Direct Response Copywriter On Why Curiosity Is So Powerful In Copy

People are generally curious, especially when it comes to a subject they’re interested in. A direct response copywriter should definitely be curious about everything. My curiosity is off the charts when it comes to the products and services I’m writing about. My first goal, when I start researching something new, is to find out the #1 benefit that motivates people to buy.

I want to get as much curiosity into my copy as I can, depending on what I’m selling. There needs to be a ton of curiosity in the copy when I’m selling an information/training product.

The headline formula I use is The John Caples headline formula. Interest = Curiosity + Benefit. The “How To” headline fits the formula.

If your headlines aren’t following The John Caples headline formula, then it’s highly likely the content and content isn’t being read.

What else can follow The John Caples headline formula?

• 1. Email subject lines.
• 1. Subheads.
• 1. Pull quotes.
• 1. Captions for photos and graphics.

Fascination bullets are all about curiosity and they also follow The John Caples headline formula. Bottom Line, a publishing company that used to be called Boardroom, used fascination bullets in its magalogs selling books and newsletters. In fact, those promotions are pretty much just one big exercise in fascination bullets.

• What never to eat on a plane.
• The right way and the wrong way to fight high blood pressure.
• Straight talk about the future of IPOs.

I have about 20 fascination bullet templates. Curiosity is a powerful weapon in direct response copy and I like to use curiosity as much as I can. Check your copy to see how much curiosity you're using.

Direct Response Copywriter Wtih A Message For Marketing Managers and Decision Makers

If you’re a marketing decision maker, then make sure you read this. Your career depends on what I’m going to say.

The people above you are demanding a ton of top-line revenue while you minimize what you spend on traffic, etc. You know this.

Top sports coaches are top sports coaches, in large part, because they are ruthless.

If they have a player who is “OK” then they find a player who is a lot better.

You might like your current direct response copywriter. They might be “OK” or “pretty good.” If that’s the case, then your career depends on finding a copywriter who is “elite” and can write copy that will bring you massively more measurable revenue than your current copywriter. We’re talking millions of dollars in additional revenue.

I’m talking direct response copy, not branding copy.

AI will not help you one bit here. Just read what Dan Kennedy, Ryan Levesque, and other top direct marketers are saying. AI has a fundamental flaw when it comes to direct response copywriting.

Yes, finding an “elite” direct response copywriter isn’t easy and you’ll have to pay more to get them on your team. But the work of this copywriter will propel you into the ranks of the “elite” level marketing managers.

You won’t be yet another marketing manager who gets kicked to the curb because they couldn’t produce revenue … and has to find a totally different line of work.

This might seem brutal, but it’s true, when you really think about it.

Direct Response Copywriter On AI's Fatal Flaw ... When It Comes To Copy That Will Drive Revenue

AI is all the rage and a newsletter from The Wall Street Journal recently said that agencies and marketing departments are ready to produce copy that is actually pretty good and not “AI Slop.”

When it comes to direct response copywriting, AI has a fatal flaw.

Let me explain.

When I’m starting a project with a new client, I go through my full research process. One thing that’s crucial … the #1 thing that motivates the client or customer to buy your product or service.

This “#1 thing” almost always surprises me.

The information comes from someone in the company who really knows what really motivates people to buy.

I can build all my copy around this reason. This tactic has helped me write a lot of copy that's generated a ton of revenue.

If I rely on AI for this vital information, it will send me in the wrong direction and everything I write will be totally off target.

Why do I want this?

I’ll rely on my process for writing revenue-generating direct response copy and let the "you must use AI" crowd get it totally wrong.

However, these people can say “I’m great with AI and thus a great marketer” for what it’s worth.

One more thing … NOBODY has shown me direct response copy created by AI that’s beating direct response copy written by a top direct response copywriter. Look above and you know why.

Direct Response Copywriter On Email Marketing That Generates Millions of Dollars In Revenue

ELEVEN Keys To Successful Email Marketing ... Based On 25 Years Of Copywriting Plus Over 10,000 Emails ...

With the constant emphasis on everything “new and shiny” in marketing, it’s easy to forget the power of email. I was at a conference recently where Ryan Deiss of Digital Marketer gushed, yes … gushed, about email. Every successful direct marketer continues to rely on email to generate revenue.

Want Your Email Marketing To Be Successful? Follow These Guidelines And You’ll Bring In More Revenue.

• Test your subject lines like a maniac.
• The ultimate measurement is revenue, not open rates and other metrics. Organize your testing around revenue.
• Put a full-on direct response headline at the top of the body of your email. A subject line is not a headline.
• Let people unsubscribe. If someone isn’t interested in what you’re selling, that’s perfectly fine. After several sends, you'll end up with a database that wants what you're selling and you'll have very few people unsubscribe.
• Provide valuable information in every email. This builds and maintains a relationship with your customers.
• Use the classic AIDA copy formula … or problem/solution.
• Where are you sending people from your links? I know a famous company that sends people to “generic” pages on their website. That’s a huge mistake. Specific landing pages mean more revenue.
• AI will give you email copy that will not convert. You’ll save time and some money but you won’t get any revenue … or not much.
• Hire a direct response copywriter to write your copy and manage the process. Use a direct marketing approach. Run away from the branding people as fast as you can.
• People will remember your company when the emails are valuable. However, you can't measure this impact. It's a bonus.
• Email segmentation and automation are beautiful because you can more accurately target your audience.

Yes … we all get a lot of marketing emails. That's a good thing because this provides you with an opportunity to stand out from all the “garbage” that comes our way.

I wrote emails for a small restaurant in Charlotte, NC. It was a restaurant with quite possibly the world’s worst restaurant location. I helped them build a database of over 3,000 opt-in emails and people always said, “your emails are the only ones I like to open."

Let's Get Your Email Marketing Generating Revenue ...

If you KNOW your emails should be generating more revenue, let’s talk. Maybe you haven't been doing much with your email database.

Either way, I’m happy to provide a free 30-minute review of your current email marketing. Go here to set up a time to meet. I can’t wait to help you generate more revenue from your email database.

Direct Response Copywriter on Why CMOs and Marketing Managers Get Fired

I’ve worked in direct marketing for over 30 years and my passion for direct response copywriting, direct marketing, and generating whopping amounts of money for my clients remains off the charts.

Something I’m also passionate about is the people I work with and helping them become wildly successful.

As such, I’ve seen two types of CMO/marketing manager.

• The one who gets fired.
• The one who moves up the corporate ladder.

To me, it’s pretty simple. The ones who get fired are …

• Experts in corporate jargon.
• All about "the brand."
• Good looking.
• Currently hiding behind AI.
• Well-educated, often with advanced marketing degrees from famous universities.
• Totally clueless when it comes to direct marketing.
• Horrible when it comes to generating revenue.
• Always seeking awards for “creativity.”
• Excellent at making excuses when, not if, revenue fails to materialize.

The ones who prosper …

• Are passionate about direct marketing.
• They are not necessarily ugly but not necessarily beautiful.
• Have an elite-level direct response copywriter on their team.
• Have zero interest in awards and only care about top-line revenue.
• Test like crazy.
• Overcome external challenges in their respective markets.
• Know how to generate revenue, often out of thin air, because they are DIRECT MARKETERS.

Maybe I’m simplifying things. Or maybe I’m not.

There’s a company I’ve followed for over 20 years. They’ve had six CMOs in that time, all of whom have been fired. The company has a famous product ... an awesome product, in fact. Yet all of these CMOs failed. Why? See above. Revenue is currently way down at this company and I doubt the current CMO will last long. Why? See above.

Look … if you’re a marketing manager or CMO and you want to thrive in your career, make sure you know how to generate revenue through direct marketing. Make sure you have a direct response copywriter around.

I’ve helped hundreds of CMOs and marketing managers succeed and avoid the scrapheap of failed CMOs and marketing managers.

If you want my help, go here and let's talk.

Look … you can follow the siren song of “brand equity” and “award-winning creative” and all that nonsense … and get kicked to the curb … and have to do something else … and see your income vaporize … or you can be a direct marketer who knows how to generate piles of cash and have a wildly successful career.

Most people in marketing, for whatever reason, choose the former. I think you’re smarter than that.