Top Copywriting Programs / Home Study Course

This is the one...

Gary Halbert 1996 Copywriting Seminar 18 Audio Cassette - eBay (item 150394227233 end time Dec-09-09 19:00:50 PST)

Bill

Here's a list (just a list, not recommendations) of copywriting courses I put together a while back and recently updated. As of today, all the links are valid ...

http://www.boostyourresponse.com/copywriter_courses.doc

Alex

No Johnny.

What I am looking to do is get together a list of highly recommended copywriting courses for people who are interested.

We already have a book selection thread.

Tim

Paul,

How many expensive copywriting courses have I tried?

Exactly ONE. I bought it used, on eBay. It was a very popular "course" by a well-known "guru." That's how I came to realize that a lot of those "courses" are probably like "the emperor's new clothes" -- there really isn't much there.

I learned FAR, FAR more from Vic Schwab's $14 book than I did from that "course." Besides, where do you think the "gurus" learned about copywriting? I'll tell you -- from the classic books by Hopkins, Caples, Schwab, and Ogilvy.

In the decades that I've been studying copywriting, the only really "new" info I've come across is in Cialdini's book, Persuasion... it's about $15.

Johnny

I take it you havent owned some of the courses they are talking about because if you did you would know there are things covered in certain courses such as those by Makepeace which are not covered in any of the classics.

Many modern courses presume you have already read most of the classics and know a lot about copywriting.

Tim, why dont you edit your post at the top and just make a list of the top courses.

To date, I've studied and implemented things I've learned from over 40 different copywriting and marketing books/CDs/courses.

In terms of copywriting, I've studied some really great books. John Caples' Tested Advertising Methods is hands-down my favorite copywriting book to date. You can use copywriting books to build a real good foundation... probably to the point of becoming a $2-3K level copywriter.

Having said that, there's two copywriting courses that are in a league of their own and take you more in depth on a variety of copywriting and marketing components than any of the classic copywriting books IMHO.

It's not the copywriting books' fault really. It's just that no book publisher is going to want to sell a 1000+ page book for $15-20. No top copywriter who can write something so extensive is going to want to settle a 5-15% royalty (typical book author's royalty) on their copywriting book or course either.

I really liked John Carlton's Simple Writing System for it's in-depth step-by-step system for writing copy. It's helped me streamline my methods so I'm more efficient and I've picked some additional copywriting tactics that have been a big help.

As Matt mentioned Clayton's course, now called Quick Start Guide after being redesigned and updated. It is massive (1200+ pages) and is also quite good.

The level of detail is amazing and there isn't a copywriting-related resource that isn't included. I can give a more complete grade once I finish this course but so far it's been quite good and I'd recommend it over Clayton's $7500 Power Summit course.

If you have the funds to do so, I still would recommend going the copy cub/copywriting mentoring route simply because it's the fastest way with the least amount of trial and error to get to becoming a real good copywriter. By my estimate, it's about 3-4x faster than self-study (the route I went).

I don't want to derail this thread by talking about mentoring further. IF you're interested, there's some other threads in this copywriting forum where the recommended top copywriting mentors are mentioned.

Take care,

Mike

*Eyes Roll*

Oh no your right, every expensive course has nothing of value and the information contained in the $15 books is the same as what is contained in the courses. You have uncovered the secret copywriting conspiracy and really are here to save us all from paying thousands of dollars to gurus for nothing in return.

In fact we are all stupid enough to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for the exact same information we already read in the books and in fact we are so dumb that we didnt even use the 30, 60 or 640 day guarantee that allowed us to get all of our money back.

No in fact we just enjoy throwing money out the window and getting the same information we already read and we are dumb enough to be happy to pay for this. Your right, all the top copywriters in the world are just a bunch of idiots and guys like Halbert and Carlton are pushing overpriced crap which has nothing new or original.

And in fact everything we know about copywriting is already written and everything there is to know is in the classics and there is no value whatsoever in purchasing the courses. Obviously we are all just a bunch of idiotic sheep who are here to be saved by you the messiah who tells us to read books we have already read and that the courses we bought (which you have not) do not have anything of value which you know from your mysterious psychic powers.

Obviously the top copywriters in the world are just a bunch of imbiciles who enjoy paying out thousands of dollars for nothing. They dont learn anything new or anything that gives them an edge over the other million copywriters who only read the classics.

Thats right, the courses are overpriced shiny objects and do not teach you things no one else teaches. They do not give you a massive edge over people who dont have the information. Stick with the books only, study 50 year old tired controls that no longer work (if they did work they would still be running) and believe you will become a good copywriter by studying ads that have been beaten into the ground by new copywriting techniques.

Hi Johnny12345,

As respectfully as I can say this--I believe you are misguided.

Allow me to give you an example, unrelated to copywriting (or three. )

The bicycle was invested in 1816, almost 200 years ago. The first Tour de France was held in 1903.

In the last 15 years, Lance Armstrong and his coaches turned the Tour de France from a matter of raw endurance and athleticism into A SCIENCE. They raised the bar. They re-defined the sport.

For instance, even with the best athlete, the best bicyclist on the face of the planet, go ahead and pull out the BEST bicycle from 20 years ago.

I don't care who they are and what their capabilities are, they will lose.

I could also say the same for Lance's work out regimen.

Or Lance's nutritional habits.

Lance's strategy, mindset, etc.

There is a seismic shift occurring in copywriting, especially online.

The controls are not just tired. The foundations as we know them are constantly being challenged.

Saying you rely on a few dusty, old books in the public domain, will get you 99% of the way there today is just not accurate.

If you want to overcome the skepticism today, establish trust and believability, create compelling reasons to buy, there are news ways, methods and strategies.

I am sure you see them unfolding. But maybe they just haven't registered yet until someone breaks down the strategy and principle and points them out explicitly.

Stated differently, the Internet is changing everything. And it will not stop.

For instance, let's take Sun Tsu's book "The Art of War."

It's timeless. It's brilliant. It's been an enduring inspiration for many a general as well as businessman.

But in today's technological battlefield filled with smart missiles, drones and ultra-advanced devices like HAARP, it will not give you the edge you need to win the war.

I could go on with example after example besides sports and the military. Physics. Biology. Ecology. Psychology. Even soft skills like parenting and relationships and art.

There are people in the profession of copywriting doing groundbreaking work. Some of them frequent this forum. Some of them are generous to share their experience and findings.

Johnny12345, I would urge you to rethink your claim. I'm not trying to "pick a fight" with you. I am sincerely trying to help you in your thinking. But I believe your premise is costing you big time.

- Rick Duris

PS: If you're reading this, you may wonder why I have spent so much time articulating this message.

It's because Johnny12345 is not alone in his thinking. I've heard many aspiring copywriters say the same thing.

We all need, including myself, new thinking. We need to, as legendary pilot Chuck Yeager said, "push the envelope."

PPS: The dirty little secret in this business is that the ultra-successful online marketers (no, not goo-roos) know exactly what I'm talking about. And they pray to God on daily basis that people like Johnny12345 never catch on or worse--start conducting a seminar on what REALLY works today.