The Michel Fortin Blog

The other day I was asked the following question: "Should I use active or passive voice in sales copy?" My answer may surprise you. The premise behind this question is simple. Traditional rules of good writing state that we should use active...

Need help with your sales copy or marketing strategy? About to launch a product or promotion, but unsure if it will work? Or simply wish you could pick my brains for an hour? (And want to pitch in for a great cause at the same time?) Well, for...

Dan Kennedy often says clunky copy outsells clean copy. I somewhat agree with him, but not all the time. In fact, clunkiness can work against you. And a recent university study proves this. People have a tendency to forge not only a lasting...

I covered headlines many times already. You can find posts about headlines here. But here are some additional tips. There are two huge mistakes people make when they write headlines. Either they are too bland and don't say enough (such as when...

Most of the copy people ask me to rewrite seem to offer great products and services. In fact, some offers are so good, prospects would be crazy to turn them down. But they do. And these sales pieces end up falling on my lap because they're...

A recent study found that 65% of online shoppers are "window shoppers," and take on average up to 33 hours to make a purchase -- often over security concerns. Some interesting findings show that most people who abandon their shopping carts don't...

The difference between good copy and great copy are in the results achieved. In direct response specifically, results are based on the number of actions the copy generates. The more actions the copy drives, the greater the copy is. My friend...

A disgruntled, aspiring copywriter wrote me demanding clarifications. He believes most copywriters lie and exaggerate their claims of wealth. Let's call him "Chuck." I understand where Chuck is coming from. Because I've been where he is. So I...

I once took a media communications course in which I discovered an interesting example of the way the mind works. I soon realized how this applies to copywriting as well. As part of a given lesson, they showed a videotape of a televised newscast...