YOU...a nobody...to a "Mega Star" Copywriter...here's how...
"Oh Dear God, I'm going straight to hell...and it could be tonight!"
On a hot muggy night in July of '69 a tent revival had come to town.
Big tent, sides rolled up, sawdust on the floor. The single light bulbs all wired in long strands and hung throughout were gently swaying from all the ruckus of the "Amens" and "Hallelujahs". Sister Conley was frantically fanning herself with the fan provided by the local funeral home..card stock with the wooden paint handle stapled to it...a picture of a peaceful countryside along with the words of "I come to the garden alone"
The evangelist was wound up and in full swing. Suit jacket off by now...armpits soaked with sweat, handkerchief in one hand, open bible in the other, waving them both wildly in the air..."The world is ending", "Get right with God now"...
There I sat at 9 years old in the middle of it all...there was something happening in me, I could feel it...I jumped to my feet and yelled the words...
I expressed my feelings which were a result of my emotions. I would have done anything to avoid the "Hellfire and brimstone". I was desperate. How could things have gone so wrong in my 9 short years?. I was doomed and needed help.
It was all about the emotions that were triggered within me.
Ever read a sales letter and felt nothing? Read another and the hairs on the back of you neck stood up? One triggered an emotion.
"I need help with my headline", no you don't. "I need help with my closing", no you don't. Master the ability to trigger emotions and the rest is all just dressing on the turkey.
We're all the same. You, me, the old lady pushing the shopping cart down 71st st., those on the subway leaving Brooklyn, the rich guy in the Hamptons playing Polo on the weekends...we all have the same basic emotions.
Anger, fear, disgust, contempt, joy, sadness and surprise.
In psychology there's an example often used to describe ourselves. It's been called many names...and has many twists. Here it is in a nutshell:
Picture a window with 4 separate panes.
Pane 1 is totally clear. It's what you allow everyone to know about yourself, and it's what everyone knows about you.
Pane 2 anyone can see in, but you can't see out. It's what everyone can see in you that you can't see in yourself.
Pane 3 you can see out but nobody can see in. It's what you only let known about yourself.
Pane 4 is totally blacked out. It's what nobody knows about you, and you don't know about yourself.
We all have the window.
The "Mega-Stars" know what's behind all your panes of glass...we know you're not unique. We'll expose your deepest thoughts, we'll uncover your biggest worries...they're ours too. We know you because you are us.
You say, "Well, I'm unique!". No you're not. You're just like me and I'm just like you. We may have had unique circumstances in our lives, but we all still feel the same emotions.
"Well my clients are different". No they're not. You may need to use different terminology to trigger their emotions, but they're the same as any other.
Feelings are the manifestation of emotions.
Jack had a massive heart attack and died. His two kids Larry and Lisa both felt sadness. Larry was heartbroken but never cried. Lisa was a wreck, bawling like a baby.
Novice copywriters will write to evoke certain feelings..."I want to write copy that makes people laugh", no you don't. "I want to write copy that makes people cry", no you don't, Larry doesn't cry.
We don't write to control the feelings...we can only trigger the emotions. Don't waste your time trying to control feelings.
Once you learn to trigger emotions, you've moved your career into the "Mega-Star" level.
There are several techniques to trigger emotions. I don't have the time or space to go into them here. Do some research. Make this a priority...before you study headlines, bullets, etc. This is the stuff that makes you successful, this is the stuff that provides everything your family ever wanted. This is the stuff that makes you a "Mega-Star".
Emotions are triggered in the sub-conscious. We can't explain it...we can facilitate it to some degree...but it's not a concrete science. That's why we test.
Most don't understand the concept of testing.
"Hey guys help me write a headline that gets attention". Wrong idea. "Hey, which headline do you think sounds better?". Who cares?
We test sometimes word by word. One word changed may trigger the emotion we want...not make the headline sound "cool".
In closing:
"I need a copywriter to sell my widget".
The "Mega-Star" says, "I'll sell your widget...I'll sell all of them. There is no defense anyone can put up that can defend against my attack. I'll build emotion. I'll leave the reader mentally slumped in the corner...desperate and pleading for relief. Then and only then will I ever so kindly bend down, wipe the tears from their cheek and softly whisper:
I can be your hero baby...I can take away the pain...take this"
No need to explain how you've lowered the price...they don't care, they'll pay anything.
No need to tell them how you've only got 5 left...they weren't planning on waiting.
This is real stuff...I know it sounds complicated, but it's what real copywriters know. It's why some can charge the big bucks while others are struggling to "get it together".
Not to brag in any way...but when I was a sales trainer for some of the largest companies...this is one of the first things I taught. Once you understand basic human psychology...the stars are the limit. The rest comes easy.
It's what makes some a "Mega-Star".
Love ya
On a hot muggy night in July of '69 a tent revival had come to town.
Big tent, sides rolled up, sawdust on the floor. The single light bulbs all wired in long strands and hung throughout were gently swaying from all the ruckus of the "Amens" and "Hallelujahs". Sister Conley was frantically fanning herself with the fan provided by the local funeral home..card stock with the wooden paint handle stapled to it...a picture of a peaceful countryside along with the words of "I come to the garden alone"
The evangelist was wound up and in full swing. Suit jacket off by now...armpits soaked with sweat, handkerchief in one hand, open bible in the other, waving them both wildly in the air..."The world is ending", "Get right with God now"...
There I sat at 9 years old in the middle of it all...there was something happening in me, I could feel it...I jumped to my feet and yelled the words...
I expressed my feelings which were a result of my emotions. I would have done anything to avoid the "Hellfire and brimstone". I was desperate. How could things have gone so wrong in my 9 short years?. I was doomed and needed help.
It was all about the emotions that were triggered within me.
Ever read a sales letter and felt nothing? Read another and the hairs on the back of you neck stood up? One triggered an emotion.
"I need help with my headline", no you don't. "I need help with my closing", no you don't. Master the ability to trigger emotions and the rest is all just dressing on the turkey.
We're all the same. You, me, the old lady pushing the shopping cart down 71st st., those on the subway leaving Brooklyn, the rich guy in the Hamptons playing Polo on the weekends...we all have the same basic emotions.
Anger, fear, disgust, contempt, joy, sadness and surprise.
In psychology there's an example often used to describe ourselves. It's been called many names...and has many twists. Here it is in a nutshell:
Picture a window with 4 separate panes.
Pane 1 is totally clear. It's what you allow everyone to know about yourself, and it's what everyone knows about you.
Pane 2 anyone can see in, but you can't see out. It's what everyone can see in you that you can't see in yourself.
Pane 3 you can see out but nobody can see in. It's what you only let known about yourself.
Pane 4 is totally blacked out. It's what nobody knows about you, and you don't know about yourself.
We all have the window.
The "Mega-Stars" know what's behind all your panes of glass...we know you're not unique. We'll expose your deepest thoughts, we'll uncover your biggest worries...they're ours too. We know you because you are us.
You say, "Well, I'm unique!". No you're not. You're just like me and I'm just like you. We may have had unique circumstances in our lives, but we all still feel the same emotions.
"Well my clients are different". No they're not. You may need to use different terminology to trigger their emotions, but they're the same as any other.
Feelings are the manifestation of emotions.
Jack had a massive heart attack and died. His two kids Larry and Lisa both felt sadness. Larry was heartbroken but never cried. Lisa was a wreck, bawling like a baby.
Novice copywriters will write to evoke certain feelings..."I want to write copy that makes people laugh", no you don't. "I want to write copy that makes people cry", no you don't, Larry doesn't cry.
We don't write to control the feelings...we can only trigger the emotions. Don't waste your time trying to control feelings.
Once you learn to trigger emotions, you've moved your career into the "Mega-Star" level.
There are several techniques to trigger emotions. I don't have the time or space to go into them here. Do some research. Make this a priority...before you study headlines, bullets, etc. This is the stuff that makes you successful, this is the stuff that provides everything your family ever wanted. This is the stuff that makes you a "Mega-Star".
Emotions are triggered in the sub-conscious. We can't explain it...we can facilitate it to some degree...but it's not a concrete science. That's why we test.
Most don't understand the concept of testing.
"Hey guys help me write a headline that gets attention". Wrong idea. "Hey, which headline do you think sounds better?". Who cares?
We test sometimes word by word. One word changed may trigger the emotion we want...not make the headline sound "cool".
In closing:
"I need a copywriter to sell my widget".
The "Mega-Star" says, "I'll sell your widget...I'll sell all of them. There is no defense anyone can put up that can defend against my attack. I'll build emotion. I'll leave the reader mentally slumped in the corner...desperate and pleading for relief. Then and only then will I ever so kindly bend down, wipe the tears from their cheek and softly whisper:
I can be your hero baby...I can take away the pain...take this"
No need to explain how you've lowered the price...they don't care, they'll pay anything.
No need to tell them how you've only got 5 left...they weren't planning on waiting.
This is real stuff...I know it sounds complicated, but it's what real copywriters know. It's why some can charge the big bucks while others are struggling to "get it together".
Not to brag in any way...but when I was a sales trainer for some of the largest companies...this is one of the first things I taught. Once you understand basic human psychology...the stars are the limit. The rest comes easy.
It's what makes some a "Mega-Star".
Love ya
Creator/Teacher/Ghostwriter/Designer/Mentor
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