Smack dab in the middle of the most anxious moments (Presidential election coverage) of the most anxious year (uh, this one) on record… where EVERYWHERE you look, EVERYONE is talking a mile a minute and shooting an information firehose straight into the face of America… How would you use 30 seconds of TV airtime to …
This genius 5-word ad provides the ultimate “zig” Read More »
What makes the difference between a piece of copywriting that stirs a deeply positive emotional reaction in the reader… and one that has them trashing it immediately. Or worse… forwarding it to a government agency as a potential scam? Very different reactions, clearly. And yes, the stakes really are that high. The difference comes …
The “invisible” reason why sales copy thrives or dies Read More »
Nothing motivates action like a time limit. It’s why sales and coupons don’t last forever. Deadlines seem to be hard-wired into our brains. It goes back to caveman days: “We get home before sun goes down, Thog. That when monster attack.” And when it comes to closing a sale, time limits create urgency to act. …
[Story Sells] How a “Ticking Time Bomb” Helps Capture Attention Read More »
We live in the “golden age of television”, we are told. First premium cable, and now streaming, unshackled us from the constraints of storytelling dominated by commercial breaks. Now we can enjoy long, satisfying story arcs. The Sopranos. Breaking Bad. Game of Thrones. Westworld. Etc. All well and good. But don’t throw out traditional …
[Story Sells] The Booster Rocket Tactic to launching a product’s Big Idea Read More »
In This Episode Jon Stoltzfus is currently the most in-demand copywriter in the industry. He’s an engineer who loves his work and makes a very comfortable living. He’s also a damn good copywriter. He’s been creating super strong controls in his part-time. He’s about to make the leap into full time copywriting, because when …
Ep 149: Jon Stoltzfus – The Most In-Demand Copywriter On The Planet Right Now Read More »
Now Christmas is a distant memory, how sad does winter look without the pretty lights and decoration? At the height of the holidays, you barely notice the inclement weather. Now, without the festive cheer masking the reality, we yearn for the return of those ornaments that stir our excitement and lift our mood. You crave …
[Story Sells] Boring Story? Play This Silly Kid’s Game Read More »
Over the holidays, I was watching one particular Santa-based movie with my family which delivered a powerful lesson about story and reveals what we need to make the sale. So before Christmas becomes a dim and distant memory, let me share it with you. Usually, when you think of Santa Claus stories, you might …
There’s one story principle that’s tough to execute, but very valuable if you do it right. This principle gives a story added depth. What does that mean? Simply, the tale penetrates deeper into the audience. The story stays with them, echoes in their minds in the days after they first see it. Instead of dissolving …
[Story Sells] Use this Spider-Man ‘Twist’ to Make Your Sales Story Unforgettable Read More »
J.R.R. Tolkien had a big problem. He loved the ancient, epic tales. He began writing his own (see The Silmarillion). But he quickly discovered that these ancient worlds of honor and vengeance, with black and white heroes with little characterization, were almost totally inaccessible to a modern audience. All that oath-swearing. And listing of lineage. …
[Story Sells] “Ice-Breakers” in Ads: How To Gradually Introduce a Radical Idea Read More »
You know the game is on when B.A. grabs the welding torch. I’m talking about the scene late in an A-TEAM episode when the gang needs to build something superfast to save the day. Usually involves armoring a beater car with junk metal. Or devising a wicked booby trap. (But don’t worry kids, no one …
[Story Sells] How Factoid Copy Can Be Fun, A-TEAM Style Read More »
Han Solo. Gilderoy Lockhart. Benjamin Grimm. These names of fictional characters are easy to remember. Why? For one thing, they are all examples of “sympathetic naming”. That’s where you name a character after a trait they possess. So Han faces life pretty much “solo,” a lone-wolf. (Except for Chewbacca, who’s kind of like a dog.) …
[Story Sells] How to Name Your Products So They Stick Read More »
As I write this, San Diego’s Comic Con just wrapped up. Fans were served tasty selections of their favorite fictional universes. Predictably, some offerings unleashed a flurry of geek-citement. But others ignited a firestorm of critiques. Cause few folks are as argumentative as fanboys. As a market, they’re sophisticated and very vocal. That’s why storytellers …
[Story Sells] How to Answer Customer Objections with the “Death Star” Solution Read More »
We live in the age of Branded Characters. Leave no lunchbox unclaimed by a caped crusader or a spiffy cartoon. Thank goodness. Who wants a boring blue box when you can have a universe of possibilities unfold every time you reach for a PB&J? And every single character has a little “TM” next to it. …
The 1-Sentence “RAD” Trick That Transforms a Commodity into a Brand Read More »
There’s a simple story technique you can use to quickly build credibility and desire for your product. The best novelists and filmmakers use it, as so do the best ad-slingers. In fact, Eugene Schwartz lists it as the 7th (out of 13) way to “strengthen desire for your product.” I recently saw this storytelling tool …
You know when you’re sitting in a movie theater and hear all the noise before the film begins? The flash of phone screens, the chatter, the rustling in seats, the unwrapping of a big box of Red Vines licorice? But then when the movie begins with a strong scene – like the “rolling boulder” sequence …
If you had to tell me your story right this second, would you be able to do it … or would you choke? You’d think it’s easy explaining who you are and why people should care. But if this were true, nobody would need copywriters. Bad storytelling means we risk confusing or boring people … …
How to tell your story like Tolkien (and stop losing prospects to your competitors) Read More »
When I feel stressed out at the end of the day, and I need to relax, I’ve got something better than single malt scotch. I tune in to an artist with a big ‘fro named Bob Ross, and step in his world of Happy Little Trees, in the Joy of Painting Series. (How’d he get …
Got a “productivity hack” for you today. Especially for all you procrastinators out there, as you sit down in consternation at your vintage Corona-Smith typewriter. (If you’re a hipster or an oldster, that is.) If you don’t know how to start your story, use a trick from Harry Potter-author J.K. Rowling. To explain: You remember …
[Story Sells] The Harry Potter trick to easier storytelling Read More »
Before I became a copywriter, I spent 29 years working with brands. The power of those brands allowed me to create multi-million dollar businesses around the globe. That’s a nice piece of change. It worked because each brand had a clear identity that resonated with certain consumers. In fact, the product itself was often secondary. …
How Eugene Schwartz’s Branding Secret Ignites Direct Response Sales Read More »
Can you establish credibility while lying your ass off? Yep. Novelists and other storytellers do it all the time. And when you tell true stories as a marketer, you can copy their technique to build trust. (Bonus: when you pull from real life, you don’t have to work as hard as professional liars.) Here’s …
[Story Sells] Establish Authority by Copying This Novelist Trick Read More »
Add strong proof elements to your marketing materials and watch your sales soar. The young lawyer wrapped up his closing argument. He felt confident in his performance over the course of the trial. As the jury began deliberating, he and his boss walked toward the attorney conference room. He gave the senior attorney a broad …
Boost Your Conversions by Thinking Like a Lawyer Read More »
I loved watching SNL as a kid. My favorite player? Dana Carvey. You might remember some of his best characters … The very special Church Lady. The dependable Garth. And, of course, the fake George Herbert Walker Bush. Carvey’s impression of President Bush became so widespread, that the former president himself once did a …
[Story Sells] How Bush beats Obama in your sales stories Read More »
I’ve been watching this for a while and wondering if others have noticed it too. The modern-day consumer is more aware and conscious than ever before. For us as marketers, copywriters and business owners, we need to be more aware of what we do when we sell to them. You may be thinking… “what …
The Conscious Consumer: Who they are and why you need to know about them Read More »
I’m watching The Crown on Netflix. The show follows the beginning of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign in the 1950s. If you’re into period dramas and stuffy British manners, it might be your kind of thing. But for me, it looked like a bit of a snooze fest. Nonetheless, I’d heard it was good, so I …
[Story Sells] Plunder this storytelling jewel from the British Royal Family Read More »
How do you measure whether your voice is a success? Here’s a quick test. Try reading this out loud: It’s impossible not to read it in Liam Neeson’s voice. If you’ve nailed voice, that’s exactly what you should be looking for when someone reads your copy. They need to hear you. On Copy Chief, we’ve …
The Voice Mistakes That Are Costing You Money (And How To Fix Them) Read More »
You will lose sales unless you hook your customer’s attention with the very first sentence. But what do you say? Well, to figure that out, let’s look at what not to do. And then just do the opposite. Captain Hook and his pals at Jake and the Neverland Pirates hold the treasure we seek. If …
[Story Sells] How to Capture Drifting Attention with the Captain “Hook” Rule Read More »
Sell on emotion, justify with logic? Yes, but … Stories teach us that emotions have a logic of their own. We may be irrational, unknowable creatures … But at least in stories, emotions must make sense. If they don’t, then we the audience won’t believe what’s happening in the story. Like when characters do dumb …
[Story Sells] The “Mother Rule” for Keeping Faith with your Prospect Read More »
I remember when I first deadlifted a barbell. Before that moment, I hesitated to pick up the 12.5lb dumbbells at bootcamp classes. So when I heard the barbell is 20kg (44.4 pounds) without plates on it, you can imagine how terrified I was. As I walked up to the platform, bullets of sweat were rolling …
4 Things You Should Be Testing But Probably Aren’t Read More »
So the other day I was reading a book to my 4-year-old and I realized something strange: I want to know how this story ends. The storyteller had sunk his hook into me. So when it came time to pick a story to read the next day, I practically begged my child to return to …
[Story Sells] Use this Screenwriter Secret to Hold Your Audience’s Attention Read More »
Recently a writer wanted her copy critiqued for an email lead generation campaign. It was for a watch targeted to bodybuilders. The writing style was “upbeat and cheerful.” Hey, wait a minute. That feels off to me… I looked at the company name and wasn’t familiar with the brand. But “upbeat and cheerful” wasn’t what …
Here’s The Secret To Copy That Keeps Your Prospects Coming Back For More Read More »
The latest Marvel blockbuster ‘Dr. Strange’ makes you believe in magic. To the tune of $653 million and counting. And one of the secrets of the believability is a little storytelling magic trick you may use in your next promotion. We live in the Golden Age of Fantasy Movies. From epic fantasies like Game of …
As an entrepreneur in the self-improvement world, you’re pouring a ton of blood, sweat and tears into your business on a daily basis… You’re creating life-changing products and services and putting beaming smiles on people’s faces without them needing to gorge on an entire chocolate cake. You’d figure your work is done right there, and …
The #1 Way You’re Accidentally Killing Your Own Sales… And How To Fix It Read More »
Do you like Green Eggs and Ham? Most people do – the book by Dr. Seuss, that is. It’s the highest-selling Seuss book of all time, edging out The Cat in The Hat and other favorites. It’s sold 17.5 million copies since 1960. That’s a lot of breakfast money for the Seuss estate. But why …
[Story Sells] Use this Dr. Seuss Writing Trick to Write Better Copy Read More »
You already know case studies inspire hope, prove you’re credible, and give your reader that “If they can do it, so can I!” feeling that makes them take action. But done right, they can do a whole lot more. They can uncover objections and fears you didn’t realize your audience had. And ensure you write …
How to 2X the value of your case studies (follow these 4 steps) Read More »
It’s easy to bore your reader when you shift into science mode. Yeah, you often need some technical explanation to prove why your product works. But, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds of jargon and research. That’s when you lose your prospect. So how do you keep it interesting? Without your techno-babble landing …
[Story Sells] Rip This Part of Your Sales Letter from Star Trek Read More »
My buddy John, a veteran cop, got kicked out of his house recently. He’s a tough guy, but I’ve never seen him so down in the mouth. Things don’t look good. His old lady just accepted a job on the other side of the country. But John’s a fighter. So he decided to make one last try. He …
In this short article, I am going to show you how to use a few basic principles from the opening scene of The Lion King, “The Circle Of Life”, to create a VSL that influences and converts your audience. In case you’re unfamiliar with the success of The Lion King, upon its release in 1994, the movie brought in …
How To Turn Your Sales Page Into A Blockbuster VSL Read More »
I’m slowly introducing my daughter to the Disney movies of my youth. But it’s tough to get my hands on them all because of the dratted Disney Vault. You may know that Disney only sells their best movies some of the time … the rest of the years these movies are locked up in the “Disney Vault.” …
My nephew recently asked me how The Flash got his super-speed powers. My answer: “Barry Allen was struck by lightning while standing in front of a shelf of chemicals. The combination of the chemicals and the lightning gave him super speed. Lightning is very fast, after all.”* This story made sense my nephew. Lightning is fast, …
[Story Sells] Sell On Emotion, Justify With This … Read More »
In This Episode Have you heard of Dan Ferrari yet? If not, it’s only because he just exploded onto the scene faster than any other copywriter we know. (“Like Prince riding a pegasus!”) Three years ago, Dan had no clients whatsoever. He’d never even written a sales letter in his life. Nobody knew his …
Ep 71: Dan Ferrari – The Truth About Mastering Sales Copy Read More »
“Story sells…” “Your customers connect with stories, not features and benefits…” “Thou shalt not bore thy customers…” If you study sales copy, you’ve no doubt heard variations of the above…that you should be telling stories. Stories are what people remember, and the way to your audience’s heart. And you can probably name at least two …
5 Steps to Transform Your Personal Stories Into Sales Machines Read More »
Walt Disney failed for years. Until he overcome a fatal weakness. First, he tried desperately to draw comic strips for newspapers. Rejected. Then he attempted to bluff his way into a job on a Hollywood set. Denied. Finally, he got close to success. He began making animated movies himself. He created a popular character called …
Have you ever noticed that the companies we love the most are usually rooted in rebellion? For instance… Apple started in the garage after Jobs and Wozniak left college, fed up by the slow pace of technology. Virgin Airlines was born out of Richard Branson’s frustration with crappy airline travel. Dollar Shave Club started when …
The amazing two-sentence answer to “what do you do?” Read More »
