Direct Response Copywriter on Life Before Direct Marketing

You’ve heard it before: think like your prospect. Get into their shoes.

And so on.

When I’m writing golf copy, it’s pretty easy: I’m a golfer. I know what golfers want. It’s a little more difficult when I’m writing copy for a product I wouldn’t normally buy…like a male testosterone supplement. And yes, I wrote a ton of copy for a product called Nugenix. And no, it’s not a product I currently need. Just for the record.

To get started, I like to use my pre-flight checklist, which is a must for any direct response copywriter or direct response marketer.

However, there’s a step that every direct marketer should take.

Think back to the days before you were in direct response...before the “but wait, there’s more…” phraseology started to invade your mind. I started my direct response journey about 10 years ago. Before then, I bought products based on direct response advertising. I knew nothing about headlines, bullets, CTAs, etc. I was just a normal consumer with a problem or dream. That’s the person I’m trying to reach.

About 15 years ago, I remember buying a golf product that Greg Norman marketed through an infomercial. In my teens, I bought a series of Time Life books because I got a letter in the mail telling me my life would be better with these beautiful books in my house. I’m sure I bought many other products and services because a direct response copywriter persuaded me to the take the next step in the sales process.

The overwhelming majority of people…potential customers…know NOTHING about direct response copywriting or direct response copywriting. Proof: the blank stares I receive when I tell someone that I’m a direct response copywriter.

One of the biggest mistakes a direct response copywriter can make is to write to impress other direct response copywriters. Quite honestly, I don’t care what another copywriter thinks about my work. I only care about response and conversion and the revenue I can generate for clients.

And to max out that conversion and revenue, I have to think back to the days before I knew anything about direct response. So don't get too immersed in the technical aspects of direct response. Remember that regular people, not direct response marketers, are the ones buying stuff.

And one more tip...think about what you're thinking when YOU are buying something in response to a direct response campaign.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I specialize in providing direct response copy for the direct marketing environment for clients around the planet. I specialize in sales page copy, landing page copy and copy that persuades readers to pull out their credit card and buy. Enter your info to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here if you have a project you'd like me to quote.

I'm also a Dan Kennedy Certified Copywriter for Info-Marketers.

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Disclaimer for the above.

The Dan Kennedy Copywriter for Info-Marketers Certification is awarded to professional copywriters who have successfully completed a course of study of preparation for such copywriting.  This Certification has not been provided by an accredited education institution.  It does not constitute endorsement of or liability for any individual copywriter by Mr. Kennedy or any companies or organizations affiliated with Mr. Kennedy. The client's relationship is solely with the individual copywriter retained via any agreement.