Posted by:
John Forde
July 27, 2010
Issue #975
Dear Business-Builder,
A personal confession: I don’t just like being a copywriter. I also happen to like copywriters in general. As people, I mean. Why?
Before you accuse me of being too kind to my own, consider.
How many copywriters do you know that seem extra welcoming and easy-going, as well as willing to answer questions and offer advice?
I know more than I can count.
What’s more, speak with them once, and they’ll usually remember what you’ve talked about. Introduce somebody and they’ll be happy to shake hands. In restaurants, they almost never snarl at a waiter. And I don’t know a single one among them who would ever kick a dog.
Every profession demands or at least cultivates certain character traits. Why should the copywriting field be any different?
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Posted by:
John Forde
May 25, 2010
Issue #935
Dear Business-Builder,
Mies van der Rohe, a twentieth-century architect, once said that God hides in the details. And says writer Anne Lamott, “There is ecstasy in paying attention.”
What is it that they know that we don’t? Not much, actually.
Since, after all, any good copywriter also knows that when you really … really … want to make for a powerful sales pitch, digging into the small details can be your most powerful technique.
Here’s an example. Which of the following descriptions sounds better to you?
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Posted by:
John Forde
April 13, 2010
Issue #905
Dear Business-Builder,
It’s not always easy to know where technology will take us.
Still, you’ll want to do what you can to stay ready.
What happens, for instance, to copywriters in the digital age? Up until now, I’ve heard lots of people wax on about how different the online customer is from the customers you’ll write copy for in print. And for the most part, I consider that hogwash. People are people and bring their same desires and fears to the Internet.
But one thing that’s definitely true about the world of online marketing is that it has closed distances and allowed lots of small “niche” markets to come together. Something else that’s true is that the pace of exposure to those markets has exploded. So has the volume of exposure, in total products available.
So what’s that going to mean for you, the copywriter?
Quite a bit. If you want to survive, bottom line, you’ll have to make a few changes.
For instance, you’ll want to …
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Posted by:
John Forde
March 2, 2010
Issue #875
The better you get at writing good copy, the more clients will want access to your time. In the beginning, you’ll want to give it to them.
But as time goes by, you won’t be able to.
You’ll try to cherry-pick projects, taking on only those that won’t bog you down disproportionately to what you’ll get in return.
But what happens when you have no other choice than to just … write … faster?
You can try these tips …
- Really DO Cherry-Pick Projects
It’s great to be eager.
But you’ll find there really are some copywriting jobs that just aren’t worth it. Which ones? Be wary, for instance, of poorly baked products with no clear audience or no clear benefit for the audience they’re meant to target.
Likewise, look out for projects without a passionate champion on the client side. If there’s nobody who can sell you on what you’re supposed to be selling, there’s a good chance you’ll have a hard time selling it to prospects, too.
And finally, look out for projects that don’t have at least 85% of the pieces in place before you get started. Unless, that is, you’re also being paid to help develop the product … a different and more involved job than just writing the sales letter.
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Posted by:
John Forde
September 15, 2009
Issue #759
Once in awhile, you can’t beat a good case study. And what better case study for a copywriter or direct marketer to learn from than the profile of a legendary direct-mail publisher: Rodale.
Rodale, if you haven’t heard of it, is located in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. Emmaus is a small American town that’s less than eight miles square. Just under 5,000 families call it home. One of those families is that of J.I. Rodale, a former New York tax accountant who started Rodale Manufacturing in 1923.
Yes, manufacturing. Not publishing.
But then, during the Great Depression, Rodale moved to an empty warehouse in Emmaus.
And it was in the corner of that building that J.I. took a chance and followed his passion … straight to a printing press in the corner of the electrical warehouse.
His first few efforts were flops.
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