If I want to learn copywriting... how and where should I start?

17 replies
Hi everyone..

I've been reading a lot about copywriting.. and found that this is one heck of a very interesting sub-topic within internet marketing.

I'm not fond of writing at all.. in fact almost all of my content are written by my VA (other than my forum posts in Warrior Forum).

But lately I found myself becoming more interested with copywriting from day to day. It is full of art, strategies and techniques that is most of the time amazes me.

Who would have thought that the usage of the word 'Discover....' is more converting than some other words.

I find the science of copywriting very interesting and would like to learn a little tid bit about them.

I'm not planning to work as a copywriter though. Just to fill in my passion for more knowledge.

So where should I start (apart from this particular forum ofcourse).. any recommendation?

Thanks

Vic
#copywriting #learn #start
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    • I'm not fond of writing at all.. in fact almost all of my content are written by my VA (other than my forum posts in Warrior Forum).

      But lately I found myself becoming more interested with copywriting from day to day. It is full of art, strategies and techniques that is most of the time amazes me.

      Who would have thought that the usage of the word 'Discover....' is more converting than some other words.

      I find the science of copywriting very interesting and would like to learn a little tid bit about them.

      I'm not planning to work as a copywriter though. Just to fill in my passion for more knowledge.
      __________________________________________________ _____________
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  • Profile picture of the author Collette
    If it's mostly the theory you're interested in, I'd recommend:

    Abraham Maslow: A Theory of Human Motivation

    David Ogilvy: Ogilvy on Advertising

    Paco Underhill: Why People Buy

    Dan Ariely: Predictably Irrational

    John Caples: Tested Advertising Methods

    Al Reis and Jack Trout: Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind

    Robert Cialdini: Influence: The Science of Persuasion

    Harry Beckworth: Selling The Invisible

    Victor O. Schwab: How to Write a Good Advertisement

    Claude Hopkins: Scientific Advertising (you can get it for free @ directanddigitaladvertising.com)

    Eugene Schwartz: Breakthrough Advertising (not cheap, and heavy going because of the old-school writing style, but a must-read for theory)

    That's just a fraction of the better books out there. Except for the first one, a paper presented by psychologist Maslow, there's no order in this list of suggestions. Nor does it really matter. Although there will be a certain amount of overlap in the information presented, each book will provide you with unique insights and learning.

    Maslow's paper is the exception only because the theory is fundamental through all of advertising.

    Bill Bernbach, another advertising great, once said, "Human nature hasn't changed for a billion years. It won't even vary in the next billion years. Only the superficial things have changed. We are concerned with unchanging man...what compulsions drive him, what instincts dominate his every action, even though his language too often camouflages what really motivates him...if you know these things about a man, you can touch him at the core of his being."

    The externals may change (from rotary dial to iPhone, from telegraph to texting, etc) but the eternal nature of man is to want to satisfy certain basic desires.

    Understand which of those desires you are appealing to, and how to appeal to them, and you have the key to great advertising.

    Sounds simple. Not so much in practice. However, these books will give you some cool stuff to think about.
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    • Profile picture of the author Vic Chan
      Originally Posted by MarkAndrews IMCopywriting View Post

      Without any real commitment to study the craft, I don't think you'll receive too many replies Vic.

      Check this thread out for some advice...

      http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...pywriting.html

      Best,


      Mark Andrews...
      Thanks man.. appreciated

      Originally Posted by Collette View Post

      If it's mostly the theory you're interested in, I'd recommend:

      Abraham Maslow: A Theory of Human Motivation

      David Ogilvy: Ogilvy on Advertising

      Paco Underhill: Why People Buy

      Dan Ariely: Predictably Irrational

      John Caples: Tested Advertising Methods

      Al Reis and Jack Trout: Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind

      Robert Cialdini: Influence: The Science of Persuasion

      Harry Beckworth: Selling The Invisible

      Victor O. Schwab: How to Write a Good Advertisement

      Claude Hopkins: Scientific Advertising (you can get it for free @ directanddigitaladvertising.com)

      Eugene Schwartz: Breakthrough Advertising (not cheap, and heavy going because of the old-school writing style, but a must-read for theory)

      That's just a fraction of the better books out there. Except for the first one, a paper presented by psychologist Maslow, there's no order in this list of suggestions. Nor does it really matter. Although there will be a certain amount of overlap in the information presented, each book will provide you with unique insights and learning.

      Maslow's paper is the exception only because the theory is fundamental through all of advertising.

      Bill Bernbach, another advertising great, once said, "Human nature hasn't changed for a billion years. It won't even vary in the next billion years. Only the superficial things have changed. We are concerned with unchanging man...what compulsions drive him, what instincts dominate his every action, even though his language too often camouflages what really motivates him...if you know these things about a man, you can touch him at the core of his being."

      The externals may change (from rotary dial to iPhone, from telegraph to texting, etc) but the eternal nature of man is to want to satisfy certain basic desires.

      Understand which of those desires you are appealing to, and how to appeal to them, and you have the key to great advertising.

      Sounds simple. Not so much in practice. However, these books will give you some cool stuff to think about.
      And I just went to Amazon and get myself Tested Advertising Methods and Influence: The Science of Persuasion. And also Scientific Advertising.


      Thanks for the recommendations..

      Appreciated...

      Vic
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  • Profile picture of the author wcmylife
    Eben Pagan is one of my mentors and he taught a pretty neat copywriting course and went into the science. Not sure if that course is still available but you might want to check it out.

    Hope it helps.

    PS: I would go to clickbank and see the products that sell the most and study their sales page and see what's common - that's real time research.
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    • Profile picture of the author Vic Chan
      Originally Posted by wcmylife View Post

      Eben Pagan is one of my mentors and he taught a pretty neat copywriting course and went into the science. Not sure if that course is still available but you might want to check it out.

      Hope it helps.

      PS: I would go to clickbank and see the products that sell the most and study their sales page and see what's common - that's real time research.
      Hi..

      It's hard to do research without knowing the exact name of the product. If you know can you please share it here?


      Thanks a lot for your help..

      Vic
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      • Profile picture of the author Mike Schwenk
        Originally Posted by Vic Chan View Post

        Hi..

        It's hard to do research without knowing the exact name of the product. If you know can you please share it here?


        Thanks a lot for your help..

        Vic
        Hello Vic,

        I believe he is talking about Eben's Print Persuasion course.

        -Mike
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  • Profile picture of the author ShaneBoyd
    Vic,

    You'll get A LOT of different views here. But go to Amazon and buy one simple book by Dan Kennedy. "The Ultimate Sales Letter"

    It's probably the best book for a beginner. Also check out these links (not affiliate link, just good blogs)

    Marketing Bullets | Gary's Arsenal

    Halbert Newsletter Archives

    You can also get some really good copywriting courses from Amazon for under $100

    Peace,

    Shane

    P.S. Dan Kennedy is the best. Join the GKIC, you won't regret it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Vic Chan
      Originally Posted by ShaneBoyd View Post

      Vic,

      You'll get A LOT of different views here. But go to Amazon and buy one simple book by Dan Kennedy. "The Ultimate Sales Letter"

      It's probably the best book for a beginner. Also check out these links (not affiliate link, just good blogs)

      Marketing Bullets | Gary's Arsenal

      Halbert Newsletter Archives

      You can also get some really good copywriting courses from Amazon for under $100

      Peace,

      Shane

      P.S. Dan Kennedy is the best. Join the GKIC, you won't regret it.

      Hey Shane... thanks a lot!!

      That Gary Bencivenga's stuff really rocks!!

      Thanks for other recommendations as well... these are some good and solid stuff you've mentioned here.



      MillionDollarCopy.. thanks for your recommendation as well. But as of now I'm not looking for a mentor just yet. Probably later.. but I do have a really high pumped adrenaline to learn all this copywriting stuff.

      Just yesterday I've tried to write a simple copy of the products I'm promoting as an affiliate (most of the time I just ask my VA to do this though).. and incidentally I didn't even realize the its been 2 and a half hours since I started writing.

      Hey.. I think I do have some hidden passion in writing after all..

      Thanks for your recommendation though MillionDollarCopy... appreciate it.

      Vic
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  • Profile picture of the author MillionDollarCopy
    Read the books, and study the greats, for sure. The best thing I ever did was seek out a mentor. Take your time with this, and talk to a couple to find the right fot. The books are great in theory, but you need to find someone who has learned and APPLIED the techniques successfully to coach you. You need feedback from a professional who actually knows what to look for.

    Instead of reading a bunch of books, cranking out some copy, and showing it to a friend who "thinks it rocks", have someone push you to perform for results. Quality mentoring is an investment, and that investment has a huge ROI.

    If it's something that intrigues you, that's really cool. If you're not passionate about it (ie: mentally critiquing billboards, flyers, and webpages...looking forward to the mail that everyone else sorts out over the trash, etc..), don't get into it. In order to be good, you have to LOVE it
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  • Profile picture of the author AdmanMrWoo
    If I had to teach someone about how to write copy over lunch.... in between bites of Southern BBQ, I'd say...

    All good ads have a 5 part outline. Put the outline in front of your face and you'll almost have it made, while you write....

    Part one: State the problem.
    Part two: State the solution.
    Part three: Next is the benefits of the solution.
    Part four: Then, comes the PROOF that you'll get the benefits.
    Part five: The call to action.

    Each part can be longer or shorter... or the order can be mixed, but if you have all five parts, you have something worth testing.

    Besides studying the books of Bedell, Schwartz, Hopkins, etc... it seems the older you get the more you understand both human nature and the market itself.

    Regarding the market... for example... generally speaking you want to advertise or market your product with proper TIMING. In others words, sell lawn mowers during summer. Not during snow season. But, in the heating and air conditioning industry they MUST market when business is down... in mild climates. Why? They don't want to lose their labor pool. If the technician leaves the industry, they're screwed when extreme weather comes around. -- Getting to know your market could mean many things.

    Just thinking.
    Linwood Austin
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    • Profile picture of the author twayneking
      This outline is almost exactly the outline (with a few words changed) that my college speech teacher taught me way back in 1976. It went like this.

      1. Attention Step (get their attention with something exciting)
      2. Need Step ( explain what need they have that you propose to meet)
      3. Satisfaction Step (Explain how you can meet that need)
      4. Visualization Step (Help the audience see a picture of the world after you solve their problem)
      5. Action Step (Tell them exactly what they need to do to make the solution to their problems happen)


      It works for everything from rescuing tigers to flushing out your colon. It is the quintessential sales argument. I use it when I am called to do sermons when the pastor is away at my church.

      The model works.

      Tom
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Prescott
    Secrets of a Copywriter, By Robert Bly, Available at your local book store, awsome read, very informative
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  • Profile picture of the author h3sean
    Banned
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Axelrod
    My thoughts:

    Get John Carlton's "Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of A Marketing Rebel." Listen to it, read it, and then read every book he recommends in that course.

    After that, get John Carlton's Freelance Course.

    If you simply take these steps and listen, you will succeed... guaranteed. The path is laid out already.
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    http://www.realsalescopy.com

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  • Profile picture of the author justinknightley
    Pick a hot topic in the news today and do a search for the topic on Google News. Click on the top 10 news stories from different newspaper sites and study their copy. What's good? Bad? What are the differences? Headlines, subheads etc. What are the calls to action?
    Newspaper articles are still written by professional journalists and copywriters - why not learn from the best?
    Good luck!
    Justin
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    ISO 9001 Quality Manual

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  • Profile picture of the author kraven2
    Starting your own blog will help sharpen your writing skills. Also accepting a few paid forum post jobs will help in that department.

    After that take on some run of the mill assignments available on many boards. Once you surpassed that you will know where to go

    In other words, practice is the best teacher, so just get started.
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  • Profile picture of the author davebr52
    Get your hands on anything by Dan Kennedy - even if it's just information and not skill you desire, this will open your eyes

    Dave.
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  • Profile picture of the author Todd R
    Hey Vic,
    Jason Fladlien has a product called Halbert Swipe File, or something like that. If you google Jason Fladlien you should be able to find it. He presents many of Halbert's best direct mail letters and then provides a breakdown of what's going on and how Halbert is using technique. It's not very expensive.
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