How to become a professional copywriter

The Self Liquidating Offer And Other BS [Copywriting Knowledge]

November 23, 2020
/ Advertising
/ By Quentin Pain

A long long time ago, a marketer had a crazy idea. They figured out that if they gave away something for free, they’d get more leads. Then one day Robert Cialdini noticed it and called it Reciprocity, and as we all know, it became the cornerstone for his best selling book: Persuasion. But it’s not […]

How To Write Ad Headlines Part 1 [Copywriting Guides]

November 9, 2020
/ Advertising
/ By Quentin Pain

Ever wanted to write the perfect headline? Then this week’s mini series is for you. Here’s some doing the rounds today: 1. “£49 Watch Can Save Your Life” 2. “Own Your Own Holiday Home” 3. “This $47 Monocular Better Than $3000 Telescope” 4. “Man Mocks Woman On Plane, Doesn’t Realise Who Is Behind Him” The […]

The Truth About Ads Part 5 [Copywriting Guides]

September 12, 2020
/ Advertising
/ By Quentin Pain

People often mention intrigue as a way to sell. What it sometimes means is not being straight. I see this a lot in IM ads. If you only sell the vision with no mention of what or how, it’s a blind sale. Here’s an example from my inbox this week. It comes from a long […]

The Truth About Ads Part 4 [Copywriting Guides]

September 11, 2020
/ Advertising
/ By Quentin Pain

Here’s an heroic ad today with a brand that turned from hero to villain almost overnight. In the 1950’s Volkswagen employed a new advertising agency who believed in simplicity. Their first campaign used the slogan “think small” (whilst the whole US auto industry was ‘thinking big’, they twisted it round and made Volkswagen stand out). […]

The Truth About Ads Part 3 [Copywriting Guides]

September 11, 2020
/ Advertising
/ By Quentin Pain

Here’s another in The Truth About Ads series. This one may be of slightly more interest as it claims to automate copywriting. It’s a software product that asks you a bunch of questions and then compiles an ‘oven ready’ script. There’s a problem though. The ad selling it doesn’t use it. Why is that? Because […]

The Truth About Ads Part 2 [Copywriting Guides]

September 10, 2020
/ Advertising
/ By Quentin Pain

Next up in The Truth About Ads series is another typical Internet Marketing style product. They’re easy to spot as I’ve mentioned on numerous occasions because of their price points. They always end in a 7 (no other products I’ve ever seen do – just IM products). In this example it’s $27. The pre-header leads […]

The Truth About Ads Part 1 [Copywriting Guides]

September 9, 2020
/ Advertising
/ By Quentin Pain

If you’ve ever wondered how so many people find it so easy to make 6, 7, or 8 figures online, read on. I’ve been watching the Internet Marketing industry since it began, so I’m constantly leaving behind a trail of online cookie breadcrumbs. Anyone who is anyone in the IM world uses those cookies to […]

How Patterns Determine The Viability Of Great Sales Copy

April 6, 2020
/ Advertising
/ By Quentin Pain

We see the world through our own eyes. But that’s not what we’re really seeing. What we’re really seeing are patterns. We’re matching groups of photons to previous groups of photons we’ve experienced. It’s the same with hearing, smelling, taste, and feeling. We’re born into the world with no experience other than the womb, plus […]

How Audience Awareness Affects What Copywriters Write

January 17, 2020
/ Advertising
/ By Quentin Pain

Awareness is a big deal in advertising. If everyone is fully aware of something and they have a desire for it, then the only things stopping them buying it are a) they don’t have the money or a means to get the money, or b) they have a desire, but very little need (the only […]

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