I hope this helps you (and anyone else trying to transition from academia to sales writing) :

In academic writing, you are trying to prove something, often just to prove it.

In sales writing, you are trying to coax an action. To do so, you sometimes need to prove things. So point at the academics, then move on.

When writing to make a sale, never try to prove your prospect wrong and prove yourself right. Instead, meld what you need them to believe into what they already think.

Academics sometimes forget you cannot strong-arm someone into *believing* you.

Fantastic!

You know a lot of people say that you don’t need to have been an A English student to be a good copywriter. I noticed however, that both copywriters mentioned above write the same way my English teachers in high school use to tell me to write.

Provide a proponderance of proof, be clear, be concise, make your piece flow.

These guys would have definitely gotten an A on their papers at my high school writing this way.

I suppose one difference between copywriting and academic writing is that you can use cliches and you can have more fun. Another is that we focus on the way the reader thinks and we anticipate how they will react to our words, whereas in academic writing this is not so critical.

But even the element of persuasion is the same in both styles of writing.

Recently, I was jerked out of my zombie trance while watching an old episode of Seinfeld. An ad popped on the screen for the supplement Airborne.
That ad got my attention because, as a marketer, I am fascinated by this product. It has massive success yet fails on many marketing levels. The profit margins, for example, are too low. The name is vague. I remember when I first saw Airborne, I said to myself… what the f**k is that?
Would anyone who writes for The Total Package please write on the success of this supplement and supplement marketing and copywriting in a future issue?
Many of us want to know more. . .
With dietary supplements, think about the force of good marketing and copy applied to your own supplement. It’s quite easy these days to put out your own supplement with a private label and your own blend of ingredients. Many marketers don’t know this.
2009-another year to improve our skills!

I wonder what Clayton is dreaming up for us this year!
John

Growing up around family members that were visually impaired made helping others second nature.

The best thing about copy-writing to me is that we actually get paid for it!

Marcelino Latorre