Comments on: Write Sales Copy Without a Teacher http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/ "Simplify and Automate Your Life with Email Autoresponder Mailing Lists" Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:27:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Arthur Cronos http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-3052 Arthur Cronos Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:05:17 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-3052 Here's my best, and perhaps only, quick copywriting tip -- The Good Old A-B Test Many years ago, when I lived in San Fransisco on Beery Goulevard, I had to do some layout work. I had very little skill, but I found a simple method. Although my method was slow, it worked. I would just make up a layout, then change one thing. Then I'd look at version A and version B, and ask myself which version sucked less. Then I'd take the winner, and discard the loser, and then on the winner I'd change something else, and again compare A to B. In this way, I could slowly create a layout that looked pretty much OK, if not truly outstanding. I just realized ... I'm still using the same method. Still slow. Still works. This little story was version A. Version B sucked more. So version A is my story. And I'm sticking to it. Gosh. You learn something every day. Some days, you learn two things. I wonder if today is one of those? Here's my best, and perhaps only, quick copywriting tip --

The Good Old A-B Test

Many years ago, when I lived in San Fransisco on Beery Goulevard, I had to do some layout work. I had very little skill, but I found a simple method. Although my method was slow, it worked.

I would just make up a layout, then change one thing. Then I'd look at version A and version B, and ask myself which version sucked less.

Then I'd take the winner, and discard the loser, and then on the winner I'd change something else, and again compare A to B.

In this way, I could slowly create a layout that looked pretty much OK, if not truly outstanding.

I just realized ... I'm still using the same method. Still slow. Still works.

This little story was version A. Version B sucked more.

So version A is my story. And I'm sticking to it.

Gosh. You learn something every day. Some days, you learn two things. I wonder if today is one of those?

]]> By: RB http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-2955 RB Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:21:50 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-2955 Your Youtube video deleted... and your youtube account itself suspended! Have you started Spammming Youtube lately?! :) Your Youtube video deleted... and your youtube account itself suspended!

Have you started Spammming Youtube lately?! :)

]]> By: Scott Hendison http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-2954 Scott Hendison Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:07:33 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-2954 Really sorry to see your Tweet that G had decided to suspend your account with no specific reason. What a crock o' cr@p... Really sorry to see your Tweet that G had decided to suspend your account with no specific reason. What a crock o' cr@p...

]]> By: Andrew - We Build Your Blog http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-2953 Andrew - We Build Your Blog Sun, 26 Apr 2009 07:06:09 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-2953 Building desire with benefit bullets is something a lot of my clients still struggle with. They write their bullets about the features rather than the benefits. On way to help is to list your features. Ask 'so what?' about each feature, add the words 'and that means' to get to the benefit. For example: Feature: "The new make-up is water and sweat proof" So what? "And that means you can swim, dance and exercise without worrying about your makeup sliding off or disappearing" You can then remove "and that means", if you wish. Some would leave the bullet as "The new make-up is water and sweat proof" - highlighting the feature. A much better bullet would be: "The new make-up is water and sweat proof, so you can swim, dance and exercise without worrying about your makeup sliding off or disappearing!" Hope this helps. Andrew Building desire with benefit bullets is something a lot of my clients still struggle with.

They write their bullets about the features rather than the benefits.

On way to help is to list your features.

Ask 'so what?' about each feature, add the words 'and that means' to get to the benefit.

For example:

Feature: "The new make-up is water and sweat proof"

So what?

"And that means you can swim, dance and exercise without worrying about your makeup sliding off or disappearing"

You can then remove "and that means", if you wish.

Some would leave the bullet as "The new make-up is water and sweat proof" - highlighting the feature.

A much better bullet would be:

"The new make-up is water and sweat proof, so you can swim, dance and exercise without worrying about your makeup sliding off or disappearing!"

Hope this helps.

Andrew

]]> By: Dave http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-2952 Dave Sun, 26 Apr 2009 04:44:10 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-2952 Wow. I never saw someone get their youtube account suspended unless they were really spamming and violating copyright. How did this happen with your own vids? Wow. I never saw someone get their youtube account suspended unless they were really spamming and violating copyright. How did this happen with your own vids?

]]> By: Bruce Stewart http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-2951 Bruce Stewart Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:15:27 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-2951 The video message worked for me. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Got my ATTENTION Created my INTEREST My DESIRE is working But low and behold where DID the ACTION GO. The video message worked for me.
Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.

Got my ATTENTION
Created my INTEREST
My DESIRE is working

But low and behold where DID the ACTION GO.

]]> By: Jack http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-2950 Jack Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:35:32 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-2950 If you are anywhere serious about improving your copywriting skills, these 2 tips are all you really need. 1. Do what ALL the best copywriters do, create a swipe file to draw from. If you see really good copy, do a screenshot or save it as html on your hard drive for future reference. 2. I'm not sure taking bad copy and making it good is the fastest or best route. Why not take proven and good copy, change out the wording to make it fit for your niche, keeping the structure generally the same. It will look original and not copied directly. People pay thousands to have good copy made, so why not borrow the format and structure and gear it towards your circumstances. Where do you think the pros get their ideas? From swipe files and great copy written by the best. Why reinvent the wheel? It works wonders as it is. If you are anywhere serious about improving
your copywriting skills, these 2 tips are
all you really need.
1. Do what ALL the best copywriters do, create
a swipe file to draw from. If you see really
good copy, do a screenshot or save it as html
on your hard drive for future reference.
2. I'm not sure taking bad copy and making it
good is the fastest or best route. Why not take
proven and good copy, change out the wording to
make it fit for your niche, keeping the structure
generally the same. It will look original and not
copied directly. People pay thousands to have good
copy made, so why not borrow the format and structure
and gear it towards your circumstances.
Where do you think the pros get their ideas? From
swipe files and great copy written by the best.
Why reinvent the wheel? It works wonders as it is.

]]> By: Dave Wooding http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-2949 Dave Wooding Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:16:21 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-2949 Robert, What exactly did you do ... tried to view http://www.youtube.com/user/robertplank and received this "This account is suspended." Dave Robert,

What exactly did you do ... tried to view http://www.youtube.com/user/robertplank and received this "This account is suspended."

Dave

]]> By: Kevin Baker http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-2948 Kevin Baker Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:15:52 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-2948 Hey Robert, Good aticle with some great tips. However you have been a bad boy with Youtube. What happened man its almost impossible to get your vid pulled by these guys. Have a good one man and hopefully you can sort out the video problem. Kevin Hey Robert,

Good aticle with some great tips. However you have been a bad boy with Youtube. What happened man its almost impossible to get your vid pulled by these guys.

Have a good one man and hopefully you can sort out the video problem.

Kevin

]]> By: Charles Fry http://www.robertplank.com/how-i-learned-to-write-sales-copy-without-a-teacher/#comment-2947 Charles Fry Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:57:01 +0000 http://www.robertplank.com/?p=359#comment-2947 Dude, what happened to all your videos? Every one of them got pulled from YouTube. Did you pull them or did they? Hopefully you can get them back up soon. Dude, what happened to all your videos? Every one of them got pulled from YouTube. Did you pull them or did they?

Hopefully you can get them back up soon.

]]>