Ideas from other people copy?

Gwuido65 · 08-26-2009, 10:28 AM

Hi there,

As I am starting to learn about copywriting, I am looking at lots of different sales pages, ads, direct mail etc and gathering lots of amazing ideas, words and even phrases.

I mean sometimes I see a particular phrase and am just overwhelmed by how powerful it is.

I'm just wondering what people think about using particular words or phrases they have seen from other peoples copy. Is it to be avoided entirely or is it fair to take a word/phrase and weave it into your own original sales letter?

Cheers

Kevin-VirtualProfitCenter · 08-26-2009, 10:35 AM

I use this acronym often: SIAMIB

Which stands for "Steal it and make it better."

Note the form of the statement and make it your own.

Ross Bowring · 08-26-2009, 10:49 AM

Lifting phrases word-for-word isn't cool.

Being inspired to come up with your own just-as-great phrasing is much cooler.

As you're in the learning stage, one "breakthrough exercise" I found was to go through a Gary Bencivenga maglog... like "Lies!, Lies!, Lies!" or his Thankgiving ham letter (And I mean the whole thing... and these are 24 page or so letters) and just go sentence by sentence... word by word... and ask myself "Why is he using this word not that one? That phrase? That structure?

Then when I sat down to come up with my own words, for my own letters, I was better informed about WHY a particular word, phrase of my own would work, or why it wouldn't.

Bottom-line might be this: You've got to develop faith in your own ability to face a blank page and just let your own words flow. And as they flow you want to have enough marketing know-how to assess whether or not they meet proven persuasion strategies.

Don't want to get too "Secret-y" but it might be a good idea to believe, as best you can that there is no limit to your own creativity.

That after you write one good phrase... sentence... or letter... there's just another one waiting inside you... sat in your subconscious... ready to pop out right when you need it.

Raydal · 08-26-2009, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwuido65

Hi there,

I'm just wondering what people think about using particular words or phrases they have seen from other peoples copy. Is it to be avoided entirely or is it fair to take a word/phrase and weave it into your own original sales letter?

Cheers

This is pretty standard practice in copywriting. There are even books sold
with those "stolen" words and phrases. Check out Words That Sell and
More Words that Sell by Richard Bayan (AMAZON) and also Phrases That
Sell by Werz and Germain.

That's where those other sales letters 'stole' them from.

YouTube - How To Swipe Successful Sales Letters

-Ray Edwards

Alex Cohen · 08-26-2009, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwuido65

Hi there,

As I am starting to learn about copywriting, I am looking at lots of different sales pages, ads, direct mail etc and gathering lots of amazing ideas, words and even phrases.

I mean sometimes I see a particular phrase and am just overwhelmed by how powerful it is.

I'm just wondering what people think about using particular words or phrases they have seen from other peoples copy. Is it to be avoided entirely or is it fair to take a word/phrase and weave it into your own original sales letter?

Cheers

One word cannot be copyrighted. (Yes, one word can be trademarked.) What about a phrase or a sentence ... can they be copyrighted? Or must the work be more substantial before it obtains copyrighted status? Perhaps a legal eagle will give us an answer.

And then of course the "fair use doctrine" exists. Under certain circustances, portions of copyrighted works can be used without permission.

Alex

Mona · 08-26-2009, 11:45 AM

You gotta know what words are important to your CUSTOMER. It doesn't matter if you think the words are cool. What words are powerful to them? Which words hit their emotional hot buttons and make them wake up out of the web surfing daze that they're in?

The way to figure out these words is to talk with your customers on the phone (forums can work sometimes too) and listen to how they describe their own problem. If they say they're frustrated, then use that in your headline. Don't say "pissed off" if they don't use that phrase when they're talking about it.

The more your customers can relate to your headline and find themselves in it, the more they'll "wake up" out of their web surfing daze and look at what you have to say.

08-26-2009, 10:28 AM	#1
Gwuido65 HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 276 Thanks: 36 Thanked 13 Times in 5 Posts	Ideas from other people copy? Hi there, As I am starting to learn about copywriting, I am looking at lots of different sales pages, ads, direct mail etc and gathering lots of amazing ideas, words and even phrases. I mean sometimes I see a particular phrase and am just overwhelmed by how powerful it is. I'm just wondering what people think about using particular words or phrases they have seen from other peoples copy. Is it to be avoided entirely or is it fair to take a word/phrase and weave it into your own original sales letter? Cheers
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08-26-2009, 10:35 AM	#2
Kevin-VirtualProfitCenter Full Frontal Lobe Nudity War Room Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 912 Thanks: 519 Thanked 492 Times in 205 Posts Social Networking	Re: Ideas from other people copy? I use this acronym often: SIAMIB Which stands for "Steal it and make it better." Note the form of the statement and make it your own.
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08-26-2009, 10:49 AM	#3
Ross Bowring Cash Creating Copywriter War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Philadelphia, USA Posts: 694 Thanks: 538 Thanked 589 Times in 205 Posts Social Networking	Re: Ideas from other people copy? Lifting phrases word-for-word isn't cool. Being inspired to come up with your own just-as-great phrasing is much cooler. As you're in the learning stage, one "breakthrough exercise" I found was to go through a Gary Bencivenga maglog... like "Lies!, Lies!, Lies!" or his Thankgiving ham letter (And I mean the whole thing... and these are 24 page or so letters) and just go sentence by sentence... word by word... and ask myself "Why is he using this word not that one? That phrase? That structure? Then when I sat down to come up with my own words, for my own letters, I was better informed about WHY a particular word, phrase of my own would work, or why it wouldn't. Bottom-line might be this: You've got to develop faith in your own ability to face a blank page and just let your own words flow. And as they flow you want to have enough marketing know-how to assess whether or not they meet proven persuasion strategies. Don't want to get too "Secret-y" but it might be a good idea to believe, as best you can that there is no limit to your own creativity. That after you write one good phrase... sentence... or letter... there's just another one waiting inside you... sat in your subconscious... ready to pop out right when you need it.
	PLUS... X-Rated Copywriting Secrets EXPOSED.

08-26-2009, 11:45 AM	#6
Mona Warrior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Ideas from other people copy? You gotta know what words are important to your CUSTOMER. It doesn't matter if you think the words are cool. What words are powerful to them? Which words hit their emotional hot buttons and make them wake up out of the web surfing daze that they're in? The way to figure out these words is to talk with your customers on the phone (forums can work sometimes too) and listen to how they describe their own problem. If they say they're frustrated, then use that in your headline. Don't say "pissed off" if they don't use that phrase when they're talking about it. The more your customers can relate to your headline and find themselves in it, the more they'll "wake up" out of their web surfing daze and look at what you have to say.