[What I Learned] The Value Of God-Damned Hard Work

Welcome to the - very sporadically updated - What I've Learned series.
The goal of these posts is to make you a better copywriter, and help me
solidify my ideas. It's a win-win.

And our topic for today is...

>> TODAY'S TOPIC: The Value Of God-Damned Hard Work.

When I was a boy, I opened a lemonade stand.

I sat on the corner of my street, watching the cars go past and waiting
for them to drop quarters into my pocket.

It didn't happen.

Even though TV shows told me kids make money selling lemonade...

... The truth was: Only kids who worked damn hard made money selling
lemonade. They advertised. They found better spots. They made better
signs.

They spent more time on their lemonade stands, and they made more
money.

This is a truism of life.

You were told becoming a copywriter was a quick, easy way towards
respect and riches. It is. If you're willing to do some DAMN hard work.

Why this topic? Why hard work? Because I'm convinced most people
simply don't know the meaning of real, hard work. Especially not online.

I just took on a copy cub, about a month ago, and he's doing extremely
well. But he has the same "problem" I had, when I started writing copy:
He rushes to his ideas. He tries to finish well AND fast. He spends way
more time writing than planning - or editing.

And as a result, his copy is OK. It's good.

It's not flashy, it's direct... but there's no sparkle. No shine. No emotional
hook that grabs the reader. No specificity. No real benefits.

He lacks most of the qualities that separate a damn good B-level writer
from a C writer, or an amateur. The same qualities that separate your
annual paycheck from well into the mid six-figures. Or more.

They are as follows:

DAMN HARD THING TO DO NUMBER ONE: Breaking down each and every
feature of your product into an emotional, functional and POWERFUL
benefit.

The Average Copywriter: Feature / Benefit list.

The Damn Hard Thing To Do: Take those benefits and keep expanding on
them. Because - 99% of the time - You do not have an "end" benefit.

For example:

I'm working on a personal project. A direct response mailing, selling a small
book about how to get a raise. Easy project. Fun project. And one of the
features is a technique you can use to tack a couple hundred bucks onto
your annual paycheck.

Is that the benefit? Not even close.

Because those few hundred bucks will let you spend your hard earned
money on luxuries you couldn't afford before - instead of on mundane
things like groceries, that suck up all your extra cash, today.

Because those few hundred bucks will let you buy your kid a larger,
better Christmas present... The exact toy she wanted. (And let you
stick it to your wife's new husband, if you're divorced)

Because those few hundreds bucks will let you walk into your local bank,
head held high, and hand the teller your new, improved paycheck every
week.

Those few hundred bucks will give you pride. Respect. Confidence.

These are end benefits. These are the things our prospects want.

And these are the things we should take DAYS, even WEEKS to look for.
Instead of hours.


DAMN HARD THING TO DO NUMBER TWO: Think about someone else's
desire for buying over and above your own desire to sell.

The Average Copywriter: Here's why you should buy what I'm selling to
you.

The Damn Hard Thing To Do: Putting aside your ego and figuring out
how to frame your deal as the best thing - for HIM. For HER.

For example:

Everyone's read Claude Hopkins' great book "My Life In Advertising"...
and... if you haven't... You're wasting your time reading this post, much
less on a forum about copywriting.

In his book, he gives an example. In this example, he wants to sell carpet
sweepers to housewives, so he makes them in special woods. Now, he
needs to "sell" these sweepers to the stores... or... All the national
advertising he spends will go to waste. (Because no one will know WHERE
they can find the carpet sweepers)

So, he writes them all a letter. He tells them how the new national ads
are coming out. He tells them all about how women are going to run to
the store to get these things. And he tells them how they can have these
special sweepers for just a low, low price.

Otherwise, they miss out on the rush.

How is this different? It's simple, when you look at the context:

Normally, Claude would have to go to each dealer and say, "Here are the
facts about why you need to stock these things. Here's why they're better
than other sweepers. Here's all the money you're going to make. Will you
accept my offer?"

Instead: He walks straight into their door and announces a new product.
Shows them how it's the best thing since sliced bread. And says, "And
YOU can sell this, too, if you do this, for me."

This is a PROFOUND difference! Especially when you look at the way
most marketers treat customers, JVs and affiliates lately.

I leave it up to your imagination to fill in the rest :-)


DAMN HARD THING TO DO NUMBER THREE: Properly edit a sales letter.
Not just the easy items, but go through it, line by line and run your
words through the market's eyes.

The Average Copywriter: Spends equal time on writing and editing.

The Damn Hard Thing To Do: Such an obscenely large topic...

... We'll save it for another time :-)

But I hope you got something out of this post. I truly do.

And I hope you'll keep reading these, when the inspiration hits me to
write them. (Why? Because I'm not that creative. So all these ideas
were "stolen" from a Master who's infinitely better at copywriting than
I'll ever be. This is the reason you KNOW that the ideas in this post
will make you money)

- HR