spurs supporter has to mow my lawn

OK...it's not a business blog about being a direct response copywriter but...

In February, with Arsenal 7 points behind tottenham hotspur (scum) I bet my friend and neighbo(u)r Greg that, by the end of the season, Arsenal would be on top of his team. We subsequently lost to them and I was getting my mower ready but THE MIGHTY ARSENAL pulled through and here is Greg just now mowing my mountainous lawn. Yes, Arsenal finished 4th and spurs 5th.

Actually, Greg was supposed to wear an Arsenal shirt as part of the bet but failed on that front. Hmmm.

But wait...there's more...To fulfill his obligations, Greg also has to provide me with 'refreshment' at a local establishment.

MIND THE GAP!

Click the image above for full size. It's worth it.

Direct Response Copywriter on Crazy Egg

I contribute frequently to the Crazy Egg Blog.

Here's the latest entry.

Here are previous entries.

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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.

Direct Response Copywriter on Telling the Truth

The entire advertising industry has a bad rap for not telling the truth. You've heard the phrase "false advertising" I'm sure. Every now and then, a company gets nailed for not telling the truth. They get sued privately or publicly.

As a direct response copywriter, I'm part of the whole marketing gig so I guess I'm perhaps seen in the same way as the entire marketing industry. To some, direct marketers are seen as the worst. That's not entirely fair. There are some scallywags in direct marketing; the same applies for the branding side.

This brings up the tricky subject of ethics in direct response copywriting. My clients want me to show their product in the best possible light so that people will buy the product. But some clients have asked me to make outrageous claims.

I'm not comfortable making these claims. Here's why.

• It's not right.
• Potential customers are not stupid and they know that outrageous claims are just that...outrageous.

There's nothing wrong with a little bit of excitability and color. The key is what Herschell Gordon Lewis calls "verisimilitude" which is a long word for putting the product in the best possible light.

I have to trust the information the client provides but I won't tell flat out lies. Here's my overall approach to telling the truth in direct response copy.

1. There must be a guarantee...a way for the customer to say, "no thanks I want my money back" if the product fails to live up to expectations.
2. Crazy claims might work in the short run but it's not a good long-term strategy.
3. The clients and customers you want are the ones who will buy from you again and again. You want to build a relationship with them based on trust. The truth is the foundation of a trusting relationship.
4. Real testimonials from real people are important.
5. Proof elements prove you're telling the truth.

So there's no need to lie in advertising. As I regularly say...clear copy that easily explains why the prospect needs the product or service almost always works.

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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.

Direct Response Copywriter on What Really Works

I just wrote the copy for a product in the golf space. As soon as the product launched and the shopping cart opened, the shopping cart crashed due to sheer volume/demand. A good problem to have.

The company that is promoting the product had to shut down the launch, beef up its server capacity, then relaunch. Everything is hunky dory now. It was a blockbuster launch, despite the glitch.

I'd like to take credit, as the copywriter, for copy that shut down the servers but I can't. Here's why this launch was so successful.

• A big list with globs of hungry and highly-qualified traffic.
• An excellent relationship with the list based on superb content.
• Awesome "teaser" emails to get everyone fired up about the product.
• A unique, top quality product that is different from the typical "how to hold the club" golf DVD.
• Three major revisions of the copy before it went live. A healthy dose of persistence.
• A strong and clear sales page.
• The ability to add server capacity at the last minute to avert final hurdle disaster. Flexibility.

As a direct response copywriter, I wish I could claim total credit but direct response copy is just part of a successful launch. If the product has no merit and there's no traffic, there's nothing a direct response copywriter can do to help. If there's plenty of traffic, the offer is exceptional, and the product is great, then I'm simply closing the sale and helping to break records and shut down servers. However, with moderate traffic and a modest product and offer, I can help to make a significant difference.

Still, while it's never good when the shopping cart shuts down due to demand, it's a good problem to have: you've discovered what really works.

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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.

*

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.

Direct Response Copywriter on Creative Flexibility

My clients are almost all direct marketers. This means they ALL test like crazy.

If you take a peek at my portfolio, you’ll see a wide variety of styles and formats. But it’s all direct response copy.

Some clients want “pure” pedal-to-the-metal DR copy. Others want it toned down. Some use a format that’s built around graphics.

As a direct response copywriter, one of my jobs is to give the client exactly the style of direct response copy they want. Because that’s the type of copy that converts…based on their testing data.

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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.

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.