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Copywriting Articles, Learning & Resources [Master Thread]

Marketing, social media, advertising

AllenCrawley

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Copywriting is a highly valuable skill worthy of learning, honing and perfecting.

This thread shall serve as a Master Thread for all things copywriting. Similar to the other Master Threads here on PR, Social Media and Marketing to the Affluent.

As this thread should be more of a resource - please keep discussions to a minimum, but feel free to post casestudies, articles, videos, links, or anything that relates to copywriting. Where possible, try to give credit to the original source.

Copywriting.com's definition...
  1. Copywriting is the art and science of writing to promote a product, a business, a person or an idea. And carefully selecting, editing, weaving and constructing those words in a way that they’ll persuade the reader into taking a specific and measurable action.
"The most poetic definition of copywriting I’ve come across, was written by Bruce Bendinger – one of my favorite ad copywriters of our time. In his book “The Copy Workshop Workbook”, Bruce shares this remarkable gem…"​

whatiscopywriting.png

"What I like most about it, is that Bruce took extra care to single out the most important aspect of copywriting: salesmanship. Unfortunately, too many copywriters just don’t understand what he is referring to with that term… So for the sake of clarity, let me try to come up with a more technical and complete, albeit less poetic definition."​
 
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AllenCrawley

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Feel free to review a thread on our forums... Gary Halbert's 30 Day Copywriting Challenge

I'll just copy and paste over to this thread some valuable links to review.



If you dont know already, we are starting from Gary's premise that anyone can be a good copywriter in 30 days.Read Link Below:
http://www.thegaryhalbertletter.com/newsletters/zfkj_hands_on_experience.htm

Here are the newsletter back issues and boron letters that you will need that is spoken of in above link.
http://www.trafficplusconversion.com/1345/gary-halbert-letter/

Here are the ads that gary halbert mentions that you will need from first link.
http://theryanmcgrath.com/2010/04/gary-halberts-favorite-ads/
 
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AllenCrawley

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I recently came across Ash Ambirge of The Middle Finger Project. She has a very good article on clever vs clear copywriting and she makes a very compelling point.


Clear vs Clever Copywriting is a Big, Fat, Bloated Myth (And a Scapegoat for Subpar Writers)

I’m a very dirty writer.

Not Fifty Shades of Grey dirty (during work hours) but dirty in the way that I put sentences, thoughts, ideas together.

My process is wild. Sexy. Free. Undomesticated.

And while I wish the reason were because I’m just such a clay-faced, crochet-bra-top-wearing, sun-worshipping bohemian soul (I am laughably not), rather, it’s because I know something you don’t know about the written word:



It’s only as brilliant as its process.


If your process is tame, commonplace, average, pedestrian…then the output of your efforts will reflect that.

If your process is uninteresting, dreary, unimaginative and lazy, then your writing will reflect that, too.

Because words were developed to describe the human condition, the words that we choose to put on the page undoubtedly reflect who we are as humans.



There is no such thing as an objective word.


Every single word carries its own private nuance, spin, shadow of suggestion. Every single word walks around cloaked in a veil. Nothing is on its face. Everything means something. Even the plainest of language is communicating a sneaky little message. There’s no escaping it.

So it should follow that when you sit down to write the copy for your business, the words for a promotion, the name for a company, or something equally as important for your career, it becomes difficult to get people excited about what you do, if what you say isn’t exciting.

By exciting, I don’t mean exclamation points or bold claims. I mean purposefully selected to convey the exact emotion that the reader wants (and needs) to feel.

This is not an easy task. It requires a writer to be able to pull a Men in Black alien move and hop directly into the mind of the reader–the reader who everyone forgets is the real protagonist in every story. Even yours.

But getting into the minds of other people is not a tame, tidy effort. It cannot be, or you are not doing your job. It takes the writer who is willing to throw all preconceived notions to the wind; who is willing to finger paint with ideas. Brilliant writing is never clean writing. There’s nothing clean about it. It’s messy. It’s savage. It’s dirty. Which is why I always say that the writing process is truly an editing process–and it is. Because the real genius of editing is not in adding a comma, or correcting a run on sentence–it’s about running each word through a specific filter, and making sure that when it comes out on the other side? It conveys exactly what you want it to. That’s writing.



Which, by the way, is why I take issue with the whole age-old dichotomy between “clear” versus “clever” copywriting, as if there were only two types.


If you have any idea what you’re doing as a copywriter, you’re well-aware that every single word you put onto a page makes its own very distinct statement. Therefore, if something you’ve written isn’t considered clear, then you aren’t selecting your words very wisely, are you?

Clear is a given. Clever is a bonus.

Just because your writing is clever does not mean it will fail. Brilliant writing can be clever, as long as it is also clear. As it should be. Real clever writing is, by nature, clear to the person buying it. That’s what makes it clever. And if you’re selling something? That’s the only person who matters.

Clever writing is sharp. It is bright. It is skillful. Precisely why the clear brigade hates it. Approaching clear/clever from an either/or perspective is for subpar writers who aren’t talented enough to merge science and art. Clever does not have to be unclear, and clear does not have to be unclever. When you’re doing it right.

Conversions happen because someone on the other side of the screen said, ‘YES’–not because they were under the spell of a green ‘BUY NOW’ button, as if this were the first F*cking time they’ve seen one.

What it takes to get the YES is going to be different for every company, however, I can tell you this: At some point, every one of your competitors will have a beautiful, modern website. At some point, every one of your competitors will have a fully optimized BUY NOW button. At some point, every single one of your competitors will have their features neatly translated into benefits, and their headlines neatly tested against one another for conversions.

And then what? What happens when there aren’t any more easy legs up? What happens when the customer can no longer choose based on arbitrary aesthetics and basic benefits-focused copy? What happens when everyone is the same?



You’re going to have to give them a better reason to choose you.


And time over time again, that reason is going to be because of who you are. Your personality. Your company’s character. The subjective parts of the equation.

Like I said to a consulting client yesterday on the phone: Anyone can sell treadmill parts. There’s nothing genius in that, nor particularly difficult. The difference has nothing to do with what you sell. The difference is in how you sell it, and furthermore, how you make the people feel who buy it. And when that comes down to your words on the screen, versus the next guy’s words on the screen, then what you say really IS more important than what you sell. Because guess what? A “clearly” stated benefit that’s the exact same as everybody else’s “clearly” stated benefit isn’t going to do jack. At some point, it all becomes moot. There are only so many benefits, and other companies have those, too.

What they don’t have is YOU.



Your brand is your own best kept secret.


Precisely why your words need to brilliantly reflect you & your brand’s personality–and everything it stands for. If your company is really as innovative as you say it is, then your words need to mirror that same level of innovation. If you’re really as unconventional as you say you are, then you words cannot fall flat. If you’re really starting some kind of revolution, then your words cannot be yesterday’s.

Every word is a miniature representation of who you are. And trust me–no two words are the same. It’s why every single one of ‘em has their own definition in the dictionary, and why synonyms are a myth, too.

And to that point, it’s the same reason why you’re still reading this.

Anyone can give writing advice. But the person who gets chosen? Is the one who chooses his words.

Because when he does it right, the person reading them will have already whispered,

“YES.”




Source: http://www.themiddlefingerproject.org/clear-vs-clever-copywriting-big-fat-bloated-myth-scapegoat-subpar-writers/
 
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Ma Co

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Tons of Old Ads:
http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/adaccess/?page=1

John Carlton on Story Telling
http://www.john-carlton.com/2010/08/confessions-of-a-story-junkie-part-one/

Jay Abraham on Using Amazon for Copywriting

Online Swipe File:
http://swiped.co/

I uploaded for you guys Gary Halbert's Favorite Sales Letters for your swipe file:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/ab99tn9p973h8dt/Gary's_Favs.rar
- Amazing Diet Secret of A Desperate House Wife
- Burn Fat Hour-by-Hour
- Coat-Of-Arms Letter
- Do you Make These Mistakes in English
- Dollar Bill Letter
- Gary Halbert's Personal Sales Letter
- How To Collect Social Security
- How To Get What The Gov Owes You
- The Lazy Mans Way to Riches
- Ogilvy's - Rolls Royce Letter
- The Admiral Byrd Transpolar Expedition Letter
- The Amazing Black Jack Secret
- About This Stock And Bond Business
- Tova Borgnine Amazing New Formula
- Why Astrology Can Bring You Wealth
 
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Daniel A

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Ma Co

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I've been on Swiped.co's email list for a long time now, but never got an account. Did you get one (I'm assuming you did)?

No, I didn't apply for a membership. I just used it as a resource for writing product reviews so far.

I'm still absorbing Gary's recommended ads. Writing each one 20 times -- the good old brain-wash method.
 
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Ma Co

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"Joe, you may be full of beans, but what have I got to lose?"

@Raoul Duke: Thanks buddy! Also my favorite. I didn't have the version with added testimonials.
Interesting, in the older ad he stated: "I live in a home that's worth $100,000"...in yours it's already $250,000 :)
 

AllenCrawley

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One of my favorite books is Test Advertising Methods 4th Edition by John Caples

ATUPmQvm.jpg


The 4th edition is a bit difficult to come by so you'll have to keep an eye out for it. I bought my copy off amazon pretty cheap but I've seen the prices for this book over $50. The fifth edition is readily available but from what I understand it's not as good as the fourth.
 
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AllenCrawley

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Polarbeans

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This thread shall serve as a Master Thread for all things copywriting.

Awesome initiative!

Copyblogger
If you register (no, I'm not associated) there are about 35 resources around copywriting you can download, all for free.
Should you choose not to receive the newsletter you can just unsubscribe. Brian Clark is legit.

John Carlton sales page
This is a sales page to his course. I have not taken the course myself but as he is a good copywriter it might be a good idea
to look at his sales page.

Copyhackers resources
Loads of PDF:s and worksheets to download and utilize.

Call to Action
Great post about Call to action

The Copywriting Checklist How To Sell The Crap Out Of Great Products & Services
Created By Dane Maxwell - Founder of Zannee.com Real Estate Technology To Recruit, Retain, and Go Paperless.

The Complete Newbie’s Guide to Effective Copywriting

Persuasive Online Copywriting

Copywriting 101 How to Craft Compelling Copy

infographic - ABC Copywriting


 
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Polarbeans

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Copyscape
Free web-based tool that allows you to check the content of a single webpage and
see if it contains any duplicate content found elsewhere on the web.

They got a premium version too if you want to check content, copy-and-paste style.

Plagiarism Checker
Copy-paste-content checker that is free (like 5 checks /day or so)

Flickr
Well, perhaps not the obvious copy-choice but if you need to send images along
with your copy to a client, this is a great tool to avoid expensive image costs.

You all know this site.

Un-suck it
I love this tool. You know when you put your stuff into a word calculator to find out how hard it is to read?
Then you see a few adverbs and some jargon that makes your Flesch grade to increase. How do you remove them?
Use Un-Suck it.

Did you use the phrase "action item"?
Un-suck it will tell you to go with "task" instead.

Thesaurus
Explanation is superfluous (excessive, expendable, redundant, unneeded)

RhymeZone
Like lyrical masters Notorious and Jay-Z, you can
also be under the Cherry Tree, writing glorious
copy, smelling the California poppy.

CopyDoodle
This is a paid service (not affiliate) and yeah, you basically pay for doodles.

Emotional Marketing Value Headline Analyzer
Analyze your headlines. A free tool that will analyze your headline to determine the
Emotional Marketing Value (EMV) score.

WordCounter
Wordcounter ranks the most frequently used words in any
given body of text. Use this to see what words you overuse

Conversion Ninja Toolbox
Conversions are a big priority in professional copywriting. The Conversion Ninja Toolbox is
essentially a website with a vast library of conversion optimization resources.

It’s a great place to frequent whenever you need some CRO advice.

The Content Marketing Institute
The Content Marketing Institute delivers advice, tips and industry news via a
newsletter, blog, downloadables and more.

Men with Pens
James Chartrand is the pen name for a very savvy female copywriter. She prefers to stick with “James,” which
has earned her many lucrative gigs. James certainly has a flair for writing and for sharing all
those savvy tips to help you become a better copywriter, too.

Michael Fortin
An expert copywriter and consultant. Michael Fortin shares
copywriting and editing information free.

Bob Bly
Another great copywriting mastermind, Bob Bly is well-regarded
in the industry. Bob has thirty years of copywriting experience.

Kevin Hill Copy
Kevin Hill is a direct response copywriter, also known as “The Professor of High Response.”
If you’re trying to write more persuasive copy for sales or landing pages, Kevin’s blog is a great resource.

Copy Hackers
“Where startups learn to write copy,” is the Copy Hackers’ tagline.
Ebooks, courses, worksheets, cheat sheets, and more.

Contentrix
Contentrix’s free swipe file, “Content Marketing Results,” is a great place to start if you’re stuck on
headlines, transitions and other tricky copy elements.

19-week FREE course and regular copywriting advice.

Psycho Tactics
If you want your copy to convert visitors to customers, you have to understand the mind of
your audience. And that’s what Psycho Tactics is all about. While Psycho Tactics focuses
on Internet marketing as a whole, there are specific resources available just
for copywriting, article writing and even information marketing.

The Copywriter’s Roundtable
John Forde’s The Copywriter’s Roundtable has free reports,
courses, headline tricks etc.

Dan Kennedy
Direct response marketing, email marketing, traditional marketing,
and advertising—which drills down to copywriting.

Lousy Writer
A site for bad writers - to become masters. Scroll down a little and you'll find the resources.

Steve Fabian’s “The Newbie’s Guide to Persuasive Copywriting”
free copywriting e-book

Sparksheet
Sparksheet is a go-to hub for getting the most up-to-date
tools and tips for content marketing. If you’re looking for a resource that
bridges the information gap between journalism and marketing, this is it.

The Content Crossroads: Supernatural Success at the Intersection of Ideas

The Nasty Four-Letter Word That Keeps You from Writing

Why You’re Too Qualified and Respectful to Produce Great Content

Copyblogger’s How to Write Magnetic Headlines series
 

SlowlaneJay

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My two favorite copywriting resources… of all time!

1. Gary Halbert's "The REAL Art of Writing Copy."
Easily the best letter from Gary Halbert to his subscribers. Any time I'm struggling, I go back to this letter and read over his advice. Gold.
"Writing "copy" is less than 1/10 as important as learning to think about new offers and getting them down on paper as I just did. I can't say it often enough or strongly enough..." Full Letter Part 2

2. Cashvertising's LF8
I have this screenshot saved in the dock on my laptop for quick access. While I'm writing I continually pull it up and make sure I'm addressing at least one of these universal wants. Read the book though, there's more gold inside.

9Q0SduG.jpg
 
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SlowlaneJay

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Quite simply, the best free resource on Typography you'll ever stumble across. Skips all the bullshit you would find in a typesetting course and explains everything extremely practically.

If you only read one resource on typography in your life, let it be this one:

Butterick’s Practical Typography
This is a bold claim, but i stand behind it: if you learn and follow these five typography rules, you will be a better typographer than 95% of professional writers and 70% of professional designers. (The rest of this book will raise you to the 99th percentile in both categories.) …
 

AllenCrawley

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Those that know me, have read my progress thread or heard me speak know how I feel about the importance of branding and developing a story behind the brand and products. IMHO, Brand and Story are one. I believe you can't have a great brand without a great story. [I will be starting a Master Thread on Branding in the very near future.]

"Focus on building a brand not transactions." - Gary Vaynerchuk

Copywriting is infinitely more powerful when you tell a story that connects with humans on an emotional level. When you stop "marketing" to consumers and start engaging with people by sharing stories something amazing happens... human connections develop.

The following is a great article on how to use stories when creating your copy. It is an incredibly thought out and detailed article with real life examples of what to do AND what not to do.

:bookworm: It will take you some time to read through and digest the information here but I'm telling you... It. Is. Worth. It.

Give it a read and put it into practice.

https://copyhackers.com/2016/04/sto...nd-the-irresistible-selling-power-of-stories/



Storyhacking: Cracking the Code Behind the Irresistible Selling Power of Stories

"One evening about 30,000 years ago, a Stone Age content creator was hanging out at a firepit, social networking with his friends and family, when he posted a picture of a rhino to a cavern wall.

His target audience was immediately hooked and began inviting friends to take a look. A few even started drawing their own rhinos, cave bears and horses. Thousands of generations of followers drew and re-drew animal figures on the walls of the cave – and what’s more, similar versions of the figures were drawn in caves vast distances away.

The Cro Magnon cave drawing had gone viral..."

Read the full article here:
https://copyhackers.com/2016/04/sto...nd-the-irresistible-selling-power-of-stories/
 

Peakdesire

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Copywriting is a highly valuable skill worthy of learning, honing and perfecting.

Thanks for this Allen!

I'll be going through the Halbert 30 day challenge.

I've been trying to get copywriting clients from Upwork (previously Odesk) and haven't gotten any replies yet.

Any idea what would be the most effective way to get copywriting clients?

Thanks.
 
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