How Can I Learn to Do All of Those Cool Sales Letter Graphics?

[glengarry4]

Hi everyone,

I'm an experienced copywriter, but one thing that I'm not good at is doing all of those graphics you see in sales letters like boxes, arrows, buy buttons, etc.

To be honest, mostly when i write sales letter I'll cut and paste graphics from other sales letters into microsoft word.

How can I learn how to create graphics myself? Is there graphic design program that is good for this. Do you know of any good training programs for this kind of simple graphic design? What about for microsoft word?

Another question for the experienced copywriters on here: do you mostly create the graphics yourself or do you have someone else do them?

Thanks,

G

[MikeHumphreys]

Well... you might want to stop swiping graphics from other sales letters because they might be copyrighted material. A few years ago, there was a mega-pack that was being sold... turns out it was a bunch of pirated graphics and a number of Warriors got smacked on the hand for owning it.

I've gotten a lot of graphics like buy buttons, awards, bullets, etc. from buying the WSO collections created by graphic designers in this forum.

Case in point: I picked up this graphic package from fellow Warrior Michelle Brouse (non-aff link): Graphic Freebie Site from ECoverFX

I also like using a paid product called CopyDoodles for any spots where I need a hand-drawn looking graphic.

I have several graphic designers I either hire for my own projects or refer my clients to hire for their graphic needs. In a pinch, I can fire up Fireworks and attempt to make what I need. Usually I just use Fireworks for simple things like resizing a photo or making a graphic a smaller, faster loading file.

Personally, I try to minimize the amount of graphic work I do. My clients pay me to write great copy, not create great graphic design. Great graphic design is a task that I've found is better for me to outsource.

Hope that helps,

Mike

[TheMagicShow]

Originally Posted by glengarry4

Hi everyone,

I'm an experienced copywriter, but one thing that I'm not good at is doing all of those graphics you see in sales letters like boxes, arrows, buy buttons, etc.

To be honest, mostly when i write sales letter I'll cut and paste graphics from other sales letters into microsoft word.

How can I learn how to create graphics myself? Is there graphic design program that is good for this. Do you know of any good training programs for this kind of simple graphic design? What about for microsoft word?

Another question for the experienced copywriters on here: do you mostly create the graphics yourself or do you have someone else do them?

Thanks,

G

You are setting up yourself for trouble by using other people's graphics. They can rip you apart and take your pretty penny in a heartbeat. Since you are a good copywriter, then try to outsource your designs to some of the great warriors who are gifted in graphic design.

All of us can't be great at everything, that's why we delegate our weakness to someone who is good at what we are bad at.

[DavidO]

Graphic designers and copywriters tend to inhabit two different worlds and the two rarely overlap.

Your best bet, as the others have said, is to outsource your graphics. There are plenty of designers available in the Warriors For Hire section.

But if you really want to get serious about designing graphics there's only one way to go and that's Photoshop. Get yourself some good tutorials or, even better, a hands-on course at a local college.

But learning Photoshop and graphic design is a huge task on its own and is likely to be highly distracting from copywriting.

[sidsavara]

I do my graphics myself - it is a bit of a pain. I have a friend who is a photoshop pro, and he showed me this think called Ecover Actions (or something). It is crazy expensive, but makes amazing graphics. I think that is probably what the pros use, and since it's a few hundred bucks for that software (on top of buying Photoshop) I think it might be best to leave it to them

Or buy your own copies of the software and learn how yourself if you are going to make a lot of them =). I made a cool 3D version of my ebook using a free photoshop action I found online, you can check it out if you want in my signature.

[bertuseng]

There are some free marketing graphics packages that you can get. Just google for it. Use these in stead of copying them from webpages. Use all the free graphics, you can change them with photoshop or some other picture editing software.

[RentItNow]

Get Photoshop, Alienskin filters and find some photoshop tutorials online. I actually use Macromedia Fireworks in place of photoshop as it is quicker to manipulate and more natural like the old PaintShopPro. AlienSkin filters work in it also.

Graphics are very easy once you learn a few principles and use filters.

[Daniel Scott]

He stole that article from elsewhere... like all the other posts he's made. That's why.

I give him a few hours before he's banned.

Regarding the OP... Mike's "MarketYourCopy.com" membership has a whole tonne of graphics as a free bonus when you sign up as a paid member.

And it's cheap... $30/month or $200/lifetime (not 100% about the lifetime price though).

It also has a heap of great resources regarding making more money as a copywriter... it's already paid for itself many times over in my case.

Highly recommended.

</shameless plug for Mike>

Other than that... you could always get a graphic designer to do it for you... but why bother?

-Dan

Originally Posted by Paul McQuillan

Abdoue, why is it you gave copywriting advice?

He said he is an experienced copywriter and wants to know about graphics
resources, not how to write copy.

[Daniel Scott]

No probs Paul.

A lot of the "basic" info might be a bit basic for someone like yourself... things like referral systems etc I already had pretty much learned from Vin... but some of the interviews he has on there are pretty cool.

And, of course, Mike has a very sexy voice :P

There's also this WSO. I bought it a couple of weeks ago but haven't been able to listen to yet... but it's pretty cheap and I think comes with Mike's standard guarantee.. so you can't lose.

http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...ents-fast.html

Anyways... I'll get off the shameless plug for Mike now :P

-Dan

[MikeHumphreys]

Originally Posted by Daniel Scott

No probs Paul.

A lot of the "basic" info might be a bit basic for someone like yourself... things like referral systems etc I already had pretty much learned from Vin... but some of the interviews he has on there are pretty cool.

And, of course, Mike has a very sexy voice :P

There's also this WSO. I bought it a couple of weeks ago but haven't been able to listen to yet... but it's pretty cheap and I think comes with Mike's standard guarantee.. so you can't lose.

http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...ents-fast.html

Anyways... I'll get off the shameless plug for Mike now :P

-Dan

Paul, thanks for the kind words... I appreciate it.

Dan... LOL. Yeah, that's my normal voice... LOL. Of course, when you say sexy voice, I'd go with Salma Hayek who's also my top choice for hottest Hollywood actress. I'd even watch a movie where all she did was read mutual fund reports.

RE: Secrets of Marketing Your Copy WSO. So far the feedback has been privately positive. I say privately because a number of people who bought it don't want their clients (or potential clients) to think that they are hurting for business.

The way I see it, the more any copywriter strengthens their marketing chops, the more they have to offer their clients as a marketing consultant as well.

The WSO ends in less than a week and then the price jumps dramatically.

Thanks again for the props... it means a lot to me.

Take care,

Mike

[Daniel Scott]

Hey Mike,

You're welcome... and I mean every word (well... I gotta admit... I don't find your voice sexy. Sorry.)

I totally agree RE: Selma Hayek.

Personally, I figure if you pick up one extra idea on how to generate clients... or how to raise your fees... it's worth it.

-Dan

[Jo_Shua]

Originally Posted by MikeHumphreys

The WSO ends in less than a week and then the price jumps dramatically.

Thanks again for the props... it means a lot to me.

Take care,

Mike

Looks like I better check it out before the price hike

Also, I was wondering the same about the 'doodle' graphics. You hit the nail on the head with that one Mike!

I have known about graphic packs... but just did not know where to find the doodle graphics (other than hiring a designer each time I needed it done).

Wow! Great thread... lots of great information I learned here

[Kevingators]

What's the going rate on changing graphics? I have about 20 graphics that need the verbage changed and color scheme. Where would I go to outsource this project and how much is a fair price?

[glengarry4]

Thanks for the replies guys. Really clarified some things for me!