http://guruknowledge.org en-us http://guruknowledge.org N/A daleking@guruknowledge.org Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:42:13 -0400 20 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1816/1/Dale-King-Interviews-Americas-Highest-Paid-Copywriter-Clayton-Makepeace/Dale-King-Interviews-Americas-Highest-Paid-Copywriter-Clayton-Makepeace.html Dale King: Today I'm interviewing America's Highest-Paid Copywriter, Clayton Makepeace. Hello Clayton, how are you? Clayton Makepeace: Great, Dale! Dale King: Clayton, tell my readers how and when you got started marketing your copywriting services on the Internet. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1795/1/5-SECRETS-COPY-WRITING-PROS-USE-TO-CREATE-HEADLINES/5-SECRETS-COPY-WRITING-PROS-USE-TO-CREATE-HEADLINES.html The first thing a producer sees is your headline. If you don't capture their interest in your first line, most producers won't read any further; you've lost your chance to pitch your idea.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Susan Harrow) Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1754/1/The-Incredible-Edible-Subhead/The-Incredible-Edible-Subhead.html Of course you're familiar with using *headlines* to call attention to Web copy, brochures, articles, or documents. But *subheads* can be just as effective in bringing out key points for your readers. And they also help make any document easier to read, because they break up long blocks of text into easy-to-digest bits. (Hence my "edible" title. Hmm.) info@ezinequeen.com (Alexandria K. Brown) Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1663/1/Advertising-Is-Easy/Advertising-Is-Easy.html Okay, you have a product you want to sell. Like most people who go into business, you really haven't taken the time to educate yourself on proper marketing methods. Why? Because it just didn't seem important. But now you want to do this thing called advertising. And you mistakenly figure, "Advertising is easy! All I have to do is you write a few words about whatever it is I want to sell. And then lots of people will send me money, and I'll get rich and live happily ever after." daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1653/1/How-to-Pump-Muscle-Into-Your-Copy/How-to-Pump-Muscle-Into-Your-Copy.html Do you know what I hate more than gyms? GOING to a gym! But when I finished working on a recent project about osteoporosis, I knew I needed to take action now to build my muscle strength and protect my delicate bones. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Carline Anglade- Cole) Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1652/1/How-To-Kickstart-Your-Copywriting-Career-In-2008/How-To-Kickstart-Your-Copywriting-Career-In-2008.html Recently, my husband Mick reminded me of why I became a copywriter.He said, “Tomorrow morning, be dressed by 5 a.m.”That’s it.And before I knew it, I was on a plane headed for Las Vegas. We spent 4 restful days and 3 fun-filled nights celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary at The Venetian Hotel. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Carline Anglade- Cole) Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1616/1/Can-Honest-Copywriting-Succeed/Can-Honest-Copywriting-Succeed.html I confess--I'm a marketing heretic! I've built my career on breaking all the rules--and one of the rules I break is that I don't hype. Do I put the best possible "spin" on the truth? Of course! But I refuse to deceive my readers into action. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Shel Horowitz) Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1578/1/One-Of-The-Biggest-Mistakes-Youre-Making-Right-Now-In-Your-Marketing/One-Of-The-Biggest-Mistakes-Youre-Making-Right-Now-In-Your-Marketing.html Want to know one of the biggest mistakes you’re making right now in your marketing? To be honest, it’s a very small mistake. But costing you BIG money. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Brett McFall) Sat, 24 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1575/1/The-100-Greatest-Headlines-Of-All-Time/The-100-Greatest-Headlines-Of-All-Time.html Legendary direct marketing copywriter, Victor Schwab considers the following headlines, The 100 Greatest Headlines Of All Time. After each headline is a brief explanation of what made the headline so effective.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1562/1/Add-Emotional-Impact-To-Your-Content/Add-Emotional-Impact-To-Your-Content.html Previously we talked about the importance of headlines to draw your prospects into your site. Once they are in your site and reading your content you can't drop the ball. Your text needs to continue to compel and excite your visitors. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jennifer Horowitz) Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1559/1/Sales-Letters----How-And-Why-I-Created-The-12-Step-Formula-Everyone-Uses-To-Teach-Sales-Letter-Writing/Sales-Letters----How-And-Why-I-Created-The-12-Step-Formula-Everyone-Uses-To-Teach-Sales-Letter-Writi.html When I started as a copywriter back in 1983, there wasprecious little to learn from.A few John Caples books. "The Robert Collier Letter Book."Dan Kennedy's book. Victor Schwab. A few others. Greatbooks in their own rights. But lacking in terms of astep-by-step, actionable formula in my opinion. domains@amazingformula.com (Marlon Sanders) Sat, 17 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1526/1/What-Has-Your-Website-Got-to-Do-with-Goldfish/What-Has-Your-Website-Got-to-Do-with-Goldfish.html What a strange question! But did you know that the attention span of the average web-surfer is equivalent to that of a goldfish? About four seconds - if you're lucky! daleking@guruknowledge.org (Lesley Morrisey) Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1525/1/Is-your-website-a-Derby-or-a-Grand-National/Is-your-website-a-Derby-or-a-Grand-National.html In the horse racing world the Derby is a flat race -- a smooth ride to the finish line. The Grand National is one obstacle after another, some of them so huge that only a few of the riders manage to land safely on the other side. So how many obstacles do visitors to your website have to get past to arrive safely at the point where they have the information they need to make a decision to contact you? What sort of obstacles am I talking about? Let's start at the beginning. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Lesley Morrisey) Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1514/1/Reach-Out-and-Grab-Your-Target-Audience-by-the-Shirt-Collar---Writing-Ads-that-Work/Reach-Out-and-Grab-Your-Target-Audience-by-the-Shirt-Collar---Writing-Ads-that-Work.html Even bad advertising works. But the good stuff works better. In fact, if you have a good concept with good copy, then you don't have to spend as much money on media. While writing ads is a specialty, someone willing to devote some time to doing it well can certainly create an effective ad. Here are some tips. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Anne Moss Rogers) Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1502/1/quotWho-Elsequot-Headlines-Suck/quotWho-Elsequot-Headlines-Suck.html "Who Else" headlines really do suck! To say that I hate them would be a major understatement. Do they work? Yes, they do. However, that's really not the point. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1414/1/quotHow-To-Write-Invisible-Sales-Copyquot/quotHow-To-Write-Invisible-Sales-Copyquot.html As any serious marketer knows, a Powerful and effective Sales message should be built around the basic structure of tried and proven 'rules' which have been used by successful marketers for tens of decades, (see my tutorial at http://adcopywriting.com/Tutorial_2_Rules.htm ) daleking@guruknowledge.org (Joe Robson) Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1413/1/quotMisconceptions-About-The-USPquot/quotMisconceptions-About-The-USPquot.html I've written about this subject on more than one occasion, and I'm writing about it yet again. Why? Because in my discussions with clients I have found that the most misunderstood concept in Copywriting is the Unique Selling Proposition. USP for short. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Joe Robson) Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1412/1/Dale-King-Interviews-Anne-Moss-Rogers/Dale-King-Interviews-Anne-Moss-Rogers.html Dale King: Today I'm interviewing copywriter, target market and branding expert, Anne Moss Rogers. Hello Anne Moss, how are you?Anne Moss Rogers: It’s not cold outside so I’m doing well. Southerners don’t like cold weather. We can’t drink lemonade on the porch. And you?  Dale King: I'm fine, thank you. Anne Moss, would you mind explaining exactly what it is that you do? daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1408/1/Hits-Clickthroughs-or-Unique-Visitors/Hits-Clickthroughs-or-Unique-Visitors.html There are a lot of misconceptions regarding website traffic. Tracking visitors is often done with many different yardsticks, which vary tremendously from person to person and site to site, not to mention from marketing effort to marketing effort. However, these differences can often be quite misleading, especially for the would-be advertiser and aspiring Internet marketer. And today there is far more involved in the process than that to which most would tend to give credence. So how does one make sense of it all? daleking@guruknowledge.org (Michel Fortin) Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1381/1/A-Second-Graders-Secret-for-Discovering-What-Your-Customers-Want-to-Buy/A-Second-Graders-Secret-for-Discovering-What-Your-Customers-Want-to-Buy.html Dear Friend:Want to make lots more money? Then find out what your customers want to buy. How? Simply do what every second grader does when he wants to know something...   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Drew Eric Whitman) Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1289/1/7-Characteristics-of-Great-Sales-Copy/7-Characteristics-of-Great-Sales-Copy.html Most great sales copy has seven features that really distinguish it from run-of-the-mill copy. Feature #1: Great sales copy enters a conversation that your prospect is already having with himself. It begins with headline and opening copy that addresses something that he’s already thinking about or worried about or afraid of or excited about. support@makepeacetotalpackage.com (Clayton Makepeace) Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1288/1/Writing-Sales-Copy---How-Would-You-Like-Some-Super-Powers/Writing-Sales-Copy---How-Would-You-Like-Some-Super-Powers.html Dear Business Builder, Have you ever wished you could introduce the chubby chick with flawless skin on that infomercial for the miracle wrinkle cream … to that crumpled old dude hawking his fitness DVDs on the next channel? I really think they’d be good for each other … support@makepeacetotalpackage.com (Clayton Makepeace) Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1265/1/How-to-Write-an-Effective-Product-Review/How-to-Write-an-Effective-Product-Review.html How do you choose the products you buy? Do you simply accept as gospel truth all the good things a merchant says about their own product? Or, do you ask your friends' opinions and look for independent product reviews before opening your wallet? nospam@netprofitstoday.com (Rosalind Gardner) Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1239/1/Creating-a-Powerful-Sales-Letter-using-Four-Main-Ingredients/Creating-a-Powerful-Sales-Letter-using-Four-Main-Ingredients.html Everybody wants to make more money... In fact, most people would like to hit upon something that makes them fabulously rich! And seemingly, one of the easiest roads to the fulfillment of these dreams of wealth is writing effective Sales Letters and using them correctly. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Steven Boaze) Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1139/1/The-Key-To-Getting-The-Fees-You-Deserve/The-Key-To-Getting-The-Fees-You-Deserve.html Many copywriters, both new and experienced, struggle with how much to charge their clients. In fact, it is a problem that many in the service industry face. The dilemma?   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Michel Fortin) Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1112/1/Are-You-Making-These-Press-Release-Mistakes/Are-You-Making-These-Press-Release-Mistakes.html You've done it. Gotten that press release written. Now you're ready to send it out to your carefully chosen list of media contacts. michele@MichelePW.com (Michele Pariza Wacek) Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1111/1/Copywriting-101-How-to-Get-Your-Customers-to-Take-Action/Copywriting-101-How-to-Get-Your-Customers-to-Take-Action.html If you want people to buy, you gotta ask for the sale. Truly, it is that simple. Yet I can't tell you how many ads, Web sites, brochures, sales letters, etc. are floating around out there that aren't asking. So, what is a call to action? It's telling people what action you want them to take. Typical calls to action include: michele@MichelePW.com (Michele Pariza Wacek) Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1110/1/How-Not-to-Write-a-Press-Release/How-Not-to-Write-a-Press-Release.html Several years ago, when I was working for an agency, I was fired from an account. What that means is the client didn’t want me writing for him anymore. michele@MichelePW.com (Michele Pariza Wacek) Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1109/1/Seven-ways-a-copywriter-can-boost-your-business/Seven-ways-a-copywriter-can-boost-your-business.html Think you can't afford to hire a copywriter? Think again. Here are seven ways a copywriter can contribute to the success of your business. michele@MichelePW.com (Michele Pariza Wacek) Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1011/1/Is-Your-Brochure-Killing-Your-Sales/Is-Your-Brochure-Killing-Your-Sales.html You probably pick up other company's brochures when you visit trade shows.What do you do with them? jim.symcox@acornservice.com (Jim Symcox) Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/982/1/Copywriting-Secrets-of-the-Pros--Part-1/Copywriting-Secrets-of-the-Pros--Part-1.html Can anyone write great copy? I get asked that all the time and always tell the person the same thing: Yes. Chances are you already know how to do it!That’s because you already know how to tell stories, and great copywriters are great storytellers. The key is that you just have to learn the proper structure, and “unlearn” all the stuff your elementary and high school teachers taught you about writing. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Ford Saeks) Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/981/1/Copywriting-Secrets-of-the-Pros--Part-2/Copywriting-Secrets-of-the-Pros--Part-2.html In part one of this article I posed the question, “Can anyone write great copy?” I get asked that all the time, and I always say the same thing: Yes. Most people already know how to do it! That’s because most people already know how to tell stories... and storytelling is was great copywriting does. The reality is that if you can talk, you can write great copy. In part two, we continue our journey into the psychology and copywriting strategies that are used by the pro's to generate millions of dollars in sales. We’ll explore more of the  secrets that will help you craft compelling copy.  One of the most critical—if not the most critical—elements you must master to be a great copywriter is the headline. Did you know that on average, five times as many people will read a headline as read the content of your copy? Unless your headline sells your product or service you may have wasted 90% of your money!   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Ford Saeks) Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/920/1/Dale-King-Interviews-Legendary-Copywriting-Guru-John-Carlton/Dale-King-Interviews-Legendary-Copywriting-Guru-John-Carlton.html A few months back, I stated on a popular Internet marketing forum that John Carlton had rebuffed my numerous requests for an interview. Apparently, a few people went back and told John that I had trashed him in a public forum. I honestly didn't feel that I had trashed John, of course, but that's what John was led to believe. Anyway, to make a long story short, I've cleared things up with John and apologized for the misunderstanding. John was kind and gracious enough to take time out of his extremely busy schedule, and consented to this amazing interview. Enjoy! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/918/1/As-Is-or-Individually---Whats-the-Best-Use-of-Keyphrases/As-Is-or-Individually---Whats-the-Best-Use-of-Keyphrases.html Is your best bet for success to use keyphrases as-is or to use each word individually?  Find out, straight from the mouth of Google. kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/882/1/How-to-Create-a-Powerful-Ad/How-to-Create-a-Powerful-Ad.html How to Create a Powerful AdWhat is the one thing that you see in almost every ezine youread? Classified ads. The reason you see so many classified ads in ezines, on websites and other places is simple.They work. Classified advertising is one of the most cost effectiveforms of advertising on the Net today. Like most things thatseem very simple on the surface, a great deal of work goesin to writing a powerful classified ad. charlie@charliepage.com (Charlie Page) Sun, 03 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/870/1/How-Beginner-Copywriters-Can-Make-A-Lot-Of-Money-Very-Quickly/How-Beginner-Copywriters-Can-Make-A-Lot-Of-Money-Very-Quickly.html If you are a copywriter looking to get your feet wet -- and don't know where to turn or how to get started -- this article will give you two simple ideas you can run with today and be making money by tomorrow. But first, you need to know copywriting is in huge demand. Reason why is because so many people are just afraid to write copy, don’t know how to write copy, or are simply too lazy to learn. And so, if you know even the bare basics of copywriting you are in big demand and you just need to find where the "starving crowd" (as master copywriter Gary Halbert puts it) is that are hungry for what you got. Here are two ways you can get started: michael@michaelsenoff.com (Michael Senoff) Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/869/1/How-To-Sell-Without-Selling-and-Pack-Your-Copywriting-Business-With-New-Clients-Fast/How-To-Sell-Without-Selling-and-Pack-Your-Copywriting-Business-With-New-Clients-Fast.html There's no doubt about it that we are being bombarded with more advertising and marketing -- especially online -- than ever before. And if you want your ads to cut through the noise and clutter of an overcrowded market place, one of the best things you can do is not try to make the sale at all. Let me explain. michael@michaelsenoff.com (Michael Senoff) Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/862/1/The-Key-To-Copywriting-Success/The-Key-To-Copywriting-Success.html Many people have aspirations of being a great copywriter. They want to be the next Gary Bencivenga, Clayton Makepeace or Bob Bly. And while I think it's admirable to want to be great at anything, in my opinion, these people are being short-sided. They should strive to be great marketers also. Because contrary to what a lot of experts are preaching these days, copywriting is all about marketing.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Fri, 25 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/859/1/Dale-King-Interviews-Legendary-Copywriting-Guru-Bob-Bly/Dale-King-Interviews-Legendary-Copywriting-Guru-Bob-Bly.html Dale King: Today I'm interviewing legendary copywriting guru, Bob Bly. Hello, Bob. How are you? Bob Bly: Fine Dale Dale King: Bob, tell our readers when you got started marketing on the Internet.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Mon, 21 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/853/1/Dale-King-Interviews-Dr-Joe-Vitale/Dale-King-Interviews-Dr-Joe-Vitale.html Dale King: Today, I'm interviewing Internet Marketingexpert, author and copywriting guru, Dr. Joe Vitale. HelloDr. Vitale, how are you? Dr. Joe Vitale: I just lost a petthat I've had for twenty years, so I'm mourning, but elseall is well. Dale King: I'm so sorry to hear that, Dr. Vitale. My condolences. I recently saw you on "Larry King Live." How did that interview come about?   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Thu, 17 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/844/1/How-to-Create-Hypnotic-Headlines/How-to-Create-Hypnotic-Headlines.html Dr. Scott Lewis is a comedy-hypnotist performing at the Riviera Hotel every Monday night in Las Vegas. He called me one day wanting a truly hypnotic ad to run in the local newspapers to pull in college students to his show. I asked him to tell me what he already had in mind for the ad. Here's what he told me: "I'm thinking of using the headline 'Come do outrageous things at the Riviera next Monday night'." What do you think? Me, I didn't think it was a very hypnotic headline. joe@mrfire.com (Dr. Joe Vitale) Sun, 13 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/843/1/How-to-Write-Hypnotic-Copy-That-Sells/How-to-Write-Hypnotic-Copy-That-Sells.html Imagine someone hands you the following message-- "Riguardo a gli dice il mio segreto di dollaro di milione per scrivere di copia di vendite. Questo è qualcosa non ho mai detto nessuno altro nel mondo intero. Lo dirò giustamente adesso, se lei promette a tiene quest'un segreto. Stato d'accordo?" You wouldn't be too interested in it, would you? It would look strange. Confusing. You might assume it's from another language, but unless you knew Italian, you would only be guessing to the language and the message. What would you do? joe@mrfire.com (Dr. Joe Vitale) Sun, 13 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/829/1/Eight-Ways-To-Write-Headlines-That-DEMAND-Attention/Eight-Ways-To-Write-Headlines-That-DEMAND-Attention.html Do you know why some sites bring in buckets of cashwhile other sites don't make a dime?One BIG reason could be the headline. When selling things on the Internet you have aboutthree seconds to make your point or lose your visitor.Click ... BANG ... they're gone forever!If *your* headlines are under-performing then it IScosting you sales. No doubt about it. charlie@charliepage.com (Charlie Page) Mon, 07 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/827/1/Copywriting-Makeover-Value-vs-Vision---Part-2-of-2/Copywriting-Makeover-Value-vs-Vision---Part-2-of-2.html See the step by step transformation that took one client from page 35 in Google to the top 10 plus improved sales. kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/826/1/Copywriting-Makeover-Value-vs-Vision---Part-1-of-2/Copywriting-Makeover-Value-vs-Vision---Part-1-of-2.html See the step by step transformation that took one client from page 35 in Google to the top 10 plus improved sales. kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Thu, 26 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/803/1/Online-The-Mind-Thinks-In-Pictures/Online-The-Mind-Thinks-In-Pictures.html A website is one of the most powerful mediums of advertising expression. You have ultimate freedom and flexibility to create powerful sales messages using both words and pictures. But is a picture really worth a thousand words?Perhaps, but pictures built up in the mind of your prospect with words are even more important.If you want to captivate someone's imagination, paint a picture with your words. When the mind really thinks, it thinks in pictures. If you're not creating mental images to get your point across, you're missing out on a lot of potential. You're just not hitting the nail on the head.You're not scoring points.Involve your audience, by getting them visualizing. If they have a problem you can solve, they need to see themselves feeling the pain, and applying your solution in their mind’s eye.Here's a formula to do just that. sangeeta.k2003@gmail.com (Daniel Levis) Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/802/1/Marketing-Strategy-101/Marketing-Strategy-101.html When it comes to marketing strategy blunders, pretty much everybody remembers the nosedive failure of New Coke, right? But what most people don’t know is the fascinating story behind the story, & the valuable lesson it reveals.In the early eighties, Coke was about to lose a marketing trump card to Pepsi. Coke’s market share had been in free fall since the end of the war, declining from 60% at that time, to just 24% in 1983. Pepsi was about to be able to claim that not only did it taste better than Coke (as proven in blind taste tests), but that it was actually more popular. This would have added even more fuel to Pepsi’s already significant marketing momentum.While Coke was also losing market share to other new market entries, and increasing consumer preference for diet, citrus, & caffeine-free beverages etc., Pepsi’s marketing strategy was continuing to win new customers. sangeeta.k2003@gmail.com (Daniel Levis) Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/801/1/WHY-FACTS-TELL-AND-STORIES-SELL/WHY-FACTS-TELL-AND-STORIES-SELL.html Since the first caveman figured out how to tie a sharp rock to the end of a sturdy stick with a piece of vine, and hack off slabs of mastodon meat with it for fire roasting, storytelling has been the way knowledge has been passed from one person to another.Around the campfire blaze, the tribal members would gather, the little children gazing cautiously out from behind their parents, their eyes shining wide like silver dollars, listening… The grizzled old witch Doctor—can you hear his crackling voice, as he spins a yarn of bygone days?There is learning in the story—how to surround and kill a wholly mammoth, the cunning exploits of the ancient clansman, how the old man survived a vicious storm. There are stories of love and war, of the discovery of magical potions and incantations, of the wicked cannibals to the east.Since the dawn of time, stories have been the conduit of learning… the sacred baton, passed from one generation to the next… without which, human development would stand still.We are creatures of story… sangeeta.k2003@gmail.com (Daniel Levis) Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/800/1/6-Quick-Tips-to-Make-Your-Copy-More-Believable/6-Quick-Tips-to-Make-Your-Copy-More-Believable.html You’ve got targeted traffic coming to your site. You’ve made a big, passionate, and clear promise on your landing page. But you’re still not making the sales you’d like.It could be because your offer sounds too good to be true.Believability above a certain point makes sales; below that point it does not. Ad copy must make what lawyers call "a prima facie case" -- that is, a case that warrants a trial in court. Only the court is the consumer, and the trial is buying and using the goods.Here are 6 tips to help increase the believability of your copy ... sangeeta.k2003@gmail.com (Daniel Levis) Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/799/1/Does-Your-Online-Copy-Talk/Does-Your-Online-Copy-Talk.html THE UNSPOKEN DIALOGUEWhen it comes to online copywriting, it's not the words you use that count. It's the reaction to those words in the mind of the reader, as he reads them on the screen…And it's your ability to anticipate and plan out those reactions that spells the difference between being able to get your web site visitors to opt-in or buy your product in sufficient numbers to make your business a success.It's like a dialogue between two people, divorced in time and space. You are feeding your reader images, ideas, and emotions across the continuum, in a carefully planned sequence... and he is feeding you back reactions. sangeeta.k2003@gmail.com (Daniel Levis) Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/798/1/Profitable-Online-Campaigns---Guaranteed/Profitable-Online-Campaigns---Guaranteed.html When you boil it right down, there are really only three things that you need to do exceedingly well to market your business effectively online.And they are,Obtaining an Opportunity to Sell – Driving traffic to your website.Closing the Sale – Making your sales presentation on your site.Following Up on Your Maybes - Pick the ripe ones yes, but be sure to irrigate & fertilize the soil, prune & bug spray the trees with care, and nurture all of the fruit along. In other words, capture email addresses and follow up.Mastering all three of these activities is critically important to your success.But when you're starting a new venture, which one do you master first? sangeeta.k2003@gmail.com (Daniel Levis) Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/791/1/Ebook-Review-73-Ways-To-Describe-A-Widget/Ebook-Review-73-Ways-To-Describe-A-Widget.html As a copywriter with over 25-years experience, I have certain resources I keep on my bookshelf within arm's length at all times.  In just a short time, "73 Ways" has earned its place on the top of my bookshelf. kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/786/1/Stop-the-Slaughter-of-Innocent-Copy/Stop-the-Slaughter-of-Innocent-Copy.html The mere introduction of this concept led to the mutilation and destruction of innocent copy all across the globe.  Without any regard to flow or customer experience, website owners around the world began shoving keyphrases into their copy like wild men.  kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/785/1/Dale-King-Interviews-Dan-ODay/Dale-King-Interviews-Dan-ODay.html Dale King: Today I'm interviewing radio copywriting guru, Dan O'Day. Dan, tell our readers how and when you got started marketing on the Internet.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/735/1/Online-Shoppers-Ask-for-More-Detailed-Copywriting/Online-Shoppers-Ask-for-More-Detailed-Copywriting.html A recent survey proved "68% want the ability to 'feel' merchandise through better imagery, more product descriptions and details."  Learn how to write copy that gives customers what they need. kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/706/1/3-Simple-Rules-for-Creating-an-Effective-USP/3-Simple-Rules-for-Creating-an-Effective-USP.html There is something unique about your business; you just have to discover what it is.  And therein lies the problem.  Most business owners and managers don't understand how to create a truly unique selling proposition (USP).   kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/663/1/BEFORE-YOU-BEGIN-WRITING-A-SPOT-ASK/BEFORE-YOU-BEGIN-WRITING-A-SPOT-ASK.html   BEFORE YOU BEGIN WRITING A SPOT, ASK...by Dan O'Daywww.danoday.com Who is the sales target? Who cares about the benefits offered by this product or service? Is the product or service targeted at active or passive customers? In exaggerated form, what will this product or service do for the listener? In realistic terms, what will this product or service do for the listener? What is so exciting about this particular product or service? Why should the listener act NOW? danoday@danoday.com (Dan O'Day) Wed, 27 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/662/1/COMMERCIAL-COPYWRITING/COMMERCIAL-COPYWRITING.html   COMMERCIAL COPYWRITING by Dan O'Daywww.danoday.com WE DO NOT SELL ALUMINUM SIDING! If I were to describe an industry that focused all of its energy on making sales - i.e., by sparing no expense in educating its salespeople in all the latest techniques of getting in the door, asking for the order, overcoming objections and closing the sale - but which virtually ignored the quality of the product being sold and which made no real effort to insure that the product actually does what it's supposed to for the customer...you'd probably think of a fly-by-night rip-off business: like the stereotypical aluminum siding salesman. The aluminum siding salesperson doesn't care about the quality of his product because he doesn't care about the customer and because he's not coming back for a repeat sale. danoday@danoday.com (Dan O'Day) Wed, 27 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/620/1/13-Copywriting-Rules-That-Should-Never-Be-Broken-Part-2/13-Copywriting-Rules-That-Should-Never-Be-Broken-Part-2.html The original "13 Copywriting Rules That Should Never Be Broken " was so well received, I decided to follow it up with a sequel. To summarize from the original article: "Copywriting rules CAN and occasionally SHOULD be broken. I think far too many copywriters take advertising rules (for example, those of David Ogilvy, John Caples and Claude Hopkins) as commandments written in stone. They're not. They are merely guidelines designed to help writers produce more effective copy. I believe, if breaking the rules improves the copy, then the rules should definitely be broken. Having said that, I believe there are some copywriting rules that over the years have proven to be so vital to the overall effectiveness of an ad or sales letter, they should NEVER be broken." daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Mon, 04 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/615/1/Copywriting-Makeover--Facts-vs-Fantasy-Part-2-of-2/Copywriting-Makeover--Facts-vs-Fantasy-Part-2-of-2.html If your copy doesn't speak to your customers in language they want to hear, your sales will suffer.  The same message presented in different ways brings different responses.  Follow one website as they take their copy from fact-oriented to romantic with exceptional results. kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/614/1/Copywriting-Makeover--Facts-Vs-Fantasy-Part-1-of-2/Copywriting-Makeover--Facts-Vs-Fantasy-Part-1-of-2.html If your copy doesn\'t speak to your customers in language they want to hear, your sales will suffer.  The same message presented in different ways brings different responses.  Follow one website as they take their copy from fact-oriented to romantic with exceptional results. kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/602/1/Michel-Fortins-Copywriting-Formula/Michel-Fortins-Copywriting-Formula.html Any copywriter worth his or her salt is familiar with the AIDA formula, which is an acronym for: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. The AIDA formula is a proven, time-tested formula which has been around nearly as long as marketing itself and is the preeminent method used to write effective copy. However, I recently became aware of another copywriting formula which rivals AIDA for overall effectiveness and in some areas actually surpasses it. The formula is called QUEST, which is an acronym for: Qualify, Understand, Educate, Stimulate, Transition. QUEST is the brainchild of master copywriter, Michel Fortin. The breakdown of the formula is as follows: daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Fri, 24 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/594/1/13-Copywriting-Rules-That-Should-Never-Be-Broken-Part-1/13-Copywriting-Rules-That-Should-Never-Be-Broken.html Copywriting rules CAN and occasionally SHOULD be broken. I think far too many copywriters take advertising rules (for example, those of David Ogilvy, John Caples and Claude Hopkins) as commandments written in stone. They're not. They are merely guidelines designed to help writers produce more effective copy. I believe, if breaking the rules improves the copy, then the rules should definitely be broken. Why? Breaking the rules allows us to discover new copywriting breakthroughs and techniques. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/569/1/Why-No-PS-On-The-Web/Why-No-PS-On-The-Web.html The most read part of a sales letter is the headline. So what else is new? It's this...... The next most read part of a sales letter is the post script - the two or three line 'afterthought' written immediately after the signature. It's been known for years in the direct response industry that a skillfully written PS can increase response by up to 20%. For that reason, no respectable copywriter would EVER write a sales letter without a PS. So why is it so rarely used on the web? Don't ask me about the psychology of why it works. It just does. And don't worry about why a good PS attracts the reader's attention, just exploit the fact that you can increase your response with this small yet tremendously powerful instrument. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Joe Robson) Wed, 15 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/568/1/Headlines-Sell---Logos-Dont/Headlines-Sell---Logos-Dont.html This article is written by Joe Robson ind is about Copywriting to get the sale. AD Copywriting sales copyIf you are utterly convinced that placing your Logo in the most prominent position on your Website will improve my quality of life, make my heart skip with joy, and cause my jaw to drop in rapturous wonder, then no one can stop you. But if you are equally determined to generate some SALES, then please follow it with an equally jaw - dropping headline. Because the hard truth is that no one in the whole wide world is even remotely interested in your company Logo. Except you! Unless you are a household name with an instantly recognizable Logo, it tells your reader nothing. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Joe Robson) Wed, 15 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/567/1/How-To-Win-The-Sales-Copy-Writing-Game/How-To-Win-The-Sales-Copy-Writing-Game.html Here's an interesting article on Customer Service, Copywriting and sales. It's written by Joe Robson. Internet Copywriting helpFirst of all you must know the Rules. I can almost hear some of you thinking right now..... Rules? What rules? I'm a good letter writer aren't I? I compile an excellent report don't I? And I've always been known to have a good command of the English language haven't I? So to write good Web copy, or an eye-catching Advertisement, I just tell my readers how good my product is in a sound professional manner. Don't I? NO! daleking@guruknowledge.org (Joe Robson) Wed, 15 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/548/1/The-1-Secret-To-Improving-Your-Copywriting-And-Conversion-Ratios/The-1-Secret-To-Improving-Your-Copywriting-And-Conversion-Ratios.html There are a lot of so-called secret ways to improve your copywriting. But in my opinion, this is the #1 secret of them all: Probably the most important thing I learned from being a direct salesman for over 20 years was how to anticipate and answer a prospect's objections in advance. I've literally heard every objection under the sun. So nothing surprises me anymore.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Thu, 09 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/523/1/Graphic-Design-Direct-Response-Ads---Make-Your-Ad-Jump-Off-The-Page-in-3-Easy-Steps/Graphic-Design-Direct-Response-Ads---Make-Your-Ad-Jump-Off-The-Page-in-3-Easy-Steps.html Despite what some have been led to believe, no-one is in the business of spending a fortune to sell acres of white space or pretty pictures to art-starved consumers. Your mission is to make a sale. Don’t cut sales copy for massive margins, vast areas of empty “white space” or ponderous photographs. You’re just asking for trouble and, quite possibly, you could blow the sale. Step #2: Great artwork doesn’t always sell. support@makepeacetotalpackage.com (Clayton Makepeace) Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/509/1/5-Rules-of-Good-Copy/5-Rules-of-Good-Copy.html So what makes good copy ? Good copy must follow five basic rules: 1. It must grab the readers attention with a compelling headline. 2. It must hold interest, by immediately delivering what was promised in the headline. 3. It must be absolutely clear what your message is. 4. It must have a strong guarantee. 5. It must produce the desired results. Let's examine each of the five rules, one at a time:   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Fri, 13 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/508/1/Dumb-Down-Your-Copy/Dumb-Down-Your-Copy.html I've written about this before, but I'm revisiting this topic again, because I can't emphasize this enough: You need to KISS, when it comes to copywriting. KISS is an acronym for "Keep It Simple Stupid." There are several theories about its origin, but I first heard of it many years ago when I began my sales career. Basically, the KISS principle is a maxim invoked as a reminder to avoid unnecessary complexity. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Fri, 13 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/492/1/Keyword-Use-That-Goes-Beyond-the-Search-Engines/Keyword-Use-That-Goes-Beyond-the-Search-Engines.html It seems to be a single-sided debate. When you mention keyword use, all thoughts normally go to the search engines. Copywriting, however, is more about your human visitors than it is the engines. In fact, even the mainstay of SEO copywriting (keywords) is based on a need to spur visitors along as they work through the information on your site. If you want truly effective SEO copy, you'll take time to learn that keyword use goes beyond the search engines. Let's go offline for a moment. Go get your telephone book. If you were going to conduct a search for, say, an office desk, how would you go about it? You'd look in the Yellow Pages™ under office furniture. Next you'd drill through the ads in search of ads that specifically mentioned "desks" or perhaps the particular kind of desk you want. SEO for Newspapers? kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Wed, 04 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/489/1/Is-Your-Copy-Trusted-by-Google/Is-Your-Copy-Trusted-by-Google.html As long as I've been an SEO copywriter, I never knew that Google had its own trust factor with relation to site pages and their copy. Yet, a recent column in the Google Librarian Newsletter did a wonderful job of explaining what Google is looking for in the way of copy. These are practices I've preached with fervor for years. This information can help your copywriting become a trusted source for Google and potentially aid in increasing your rankings. kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/488/1/The-Right-Writer-How-To-Choose-Your-Next-Copywriter/The-Right-Writer-How-To-Choose-Your-Next-Copywriter.html So you’ve decided to outsource your next communications project! Great!By doing so, it allows you to devote more time and energy to doing what you do best: managing other projects and employees and getting more value for your marketing dollars.However, you’ll soon discover that now you’re confronted with an even larger task than writing it yourself: finding the ‘right’ writer for the job.Hiring a writer is sometimes a Catch-22 situation. At times, quality writers seem to grow on trees, but when you need one in a hurry to meet a rapidly approaching deadline, it can be difficult finding one who understands your business, your deadline, and your audience.While finding the “Right Writer” can still be a tricky business, we’ve developed the four following guidelines that will enable you to locate and hire the most deserving candidate for your project!Guideline OneLook for a Writer with an Establish Web Presence barry.w.morris@gmail.com (Dr. Barry W. Morris) Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/487/1/Copywriting-Makeover-The-Value-of-Being-Crystal-Clear-Part-2-of-2/Copywriting-Makeover-The-Value-of-Being-Crystal-Clear-Part-2-of-2.html In Part 1 of this series, you were introduced to Provider Watch, a company whose site copy was a bit confusing. (You can see the original copy here: http://www.copywritingcourse.com/providerwatch-original.pdf.) While they had a wonderful understanding of their target audience and they had absolutely made an emotional connection, the copy lacked a push toward action on the visitor's part. It also needed a boost in the search engine rankings. After outlining the problems, I set about rewriting the home page. The Rewrite The original headline read: "Warning! Deadbeat daycare parents don't want you to know about this website!""The Provider Watch "No Regrets" Risk Management System contains over $615,654 in unpaid daycare debt, and that number grows daily!""There are a growing number of parents who simply steal childcare services by refusing to pay." kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/486/1/Copywriting-Makeover-The-Value-of-Being-Crystal-Clear-Part-1-of-2/Copywriting-Makeover-The-Value-of-Being-Crystal-Clear-Part-1-of-2.html Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the message we most want our customers to hear gets lost in a sea of superlatives. The marketer within us takes over and - before we know it - the core focus of the Web page, brochure or flyer becomes blurred. Let me assure you of one thing… if your prospects can't determine - with crystal clarity - what you do and how you can benefit them, all your copywriting efforts will be in vain. Provider Watch suffered from a bit of this problem. When I read their original home page copy (which can be seen here: http://www.copywritingcourse.com/providerwatch-original.pdf), I was confused about what they offered. While all the information seemed to be within the copy, I didn't get it. That's what happens all too often when we write our own copy: *we* understand what we mean, but that clarity isn't passed on to our readers. kt@copywritingcourse.com (Karon Thackston) Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/485/1/Killer-Copy-Words-That-Are-Like-Magnets-to-Money/Killer-Copy-Words-That-Are-Like-Magnets-to-Money.html I'll never forget what my accountant said five years ago when he saw the ad I wrote for my services: "How many scotches did you drink before you wrote this?" He was kidding about the scotch. But he just couldn't believe anyone in their right mind would write such a bold and outrageous ad for their own writing, consulting and speaking services, as I had. Well, I spent $300 on that ad -- $200 to run it in a local trade association directory, and $100 to have it reprinted as a flyer. The following year, that $300 ad turned into $12,341 in new business for me. And $12,341 was just a tiny fraction of my total business that year. Why did I make so much money myself while there were so many thousands of "starving writers" in the world? The answer may surprise you. You see, it's not because I'm a better writer. It's not my schooling. Not my resume. Not any talent I was born with. It's all because I learned how to write "killer copy." How do you write killer copy? david@davidgarfinkel.com (David Garfinkel) Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/483/1/5-Secrets-of-Successful-Copywriting/5-Secrets-of-Successful-Copywriting.html Would you like your sales to go through the roof?Of course you would. Who wouldn't?I have found five secret "keys" that dramatically improvethe money-making ability of just about ANY sales message.This discovery came from writing hundreds of successfulsales messages myself, and helping thousands of other peopleimprove their own skills at writing successful advertisingsales copy.I've also found every time someone else gets better resultsfrom what I have taught them, my own life improves. Withthat in mind, here are the five secret "keys" for you to useand profit from:SECRET 1: Focus your advertising sales copy on ACTION. david@davidgarfinkel.com (David Garfinkel) Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/464/1/Does-Your-Copywriting-Trigger-What-Makes-Your-Visitors-Buy/Does-Your-Copywriting-Trigger-What-Makes-Your-Visitors-Buy.html You study your website stats and see the amount of traffic coming through. Nice numbers. But when you compare your traffic against your sales, what do you get? A small fraction of 1%? Wouldn't you love to see those conversions grow? But how can you get them to buy? The secret isn't some magic trick or tool. But your Internet marketing is just shooting into the dark if you don't know the needs that lead people to buy and how to focus your copywriting to tap those needs. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jeff Baas) Tue, 19 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/459/1/The-Truth-About-Mega-Headlines/The-Truth-About-Mega-Headlines.html There’s an interesting debate going on in my new forum for copywriters, about copy cosmetics and specifically the formatting of headlines and subheadlines. My post here is not to discuss those issues directly. I’ll reserve that for another article. However, I do want to add my thoughts on one issue that seems to keep coming back in the forum — the issue of using long-winded, excessively wordy headlines that are prevalent on websites nowadays. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Michel Fortin) Fri, 15 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/458/1/Headlines-That-Pull-Persuade-And-Propel/Headlines-That-Pull-Persuade-And-Propel.html When writing direct response copy, there are a few things that can maximize the responsiveness of your message. The first and most important element that can turn any website, salesletter or advertisement into an action-generating mechanism is, without question, the headline. But lately, I’m seeing more and more headlines that are limp, bloated or dead wrong. A headline is meant to do two vital things. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Michel Fortin) Fri, 15 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/456/1/The-Importance-Of-Headlines/The-Importance-Of-Headlines.html Internet users are notorious scanners. I suspect they developed this habit as a defense mechanism - as a way to counteract the enormous volumes of information found on the Internet. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Sat, 09 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/454/1/Three-Tips-For-Magnetizing-Your-Copy/Three-Tips-For-Magnetizing-Your-Copy.html The difference between good copy and great copy are in the results achieved. In direct response, the number of actions the copy generates is what makes copy great. The more actions the copy drives, the greater the copy is. My friend John Reese, a master at simplifying what we often tend to unnecessarily complicate, says it best. He says the only metric you should ever really count on is this: Yes or No. That’s it. Sounds simplistic, I know. But here’s the key point: your copy may get great feedback. It may entertain. It may inform, educate or even inspire. But if it doesn’t sell, it doesn’t matter. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Michel Fortin) Wed, 06 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/453/1/Put-Your-Copy-To-The-Test/Put-Your-Copy-To-The-Test.html Split-testing is the simple process of splitting your audience into reading two or more versions of your copy (whether it’s your website, salesletter, email, etc), to determine which version pulls the best. I’m a big fan of testing. And I teach it as much as I can, as I believe 99% of marketers out there do not test at all. It’s a shame, because they’re leaving so much money on the table. I applaud those people who do test. But in some forums of late, a few people reveal their own test results while making claims they are universally applicable. First off, I always recommend you test everything first. Never take any test result as gospel. Even mine. Because only a handful of test results, if any, are statistically significant enough to be truly portable to other offers or markets. So, you’re probably scratching your head, wondering: “What good are test results, then?” daleking@guruknowledge.org (Michel Fortin) Wed, 06 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/444/1/Your-Landing-Page-Should-Resume-Your-Sales-Letter-In-B2B-Lead-Generation/Your-Landing-Page-Should-Resume-Your-Sales-Letter-In-B2B-Lead-Generation.html Do you tell this lie in your sales letters? “Visit our website for more information." Too many sales letters invite prospects to visit websites that actually contain less information than what’s found in the sales letter. This makes no sense when the goal of a business-to-business direct mail letter is to make a sale or generate an inquiry. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Alan Sharpe) Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/443/1/Sales-Letter-Readability-Improve-Your-Response-Rates-Conversationally/Sales-Letter-Readability-Improve-Your-Response-Rates-Conversationally.html  I am doing what you do, sitting at my computer, trying to get my thoughts out of my head and into a written form that will help you make a decision. In this particular case, I am trying to write a few intelligent remarks about sounding conversational on paper. You know, how to write a sales letter that sounds like it came from the mind of a person and not an institution. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Alan Sharpe) Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/442/1/Sales-Letter-Writing-Boost-Your-B2B-Readability/Sales-Letter-Writing-Boost-Your-B2B-Readability.html Who do some sales letters put a smile on your face while others put a yawn in your throat? Why are some sales letters harder to read than others? Keeping your reader hooked right to the end of your letter is one of the hardest challenges in business-to-business direct mail lead generation. The secret is making your copy easy to read. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Alan Sharpe) Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/441/1/Earn-Six-Figures-Copywriting-Why-I-Respectfully-Disagree-With-AWAI-and-Michael-Masterson/Earn-Six-Figures-Copywriting-Why-I-Respectfully-Disagree-With-AWAI-and-Michael-Masterson.html Aspiring copywriter, be warned.Don't expect to "retire this year and still make more money than most doctors." Paul Hollingshead and The American Writers & Artists Institute say you can. According to their website, all that you need to do is take Michael Masterson’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting, which teaches you to write "simple letters." daleking@guruknowledge.org (Alan Sharpe) Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/433/1/Prove-It/Prove-It.html Despite what you'd think, people buy based on emotion, not logic. If you doubt that, think back to a time when you tried to convince someone to buy something they needed, but didn't want (disability insurance comes to mind). It was an uphill battle, wasn't it? eileen@eileencoale.com (Eileen Coale) Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/432/1/Do-You-Make-These-Mistakes-With-Your-Ads/Do-You-Make-These-Mistakes-With-Your-Ads.html Unfortunately, too many businesses believe they can run an ad in a newspaper or magazine, and they'll instantly have plenty of customers. That kind of thinking has led to millions of dollars wasted on ineffective advertising every year. Here are some of the biggest blunders: eileen@eileencoale.com (Eileen Coale) Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/429/1/quotWho-Elsequot-Headlines-Suck/quotWho-Elsequot-Headlines-Suck.html "Who Else" headlines really do suck! To say I hate them would be a major understatement. Do they work? Yes they do. However, that's not the point. The point is, everyone and their dog is using "Who Else" headlines. They're all over the damn Internet!   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Sun, 27 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/423/1/Long-Copy-Sucks-And-other-Heresies/Long-Copy-Sucks-And-other-Heresies.html james@jamesbrausch.com (James D. Brausch) Thu, 17 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/385/1/The-Man-With-The-quotGrasshopper-Mindquot/The-Man-With-The-quotGrasshopper-Mindquot.html The title of this article also happens to be one of the "20 Greatest Headlines Ever Written."Did you know, just changing the headline has been known to dramatically improve the effectiveness of an ad or sales letter by up to 1700 percent? Yes, headlines are that powerful--and that important! However, over the last few years, I've noticed a proliferation of badly written--or just plain weak headlines--both online and off!Particularly disturbing is the copycat syndrome. I can't even begin to tell you how many expertdean@yahoo.com (Dean Phillips) Fri, 04 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/384/1/The-Number-One-Secret-To-Home-Business-Success/The-Number-One-Secret-To-Home-Business-Success.html Nothing will help your home business succeed or fail faster than your copywriting. Good copywriting will earn you the kind of money you can only dream about. Bad copywriting will sink your home business faster than a nuclear warhead!Everything begins and ends with your copywriting. Good copywriting is a great deodorant. It can cover up and mask a lot of things that may stink about your home business, like an inferior product, poor website design, poor customer service, etc.When writing an ad or sales letter, there are two critical points you must NEVER, EVER forget: expertdean@yahoo.com (Dean Phillips) Fri, 04 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/375/1/Pyschological-Copywriting-Why-People-Buy/Pyschological-Copywriting-Why-People-Buy.html Any competent copywriter and marketer knows that most people make buying decisions emotionally and justify their decision with logic. This article is not written for you. This article is written for inexperienced copywriters and marketers. Do you fully understand psychological copywriting? Do you know why people buy? For example, did you know a part of the brain, the hypothalamus drives emotions and hidden desires, and another part of the brain, the neocortexlogic governs reasoning and intellect? How do I know that? Because I read it in a medical journal. Yes, I sometimes daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Wed, 02 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/371/1/Forget-Brochures-Nine-Ways-To-Leverage-A-Professional-Case-Study/Forget-Brochures-Nine-Ways-To-Leverage-A-Professional-Case-Study.html I refuse to write brochures for clients.No matter how much they offer to pay me.I look them in the eye, nod my head slightly from side the side,shrug a bit, and say "No Way!"If you're thinking that I callously or arbitrarily refuse a paying gigjust on principle...you're right!=======================The Method Behind the Madness======================= barry.w.morris@gmail.com (Dr. Barry W. Morris) Sun, 30 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/349/1/The-Art-of-Effective-Copywriting/The-Art-of-Effective-Copywriting.html If you're selling a product or service on the Internet, your words are the most important factor in determining your success. High-tech web sites with fancy images won't make sales; however, many Internet entrepreneurs spend much more time designing a professional looking web site than writing effective sales copy. A professional looking web site is a very important part of making sales; however, without effective sales copy your web site will be useless.The art of effective copywriting is simply learning how to admin@web-source.net (Shelley Lowery) Sat, 22 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/341/1/Headline-Secrets-That-Can-DOUBLE-Your-Response/Headline-Secrets-That-Can-DOUBLE-Your-Response.html If you want to “ramp up response” from your ad, consider revising the headline. Many business owners don’t realize how critical the headline is to an ad’s success. Over the years, marketers have tested what works and what doesn’t in print ads and direct mail. And tests have proven many times that the headline is responsible for at least 50% and as much as 75% of an ad’s success.   chris@chrismarlow.com (Chris Marlow) Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/340/1/The-Hidden-Reason-Behind-Most-Copywriting-Failures/The-Hidden-Reason-Behind-Most-Copywriting-Failures.html In this article you’ll learn the #1 reason writing projects fail...and how to make sure YOU don’t get the blame! It all boils down to a simple but very powerful planning tool...the Project Brief. In advertising and marketing agencies they’re called Creative Briefs, and a job doesn’t move forward without one. Sophisticated marketers have learned that chris@chrismarlow.com (Chris Marlow) Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/330/1/Dale-King-Interviews-Drew-Eric-Whitman/Dale-King-Interviews-Drew-Eric-Whitman.html Dale King: Today, I'm interviewing Author, Direct Response Specialist and Master Copywriter Drew Eric Whitman. Hello Drew, how are you? Drew Eric Whitman: Well, the sun is shining. I have my health. I live in a beautiful part of the U.S. and have the pleasure to be associated with YOU. what the heck could be better? :-) Dale King: Thank you very much! Drew, tell our readers how you got started marketing your services on the Internet. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Sat, 15 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/302/1/10-Commandments-for-Great-Copywriting/10-Commandments-for-Great-Copywriting.html The execution of an excellent promotional email campaign relies heavily on the effectiveness of the copy you write. If you are the person writing for your email campaigns, it would be wise to invest some time into strengthening your skills. I would wager that you can count on both hands (and both feet) the number of kmullins@constantcontact.com (Gail Goodman) Sat, 08 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/301/1/How-To-Transform-Your-Profits-Using-Direct-Response-and-Copyrighting-Secrets/How-To-Transform-Your-Profits-Using-Direct-Response-and-Copyrighting-Secrets.html You know how sometimes, you look at your Hi-Fi system that you have had for many years – Old Faithful, and you think – ‘Well – time I bought the latest gizmos and replaced the whole lot with one that works’.   geofftrader@gmail.com (Geoff Morris) Sat, 08 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/300/1/3-Quick-And-Easy-Ways-To-Fix-Your-Underachieving-Copywriting/3-Quick-And-Easy-Ways-To-Fix-Your-Underachieving-Copywriting.html If your copywriting isn't performing the way you think it should or has in the past, following are "3 Quick And Easy Ways To Fix Your Underachieving Copywriting!" carmgiovanni@yahoo.com (Carmella Giovanni) Sat, 08 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/258/1/The-Lost-Art-Of-Fundamental-Copywriting/The-Lost-Art-Of-Fundamental-Copywriting.html What ever happened to good old fashion, fundamental copywriting? Has anyone seen AIDA? I mean, before you can run, you first have to learn how to walk, right? Yet, I see it over and over again. Marketers who can't even write a simple headline are trying to "hypnotize" readers with "psychological copywriting," because that's what a few of today's copywriting experts are telling them they should do! expertdean@yahoo.com (Dean Phillips) Mon, 03 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/242/1/How-to-Use-the-quotEvil-Eyequot-Power-of-Hypnosis-to-Influence-People-to-Buy-Buy-Buy/How-to-Use-the-quotEvil-Eyequot-Power-of-Hypnosis-to-Influence-People-to-Buy-Buy-Buy.html Dear Friend:Would you like a double... triple... quadruple your advertising response? You can, if you follow the rules I'm going to share with you. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Drew Eric Whitman) Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/229/1/The-1-Most-Ridiculous-Myth-And-YOU-Probably-Believe-It-Thats-KILLING-Your-Web-Sales-DEAD/The-1-Most-Ridiculous-Myth-And-YOU-Probably-Believe-It-Thats-KILLING-Your-Web-Sales-DEAD.html HOGWASH!! That's what I say to anyone who insists that "People don't read long copy on web sites!" What a bunch of bull! This is the same tired old argument the less informed use when they talk about sales letters... ads... tv commercials... everything else they know little about. Fact is, long copy sells, regardless of the medium used. In fact, I'd like you to "listen in" on a debate I had with a senior editor for a large publishing company about this very topic, just last week. JUDY: I think this copy is too long. DREW: Too long for what? JUDY: Too long for our web site. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Drew Eric Whitman) Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/227/1/Powerful-Openings-For-Ads--Sales-Letters-That-Get-Your-Prospects-To-Buy-or-Respond-NowThe-Secret-Of-The-4-Magical-Openings/Sales-Letters-That-Get-Your-Prospects-To-Buy-or-Respond-NowThe-Secret-Of-The-4-Magical-Openings.html Selling starts from the first word your prospect sees. If you don't grab his attention right off the bat, then chances are you've lost him for good. That's why I've written this tutorial. In here you'll find the basic true and steadfast rules for opening your ads with powerful words that will grap your prospect and throw them into the document. Opening your documents properly is one of the most important things you can do to successfully sell your products and services. The headline to an ad is the most important element in a document, and in this tutorial you'll learn the four most powerful openings you can use. Realize that you prospect is only interested in what you have to offer to the degree that brian@briankeithkillercopyclinic.com (Brian Keith Voiles) Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/225/1/Hypnotic-Sellingor-Wheres-the-Magic/Hypnotic-Sellingor-Wheres-the-Magic.html I love magic. I know many magicians and often attend magic conventions and shows. I haunt the dealer room, where magic tricks are sold. I'm looking for the tricks that make people gasp in surprise and delight. Unfortunately, most magic is on the level of a prank or kid's joke. That's not for me, so most magic that I see disappoints me. But one day I met a magic dealer at a convention who was very friendly. He took his time with me, listened to my needs, and then responded with some truly hypnotic stories. For example: "I went into one of those big discount stores," Mr. Williams, the dealer joe@mrfire.com (Dr. Joe Vitale) Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/224/1/Case-Study-Does-Hypnotic-Writing-Really-Work/Case-Study-Does-Hypnotic-Writing-Really-Work.html If you've ever wondered if the words on a website were very important, then keep reading. Brad Yates is a master at EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques. EFT is a method for tapping away psychological issues so you are free to have, do, or be what you want. Some people call is "psychological acupuncture." You use a finger or two to "tap" on certain areas of your body, which releases stuck energy so you can move forward without any internal blocks. Snicker if you like. EFT has been used for well over ten years and is now joe@mrfire.com (Dr. Joe Vitale) Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/223/1/31--derfully-Simple-Ways-To-Make-Your-Ads-Generate-More-Inquiries/31--derfully-Simple-Ways-To-Make-Your-Ads-Generate-More-Inquiries.html A client recently phoned with a problem I’d encountered many times before.             “Our new ad campaign’s main goal is to create awareness and build image, not generate sales leads,”  the ad manager explained. “But my management still tends to judge ads by counting the number of inquiries they bring in. Is there some way I can increase my ad’s pulling power without destroying the basic campaign concept?”             Fortunately, the answer is yes. There are proven techniques you can use to increase any ads pulling rwbly@bly.com (Bob Bly) Sun, 25 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/222/1/How-To-Write-A-Good-Advertisement/How-To-Write-A-Good-Advertisement.html To define what constitutes good print advertising, we begin with what a good print ad is not: It is not creative for the sake of being creative. It is not designed to please copywriters, art directors, agency presidents, or even clients. Its main purpose is not to entertain, win awards, or shout at the readers, “I am an ad. Don’t you admire my fine writing, bold graphics, and clever concept?” In other words, ignore most of what you would learn as a rwbly@bly.com (Bob Bly) Sun, 25 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/221/1/quotI-Almost-Flunked-English-But-Went-On-To-Make-Millions-of-Dollars-Writing-Sales-Copy-quot/quotI-Almost-Flunked-English-But-Went-On-To-Make-Millions-of-Dollars-Writing-Sales-Copy-quot.html The Guinness Book of World Records listed Joe Girard as the "World's Greatest Retail Salesman" for 12 consecutive years. He holds the singular distinction of having sold an average of six cars a day over his career. Recently, Joe Girard told me: "Joe, I can sell in person to individuals in a personal way - in fact, I can sell more cars per day than anyone else. Yet, I can't do what you do -- you sell millions of products to masses of people through the sheer power of print." Salesmanship in Print When you look at it from Joe Girard's perspective, it's hard to deny the awesome power of writing good sales jimb@usdreams.com (Joe Sugarman) Sun, 25 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/220/1/quotHow-to-Trigger-a-Successful-Sale-Through-the-Power-of-Psychological-Triggersquot/quotHow-to-Trigger-a-Successful-Sale-Through-the-Power-of-Psychological-Triggersquot.html A desire to buy something often involves a subconscious decision. In fact, I claim that 95% of buying decisions are indeed subconscious. Knowing the subconscious reasons why people buy, and using this information in a fair and constructive way, will trigger greater sales response -- often far beyond what you could imagine. I recall a time when I applied one of these subconscious devices by changing just one word of an ad, and response doubled. I refer to these subconscious devices as psychological "triggers." A psychological trigger is jimb@usdreams.com (Joe Sugarman) Sun, 25 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/203/1/7-Secrets-of-Money-Making-Direct-Mail/7-Secrets-of-Money-Making-Direct-Mail.html If you send out marketing letters, you may be familiar with the agony and the ecstasy. You know what I mean? The agony when letters don't work--money down the drain-- and the ecstasy when they do. The money that comes in from a good letter is almost like manna from heaven. The sad reality, though, is that too many direct mail letters fail. A large number of letters don't get any response at all, and most letters that get response don't get nearly the response they could. Fortunately, the next time you do a mailing, it doesn't have to be that way. You can put the odds on your side by following seven simple steps. I've examined the successful letters I've written for clients, and david@davidgarfinkel.com (David Garfinkel) Thu, 22 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/202/1/The-Secret-Behind-Million-Dollar-Ads/The-Secret-Behind-Million-Dollar-Ads.html Want a little secret to turn your advertising into an irresistible magnet for customers? Dale Carnegie knew the secret, and that's one reason his book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" has sold more than 15 million copies. In fact, British Airways recently named it, "The Business Book of the 20th Century." It's a great book. But if Dale had titled it "How to Remember People's Names and Curb Your Incessant Urge to Argue," do you think it would have sold as well? Probably not. There's greatpower in good titles. What you may not realize is the words "How to Win Friends and Influence People" are not only the title of the book. Those words were also the headline of a mail-order ad, which sold the book. The ad ran successfully for many years and sold hundreds of thousands of copies. So what does this have to do with turning your advertising into an irresistible customer magnet? Here's what. Behind the title and headline is a "secret code" that makes it powerful. Dale knew it. Great advertising copywriters know it. And now, you're going to know it, too. The "secret code" is actually a generic formula that gets attention and creates desire in your david@davidgarfinkel.com (David Garfinkel) Wed, 21 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/201/1/How-to-Instantly-Double-the-Response-of-Any-Ad-Letter-or-Web-Promotion/How-to-Instantly-Double-the-Response-of-Any-Ad-Letter-or-Web-Promotion.html Great marketers know a secret that most business people don't. I'm going to share it with you now: You can go from losing money to making a fortune just by changing a few words. What words are those? The first words… in any letter, ad or Web page. The words that make up the headline. Recently I was speaking to a business group, and to make my point, I took that day's edition of USA Today and covered up all the headlines on the front page with inch-wide white correction tape. I asked them what was wrong with the newspaper. "No headlines!" they blurted out, almost all at once.  "Then why," I asked, "do so many of your ads not have headlines?" It's a fact: We have been conditioned to decide what to read based on david@davidgarfinkel.com (David Garfinkel) Wed, 21 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/89/1/The-Raw-Truth-About-Persuasion-and-Copywriting/The-Raw-Truth-About-Persuasion-and-Copywriting.html I get asked all the time, “Lorrie, how can I make my copy more persuasive?” Well frankly it helps if you can speak your prospect’s language. But writing persuasively is more involved than just saying the right words. You need to say them in the right order…and in a way that lowers resistance to new information and is acceptable to his or her mind. One discipline that translates nicely to writing persuasive copy is NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming. NLP isn’t a replacement for good copywriting. It’s a turbo boost. Meeting a person on his or her own level by using familiar words puts YOU in control of the communication almost immediately.  Have you ever been moved to buy a pair of sexy shoes instead of the sensible, comfy shoes you really needed? But when you got home you didn’t know how you got over the resistance of spending the money? See, people understand the RESULT of making a purchasing decision, but are often unaware of the internal recipe that gets them there. We all know we tend to buy based on emotion over logic. In fact, most buying decisions are largely emotional. WHO’S RIGHT ANYWAY? support@red-hot-copy.com (Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero) Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/88/1/5-Ways-to-Sell-More-by-Using-a-Copywriter/5-Ways-to-Sell-More-by-Using-a-Copywriter.html When I tell people I'm a copywriter, I sometimes get a glazed-over look. "What kind of writer?" Or better yet, "A copyRIGHTER? Are you some kind of lawyer?" They just don't understand how a copywriter can help them. So here's the scoop. Basically, we're salespeople with the time and expertise to make you look good on paper. Sure, you can write your own copy…if you can find time in your grueling schedule. (Hopefully it will sound professional). Maybe you're nervous about letting someone else create content that represents you. That's understandable, but you have to get over it. You're never going to make money with products that exist only in your head. Worried that your copywriter doesn't have experience writing in your field? Don't be. Here's why. Good writers research. They jump in and study all the support@red-hot-copy.com (Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero) Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/87/1/5-Critical-Mistakes-Most-Freelance-Copywriters-Make/5-Critical-Mistakes-Most-Freelance-Copywriters-Make.html Think you have what it takes to be a freelance copywriter? I wasn’t so sure I knew when I first started in 1999. All I knew was I desperately wanted to work from home to raise my two sons after my divorce. It took a lot of trial and error to get to the stabile and profitable business I am running now in 2005. There are some things I learned along the way I wish I knew much earlier in the game. One thing I learned is that writing is a very small part of being a successful freelance copywriter. Don’t get me wrong. You DO need to know how to write. But your success depends largely on your savvy as a businessperson. How do I know? Because I’ve played it from both sides of the street. And I didn’t begin to enjoy success until I started doing some very distinct things in my business. Please let me share with you some of the mistakes I made starting out so you can avoid those pitfalls yourself…and catapult to success much faster than it took me. Mistake #1: Don’t attract new clients.When I first started out in 1999 I had exactly one client. He kept me very busy…for support@red-hot-copy.com (Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero) Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/86/1/7-Steps-You-MUST-Take-Before-Writing-a-Word-of-Copy/7-Steps-You-MUST-Take-Before-Writing-a-Word-of-Copy.html Copywriting Checklist   Okay, you know you have your product (or service) in front of you. Now it's time to get the word out with an attention-grabbing sales letter. But where do you begin? Whether you hire someone to write your copy, pass it off to a staff member or learn to write it yourself, you need this checklist.   The Critical Steps to Take Before Writing Your Sales Letter  One of the biggest misconceptions new clients have when they come to me is I can whip out a sales letter in a few days. Wrong, wrong and wrong. A lot of preparation goes into writing copy. I spend on average 50% - 70% of my time PREPARING to write copy. If you don't do your homework, the chances go up exponentially that your copy will fall flat on its face. Use this simple support@red-hot-copy.com (Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero) Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/85/1/5-Quick-And-Easy-Ways-To-Improve-Your-Copywriting/5-Quick-And-Easy-Ways-To-Improve-Your-Copywriting.html If you want to quickly improve your copywriting, and you're not surewhere to start, the following five tips will definitely help you: 1. Use a "Quick And Easy" Headline With A Number In It. We livein a disposable society today. People want things quick, andthey want things easy. They don't have time to waste. By using a"Quick And Easy" headline, you cater to society's wants and yourheadline will automatically get people's attention. And that'sthe first step to writing a successful ad or salesletter. Another reason to use a "Quick And Easy" headline is because it daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/43/1/How-to-Create-a-Power-Packed-Headline/How-to-Create-a-Power-Packed-Headline.html Every part of your sales message is important. Your opening is crucial. Your presentation of product benefits ... of proof and credibility elements ... of the offer and premiums ... of your guarantee ... and of your closing, “ask-for-the-sale” copy are all critical.But of all the things you do to produce a sale, nothing equals your headline when it comes to pushing response through the roof. In my 33 years in this business, I’ve often seen great new headlines produce 25%, 35%, even 45% lifts in response and ROI. And of course, I’ve seen them add months – even a year or more – to the lifespan of an aging ad or control.Why are heads so important? Two reasons: support@makepeacetotalpackage.com (Clayton Makepeace) Sun, 04 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/42/1/How-to-turn-a-leisurely-visit-to-your-local-bookstore-into-the-most-profitable-three-hours-of-your-entire-year/How-to-turn-a-leisurely-visit-to-your-local-bookstore-into-the-most-profitable-three-hours-of-your-e.html No place on Earth contains greater wisdom on the art and science of persuasion...or insight into what your prospects are buying now...or more ideas you can shamelessly filch for your next marketing promotion...than your local bookstore. This year, Americans will spend considerably more than $30 BILLION on books and magazines. With those high dollars at stake, you’d expect the competition to be ferocious. You’d be right. Take a look around the bookstore. How many book and magazine titles do you figure you see? 10,000? 20,000? support@makepeacetotalpackage.com (Clayton Makepeace) Sun, 04 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/38/1/How-to-use-the-Worlds-Easiest--Most-Effective-Headline-Format-to-Turbo-Charge-Your-Business/How-to-use-the-Worlds-Easiest--Most-Effective-Headline-Format-to-Turbo-Charge-Your-Business.html Did you notice the title for this article? Of course, it's a headline. That's right and it uses a shop-worn classic format which still continues to amaze me with its power. Just 2 simple words... "How To..." Stick with me on this, I know it sounds too easy. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Yanik Silver) Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/35/1/BULLET-14-6-Little-Words-That-Boost-Your-Sales-Because-They-Make-Your-Advertising-More-Interesting-and-Believable/BULLET-14-6-Little-Words-That-Boost-Your-Sales-Because-They-Make-Your-Advertising-More-Interesting.html Dear Marketing Top Gun,     "You can't save souls in an empty church," said David Ogilvy. "And you can't bore people into buying your product."     That's why Ogilvy sought to hire copywriters "with richly-furnished minds."     How can you have a richly-furnished mind and write copy so interesting that, in the words of legendary Copy Chief, Vic Schwab, it's "easier to read than to skip"?     You can start with this advice to young writers, from poet Ezra Pound: "Curiosity. Advice to the young. Curiosity."     Substitute "copywriters" for "the young," and you're seeing the light.     And how can you easily become more curious and thus more interesting? I commend these words from Nobel prize-winning poet, Rudyard Kipling: bencivengasbullets@aol.com (Gary Bencivenga) Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/33/1/Writing-Great-Sales-Copy/Writing-Great-Sales-Copy.html A lot of people shy away from writing their own ads and salesletters when it's really not necessary. If you have even a basicgrasp of writing skills, you can easily write your own stuff thatreally sells. You probably just need a few pointers about formatand language. When formatting an ad or a sales letter, put the most importantbenefits right up front. Put yourself in the customer's shoes andask yourself what the customer will really go for. Focus onthat point. kevin@drnunley.com (Dr. Kevin Nunley) Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/16/1/If-Long-Copy-Stinks-Think-Soap/If-Long-Copy-Stinks-Think-Soap.html Just two days ago, my friend and copywriter John Riskowitz published one of my articles on long copy to his list, to which one of his subscribers protested. Coincidentally, his protest points out the fact that commodity products, like soap, do not require long copy. The coincidence is that I agreed with what this person is saying, and in fact I actually posted another article just last week on the very topic of product categories, and the different approaches, including copy length, required for each one. Academia labels them as convenience products, shopping products, specialty products and unsought products. (Soap, among others, falls into the convenience category.) daleking@guruknowledge.org (Michel Fortin) Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/15/1/Does-Your-Copy-Have-Personality/Does-Your-Copy-Have-Personality.html Some people like hypey copy, while others prefer newsy copy. Some people like long, others prefer short. Some people drama, stories and testimonials… Others data, statistics and facts. Does it all matter? Absolutely. What makes one style of copy more favorable than another? Why does one person buy from one type of copy and not from another? It really comes down to the buying behavior of your market. And in fact, there are four major personality types. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Michel Fortin) Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/10/1/Write-Sales-Letters-Automatically/Write-Sales-Letters-Automatically.html Much has been written about how to write a sales letter, but more often than not, those writings never deal with more than the mechanical aspect of sales letter writing. There's nothing wrong with having great prose, but when it come to sales letters - emotion is what really sells. The first step to writing powerful sales letters is to know as much about who will read your letter as you can. Ask questions like: What is most important to my prospect in this area? sam@cashflowmarketing.com (Sam Robbins) Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400