RIGHTEOUS WRITING by Phyllis Schwartz

The operative word here is “practice.” Writing good, persuasive
copy is both a science and an art. Like it or not, if you really
want to master the skill, you’re going to have work at it. Even
with decades of copywriting experience, I still read and study
everything on the subject that I can get my hands on – ebooks,
articles, courses, you name it.

The good news is that the Internet has no shortage of copywriting
information. If you spend time searching around, you will find
plenty of great free copy tips, articles and ezines from web guys
like these:

Yanik Silver, Jim Edwards, Joe Vitale, David Garfinkel, Chris
Bloor, Mark Hunteridge, Carl Galletti, Gary Halbert, Drew Eric
Whitman, Joe Robson, Mike Jezek – and the list goes on.

Note when I said “guys” I wasn’t kidding! (Now why is that?
Anyone care to hazard a guess about where the girls are?) Of
course there are other names that should probably be up there.
But this gives you a good point of reference because these are
copy experts you’re going to want to get to know.

Look up the names on search engines. Go to their websites. Read
what they write. Pay particular attention to any sales letters
you come across. You want to learn how to write good copy? These
are the guys to emulate. This is the best education you can give
yourself and, better yet, you don’t have to spend a penny to do
it!

As you explore and find copy that appeals to you, start printing
things out. One of your first copywriting projects should be
creating what is known as a “swipe” file. Just like it sounds,
your swipe file is a collection of copywriting examples that
you’ve collected, studied and have on hand when you’re looking
for inspiration.

Note that I said “inspiration.” These are examples you can use to
adapt copy from. The best way to learn, after all, is by example.
What you don’t want to do is plagiarize or lift things outright.
The greatest thing about a swipe file is it eliminates that
intimidating blank page. If there is such a thing as a
copywriting secret, the swipe file would be #1. All professional
copywriters have and use swipe files.

Another learning technique that some professional writers
recommend Is copying successful ads by hand. While not tops on
my personal list, everyone has their own individual learning
style and some people find the mechanics of writing and
repetition genuinely helpful.

A good question is: How long per day and how many days that task
should be tackled. If it’s a technique that seems to be working
for you, I’d say trust your own instincts. Spend as much time as
you feel comfortable with. Just be careful not to get stuck on
one ad or one style. There are many different approaches to
writing good promotional copy. If you want to learn how to
think “out of the box, you can only benefit from greater
exposure.

If I were going to create a new marketing website right this
minute, the first thing I would do would be to look at the
existing sites of the Internets best known marketers: Corey
Rudl’s Internet Marketing Center, Terry Dean’s Netbreakthroughs
site, Jimmy Brown’s Profit Vaults site, Marlon Sanders Amazing
Formula site. While not all marketing gurus have writing back-
grounds, they recognize the importance of using words that sell,
and will tell you that there is no skill that is more important
to employ.

While it is not my intent to use this column as a sales vehicle,
there are some highly valuable copywriting resources that I will
be recommending. Each and every one of them can be found in my
own personal collection. Here are two of the best, both geared
for novice and pro alike:

The first is “Instant Sales Letters.” Written by copy expert
Yanik Silver, it’s a fill-in-the blanks template system that
gives you pre-written letters for various kinds of businesses
and situations. It’s a great way to learn and build your
confidence – not far afield from the copying technique Steve
inquired about.

My favorite part of the system is actually a bonus that comes
with it: “The Ultimate Sales Letter Toolbox.” The toolbox
contains over 300 key selling words and phrases, 20+ ways to
state your guarantee, plus dozens of strong closings and
postscripts. It’s been a lifesaver for me. You can read more
about Instant Sales Letters at:
http://www.instantsalesletters.com/?1725

The second product I would suggest you take a look at is “Make
Your Words Sell” by Ken Evoy and Joe Robson. This phenomenal
guide covers literally everything you need to know about writing
Internet copy. You get four information packed volumes on
website copywriting, e-mail writing, online store writing and
your own user’s manual to the English language. It is obvious
that a tremendous amount of thought and effort went into this
resource and, at only $29.95, it’s an absolute steal. You can
check it out at: http://www.sitesell.com/phylscopy.html

And now, drum roll please! ... today’s copy freebie: “The
Greatest Marketing Secrets of The Ages.” Inside you will find
some fascinating pearls of wisdom from some of the best known
Advertising minds of the 20th century. These are the guys who
created many of the basic premises that today’s best copy is
based upon. It’s a quick and entertaining read if you just roll
past the seemingly endless sales links.

And that, my friends, is today’s last word. Thanks once again to
Steve Boutelle for asking the copy question. You’ll find Steve
putting finishing touches on his new website:
http://www.prosperityunleashed.com

Be sure to stop by and say hello to Steve. And don’t forget to
send in your most pressing copywriting question. You, too, can
guest star in the ProfitsSpace copy column. :-) Have a great
week!

Phyllis Schwartz, your copy guide
phylsmac@aol.com

About The Author: Phyllis Schwartz is a longtime copywriter. She clicks from her home office in Ventnor City, New Jersey, a stone’s throw away from Atlantic City. She is offering copywriting services at BetterCopywriting.com

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