Blowing your own horn can seem like a productive marketing effort, and it may seem to communicate self-confidence. But it’s often done wrong, which makes it ineffective and counterproductive, and can even backfire. Saying you’re the best in your field, your claim is suspect and dismissible at best, and arrogant and disdainful at worst. Either way, you […]
In 1992, I wrote power positioning as a way to help attract clients in my early career as a marketing consultant without the need for cold-calling or selling.
The most important part of your copy is not your headline, not your offer, and certainly not your benefits. The most important part is your customer. Sounds obvious, right? But I’ve critiqued some pretty good copy. Very well-written and compelling, too. But if the conversion rate is low (hence, the reason why I was hired […]
Preamble: A friend wrote about her recent ADHD diagnosis at age 45. I was diagnosed at 52, so it resonated deeply with me. I found myself nodding with each symptom she described. It inspired me to write one of my own. I was reluctant to discuss this at first and open myself up this way. […]
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I experimented with creating my own video or vlogging series based on questions people asked. But this was just an experiment. I later switched to another channel, but I wanted to post the eight episodes here. If you want to know when I post new stuff, subscribe to my YouTube channel. Better yet, sign up […]
The other day, an aspiring copywriter asked me a question that I hear all too often: “How do I distinguish myself from other copywriters?” The answer is not an easy one. It takes some thought, some time, and perhaps some inspiration. But time after time, I have found that most people tend to overlook one […]
The greater portion of my career has been in copywriting, selling, and direct marketing. And one of the common denominators I’ve found in any successful piece of sales copy is the power of risk reversal. That is, taking a larger risk from the sale than the purchaser of your product. Risk reversal is a powerful […]
A member of my coaching program asked a question about the legality of using a pseudonym or alias when writing marketing communications. In other words, can he use a pen name? Stated differently, is it legal to write the copy in the voice of a fictitious character? Or telling the story of, say, a fictitious […]
What’s the single, most important element in copywriting? Let me say it another way. You’ve done your research. You found a starving market. Your product fills a need. And your sales copy shines with benefits. If everything is so perfect, then why is your product still not selling? Is it the price? The offer? The […]