Critique requesters: help us help you

Thanks Angie.

I was thinking of a more extreme approach.

Like, Revelation 13:16.

The microchip would contain a list of the criteria in that sticky, along with a mechanism to arrest their nervous system anytime their fingers type the word "critique." They would then be unable to post until they had completed each point on the sticky.

Then, again, this forum would get awful quiet and I might end up being cast into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

LOL my first draft was a little more extreme. Then I edited it and got a little more "arm yourself for the battle ahead, as this will only help your cause".

You have to be your worst critic in this business. You really do.

I've written copy that crushed it - with minor editing. But that's exception, not the rule.

Usually, before I'd even consider letting anybody see my copy, including my wife...

I spend countless hours researching, making sure my hook/big idea is clear, positioning the campaign just right, fine-tuning my ba-ba-ba-branding (sorry for the stutter,) and feeling confident that my lead is at least in the vicinity of testable.

You have to KNOW what you're doing CAN work (with the right funnel and traffic) - before putting your vision out there for others to comment on.

Here's what gets me...

A lot of the critique requests truly shock me. I think to myself, "This is the means in which you want to help people and make a living? This is what you actually believe will get you there? What are you thinking. Put some REAL time into this before posting it on the frickin' Warrior Forum man!"

Okay, so maybe thinking that way makes me an a-hole. Such is life.

Quick story...

When I boxed, people would come into the gym down in Petaluma all the time and declare, "I'm gonna be world champion one day."

I'd always say, "Huh, really? Well... let's see."

I'd get 'em in the ring, throw hands... and ultimately... scare the crap outta them.

I wanted them to see the huge, gaping chasm that separated our talent and abilities.

They'd say things like...

"Damn, you're good."

"Man, that was eye-opening."

Or...

"You coulda just knocked me out anytime you wanted, huh?"

They'd sit, shaking... in a state of shock... usually because I clocked them pretty good once or twice. And I could see they were totally reevaluating whether or not boxing was truly for them.

A question almost everybody asked was, "How'd you get so good??"

I said, "Because I wake up at 4am, I go on a 20+ mile bike ride, I come home... do an hour of plyo, do an hour of yoga, drink my fresh vegetable juice, go on a run, hit the weights, hit the bag for 45 minutes, workout with my trainer for a couple hours... then spar a full 15 rounds... every single day. On top of that, I train in TaeKwonDo, swim every other day, play tennis and meditate. I'm this good, because I devote my life to being in top shape... mind & body... and CHOOSING to be the best."

I could say the same thing about writing copy.

No, I'm not the best. Far from it. But I think about this stuff all day, everyday. I write every single day. I learn and apply something new every single day. That's why I've made myself and other people money. And that's why I'll keep adding those zeros.

All I'm asking of people who post here for a critique is...

Show us that you poured your heart and soul into the copy. Show us that you noodled with it - until you hit the wall. Show us that you studied, research and really know who your avatar is.

That's all I'm asking.

Put in the hours of training... and you WILL get better.

But you can't pour perfume on a pig. Meaning, you can't shine up copy that just ain't gonna work - no matter what you do.

Immerse yourself in the learning process. Stop thinking about results. Get your techniques down - so you can deconstruct your own work and explain WHY you've written what you've written. Makes sense?

Mark