“You'd better notlet your father see this.” John Caples’s mom @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
IF IT FEELSSAFE, SCRAP IT @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
“Five times asmany people read the headline as read the body copy.” @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
“I find ifI drink two or three brandies, I’m far better able to write.” @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
COPY IS NOTYOUR BRAND’S CREATIVE EXPRESSION. COPY IS YOUR ONLINE SALESPERSON. @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
WANNA BE CREATIVE? WRITEA poem. got that outta your system? great - let’s work. @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
I ROLL WITHTHE HARDEST. MAKE MONEY WITH THE SMARTEST. AIN’T GOT TIME FOR YOU ARTISTS. bOS-APPROPRIATE rewrite of lyrics by The Game @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
CAVEAT Err on theside of caution sometimes. Not everything that worked then flies now.
24% increase inCTR with 98% confidence 13% lift in CTR with 99% confidence 24% MORE CLICKS 13% MORE CLICKS @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
YOU GO TOA QUIET PLACE TO WRITE. @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
(Because to write,you need to be alone with your thoughts.) @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
Turns out thecopy in your head… sucks. @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
So you giveup. And find something else to do. @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
Stop “writing” Understand thatthe thing on the page is the customer - not “the product” Know the customer so you can show the customer him/herself (ideally happy or getting there) Hold the mirror (i.e., be in the background) to do this, you must: @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
HOW DO YOUKNOW WHAT THE MIRROR SHOULD REFLECT BACK? @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
What do youdo with the mad that you feel When you feel so mad you could bite? When the whole wide world seems oh so wrong, And nothing you do seems very right? What do you do - do you punch a bag? Do you pound some clay or some dough? Do you round up friends for a game of tag? Or see how fast you go? @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
1. On oneor more sites with reviews, find products / services in your category. @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
2. Go throughthe reviews and clip the STICKIEST insights. @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
3. TAG THEVERBATIMS AND ASSEMBLE THEM INTO DRAFT 1. @air_story#bos2017 Joanna is assembling in
TO TRULY BEA MIRROR, YOUR PAGE HAS TO REFLECT BACK A SPECIFIC PERSON. NOT AN “AVERAGE PERSON.” @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
“Your message should singleout your prospect like a man being paged in a crowded hotel lobby.” claude hopkins @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
Roses are red, Violetsare blue - Donate to a teacher With the same name as you. @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
Dear Joanna - Rosesare red, Violets are blue - Donate to a teacher With the same name as you. Mr. Wiebe French novels for his junior high students. $68 remaining Donate to Mr. Wiebe’s project 3x more likely to give to a project Gave 3x as much Reactivated lapsed donors Source: Donors Choose Annual Review 2014 - 15 @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
“THEY ALL LAUGHEDWHEN I USED A FORMULA. BUT WHEN THEY SAW THE RESULTS!” 2 @COPYHACKERS
“The correct solution, theright headline, the perfect ad lies buried in the problem itself.” gene schwartz @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
(when you suggestdelaying the product shot, even the coolest lose their cool) @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
“Just as thephysician uses the same prescription many times with beneficial effect… Just as the civil engineer uses the same formulas again and again for building bridges… So can the copywriter use formulas that have worked successfully in the past.” john caples @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
1. The claritysweep 2. The voice and tone sweep 3. The So What sweep 4. The Prove It sweep 5. The specificity sweep 6. The heightened emotion sweep 7. The Zero Risk sweep THE SEVEN SWEEPS @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
“You cannot bore peopleinto buying your product. You can only interest them.” DAVID OGILVY GENE SCHWARTZ “Advertising is the literature of desire.” G. BENCIVENGA “Emotions are the fire of human motivation, the combustible force that secretly drives most decisions to buy.” @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
• Need forlove • Fear of shame • Pride of achievement • Drive for recognition • Yearning to feel important • Urge to look attractive • Lust for power • Longing for romance • Need to feel secure • Terror of facing the unknown • Lifelong hunger for self- esteem GARY BENCIVENGA
“It’s not aboutbuilding better mousetraps. It’s about building larger mice - and then building a terrifying fear of them in your customers.” gene schwartz @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
As many as60% of sales are lost to “no decision.” Source: CorporateVisions.com @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
MAKE YOUR READERDECIDE. EVEN IF THEY DON’T CHOOSE YOU. @COPYHACKERS#bos2017
“THIS IS NOLAZY MAN’S FIELD” Claude Hopkins @COPYHACKERS#bos2017