Copywriting Myths And Lies

You want the truth about great copywriting?

A simple truth that most of those wannabe gurus overlook in their courses?

Here it is in 2 words...

"OTHER PEOPLE"



You want the more advanced course? Here it is in 8 words...

"Show People The Promise Of A Better Future"


It's not about you or your product. And it's not about just using fancy adjectives or power words and formulas (although those can help spice it up).

Forget about all the gimmicks and tricks. Instead, spend your efforts learning what your target audience wants or needs... Then figure out a way to connect what you're selling, to what they desire... Then sell it to them.

And if you want to learn how to refine the craft of selling through the written word, you can start here...

https://www.thegaryhalbertletter.com...experience.htm

You ask 3 questions. The first about CHOOSING a copy writing course.

The second about "real" craft of copywriting. Then the truth.

Starting with 3, there isn't a truth, because, there isn't universally accepted definitions of what copy is. There are 2 schools of thought, one is descriptive and the other is response.

Great descriptive copy is found in places like Joe Sugarman's old company JSA, had those marvelous catalogs. As did J. Peterman and Stauer. The avg. Agency copywriter does a lot of descriptive work.

Response copywriting, which is often mistaken as THE copywriting course is wrapped around the idea that copywriting is SALESMANSHIP IN PRINT. And most of the courses are about getting someone, somewhere to spend money.

And that is a large misconception about the CRAFT in general, due to the direct response copy written by brilliant writers whose intent is to sell you (us) their wares.

Internet Marketers latch on to this idea, because they mostly want to get someone somewhere to BUY their products or services.

Today, CONTENT writing has been piled on the heap too. Blogs, websites, landing pages all are the work field of today's copywriters.

It all goes to INTENT, as writing does. As a writer, what is the intent of your copy?

And Mr. Rubin hit the nail on the head...and a majority of newbies, or those who are targeted by the "gurus" you mention, are wanting to cash in on the need for people who can write and persuade others to spend money, because getting money from people is difficult...when they are being sold, and easy when they are shopping and buying what they want.

Why do YOU want to study the craft?

What is your motivation to select any course on copywriting? What is your intent in learning the craft?

Your answer might determine the truth you seek.

It is as simple as "other people", and "show people the promise of a better future" which is distilled down to

BEFORE/AFTER.

My preference is an INTERSECTION and a BRIDGE. The intersection is the WHERE is your copy going to meet your ideal target...and the bridge is what you say to them.

And I literally have a pic of a bridge as my background image on my desktop as a reminder.

On this side of the bridge, the BEFORE YOUR COPY (bc) is a person who wants or needs something or may be unaware of solution to a problem...and on the other side of the bridge is a solution, a wish fulfilled, the dream made manifest...whatever suits the product or service.

Your job as a respone copy writer is to get them to agree to cross that bridge.

And this is where CRAFT comes in. A lot of descriptive copy is about CREATIVELY painting pictures with your words in the target's mind, to arouse a want or desire.

Response copy, the Craft is more understanding human behavior, persuasion, influence and less creativity. Albeit, we call the copy components (in remote direct response) the creative.

These are general ideas to help you decide the WHICH and why of wanting to become a copy writer.

OPINION HERE, any one skilled enough to write and be understood should be able to create a 60k dollar (USA) income a year by offering descriptive writing services with a hint of response in it in less than a year. That craft is fairly easy to master. And maybe no course is needed at all.

To become a mid six and seven or EIGHT figure a year copywriter and get high paying gigs from big companies requires a study of success which may eliminate 90% of the courses offered. There are only 6 people who offer courses of any significance, once a decision is made as to what YOU want to do with your writing ability.

Any WSO course would be good enough to make an extra 1k a month, or even 3 or four thousand a month. Anyone can get an account set up at the freelance sites and call themselves a copywriter.

So, the long winded answer comes full circle.

YOUR truth may be different from mine. The craft is a lifetime ongoing learning process but you can start earning a good living as you define it, in the first year as long as you know what YOU want, and what you intend to do with your writing skills.

It isn't about the TRUTH, or the craft, BUT it is about what you want from it and that makes choosing the right course, if any...much easier.

The MYTH you mention is actually, do what I did, get my results. That is the biggest lie and myth in all of marketing. There is NO OFF-THE-RACK course which fits everyone, choose a course which suits you.

You can NOT simply copy someone else and get the same results.

GordonJ

What figures in copy is zackly what goes on in evrywan's hearts, day to day.

We all gotta walk on into tamara, an' sumtimes that ain't easy to do.

So what goes on in our heads when we facin' up to hardships & challenges?

How could life be sweetah ... if only?

These evryday thoughts -- necessary dalliances with dire circumstance an' upliftin' salvation -- command our evry endeavor.

Less'n you figure we automata.

That's why copy non't nevah gotta play smart & stoopid.

You jus' gotta hit on what is gowin' on.

An' there ain't nowan here don't gotta figure next week, next month, next year ... lookin' in on stuff they wanna stay put for keeps an' noo horizons they wanna explore outta choice.

So ... make elevatin' proposals ... say how evry step leads sumplace & don't gotta be wasted ... look your prospects in the eye an' energize their fyooture without dissin' their past ... turn words into steppin' stone imagry points the way positive.

Ntchrlly this means I gotta rehash sum ART I sketched out a while back in response to Gordon's valuable insights 'bout intersection.

Perhaps this is bcs there is a PULSE of regulah themes ... regulah questions ... manifestin' ovah an' ovah again --


... jus' like all the evryday thoughts we got in our heads as we try to make sense of past, present & fyooture against the backdrop of a changin' world as hooman persons ever transformin' day by day ...

Even Dan Lok put copy course, Nuff said

thank you so much for share this

Can I mebbe resuppose the OP question on an ima way yogahed out reflective ticket?

Myth got story, for sure, but mebbe not so much evidence beyond yeah it still kinda troo, but why the hell the costooms?

An' FFS who wants lies?

So what 'bout figurin' copywritin' on a surer emotive scale?

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