 5 hours a day, and write copy every single day, then grind 14 hours and bang out 2x more work but then crash the next day and skip writing.

I don’t care what the gurus tell you…

The key to your success as a copywriter is to write consistently.

Write every day.

This is the answer to improving your skills & earning more money.

 

16. Forgetting the purpose of your headline

Joseph Sugarman said it best:

Your headline only has ONE job…

Get readers to read your first sentence (body copy).

That’s it.

Copy is a logical sequence, and the first giant step is to GET READ.

Whenever writing headlines, ask yourself…

“Will this grab my reader’s attention and get them to read my next sentence?”

If not…

Get back to work, Busta.

 

17. Writing logical copy

A big copywriting mistake is to write about the features, facts, statistics… BEFORE tapping into your reader’s psychology.

Emotions sell.

Logic justifies the sale.

So…

ALWAYS start your copy by tapping into your target audience’s core emotions, desires, problems, etc.

 

18. Not painting enough vision

 

The late great Jim Camp (the world’s most feared negotiator) taught how you MUST paint a vision of your reader’s problem, first, in order to get them to take action.

You paint vision by getting inside their world.

Talking about what THEY’RE interested in.

Talk about their problems, fears, anxieties, insecurities, and so on.

My favorite way to do this is to tell a story about someone in the market whom your reader can identify with, who’s gone through similar problems and challenges. Dramatize this and elicit emotions, then, tie in how your product/service can help relieve their problems.

 

19. Using superlatives

We’re the best.

We’re number one.

We’re the greatest company that ever lived.

YUCK!

Stop that.

Cut those superlatives out.

Easy fix…

Use specifics.

Instead of saying “Our company is number #1 in the region”.

Say: “We’ve sold 2,534 cars this year to happy drivers in 32 different towns in the Suffolk region”.

 

20. Big claims without proof

Gary Bencivenga, labeled the world’s greatest living copywriter, explained how one of the biggest reasons for his success has to do with proof.

For people to buy from you, they first have to believe what you say.

Nowadays, we are SWAMPED with outrageous claims.

Every guru and their grandmother are screaming “How to get rich in 3 days without a brain or talent”.

So…

Instead…

Make sure you add proof to whatever claims you make.

You should “sandwich” your claims between proof.

For example...

Instead of saying “How to get rich in 30 days”… say… “If you want to get rich quick, this billionaire serial entrepreneur will reveal his fool-proof method for getting rich in as quick as 30 days.”

 

21. Adjectives

Similar to superlatives, adjectives are weak sauce.

They convey more fluff than cotton candy.

Instead, do as John Carlton teaches…

Replace your adjectives with ACTION words.

For example:

Don’t say – this product works good.

Do say – this product kicks ass!

 

22. Not handling objections

Every human has a TON of objections rattling inside their brain when reading your copy.

Do not sweep them under the rug.

Instead, raise objections and handle them front and center in your ads.

How to find objections:

Find common objections by studying your market. Read product reviews, and comments on YouTube channels, blog posts, Reddit forums, etc.

Make a big list of common objections, and then, make sure you address them in your copy.

 

23. Creative copy

 

The worst thing someone can say about your copy is “Wow that was creative. You’re a really clever writer.”

NOOOOO.

You don’t even want readers to notice your writing.

You want them to BUY FROM YOU.

You know you gotta winner when someone says “Woah, this is cool, I’ve gotta get this.”

 

24. Lack of direct response knowledge

Probably the biggest reason why copywriters fail is because they are piss poor salespeople.

They don’t understand how to sell through words.

The answers are revealed by the top direct response copywriters.

When I started out, I read 10 direct response copywriting books.

These books will tell you everything you need to know about salesmanship in print.

If you haven’t read them already, do so NOW.

You MUST deeply understand direct response fundamentals and principles to make it in the big leagues.

 

25. Wreaking of need

Neediness is the death of all sales.

Remove all odor of need when writing copy and when negotiating with clients.

 

Conclusion

Avoid these 25 common copywriting mistakes like the plague.

If you are making even ONE mistake, fix em’ TODAY.

Want to learn more insider copywriting tips and tricks? If so, enter your email below:

 

 

Back in 2020, I took an email copywriting course by Matt Furey (the Emperor of Email).

After taking this course…

I was HOOKED on email copywriting.

I believe that writing promotional emails for companies is the BEST kind of copywriting to specialize in.

4 reasons:

1. Emails are super fun to write
2. They pay the most
3. Email copywriting is always in red-hot demand
4. It only takes a couple minutes to write emails that sell (once you get good at it)

You see, the highly sought-after ability to write emails that sell, is an extremely rare & valuable skill that can transform any copywriter’s income and career.

In this step-by-step email copywriting course…

You’ll learn what an email copywriter is, why you should become one and how to write killer emails that sell like hot dogs at Fenway Park.

 

What is An Email Copywriter?

An email copywriter is someone who writes promotional emails for companies and brands.

The #1 goal of writing emails for companies is to sell their products and services.

There’s a lot of objectives companies may have…

Like….

Improve open rates, get more webinar sign-ups, click-through rates, etc. but the underlying goal is to make more sales from the emails they send out.

Sales reign supreme.

How Profitable is Email Copywriting?

If you work as an email copywriter at a company, you can expect to get paid $40,000 to $65,000 per year as a junior copywriter (entry-level)… and… around $100,000+ as a senior email copywriter.

However…

If you work for yourself (freelance email copywriter), you can earn MILLIONS.

The only limit to your earning potential comes down to how you run your business – your lead generation systems, your prices, how fast you can write, who you’re writing for, etc. (if you’d like to learn how to grow your freelance copywriting business in 2023, see these 2 posts – How to Become a Successful Freelance Copywriter in 2023 (Ultimate Guide for Beginners) ... 3 Fastest Ways to Grow Your Freelance Copywriting Business in 2023 (Make 6-figures This Year))

 

Why Should YOU Become an Email Copywriter?

Like I mentioned above, I believe that email copywriting is the most enjoyable and profitable type of copywriting to specialize in.

Here’s a deeper look into my above reasons:

#1 Super fun to write

Email copywriting is the MOST PERSONAL form of communication via the internet (as opposed to sales pages, blog posts, ads, etc.)

To be able to sell through email, you must talk to your readers on a 1:1, conversational level.

You are essentially a friend who shows up to their door and talks to them about what they’re most interested in.

The best emails build relationships.

To build a strong relationship you must be entertaining, interesting, humorous, etc. (everything that goes into building a real relationship).

If you want to see what I’m talkin’ about, subscribe to my daily email tips:

Notice how I write each email as if I’m talking directly to you. How I focus on building the relationship by telling stories, jokes, analogies, sharing personal details about my life and so on.

So, back to my bullet point.

Emails are very fun to write IF you do em correctly.

#2 Emails pay the most

Not per email.

But most companies send hundreds of emails per year (if not thousands).

Emails are the most continuity-friendly type of copywriting service to offer.

And if you’ve tuned into my show, you know that the REAL money is made on the backend (repeat customers).

With email, it’s VERY easy to offer continuity contracts – where clients send you a check each month, on retainer.

Plus:

Because the goal of email copywriting is to multiply your client’s sales, you can charge a LOT of money for them (just as long as your emails make your clients a lot of money in return).

If you want to hit 10k/month this year, email copywriting is the way to go.

#3 Emails are always in red-hot demand

Just about every company under the red moon uses emails to sell their products and services.

And to compete with the competition, they send out a flood of emails every week.

So, there is no shortage of email copywriting clients.

However, there IS a shortage of email copywriters who can sell through the emails they write.

Specialize in writing emails that sell, and you will always be in demand.

You will never have to worry about competition, ChatGPT, AI or anything else stealing your job.

#4 It only takes a couple of minutes to write an email

When I started writing emails in 2020, it took me a looooooong time to write them.

One stinking email would take me 30 minutes or longer to write.

However, this changed fast.

Now, I write DAILY emails in as quick as 7 minutes.

The key to writing faster?

Write more emails than you’re currently writing now.

Writing emails is probably the fastest type of copywriting to write (average length is around 200 words per email).

And when you focus solely on writing emails, instead of all the other types of copy, you’ll get a system down and it’ll become second nature to crank em out.

 

How Do I Learn Email Copywriting?

In 2020, I broke into copywriting EXTREMELY fast.

50 clients in 3 months… 2 in-house positions… and over 100 freelance clients… within my first year.

But this only happened because of what I did BEFORE trying to get clients.

I spent 3 months learning copywriting.

I read the top books & practiced writing copy every day.

This is the ultimate secret to learning email copywriting:

Learn from the best…

Practice what you learn…

And write emails…

EVERY SINGLE DAY.

There are no shortcuts when starting out.

Put in the work, and you’ll quickly feel confident in your skills and be able to go out and get email copywriting clients.

Believe it or not, I only pay attention to 2 email copywriters…

Ben Settle & Matt Furey.

(I’ve bought both their email copywriting courses. You have to subscribe to Ben’s newsletter to get his).

However, before I splurged into email copywriting, I learned direct response copywriting first.

In my opinion, you’ll want to learn both.

It’s ying and yang.

Because in order to sell through emails (or any media) you need a solid grasp of the fundamentals of selling, marketing, human psychology, etc.

When you can apply the fundamentals of direct response copywriting to your emails, you will explode sales.

Haven’t learned the direct response copywriting fundamentals yet?

You can learn all about them here

 

How Do I Practice Copywriting Emails?

You can practice writing emails by doing spec work.

Plus…

You can also do copy practice exercises – see my detailed post here –

Simply click the blue text above & follow the step-by-step instructions I give away in these posts and apply them to email.

 

Learn how to write killer emails today with this step-by-step guide (FREE Email Copywriting Course)

This guide covers how to write emails. It’s not going to cover the tech side – autoresponders and software.

After reading this crash course…

You will have everything you need to start writing killa emails - TODAY.

I’m going to break down how to write an email from start to finish the RIGHT WAY (breaking down each main element).

Alright, enough blabbering, let’s get err down…

1) The "From" Line

This is something gurus rarely talk about.

It’s very easy to overlook.

However, it might be the most important part of writing emails.

Because, if your readers do not recognize who the email is from, they will not read it.

It will get ignored (or sent to the junk folder or marked as spam).

Look…

People only open and read emails from people & companies they like, know and trust.

So…

In order to prevent getting eliminated right off the bat, you must add your name (or your client’s name) as the from sender.

Do NOT use the company’s name.

People like dealing with PEOPLE, not brands.

We form relationships with humans, not faceless companies.

So, the first VERY IMPORTANT step to writing emails that sell, is to have your client put their name as the from sender.

Okey dokey, on we go…

 

2) Subject Line

The from line keeps you from being deleted on the spot. But the subject line gets you OPENED.

Think of the subject line as your headline.

It’s job is the same…

To grab your reader’s attention and get them into your copy.

Here are 3 of my favorite ways to write email subject lines…

1. Curiosity

This is my favorite.

Curiosity acts as a giant red stop sign to our brain.

If you write curiosity-piquing subject lines, that create an itch your readers just got to scratch, you’ll likely get readers to open your emails.

Writing curiosity piquing subject lines is also among the easiest ways to write subject lines.

Why?

You literally write about ANYTHING.

It just has to be unique and different from what people are accustomed to seeing.

Take these emails I recently sent out as inspiration:

“Copywriting mistakes from The Cheesecake Factory”

(HMMMM? What are these copywriting mistakes?? I’m a copywriter, I don’t want to make mistakes. What the heck do they have to do with The Cheesecake Factory?... I better open this to find out… click.”)

----

“Weakest link in the jungle”

(WHAAAT?! Who is the weakest link in the jungle? What could this possibly mean?... click.”)

----

“Winning the big "stare off"”

(What the heck! What is the big “stare off”? This is unusual… click)

The key to this is…

Write unusual subject lines that are almost incomplete and must be opened in order to find out the rest of the story.

You can find great inspiration for curiosity piquing subject lines by studying emails that use this phenomenon.

And…

Study popular magazine titles (online & offline) that use “clickbait-y” titles.

IMPORTANT:

Do not clickbait your readers. Simply get inspiration from the curiosity appeals they use. ALWAYS pay off your subject line as quickly as possible. If you don’t, you’ll get unsubscribes and spam complaints in droves.

 

2. Numbers

Humans LOVE numbers.

Humans love LISTS.

Humans love EXACT instructions.

Suck your reader’s eyeballs into your email by listing the number of benefits, mistakes to avoid, reasons why to take action, and so on.

Simply start your subject with numbers & words like:

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

 

3. How-to subject line

When in doubt, use a “how-to” subject line.

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

The best subject lines are those that appeal to your target audience’s self-interest. Load em up with key emotional benefits.

It’s super easy 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]

Remember…

The ONLY goal of your subject line is to grab your reader’s attention and get them to open your email – to read your first sentence.

This leads me to the next part of your email…

 

3) Intro

I like to keep this very short.

Usually, I start my emails with one sentence (or LESS).

Here are some examples:

“To be honest…”

“I’m shocked.”

“You won’t believe what happened”

“This is crazy”

You want to keep your intro short because you want to suck your readers into your copy (email body).

Think of your emails as a slide.

You want to get them down this slide as quickly as possible so they can get to your CTA and click your link.

So, to get them down faster, you must “grease” this slide.

And one of the best ways to have a slippery slide effect, is to keep your intro extremely short.

 

4) Tell a Story

The crème de le crème of why Matt Furey is considered the best email copywriter on the planet is because of his storytelling abilities.

Telling stories is one of the most effective & persuasive ways to get your message across.

So…

The best way to write emails (that sell) is to weave stories into them.

I would say 80% of my emails start with a story (99% tell a story at some point).

With sales letters, I follow a more methodical approach to storytelling. However, in emails - I write stories about anything that comes to mind.

Could be something that happened to me while out for a walk. Something I saw on the News. My dog making a funny noise. A conversation I had with a friend. ANYTHING.

Then…

I tie this story into what I sell.

This is the easiest way to write addicting emails that get read and sell your clients’ products and services.

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

 

 

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

 

 

See how easy this is?

Don’t overcomplicate it.

Just tell a story about ANYTHING, then relate it to your product/service in some way shape or form.

 

5) Close

After you’ve told a story, you want to tie it into the product or service you’re selling.

It’s really simple.

You can have a totally unrelated story, but then, segway into your product by tying in a concept from the story, a theme, a thought, or even a single word from the last sentence (see the above images to how I do this).

Then, after you’ve tied in your product or service, you want to include a clickable link that takes readers to your product’s landing page (website).

If you don’t already know how to write CTA’s, here’s the gist…

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

And to motivate them to click your link, add in urgency and scarcity.

You can achieve this by...

• Adding a discount
• Mentioning that there’s only a limited number of products available
• Emphasizing why they should buy now (problems they can relieve, desires they can achieve).

 

Email Strategy 101

There’s a lot of different strategies when it comes to writing emails.

However, here are some tips:

• Frequency – the more emails you send out (I email DAILY) the more sales your clients’ will make.

• Build the relationship – do not pitch in emails. Instead, focus on building the relationship with the email list you’re writing to. When your readers like, know and trust you (or your client), they will naturally buy as a result.

• Infotainment – because your client likely sends out emails on a regular basis, and to stand out amongst competitors, you should inject infotainment into each email you write. The easiest and most effective way to do this is to tell stories.

• Sell in every email – No. This does not mean you are pitching or pushy. But you should include a link to buy in EVERY EMAIL YOU SEND. Screw “nurture” campaigns. Every email you send out can be the last email they’ll ever read. So, why not include a sales link? If you write emails the way I described in this post, they will not come across as pushy or scammy. They will build relationships. And if your client’s product is legit, it will improve your readers’ lives.

 

Conclusion

You now have everything you need to become a kickass email copywriter.

However, the day you stop improving is the day you die.

You should strive to improve your email copywriting skills each day, by reviewing this email copywriting course and by practicing and writing emails.

Plus…

You’d be wise as a whale’s tale to subscribe to my DAILY email tips.

Study em. And learn the insider secrets I send you to help you become a top-paid copywriter:

 

Back in 2019, I struggled HARD to break into copywriting.

I read a few books. Dabbled in some online courses. Plowed through a wide variety of blog posts, YouTube videos and social media posts.

But, I still had NO FREAKIN IDEA what I was doing.

So…

I gave up on my freelance writing dreams.

But then, in 2020 (when lockdowns hit) I made the SMART decision to give copywriting another shot.

This time…

I broke into copywriting like a wrecking ball on speed.

I got over 50 paying clients within 3 months, worked at multiple companies as an in-house & agency copywriter and wrote for HUNDREDS of freelance clients over the next couple years.

However, I attribute any “success” I’ve had in my copywriting career (4 years and running) to the first 3 months, in 2020, when I gave copywriting a second crack.

Why?

Because within these 3 months, I got an accelerated education into copywriting.

I quickly built my copywriting knowledge, skills and felt EXTREMELY confident to go out and get clients.

What did I do?

In these 3 months…

I read 10 copywriting books (2x each).

But not just any copywriting books.

These 10 copywriting books for beginners were written by the BEST copywriters on the planet, who have proven their success through products sold.

I studied from the best copywriters in the world and quickly became an elite copywriter because of this “boot camp” like education from reading the top 10 copywriting books (along with practicing my writing skills via copy practice)

In this post…

I’m going to reveal the single best way to learn copywriting (perfect for beginners who want to learn copywriting FAST), why reading books will make you a better copywriter, and the 10 best copywriting books EVERY BEGINNER MUST READ.

 

What is the Best Way to Learn Copywriting?

In my phat opinion…

EVERY beginner copywriter MUST read the 10 books I’m about to mention.

Why?

Before you can get clients and provide value to them through your writing, you need a solid education on the direct response basics.

Copywriting 101.

I recommend all aspiring and beginner copywriters to read these 10 books, as they will give you a very solid foundation of everything you need to know about copywriting.

You'll 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.

You'll 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.

 

How Can Reading Books Make You a Better Copywriter?

Reading copywriting books from the world’s most successful copywriters will transform your copywriting skills – in record time.

After you learn from the best and practice what you’ve learned, you’ll gain tiger confidence in your writing skills and be able to provide REAL value to your clients.

As I always say, in order to become a successful copywriter, you MUST be able to provide value for your clients.

And there’s only ONE way to do this…

By getting them their desired results through the words you write (leads and sales).

Learning from the top copywriters will set you apart from the fierce competition and ensure you can provide your clients with extreme value.

 

The 10 Best Copywriting Books for Beginners

Here are the 10 best copywriting books for beginners to learn copywriting.

All of these books cover the basics of direct response copywriting (the stuff that sells).

Each author gives their own unique methods for writing killa copy. Most of these books provide checklists, fill-in-the-blank formulas and examples of real-life ads (with insights).

Alrighty, let’s get it on like Donkey Kong…

1. The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert – FREE

 

It’s no secret, Gary Halbert is one of the best copywriters who’s ever lived. These letters (written to his son while he served time in jail) hold some of the greatest lessons on copywriting, marketing & business. There are 25 letters in total. They are quick to read and are very fun & engaging. You’ll learn the basics of direct response marketing and copywriting. As you read, pay special attention to how Gary writes these letters. There’s an entire copywriting education in studying his structure, flow and writing style.

Read The Boron Letters TODAY:

https://morgancrozier.com/boron-letters/

 

2. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman – $15

Joseph Sugarman, creator of the famous BluBlockers’ ad, hosted very expensive seminars ($2000+ per person) for an elite group of entrepreneurs on copywriting. He turned these seminars into a book – The Adweek Copywriting Handbook. This is probably the most extensive book on copywriting and the closest thing to an A-to-Z copywriting course (much better than ANY copywriting course online). This book will give you everything you need to know about what goes into successful copy. At the end, Joseph gives dozens of pages worth of real-life examples to see his teachings in action.

Read The Adweek Copywriting Handbook TODAY:

https://www.amazon.com/Adweek-Copywriting-Handbook-Advertising-Copywriters/dp/0470051248

 

3. How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab – $10

 

Victor reveals his 5-step process for writing homerun copy. My favorite part of this book is the headline section. He gives away the 100 most successful headlines ever written (at the time) and gives great details and insights on WHY they worked so well.

Read How to Write a Good Advertisement TODAY:

https://www.amazon.com/Write-Good-Advertisement-Victor-Schwab/dp/1614278865

 

4. Scientific Advertising By Claude Hopkins – $4

 

The godfather of advertising explains what advertising (and copywriting) really is. This book revolutionized advertising. Changing it from a mysterious art to a definite science. You’ll want to read this book AT LEAST 10x.

Read Scientific Advertising TODAY:

https://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Advertising-audiobook/dp/B075TK3PXC/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1EL62GBLOMVKF&keywords=scientific+advertising&qid=1695564380&s=books&sprefix=scientific+adv%2Cstripbooks%2C136&sr=1-3

 

5. The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy - $12

 

Dan Kennedy gives away his secret formula for creating successful sales letters. He gives you a step-by-step process that anyone can follow to write better sales letters and ads. There are tons of examples, breakdowns and copywriting secrets packed inside this goldmine.

Read The Ultimate Sales Letter TODAY:

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Sales-Letter-4th-Customers/dp/B07P19G3Q5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2OT3P53PC9M40&keywords=the+ultimate+sales+letter&qid=1695564461&s=audible&sprefix=the+ultimate+sales+lett%2Caudible%2C531&sr=1-1

 

6. Ogilvy on Advertising By David Ogilvy – $20

 

The REAL Don Draper (Ogilvy) spills the beans on everything advertising. You’ll not only learn how to write good ads, but you’ll learn what images to use, how to design ads (that make money), how to deal with clients, and the nuances of different copywriting styles and niches.

Read Ogilvy on Advertising TODAY:

https://www.amazon.com/Ogilvy-Advertising-David/dp/039472903X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2O02OGE4YSZKL&keywords=david+olgivy&qid=1695565061&sprefix=david+ol%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3

 

7. Tested Advertising Methods By John Caples – $18

 

Like scientific advertising, this book breaks advertising (and sales copy) down to a science. Caples provides tons of real-life examples – backed by cold hard data - to prove his claims. You’ll discover what works, why it works and HOW to replicate it for similar extraordinary results.

Read Tested Advertising Methods TODAY:

https://www.amazon.com/Advertising-Methods-Prentice-Business-Classics/dp/0130957011

 

8. Cashvertising By Drew Eric Whitman – $12

 

Unlike the other books, the author of this book is not a top copywriter. BUT… he is a top marketer who specializes in buyer psychology. To write effective copy, you must tap into your reader’s psychology, this book covers everything you need to know about WHY people buy things and how they react to ads. This book gives HUNDREDS of tips and tactics on how to tap into your readers’ psychology to “force” them to read every word you write and buy from you.

Read Cashvertising TODAY:

https://www.amazon.com/Cahvertising-Drew-Eric-Whitman-audiobook/dp/B0711KZW8K/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TEHI6JOEQDLQ&keywords=cashvertising&qid=1695564889&s=books&sprefix=cashvertisin%2Cstripbooks%2C95&sr=1-1

 

9. The Copywriter’s Handbook By Bob Bly – $8

 

Bob Bly is one of the top-paid living freelance copywriters. In this book, he covers everything you need to know about how to write effective direct response copy. He gives great insights on how the internet has changed copywriting, and how it’s remained the same. This book gives a crash course on how to write direct response copy, and then, covers how to write copy for all of the most popular media used today.

Read The Copywriter’s Handbook TODAY:

https://www.amazon.com/Copywriters-Handbook-Step-Step-Writing/dp/B08JQP7QFK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5ARC96TBCUYG&keywords=the+copywriters+handbook&qid=1695564913&s=audible&sprefix=the+copywriters+handbok%2Caudible%2C88&sr=1-1

 

10. Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel By John Carlton - $40

John Carlton, the most ripped-off copywriter on the web, reveals his secret formula for writing kick-ass copy. He gives his own unique spin on copywriting and a LOT more… like: how to create your own product, how to choose a starving crowd, etc.

Read Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel TODAY:

https://marketingrebel.com/kick-ass-copywriting-secrets-of-a-marketing-rebel/?cookieUUID=78cf5886-f0b5-42ae-86d0-97fad09cc052

 

Conclusion

You now have a treasure chest filled with copywriting gold.

Pick up your shovel and start digging!

I recommend reading each book twice.

The first time, just read it and have fun.

The second time, take detailed notes.

After you’ve read these 10 books, and have studied them, you will be ready to break into copywriting with lightning speed and provide your clients supreme value.

If you’d like to learn how to get a flood of new freelance clients and quickly climb the copywriter’s mountain to fame and fortune, enter your email below:

 

Can I make 6 figures as a freelance copywriter??

What about 7-figures???

I often get asked this question from aspiring copywriters and my answer always remains the same…

YES.

You can earn 6 figures or more as a freelance copywriter.

HOWEVER:

You can also make less than a McDonald’s worker.

You see, as a freelance copywriter, you are a business owner.

And the amount of money you earn is directly tied to you. And how you run your freelance copywriting business.

My #1 tip for growing a successful freelance copywriting business is to provide your clients EXTREME VALUE.

To truly care about them.

And always look for ways to go above and beyond for them.

This relationship-first approach of treating your clients like royalty is the mindset you want to have at all times.

With that being said, I’m going to reveal the 3 quickest ways to grow your freelance copywriting business in 2024.

After reading this post, you’ll be ready to put these tips into action and start generating more clients and more sales… RIGHT AWAY.

These 3 insider secrets can potentially earn you MILLIONS.

But only if you apply them, consistently, throughout your freelance copywriting career.

They are long-term solutions to business growth (but you can experience shocking benefits within days).

But first…

Before we get into the good stuff...

Let’s cover some basics…

 

What is a Copywriting Business?

A copywriting business is simply any copywriter who works for themselves.

Aka:

A freelance copywriter.

Instead of working for a company (as their employee) – like an in-house copywriter or an agency copywriter – you are working for yourself and writing for your own clients.

You are the boss.

As a freelance copywriter, you have more responsibilities than simply writing copy.

A big chunk of your time will also be spent getting freelance clients and managing your finances (making sure you get paid from clients, managing your copywriting rates, expenses, taxes, etc.)

 

How to Start a Freelance Copywriting Business in 2024?

I’ve created a step-by-step crash course on how to quickly start a freelance copywriting business.

You can read all about it here.

I recommend ALL freelance copywriters to read this detailed post, from start to finish, because it covers the essential steps (from A to Z) you need to take to build a successful freelance copywriting business from scratch.

There are key building blocks you need to set in place in order to be successful.

If just ONE building block is missing, your freelance copywriting business will crumble, FAST.

Make sure you read this post ASAP to ensure your long-term success as a freelance copywriter.

Alright, now on to the good stuff…

 

3 Ways to Grow Your Freelance Copywriting Business to Reach “6 Figures” THIS YEAR (Or More)

 

These are 3 top secret ways to put your freelance business on steroids.

To scale your copywriting business faster than a bullet and put duffle bags of dead presidents in your bank account, month after month, year after year. Building more momentum with each day that passes.

Here’s the dog’s honest truth:

You can realistically grow a 6-figure copywriting business this year by applying just ONE of these business-growth tips.

Apply all 3… and the sky’s the limit to your earning potential.

Ready?

Let’s goooo….

#1 Referrals

Generating referrals is amongst the easiest, most cost-effective ways to gain new freelance copywriting clients and help you grow your copywriting business.

The best leads you can have, are leads who were referred to you by past clients.

Because they are sent to you on a silver platter by people who know, like and trust you and have already put in the good word for you.

How to get referrals:

Current clients

These are the fine folk you’re currently working with, right now… and past clients.

These people like, know and trust you and are red-hot sources to give you referrals.

It’s simple.

If you’ve provided them value and a good experience, then, you just have to ask for referrals.

If you are currently working with a copywriting client, especially on repeat work (so they’re already happy with the work you’ve done for them) ask them for a referral at the end of a call or whenever you talk to them next.

This is a very easy, simple and EFFECTIVE way to get more HIGH-QUALITY freelance copywriting clients.

Past clients

Anyone you’ve provided work for in the past (given it was a good experience) is a potential REFERRAL GOLD MINE.

If you’ve already provided a great experience for them, then they’re very likely to refer you to business owners they know, because they already like, know and trust you.

Simply reach out to any and all of your past copywriting clients and see how they’re doing.

After bonding with them, ask for referrals.

Or…

You can just ask them straight up for a referral.

Try both methods.

Note:

The more recent your client, the better. Because the tremendous experience you provided them is fresh in their brain.

Here’s a quick fill-in-the-blank template you can use when asking for referrals:

Hello {First name},

I hope you had a great weekend.

It’s been a pleasure working with {Company name} on {Project}.

I’m always looking to provide value to like-minded people, so if you know of anyone in the industry who could benefit from my services, please let me know.

Feel free to give them my email.

Thanks!

Best,

{Your name}

It can be this simple!

You’d be pleasantly surprised at how many clients will happily suggest your services to other business owners if they’ve had a positive experience working with you.

Networking contacts

Networking groups are a smart way of generating referrals because you are there to benefit each other.

Your objective of networking is to meet success-oriented people to exchange referrals with.

Tip:

Get your network buddy to contact the referrals, on their behalf, with a person who is in the market for your services and to vouch for you.

Also…

Make sure you provide them value FIRST.

Give them something valuable in return for the referral.

Find out what they want by ASKING them WHY they’re at the networking group in the first place and figure out a way to provide them value.

Additional tips for getting referrals:

Reward your referral sources

Always thank everyone who refers people to you. Send them gifts. REWARD their good behavior and ENCOURAGE them to keep doing so.

Events

Invite your past copywriting clients, who refer people to you, to a client appreciation event (can be as simple as taking them out for food & drinks or inviting them to a house party.)

Become a specialist

If you are seen as the go-to guy or gal for your niche, you will naturally attract a lot more referrals because your clients want to provide value to their company and professional network. And they will refer them to the specialist… over the generalist, EVERY TIME.

Superior service

An absolute must for getting referrals is to deliver great service to your clients. Constantly look for new ways to wow them by going above n beyond for them. When you provide exceptional service, not only will they be more likely to refer business to you when you ask, but they will also refer people to you automatically because you treated them so well.

 

#2 The REAL Money is In The Backend

The real money’s in the backend.

The most successful business owners and marketers understand this fundamental business truth - that the real money comes from their EXISTING CUSTOMERS.

The same is true with your past copywriting clients.

They are the most likely to buy from you again and refer business to you.

So, you should put them on a pedestal. Treat them like royalty.

Meaning:

ALWAYS maintain your relationship with them.

Stay in contact with them and provide them with superior service.

You want to always be on their minds and be seen as the go-to person they think of when they are in need of your copywriting services (or know someone who is).

Offer them upsells

Instead of 3 landing pages, offer to write 5 for a discount.

Instead of 10 emails, offer to write 15 for half the normal price.

And so on…

This allows you to make more money per service you provide.

Also…

Get them on retainers

The real wealth comes from subscriptions (aka retainers).

You want to get clients to have retainer contracts with you, where they pay you monthly for your copywriting services.

This way, you don’t have to pitch them again or get them on a sales call.

And…

Every month you automatically get more work and earn more money.

The good news is…

Tons of clients will need repeat services.

Very few copywriting services are one-and-done deals IF you do a great job.

Services that require retainers:

• Email sequences – rarely any business only sends out one (or a few) emails. Email is usually the easiest service to get retainers for.
• Blog posts
• Social media content
• Paid ads

Finding ways to add upsells to your current offers (related services that compliment what you offer and provide additional value) and getting as much retainer work as possible are 2 sure-fire ways to grow your copywriting business – FAST (and keep growing your copywriting business steady, over long-term).

 

#3 Content Marketing

 

If you’re just starting out…

You’ll need to pitch, apply and network to get clients.

It requires a lot of time and energy.

And you need to keep doing it until you get steady repeat business and referrals (which can take a while).

However…

While you do this work to get immediate clients, you should also invest some time and energy into content marketing.

This can include:

• Blog posts
• YouTube channel
• Podcast
• Social media: Facebook, Insta, twitter, TikTok

Benefits of content marketing:

• Passive income
• Generates clients while you sleep
• ATTRACT clients to you, without you doing any additional work. No hunting or pitching required (unlike with prospecting)
• Besides referrals, these are the most valuable clients
• The copywriting clients you get from content marketing are actively LOOKING for you and your copywriting services

However…

It takes a long time to notice any results from content marketing.

It’s a very effective long-term strategy to gain copywriting clients.

But once you DO build momentum…

It builds and builds and builds…

You can get so many clients over time that you’ll never need to send cold emails or apply for freelance gigs again.

(It’ll get to the point where you’ll even need to reject client requests because you’ve got so much work.)

 

Additional Content Marketing Tips

Choose a search-based platform

Start a blog or YouTube channel.

Why?

Because on these platforms, potential copywriting clients are SEARCHING for your services.

They are SEARCHING for solutions to their problems.

Plus, these platforms offer long-term momentum.

Blog posts and YouTube videos only grow over time.

And they can attract new copywriting clients for you for years to come (unlike a non-search-based platform like Instagram or TikTok.)

Choose 1 platform

I STRONLGY recommend choosing only ONE platform and sticking with this ONE platform for at least a year.

Why?

Because all platforms have best practices and different ways of using them to grow your freelance copywriting business. So…

Get good and master ONE before moving to another.

A blog or YouTube channel can bring you enough work for the rest of your life IF you do it correctly.

Choose the platform where your target audience spends the most time on.

For example:

If your target audience is 50-year-olds, don’t use TikTok or Insta.

Eventually…

After you create success on one platform...

You can easily turn a blog post into a script to film a YouTube video, and then, take the audio from that video to create a podcast.

 

Conclusion

You now have 3 of the most valuable secrets for growing your freelance copywriting business.

Use them to scale your business to 6-figures… 7-figures… and beyond!

If you’d like more insider secrets to quickly become a top-paid copywriter, enter your email below:

 

 

Back in 2020, I bought a very expensive course on email copywriting from legendary copywriter – Matt Furey.

One of the main lessons he taught was the power of storytelling in copy.

He explained that the best way to write money-making emails, extremely fast, is to start each email with a story.

I’ve taken this lesson to heart and expanded upon it…

Almost every piece of copy I write, for my clients and myself, has at least one persuasive story baked into it.

Especially my emails and blog posts (if you read my blog posts or are subscribed to my daily email tips, you know this already.)

Not only does storytelling make copy more enjoyable to write but it also makes your writing MUCH MORE PERSUASIVE.

You see, telling stories is one of the most effective ways to grab your reader’s attention, have them hooked on every word you write, and sell your products & services.

For some reason, storytelling is kind of a lost art amongst copywriters.

However, if you are able to tap into the persuasive power of storytelling, you will blow away competition and be able to charge as much mula as you’d like.

But…

First…

You must know HOW to tell the right kind of stories.

Stories that are designed to sell.

In this post…

I’m going to cover what storytelling is in copywriting, why storytelling is a MUST-HAVE SKILL for copywriters and the 5 most persuasive types of stories to sell more products (examples included).

 

What is Storytelling in Copywriting?

Storytelling in copywriting is a powerful persuasion weapon that goes far beyond features and benefits.

It involves weaving a narrative that engages and resonates with your target audience on a deeper level.

An emotional level that pulls your readers in and makes them feel a personal connection to you and your message.

Storytelling in copywriting is about creating a journey for your audience.

It could be a story about the creation of a product, how someone in your market overcame a BIG obstacle or the life-changing impact your product has had on a customer's life.

This narrative approach adds a human touch to your copy, making it more relatable and memorable.

Picture this…

You take on a copywriting project selling a new fitness app.

You could write about its features & benefits (most copywriters would).

But instead…

What if you told an inspirational story?

An inspirational story about someone who was severely overweight, had low self-esteem and faced a whole slew of life-threatening health problems…

BUT…

Then…

A miracle happened…

They lost 100 lbs and are now in the best shape of their life.

What happened?

They discovered your fitness app.

Think that would be a more effective way of selling your fitness app than stuffing features & benefits down your readers’ throats?

(Like every other company does)

When you take your readers on a relatable journey that taps into their emotions, psychology and personal experiences, you will transform your copywriting skills (and your customers’ lives).

 

Are Copywriters Storytellers?

They should be!

If you’re not already telling stories in your copy, you are leaking GIANT ponds of money.

Telling stories in your copy is one of the easiest, most enjoyable and most profitable ways to write copy that sells.

The best copywriters of all time are master storytellers.

If you study great direct response ads, you’ll find that almost all of the most successful ads told engaging and persuasive stories that their readers could relate to and identify with.

 

Why Storytelling in Copywriting is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

Believe it or not…

A persuasive story, told to the right market, at the right time, can have a bigger impact on making the sale than ANY OTHER element of copywriting.

Why?

Because we are hardwired to be persuaded, entertained and educated by stories.

It’s in our DNA.

Stories are how humans have communicated with each other for THOUSANDS of years.

Even the top memory training courses and books tell you to put complex things, you want to remember, into story formats to remember them much more easily.

In a world inundated with information, stories stand out.

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

Stories create an emotional response that triggers a deeper connection and understanding.

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

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

Also…

Storytelling helps you stand out in a fierce sea of “me-too” competition.

In an era where consumers are bombarded with ads, they will ALWAYS choose the brands that resonate with them on a personal level.

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

 

How Telling Stories Can Improve Your Copywriting

Storytelling is a skill that, when mastered, can turn mediocre copy into irresistible copy that changes lives and makes its owners RICH.

Here's how incorporating storytelling can improve your copywriting and multiply your income:

• Capturing Attention: In a world where attention spans are shrinking like a sinkhole, storytelling serves as a hook that grabs and holds your audience's attention. A compelling story keeps readers engaged from the beginning to the end of your copy.
• Building Trust: Stories create authenticity. When you share real experiences or present your brand through a narrative lens, you build trust with your audience. Trust is a key factor in the decision-making process, and customers are more likely to choose a brand they trust.
• Eliciting Emotions: Emotion is a powerful motivator. By incorporating storytelling in your copywriting, you can evoke emotions that resonate with your audience, whether it's joy, empathy, or inspiration. Emotional connections lead to stronger brand loyalty and increased likelihood of conversion.
• Enhancing Memorability: People remember stories better than dry facts. When your message is embedded in a narrative, it becomes more memorable. This increased recall can lead to word-of-mouth recommendations and repeat business.

But, Jeremy, what kind of stories should I tell? And how do I tell them?

I gotchu, umbre…

 

The 5 Most Persuasive Types of Stories to Tell in Your Copywriting to Sell More Products (With Examples)

Each of these proven storytelling formats is fun to write and VERY persuasive. Test drive them TODAY!

#1) Inspirational Stories

Everyone’s looking to be inspired.

Don’t believe me?

Just look at the billion dollar self-help industry.

Most of the books, seminars, training, etc. are just fluffy feel-good INSPIRATION.

Why?

Because people love inspiration.

People are looking to be inspired.

People NEED inspiration to get them through the bum drum of life.

We are addicted to inspiring quotes, movies and books.

(Especially about people we can relate to, who have overcome similar challenges that we’re currently facing).

When you inspire your readers through the copy you write, they will look to you not only as an expert, but as a LEADER.

You want this because people follow LEADERS.

How to tell inspirational stories…

Tell a story about people (the market you’re writing to), like them, who have faced similar problems, frustrations, challenges and who have overcome them (related to whatever you’re selling)… And then… tie in how YOU can help them overcome these challenges.

Do NOT make this complicated.

You can draw inspiration from anything:

• Real-life stories about you or other people
• Historical figures
• Celebrities
• Characters from TV/movies/books
• Inspiring stories and people you see in the news

Here’s an example of telling an inspiring story to sell MILLIONS worth of products for a weight loss company:

https://swiped.co/file/weight-loss-ad-by-gary-halbert/

 

#2) Cautionary Tales

This classic storytelling example works wonders because it wrenches on people’s curiosity.

And, according to the Michael Jordan of copywriting himself, Gary Halbert, curiosity is the #1 reason why people buy from ads.

When you tell a RELATABLE cautionary story about mistakes to avoid, you naturally grab your audience’s undivided attention and pique their interest because they will want to know what the mistakes are so that they can avoid them at all costs. Nobody wants to suffer embarrassment or other potential negative consequences, of making mistakes.

How to tell cautionary tales...

The best way to tell cautionary tales in your copywriting is to find REAL LIFE stories from people in the market you’re writing to.

Find out mistakes they’ve made and the consequences they’ve suffered.

Where can you find common mistakes your market makes?

Online forums and social media groups.

Spend some time on these sites and I guarantee you’ll be able to find people in your market talking about common mistakes they’ve made (IMPORTANT: keep it relevant to what you’re writing about).

Also…

Another potential GOLDMINE for cautionary tales is the news.

For example…

If you’re writing for the self-defense niche, find brutal stories about people getting attacked.

Explain the mistakes they’ve made and how they could have avoided them IF they knew how to protect themselves.

When writing cautionary tales, you should dramatize the negative consequences and stress how easy it can be to avoid mistakes (by buying your product/service).

Here’s a classic example of “mistakes to avoid” written by Maxwell Sackheim…

https://swiped.co/file/do-you-make-these-mistakes-by-max-sackheim/

 

#3) Stories about Historical Figures

Another way to tell addicting stories that persuade your readers is to talk about historical figures.

It’s extremely easy…

Simply find a historical figure (something that happened in history) and tie it into what you’re selling.

This works like gangbusters because the story already exists. You simply have to dig it up. And then, make it interesting and relatable to your market and product.

The key is to find an interesting & unique story about a historical figure who is well-known by the masses.

Here’s an example:

https://swiped.co/file/colon-cleanse-salesletter-from-gary-halbert/

 

#4) The Star, Story, Solution Story

This is more of a common theme used in advertising than it is a story, however, it’s one of the most profitable ways to sell in your copy.

Here’s what you do…

The star is either you or your client.

The story is a “rags-to-riches” styled story where you talk about a common problem, challenge, woe, etc…. that is shared by your target audience.

Then offer the solution -  the product you’re selling.

This type of story works so well because everyone loves an underdog story.

Plus...

Your audience can identify with the main character because they experienced a BIG problem or challenge that your market is CURRENTLY experiencing.

And as they read your story, they are reliving, experiencing and FEELING everything that you went through (or your client), because they are going through it too (in some way, shape or form).

Then…

You give them hope by explaining how you overcame your challenges and how they can too (if they buy your product).

Here’s an example:

https://swiped.co/file/amazing-money-making-secrets-ad-by-gary-halbert/

#5) Hell to Heaven Stories

This is essentially the rags-to-riches story but on selling steroids.

It’s probably the MOST PERSAUSIVE story to tell.

The goal is to tell a story about someone in your market who your audience can relate.

Someone that has gone from “hell to heaven”.

Meaning…

They have faced incredible obstacles (in hell) but overcame their hellish experience and now are living much better (in heaven).

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

However, it can work for any market, if you get creative.

For example…

If you are selling an online course to real estate agents that teaches them marketing…

You could tell a story about someone who was on the verge of bankruptcy. And get very detailed with the specifics of their financial struggles (wife leaving them, losing their house, having to live on the streets, etc.)

Then, tell how they not only escaped poverty but got extremely wealthy by using the information that you teach in this marketing course.

Here's a great example of this type of story in action:

https://swiped.co/file/amazing-diet-secrets-ad-from-gary-halbert/

 

Additional Storytelling Tips:

• When writing stories in ads - get to the climax right away!
• Dig into your market’s emotions - create tension and drama throughout, by highlighting all the emotions, pain points, frustrations… that your prospects are going through.
• Make it short - trim, trim trim. Only leave essentials that build tension and move the story along. Make it very quick n easy to understand and relate to.
• Make it DRAMATIC - the more dramatic and tension-filled stories you tell, the more of an impact they’ll have on your audience.

 

Conclusion

The more stories you tell, the more money you’ll make.

Use this post as a reference guide and practice telling persuasive stories by using the 5 storytelling formats mentioned above.

In no time flat, you’ll be a persuasive copywriter who changes lives and earns a king’s fortune simply by filling your copy with stories.

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