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Copywriting - it's nonsense

by daveshu
8 replies
Here's my radical idea.

Copyrighting is a bit like SEO - it's become so embroiled in it's own importance that the core of what your doing has been forgotten and it's all become about the "formula" or the "rank".

Here's my radical solution: Write about what your product does for the person who is thinking of buying it, what problem it will solve for them, and how it will make their life better.

Think of nothing else.

Then list the features, or talk about them in words in paragraphs.

Forget "Killer headlines" "killer copy" "the right formula for your copy" "Halberts letters" "Schlitz beer" and all the rest.

Just focus on what your product is, what it does, and how it will help people, and your copy will naturally be less contrived, less blatant a sales pitch, will actually talk to a person like a person, and will answer their questions.

And will sell more.

Less like a 9 mile long clickbank sales pitch and more like a human trying to help another human with a simple conversation.

Clickbank and the ilk of long internet sales letters may have worked in the past, and you may argue that long copy always sells more, but people are more switched on and can spot a BS sales letter selling a BS product from a mile away.

Get bogged down in the "formula" of what makes a good sales letter and you lose what actually sells - being a human helping another human.

That's my opinion.

If anyone wants to test this out, then pick some product and I'll write a normal human oriented piece, you write your 9 mile long waffle, and lets compare results.

As long as the product isn't a pile of crap that is. No scams allowed.
#copywriting #nonsense
  • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
    Originally Posted by daveshu View Post

    Here's my radical idea.

    Copyrighting is a bit like SEO - it's become so embroiled in it's own importance that the core of what your doing has been forgotten and it's all become about the "formula" or the "rank".

    Here's my radical solution: Write about what your product does for the person who is thinking of buying it, what problem it will solve for them, and how it will make their life better.

    Think of nothing else.

    Then list the features, or talk about them in words in paragraphs.

    Forget "Killer headlines" "killer copy" "the right formula for your copy" "Halberts letters" "Schlitz beer" and all the rest.

    Just focus on what your product is, what it does, and how it will help people, and your copy will naturally be less contrived, less blatant a sales pitch, will actually talk to a person like a person, and will answer their questions.

    And will sell more.

    Less like a 9 mile long clickbank sales pitch and more like a human trying to help another human with a simple conversation.

    Clickbank and the ilk of long internet sales letters may have worked in the past, and you may argue that long copy always sells more, but people are more switched on and can spot a BS sales letter selling a BS product from a mile away.

    Get bogged down in the "formula" of what makes a good sales letter and you lose what actually sells - being a human helping another human.

    That's my opinion.

    If anyone wants to test this out, then pick some product and I'll write a normal human oriented piece, you write your 9 mile long waffle, and lets compare results.

    As long as the product isn't a pile of crap that is. No scams allowed.
    Could you perhaps, provide us with a couple of examples of products which are not "a pile of crap"? Thank you.

    gjabiz
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  • Profile picture of the author Synnuh
    Except you just replaced a formula, with another formula.

    There's a reason businesses pay for "copy" and not "content".

    Then list the features, or talk about them in words in paragraphs.
    In the words of an old copywriter (forget where I heard it), "people don't buy 1/4" drills, they buy 1/4" holes".

    Your product's features aren't a 1/4" hole. Features would be how fast you can make that 1/4" hole.

    The only thing you remotely touched on as selling them a 1/4" hole was the line about "solving a problem". Then you left solving the problem in the dust.

    Besides, you do realize that these companies running long form sales copy actually put money into figuring out if that copy is producing, right? That's called a "control" and A/B split testing.

    They don't just "wing it".

    It takes as many words as it takes to effectively sell the product. There is no one-size fits all solution.

    Even the best copywriters in the world use formulas. I'm willing to bet they make more than you.

    Go read "The Boron Letters" from Gary Halbert.

    If anyone wants to test this out, then pick some product and I'll write a normal human oriented piece, you write your 9 mile long waffle, and lets compare results.
    And now we get to the meat and potatoes of your post.

    Long copy exists because that's what it takes to guide the buyer from the beginning, to the end -- the sale.

    You can't just go into a live sales call and list your product's features. That would take 30 seconds. I don't personally know anyone that can one-call close in 30 seconds.

    Copywriting is the same as a sales call, just a different medium. It's your shot at making a one-call close.

    Make sense?
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  • Profile picture of the author Synnuh
    lmao, well played, sir.

    And it's outrageously expensive.

    Last I checked, an ambulance ride here costs around $3,000.

    Nobody balks at that pricing!
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
    Originally Posted by daveshu View Post

    Here's my radical idea.
    There's nothing "radical" about your idea at all... it has failed time after time after time.

    Just like trying to ride a bicycle with a blindfold on.

    Alex
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  • Profile picture of the author gibsonjoe
    This is so Funny! LMAO. Well, he stated it is just his opinion! Hey devashu it seems i will take your challenge, afterall there is nothing wrong in trying! Lols
    Signature
    Practice like you've never won before, perform like you have never lost. I create, I take Risks, I Live My Passion. I AM AN ENTREPRENUER. https://imarkguru.com
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  • Profile picture of the author 1Bryan
    Originally Posted by daveshu View Post

    Here's my radical solution: Write about what your product does for the person who is thinking of buying it, what problem it will solve for them, and how it will make their life better.
    Sooo ... Basic salesmanship is your radical solution?

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  • Profile picture of the author DABK
    You make a lot of assumptions here that my world doesn't back up.

    Copywriting and writing about your product does for the person who will use it, what problem it will solve for them, and how... they are the same thing, not mutually exclusive worlds.

    Seems to me, you've read some lousy copywriting and assumed all copywriting is the same.

    Calling Tolsoty's novels rubbish because they're as long as some Stephen King Wannabe's novel you read?

    Originally Posted by daveshu View Post

    Here's my radical idea.

    Copyrighting is a bit like SEO - it's become so embroiled in it's own importance that the core of what your doing has been forgotten and it's all become about the "formula" or the "rank".

    Here's my radical solution: Write about what your product does for the person who is thinking of buying it, what problem it will solve for them, and how it will make their life better.

    Think of nothing else.

    Then list the features, or talk about them in words in paragraphs.

    Forget "Killer headlines" "killer copy" "the right formula for your copy" "Halberts letters" "Schlitz beer" and all the rest.

    Just focus on what your product is, what it does, and how it will help people, and your copy will naturally be less contrived, less blatant a sales pitch, will actually talk to a person like a person, and will answer their questions.

    And will sell more.

    Less like a 9 mile long clickbank sales pitch and more like a human trying to help another human with a simple conversation.

    Clickbank and the ilk of long internet sales letters may have worked in the past, and you may argue that long copy always sells more, but people are more switched on and can spot a BS sales letter selling a BS product from a mile away.

    Get bogged down in the "formula" of what makes a good sales letter and you lose what actually sells - being a human helping another human.

    That's my opinion.

    If anyone wants to test this out, then pick some product and I'll write a normal human oriented piece, you write your 9 mile long waffle, and lets compare results.

    As long as the product isn't a pile of crap that is. No scams allowed.
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