Copywriting Chops

I'm afraid this may be too vague and broad to generate a lot of great response.

But I'll try to dig a bit into something kind-of-sort-of similar that I think might be relevant, and which has helped me out in analyzing and improving my own stuff.

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There are great, what I call, Personality copywriters. Guys who, it almost doesn't matter what they're selling, or whether you need it. You read along just because their voices and attitudes are captivating. You can't wait to see what they say next.

Guys like Matt Furey...Gary Halbert...The Rich Jerk's stuff...

This is awesome, because I'm not sure there's a better way out there of getting fence sitters on your side. People who might not be sure buyers will click just because they want to impress you...as stupid as that sounds. They click because they want to continue the conversation. To be part of your in group.

On our very own forum, Wedding is a lot like this. I'm not really all that familiar with his professional work, but in the few actually helpful things he posts, you can see they just pop off the damn page. All the gruffness and attitude is worth sifting through...and really, just makes you want to get through it all to find the gold nuggets. He's a great forum personality marketer, I guess...?

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I think Gary Bencivenga is probably the best Reason Why guy I've ever read. And I like to think I'd have thought so even if I hadn't heard him called exactly that in about twenty high-level blogs.

He doesn't really grab me by the throat with his style...or his attitude...but by the time I finish a Bencivenga letter, I'm invariably *convinced*. Of pretty much anything. Yes! I need the ham. Yes! I need the newsletter. Yes! I'll attend the seminar.

He's the best I've seen at getting that logical part of my brain to nod along with the emotional excitement he creates.

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I think our very own Vin Montello has really cranked up what copywriting can be about in terms of Story Telling.

His style really resonates with me, because I come from a creative writing background. I know what developing a sympathetic character can do for a reader's attention.

It's *almost* the same skill as personality copywriting, except you get the reader to come along with plot as much as with personality. The copy is about the journey, and good story copy makes it crystal clear the journey is not just about the copywriter, but about the prospect. About painting pictures. About engaging the senses.

Tapping into that mythological, Jungian archetypal part of the brain short circuits a lot of the critical self-defense hardwiring.

Done in the hands of a master, it's awesome to behold.

To my mind, probably the rarest top-level copywriting skill.

I think at his best, a young Joe Sugarman probably belonged on this short list. DAK as well.

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There are unbelievable Feature/Benefit guys, who seem to put the balance of their efforts on hammering home the precise nuggets about anything that will send a prospect screaming to his wallet.

I think WF's own Colin Theriot is really starting to separate himself from the pack in this way. I think Ben Settle does this exceptionally well, too.

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And there are Hype guys, who, God bless them, are just really bloody good at riling up the blood. You don't want to want what they're pitching, but damned if you can help yourself by the end of the show.

John Carlton. 'Nuff said.

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Don't know if this is the sort of thing you were after, but these are a few of the writers I look to for inspiration in particular areas of my own development.

If that ain't "chops", I'm not sure what it.

"Chops" are "skills" are "props" are "flow."

They're an effect - not a cause.

- HR

I believe that "chops" come from a combination of a person's self-belief, confidence, attitude, and of course skills.
I admire the "Gun to the Head" style as executed by Carlton. Carlton's got "Chops!"

The "Copy Nazi" honorable mention ;-)

I can't stand chops. Especially lamb chops. I'm more of a sausage man. Especially chipolatas.

As for copywriting tips...I use a "trick" we use in radio spots and on-air. Imagine you're talking to your best mate. Don't write for everybody. You can't please everybody. So don't try. Just think about who your ideal buyer might be and talk to him or her as if they're sitting across from you. And as in "How to Win Friends & Influence People" - be interested in them and their story rather than your trip. First names ring all the bells but if you can't do that keep throwing in "you". Ask their opinion - "What do you think?" Flatter their ego with "I bet you know what I'm talking about - I bet you've been there".

But copywriting is just salesmanship. Expressed in words. So if you can't sell to save your life - you're not gonna make it as a copywriter.

Talking of salesmanship...it's funny how many IMers were once car salesmen. I can think of three off the top of my head - Filsaime, Kern and The Copy Nazi. I sold Volkswagens and Subarus for a couple of months. Got "Salesman of the Month" both times. But I hated it. Hated the whole mindset behind it. The big con. The lies and deceit that car salesman practice. But I learnt some good sales techniques. One was called "The Zombie Walk" - at least in our car yard.

It worked like this - once you got the "head on the lot" interested in a car you'd try to get him to take it for a test-drive. Even if he protested "Nah...I'm just looking". People don't come into a car yard just to "look" at the cars. They come in because they're in the market for a car.

So you'd take the guy for a spin and then let him drive back. Bit more chat. Mostly about him. Make sure he's got a job and some money or finances. Once back at the yard you invite him to check the size of the trunk, look at the 6.3 liters throbbing away under the hood, point out the machine guns hidden in the license-plates - all that. Get his juices going.

At this stage a lot of them would say "Look I'm not ready to make a decision at the moment...I'm just shopping around...seeing what sort of a deal I can get" - which just means he's seen the neon sign on your forehead that says "I'm a car salesman - be wary". So you need to get him into the office where you and your partners in crime can wave the magic-dust and get him to sign on the dotted line.

So the best way to do it...and it worked probably 99% of the time...was to just say something like - "I'm glad you like the car...and hey - no pressure...but come into the office and I'll show you what a great deal we've got for you today". The words didn't really matter - what came next did. You'd spin on your cubans and walk into your office. Without stopping. Without hesitating. Without looking back. The guy would be going "Wait!...I'm not ready to buy...I'm not gonna sign anything...I really was just having a look".

You'd walk to the office. Sit down. Pull out some paperwork or brochures. And wait. And sure enough, in a moment Mr "Just Looking" would either be outside your door or coming in. Still saying "Hey...i don't want to waste your time...but really...I just wondered what sort of price you'd give me on my trade-in...but really...I'm not ready to buy yet...no way I'm gonna do anything today".

Sure he's not. That's why within the hour that same guy is driving out the yard in his new car.

It's the same with salespages and internet marketing in general. They're all "just looking". But if you don't sell them they're just gonna walk down the road and someone else is gonna sell them. Or they're gonna buy from someone else. Same difference. I learnt that lesson when I refused to sell a car to an 18 year old hairdresser. Told her on her salary she couldn't afford the repayments. Only to see her drive past a couple of days later in a brand-new Beetle. Yep - she'd gone to another Vee-Dub dealership and bought from them. At least she gave me a smile and a wave.

Sorry...got a bit off-track there - walking down memory-lane. That reminds me. I had a great idea for the showroom of that car dealership. I wanted to get two wrecks - two Subaru 4WDs that had been in a head-on collision - and put them in a faux jungle scene in the showroom. Complete with muddy track/palm trees/parrots and two dummies dressed in safari gear as the "drivers" having a fist-fight.

I pitched the idea to the Sales Manager. He just shook his head and walked into his office. I didn't bother to follow him. It was obviously a no-sale.

The rest of the afternoon the prick taunted me with "Two wrecks! He wants to put two wrecks in the showroom!"...and..."Hey I've got a great idea - let's fill the whole showroom up with wrecks" and "Hey maybe we can advertise "Free wreck with every new Subaru!"...and maybe we could run down to the morgue and get some stiffs to add to the display - that could work".