Direct Response Copywriter on The Not-So-Secret Secret

I run into a lot of people in/from the business world. I meet people with business degrees. I meet successful entrepreneurs. I meet business academics. Pretty much the whole shebang.

Many of these people want to know what I do.

I tell them, “I’m a direct response copywriter.”

And then I get a blank stare or a few moments of embarrassing silence … even from people in business.

Quite a few people think I’m some type of lawyer, specializing in the realm of intellectual property, specifically the little ‘c’ sign.

©

That’s copyright, not copywriting.

Quite a big difference.

Even though I’m in the writing business and words are my day-to-day existence, I’ve never really come up with a quick and simple definition of what a direct response copywriter really does.

Here are just a few of my efforts.

*It’s sort of like those infomercials.

I’m a salesman in print.

I write ads.

BUT WAIT … THERE’S MORE.*

The problem with the last explanation is this … it makes me seem a tad low-end. That’s not how I operate. I’m not trying to fool or con anyone. I’ll leave that to the bankers from a certain national bank.

Let me make it much, much easier for everyone.

The people who know what a direct response copywriter does … and hire a good one … make a TON of money.

One of my clients has organized sales in excess of $400 million for their products. A major international company purchased another client for tens of millions. The copy is part of the equation.

Let me say it again …

The people who know what a direct response copywriter does … and hire a good one … make a TON of money.

Certain people in advertising and marketing fully understand my work and how I write copy. But they won’t hire me or another direct response copywriter because they’re worried about “brand equity” and other such nonsense.

Oh well … that’s your loss as the money leaves for your competition.

How many direct response copywriters are there in the world? About 200-300 who can genuinely motivate potential customers to become actual customers.

This explains, in part, why so many people in business don’t know what I do.

I hope that changes.

I’ll write it one more time.

The people who know what a direct response copywriter does … and hire a good one … make a TON of money.

Direct Response Copywriter on Excuses and People Who Know Everything

I love direct marketing and direct response copywriting for many reasons. One of them … I never hear excuses from serious direct marketers. When sales are lower than usual, direct marketers find a way to increase revenue.

So you can imagine my SHOCK when I recently received an email blaming a lack of sales this year on something that happend LAST YEAR.

I thought I had seen and heard pretty much everything in the world of marketing but that’s a first.

Let me say that again … sales are down this year due to conditions last year. If I were the CEO or owner of that company and I saw something like that coming from the marketing department, two things would happen. First, the head of marketing would be given a straight red. Then I’d find a direct marketer who could actually generate sales and revenue whatever is happening.

The direct marketers I admire are the ones who get the job done whatever is happening in the economy and the world. Imagine what would happen if I wrote some direct response copy and it failed and I blamed conditions last year … or ANY year.

The client would go totally berserk … and with good reason. If things aren’t going well revenue-wise then direct marketers dig deep and find that revenue.

Let’s change the subject before I implode.

I belong to a number of groups on Facebook and Linked In. I can’t say that I spend a great deal of time participating.

Here’s one reason … I see a TON of awful advice and information in these groups. A few months ago, I criticized a person for providing information I know is blatantly wrong. I received a fast response from the person who leads that group saying I was wrong and she was right. I won’t go further into the exact details. I stopped right there with the conversation because I have better things to do than get into online arguments. I'm a busy direct response copywriter.

What’s my point here?

Don’t listen to people in those groups. Base what you do on advice from people who actually know what they’re talking about. There’s one problem here … these direct response copywriters don’t hang around in Facebook and Liked In groups.

Don’t make excuses. Be careful who you follow and believe.

*

I'm a direct response copywriter working for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or [contact me here][2] when you have a project you'd like to discuss. I'm also a Dan Kennedy certified copywriter for information products.

Direct Response Copywriter on The Power of Clarity

Ask a bunch of direct marketers and direct response copywriters, “what’s the most important thing in direct marketing?” and you’ll get a lot of different answers.

The list. The offer. Proof. Testing. Headlines. Research

And so on …

All of the above must be there.

But here’s something you rarely hear. THE POWER OF CLARITY.

In the branding world, obtuse and obscure ads are still popular. I’m certain you can think of examples. These ads are clever and 'super-intelligent' and there’s no way to determine their success or otherwise. These ads often win prizes handed out by people who are interested in producing obtuse and obscure ads.

But in direct marketing and direct response copywriting, we’re all about clarity … or we should be.

I routinely see direct marketing advertising where the benefits, features, and the offer are not totally clear. I work extremely hard on making sure my copy is totally clear.

The reader must INSTANTLY understand exactly what’s going on, and, most importantly, what’s in it for them when it comes to the product or service.

Look at my work for my clients and the work might seem overly simplistic. I keep the headline clean and clear. I organize the copy so the scanner “gets” what is happening right away. And in the body of the copy, I make totally certain the reader fully understands what he/she will get in return for their money and/or information.

I get this desire for clarity from the work of direct response copywriters Gary Bencivenga and Clayton Makepeace. Their copy is always crystal clear. You can easily find examples of their work online.

The next time you’re watching network TV, pay attention to the clever, obtuse, and obscure ads. You’ll see plenty of them. Then switch to QVC and you’ll see total clarity. At QVC, they measure their annual revenue in the BILLIONS.

Here’s a reason my copy resonates with potential customers and motivates them to try a product or service. CLARITY.

Before your ad goes live, ask yourself, “is everything totally clear?”

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I'm a direct response copywriter working for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or [contact me here][2] when you have a project you'd like to discuss. I'm also a Dan Kennedy certified copywriter for information products.

Direct Response Copywriter on Finding Clients

Here are some thoughts about finding clients. Please click here.

Direct Response Copywriter on The Crossroads Close and Open

I’m sure you’ve seen the crossroads close. I use it for just about every promotion I write. It's an important tool for the direct response copywriter.

Basically, I write, “you have two ways to go here … you can continue to live without a head on your shoulders … OR … you can get the Acme Head Attacher and live with a head firmly on your shoulders for the rest of your life. I know you’ll make the right decision. Click here now to get your head back.”

It’s a little bit aggressive, for sure, but it’s copy that moves the prospect toward buying the product or service.

But have you considered the crossroads open?

I rarely use the crossroads open in print or web copy but it’s a vital part of writing for video sales letters. I write about VSLs in a later chapter. But here’s how it might go in a VSL.

Look … you have a really simple decision to make right now. You can ignore this free presentation and never really discover this new way to find stocks that are poised to explode in value … OR … you can stay with me for a few minutes and you’ll get some exclusive information about the financial expert who has created this new stock-picking algorithm. And one more thing … this free presentation may be gone if you come back later or there may be a charge for it. Watch it now while it’s still here and still free.

You can even use the crossroads open in a headline and/or deck.

“You Can Ignore This Page and Continue to Suffer With Painful Feet … OR … You Can Meet the Doctor Who Recently Helped A Patient Go from Being in a Wheelchair to Climbing the Highest Mountain in Colorado.”

You can also use the crossroads open in your lead plus there are subtle variations. Here’s an example of a lead.

I know you’re busy and I know your time is precious. And I know you could be doing something else right now. But stay with me for the next few minutes.

Why?

Because I’m going to reveal an all-new way to take your accounting business from a disaster that’s always a headache … to a practice that’s fun and 4 TIMES MORE PROFITABLE.

Try the crossroads close, certainly, but also try the crossroads open.

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I'm a direct response copywriter working for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or [contact me here][2] when you have a project you'd like to discuss. I'm also a Dan Kennedy certified copywriter for information products.