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How to write compelling copy by

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WRITE COMPELLINGCOPYHow ToOBSESSIVEDIGITAL

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALAll contents Copyright © ObsessiveDigital 2024. All rights reserved.No part of this document may be copied, duplicated, reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form, by any means without prior written permission. Any unauthorised use will constitute an infringement of copyright.

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALHOW TO WRITE COMPELLING COPY

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“I have always believed that writingadvertisements is the second mostprofitable form of writing.The first, of course, is ransom notes.”“Philip DusenberryOBSESSIVEDIGITAL

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To make your copy compel powerfully, there are 12 areas that you need to focus on. Each of them is covered in this programme in turn:Your pre-copy checklistYour HeadlineYour StoryYour CredibilityYour VoiceYour Bullet BenefitsYour Dual Readership PathSelling on EmotionYour OfferYour Risk ReversalCall to ActionYour Final EditTHE 12 KEYSOF COMPELLING COPY

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“The scariest moment is always just before you start.”“Stephen KingOBSESSIVEDIGITAL

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Writing copy.What a chore.Where do you start?Usually with a blank page, a blinking cursor, and a deadline.Cue frustration.But you KNOW that copywriting is important. Maybe it’s the mostimportant and valuable skill that somebody could learn.Those professional copywriters are a dastardly bunch. They seem able to create desire where none existed, make the dullest subject seem exciting and create a character and a relationship where before there was nothing.And of course, they seem able to pluck sales out of thin air.That’s the skill you probably want, and if you’re reading this, hoping to learn how to twist and turn people’s emotions with mere words, you’re going to be disappointed. If it’s a professional copywriter that you want to be, then you’ve got some work ahead of you my friend.You’ve got many years of reading, studying, and of course writing.The journey to Copy Central is not a short one, but it’s worth the trouble and you’ve chosen a good place to start.Once you’ve digested the contents of these pages you’ll be in a better place than most. You will officially be ‘ahead of the game’, and that’s always where you want to be.THE JOURNEYTO COPY CENTRAL

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“If anyone tells you ‘you write copy’, sneer at them. Copy is notwritten. Copy is assembled.You are working with a series of building blocks, you are putting thebuilding blocks together, and then you are putting them in certainstructures, you are building a little city of desire for your person tocome and live in.” “Eugene SchwartzOBSESSIVEDIGITAL

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALYOUR PRE-COPYCHECKLIST

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Hang on sunshine. Hold your horses. No copywriter worth their salt will ever start writing copy by actually writing copy. That’s just not how you get the best results.Before you put pen to paper, before you lay afinger on your keyboard, there’s much to be done.If you’ve ever engaged a pro copywriter, then you’ll know that they come with questions. They want to know every scrap of information they can get their hands on, they may have a form for you to fill out, they may want to speak on the phone, they might turn up at your office, ready to drain you of information and leave you empty, with all of your answers carefully stored on their dictaphone.• What are they up to?• What’s their GAME??Well, they can’t write anything if they don’tUNDERSTAND exactly what they’re writing about.They can’t write it well if they don’t know whothey’re writing for. They can’t sell if they don’t know what they’re selling.That’s what they’re up to. They’re on a fact finding mission.That’s what you need to do too. You can’t expectsuper compelling copy just to flow from yourfingers.It is not going to happen.When you get GOOD at copy, you can make words race from the tips of your fingers. You can turn blank pages into books.BUT. If you don’t completely understand whatyou’re writing about, they’re just words, and they’re not going to be compelling anyone to take action.First things first. And I’m sorry if I’m teachingGrandma to suck eggs here, but I see WAY toomany people try and pull marketing campaignstogether before giving any thought to this.This really is basic MARKETING, rather thancopywriting, but you need the foundation in place if you’re ever going to have a chance of compelling anyone to do anything at all.The “thing” here is simple, it’s called Market /Message / Media.You can sex it up if you want. Call it the “3Ms” orwhatever, but as my solicitor often tells me - it iswhat it is.Why This MattersI’ll give you a simple overview:Market is WHO you are writing to. You wouldn’t sell many lawnmowers to people who live in high-rise apartments.Message is WHAT you are saying to them. Can you create a message that resonates with your market and create a strong desire in them to take action?Media is HOW you get your Market to engage with your Message. If nobody’s reading your words, it doesn’t matter how powerful they are, nobody gives a flying duck about your brilliant offer.You’re smart. I can see that from here. I know you’ve quickly got this nailed.GETTING STARTED...

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Your MarketIf it sounds simple, it’s because it is: Your “Market” relates squarely to WHO you are selling to.• Are you selling to old people or young people?• Tall people or short people?• Wealthy people or poor people?• Educated people or stupid people?• Fat people or thin people?• People who live here, or people who live there?• To children, parents or grandparents?• To people with back pain?• To people with flat roofs?• To people with low self esteem?• To people who read books or watch TV?• To Tom Jones fans?• To wine drinkers or gin fans?• To PC users or Apple fanboys?Who’s in your audience? What do you know about your market?What do they think about, what keeps themawake at night?What do they want out of life? What are theyscared of?What language resonates with them?Not understanding your marketCOMPLETELY is a big error.Make it at your peril.Do not make the mistake of thinking that you know who you’re talking to. If you’re a couple of degrees off tangent with your market, then it’s going to have a big impact on your ability to convince and compel.Relationship With AudienceWhen you’re researching your market here, youshould give some serious thought to the relationship that you’ve got with your market. Are you writing to a list of existing customers, or a cold-as-ice list that’s just been bought or acquired? Is it someone else’s list?Your MarketNow we’re cooking. This is the bit that you THINK copywriters should be most interested in. They’ll be all over this, won’t they?In lots of ways, yes. The message is the bit wherethe words matter, and that’s where copywritingskills shine, but a half-decent copywriter is goingto be VERY interested in everything else too. Theywant to understand exactly where the words theywrite fit into the bigger picture.So, the message that you craft will depend asmuch on who you’re writing to as it will what you’re writing about.The key question to understand the answer to here is “what is my objective?”If you’re not CRYSTAL clear on what you wantyour reader to do once they’ve read your copy,then they’re not going to be clear either.The key question to understand the answer to here is “what is my objective?”And if they’re not sure what you want them to do,chances are pretty good that they’re not going todo it.• What are you writing for?• What’s your ideal outcome?• Are you trying to sell something right from the get-go?• Are you trying to get your reader to book an appointment?• To come to an event?• To refer a friend?• What’s the plan?MARKET MESSAGE MEDIA

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You need to know your reader. You need tounderstand what you want them to do.Having that understanding is going to have adramatic impact on the success of your copy.Write a list of the benefits of what you’reselling to your reader.Write a list of reasons why your reader wouldn’t believe you. Write a list of how you can prove to your reader that all the claims you make are 100% credible.Oh, and don’t forget your offer. The most effectivecopy usually incorporates a deadline and an offer. More on that later.We’ll spend more time on crafting and honingyour message in a few pages time, but if you’reonly going to read this far, then here’s what youneed to know to make your copy 84 times morecompelling than anything Mr Average wouldwrite:Decide what the ONE THING is that you wantyour reader to do before you start craftingyour message.TELL your reader exactly what you want themto do in your copy. Do not allude to it. Do notleave them to ‘read between the lines’ andwork it out. Spell it out. Clear and simple.Your MarketSo you understand who’s in your market. You’vecrafted such a well-considered sales letter thattests show that 1 in 3 people who read it wouldclimb over their own grandmother in the race tobuy whatever it is that you’re selling.1 in 3. Nice work cowboy.So you place the sales letter in a magazine that has a readership of 30,000 people.How many sales can you expect?Good news: I’ve done the maths for you.Bad news: How does zero sales sound?Your media choice is IMPORTANT. It is CRITICAL.Over 50% of your response will have nothing to do with the quality of your copy, or the strength of your offer.The biggest difference is WHO you send it to -It’s WHO reads it.Would you place an ad for KFC in ‘Mens Health’?Place an ad for BMW tuning in ‘Porsche Enthusiast’?Distribute a flyer for high-end kitchens to acouncil estate?If the right people don’t SEE your copy, then they’re not going to READ your copy......and if they don’t read it, only one thing is goingto happen: NOTHING.There are hundreds of medias that you could use, but some of them are going to be MUCH more responsive for your market than others. Would your Market read blog posts? Newspapers? Flyers? Facebook? Billboards? Magazines? What do they read, when do they read it?It matters, and a decent copywriter will care asmuch about media choice - about WHERE people are going to read the words - than what the words say.

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AIDAThere’s a formula to the structure of compelling copy, and it’s a thousand years old.Copywriters know it as the AIDA formula, and it’s nothing new, but it’s here because it works. AttentionYou’ve got to grab your reader’s attentionInterestYou’ve got to get them engagedDesireThey need to want what you’re sellingActionYou need to convince them to take the next stepThink of your sales copy as a helter-skelter. Your readers take a peek at the top of the slide, and if they like the look of it, they’ll start to make their way down.Your job as a copywriter is to grease the slide.Make that helter-skelter as slippery as you can, so your readers love every second and race out of the bottom in whatever direction you want them to go.Think of your sales copy as a helter-skelter. Your readers take a peek at the top of the slide, and if they like the look of it, they’ll start to make their way down.Your job as a copywriter is to grease the slide.Make that helter-skelter as slippery as you can, so your readers love every second and race out of the bottom in whatever direction you want them to go.YOUR SIMPLECOPY STRUCTURE

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Why would they buy?A good copywriter isn’t LAZY.If you don’t know what you’re selling, then there’s no way you can sell it as effectively as it could be sold.The best copywriter in the world couldn’t.That’s why doing your homework is key to your copywriting success. You need to get your facts straight.Pulling together your FACT SHEET about what you’re going to be writing about is inarguably the mostimportant piece of the copywriting jigsaw.Let’s use this very copywriting product as our example, so I can make this real for you. If I was writing the sales letter for “How To Write Compelling Copy” here’s what I’d do.• I’d understand the product. Firstly, what it looks and feels like. How heavy is it? How many pages? Is it colour? What kind of envelope/package is it delivered in? How does it feel in my hands?• I’d read the product carefully, and then I’d read it again. I’d make notes. I’d find 20 key takeaways, things that people are going to learn when they’ve read it.• I’d talk to people who’ve bought a copy, and find out what they had to say. What did it feel like tothem? What did they learn from it? What have they done with the information? What happened?What results did they get?• I’d talk to the author. What did they set out to achieve with the product? Who’s it for? What willthey learn?I’d keep digging. Keep researching.If you do enough research, your copy will pretty much write itself.Oh, I’d talk to people who chose NOT to buy it, if I could. And discover why they DIDN’T take action.And find out why people who sent it back wanted refunds.It’s YOUR “Fact Sheet” so don’t hold back. You need to capture all the negative stuff along with the positive. Those objections and ‘bad stuff’ will be tremedously useful for you as you craft your copy.YOUR FACTSHEET“When It Comes To Writing Copy, Far Too Much Attention Is Paid To The Actual Writing And Far Too Little Is Paid To Ferreting Out Facts About That Which The Copywriter Is Trying To Sell!”“Gary Halbert

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Why wouldn’t they?I’ll tell you what’s frustrating about writing great copy...it’s when people don’t read it. And they won’t. Sorry to crush your hopes and dreams.It doesn’t matter whether you’re writing long-copy advertorial, or an email campaign, or a sales letterthat’s going to sit online.They’re not going to read it all.Even if you wrap 100 letters in 100 bright pinkboxes and have them hand delivered top 100 redhot prospects.They’re STILL not going to consume your everyword.BUT......Let’s assume that your reader DOES giveyou the time of day....Let’s assume that you do enough to geteyeballs onto your copy.Even if 100 people read your copy from top tobottom, they’re not ALL going to take the next step.I’m sorry, someone had to break it to you,and I thought it might as well be me.So, let’s go back to the pink boxes for a second:You send 100 of them....some of them won’t be delivered....some of them won’t be opened...some of them will be glanced at and binned...some of them will be put to one side forlater...some of them will be skim read...some of them will be read from top to bottom How many? Who knows?There are lots of factors in play here, but yourengagement and readership in this situation islikely to be less about the size of the box and theheadline you run with, and more about who’s onthe list and what their relationship with the sender is.But let’s say that 40 people read the letter all theway through. You want them to pick up the phone and call to make an appointment.How many of them pick up the phone?I don’t know. Too many variables again, but it sure isn’t going to be 40 out of 40, I can tell you that much for free. So why don’t they pick up the phone? Afterall, they’ve read the letter, they KNOW that’s what you want them to do?Well. Here’s the thing:There won’t be ONE reason why 40 people decide not to take action.There will be at least 5, probably 10, and maybe20 or 30.OVERCOMINGRESISTANCE“Every product has a unique personality and it is your job to find it.”“Joe Sugarman

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That’s where YOU come in, my soon to be acecopywriter...You need to be able to TIME TRAVEL.When you sit down to write your sales letter - before you get carried away with pink boxes and pretty ribbons, before you start thinking about typefaces and linespacing - you need to ask yourself one simple question...WHY WOULDN’T THEY?Whatever you’re writing, whoever you’re writing to, whatever you want them to do, there will always be reasons why somebody WOULDN’T do what you want them to do.Your job, my friend, is to think about those reasons, those excuses, those issues AHEAD OF TIME. Head them off at the pass. Leave no stone unturned.Make sure you overcome every possible objection in your copy.Write a list of your “Why Wouldn’t They” reasons,and answer them all in your letter. Then you’re inwith a shot of creating something compelling.On the following pages you’ll find a classic salesletter for an American busineses called “OmahaSteaks”. The Call To Action is to contact the company and order some steaks, which will be sent to them in the post. The list of ‘Why Wouldn’t They’ questions for the copywriter here might have been:I’m not going to buy because...• I don’t believe that these steaks are going to be as good as you say they’re going to be• I don’t think that people really buy meat by mail order, I don’t want to be the odd one out• I think that mail order steak is going to arrive spoiled• I’ve never cooked steak before - I don’tknow how to get started• I don’t want to be high and dry if I don’t like the look of the meat• It’s probably going to cost a fortune tophone you up and place my order• I don’t want to phone up, I don’t like talking to people• You probably won’t accept my weird ass Carte Blanche credit card, and that’d be super awkward• I haven’t got a stamp, darnit.Now, read the letter, and see how all of the questionsare answered in the body copy.

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Dear Friend,Can you recall the best steak you ever tasted in your life? One that was tender, juicy and just full of flavor. I’ll bet you can. Most likely, it was served at an exclusive restaurant or supper club.I’m writing to you because I believe you would enjoy a box of my “fork-tender” Omaha Steaks ... the same steaks I sell to fine restaurants ... shipped frozen, directly to you. Here’s my story.Have you ever wondered why the steaks fine restaurants serve taste so good? It’s simple, really.The chefs in fine restaurants know that all their skill in food preparation is absolutely useless – unless they begin with first quality cuts of meat.Where do smart chefs get this superb beef? From suppliers like me in the heart of America’s beef country -- the Midwest -- who select and cut steaks to their exacting specifications. We specialize in fine quality meats for elegant restaurants and clubs. In such places, customers pay a premium price. So the meat has to be the very best.My company, Omaha Steaks International, has been a beef supplier to fine restaurants since 1917. That’s the year we began supplying a few of Omaha’s posh steak houses. Today, we supply USDA Prime and Top Choice Omaha Steaks to restaurants in every part of America. In fact -- it’s quite possible that you’ve enjoyed one of our steaks at a fine restaurant, without even knowing it.But that’s only half our business. Over the years, we found people who wanted our magnificent steaks for personal use. We had to charge them a premium price. But, to these people, quality was their greatest concern. They simply wanted to enjoy our top quality steaks at home -- and share them with family and friends.This gave us the idea of actually seeking out discriminating steak lovers, especially in places where aged, corn-fed, Midwestern beef was not available. So we sent out our first mail order catalog. And the response was tremendous. As a result, about half of our business is now devoted to supplying people all over America with the best steaks money can buy ... for their dining, entertaining and gift needs.To introduce you to Omaha Steaks ...... I have a very special offer. An introductory discount, typical of the specials we offer to our regular customers all year long.OMAHA STEAKSTried & Tested Copy

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I’ll send you 6 (6 oz.) Filet Mignons, each 1-1/4” thick -- (the regular price of these fine steaks is $52.95) -- for only $29.95, plus $4.00 for shipping and handling. You save $23.00; that’s more than 43% off the usual price.As soon as I receive your order, I’ll send you a confirmation by First Class mail. Then, within two or three weeks, your Omaha Steaks will be delivered right to your door. (They’re boxed and wrapped for your freezer, placed in an insulated, reusable cooler, packed with over 20 pounds of dry ice ... and shipped out freight prepaid.)With your order, I’ll enclose, FREE, our full color catalog of succulent steaks andgourmet foods you may order by mail or phone.Also -- you get the Omaha Steaks Cookbook FREE. This booklet contains recipes and instructions by food expert James Beard. So you’ll be certain to cook your steaks to perfection.In addition -- I want you to enjoy these steaks at no risk. So I offer you this guarantee: IF YOU ARE NOT PLEASED FOR ANY REASON, WE WILL REPLACE YOUR ORDER OR REFUND YOUR MONEY, WHICHEVER YOU PREFER.So place your order now, while everything is right in front of you. The fastest way to get your steaks is to call us TOLL FREE at 1-800-228-9055 and charge to your American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club or Carte Blanche account. You may phone 7 days a week, day or night. (Nebraska residents call 0-402-391-3660, COLLECT.)To order by mail, just endorse the enclosed check, fill in the order form, enclose your payment -- then use the postage-free envelope I’ve provided. Whether you phone or write, I must receive your order before the date shown on your check. After that date, I’ll select a new group of people to receive this rare offer -- and your chance will be past. So please respond now.Your satisfaction is fully guaranteed.Sincerely,Frederick J. SimonExecutive Vice PresidentTried & Tested CopyP.S. To more than double your enjoyment, you may order 12 (6 oz.) Filet Mignons -- at the special price of $58.95 plus $4.00 for shipping and handling.

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5 REASONSTO OVERCOMEThere are all sorts of reasons why your prospectwon’t take action. It might just be one thing, itmight be a combination.If you don’t consider their reasons not to actionand overcome them properly, then your copy isn’t going to be as compelling as it should be.You need to work out what all the reasons mightbe, and address each one fully1. They don’t think it’s POSSIBLEMost people have a fixed belief of what is possible. If you try and convince them of a possibility that is beyond what they already believe, then they are not going to take action.Most people have a fixed belief of what is possible. If you try and convince them of a possibility that is beyond what they already believe, then they are not going to take action.You can do this using testimonials, case studies,images, before and after photos, statistics andstatements from trusted sources.You must make what seems impossible to themseem possible and plausible.2. They don’t think it’s BENEFICIALSeeing the benefits of your product or service fora prospect can sometimes be a tough thing tonail – just because a prospect expresses desirefor a thing doesn’t mean they believe it will bebeneficial to them.You must get your reader to agree with you about the beneficial nature of your product or service TO THEM.3. They don’t think it’s ATTAINABLEConvincing your prospect of the possibility is onething – attainability is another. Whilst winning thelottery is a possibility (and is enough to convincepeople to play) - investing in a product or servicemust have the attainable factor too.The way to get this attainable factor, you mustpresent unwavering proof – that is, if a 15 stoneheavy prospect sees someone else who was also 15 stone lose 10lbs in just a week – they can see it is attainable.Attainability requires evidence and acceptance that it can be done, has been done, is being done by many, done by others like the prospect – so much so, it cannot be denied.4. They don’t think it’s APPROPRIATEOften, people can be wary that purchasing aproduct or service seems to make sense – butquestion if it is appropriate for them. Perhaps it doesn’t feel ‘right’. The prospect’s quiet worry that “wanting what you can’t ever really have” is enough to stop them from taking action. Your copy should quash this belief; when a prospect suggests they don’t really want to lose weight – “how EVER could I maintain that?” – you should show them that it is attainable and appropriate. You should leave nothing to chance.5. They don’t think it’s the RIGHT TIMEMore often than not – there are reasons to not take action that are related to time: it isn’t the right time in their life, they can’t afford it right now, they would suffer the consequences if they take action now.The best medicine for this is to introduce yourproduct or service as the perfectly timed option.This can be tied in with a fixed-time offer, an urgent need to have something before the limited supply runs out, or even the need to ‘go against the grain’. You must present this as the best time to purchase your product or service precisely because this is the time most think it wouldn’t be. Ultimately you must get the prospect to agree that the present time is the right time to take action.

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“How important are headlines?I’m glad you asked. Some pundits say the headline accounts for 80% of the success of the ad. I, myself, have re-headlined ads and increased their pull by 475%.I have a client who pays me $195,000 per year to write headlines. Headlines are where I spend more creative effort than any other aspect of my work.Good headlines are crucial.”“On average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. If you haven’t done some selling in your headline, you have wasted 80% of your money.The wickedest of all sins is to run an advertisement without a headline.”““Gary HalbertDavid OgilvyOBSESSIVEDIGITAL

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALYOURHEADLINE

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GETTING YOUR HEADLINEYour headline is what grabs attention. It’s whatpiques the interest of your reader, and compelsthem to start reading.Pro copywriters sweat over headlines.They understand that their headline is the element that determines how many people start to read their carefully crafted copy, or not.Get your headline right, and you’ll start your reader off on the slippery slide that is your copy. Get it wrong, and nobody’s reading.Here are a few tried and tested “headline formulas” that can be a useful place to start:“How To” HeadlinesThey understand that their headline is the element that determines how many people start to read their carefully crafted copy, or not.Get your headline right, and you’ll start your reader off on the slippery slide that is your copy. Get it wrong, and nobody’s reading.Here are a few tried and tested “headline formulas” that can be a useful place to start:These headlines are really common, they are aclassic direct response formula because they can be hugely efffective.You’ll often find this headline formula used onthe front covers of glossy magazines. Sometimesthey’ll take the “How To” off the front, so you’restraight into the meat.“How To Stop Gaining Weight And Start LosingFat – TODAY”“How To Dramatically Increase Your RevenueIn Less Than 6 months”“Shrink Your Thighs In Just 4 Minutes a Day.”“Secret” HeadlinesTell someone that you’ve got a secret and they are going to want to know what it is. Natural curiosity is what makes this formula work, and it’s why a secret-led headline can really capture the attention of your reader.“The 6 Secrets To Escape Your CopywritingConfusion”“The Secret That Dentists Don’t Want You ToKnow About Naturally White Teeth”“Keep It To Yourself… The Secret Seven DaySale”Getting your headline spot on can take longer than it takes you to craft the rest of your copy, but that’s ok, because......Having a killer headline is the most important part of any copy that you write.

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“7 Steps” Headlines Using numbers is a really key way to get peoplereading – but remember to use numbers that stick out like a sore thumb.You’re trying to capture the attention of the reader, so steer clear of ‘nice’ numbers that just blend into the background – what’s more interesting: “19 Steps To Lose 37lbs in One Month” or “20 Steps To Lose 40lbs in One Month?”“13 Steps To Perfect Your Copywriting”“37 Ways To Make The Most of Your Lunch”“7 Simple Principles To Keep Wrinkles At Bay”“How I” HeadlinesThese headlines are really common, this is a classic direct response formula.“How I Overcame Joint Pain, Got Off theSidelines, and Back in the Game.”“How I added 20 Yards to My Drives and NowHit the Fairway More Often than a PGA Pro.”“Who Else” Headlines“Who Else Wants to Earn £2000 a month by“Working” just 2 Hours a Week?”“Who Else wants to Save Thousands EVERYYear With One Unusual Trick?”“Guarantee” HeadlinesOffering an effective and simple “Risk Reversal”,can be a really effective way to engage with your reader.“Sell Your Home In 7 Days or Less – Guaranteed”“Pizza Ordered and Delivered in 25 Minutes orYour Next One’s FREE”There are three things you can do to help youto choose a winning headline:1. Write out AT LEAST 10 Headlines.The first headline that you write is unlikely to be the best one. Take the time to keep going. Write 10, write 20. You’ll find a combination of words that is more powerful and more compelling than the others.2. Make it Keyword RichThere are a few ways you can test to see if you’vegot the right keywords in your headline, the “power words” that are going to command the attention of your audience.The first is to use Google AdWords; if there’s search traffic for what you’re selling, place a few ads and split test different keywords against one another.The second is to take a sneaky peek at Amazon. Do a few searches for books that are aimed at your market, take inspiration from the titles of the best selling books for that audience.

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3. Re-Work a Classic Headline It doesn’t take a genius to take someone else’sheadline and make it your own.Here’s a list of headlines from the last 100years, most of them are very easy to adaptfor your own purpose:• Imagine Holding an Audience Spellbound for 30 Minutes• Do You Make This Mistakes in English?• 7 ways to Collect Your Unpaid Bills How To Get Rich Reading Classified Ads• Who is Making a Bundle and How• How the Experts Buy and Sell Gold and Silver• A £10,000 Mistake!• The Greatest Reason in The World• The Secret of Perfect Putting• We’re looking for people to write children’s books• Why not increase your income dramatically?• How to get Free advertising and Free publicity• How to Avoid Mental Hazards• Why a hard-nose Millionaire will pay you £4.50 just to read a magazine• Profits That Lie Hidden In Your Farm• How I Made a Fortune with a Silly Idea• Thousands Have This Priceless Gift –but Never Discover It!• Do You Do Any Of These Embarrassing Things?• Six Types of Investors -Which Group Are You In?• But What if You Could See Her Naked?• How the little guy can make big money today• A Little Mistake That Cost a Farmer £10,000 a Year• The Last 2 Hours are the Longest -and Those Are the 2 Hours You Save• How to Burn Off Body Fat, Hour-by-Hour• I liked this product so much -that I bought the company!• Why Some People Almost Always Make Money in The Stock Market?• How You Can Eat More and Weigh Less• 161 New Ways to a Man’s Heart -in this fascinating Book• Often a Bridesmaid -Never a Bride!• Does Your Child Ever Embarrass You?• Is The Life of a Child Worth £1 to You?• New Shampoo Leaves Your Hair Smoother -Easier to Manage• If You Read Music you’ll Love Our Magazine• What would you rather do this evening: watch TV or make some real money?• Great New Discovery Kills Kitchen Odours Quick!• For The Woman Who Looks Younger than She Is• Check the Kind of Body You Want• The Secrets of Making People like You• Desperate woman loses 9 Stone with amazing diet secret• How a New Discovery Made a Plain GirlBeautiful

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• Want to Be a Private Investigator?• At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock• Why Wall Street Journal readers live better• “Dear American Tourist: You Saved My Life”• Girls! Want Quick Curls?• How to make people line up and beg you to take their money• The Truth about Getting Rich• They Grinned when the waiter spoke to me in French...• 17 Shares You Should Dump Right Away• Get Rid of Money Worries for Good• Here is a way to make money that has never yet failed• World poker champ sells secrets for £9.95• The ugly truth about your new car• Seven Steps to Financial Freedom• How to Write a Hit Song and Sell It• To People Who Want To Write -but Can’t Get Started• The Happiest Millionaire around teaches others his secrets• How to Win Friends and Influence People• The people who read this book will end up with your Money• Five Familiar Skin Troubles –Which do You Want to Overcome?• Free Book Tells You 12 Secrets of Better Lawn Care• Suppose THIS Happened On Your Wedding Day!• Don’t Even Think About Buying New HomeWithout Reading This Report!• How to Start from Scratch and Become a Millionaire• The Secret of Having Good Luck• How to Rob Banks Legally• 38 Fun and Easy Ways to Earn £500 Next Weekend• A Startling Fact about Money• Is making a living keeping you from earning real money?• This is Marie Antoinette -Riding to Her Death• Take This One Minute Test!• The Most Expensive Mistake of Your Life• My name is Paul Franklin... and I’d like to make a confession• How to Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive• They Laughed When I Sat Down at The Piano... but Then I Started to Play!• You Can Laugh at Money Worries –if You Follow This Simple Plan• How I Improved My Memory in One Evening• The Secret to Being Wealthy• If You Want to Quit Working Some Day...• Have You Ever Seen a Grown Man Cry?• How to Discover What You Are Really Good At?

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALNobody reads ads. People read what interests them. Sometimes it’s an ad.”“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”““Howard GossagePhilip Pullman

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALYOURSTORIES

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YOUR STORIESThink about the great teachers, trainers, presenters and coaches you’ve worked with. Scrap that. Think about the most INTERESTING and FASCINATING people you know.The people who grab your attention and keep itlocked in. Are they facts and figures people? Do they quote statistics?No. Those people are storytellers.The fact is that from childhood we are all trained to listen to and read stories. We can spot the setup of a story and we’re not sated until we know what happened at the end.• Good stories are interesting.• Good stories illustrate a point.• Good stories can turn so-so copy into super compelling copy.Here’s how to weave stories into your copy:Make It RelevantYour story MUST be relevant to the point that you’re trying to make.There’s nothing worse than a story that has beencrowbarred into the copy for the sake of fleshing it out.Try to use strong examples that your ideal customer will recognise and identify with. There’s no use referencing obscure political figures from the seventies if you’re targeting twenty-somethings.You want to have a story that links directly to thetwenty-something, so go for a figure in the mediathey can relate to, or better yet, an example of atwenty-something where your product or servicehas worked wonders for them. It’ll strike a chord.The key here is ensuring that you tailor what you’re saying to who you’re saying it to.Keep It InterestingThere’s nothing worse than a story that doesn’tquite hit the spot – have you ever been in a situation where a story’s been hyped so much, you can’t wait to hear it, and then, in the telling, it’s little more than adequate?Well this is what you want to avoid. There’s a fineline between a story that’s too short and a storythat’s laboriously long – it’s your job to strike abalance. Each story should have a clear beginning, issue, solution (the good part you care about), and an end.It’s also really important to make sure your storydoesn’t completely take over the copy you’rewriting. It should be used to support your message, not take the limelight – no matter how great a story it is!Don’t OvercomplicateIf the story you’ve used is only loosely connectedto your message and you have to shoehorn in an explanation of why you’re including it, the chances are you’re overcomplicating it.When you’re writing copy, there’s no space forsuperfluous.Having a great headline is only the start... if you want to keep the reader’s interest, your body copy has to be strong too.A great way to capture and keep the interest of your reader is to build stories into your copy.

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALSome of the most compelling sales letters of all time have included a story or elements of a story, one of the finest examples is a letter that Martin Conroy wrote for The Wall Street Journal, known as the “two young men” letter.Over 25 years, the letter generated over One Billion dollars of sales for the WSJ. You’ll find the full letter on the following pages...

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Dear Reader:On a beautiful late spring afternoon, twenty-five years ago, two young men graduated from the same college. They were very much alike, these two young men.Both had been better than average students, both were personable and both -– as young college graduates are -- were filled with ambitious dreams for the future. Recently, these men returned to their college for their 25th reunion.They were still very much alike.Both were happily married. Both had three children. And both, it turned out, had gone to work for the same Midwestern manufacturing company after graduation, and were still there.But there was a difference. One of the men was manager of a small department of that company. The other was its president.What Made The DifferenceHave you ever wondered, as I have, what makes this kind of difference in people’s lives? It isn’t always a native intelligence or talent or dedication. It isn’t that one person wants success and the other doesn’t.The difference lies in what each person knows and how he or she makes use of that knowledge.And that is why I am writing to you and to people like you about The Wall Street Journal. For that is the whole purpose of The Journal: To give its readers knowledge – knowledge that they can use in business.A Publication Unlike Any OtherYou see, The Wall Street Journal is a unique publication. It’s the country’s only national business daily. Each business day, it is put together by the world’s largest staff for businessnews experts. Each business day, The Journal’s pages include a broad range of information of interest and significance to business-minded people, no matter where it comes from. Not just stocks and finance, but anything and everything in the whole, fast-moving world of business ... The Wall Street Journal gives you all the business news you need— when you need it.Knowledge Is PowerRight now, I am reading page one of The Journal. It combines all the important news of the day with in-depth feature reporting. Every phase of business news is covered, from articles on inflation, wholesale prices, car prices, tax incentives for industries to major developments in Washington, and elsewhere.And there is page after page inside The Journal filled with fascinating and significant information that’s useful to you. A daily column on personal money management helps you become a smarter saver, better investor, wiser spender. There are weekly columns on small business, marketing, real estate, technology, regional developments. If you have never read The Wall Street Journal, you cannot imagine how useful it can be to you.WALL STREET JOURNALTried & Tested Copy

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Much of the information that appears in The Journal appears nowhere else. The Journal is printed in numerous plants across the United States, so that you get it early each business dayA $28 SubscriptionPut our statements to the proof by subscribing for the next 13 weeks for just $28. This is the shortest subscription term we offer – and a perfect way to get acquainted with The Journal. Or you may prefer to take advantage of a longer-term subscription for greater savings: an annual subscription at $107 saves you $20 off The Journal’s cover price. Our best buy -—two years for $185 - saves you a full $69!Simply fill out the endorsed order card and mail it in the postage-paid envelope provided. And here’s The Journal guarantee: Should The Journal not measure up to your expectations, you may cancel this trial arrangement at any point and receive a refund for the undelivered portion of your subscription.If you feel as we do that this is a fair and reasonable proposition, then you will want to find out without delay if The Wall Street Journal can do for you what it is doing for millions of readers. So please mail the enclosed order card now, and we will start serving you immediately.About those two college classmates, I mention at the beginning of this letter. They graduated from college together and together got started in the business world. So what made their lives in business different?Knowledge. Useful knowledge. And its application.An Investment In SuccessI cannot promise you that success will be instantly yours if you start reading The Wall StreetJournal. But I can guarantee that you will find The Journal always interesting, alwaysreliable, and always useful.Sincerely,Peter R. KannExecutive Vice President/ Associate PublisherP.S. It’s important to note that The Journal’s subscription price may be tax-deductible.

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“Don’t confuse visibility with credibility.”“Harvey MackayOBSESSIVEDIGITAL

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALCREDIBILITY& PROOF

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CREDIBILITY & PROOFBeing accurate, getting specific and citing sources shows your reader than you’ve done your homework and you know what you’re talking about.• If 67 of your franchisees are making more than £10,000 a month, then say 67. Don’t say “dozens”.• If your top-earning referrer made £14,824.73 in commissions last month, get exact.• If your system has people losing an average of 12.4 kgs in month one, then say so.If you don’t know. Find out. You can’t be lazy about this.• If your system uptime is 99.78%, say so.• If there are 6 reasons why your reader should take action, stick to 6. Don’t try and pad it out to 10, or lose one because 5 is a better number.Before you compel anyone to take action, you’ve got to convince them that you’re telling the truth. The best ways to do that are by using testimonials and case-studies.It’s called Social Proof, and thanks to things like TripAdvisor and Amazon, it’s more powerful than everbefore.TestimonialsThink about the last thing you bought online – you probably spent a fair bit of time reading through Amazon reviews before taking the plunge and clicking the ‘Buy Now’ button. You’ve almost certainly done extensive TripAdvisor research to see what people have got to say about the hotel you’re thinking of booking for the next family holiday, too.Reviews are a bit like testimonials – they tell you what people think of a product or service. It’s your job to take the really good testimonials and turn them into useable ammunition in your sales copy.. The key here is to have good testimonials, and there’s a big difference between good testimonials and bad testimonials...The first iron-fast rule of testimonials is that they have a name next to them. Without that, they are sounbelieveable that they’re likely to have a negative impact on the rest of your copy.When it comes to crafting copy that compels and converts, your sworn enemies are skepticism and doubt, your allies are proof and credibility.Where you make claims in your copy, they must be credible, and you must back them up with specific proof.

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Bad testimonials are lacking in any real content, won’t give specifics, and won’t tell you the benefits of the outcome.“Good service.” - Joe F.Using a testimonial like that doesn’t make your copy any more compelling. It just doesn’t add any value.A lengthier testimonial that starts with an issue or problem, followed by an amazing solution is a formulathat works really well.The one below is a really good example of what you should be doing in terms of testimonials.• “I was a bit anxious about buying {YourProduct} as it’s a little more expensive than the competitorbrand, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this was the right decision; I’ve increased my efficiency tenfold!• The quality of the {YourProduct} is incredible; the customer service is second to none, and I would recommend {YourBusiness} to anyone who was looking for a {YourProduct} to buy.”• Bob Smith, PlymouthWhat’s important is that you can see the initial issue that is then blown out of the water by a measurableimprovement, and by the quality and service offered. A real person in a real place provides the testimonial – so the reader finds it much more believable.Good, and even great testimonials aren’t hard to find. If you’re doing the right stuff in your business, justask your customers for them. Simple.Case StudiesA case study is nothing more than a longer testimonial. Making the testimonial longer gives you a chance to insert a bit of story. Tell us something more about the person who’s given you the testimony, and about the problems they had before taking action, or the benefits they’ve enjoyed since.With a case study, you’ll definitely want a photo of your main character, and if a before and after image is appropriate, use it.A liberal sprinkling of testimonials and case studies in and around your copy will massively boost your credibility, making your copy much more compelling.Overleaf, you’ll find a real-life case study that Infusionsoft have written for their client “Iron TribeFitness”. They’ve gone down the Q&A route, which is nice and easy, just get your best customers to answer the questions, and you’ve got your case study...

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Case Study: Iron Tribe FitnessActive marketing leads to healthy sales.lnfusionsoft’s 2012 Ultimate Marketer winner wowed attendees at lnfusionCon with their story. In just a few short years, Iron Tribe Fitness grew from a few friends working out in Forrest Walden’s garage to opening its sixth location and selling 60 franchises of their popular fitness centers across the southeastern US.How do you attract and capture leads?“While referrals drive more than 75% of our leads, markeing lives at the forefront of our business model It’s a big reason that attrition has been below 4% monthly for two years now. We run direct response-style advertisements in everything from local print publications to radio, television, outdoor (billboards), SEO, SEM, and internally generated multimedia content that flows through all of our social media and websites. Infusionsoft web forms are a huge part of our lead capturing strategies. From embedding these web forms on ‘Contact us’ pages, to using them on our website homepages and as banner advertisements via SEM, these forms have been vital in generating new leads.”What’s your follow-up process like?“We have several different tags and actions that occur, depending on the information entered within each web form.We have two different free reports written with classic direct response elements including bold headlines, an irresistible offer, ironclad guarantees and social proof. Another standard action is a 12·step follow-up email sequence that educates the prospect on the nine fundamental movements of our Iron Tribe program.”INFUSIONSOFTReal Life Case Study

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“With Infusionsoft, we’re controlling every step of everything we do when it comes to the sales and marketing process.”“OBSESSIVEDIGITALHow do your location managers get and follow up with leads?“We use assignments and tags to organize each of our facility manager’s Infusionsoft user home pages. Based on which web form a prospect fills out, they are initially assigned to the respective Iron Tribe Fitness manager’s Infusionsoft user account. From there, they use our sales scripts. Infusionsoft pre-built email templates and other strategies to try and close the sale.”Bottom line, how has Infusionsoft impacted your business?“It has allowed us to scale our business model for the average operator to have the ability to run an Iron Tribe Fitness location, preserving our sales and marketing workflow to a degree that consistently brings in leads. All of our marketing flows through the web and ultimately through our Infusionsoft database, which is divided strategically between each of our locations via contact assignments set in the user permissions.”Location: Birmingham, ALOwner: Jim Cavale & Forrest WaldenEmployees: 31Industry: Fitness/FranchiseKey Results:Net profit increased 310%Lead capture leaped by 308%Sold 60 franchises

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OBSESSIVEDIGITAL“The mystery of writing advertisements consists mainly in saying in a few plain words exactly what it is desired to say, precisely as it would be written in a letter or told to an aquaintance.”“George P. Rowell“Do not address your readers as though they were gathered together in a stadium. When people read your copy, they are alone. Pretend you are writing to each of them a letter on behalf of your client.”“David Ogilvy“To write well, express yourself like the common people, but think like a wise man.”“Aristotle

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALYOURVOICE

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YOUR VOICENobody wants to read dull and soulless copy. Your copy doesn’t need to sparkle with wit - there’s a big difference between copy that compels and copy that wins writing awards - but your copy does need to be interesting.Too often people write copy that sounds toocorporatey. It’s just not interesting. By injecting personality and character into your copy, you’ll make it easier to read, and that’s what we’re looking for.Get ConversationalHere’s how you go about making your copy morecharacterful: Imagine that you’ve got to explain something from stage, infront of 5,000 people. You don’t want to look stupid, not infront of that many people. Nobody does.That’s why you’d prepare properly. You’d have fancy slides, you’d have some material that would back up what you were presenting, you’d be using big words You’d be in ‘professional presenter mode’.Now, imagine you’re explaining that exact same thing - the same thing you were explaining from stage earlier in the day - to Dave. Dave’s in the pub with you. You’re explaining the thing You haven’t got your fancy presentation now. You haven’t got your laser pointer You haven’t got a huge audience. Just Dave. And you’ve known Dave for years. The way that you explain the thing would be different, wouldn’t it?For most people, that’d definitely be the case.We all choose to use different words when we’reexplaining something to Dave, or to our Mum,than we would if we were presenting somethingto a boardroom full of Directors, or a jam-packedconference hall. The “trick” to injecting character into your copy is to write to one person, not to thousands. Because your sales letter is going to be sent in the post to 7,830 people, people go into ‘professional presenter mode’ and write as if they were delivering to all of those people from the front of the room.Because the advertorial is going into a magazinethat’ll be read by 30,000 people, or a newspaperthat’s going to be read by 500,000, the temptation is to picture all of those people together. That’s not the case.Copywriting is one-on-one. Copywriting is intimate It’s just a conversation between you and your reader. Just the two of you.Use the language that you’d use if you were talking to Dave or your Mum. Not the language you’d use if you were presenting to the Board.If it’s something that you struggle with, explain the content of your letter out loud to a friend, record that conversation, get in transcribed, and incorporate that exact language and phrasing into your final copy. Just write how you’d speak in Real Life.Don’t use “Do Not” when don’t will do.Don’t be afraid to use contractions: people say “can’t”in conversation, but “can not” when they’re writing.Do not make that mistake.Read It AloudAlways always always read your copy back to yourself. Reading it aloud will give you a clear indication of what works and what doesn’t. It will show you where the awkward, clumsy, too-long sentences are. It will show whether the copy flows in the right way. Consider whether it sounds like you – if not, you need to go back and make some changes! Over the next few pages, you’ll find a sales letter from Ryan Deiss. Read it. See how it feels like a conversation, like Ryan’s talking to you personally.

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RYAN DEISS“Would You Like Me To Hand You A $30 MILLION DOLLAR Profit Blueprint ...For Free?”From the Desk of Ryan DeissNovember, 2013Dear Friend,If you want to exponentially grow your revenues in the fastest time possible, this is the most important letter you’ll ever read.Here’s why.Over the past two years, my company has spent more than fifteen million dollars on internet advertising - and as a result, we’ve made an amazing discovery that is consistently growing profits by 1,500% ...across more than 23 different industries.Here’s How It WorksWhen you spend $15,000,000 on traffic, you’re going to get a LOT of traffic. (It got us well over 50 million visitors.) But the traffic isn’t the big discovery.The big discovery is how we ultimately cracked the code on turning complete strangers into money ...over and over again.3,000 Split Tests Reveal TheFastest Path To Explosive RevenueIn the past 24 months, we’ve performed more than 3,000 split tests across 23 different industries ...and they all boiled down to one thing. We found - that no matter what you’re selling, there’s pretty much a “universal formula” that can dependably turn complete strangers into paying customers like clockwork.In fact, after performing over 3,000 split tests, and analyzing over one BILLION emails sent to our customers and subscribers, we’ve been able to ...Uncover A Simple Five-Step ProcessThat Generates More RevenueTried & Tested Copy

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Now here’s what’s really amazing.Even though the process is fairly simple ...And even though we’ve proven it across 23 different industries ranging from “Survival Nuts” to “Business Consulting” to “Industrial Water Purification” and even to “Legal Services” ... The fact remains that you and I have an incredible advantage because ...Hardly Anyone Is Using It!And the reason why is simple: I’ve never publicly shared it....Until today.But Now I’m Willing To Hand You This Exact ProcessI’ll tell you why I’m doing this in a minute, but first - let me take it one step further for you. Not only am I going to give you the exact blueprint for free, I’m also going to help you come up with a custom plan to apply what you learn to your business.Think about that. You’re literally getting a custom tailored plan on how to apply this incredible process to your specific business ...free.Here’s What This Has Done For My Business. What Can it Do For Yours?In case we haven’t met, my name is Ryan Deiss and I’m the Founder and CEO of Digital Marketer.If you’re in business and you use the internet to attract customers, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen our company.Every year, we hold the largest events in the world for small business (and big ones too) that are harnessing the power of the Internet to drive sales. We’ve worked with celebrities like William Shatner, to best selling authors like Tucker Max, to silicon valley aces like Guy Kawasaki ...and countless other businesses across the globe. In fact, over 400,000 (and counting) entrepreneurs and businesses look to us every week for sales and marketing advice to help them do one thing: GROW PROFITS.But A Few Years Ago, It Was Different.I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not one of those “instant success” stories you might read about in magazines or whatever. The fact is, I bootstrapped this company (as well as a half a dozen other companies) and it wasn’t always easy.My partners and I started it on a shoestring budget ...and for the first few years, it was pretty lean.Like so many other businesses, we invested a small fortune in our company and worked like dogs ...often sleeping at the office, missing meals, and essentially working around the clock.And like so many other business, we hit our share of roadblocks. In fact, for the first few years, our growth was flat.

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But that was until we discovered a process that ...Grew Our Revenues By 1,500% LITERALLY.Lots of people like to throw exaggerated numbers around so let me give you the specificgrowth that happened.In 2008, we discovered the “root concept” of the formula I’m going to share with you. That year, our revenues went from $488,000 to $2,700,000 ...and for the first time, we were able to start seeing a return on all the blood sweat and tears we’d put into building the business.Then in 2009, we began to refine the process, and our revenue went from $2,700,000 to $9,800,000. We just barely missed the 8-figure mark, but still that’s an increase of 363% in one year ...all because of what I’ll be giving you, for free.Then from 2010 through the first half of 2011 we lost our way. Instead of focusing on the our 5-step process we started chasing “shiny object” marketing tactics that sounded great but failed to deliver any REAL value.As a result, our growth stalled, and while we didn’t go backwards we had to work hard to maintain.In short, our business was STUCK. (Maybe you can relate.)Fortunately, while on a team retreat in the summer of 2011, we remembered the simple, 5-step process that brought all our early growth.We focused our efforts, simplified our processes and that year we doubled again and crossed the $20,000,000 mark.(That’s what I call getting UNstuck!!) In that time our staff also grew to 107 people and we move into a new 7,000 square foot office right in the heart of Austin, Texas. Now - this is where it gets interesting...While we were getting our own business “unstuck,” we also started to perform small tests using this process in other industries. We wanted to see if it would work universally - “across the board” ...no matter what type of business.That’s when we stumbled into one of our weirdest (and most surprising) successes to date...How A Tiny Little Website TurnedInto A $10,000,000 Empire Almost OvernightIn October 2011, we decided to invest in a small website that was publishing information products and selling them to the “survival” market.This business was completely foreign to us because “survival” is totally unrelated to our “core business”, which of course is in the “business growth” space.But we really wanted to see what would happen so we took a gamble and invested in it.The Investment That Made$26,301.36 Per Day ...And Counting!When we first started working in that business, the site was making around $30,000 per month in sales...and that was in a GOOD MONTH.Tried & Tested Copy

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That’s an average of $1000 per day. (Again, in a GOOD MONTH...most months it did less.)Fast forward to today and we’re doing an average of $800,000.00 in sales per month. That’s $26,301.36 per day!And the best part is, it’s growing by 20 - 40% per month!Assuming a 3X - 6X multiple (which is pretty standard for this industry), that business is worth anywhere from $9,000,000 to $18,000,000, but with a growth curve like this we’re in no rush to sell!!I’ll tell you how we did it in a minute, but you need to see the big picture first. See, that little survival site was just the first time we experimented with this formula in a new industry.Since that first experiment, we’ve been deploying the formula over and over again, and theresult is ...$30,000,00.00 Per Year!Fast forward to today and we have businesses across 23 different industries.We’re in the “business growth” space with Digital Marketer.We’re in the “survival” space with SurvivalLife.com and AbsoluteRights.com......and in addition to the media/publishing sectors we also own and operate businesses in the industrial water filtration industry, the home improvement/DIY industry, the financial industry, and even in the legal services industry!And it’s been the same thing every time:1. We’d discover a business that was failing, flat, or just plain stuck.2. We’d apply this formula to its marketing and sales process.3. The revenue would skyrocket.So by now you’re probably wondering ...If This Formula Is So Great,Why Are You Giving It To Me For FREE?Fair enough. I’ll be straightforward and tell you that my intentions are largely self serving.See, this formula is simple, it’s efficient, and it’s brutally effective.We’ve seen it create a 300% increase in revenues in a matter of days.And I’m sure that once you get it, you’ll want to deploy it in your business immediately.And when that happens, you’ll basically have two choices:1. You can do it yourself.You can architect the perfect system based on the five components of the formula, you can write the ads, you create the marketing materials, and you can perfect the sales letters. Then you can build your own opt in pages, craft your own follow up messages, configure your own shopping cart, program your own upsell funnel, and do all the other “tech stuff” associated with actually deploying a system like the one I’ll be giving you.And if you decide to do that, great. I wish you the best of luck. I assure you it’s worth the effort and time you’ll invest!

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2. But your other choice is to get my team and me to do it FOR you.If you choose to do that, I’ll help you create the perfect “sales angles”, I’ll help you craft the ultimate “lead magnet”, and we’ll hone your main pitch so that it’s a cash cow that works for you 24/7.Then we’ll map out your upsells, your cross sells, and your back-end product sequences. Then we’ll create a powerful follow up sequence that turns leads into customers.And we’ll create another one that turns customers into repeat buyers ...and finally, we’ll hand you a perfectly detailed “build sheet” so you can turn it over to the tech team and let them do all the “tech stuff” for you.Because let’s face it. The money’s in marketing and selling your products ...not in slaving over complicated computer code for days on end ...trying to “tie it all together”. And if you choose to have us do it for you, it’s reasonably priced.Depending on how complex you want everything to be, you can walk away with a turn-key, automated sales marketing system for anywhere between $15,000 to $25,000. And with that said, let me address something you’re probably wondering about ...This Is NOT A Sales Pitch In Disguise! Look. If you want my team to design everything for you, we’d be happy to. But if you don’t, no problem.You won’t be pressured, hassled, or cajoled into it.This isn’t some “bait and switch” thing where you’re stuck trying to ward off some aggressive sales person who won’t leave you alone.Instead,You’re Getting A Complete CustomizedBreakdown Of Our Proprietary System...Specifically Tailored To Your Business!You’ll discover all five groundbreaking steps that literally took my company from a bootstrapped startup to a $30 MILLION DOLLAR PER YEAR EMPIRE in just five short years.If you simply apply a fraction of what we give you to your business, I promise you’ll seeamazing results. But I’ll take it one step further ...If You Think Your Time Was Wasted,Yet Me Know And I’ll IMMEDIATELY Give You$200.00 As Compensation.Seriously - there’s no way this formula shouldn’t work for you, and that’s why I’m so confident that I’ll PAY YOU $200 if you think you wasted your time in finding out about it.

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So think about it this way:The worst that can happen is you get paid $200 for “wasting” around 45 minuteslearning about a formulaic process that’s responsible for $30 million dollars a yearacross 23 different industries.But the best that can happen is you decide to implement and deploy the process in your ownbusiness ...and see exponential growth as a direct result.Either way, you’re coming out on top so its literally impossible to go wrong.However ...This Is NOT For Everyone.Here’s Who I CAN Help:In order for me to grant you access to my proprietary process and allow my team to spend time with you (on my dime), you’re going to need to meet some strict (but reasonable) criteria.Here it is: 1. You have to have a solid business already.This offer is for people who are up and running already and simply want to run a lotfaster and a lot farther.If you’re brand new, don’t have a business, and don’t have a product or an idea, thenthis is not for you.2. You must have a good, solid product/service and a good reputation.Everything we do together will not only be bringing you more clients, sales, and profits,but we’ll be doing it in a way that creates MASSIVE goodwill in your market.And in order for us to do that, you need to have your act together. In other words, youneed to be legit.3. You cannot be in the “get rich quick” or “adult” space.Look. Those industries are just a disaster waiting to happen and we’re not going to goanywhere near them.I don’t care how lucrative it might be.So if you’re not complying with FTC guidelines and regulations, or if you’re selling pornor something like that, we can’t help you.But if you’re providing your marketplace with a good product or service ...at a goodvalue, and you’re keeping your nose clean ...we can hit it out of the park.4. You MUST follow directions. (Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to do anything weird.)After all, if you don’t actually implement the stuff I give you, you’re not likely to makeany money, and what would be the point of that?That’s it! Those are all my requirements.Tried & Tested Copy

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Here’s What I Want You To Do NextIf you meet the criteria above and would like to talk to one of my company division managers personally about getting you incredible results, then I’ll happily set aside some time for you. Here’s how the process works:First, you’ll need to fill in an application. Don’t worry, it’s simple and unobtrusive. I just need to know what you’re selling, get an idea of what you want to accomplish, and so forth. I’m also going to ask for a “real person” deposit” of $100.Don’t worry, I could care less about your $100.I’m just using it as a “filter” to keep the time-vampires at bay. I’ll give it back right after you hang up (unless we take you as a client - and in that case, we can apply it to your balance.)Here’s What Will Happen After That.Once I have your “real person” deposit and your application, Jeryl from my office will call you and set up a time for us to talk.She’s been part of our team for 10 years and will be contacting you in about 48 business hours at the most to get you on the schedule.Your initial call will be between 45 and 60 minutes and it’s with one of my division managers who work directly with me to literally run my entire company.(NOTE: You will NOT be speaking to some random “sales rep” on someoutsourced“sales floor” somewhere. I’m giving you access to the same VPs on my payroll that Ipersonally depend on to grow my business. There are only TWO people in my entireorganization who are qualified to help you with this, by the way.)We’ll painstakingly review your goals, your offers, and so forth ...and we’ll deliver a custom plan to grow your revenues ...based on the exact same process that’s generating $30 million dollars a year for our company right now.And if you want to outsource all the grunt work to us and have us implement and deploy everything for you, great! We can talk about it. And if you don’t want to do that, - that’s OK too.We’ll return your deposit as soon as we hang up. No biggie.And if you tell me I’ve wasted your time, I’ll give you DOUBLE your deposit back immediately. So you literally can’t lose.WARNING - TIME IS A FACTORThis opportunity is extremely limited because of the intense one-on-one time needed in order to provide you with results. Therefore, it is physically impossible for us to work with more than a handful of people.Also, you should realize there’s a very large demand for personal “do it for me” help from my company, and what I’m offering to you is unprecedented. So with that said, know that the window of opportunity won’t be open long.If you feel like this is right for you, click here, leave your application and let’s talk.Talk soon,Ryan Deiss

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OBSESSIVEDIGITAL“Consumers do not buy products. They buy product benefits.”“Easy reading is damn hard writing.”““David OgilvyNathaniel Hawthorne

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALBULLETBENEFITS

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BULLET BENEFITSOk. So you KNOW that your reader isn’t going to read every word you write. That means that you’recrafting super compelling copy that your reader isn’t even going to look at, let alone digest.Good news on two fronts here:#1 you can tell your reader which bits to ‘skimread’, and make sure that those bits are “all killer no filler” (we’ll cover how to do this in the ‘Dual Readership Path’ section)#2 one of the bits that most ‘skimmers’ arelikely to read is your bullet points, and if you getthose right they’ll be packed out with some ofthe most compelling copy you’ve written.To make the copy in your bullet points as compelling as possible, it’s important that they areBENEFIT DRIVEN. That’s why this section isn’t called “bullets” or “bullet points”, but it’s called “BulletBenefits”. Because we know that our reader is goingto read our bullet points, we’re going to make thembenefit-led.The only problem is that most people don’t reallyunderstand what means. They get benefits allmuddled up with features.Oops. I’ll explain.My car will do over 40 MPG. That’s a benefit. Isn’t it?Well no. It’s a feature until you make it crystal clear how it directly benefits me. So, to make your copy compelling you need to drive the benefit out of the feature.40 MPG means......more miles between fill-ups, get where you’regoing faster...less money spent on fuel, more to spend onwhatever you want...better for the environment, so you’ll knowyou’re doing your bit. See how that works?The good news is that features can ALWAYSbe transformed into benefits. To achieve thistransformation, simply tell the audience how thefeature will benefit them.The easy way to transform a feature into a benefit is simply to write the feature, and then write “so you can” at the end.Like this...FeaturesThe all new Tumi ‘Alpha 2’ is designed for the discerning business traveller:• 35l capacity• 56 cm high• 4-wheel systemBenefitsThe all new Tumi ‘Alpha 2’ is designed for thediscerning business traveller:• 35l capacity, so you can pack everything you need for a week away in one suitcase.• 56 cm high, so you can easily fit it in the overhead cabin and stop wasting time at the luggage carousel wondering if your bag has made it in one piece.• 4-wheel system so you can push or pull your suitcase everywhere, without needed to lift it up and carry it, saving you crumpled clothes, back aches, embarrassing sweat marks and tiredness.

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Look at how the American Express letter over the next couple of pages uses bullet points effectively:the whole letter is made up of11 bullet points.Good use of lists and bullet points can make a realdifference to the effectiveness of your sales letter,so make sure that you list everything you’ve got;don’t leave benefits out, you’ll never know if the onebenefit you skimp on is the one that would haveconvinced that reader.The best way to work out ALL the benefits of yourproduct or service is to draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper, write all your features on the left, and all the benefits on the right. Whateveryou’re selling will have benefits that people wouldn’t normally think of – it’s your job to tell people about them.The truth is that no-matter what you’re selling, andhow obvious the benefits might be to you, theymight be far from obvious to your readers, so it’scareless not to make your benefits completely clear.Don’t hint or imply a benefit, never leave anythingto be deciphered or interpreted by your reader.If you market your 40 MPG car as being “fast,” youmight assume that’s a good thing, but dependingon your audience, they might not. If they’re lookingfor a safe, reliable car for the school-run, then“fast” might not be a benefit for them, they mightconsider it as dangerous or high-risk.Don’t place the burden of understanding on yourreader. Do not leave them having to connect thedots between your features and how it will benefitthem.Leave your reader to draw their own conclusionsand you risk them drawing the wrong ones...

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Dear Mr. Smith:Quite frankly, the American Express Card is not for everyone. And not everyone who appliesfor Card membership is approved.However, because we believe you will benefit from Card Membership, I’ve enclosed a specialinvitation for you to apply for the most honored and prestigious financial instrumentavailable to people who travel, vacation, and entertain.The American Express Card is the perfect example of the old adage, “You get what you payfor.”For example, you get a truly impressive array of extra privileges, all designed for yourconvenience and security:• A Worldwide Network of Travel Service Office is at your Service. Enjoy personal attention at any of the nearby 1,000 American Express Offices - Your “homes away from home” - around the globe. • Cash your Personal Check at Thousands of Locations. Cash up to $250 at participating hotels and motels, and up to $1,000 at most American Express Travel Services Offices all over the world. (Subject to cash availability and local regulations.)• Card Lost or Stolen? You’ll Get a Quick Replacement. If the Card is lost or stolen, an emergency replacement will be provided at any Travel Service Office in the world, usually by the end of the next business day.• Obtain Emergency Funds Instantly. Once you’ve enrolled in this convenient service, our network of automated Travelers Cheque Dispensers lets you obtain up to $500 ... in 60 seconds or less!• Carry $100,000 of Travel Accident Insurance.Just charge your tickets to the Card, and you, your spouse or dependent children under the age of 23 are automatically covered when travelling by common carrier on land, sea, or in the air. It’s underwritten by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Companies, San Rafael, California, for approximately 35 cents of the annual Card Membership fee.• Your Hotel Reservations are Assured.As an American Express Card Member, if you request, your hotel room will be held for youuntil checkout the following day at nearly 8,000 participating hotels.Tried & Tested CopyAMERICAN EXPRESS

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• Enjoy Special Express Hotel Service. Speedy check-in and checkout is available to Card Members at more than 1,000 hotels, including Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Sheraton, and more. Extras like these only begin to tell the story of American Express Card security, emergency protection, and convenience. You’ll also enjoy: • Unequalled Mobility. The Card is welcomed by the world’s major airlines, car rental agencies, railroads, andcruise lines. Plus it pays for auto parts and servicing at thousands of locations nationwide.• A Worldwide Welcome. Fine restaurants, hotel resorts, and a host of other establishments around this world, and right in your hometown, recognize the Card and welcome your patronage.• Purchasing Power. No need to carry large amounts of cash. The Card takes care of shopping needs, whetheryou’re choosing a wardrobe, buying theater tickets, sending flowers, or hosting a dinner(even if you can’t be there!)• Financial Freedom.Unlike bank cards, the American Express Card imposes no pre-set spending limit.Purchases are approved based on your ability to pay as demonstrated by your pastspending, payment patterns, and personal resources. So you are free to make your owndecisions about when and where to use the Card.In a few words, American Express Card Membership is the most effective letter of introduction to the world of travel, entertainment, and the good life yet devised. Yet surprisingly, these benefits are all yours to enjoy for the modest fee of just $35 a year. Why not apply for Card Membership today? All you have to do is fill out and mail the enclosed application. As soon as it is approved, we’ll send along the Card, without delay.Tried & Tested CopyAMERICAN EXPRESSSincerely,Diane ShalbVice PresidentP.S. Apply today, and enjoy all the benefits of Card Membership. Those listed here are just a handful of what’s available. A full listing is included in the Guide to Card Member Services you’ll receive along with the Card.

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OBSESSIVEDIGITAL“There are two extremes of consumer behaviour, the impulsive buyer and the analytical buyer. The impulsive buyer is in a hurry. Makes quick decisions and rarely reads anything. He skims. In most cases he’ll read only headlines, subheads and photo captions. The analytical buyer, however, is slow to make decisions, requires a lot of information to do so and will read lots of material.Two different people requiring two different readership paths.Path #1 requires you to sell your proposition purely through the headlines, subheads, photo captions and major boldface sentences in your copy.Path #2 follows the same order as #1 but let’s you flush out the details in between the guide posts.”“Dan Kennedy

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALYOUR DUALREADERSHIPPATH

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YOUR DUAL READERSHIP PATHIf you’re writing to a cold audience, then readershipis hard-won. If you can’t get your audience toengage with your copy, then you’re not going tocompel them to take any action whatsoever.If your headline looks half-interesting though, yourreader might have a ‘skim’ of your copy, just to work out whether it’s something that they should invest some time digesting properly.A Brief Guide To Skimmy DippingWith readers who have upfront commitment issuesyou’ll need to design them a skimming roadmap,so they’ll absorb the key information that you’llpresent to them, and we’ll hope that’ll persuadethem to go back to the start and work their waythrough the whole thing...The key is to tap into the stuff that people’s eyes are automatically drawn to if they’re a scanner rather than a reader.They’ll ONLY read what’s easy for them to see,they’ll only see the stuff that stands out, and theywon’t read a word that’s buried in the body copy.Here’s what your skimmers are looking for andreading:• Headline• Subheadings• Images• Image Captions• Bullet Point Lists• Unusual Fonts or italicizing• Something in a Dashed Box (looks like a cut out voucher)• Handwritten notes• Highlighting the copy or shading behindthe paragraphLet’s sell that Tumi suitcase we talked aboutearlier. Here’s how we go about creating the dualreadership path we need:The first thing we need to do is to create a list ofthings that are going to compel our reader to sit up and take action:• Designed for regular travellers• 4-wheel cases with 360° wheels provide stable multi-directional navigation• Manufactured from ultra-durable ballistic nylon• Telescopic handle made from aircraft grade aluminum, making it lightweight and sturdy.• Complies with carry-on regulations for most airlines, fits perfectly into the overhead cabin.• Expandable main-compartment creates additional packing capacity when you need it• Perfect for business owners and executives• Over 30 design improvements over our original ‘Alpha’ series of suitcases• Available to order now• Save £50 if we recieve your order before the 28th of this month. Now, with that list of key messages, we just need to sprinkle those throughout our copy.We’ll build two or three of them into ourheadline, how about:“Designed for regular travellers, the Tumi Alpha2 suitcase is perfect for business owners andexecutives and you’ll save £50 if we recieve yourorder before the 28th of this month.”

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We’ll turn a couple of the lines into subheads:“Over 30 design improvements over our original ‘Alpha’ series of suitcases”“Available to order now”We’ll put the offer into a dashed box:OFFERSave £50 if we recieve your order before the 28th of this month.Alpha 2 fits perfectly into overhead cabins and complies with carry-onregulations for most airlines.Over 3design improvements over our original 3Alpha3 series of suitcasesOne into an image caption:One into a handwritten note:If you’ve created an effective dual readership path through your copy, then there should be a lovely mix of bold text, italicized copy, maybe some CAPITALS (but not too many, because they can be a bit SHOUTY), underlined words, and bullet points. As well as subheads and a few images with captions (PRO TIP: your captions do NOT need to be related to the image!).Here’s the test:Once you’ve finished writing it, read back through all of your copy MINUS your standard body copy.You’re ONLY allowed to read the words in bold. The captions and subheads. The italicized copy. The words in boxes.If you can read only those words, and your key message still comes through loud and clear, then you’ve succeeded.

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“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less travelled by,And that has made all the difference.”“Robert FrostOBSESSIVEDIGITAL

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OBSESSIVEDIGITAL“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion.” “Dale CarnegieGary Bencivenga“The vast majority of products are sold because of the need for love, the fear of shame, the pride of achievement, the drive for recognition, the yearning to feel important, the urge to look attractive, the lust for power, the longing for romance, the need to feel secure, the terror of facing the unknown, the lifelong hunger for self-esteem and so on.Emotions are the fire of human motivation, the cobustible force that secretly drives most decisions to buy.When your marketing harnesses those forces corectly you will generate explosive increases in response.” “

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALSELLING ONEMOTION

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People don’t act rationally. If they did, then they’d just make decisions based in logic.To make your copy truly compelling you’ll need to incorporate but rational AND emotional persuaders that give the reader reasons to take action.Your copy should have both – as they’re both needed to make a sale.Rational persuaders will make people buy because they are logical – i.e. your product or service is thecheapest, best value for money on the market, or has a specific feature they really need.Emotional vs. Rational PersuadersHumans are fundamentally irrational and driven by their emotions. It explains why middle-aged men buy red sports cars, why diamonds are “a girl’s best friend” and why children want the nuclear-green sweets rather than the sprouts.It’s not because they think rationally – surely having a red sports car doesn’t really raise your quality of life, a huge diamond won’t make you a better person, and the nuclear sweets won’t give you any nutritional benefit… but that’s the whole point.Beyond “Functional” BenefitsThe truth is that people do and buy things not because they NEED them, but because they WANT them.They think that the simple act of buying something, or going someplace, or otherwise being associatiedwith a thing, a person, a place or a brand, is going to have a positive impact on their life.To make it as compelling as you can, you need to look beyond the logical and practical, and embraceemotional benefits in your copyThe Universal EmotionsWhen you’re looking to include emotional benefits in your copy, it’s not enough to tell your reader that they are going to feel positive about life because they’ve taken the action you’re driving them to.You need to spell it out a bit more than that. People are motivated by 8 “Universal Emotions”, which are:1. Be wealthy2. Be healthy3. Be popular4. Be secure5. Be good looking6. To have free time7. To have fun8. To find inner peaceSELLING ON EMOTION

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If you can make your reader believe that by taking the action you prescribe, they will move closer tobecoming popular, or feeling secure, then your copy will be more compelling.Beyond the Simple Universal EmotionsEmotional Benefits make people FEEL something:“When I use this brand, I feel________” “When I choose Volvo, I feel safe”Self-Expressive Benefits are a way for people to express themselves:“When I chose this brand, I feel_______”“When I use Apple products, I feel creative”Social Benefits relate to feeling like part of a group or tribe with common interests:“When I choose this brand, the type of people I relate to are ____.”“When I go to Starbucks, I am part of a small club of people who appreciate good coffee”

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OBSESSIVEDIGITAL“People aren’t interested in you.They’re interested in themselves.”“Dale CarnegieDan Kennedy“Take a look at what everyone else in your industry is doing, and then do the complete opposite.You’ll probably be very successful.”“

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALYOUROFFER

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You want to be compelling? Then you’re going to need to make an offer......and EVERY offer comes with a deadline.That’s the rule.As with most things in life and business, a little bit of thinking goes a long way.Ask most business owners about an offer they’re running, and ask them “why are you doing that?” andchances are they won’t have a clear answer for you.The fact is, there are only 3 ways to grow a business;#1 Attract more customers; increase the number of clients buying from you.#2 Increase your average transaction value; get every customer to spend more money with you each time they buy.#3 Increase the frequency of purchase; get your customers to buy from you more often than they do currently.When you’re running an offer, it should be to help your business acheive one of the goals above.Either you’re running an offer to:#1 Get more customers#2 Get your existing customers buying more/different products or services from you and drive uptransaction size and value#3 Get your existing customers to buy from you more often than they do at the momentIf you’re selling something of good quality, the best way to acheive #1 and #2 is to create offers that aredesigned to get your product or service into the hands of your reader.The risk with #3 is that you’re tempted to discount for volume, and in doing so, slash your profit margins so although you’re selling more, you’re not making a penny more profit.YOUR OFFER

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The Anatomy of an Offer Your Reader Can’t RefuseHumans need an offer that will appeal to their logic and their desires – and get them thinking they’re be seriously missing out if they didn’t take action right this instant.Here’s the guide you need to ensure your offer hits the spot:SIMPLICITY & CLARITYYou need to keep it nice and simple Your reader has barely got time to read your copy, don’t make them have to make sense of it too, because they won’t bother and your conversion will plummet.This usually goes wrong when people start offering perfectage discounts, or worse, complicated offers that have complex qualification criteria:“Spend more than £35 on food in our restaurant twice in January and get 25% off your food bill when 2 or more dine in February, (apart from Valentines Day and closest Fri/Sat nights), minimum spend of £45, excl. alcoholic drinks.”Having an offer is not going to be effective if there’s an element of vagueness to what you’re making available. If it’s not crystal clear, nobody’s going to take you up on the offer!ATTENTION GRABBINGYou need to grab your reader’s attentionMost businesses use dull-as-dishwater “10% off” offers, or the sort of boring, vanilla, “Buy One Get One Half Price” stuff that saturate the market (and your email inbox, no doubt) – and the key is to create a stand-out offer than your prospect just can’t refuse.It’s absolutely no use offering 10% off your product or services and hoping that this will attractprospects. You need to be better, bolder and brighter than that.If you can find an additional bonus that’s got really high perceived value for your reader, but low cost to you, then you might have found your win.Information Products can work really well. Create an information product that complements the core offer that will be genuinely valuable for your reader, so you can justify a high sticker price, but it only costs you a few pence to fulfil.Example: Core Product: Smoothie Maker RRP £69Additional Bonus: “7 mistakes that even clever people make when they’re making smoothies for their friends” RRP £20

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Unless you’ve got an exclusive licence on a particular smoothie maker, you’re going to have competitors in your marketplace. Creating your own, proprietary, information product (might be book, might be digital book, might be audio disc, might be video or video series), can be a great way to differentiate between you and your competitors.What if your competitor is a couple of pounds cheaper? Do you think an offer that’s structured like this one might swing the advantage back your way?PROOF OF PRODUCTYou need to prove that your product or service worksIf you’re looking to generate a customer, then you need to give your prospects a chance to take your product or service for a trial or test drive.This is known as the ‘puppy dog close’, because if you can get your prospect to engage with your thing. If they can use it and work out what the benefits are to them, then you’ve got a chance of creating a customer.PROFITABLEYour offer can’t cost you moneyCreating an offer that’s going to cost you money isn’t smart, isn’t clever, and is very dangerous.If you understand your numbers, then you might be able to afford to go “underwater” to acquire a customer that’s going to pay back over a longer period, but what if you go live with an offer for your list that 10,000 people take advantage of? What happens?Remember the offer than killed Hoover? If you don’t, flick over.

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IT SHOULD have been the marketing coupof 1992: the most audacious buy-one-gettwo-free offer ever made. Michael Gilbey and Brian Webb, two ambitious marketing executives in Hoover’s Merthyr Tydfil factory, believed their free flights brainchild would make their careers.In their dreams. Far from making their careers, it ended them. And they took Hoover’s European president William Foust down with them in a welter of recriminations and excuses.If nothing else, the promotion had the merit of simplicity. Buy a Hoover vacuum cleaner for at least pounds 100 and receive two free flights to America or Europe. It couldn’t fail to boost sales, trilled the ill-fated marketing department in Merthyr.How right they were. More than 200,000 people bought Hoovers they didn’t want. Satisfying the demand for free flights would have required more than 500 jumbos. It was no wonder Hoover reached for the small print to limit the ballooning liability.Enter Harry Cichy, whose Hoover Holiday Pressure Group tirelessly championed the flightless.Rule number one of promotions: never offeranything that is perceived to be worth more than the product it is promoting. It did not take rocket science to work out that the price of two flights to New York was worth the inconvenience of stuffing an unused vacuum cleaner under the stairs.Hoover’s factories resorted to seven-day working to try to meet the burgeoning demand for the otherwise unremarkable Turbopower Total System. At £119.99 it was the cheapest cleaner to qualify for the free flights. Temporary staff were shipped in to satisfy an unprecedented nationalenthusiasm for household chores.For a while Britain was awash with appliances.The free-ads paper Loot reported a 30 per centincrease in its electrical items pages.There were winners. The airlines happily supplied Hoover with thousands of seats - British Airways provided 20,000. Virgin chipped in the same amount. A further 40,000 charter seats to Orlando, Florida were hastily negotiated. The VAT man was estimated to have trousered an extra £4m thanks to the unexpected sales.The cost to Hoover, however, was enormous. The £30m of sales generated by the offer was dwarfed by the £50m it spent on airline tickets. And the publicity heaped on the company was devastating. In the end Hoover paid the ultimate price for the fiasco when its European arm lost its independence.The most famous name in household cleaning suffered the final ignominy of being taken over by a washing machine maker called Candy.THE HOOVER FIASCOGreat Financial Disasters of Our Time:Tom Stevenson,The Independent,15 August 1998

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“The most powerful elementin advertising is the truth.”“William BernbachOBSESSIVEDIGITAL

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALRISKREVERSAL

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Risk Reversal is the most powerful way you can turn your copy into somethingthat’s super compelling.Whatever you’re asking your reader to do in your copy, whether it’s buy something, test something, gosomewhere, meet someone or even just take a call, you’re asking them to shoulder the risk.That’s a problem.When someone asks you to take risk, even if it’s only for a handful of pounds, or for a few minutes of yourtime, your natural reaction is one of suspicion and cynicism. Instead of taking action. They’ll hesitate.Why? Because they’re worried.Worried that what you’ve promised simply won’t stack up. That your product won’t do what you say it’sgoing to do, worried that your meeting will be a waste of time.To compel your reader to take action, you mustreduce or eliminate the risk you ask them to take.There are lots of ways you can reverse risk, here’s a couple of basic ones:100% Moneyback Guarantee/Test DriveThis is the most common form of risk reversal. If the product or service you’re offering doesn’t match their expectations, then you’ll refund everything they spent.A more sophisticated - and likely more successful - approach, is to offer a “free test drive”, where your buyer spends nothing up front, and only pays you anything after, say, a month; which gives them time to see if they product or service is right for them.More Than 100% Risk ReversalUsing this strategy, as well as offer the 100% moneyback guarantee, or free test drive as above, you’ll also include a bonus or incentive of some kind that your reader will keep, EVEN IF they are not satisfied with the core product/service and want a refund on that.This way, your reader will be better off simply for taking action, regardless of anything else. Your incentive might complement your core offer, it might not. It doesn’t really matter......maybe use a set of steak knives or a Parker Pen?By taking away the risk, and rewarding your reader simply for taking action, you HUGELY increase the compelling nature of your offer.Whichever risk reversal strategy you build into your offer and copy, you should avoid the use ofgeneric outcomes.Don’t be lazy and say that your reader will be “100% satisfied or all your money back”. Don’t let them bethe one who has to work out what 100% satisfied means.RISK REVERSAL

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MUCH more effective to make it real for them and tell them what specific outcomes or performancemeasures you are guaranteeing.“Meet with me for 20 minutes, and if I don’t give you 7 ideas that you’ll want to write downimmediately, I’ll write you that cheque for £100”“Take one pill every day at 7pm and you’ll soon start sleeping for at least 6 hours per night, and waking up feeling refreshed and energised. If this hasn’t happened within 36 days then I’ll refund every penny of your money.”Incorporating a powerful risk reversal will - without question - boost the response to your copy.Over the following pages, read a classic letter from IBM and a recent letter fromFrank Kern, both of which use a “Risk Reversal” to powerful effect...**Just so you know. The typewriter advert is just there for interest, it wasn’t sent with the letter as far as I know.

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Just call IBM DIRECT at the above number. We offer two IBM typewriters that meet office typing problems head-on.The IBM Correcting “Selectric” III Typewriter can actually lift typing errors off the page as they occur -- eliminating the need for messy erasures and correction fluid. Your paperwork is clean, crisp and errorfree the first time you type.The IBM Electronic 75 Typewriter combines the power of electronic memory with the simplicity of a familiar keyboard. The result is a typewriter that can store, edit, correct and assemble your typed documents automatically. That means you save valuable time -- and money.The enclosed brochure will tell you more about these remarkable typewriters, and how easy it is to own one. We think you’ll agree they represent a sound investment in quality, performance and dependability.But why not see for yourself? Try one or both models for 15 days in your office. Then, if you are not completely satisfied, return the typewriter(s) within the 15-day trial period for a full refund. No other obligation, of course.To order yours today, just call IBM DIRECT toll free. Or, if you prefer, mail the enclosed postage-paid reply card. Either way, you’ll like the speed and convenience of IBM DIRECT.Tried & Tested CopySincerely,Joseph Bousa, IIIP.S. If you order through IBM DIRECT before December 31, 1981, IBM will send you ahandsome address file for your office absolutely free. See the enclosed card for details.IBM“SELECTRIC” TYPEWRITER (1981)THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO TRADE IN YOUR OLDER TYPEWRITER...FOR A NEW HIGH PERFORMANCE IBM TYPEWRITER.

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THE IBM SELECTRIC TYPEWRITER

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Tried & Tested CopyFrom The Desk Of Frank KernLa Jolla, Ca.Dear Friend,I’m looking for a “dream” client that I can bring in massive windfalls for. If you’re that client, I will personally work with you one-on-one in your business to help you double, triple, or maybe even quadruple your revenue for the next 12 months.You Pay Nothing Out Of Pocket, Ever.Here’s why.The first thing I’m going to do for you is to personally help you create a strategic plan to bring in immediate money.There’s no charge for this and it only takes about 45-60 minutes for us to do together. (After doing this type of thing for almost 14 years straight, I’ve gotten pretty good at fast results).Anyway, I’ll even do most of the heavily lifting for you ....telling you exactly what to send, how to position your offer, and how to bring in back-end money as well.At the end of this initial planning session one of these three things will happen:1. You love the plan and decide to implement it on your own. If this is the case, I’ll wishyou the best of luck and ask that you keep in touch with me to let me know how you’redoing.2. You love the plan and ask to become my client so I can personally help you execute,maximize, and profit from it ASAP.If that’s the case, we’ll knock it out of the park ...And that’s a promise. I’ve never had aclient leave - and I’m pretty sure they’re not sticking around because of my good looks!FRANK KERNWould You Like Me To PersonallyDouble, Triple, or Even Quadruple Your Business...For Free?“

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3. In the unlikely and unprecedented event that you feel like you wasted your time, I willsend you $1,400.00 as payment immediately. No questions asked. Your time is yourmost valuable asset you have, and I respect that.It really is that simple and there’s no catch. Think about this.The “worst” that can happen is you get $1,400 for “wasting” 45-60 minutes of your time.The best that can happen is we work together one on one to increase sales and profit several times over.Here’s how it’ll work:First, we get on the phone one on one and go over your business.I take a look at what you’ve got, what you’re doing, and what you want to achieve going forward.Once we have those “raw materials”, I help you come up with a strategic plan of action toimmediately increase your profits dramatically.There are a number of ways I might do this for you.For example, I might show you how to restructure your offer for a better price point, how tocreate recurring revenue (even without a continuity program), how to pull in buyers fromuntapped sources, or how to reactivate past customers.And if you have a list of prospects, we’re bound to whip up a quick promotion you can runwithin days ...and have the cash register ringing over and over again.And like I said, there’s no charge for this.So Why Would I Offer It?Two reasons:First of all, I enjoy it. This type of thing is what I do best, and it makes me very, very happy to see someone achieve financial success (and all that comes with it) as a result of the help I give them.Second of all, it’s how I attract consulting clients.Here’s how that works:Assuming you’re happy and you want me to crank out these types of plans for you all the time, you’ll probably want to continue working together long term so I can help you implement them.If this is the case, I might invite you to become a consulting client.My “fee” is $4,860 a month ...but if you think about it, it really doesn’t “cost” you anything.Why?That’s Why This IsThe Closest Thing To FREE MONEYYou’ll Ever See.“

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Because I expect to make you much more than $4,860 in the first month...and if we keep working together over the next 12 months, I’m confident I can double your entire business ...at minimum.Actually, I can give you a plan to make more than $4,860 during our first conversation - which is free!So you’ll see the value by the time we hang up the phone - without ever spending a dime. And look. If you don’t want to become a client, don’t worry about it. You won’t get any sales pitch or pressure from me of any kind, ever.Now, obviously this is an amazing offer which you’ll probably never see from any other “Internet guru” in the world.Think about it.I’m personally generating a profit-plan for you up front - for free - and then letting you pay me later if (and only if) you decide to work together long term.Plus, I’m taking it one BOLD step further by guaranteeing you’ll find this free plan immensely valuable - or I’ll pay you $1,400.00 just for wasting your time.Just tell me, and it’s yours. No questions asked.Who Else Would Do That?NOBODY. (I checked).But I’m happy to put it on the line like this because my consulting clients always stay with me, send in great feedback, and report great results.Period.Every single one of them.After all, I’m the highest paid direct response Internet marketing consultant and copywriter on the planet for a reason.My stuff works, and I know that if we work together, you’ll be thrilled with the results we get in your business.Consider this:Over the past six years, I’ve generated over 47 MILLION DOLLARS in sales for myselfand my private clients.You Find Our Conversation To Be Incredibly Valuable Or I’ll Pay You $1,400.00 Immediately To Compensate You For Your Time.“In fact, here’s my “GIANT BALLS PROMISE” to you:

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Tried & Tested CopyThis is why I’m sought out by celebrity entrepreneurs like Tony Robbins, best selling authors like Neil Strauss, television personalities like Dean Graziosi, and just about every “business guru” you can name.Anyway - as you can imagine, I’ll get a LOT of interest from this letter.And that’s why I need you to read this next part carefully:This Is NOT For Everybody.Here’s Who I CAN Help:I’m VERY picky about who I’ll speak with and I’ve got a strict (but reasonable) set of criteriathat needs to be met in order for us to proceed.Here it is:1. You have to have a solid business already.This offer is for people who are up and running already and simply want to run a lot fasterand a lot farther. Oh, and I won’t work with beginners, get rich quick people, or “biz-opp” folks.No shenanigans.2. You must have a steady flow of leads and customers.This means that you’re getting consistent traffic and making sales already. You’re runningads, you’re promoting, and you’re selling stuff. You don’t have to be “everywhere” or “huge”...I just need you to be PRESENT in your market.3. You must have a list.It doesn’t really need to be that big ...just responsive. (Finally! Size actually doesn’t matter!)4. You must have a good, solid product and a good reputation.Everything we do together will not only be bringing you more sales and profits, but we’ll bedoing it in a way that creates MASSIVE goodwill in your market.And in order for us to do that, you need to have your act together. In other words, you need to be legit.5. You MUST follow directions. (Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to do anything weird.)After all, if you don’t actually implement the stuff I give you, neither one of us will make money.That’s it! Those are all my requirements.

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Tried & Tested CopyHere’s What I Want You To Do NextIf you meet the criteria above and would like to talk to me personally about getting you incredible results, then I’ll happily set aside some time for you.Here’s how the process works:First, you’ll need to fill in an application. Don’t worry, it’s simple and unobtrusive. I just need to know what you’re selling, get an idea of what you want to accomplish, and so forth.I’m also going to ask for a “real person” deposit” of $700.Don’t worry, I could care less about your $700.I’m just using it as a “filter” to keep the time-vampires at bay.I’ll give it back right after we hang up (unless I take you as a client - and in that case, I canapply it to your balance.)Here’s What Will Happen After That.Once I have your “real person” deposit and your application, Jeryl from my office will call you and set up a time for us to talk.She’s been my “right hand” for 10 years, is my ONLY employee, and she’ll be contacting youin about 48 business hours at the most.Our initial call will be between 45 and 60 minutes.This is where we really begin working to figure out exactly what you want ...and how tomake it happen.I’ll painstakingly review your goals, your offers, and so forth ...and I’ll deliver a plan tobring in money immediately.If you see the value in becoming high level client, great! We can talk about it.And if you don’t want to become a client - that’s OK too.I’ll return your deposit as soon as we hang up. No biggie.And if you tell me I’ve wasted your time, I’ll give you DOUBLE your deposit backimmediately.So you literally can’t lose.(By the way - I’ve never had anyone feel like their time was wasted. EVER. That’s why I canmake this offer. I DELIVER. Would anyone else take such a risk?)

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Tried & Tested CopyWARNING - TIME IS A FACTORThis opportunity is extremely limited because of the intense one-on-one time needed in order to provide you with results.Therefore, it is physically impossible for me to work with more than a handful of people.Also, you should realize there’s a very large demand for personal one-on-one help from me, and what I’m offering to you is unprecedented.So with that said, know that the window of opportunity won’t be open long.If you feel like this is right for you, click here, leave your application and let’s talk.Talk soon,Frank KernP.S. You might be wondering what you “get” as a client.The main “thing” you get is me. Personally.Like I said earlier, our first conversation together is free and it will be around an hour or so.On that conversation I’ll give you a Profit Plan specifically for your business - based onwhat we talk about.During that call, I’ll also give you some steps to take immediately for fast results.You get that first call regardless of whether or not you become a client.Now - if you DO become a client, we’re going to immediately schedule a follow up call.On that follow up call, we’re going to come up with two things:1. A short-term cash flow goal.2. A long term income/lifestyle/business model goal.And on that call, I’ll be giving you specific action steps to complete to hit both goals.From that point forward, two things will happen:A: We’ll speak every two weeks on the phone, monitoring your progress and tweakingwhere needed.This is one-on-one - not “group coaching” or anything like that. Just me and you focused onone thing:Making you money.B: We’ll stay in CONSTANT COMMUNICATION by email.

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This way, I can see what you’re doing and help you keep the momentum going between calls.I also use this as a way to review your sales funnel, opt in pages, videos, etc.In fact, I often end up dictating sales copy for you and literally doing some of the “heavy lifting” for you this way. You can expect me to reply with voice memos, personal videos, and even regular email answers.But the bottom line is - we’re getting it done, constantly.Always building momentum and seeing constant improvement.The second “thing” you get is LIVE MEETINGS every quarter with me and your fellow clients.These meetings are held in my office here in La Jolla and they’re NOT those lame “mastermind” meetings like everyone else has. This is where we come together to EXPONENTIALLY GROW your results by working together in a closed high-focus environment.Here’s why these meetings are important:1. I’m able to physically sit in the same room with you and your fellow clients - and ethically “steal” stuff that’s working for one client and “install” it in your business. I say “ethically steal” because I never accept a client who is in direct competition with another client. That would be weird and un-cool.So you can rest easy knowing when you’re surrounded by your fellow clients, you’re in aroom of people who genuinely want to help you as much as possible.2. Your fellow clients are bad-asses.This isn’t a group of beginners, slackers, dreamers, or fruitcakes. You’ll be in an elite groupof highly successful entrepreneurs across a wide range of business types - all of whom areforward thinking, giving, and COOL.So getting together with them is like locking yourself in a room full of like-minded superachievers who are happy to share what’s working for them ...and equally as thrilled to hearwhat’s working for YOU!You should know that the reason I’m able to do such a good job and get such great results formy clients is because I only work with a small handful of them at a time.Over the course of the next 12 months, I’ll deliberately keep my client base under 48 people. As much as I’d like to work with “everyone”, I simply can’t accept more than that and still maintain the same level of service you NEED in order to get the results you want.There are close to 200,000 people on my email newsletter list and over 21,000 people searchfor my name on Google each month.This is a genuinely rare opportunity.If you feel like this is right for you, click here, leave your application and let’s talk.Conversations are granted on a first come, first-served basis.

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FRANK KERN

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OBSESSIVEDIGITAL“Advertising should say, ‘Here’s what we’ve got. Here’s what it will do for you. Here’s how to get it.’”“Leo BurnettJay Abraham“Make your copy straightforward to read, understand and use.Use easy words; those that are used for everyday speech. Use phrases that are not too imprecise and very understandable.Do not be too stuffy; remove pompous words and substitute them with plain words.Minimize complicated gimmicks and constructions.If you can’t give the data directly and briefly, you must consider writing the copy again.”“

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALYOURCALL TO ACTION

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Element #1 - Positive StatementThis is the recap on the key benefit, or the fact that it’s a free trial, or that there’s a powerful guaranteeor risk reversal. At a basic level, this line is some version of “try it, you’ll like it”.Element #2 - Clear DirectionThis is where you tell them what do do.“Complete the form”“Call this number”“Click the button below”Element #3 -Create UrgencyThis is where you’ll urge your reader to take immediate action.“Do this now”“Don’t wait another minute”“Don’t delay”“Remember, there are ONLY 15 places”“All applications MUST be recieved by 4pm on the 17th”CTA’s in action:All You Have To Do Is AskYou can have the most tempting proposition in the world, but if you don’t ask your reader to takeaction, they won’t.Your Call To Action (CTA) is your final instruction to your reader. It’s where you tell them what you want them to do. There’s no space in the world of compelling copy for a half-assed, limp-wristed call to action. If your reader doesn’t take action RIGHT NOW, they probably never will.• Be firm.• Be clear.• Be direct.There are 3 elements to an effective and compelling call to action:Remember, there’s no fee, obligation or risk involved in opening a Xerox Preferred Account. It’s simply our way of making it easy for you to get the best office products and service available -- at special direct prices. Remember too, your instant line of credit has already been approved.1#So sign and mail your Acceptance Formtoday.”2#“Please let me hear from you beforeAugust 15th. That way you’ll be able to take advantage of all the product and service discounts we’ll be offering in the near future.3#

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“IF YOU ARE NOT PLEASED FOR ANY REASON,WE WILL REPLACE YOUR ORDER OR REFUNDYOUR MONEY, WHICHEVER YOU PREFER.1#CTA’s in action:So place your order now, while everything is right in front of you. The fastest way to get your steaks is to call us TOLL FREE at 1-800- 228-9055 and charge to your American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club or Carte Blanche account. You may phone 7 days a week, day or night. (Nebraska residents call 0-402-391-3660, COLLECT.) To order by mail, just endorse the enclosed check, fill in the order form, enclose your payment -- then use the postage-free envelope I’ve provided.2#Whether you phone or write, I must receiveyour order before the date shown on yourcheck. After that date, I’ll select a new group of people to receive this rare offer -- and your chance will be past. So please respond now.”3#Your Call To Action is the whole point of compelling copy, yet too many writers fall at this last hurdle – when they should be forcing the reader to take action, they trail off...

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OBSESSIVEDIGITAL“The first draft of anything is shit.”“Ernest Hemingway“A successful book is not made of what is in it, but what is left out of it.”“Mark Twain“Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word.There are no exceptions to this rule.”“Stephen King

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OBSESSIVEDIGITALYOURFINAL EDIT

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When you’ve finally got to the point where yourcopy is finished, give yourself a breather and take a step back from what you’ve written.It’s always much more difficult to spot mistakes in your own copy, ESPECIALLY straight after you’vewritten it.You need to give yourself some time betweenfinishing your final draft, and starting the editingprocess.Walk away. Do something else. Read somethingelse. Write something else.Sleep. If your deadline allows it.Do not skimp on the editing process. It’s an integral part of copywriting.It’s where you spot the silly errors, and the typos,and the paragraph that you were half-way through writing whenAnd of course you get the opportunity to fine-tune your work. To enhance it.The place to start is with a full read through.OUT LOUDYour eyes can read faster than you can talk, so by speaking every word you’ll be more focussed, you’ll read slower, and you’ll have to breathe, and that’ll help you to identify clumsy copy, poor syntax, and overlong sentences. When you find an overly long sentence, divide it. It’ll enhance your readability.To make sure there are no loopholes in howcompelling your copy is, revisit your list of “WhyWouldn’t They” questions, go through them oneby-one, and make sure that every one of them is answered fully.Don’t kid yourself that you’ve answered something fully if you’ve left it open as a possible objection. The results won’t lie.Once you’ve read through the letter, get someone else to read the letter too. If they’ll read it outloud to you, even better. You’ll be able to hear where they stumble or falter, and make that section smoother.When you’re happy with the content of your letter, move onto the Final Edit Checklist...Here’s your Final Edit Checklist:Are there any typos or spelling mistakes? Use spell check.Is your spelling consistent, or have you gotsome US spellings mixed in with your UK ones?Are all dates, numbers and prices consistent?Are your cross references accurate?(see image on opposite page/on page 7 etc)Are your numbered lists in the right order?Have you used any jargon or acronyms before explaining what they mean?Have all of your images got captions?Have you made silly mistakes like their instead of there?Are all of your subheads in a consistent type and size?If you ONLY read your dual readership path, does your copy make sense?Is your offer crystal clear?Is your Call To Action as strong as it could be?Do the design and layout of your letter help the reader to make sense of it?

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All contents Copyright © ObsessiveDigital 2024. All rights reserved.Is A Guide From Team At Obsessive DigitalOBSESSIVEDIGITALFor More Information Email:hello@obsessive.digitalHOW TO WRITE COMPELLING COPY