New to copywriting

Here's the view from 30,000 feet...

Step 1: Learn how to write persuasive ad copy
Step 2: Learn how to acquire clients
Step 3: Learn how to manage a client project

Alex

I would probably start here:

http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...ooks-ever.html

http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...pywriters.html

Start with the stickies. There's enough gold buried in there to keep you occupied for months.

Yeah, but everyone operates differently as far as learning is concerned.

His definition of step-by-step process may be completely different from mine, from yours, from Gary Halbert's.

Does he want to know how to write? How to sell? How to get clients? How to market? Where does he see himself? Is his definition of "Big $$$$" a respectable $100K a year or raking in cash hand over fist until he's a millionaire?

I get the info overload, definitely. Been there, done that. But I think the first step in narrowing down what you want is knowing some of the options available to you.

Lord knows I had no clue the true depth of this field until I started playing in the Copywriting Forum sandbox. I started off with Peter Bowerman and continually reaching out to new clients for work - never knew there were other methods until I knew, know what I mean?

You play with some things until some options stand out as the winners. At least that's how it worked for me

To the OP:
Of course, the quickest way to learn anything step-by-step is to pay someone to be your mentor. They'll 'splain it to you one on one 'till your brain explodes if you open up your wallet.

Otherwise, the quickest way to learn for FREE is to jump right in, study, learn, and DO.

Here is one step by step course you can use today, OK?

Step 1, make lists.

A-Hobbies or recreational activity, what do you do in your leisure time?
B- Skills and experiences. What jobs have you done, what skills do you have?
C- What education do you have either school or via autodidactic means?
D- Who do you know, friends, family and casual acquaintences.
E- Places you know or have visited.

ALLOW 10 minutes to write out these lists, do it quickly and without much thought.

Step 2; pick out a couple of things on your list which have high interest to you.

Example; Gardening (largest hobby in world) and health.

Go to NextMark - Tools for Media Planning, Media Sales, and Ad Operations on the left side of home page hit the link on finding lists.

Search for lists on gardening books. You will see the name Rodale in the list. Look at several of their list offerings. Then visit the Rodale site, look for books on gardening. Why? They sell millions of dollars of products a year via Direct Response COPYWRITING.

Allow about an hour to learn about the lists being offered. Once you have figured out how to read the "data" card do two more searches.

Type in Suarez in one of the searches, try Frank Cawood in the other. Why?

TWO powerhouses in remote direct marketing or direct response companies with billions in sales and they use copywriters to create promotions.

See the lists. NOTE, the Suarez list has an average sale of 156 dollars, the Cawood list is around 37 dollars.

So, now, if you are serious, you have given yourself a lot of HOW to information. You've spent a couple of hours and discovered what INTERESTS you have and also how to search ONE list company to see what is being sold by direct response copywriting and how much people pay for products.

This could help you identify a MARKET to begin writing for.

You have explored the web sites of 3 long time players in the copywriting game, Rodale, Suarez and Cawood. These represent hundreds of companies big and small who use copywriters.

Now you want to get on as many lists as you can, both as a buyer and a subscriber to their newsletters or email alerts. You do this to SEE and to READ the current promotions companies are using to sell things and this can be the beginning of your SWIPE file and offer hints into how and where to write.

Space ads have limits, direct response mail has expenses, learn what the pros use and how.

Step 3. Go to Clickbank, search for gardening books, use their "weighted" system to see what is selling. Then visit Amazon and search for gardening books, bestsellers.

Step 4. Write a letter to your Aunt Betty (or Uncle Bill) telling them you have found this wonderful book on Gardening (or whatever) you think they would enjoy, tell them why and tell them how much it costs and ask them to buy it.

Step 5. Post your sales letter in Dropbox (or somewhere)and then get a few opinions on it, email me, I'll gladly give you mine, which is often brutal but I hit with velvet gloves on.

Then WRITE and WRITE some more studying some of FREE copywriting sites online to pick up tips.

This is your first WEEK in the biz. Congrats if you take the steps....BOO ON you if you don't.

There you go, a few minutes and a step by step guide on what to do, and with no money out of your pocket.

gjabiz

Step one:

Research.

Step two:

First do step one.

Mark

Here are some good copywriting resources to refer to:
Influence by Robert Cialdini
The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joe Sugarman
The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy
Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins

Add this to your list:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...gh-copywriting

It is NOT Breakthrough Advertising. It is a recent book that I've read a few weeks ago and it was a great refresher on the basics of copywriting.

To supplement your reading material, I highly recommend "kick ass copywriting secrets from a marketing rebel" and "the freelance course" both by John Carlton. Those will definitely point you in the right direction.

I would suggest finding a writer who you like and figure our what makes their copy so effective. Then have your own original style reflect what you have learned from deconstructing this person's copy.

As I undestand you want to became copywritter by your self? If so, there are plenty of tutorials online

Hey there,

By far the best Kindle book I have read for step-by-step copywriting is Crypto Copywriting Secrets. It think it's like $2.99 or something on Amazon.

Search it up

(and no I am not related to the author - I merely just loved the book and found it very useful!)

Thank you so much for the book "Crypto Copywriting Secrets". I must try learning this weekend to research about copywriting even more.

You may want to invest in a news or PR writing class from either an online or local educational institution. You should learn how to do it Copywriting 101 "by the book" before going off and finding your own style. Once you have that foundation of knowledge, you'll be able to have deeper conversations about it on these forums.

Find a good mentor that understands some pedagogical skills in copywriting. It'll cut your learning curve in half.

God Bless, my friend!

ELMO

It always much easier to "rewritte" than writte new article.

Here's a handy resource "Words that Sell" by Richard Bayan

Some solid step by step courses:

John Carlton - Simple Writing System (or his older Kick Ass Copywriting Secrets)
Clayton Makepeace - Quick Start Copywriting System (Available through AWAI)
Brian Keith Voiles - Advertising Magic (Old but solid)
Scott Haines - Shortcut Copywriting Secrets (Not sure if this is still being sold)
Jason Fladlien - Copy eClass (less conventional, more aimed at info-product marketing)

Any one of these will get you going.

I would advise you to find products by Mike Marin from WSO's to learn all the basic stuff. Action guides included!

Here are some tips on how to make an awesome copy.
1. Start with simplicity. Make a copy without any artistic touches in it. simplicity, you deliver the message.
2. Talk as if your talking to somebody. In short, build connection.
3. Tell a story. through this you can get emotional attachment.
4. Be yourself. Don't insist to be like others, the more you think being yourself, the better.
5. Imagine. Make your readers imagine things- your message in particular. This time, think that your reader is a sitting duck. Roll the art, appeal, persuay.

1) Have a good headline
2) Have a good sub -headline
3) Tell buyer why they should purchase from you instead of your competitors?
4) Know who is your audience?
5) Your copy should focus on your buyer.
6) Give them useful but not too much information.
7) Call to action.