Is copywriting so easy it's hard?

by Thomas Michal

Posted: 16 years ago 15 replies

COPY WRITING

Ok, right now I'm hellbent on learning this skill. I can sell, market, seo, design ect... but when it comes to writing a freaking sales letter, I keep second guessing myself and (I presume over analyzing) my copy. Because when you go to learn or research writing copy everything it just seems so simple and basic... BUT DIFFICULT AS HELL at the same time.

So I am just wondering if writing copy is so simple it's hard? Also, if you could sum up how to write copy in one sentence what would that sentence be.

#copywriting #easy #hard

ARSuarez 16 years ago

Hey Thomas,

I made a post about this recently: http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...-too-much.html

CHeck out the article I posted there.

By the way, I can summarize how to write copy in a two-word sentence: "Sell it."

Regards,

Angel
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- sethczerepak 16 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by ARSuarez
  
  Hey Thomas,
  
  I made a post about this recently: http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...-too-much.html
  
  Yeah, what he said. Your question is a valid one, and I've found that smart people have a hard time in sales because of this very point. Read the above post, it's got some super cool insights in it.
  
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allseowork 16 years ago

actually the perception of making the most perfect sales letter makes it difficult.. if you allow yourself the flow of conversation w/o worrying abt writing the most perfect sales letter, you're done
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- 247Copywriter 16 years ago
  
  Many things in life seem to be difficult until you start deconstructing everything.
  
  When you deconstruct thought patterns, everything starts to fall into place and actually becomes exceedingly simple, no matter what the subject matter or how complex it may seem on the surface.
  
  You are your own worst obstacle.
  
  Get over it.
  
  Summed up in one sentence...
  
  Creating sales in print is simply persuading yourself it's simple and recognising in your subconscious simplicity before you act and commit pen to paper.
  
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Ross James 16 years ago

Originally Posted by Thomas Michal

I can sell

Hi Thomas, if you can do this, you're writing effectively.

Copywriting is about communicating an ideal solution to a problem, and ultimately your prospect taking action.

What is it that keeps you second guessing your copy?

Best,

Ross James
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Thomas Michal 16 years ago

When I said I can sell I meant over the phone and in person...

For some reason I'm struggling with writing.
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- Ashley Gable 16 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Thomas Michal
  
  When I said I can sell I meant over the phone and in person...
  
  For some reason I'm struggling with writing.
  
  Yeah I get what you mean. I had/have the same problem.
  
  It was way worse when I first started, and only when I tackled the problem did I see any sort of success with my copy.
  
  Once I got it down that as a whole selling was selling, no matter what medium, things started to work out.
  
  No crazy formatting tricks or "secret" lines. Just plain old selling... just in print.
  
  Obviously there is more to it than that. I think even a great person-to-person salesman would require a little time to get used to it and mesh it all together.
  
  I am no good at remembering origins of wisdom, so I may have the attribution wrong, but I think I remember hearing John Carlton say that when he sits down to write a letter, he forgets all the rules and "guidelines" in copy and just writes a letter.
  
  When I first heard that I thought a) I didnt know enough to start doing that yet but b) once I did learn a workable amount it would help me out.
  
  Also when you hear Gary Halbert say that you should record your best face-to-face sales pitch and have it transcribed and polished up, it really hits home that you are just selling.
  
  Ashley
  
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  247Copywriter 16 years ago
  
  Some of you over analyze.
  
  Stop making it difficult for yourselves.
  
  You don't need a real product to practice copywriting, simply imagine, create an imaginary product. Even if you just write a word down on a piece of paper and place it in front of you.
  
  Now, pretend that is your product.
  
  It doesn't matter that it's not a real product, you just need to accept in your mind that it is one.
  
  Now, open up your text editor of choice or simply grab a pen and a large notepad.
  
  Just write the first thing that comes into your head, you're not selling this practice piece to anyone.
  
  Write for one hour solid and don't at any point read back, what you've just put down - just keep writing.
  
  Do this every day for one hour.
  
  Forget the formatting, don't worry about the spelling mistakes, don't worry about the structure for now... Just write.
  
  This is your space, your time set aside each day to write whatever comes to mind for the make believe product in front of you.
  
  Just write as if you were selling this 'product' to your best unjudgemental friend sitting across the room from you.
  
  This is a completely unjudgemental space.
  
  It's not an exam, you cannot do anything wrong.
  
  Just write at a set time for one hour per day.
  
  Have fun with your words, don't stop to think, does this make sense? If you stop, you lose the point of the exercise.
  
  Continue to do this for 7 days in a regular schedule.
  
  At the end of the 7 days, only now can you go back and see what you have written down.
  
  Don't berate yourself for mistakes made.
  
  Just give your mind permission to allow itself to be wherever it is right now.
  
  Now, upon reading through your writing for the last 7 days, are your thoughts slowly coming together?
  
  Are you able to write more fluently?
  
  Can you see a flow developing in your style of communication?
  
  Are you able to pick out key thoughts which you think, by gum... that's actually a pretty darn good selling point right there?
  
  If so, congratulate yourself, give yourself a good pat on the back. Reward yourself for putting the effort in.
  
  If you try too hard to impress your mind to begin with, you will fall flat on your face.
  
  There is no need to be overly critical with yourself.
  
  Remember, just set aside one hour a day to sell in print, write unjudgementally and have fun.
  
  Just allow those words, those thoughts, those feelings to pour out from your mind and fingertips.
  
  In time, you'll discover your writing style improving more and more - the more practice you put in.
  
  Just be.
  
  Just beeee...
  
  And stop worrying.
  
  Don't force the issue.
  
  Just be!
  
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  Steve The Copywriter 16 years ago
  
  Do what Sally (247 Copywriter) says - it'll really help you.
  
  You'll find your own unique writing style.
  
  Get some good copywriting books - so you can learn lots of proven techniques.
  
  There's a "sticky" at the top of this forum - "The best copywriting books ...ever" with some brilliant recommendations.
  
  Maybe buy some copywriting courses - don't spend a fortune - the Guru's are not shy when it comes to prices.
  
  It may take a while to recoup the investment.
  
  Many including me would suggest Clayton Makepeace and John Carlton - but there are others.
  
  Makepeace - (google - "The Total Package") - is offering all his stuff at an 80% discount right now.
  
  You can pick some of the best Ads and Sales Letters.
  
  Choose Boardroom and other big direct marketing companies -
  
  Get on their email lists - and look for pieces that are emailed several times - they'll be the "winners" - have fun deconstructing them - and you'll see why they work.
  
  But don't "complicate" the whole thing - simplicity is so much easier than complexity.
  
  Being in sales gives you an incredible edge...
  
  Because copywriting is just selling in print.
  
  Try and make whatever you're writing absolutely irresistible.
  
  It's best to follow some kind of a structure - it stops you wandering off from the purpose.
  
  Which is always - to "sell" the product or service.
  
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  virginiad 16 years ago
  
  Hi, Tom
  
  One thing some top copywriters teach is to record your best sales pitch and then transcribe it.
  
  Eliminate the "umm"s, etc, and tweak it to make it flow properly on paper (delete any repititious parts, unless they add to the pitch).
  
  Then, read it out loud to someone to make sure it sounds right.
  
  If you do that, you will end up with a good letter with which you can get started.
  
  Hope this helps
  
  Virginia
  
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  dorothydot 16 years ago
  
  Hi,
  I think I understand what you're trying to say... when a salespage is well-written from a copywriting standpoint, you'll read it and say, "That's exactly how I speak. I could've written that!"
  
  That's because GOOD copywriters know their target prospects - how they think, what words they use when they talk to themselves and others, etc. These copywriters use thesauruseseses (?) to choose the most likely word - NOT the longest word - that their customers would use.
  
  You see, the words we copywriters write absolutely must NOT get in the way of the message we're trying to convey. This is because our sales message must bypass the readers' conscious minds and lodge firmly in their subconscious.
  
  Here's an example: if I tell you to go get the crustacean capturing devices - you're instantly yanked to the words, trying to figure out what the heck I'm talking about. Now if I instead tell you to go get the crab pots, you instead get a mental image that stays with you far longer and deeper.
  
  This is why GOOD copywriting is so very close to writing poetry. Every word must be spot-on.
  
  And this is also why GOOD copywriting seems so very effortless. Think of wiring a wall light - for you and me, we carefully turn off the current before doing anything else. But a professional electrician? He goes right in, removes some screws, twists and cuts, re-screws and he's done.
  
  What I'm saying is, a true professional makes their area of expertise look easy. The rest of us struggle to get the same results, with greater or lesser success.
  
  Dot
  
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- sethczerepak 16 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Thomas Michal
  
  When I said I can sell I meant over the phone and in person...
  
  For some reason I'm struggling with writing.
  
  Dude, I had a student who was having this problem...here's what I had him do (got this from Gary Halbert). Record yourself selling over phone or in person and do this until you forget that you're recording and you get "into your groove." Next, take those recordings and rewrite them word for word...only take out any fillers like "um."
  
  This will help you find your voice as a copywriter.
  
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LauraJ 16 years ago

When it comes to copy, you have to know your target audience. Sales letters can be hard espcially if you are sending them out to a wide range of businesses. Everyone responds differently to different types of copy. It might be easier to divide your list up and write different copy for each thinking about what they want to hear.

I think the first rule is don't take it personally if not everyone clicks through from your mailer or picks up the phone. You are never going to please everyone from one piece of copy sent out to lots of people.

Good luck - keep practising and it will come!
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ARSuarez 16 years ago

Michal,

You know, Sally mentioned writing for a product that's not real. I've always liked that, and still do it.

The first piece of copy I wrote - for practice - was a print ad for a restaurant called "Food That Kicks Your Ass." Originally, I wanted to write for service businesses (my own included).

The copy sucked, but I continued to practice. And doing this over and over again made me much better.

If you want to do something else, pick up something from Boardroom as was mentioned above. Then, once you have the product... take the original ad that sold it and rewrite it with your knowledge of the material.

Heck, you do that and get good enough at it... you've got a sample for your portfolio.

By the way, make some time to handwrite a few ads. This is cliched, but it's really the truth. You'll get better at writing sales copy once you understand the natural flow of a letter.

Fun fact: I was originally an academic/scholarly writer before entering the sales world. I had a lot of trouble at first because I wanted to discuss inane things in vivid detail. People just don't give a **** about that.

I eventually went and got a sales job and studied the salespeople. And I've spent a lot of time reading sales books and practicing. Only then did my copy get better.

The point? If you already know how to sell, you have a leg-up on most people entering the field.

Just transcribe the sales pitch you use in person or over the phone and... there's your copy, barring a few cosmetics and filler.

Regards,

Angel
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Raydal 16 years ago

If you know how to sell in person or over the phone then you
are more than half way there to writing good copy. Many
good writers don't know how to sell and therefore they
end up with great poetry that gets no action.

I will propose that all you need to do is start writing and
get some evaluation of your writing from a copywriter
and this will get you over the bumps in the road.

I'm sure that it's not as bad as you think either.

-Ray Edwards
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