Effective Ways to Find Copywriting Clients Part 3. Direct Response Copywriting Archive September 2018 2

September 2018 2

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

The Most Effective Way to Find Great Clients. Part 3.

Defining Your Perfect Client

Quite a few writers and marketers have joined the list of people who receive these emails. Welcome!

Who is your ideal client?

Very few copywriters are able to answer this question with any degree of accuracy and/or conviction.

The real answer is usually, “whoever contacts me” or “whoever posts on Upwork or one of those message boards or facebook groups.” In essence, it’s the client you get as opposed to the client you want.

My biggest goal in this series of emails about finding clients is to change your thinking.

Most copywriters, and I’m guilty of this, simply wait for the clients to walk through the door. I have an advantage here because my website ranks fairly high in the organic search results for key search terms.

But this ranking could go away tomorrow if someone at Google decides to tweak the algorithm. These tweaks happen frequently.

I’m making a much bigger effort to contact the clients I really want to work with.

I want YOU to start contacting the clients you really, really want … instead of relying on a more passive approach.

First, you have to target the right type of client. The ‘right type’ depends significantly on your place in the copywriting space/time continuum.

Beginner/just getting started.

To get started in direct response copywriting, I worked with advertising agencies and digital marketing agencies. The pay is not sensational but it’s enough and there’s a lot of work. Once you gain the trust of the decision makers at these agencies, you’ll get a lot of repeat business. I also had some small business owners contact me on occasion. You can search for these agencies online and start with your local area. A word of warning, though … many agencies will pay decently but many won’t. If the fee is too low, don’t take the work.

Some experience under your belt/moving along.

At this stage, you have some experience under your belt and you’re ready to start working with clients who want copywriters who are looking for more experienced clients. You can continue to work with agencies but you’ll want to charge more. You can look for direct marketers who are selling online and through the mail. You can look for companies who have what’s essentially an in-house agency. You can also work with companies and groups that are looking for one-time projects.

Super-experienced with a lot of success.

Now you can approach the top direct marketers. These are the companies that are genuinely looking for the top talent and will pay the top fees and, in some cases, a royalty.

If you’re just starting out then you’re not going to get much joy from the direct marketers who are looking for top and super-experienced talent. It would be a mistake for me to go back to working for agencies who are happy to work with less experienced talent.

In the next few days, take an hour to define your ideal client.

There are definitely some commonalities between the stages above. You can see these here.

Once you have defined your ideal clients, you can organize your website around who you’re trying to attract … and not attract. You can also start to search for potential clients with more purpose and precision.

In the next email, I’ll write about whether you should focus on a niche. You’ll find my thoughts surprising.

One final thought ... remember there's a huge demand for copywriters. But the work will not come to you. You have to get out there and get it.

All the best,

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

Effective Ways to Find Copywriting Clients Part 2. Direct Response Copywriting Email Archive September 2018 1

September 2018 1

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

The Most Effective Way to Find Great Clients. Part 2.

Quite a few writers and marketers have joined the list of people who receive these emails. Welcome!

I hear it all the time from copywriters who aim to find clients through sites like Upwork and by waiting around for postings on social media groups. What do I hear? THE CLIENT IS HORRIBLE.

If there's a theme to this series of emails, it's this ... success comes from being proactive and not reactive. It's pretty simple, really. If you want the clients you want, you have to go after them.

Where's a good place to start? Have you written down the characteristics of your perfect or near-perfect client? I have.

This definition has changed over the years but some of the elements are the same and they probably won't change. Here are some of mine ... will treat me with respect ... understands the power of copy ... crazy about direct marketing ... and so on. You can get the idea through this page on my website.

Your definition will depend on your experience, your goals, and what type of copy interests you.

But right now, write down the definition of that perfect client. It will take about 60 minutes to create that definition.

In the next email, I'll write about the type of client you should be contacting, depending on your status in the copywriter space-time continuum.

All the best,

Scott Martin

P.S. Here's another way to get started with this exercise. Look at 2 to 3 copywriters you know who have had some success and write down what their top clients look like. Who did they talk to in the past? If they're a practicing copywriter, who would they be talking to right now?

The Most Effective Way to Find Clients. Direct Response Copywriter Email Archive August 2018 2

August 2018 2

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

The Most Effective Way to Find Great Clients

Dear << data-preserve-html-node="true" Test First Name >>:

Quite a few writers and marketers have joined the list of people who receive these emails. Welcome!

I’m currently writing a book. My 17th book, I think. In fact, I’m “tidying up” the book before sending it to an editor. The book is my first about copywriting and it’s for copywriters. But it’s also going to be a calling card I’ll send to prospective clients.

Here’s an excerpt from the book detailing my approach to working with my clients. Make the client the center of my professional life so I help them achieve what they want to achieve. Bend over backwards to get them the copy they need, when they need it. Help out if there’s an emergency copy need. Communicate and be available. Have a positive attitude and approach, even when I get frustrated. Provide complementary consultative direct marketing services when needed and requested. Keep improving my direct response copywriting and direct marketing skills to help the client generate more revenue. Help to build the value of the business. Provide honest feedback without being a rude mega-dork. I’ll provide this level of service for a great client. I have enough experience in the client finding exercise to avoid the bad clients.

How do you find these great clients?

That’s the big question, of course, for all service providers, including copywriters.

So I’ll go through client finding in the next several emails. The thoughts will be a bit random, perhaps, but I hope they help you.

I just sent 10 post cards to potential clients. I walked to the mail box and I put them in. I hand addressed them. I sent 10 today. I sent 10 yesterday. I’ll send 10 tomorrow. I won’t send 10 on Wednesday as I’m totally off the grid, hiking 27 miles in a day … or that’s the plan. I’ll see how that goes.

Where do I send the post cards? Who gets them?

I have a database of over 1800 potential clients. Do you?

Do you have a database of potential clients? Just a few?

It’s super-simple to read books about finding clients. You can take courses about finding clients. You can get advice about how to sell to clients. You can get oodles of advice about approaching clients, dealing with clients, firing clients, and even giving your clients massages and appropriate gifts.

BUT … NOBODY GIVES YOU THE NAMES OF POTENTIAL CLIENTS … or how to find them. NOBODY.

Why? Because it takes too much time to organize this database. That’s one reason.

You buy a course about approaching clients but you don’t know who to contact. What use is the course?

So what happens? You rely on referrals, Facebook groups, online classifieds, going to conferences, networking, and other mostly useless methods. I’m going to go through some of these in the next few weeks. But you already know these methods are mostly vapid.

Let’s remember the business we’re in … direct marketing.

This means you find the people who want or need what you provide … and you let them know you exist. That’s a somewhat basic definition of direct marketing but it’s salient.

Getting the materials ready to let them know what you can provide is the easy part.

Finding that list is the hard part. In fact, it’s impossible.

Several years ago, I tried to buy a list of potential clients. I couldn’t find one to buy and, trust me, I looked. So I decided to create my own.

I’m not going to tell you how I created my list and my list isn’t for sale. Why? You have to generate your own database of prospective clients based on your current status in the copywriting world, what you want to achieve, and the type of work you want. My list might not work for you.

In the next several emails, I’m going to show you how to build your own list. I’m NOT going to give you precise instructions. Instead, I’m going to get you THINKING about building your list so identifying strong potential clients becomes part of your daily world.

This may sound slightly crazy and I fully understand if you’re thinking this.

But once I started thinking the way I think about building my list, potential clients started to appear before me … and they still do.

Yes, my website ranks above the fold for key search terms and it has for a while … and I get some business this way. But now, I’m starting to go after the clients I really want.

Let’s remember what I just said about all that advice from all the gurus and others about finding clients. How has that worked out?

Not very well for the copywriters I see on Facebook groups and other online groups. It’s the same old, same old … Companies say, “we’re always looking for copywriters.” Copywriters bleat, “I’m desperate for work.” Some copywriters head to Upwork. What do you find there? Bad clients looking for the lowest price. A potential client pops up on a Facebook group and it’s a feeding frenzy with a bunch of copywriters desperate to impress a total plonker.

It’s all about what Gary Bencivenga called the “red shirts” effect. I’ll talk about that in the next email.

Make sure you open your emails from me over the next several weeks. I’m going to reveal the real way to find clients.

All the best,

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

Different Paths to Copywriting Success. Direct Response Copywriter Email Archive August 2018 1

August 2018 1

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

Different Paths. Same Results.

Quite a few writers and marketers have joined the list of people who receive these emails. Welcome!

*

Dan Kennedy says, and I’m paraphrasing quite a bit, “if you want to be successful, follow someone who has been successful and find out how they became great … then do what they did.”

If you want to be a lawyer, a doctor, or a dentist, then the career path is fairly predictable. It’s sort of the same with a corporate career.

However, take a look at the careers of productive, and even famous, copywriters and you’ll find a panoply of paths.

Bob Bly started in a corporate marketing department and went freelance fairly early in his career.

Eric Betuel, who wrote several powerful controls for Boardroom, went door-to-door selling encyclopedias before discovering direct marketing and direct response copywriting. And he was selling door-to-door in his teens to support his family. He HAD to make sales.

One of my mentors, Andrew Wood, was sitting around in his empty Karate studio in southern California when he went to the library and read Ogilvy on Advertising. He then built a karate school empire before turning to golf marketing and copywriting.

David Ogilvy did just about everything before starting his agency. He was a researcher, cook, farmer, and door-to-door salesman, selling AGA stoves. To learn to write advertising copy, he took what was then called a "correspondence course." He found his first clients through a direct mail campaign.

Gary Bencivenga spent several years working in Madison Avenue advertising agencies, working under greats like John Caples, before heading toward a direct marketing agency. Then he went out on his own.

John Caples went directly into the advertising world after a stint in the Navy.

Kim Schwalm started in the marketing side of direct marketing before moving to direct response copywriting. So she worked with a number of top copywriters before becoming a copywriter herself.

I started my career as a copywriter in the advertising department of a department store chain and I’ve always written copy. But I’ve taken detours into corporate communications, magazine publishing, books, publishing sales, ski instruction, and waiting tables.

Fortunately, I discovered direct marketing and direct response copywriting in 2002 and went full-time with only direct response copywriting in 2010. And it’s been a great 8 years.

In my career, I’ve published something like 10,000 pages of magazine content and this background has helped me tremendously. You can discover a TON about direct response copywriting by studying the world’s top newspapers and magazines and how they grab your attention and then keep you reading.

My first clients were mostly advertising agencies and direct marketing agencies. They had a ton of work for me. The pay wasn’t stratospheric but it was enough and I got some super-valuable things: training, mentoring, feedback based on metrics, experience, and samples for my portfolio.

Before getting into direct response copywriting all the time, my career was mostly peripatetic. All those experiences helped me move into copy fairly easily. But I know several people who have arrived at copywriting from crazily different backgrounds … sales … engineering … academia … nursing … Wall Street … the corporate world.

John Caples was the exception because he was so productive, so quickly, so early in his career … his mid-20s. But I believe you have to have been out there in the real world for a long time before you can really understand human nature … but not from an academic standpoint.

Copywriting is about selling but it’s more about understanding what really makes people tick and what they really want in life.

Everyone must study the work and thoughts of the hyper-successful copywriters. You should know who they are. But also study how they learned and how they became super-successful. They also failed a lot. You’ll get a blueprint for success from the big names in our business.

Cheers.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

Proof Elements Part 5. Direct Response Copywriter Email Archieve July 2018

July 2018 2

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

More Proof Elements ... Final Edition ...

Quite a few writers and marketers have joined the list of people who receive these emails. Welcome!

In this email, I'll finish up my series of proof elements.

Quote An Authority

Struggling to find an authority figure in the financial space? Dig around The Wall Street Journal site or The Financial Times and you’ll find something you can legally quote. How many financial promotions quote Warren Buffet? A ton.

What about the health space? I’ve quoted The Mayo Clinic site and other health-related authorities.

Awards

Won some awards? Put them in the copy. Use photos of grinning recipients if you can but make sure you include a caption.

Founder or Team Photo

Potential clients and customers LOVE to know more about the people behind the company or a product. We all love personality in copy. So include that founder photo along with others involved in the product. But write a caption with some intrigue.

Celebrities

A controversial subject. Our bothers and sisters in the branding world believe this: hire a celebrity and watch revenue soar.

But there are three problems. First, revenue doesn’t always soar.

Second, when celebrity fees and media are factored in, the ROI is rarely worth it. There’s a study that proves this.

Third, what happens when the celebrity goes on a five-day bender, crashes the Ferrari into a Dairy Queen, and stumbles around naked?

I like to include celebrities in copy but only as a proof element. For example, I was writing copy to sell DVDs from a golf instructor. Turns out that Jack Nicklaus sent his children to this golf instructor. I built much of the promotion around this fact.

Just remember ... the customer doesn’t care about the celebrity … they care about themselves.

Guarantee

A guarantee, along with a seal, is vital in direct response copy. But amp up that guarantee.

You could write …

Your satisfaction is extremely important to us here at Acme Halitosis. If you’re not totally satisfied, you get your money back. No questions asked.

Or you could write …

PUREBREATH 365-Day Rock-Solid Guarantee … Money Back Plus $10 Just for Trying PUREBEATH If You’re Not TOTALLY DELIGHTED …

PUREBREATH from Acme MUST end your bad breath forever. Your significant other must enjoy kissing you and notice the difference. You will never again see people recoil and run away because of bad breath. You will enter every conversation with everyone with total confidence. You will have fresh and agreeable breath even if you have been smoking, have been eating onions in a garlic sauce, and have been glugging down coffee.

In short, PUREBREATH from Acme must transform your life and end the social leprosy that often comes with bad breath.

If PUREBREATH from Acme fails to fulfill the promises we’ve made, you can receive a full, prompt, and courteous refund. If, for any reason, or no reason, you’re not totally delighted, call our customer support team at 800-800-8000 and we’ll dispatch your refund PLUS we’ll send you a $10 check as our sincere “thank you” for trying PUREBREATH from Acme. And, of course, you can keep all the bonus items an extra “thank you” for trying PUREBREATH from Acme.

Once again … your satisfaction is VITAL to us. We want you to be totally delighted. We want to help you end all the hassles that come with halitosis and bad breath. We want you to join the community of people who trust PUREBREATH from Acme.

You know which guarantee I like.

Admitting a Fault or Limitation

It’s not the biggest or most prominent proof element but it’s important. You can say, in the financial space, that there have been some stock picks that didn’t work out. In the medical space, you can say that some people who try the product find it doesn’t work … then stress the guarantee. You can write …

Look … this product isn’t for everyone. It’s only for a select few who genuinely value the finest cigars on the planet … and want that quality.

Admitting a fault or limitation brings out your humanity and decreases the hype factor.

Metaphor

The well-chosen metaphor is the hallmark of a top copywriter. However, if you can’t find that metaphor, avoid using this proof element. You can quickly get into the realm of the cliché when you write, “it will make your shirts as white as snow” or “it’s like motor oil for your joints.”

A metaphor can become the “big idea” that is the foundation of a successful promotion. But be careful with metaphors and similes. Use them sparingly as it’s easy to mix metaphors and this can confuse the reader.

What about this for a financial promotion …

Subscribing to Profits Down Under is like having your very own 10-person stock research team in Australia and New Zealand … letting you know about exceptional opportunities in these countries … well before other investors … for a fraction of the cost of that team.

A realistic metaphor.

Don’t Exaggerate

Veracity is a built-in proof element. If I write that an SUV can carry an elephant, I’ve lost the reader. But if I organize a photo showing how the SUV can carry four large backpacks plus a couple of bicycles, that’s realistic.

Scarcity

It’s not necessarily a proof element but real scarcity can prove a statement like … “we only have a limited number of these knives at this price.”

And if you set a deadline, stick to that deadline. I was interested in a product the other day. The offer was $99 for all the information, for a limited time. I missed the deadline and when I returned to the web page, the price had increased to $999.

Thousands of legitimate and successful products have some scarcity built in ... readers almost expect it.

Human Stories

Stories can provide a positive impact on copy and I’ve built many promotions around stories. But note … the story has to be salient, often with a lot of intrigue and mystery.

Simply saying, “Donna bought this product and it changed her life forever!” is pretty horrible.

But I recently wrote about a doctor whose husband started showing signs of dementia. I included in the story what she started feeding her husband, based on her research, and what happened after the change in diet. The VSL that included that story helped to sell $1.5 million a month for a $19 ebook.

So that’s it for the series about proof elements. Many big-time copywriters gather the proof elements before writing a word. Good idea. First … you’ll have a lot of copy ready to go before “assembly” and second … you’ll likely find a big idea and build the entire promotion around this proof element.

*

Something totally different in the next email.

If you want the full list of proof elements from the ad agency in Australia, click here.

Cheers.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

Proof Elements Part 4. Direct Response Copywriting Email Archive July 2018 2

July 2018 1

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

More Proof Elements

Quite a few writers and marketers have joined the list of people who receive these emails. Welcome!

In this email, I'll cover ...

Social Media Proof Reviews PR and Media Exposure Valuable Content Credible Photos

Social Media Proof. Reviews. PR and Media Exposure.

I’m going to group these three together because they’re closely related. Social media proof can be screenshots of positive activity from all your favorite social media sites. Reviews are from actual customers/clients and are a lot like testimonials. PR and media exposure can be extremely valuable and I’ve even built entire promotions around a great piece from a big outlet. You can also put the logos of media outlets on promotions.

Valuable Content

Many of my clients are superb at organizing regular content that’s fun and valuable to their current and prospective clients and customers. This content builds trust and makes my job as a copywriter a lot easier. I have two folders full of successful Boardroom promotions and each one provides a ton of useful information. You can and should build as many promotions as possible around valuable content.

Credible Photos

A picture is worth a 1,000 words, right? Wrong. And I’ll get into that in a later email. But photos in direct marketing can be valuable. They must be well-chosen and, most importantly of all, there MUST be a caption right on the photo or underneath. The goal of the caption/photo is to illustrate a benefit or draw the reader deeper into the copy.

• More proof elements to come in the next email.

If you want the full list of proof elements from the ad agency in Australia, click here.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter 

Proof Elements Part 3. Direct Response Copywriting Email Archive June 2018 2

June 2018 2

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

More Proof Elements

Quite a few writers and marketers have joined the list of people who receive these emails. Welcome!

More proof elements in this email.

In this email, I’ll go through …

Infographics Before and Afters Testimonials Demonstrations Client List

Infographics

When I’m working on copy, part of my job is helping to organize graphs, illustrations, and photos. Another part of the equation is making sure they complement and augment the copy. Infographics can summarize the entire theme of the promotion but should encourage more reading and more time spent with the promotion.

Before and Afters

Self-explanatory and you’ve seen these, I’m certain. I’m guilty as charged here and I should include these more when I’m writing promotions. Should every promotion include before and after proof? Why not?

Testimonials

Three things. First … it’s OK to edit testimonials for grammar and clarity. Second … put a headline on every testimonial and base this headline on a benefit. This headline should be 3 words at most. Third … testimonials are like snow at a ski resort. You can never have enough testimonials, even if people don't read all them.

Demonstrations

Can’t do a demonstration in direct mail? Can’t do a demonstration on a sales page? You can certainly organize them on TV because it’s the perfect medium. You could include a thumb drive with mail. You can certainly organize a demonstration on your webpage, via a simple video. Your copy will convert better if you can provide this proof element.

Client List

Big in the B2B space, not so much in the B2C space. I’ve had potential clients tell me they have contacted me specifically because of my client list. Are you listing your clients on your site?

*

More proof elements to come in the next email.

If you want the full list of proof elements from the ad agency in Australia, click here.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

Proof Elements Part 2 and Brunch With Bob Bly. Direct Response Copywriter Email Archive June 2018 1

June 2018 1

More Proof Elements ... and Brunch With Bob Bly ... And the $2.5 Million Royalty Check ...

Quite a few writers and marketers have joined the list of people who receive these emails. Welcome!

More proof elements in this email.

In this email, I’ll go through …

Reasons why Logical argument Specialization Third party verifications Trust seals

Reasons Why

Look at my copy and you’ll ALWAYS see a section titled, “33 reasons to get (insert product/service).” The number of reasons varies but you should always strive to include these reasons. Aim to include every conceivable reason without getting contrived. It’s here that you stress all the benefits. This section can really motivate the prospect to try your product or service.

Logical Argument

Not much to add here but I rarely see direct response copy with a strong logical argument to try a product or service. Yet it’s vital in any type of direct response copy. The classic example of the logical argument is the problem/solution approach to copy. Here’s your problem … I understand the problem … here’s the solution … here’s proof the solution works … you can try the solution with no risk.

Specialization

I write quite a bit of copy in the golf niche. I often write the copy in the voice of a golf teacher who has taught many of the world’s top golfers. The specialization here is definitely a proof element.

Third Party Verifications

These are primarily endorsements from media. So … if The Wall Street Journal reviewed your product, favorably of course, then include that review or a portion of the review. Plop their logo in the sales page.

Trust Seals

Let’s say you have a partnership with an organization like the AAA here in America. Include that logo. Let’s say you’re a member of the local chamber of commerce where you live. Include that logo. Let’s say you sell dietary supplements and you follow GMP practices. Include the logo.

Brunch With Bob Bly

I was away for 15 days on an east coast road trip to see clients in Florida, Charlotte, and New York. I also enjoyed brunch with Bob Bly on a rainy and windy Sunday morning.

Bob’s working on his 100th book, by the way. I won’t go through everything we discussed but it was just a lot of fun to share some time with a fellow direct response copywriter.

We have a lot of opportunities in our business but we also have a lot of challenges. One of these is loneliness and isolation. There are lots of ways to overcome this challenge and maybe I’ll go through these in later emails, but it’s important to have regular conversations with fellow copywriters, even if they’re competitors.

A Famous Direct Marketer You Don’t Know

On my recent road trip, I spent two very enjoyable days at the mastermind group run by Brian Kurtz. Brian regularly brings some well-known names in the business to the group but he also brings some highly successful people who have never publicized themselves.

One of these people spoke at our meeting. He’s worked with many of the major direct marketing companies. Twenty years ago, he signed a $2.5 million royalty check to a famous direct response copywriter. That’s a client who understands the value of the direct response copywriter. Are you finding clients like that?

Housekeeping Note

I’m working on archiving all the emails to this list on my website. Stay tuned.

If you want the full list of proof elements from the ad agency in Australia, click here.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

P.S. As you read and hear copy, check the copy for proof elements.

Proof Elements Part 2. Direct Response Copywriter Email Archive May 2018.

May 2018

Proof Elements

I’m going to continue with my series about proof elements. I'll go through the following.

Comparisons Scientific findings Research findings Unique mechanism

COMPARISONS

I’m quite a big fan of Car and Driver Magazine, a publication that routinely runs comparison articles. They’ll test 2-5 different cars and tell you which car they liked the best … and then rank all the contestants. It’s fun reading plus it motivates car lovers to open the magazine to see which car won.

In direct response copy, comparisons can be a proof element, usually in some type of table that compares your product to others in the market. You have to be careful and I’m NEVER a big fan of bashing the competition, even if the competition is eminently bashable. In fact, I'm working on copy where the control bashes doctors, drug companies, and pretty much everyone. My new copy doesn't bash anyone.

The comparison I prefer is what I call the “self-comparison” where I provide two offers for the product, each with different levels of features. It’s the old, GOOD-BETTER-BEST self-comparison.

I like this approach much more than creating a table that beats up the competition.

SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS/RESEARCH FINDINGS

I’m going to group these together because they’re very similar … and mostly self-explanatory.

It’s not hugely difficult, although it takes a lot of time, to come up with research to back up claims. Many times, the client will have this research ready to go.

And it’s not hugely difficult to pump a ton of research and related content into a promotion. But you have to be careful.

In the last email, I talked about how it’s really important to be careful with specificity. You can include a lot of numbers and specificity but you can end up bombarding the reader with too much information and the surfeit of specificity can confuse everyone.

So … with your scientific and research findings, choose wisely and only include the most salient findings that really back up your claims. Perhaps there’s something from a big-name source like Harvard Medical School, or Time Magazine, or The Mayo Clinic. In the financial space, can you get something from The Wall Street Journal?

If you have a lot of “leftover” research that you really like, you can create a Johnson Box with a subhead saying … “Here’s Additional Research About Product X” or you can include it after the P.S. in a Q and A.

UNIQUE MECHANISM

I could write a book about this proof element and, in fact, I am writing a couple of books about copywriting and the “unique mechanism” will play a big part in both books.

The unique mechanism is not just a proof element. It can be a core element of profitable copy. Over the next couple of days, pay close attention to the advertising you see and hear and you’ll see the unique mechanism tactic used over and over. It’s such a vital way to differentiate a product or service.

But you can’t just plop down the unique mechanism and say, “here’s a unique mechanism so that’s why you have to buy.” The prospective client will say, “yeah, right.”

You have to explain the basis behind the unique mechanism plus you have to prove that the unique mechanism actually works and makes the product better than other products.

If you have a dietary supplement then you can highlight a new ingredient but then you have to show that it performs.

Let’s say you’re selling a ski with a new technology that makes it easier to turn the ski. You have to explain the new technology with video plus images and copy. Then you have to show it actually works. You can use before and after images, testimonials, and celebrity skier endorsements.

What are we discovering here?

All the proof elements must work together. Proof elements do not work in isolation.

In the next email, I’ll go through the following proof elements.

Reasons why Logical argument Specialization Third party verifications

If you want the full list of proof elements from the ad agency in Australia, click here.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

P.S. As you read and hear copy, check the copy for proof elements.

Proof Elements. Direct Response Copywriting Archive April 2018 3

April 2018 3

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

Proof Elements

I’m a big fan of Gary Bencivenga. Brian Kurtz calls him “America’s greatest living copywriter” and that’s based on results … not hype. Bencivenga routinely smashed controls and he generated tens of millions for his clients.

You can read a great deal about Bencivenga online and I’ll provide some links to resources toward the end of this email.

Proof is a huge deal to Bencivenga ... as it should be to every copywriter.

If fact, Bencivenga had an ‘equation’ he used when writing copy.

Problem + Promise + Proof + Proposition = Persuasion

I prefer to use the word “motivation” instead of persuasion but that’s fodder for another time.

For the next several emails, I want to focus on the “proof” part.

When it comes to copywriting, you’ll read a great deal about headlines, bullets, guarantees, and other technical parts of our trade but you rarely read much about proof.

As Bencivenga writes, the biggest obstacle you face as a copywriter is the “yeah, right” skepticism that everyone has today ... including me ... including you.

You might be writing copy for a client who has genuinely found the cure for type 2 diabetes but the initial reaction from everyone is always going to be “yeah, right.”

Herschell Gordon Lewis wrote a great deal about overcoming skepticism. You haven’t read anything by the great HGL?

Fix that problem right now. HGL was one of the greatest copywriters … plus he was also the producer of what he called “splatter” movies … horror movies with tons of serious gore.

But I digress.

An advertising agency in Brisbane created a wonderful poster of proof elements. You can find it here and it’s free.

I’ll go through parts of this list in the next several emails.

But let’s start with …

Test data Charts and graphs Specificity

Test data is especially important with health-related products. But I have also used test data in golf-related copy. Sometimes you can use test data from extensive tests and trials. But you don’t always have to use data that super-deep. Sometimes I’m a big fan of surveys but sometimes I’m not.

Charts and graphs are always valuable but with these caveats. • A chart or graph must be super-clear. • There should be a copy doodle and caption saying “here’s what this graph proves” along with some type of benefit. • The chart or graph should be relevant. You might be thinking, “I’m a copywriter so why should I have to get involved with charts and graphs?” Dan Kennedy says, and I agree, that a copywriter must be totally involved with the graphical presentation of the copy. I’m not a developer and I’m not a graphic designer but I always want to provide graphical direction.

Specificity

It’s pretty simple … instead of writing, “you’ll hit the ball further with the Max Cannon” … I write … “Gain an Extra 14-25 Yards Off The Tee With The All-New Max Cannon.”

Specificity is so important, you’ll find a chapter about it in Scientific Advertising.

But you have to be extremely careful with this weapon … and specificity is about more than just numbers. Specificity can be about individual success stories, geographic examples, relevant studies, testimonials from experts, and more.

Let’s focus on numbers.

Choose the numbers extremely carefully and find the ones that have the most impact plus are most relevant to the most important benefits of the product or service.

You can quickly and easily overwhelm the reader/viewer/listener with too many numbers. The prospect’s head can be spinning and there won’t be a sale.

Specificity is obviously vital and must replace vagueness wherever and whenever vagueness appears in copy. But be careful … especially with numbers.

In the next email, I’ll go through these proof elements.

Comparisons Scientific findings Research findings Unique mechanism

OK … here, as promised, are the Bencivenga links.

The Bencivenga Bullets are here.

An interview with Clayton Makepeace is here.

And if you have $5,000 lying around, you can get the video of Bencivenga’s retirement seminar. It's all here along with over 30,000 words of copy.

Direct Marketing Notes from the U.K. Direct Response Copywriting Archive April 2018 2

April 2018 2

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

Direct Marketing Notes from the U.K.

Thoughts from the U.K.

I’m sending this email from the U.K. where I’m spending a few days seeing family and friends plus attending a wedding.

There are so many similarities between America and U.S. yet so many subtle and not-so-subtle differences.

Let me focus on a few differences that seem salient when it comes to direct marketing.

Print still exists in the U.K.

Newspapers are dying in the U.S., and, as a former employee of a major newspaper, it’s not a huge shock. But, in the U.K., people still want their physical newspapers and their physical magazines.

Look at just a small portion of a newsstand in a town in the U.K. ... hundreds of specialty magazines.

What’s totally remarkable is the variety of and depth of niches. The U.K. offers thriving magazines in everything from knitting to trucking.

Many copywriters believe they need to rush into a niche and specialize in a niche. That’s fine provided there’s plenty of business in the niche.

So there are two lessons here.

First … there’s a rampant thirst for information and this will never change. Good news for copywriters who help clients to sell information.

Second … it’s not all digital. Print is alive in certain areas and this can translate to direct mail. One of my clients has sent 2 million post cards in the past 12 months for a client in southern California in the health space.

TABLOIDS. You see them in New York City but nowhere else in the United States ... unless I’m missing something, which is very possible.

But daily tabloid newspapers are huge in the U.K. Deep inside these tabloids, the advertorial is prevalent. Yesterday, I saw an opt-in page ... in a newspaper.

You’ll see some magnificent headlines and copy in these newspapers. But you’ll also see some superb examples of advertorials. In fact, you’ll also see them in the broadsheet papers, like The Daily Telegraph. You will also see them in certain magazines.

Yes … direct marketing is alive and well in the UK plus there’s something else I’ve noticed in the U.K. People are more interested in deals.

It’s all apocryphal, of course, but I sense that people in the UK are more tuned into deals and promotions than they are in the U.S. Maybe it’s because the cost of living is so much higher in most of the U.K. than the U.S. but fatigue in the U.S. may also play a role.

Yes … direct marketing is alive and well in the U.K. So is print.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

Truth in Advertising. Direct Response Copywriter Email Archive April 2018 1

April 2018 1

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

To Tell The Truth … And The Power of Verisimilitude …

I’m going to STUN you with this comment … get ready.

There’s a lot of lying in advertising.

STAGGERING!

Of course, there’s a lot of lying in a lot of parts of the business world. A large bank recently created thousands of fake bank accounts … or something like that … to drive new revenue. Many companies will tell you how much they care about customers when we all know that’s pure rot.

Sadly, the advertising world has its fair share of scallywags who will simply make things up.

There’s an irony here.

I’ve never met a branding type who has a lot of love for direct marketers. I’ve heard, as I’m sure you have, a branding person say, “that type of copy would damage our brand equity” when presented with direct response copy.

Yet branding ads care little for the truth, blatantly using justifications like “actual results may vary” and “dramatization” and “don’t try this at home” or “not actual customers.” Branding ads thrive on exaggeration and non-believability.

Case in point … The Most Interesting Man in The World ads for Dos Equis.

Think about those pharmaceutical ads replete with happy, smiling people going about fun things … while the narrator provides the laundry list of side effects, most totally dire and even comical … like “your ears and eyebrows may drop off and if that happens, contact your doctor immediately.”

Sadly, you’ve seen, and I’ve seen, direct response marketing that’s also false. Yes … I’ve seen direct marketing that’s packed with lies, purely to “get” people. It’s a tragedy this happens and it brings everyone into disrepute.

And here’s the result … companies like Facebook start banning, with no reasoning, totally legitimate advertising because a few bad apples have told a bunch of lies. I’ve seen some of the offending ads and nobody in their right mind would believe the claims but still, they’re there.

Here’s the sad part …

With enough research and enough probing, there’s no reason to lie.

In fact, truth and believability are part of successful direct response copywriting. Believability is simply … the truth or a claim backed by real proof and based on common sense.

The clients a company wants are the ones who believe realistic promises backed by proof and a guarantee.

Common sense tells me it's going to take 3-5 days to get over a nasty case of the flu. Why do I believe a company that promises I'll feel totally better in 10 minutes?

I could say that I wrote a promotion that generated a 67.2% response. But nobody in direct marketing will believe that. The 67.2% number would be a total lie. Yet some copywriters would pluck that 67.2% number out of thin air.

Now … it’s totally acceptable, in fact it’s a vital part of direct marketing, to put the truth in the best possible light. This approach is called verisimilitude, a concept championed by the late Herschell Gordon Lewis.

Lewis, or HGL as he was known, was an interesting man. He was a pioneer in the horror movie business and called "The Godfather of Gore." I had lunch with him in Florida shortly before his passing and he referred to his work movies as “splatter” movies.

Ah … the beauty of onomatopoeia.

But HGL was also an accomplished direct marketer, consultant, and direct response copywriter. He wanted tight, precise copy. He loved verisimilitude. And his books are quietly among the best about direct response copywriting … must-reads for everyone.

I review one of his books on this page on my website.

https://www.scottmartincopywriter.com/copywriting-book-reviews/

Verisimilitude is NOT lying.

I can say that a promotion had a 4% conversion rate. I can also say it had a 96% failure rate. Verisimilitude tells us to use the 4% conversion rate metric.

On my website, you’ll find a list of clients. I’ve worked for some of these clients for many years. Others gave me a project or two … but I still consider them a client … they wrote me a check in return for copy.

Is verisimilitude an excuse for not telling the truth?

Absolutely not. My job, and yours, is to put the truth about a product or service in the best possible light. This tactic bears no relation to blatant lying.

There’s a famous series of sports-related ads containing a load of pure tripe. The copywriter is really famous and even coaches nascent copywriters.

I asked this copywriter about the ads the copywriter said, “that’s what the client told me.”

I’m sorry … but just because the client makes up facts DOES NOT provide a license for the copywriter to write lies.

You’re intelligent enough to know when the client is just making it up. I am too.

I’ve closely studied the work of Gary Bencivenga and he always wrote the truth and made his copy believable. And I consider him the top living copywriter. Would he have taken pure lies from a client and built copy about those lies? Of course not.

Marty Edelston, the founder of Boardroom, and one of the world’s top direct marketers, sadly now passed, once told a copywriter …

“Look … it’s really easy … just tell the truth.”

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

P.S. In the next few weeks, study some ads. Simply ask ... true or false? The results will surprise you.

Finding Great Clients Instead of Plonkers and Punters. Direct Response Copywriting Archive March 2018

March 2018 1

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

Some Thoughts About Refining Your Client Search ... So You Find Great Clients Instead of Total Plonkers and Punters.

I wrote a PDF last year titled, “The 17 Worst Ways to Find Clients” … or something like that … and maybe one of these days, maybe in a few weeks, I’ll dig it out and send it to this database. It makes for interesting reading. Many of the ways you've heard are really great are, in fact, a total waste of time.

If you’re a copywriter, then I’m certain you have tried several different ways to find clients, likely with mixed results. Or just really poor results.

I have ample work, especially from a couple of clients, and I’m fortunate that my website generates leads ... over 700 in the past 5 years.

Some of the people who contact me are serious direct marketers; others are serious but have “one and done” project work, which is fine, but it’s always preferable to have regular assignments from a company: you get to know them and their list plus you're not constantly searching for clients.

Still, having a website that generates leads is ultimately a passive exercise.

So … over the next few months, I’m going on the offensive. I’m going to keep working for the two clients I just mentioned, provided they still like me, but I’m going to FIND two, maybe three, additional clients.

What do these clients look like?

Great traffic. Great list. Excellent traffic buyer. Superb products that really appeal to their current and prospective customers. The need and desire to keep selling products and services. Total compliance and dedication to ethical business practices. The willingness, if not rampant desire, to invest in copy and PAY THEIR COPYWRITER. A direct marketing mindset. One of my current clients has a copy of Breakthrough Advertising in the bathroom. A growth mindset. The constant desire to improve. A general disdain for all things branding. The ability to test like crazy … and celebrate both success and failure. Generally amenable and pleasant people in the organization. A paucity of corporate bureaucracy. An entrepreneurial mindset … plus ambition. Speed … getting products to market quickly. No copy police looking over my every word. They trust me. Ample cash in the bank. Size: between 10-30 employees. The potential to work together for many years. A need for direct marketing expertise.

I could probably think of a few other criteria but that’s a pretty good list above.

As you can see, I’m not going to work with a lot of punters. And if you don’t know what a “punter” is then search a little … for the British meaning … it’s one of my favorite words and extremely malleable.

But I digress.

Some of you who receive this email might be extremely experienced. Others might be more nascent. Either way, it’s VITAL to define your ideal client profile.

Eight years ago, that client was a digital advertising agency with regular copy needs.

Once you have a sense of your ideal client, you can ignore all the ads and online guff you see asking for copywriters.

Most of these potential clients are like people who walk into a Ferrari dealership with precisely $500 to spend on a car ... but still think they can get a Ferrari.

But most importantly, once you have a sense of your ideal client, you can search with much more precision.

Look … there’s triage involved here. I might cruise around looking at more than 300 potential clients before I find one that matches my criteria. That’s great, if you ask me.

Why should I settle for a client who is not a good fit?

Let’s remember something crucially vital. Yes … it’s important to have a great list. Yes … it’s important to have great products. But without copy, there isn’t a sale … there isn’t a phone call made to a 1-800 number.

So why am I settling for clients who will make my life miserable? Why are you?

Be aggressive. Find those great clients. Don’t work for companies that don’t deserve to work with a copywriter who can produce results.

Two more things to consider.

One. All those so called “A Lister” copywriters … were they actually really great copywriters? Or did they find and work with the top clients? Hmmmmmm …

Two. Notice I haven’t said the “niche” word. You can focus on a niche to the point where you’re willing to take on bad clients.

My niche … especially in the next few months? Finding the top clients … clients who are a good fit with my career goals over the next decade.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

P.S. If I seem mean or even snobby then my apologies. I don't want to sound like either. I simply want serious copywriters to work with excellent clients. Is that too much to ask?

Getting Clients When You're Just Getting Started. Direct Response Copywriting Email Archive 2018 2

February 2018 2

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

Building a Portfolio When You're Just Starting ... And Keeping Your Portfolio Updated

Dear << data-preserve-html-node="true" Test First Name >>:

I know that many of you are experienced copywriters. But many are just beginning the copywriting journey.

This email is mostly for the latter group but there will be something at the end of this email for the former group.

I'm heading back to the mid-80s when I was an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina. I headed to New York City for spring break, eschewing the warmth of Florida.

At college, I was somewhat interested in advertising and copywriting. So I looked up an alumni who worked for a large Madison Avenue advertising agency. He introduced me to a copywriter and we met somewhere deep inside one of those skyscrapers.

We discussed the subject of this email ... building a portfolio when you don't have any paid work samples.

He showed me a portfolio he created when he was in college. He simply wrote copy for imaginary products then asked a graphic designer friend to layout the ads. His portfolio helped him land a job with a big-time agency in New York. I used exactly the same tactic early in my career.

So that's the first way.

You can create and sell your own products. These could be digital or physical. Either way, you're writing copy and you'll have a wide range of samples.

Third, you can offer to write copy, for free, for friends who own businesses or non-profits. Or you can even charge them a fee. You'll quickly build a strong portfolio. They might use the copy ... they might not. But you'll have plenty of samples.

Quite frankly, there's no excuse for not having a portfolio. The companies who will hire relatively new copywriters just want to see that you can actually write copy.

Just make sure the samples you create are strong. And have a professional proofreader proof them.

Once you have some "real" samples, it's important to keep your portfolio updated. Why? Take a look at this from the analytics on my website.

If, for some technological reason I don't understand, you can't see this, my portfolio is the second most viewed page on my website.

Now ... I have to admit, I need to beef up my website with recent samples and include more links to my work. The "beefing up" is going to happen in the next 30 days.

If you're a more experienced copywriter, ask yourself a question. How good is my portfolio?

The portfolio is one of the key proof elements for a copywriter.

Do you have a methodology for creating and maintaining the portfolio on your website? I do ... it's my website developer and her name is Sissi. I'm not trying to organize something so important myself. I also have an advantage ... I use the Squarespace platform which makes it relatively easy to set up portfolios.

In the next email, I'm going to introduce you to the copy police and how to deal with them. Plus I'm going to help you refine your client search so you're looking for the right clients.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

Advice to Freshly-Minted Copywriters. Direct Response Copywriting Email Archive February 2018

February 2018 1

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

Why "Which Niche?" is the Wrong Question ... Plus Advice to Freshly-Minted Copywriters Who are Looking for Work ...

First … hello to new subscribers to this email. Welcome.

You’ve heard, I’m sure, the direct response copywriting commandment … “thou shalt specialize.”

Really?

After hearing this, hundreds of copywriters plunge head first into a niche, desperately hoping their chosen area of specialization will attract throngs of eager super-duper clients.

And then nothing happens.

I hear two things all the time.

The first from copywriters: “I’m not getting enough work.”

The second from marketers: “We’re desperate for copywriters ... we're always looking for copywriters."

Hmmmmm … what’s wrong with this picture?

I have an area of expertise. I have written 11 books in this niche and it’s about 1/3 of my work as a direct response copywriter. My main client is in this niche is a rock-star direct marketer who reads direct marketing books when he’s on the plane and even when he’s on the lavatory.

My type of client.

But what would happen if this niche was full of marketers who DID NOT fully understand the value of a direct response copywriter? I could stay in this niche, because I’m following the “thou shalt specialize” commandment and be broke and miserable.

If I couldn’t find the right type of client in this niche, I would not work in this niche. It just so happens, thankfully, there's a strong client in a niche I like.

Remember this …

Finding the right type of client is much more important than the niche.

Now … in the world of direct marketing, there are more top clients in the health and financial fields than other niches ... which explains why many of the top copywriters “specialize” in health and wealth. These copywriters work in these niches because it’s where the money is … usually. It's also where you'll find plenty of serious direct marketers.

I address this directly on this page on my website.

Maybe you’ll find 3 great clients in the health space … and suddenly you’re a health specialist. Maybe you’ll find a great client in the pet supplies space … suddenly you’re in the direct-to-consumer space.

You might like the health niche and write copy for clients in this space but remember … focus on the quality of the client before the niche.

Is the client bonkers about direct marketing? Does the client read “Breakthrough Advertising” while moving their bowels? Do they have a strong portfolio of superb products? Can they generate big-time traffic? What sort of list do they have?

A lot of nascent copywriters ask me, “how should I get started finding clients?”

Here’s one way …

Google “digital marketing agencies” and start contacting these agencies. There are thousands of these companies around the world.

Contact 200 of them in the next 30 days ... and follow up.

These agencies need a TON of copy. Some will provide some training. Their needs are fairly basic … emails … AR series … squeeze pages. You will need to turn work around quickly, always a good thing, and most will pay quickly … even if the pay isn’t epic. But it’s a place to get started.

It's how I started, writing a ton of copy for a digital marketing agency in Australia.

And there’s something else about these agencies: you don’t need to specialize. You’ll write for a wide range of products and services … everything from plumbing companies to real estate agencies.

In the next email, I’ll discuss ways to build a portfolio before you get clients. It’s not complicated.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

P.S. I fully understand my "niche" advice flies right in the face of conventional wisdom. But remember ... the quality of the client is more important than the niche.

The World's Highest Paid Copywriters. Direct Response Copywriter Email Archive January 2018 2

January 2018 2

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

Should You Specialize?

The Surprising Answer and ... Are These the World's Highest Paid Copywriters?

Here’s a question that vexes a lot of copywriters, from the totally nascent to the mega-experienced (even).

"Should I specialize?"

You’ll hear a lot of different answers.

Some people say, “look at the medical and legal professions … the highest paid lawyers and doctors are the specialists.”

And that’s mostly true. In copywriting, there are just as many options and more decisions. Most of the people who signed up for my list are interested in direct response copywriting and I’ll get to specializing in this field in a minute.

But who says you have to be a direct response copywriter? Maybe you should venture into the world of branding copywriting.

“HERESY!” you scream … but let me explain.

A company, which shall remain nameless but with which I’m extremely familiar, decided, at the “C” suite level, it needed a new slogan and company statement ... or whatever it’s called.

So this company hired a branding company. In fact, they hired this one.

Here’s the copy you see on the agency's home page.

*

We believe smart communications have an impact on the world. We empower foundations to shape a better future, help nonprofits get the attention they deserve, and enable consumers to make better choices.

We Grow the Good

*

It gets better ...

"We’re passionate about design that informs, clarifies, persuades, and communicates the possibilities of working together for positive change. When bringing on new clients and new employees, Vermilion places a premium on meaningful relationships, curiosity, and crafting remarkable, effective work that nurtures community karma."

Their copywriter is "a writer of words and lover of dessert" according to the website.

*

When I read copy like that, I want to vomit.

What does "grow the good" mean? Can the copywriter motivate readers to pull a credit card out of their wallet? Or does she just love chocolate cake?

BUT … the client company gleefully paid this “communications” company well into six figures to create a new slogan.

The slogan has exactly four words. Two of them are 'love' and 'unity.'

Run the numbers and that’s over $25,000 per word and I don’t know a copywriter on the planet who gets paid like that.

There’s no accountability and no connection between revenue and copy. And that’s exactly how the client wants it. And that’s exactly how the agency wants it. It's only direct marketers and direct response copywriters who are brave enough to want to see the results of their work.

In the creation of the new slogan, there were brainstorming sessions with flip charts, I'm sure, plus pleasant lunches, and a lot of self-congratulation. The agency, I’m certain, will enter the work into a competition judged by others in the communication/branding space. And suddenly it's an "award-winning" campaign. An orgy of back slapping will then commence.

There will be no talk of ROI, testing, and refining the creative to maximize revenue. Plus who can argue with love and unity?

But here’s the bottom line: a company run by a lot of experienced business people, many with MBAs, paid another company for precisely FOUR words of copy, even though the copy is essentially meaningless twaddle.

Yes ... people who are a TON more experienced in business saw it fit to write a whopping check for meaningless twaddle. Who am I to argue?

Maybe I’m in the wrong part of copywriting.

There are lots of ways to get paid, often handsomely, to write copy, without the pressure and accountability that comes with direct response copywriting. • B2B • Corporate • Branding • Speeches • Technical I could come up with a long list … so could you. And there's nothing wrong with any of this. I know plenty of successful copywriters who avoid direct response and despise this approach to marketing.

But if you’re committed to direct response copy, like me, should you specialize?

Here’s my answer.

No. I don’t know any super-successful copywriter who works in just one niche. I know some who focus on two, like health and financial. I focus on four areas but I’m happy to venture outside these areas when I like the client … and they like me.

I often work in a highly-defined niche. Bob Bly told the assembled copywriters at the last AWAI conference that I’m #1 in this niche. I really only work for one client in this niche and this client generally requests I avoid other clients in this space ... and with good reason: they don’t want me working for competitors.

So I work in other niches and I like the variety.

Clients are more interested in whether you can convert than your level of expertise in a given niche.

In the next email, I'll write about why the "which niche?" question is essentially the wrong question.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

The Two Schools of Thought in Direct Response Marketing. Direct Response Copywriting Email Archive 2018 1

January 2018 1

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

First of all, happy new year and I hope you enjoyed a pleasant holiday season.

I hope you enjoyed the series about Gary Bencivenga in the last few emails. A couple of things to take away.

First. Read and digest, then re-read and re-digest Bencivenga Bullets. Here’s the link.

https://marketingbullets.com/archive/

Second. There are two schools of thought in direct response copywriting. One school champions hype, braggadocio, and, I’ll try to put this politely, BENDING the truth. The other school champions research, clarity, and verisimilitude, which is a long word for putting the truth in the best possible light ... but still telling the truth about the product or service.

Gary Bencivenga was one of the greatest copywriters of all time and he was firmly in the latter school. Which school are you going to be in? I don’t know about you but I’m following Gary Bencivenga.

When I’m not writing copy, I go skiing, and, in fact, I’m a part-time ski instructor. One of my favorite colleagues fully understands the technical aspects of skiing … and these can be extremely complex. Anyone want to discuss the finer points of centripetal forces?

But she’s extremely superb at helping with the mental side of skiing. She helps her students feel comfortable on skis and comfortable with confidence on skis.

So, in the next few emails, I’m going to discuss what it really takes to succeed as a direct response copywriter. You can read a TON about the technical side of copywriting. You can read a TON about direct marketing fundamentals. And you can read a TON about dealing with clients. But you’ll rarely read anything about the mindset you need to succeed in this business.

You can also find a lot of information about how to find clients. In fact, I just purchased a program from a well-known organization. The program promises to tell me how to find clients but it’s the same old bunk: nobody tells you which potential clients to contact.

I know how to find them. I’m going to reveal all this year as I personally search for two to three clients I hope to work with for a long time.

But first, it’s important to understand the mindset you must have to succeed in this business. The mindset starts with confidence.

Let’s say I’m skiing and I’m about to ski a pretty steep pitch deep in the trees. I know I have the technique to ski this pitch. But I need confidence and I have to trust myself. Yes … I could fall and I could possibly hurt myself. But I could also ski the pitch successfully and gain the benefits of having tackled something difficult.

In copywriting, trust begins with fully understanding the scale of the opportunity.

A famous copywriter once said to a group of copywriters, “there’s an ocean of opportunity out there, and you’re a thimble.” And he’s right.

I hear two things ALL the time.

First, from companies and agencies … “we’re desperate for good copywriters … we’re always looking.”

Second, especially from people who are in groups on social media, “I’m desperate for clients.”

It’s totally crazy and makes no sense.

The problem, again, is mindset. First, you need the mindset that will lead to constant learning and improvement so you can consistently convert potential buyers into actual buyers. Second, you need the mindset “I’m going to succeed and I’m going to find the clients I really want and need.”

I’m a big fan of Dan Kennedy, for a number of reasons I’ll discuss in future emails, perhaps. But one thing he said really resonates with me, almost every day.

“Most people give up when there’s even the slightest headwind.” If you’re one of those people, then find a full-time job where, in return for a probably paltry wage, you know you’ll probably have employment for a long time.

But if you’re serious about success in copywriting, then be prepared for headwinds, turbulence, and other hazards.

Again … it’s all about mindset and I’ll discuss this more over the next few weeks.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

The Bencivenga Headline Secret. Direct Response Copywriting Email Archive December 2017

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

Gary Bencivenga and His Headline Secret

I’d like to continue this series about what you can learn from Gary Bencivenga, now retired, and generally considered one of the greatest copywriters of all time, certainly in the 80s, 90s, and into the 21st Century.

Bencivnega rarely spoke but I was fortunate that a client bought me the videos of Bencivnega’s retirement seminar. These cost $5,000 and if you feel like reading the over 30,000 words of copy selling the DVDs, you can click here. No affiliate commission here, in case you're wondering.

Let me divulge something from the DVDs when it comes to headlines. Bencivnega talked about the inspiration for many of his headlines: book titles. Take a look at book titles and you can get a sense of what Bencivnega was talking about.

How to Work From Home and Make Money in 2017: 13 Proven Home-Based Businesses You Can Start Today (Work from Home Series: Book 1)
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
15 Minutes to a Better Interview: What I Wish EVERY Job Candidate Knew

What are we seeing here?

An all-out “how to” headline. Numbers (specificity) in the headlines. The “tease” factor. Intrigue. Classic headline techniques.

There’s an irony here. Book publishers are among the WORST marketers on the planet. That’s based on my personal experience with this book I wrote. I sometimes wonder how any of them make any money. I wrote a VSL for a client. The VSL sold an ebook about dementia. The client was selling 1.5 million of these ebooks a month. That would put the book at the top of EVERY bestseller list on the planet for several weeks.

Now … there are lots of super-weak book titles. Take a look at these.

Leaders Eat Last
The Player: Target: The Executive Suite
Principles: Life and Work
The One Page Marketing Plan

Look at the first three. What do they mean? What’s the benefit? What’s in it for me? The final one offers a bit of a benefit but the premise is not believable … especially to someone who is in marketing.

Now let’s take a look at some direct marketing book titles.

The Direct Mail Solution: A Business Owner's Guide to Building a Lead-Generating, Sales-Driving, Money-Making Direct-Mail Campaign.
Direct Marketing Doesn't Have to Make Sense, It Just Has to Make Money.
Confessions of a Direct Response Copywriter: An “Old School” Advertising Man Reveals How to Make Your Marketing Twice as Effective at Half the Cost - ... Secrets of Success in Business and in Life.

Better book titles/headlines … especially those long ones; the latter is for a Bob Bly book so it's no surprise the title is excellent.

I’m working on a book about copywriting and I’ve chosen the title based on a believable benefit. It’s based on a headline template I like to use.

So … the next time you’re in a bookstore … or your looking at a book site, take a few minutes to rate the titles/headlines. Put the good ones in your headline templates.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

Gary Bencivenga and Copy Clarity. Direct Response Copywriting Email Archive 2017 3

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

Gary Bencivenga and Copy Clarity

Brian Kurtz still calls Gary Bencivenga the world’s #1 copywriter, even though Bencivenga is retired. Kurtz was in charge of marketing at Boardroom, one of the top direct marketing companies on the planet. Bencivenga used to write extensively for Boardroom.

I attended Kurtz’s event The Titans of Direct Marketing back in 2014. We all received, as part of the goodies, two folders of Boardroom controls, including plenty of copy from Gary Bencivenga. I’ll share some of that copy in the next few emails.

But first, let’s focus on the ad I consider one of the greatest ever written.

Click below to see it.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/copyswipes/legends/GaryBencivenga-Launch-Business2-1980.pdf

Focus on a couple of things here, both closely related.

First, the total clarity. I regularly see ads that are difficult to understand. This happens more often in the branding world where the copywriters are striving to be clever and impress copywriters and art directors. I regularly see headlines that have me scratching my head, wondering what the ad is actually trying to achieve. In fact, I saw an ad like that just last night when I picked up a friend from the airport. There was a big sign with a photo of a woman plus the name of the company; I'm still struggling to figure out what that company actually sells.

I even see this lack of clarity in direct response copy. Remember that we’re writing at 6th or 7th grade level. I strive to make my copy extremely clear ... so the prospect knows, with intense clarity, “when you hand over your money, here’s what you’re going to get.”

Second, the copy in the Bencivenga ad may be somewhat dense, but it’s very simple. Look at the basic “how to” headline. Look at the simple bullets. Every copywriter should strive for this clarity and simplicity. There’s no hype here and every claim is believable and backed by proof.

One more thing … check out the specificity. You see this in the headline and you see it throughout the body copy. But Bencivenga avoids having too many numbers. It’s easy to overwhelm the reader with facts and figures. There’s a balance.

This ad appeared in newspapers and magazines so it reads like an article … it’s an advertorial.

What else can you discover from this advertisement? What can you take from this ad to your copy?

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter

A-Lister. B-Lister. D-Lister. Whatever. Direct Response Copywriting Email Archive November 2017 2

November 2017 2

From the desk of Scott Martin, direct response copywriter, Aspen, Colorado.

A-Lister. B-Lister. Whatever.

Plus Some Extremely Salient Advice from Gary Bencivenga. And Why I Gleefully Fired Two Clients in Two Weeks.

Even if you’re a freshly-minted copywriter, I’m confident you’ve heard of the pecking order of A-Lister and B-Lister, and so on. I’ve heard certain copywriters called, “A-Plus-Lister” which means, I have to deduce, they are just a bit better than A-Listers.

A well-known direct marketing expert has called me an A-Lister, which I suppose is a good sign. Another copywriter I know very well calls himself an A-Lister on his website. That’s because others in the marketing world have called him thus.

The system applies to other disciplines, even celebrity life. So and so used to be an “A List celebrity” but is now “D List.” I suppose I could look up the genesis of the idea but I have better things to do ... like take my skis to the ski shop for a tune up. Perhaps you’ll investigate and let me know what you discover.

Anyway, I don’t care for this whole A-Lister palaver. I care about reaching my financial goals so I’m not a burden on family/society when I’m old and in the way. I care about clients who care so deeply about direct marketing that they have a copy of Breakthrough Advertising on the top of their commode. And yes, I have a client who keeps a copy of Breakthrough Advertising on the top of their commode. I care about becoming a stronger copywriter who can generate more revenue for my clients. I care DEEPLY about the success of my clients.

And here’s something you need to know about A-List direct response copywriters. Most of them don’t write copy anymore. They teach and critique.

My ego wants to be called an A-Lister, I guess, but ego satisfaction is short-lived at best. I want to generate a lot of money for my clients so they send a small portion of the revenue my way and keep hiring me.

As I mentioned in the last email, I’m going to discuss Gary Bencivenga’s copy in future emails, but before going there, there’s a piece of Gary Bencivenga advice that’s especially valuable and salient to me every day …

DON’T TAKE ON MARKETING CHALLENGES.

Let’s flip this around.

WORK FOR COMPANIES WITH GREAT LISTS AND GREAT PRODUCTS THAT PEOPLE ON THE LIST REALLY WANT.

If a company has a list of people who love bananas, and everything banana, and they ask me to write copy selling light bulbs to the banana list, I’ve got a problem.

But when they ask me to write copy to that list selling … get this … BANANAS and related banana products … then I’m going to look like a rock-star who is so brilliant I can’t even be classified as an A-Plus-Plus-Plus-Lister.

I had a potential client contact me the other day. He was in the banking business. He wanted a direct mail piece, a post card, plus a long landing page. He had a poor list plus asked if I could get paid when he got some business in the door. The gestation period for people in this business is about 8 months. He balked at the quote and wanted a discount. Plus he wanted everything written in 24 hours. So I fired him before the project could even start.

Another client has an awesome list. The company just asked me to write a promotion for some sunglasses. “Nothing exotic or fun there,” you might justifiably say. But wait a minute. These sunglasses let you listen to music and TAKE PHONE CALLS through the frames! Really! The people on the list will go bonkers for these sunglasses … based on what they have bought before.

Which client do I want to work with?

Let’s remember something about the so-called A-Listers from a decade or so ago … including Gary Bencivenga. They wrote for companies with … Huge and responsive lists, hand curated Excellent products A proven copy formula Top-quality complementary resources like graphics and printing A proven offer and price structure So it’s no wonder their copy worked.

I’m not disparaging these copywriters in any way. I admire Gary Bencivenga more than any other copywriter.

But the lesson here … avoid clients who are not serious direct marketers.

The other client I fired? This company sells a building product/service. My contact would tell me he loved the copy one day, then send me a scathing email the next telling me I’m the worst copywriter ever. He ignored my direct marketing advice, even though he said he liked my feedback/push back.

It was a big piece of business but, even with the fee, I couldn’t take the lunacy. So I issued forth the red card and moved on.

Some clients will, unknowingly, say what Steve Jobs (allegedly) told a copywriter, “keep writing … when I see what I want … I’ll let you know.” That’s fine when there’s an unlimited budget but that’s a marketing challenge I would take on if the client was paying me a whopping fee with no timetable.

Life’s a lot easier when you work with companies that give you the opportunity to sell great products and services … with promotions sent to a list that’s hungry for what the company sells.

In fact, maybe that’s the difference between the A-Lister and the “others.” The A-Lister works with the great companies while the “others” take on marketing challenges.

I think I just discovered something there.

It’s amazing how brilliant I can be when I write about sunglasses THAT TAKE PHONE CALLS and PLAY MUSIC, priced aggressively, and sent to a list of about 2 million strong potential buyers who will go BONKERS for this product.

Funny how that works.

Scott Martin Direct Response Copywriter