What Science Can Tell You About Your Life ... Using Your Marketing Superpowers for Good ... the "Anti-Puffery" Copy Technique ... and Much, Much More We have a great week on tap for Early to Rise. We have contributions from a group of deep thinkers, experts on the cutting edge of Internet marketing, and copywriting vets -- including me. Today, I tell you about one of the most famous headlines in history. I show you why it works on a deeper level, and how to apply that "hidden structure" to your own copy. Later in the week ... Copywriter and marketing expert Jay White talks about autoresponders. As Jay will explain, they're convenient tools that can put your Internet business on autopilot. And they can bring in plenty of passive income. If you do it right. David Cross, our resident Internet Ranter and Agora Inc.'s senior Internet consultant, tells how to find one of the most powerful elements of your sales campaigns. If you don't have it, your marketing efforts will be shooting blanks.
From veteran copywriter Clayton Makepeace, you'll hear about his family's trip to a sci-fi convention and what it can teach you about reaching your prospect. Here's a clue: It's all about belief. Alex Green laments the lack of knowledge about the world we live in. And he gives you an action plan for becoming more informed. This will have huge benefits for you, says Alex. And it's not about becoming the smartest guy in the room. Also in this issue: - Wealthy: Six reasons to be back in the market
- Healthy: Get your kids out of the house!
- Wise: Complacency is death
---------------------------------------------- Highly Recommended ---------------------------------------------------- Do You Know What Your Optimum Selling Strategy Is? - If not, don't spend another dollar on your business. Not until you hear Michael Masterson explain it at our Info-Marketing Bootcamp this November. He'll do it in detail and with easy-to-follow examples. "Until you discover the OSS for your niche, your chances of success are dismal," Masterson says. "After you know it, making money is as simple as following a path of dotted lines." The price of Bootcamp is going up in just two days. Get in now ... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow." Woodrow Wilson Heisting Hall-of-Fame Headlines:
Master this "illegal" skill and make writing your headlines quick and easy!
By Michael Masterson Old-time copywriters like yours truly enjoy a walk down Memory Lane now and then. We do it for fun, but it can be profitable too. I'm talking about rereading the best-known direct-marketing ads of the past. Copy written by such luminaries as Gene Schwartz, Claude Hopkins, and John E. Kennedy. It's fun to read through these old ads. Looking at them now -- with their dated language and primitive graphics -- you might think they could never work in today's hypercompetitive market. Yet some of them are still working. And most of them live on as the arms and legs or blood and bones of many modern ads written by copywriters who understand their value. There are many ways to learn from these time-tested ads. One way is simply to read them -- over and over again. Maybe even copy them down by hand or say them out loud. I'm convinced that's the only way to understand all sorts of important but subtle things about good copy -- diction, pacing, phrasing, etc. But the best way to learn from them is to analyze them from the inside out. Ask yourself: "What is going on here beneath the surface? What are the psychological triggers that are going off in the reader's heart and mind as he reads this?" This is what I call determining the DNA of an ad. If you get the core structure right, you have a template -- invisible to everyone else who looks at the same ad -- of what really makes it work. So today, I want to introduce you to that kind of deep structure analysis. And I'm going to do it by applying it to headlines -- the smallest piece of the advertising puzzle, yet the most powerful. The headline you use has an enormous impact on the effectiveness of your ad. Pick the wrong headline and your response rate could drop by more than half. Select the right headline and you could double or triple response, and even create an ad that will last for decades. The Best-Known Headline Ever Written Several years ago, Raphael Marketing compiled a list of 100 of "the best print advertising headlines ever written." As a group, these ads sold hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of products and services. (That would be tens of billions of dollars today.) I looked through the list this morning and thought, "Boy, these are really good. I bet I could use some of them right now to improve my clients' copy!" I'm not talking about copying them verbatim. A word or two or three, maybe. (And for a headline by a living writer, I wouldn't even do that.) But more than that is just plain dumb, because it doesn't work on so many levels. For one thing, it's cheating. And it makes you a weaker marketer/writer. What I could do, though, is figure out what is going on beneath the surface (determine the DNA of those headlines), and then inject that into my clients' copy to invigorate it. With that in mind, let's take a look at one of the "top 100" headlines. In fact, let's look at the headline that came in at number one. It was written in 1925 by John Caples for a correspondence course from the U.S. School of Music: They laughed when I sat down at the piano ...
But when I started to play! This headline instantly conveys all the key elements of a successful ad: - One strong idea
- One desirable benefit
- One driving emotion
- One inevitable solution
In just 15 words, Caples tells a powerful story. You can see someone approaching a piano in a crowded room -- perhaps it's a dinner party. You can see the look of disbelief on people's faces as he nears it. When he pulls back his cuffs, a twitter of laughter starts. Before his fingers touch the ivories, there is a chorus of abusive cackling. How can you not feel sorry for this guy? Surely you have experienced, sometime in your life, a similar moment of embarrassing derision. (Who hasn't?) Imagining this situation, you feel his need for revenge and approval -- two of the deepest and strongest human desires. Now comes the second line -- "But when I started to play ..." You can see the shock and disbelief on the faces of those who were laughing. Our hero has begun playing, and the music is flowing like wine. Men grow pale with admiration and jealousy. Women glow in appreciation. And then the thought hits you: "Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could play the piano?" Based on Caples's headline alone, the reader of this ad is already half-persuaded to sign up for the course it is selling. As I suggested above, this is an astonishing amount of work to get done with 15 simple words. What's Going on Here? One of the most important discoveries I ever made about advertising came to me years after I first read this wonderful headline. But it could have been inspired by it. I call it the Rule of One. I said this about the Rule of One in ETR "Write about only one thing at a time. Because one good idea, clearly and convincingly presented, is better than a dozen so-so ideas strung together."
Caples's headline is a beautiful example of that. Had he taken the salad bowl approach -- so popular with the whippersnappers who write copy today -- it might have read as follows: Now You Can Learn to Play the Piano Quickly and Easily! After years of research, musicologist discovers the world's most efficient method for teaching the piano. Using this unique new program, you can master the piano in less than a year!
You will amaze your friends and neighbors!
Some may even be shocked at how well you can play!
Plus, you can earn extra income on the weekends! This headline doesn't have nearly the force of the original because it has too much going on. Too many unnecessary details, too many unrelated emotions, and too many damn words! Another reason Caples's headline is so strong is because, as I pointed out, it tells a story. Of all the ways to get your readers emotionally involved in your copy, nothing works better and more consistently than the story lead. In the book I'm writing with John Forde on copywriting, he has this to say about it: "I can think of a lot of people who balk at big promises. I can think of plenty more who couldn't care less about a bulleted list of shocking statistics. But I can't think of a single person who can resist a good story. Can you? Everybody loves a good story. "As a way to communicate, nothing feels more natural. "So doesn't it make sense that when someone says, 'Let me tell you a story ...' you perk up and listen? There's no better way to melt resistance. Of course, if you don't tell the story well, you can still lose the reader. And telling the right stories well isn't always easy. "But get it right, and a story lead lets you sneak into the psyche sideways, like no other lead can, delivering anecdotal proof and promises ... and a setup for the rest of your pitch ... long before the reader even realizes what you're doing." Caples's ad was an instant hit, selling thousands of correspondence courses. Many call it the most successful ad of the 20th century. And the structure of his classic headline has been "borrowed" time and again by other copywriters. You may have seen this one (thanks to Don Hauptman for these examples):: They grinned when the waiter spoke to me in French ...
But their laughter changed to amazement at my reply. Or this one: They laughed when I sent away for free color film ...
But now my friends are all sending away, too. Or this one: They laughed when I sat down at the computer --
But when I started to use it! -- So what can the modern marketer/copywriter learn about headline writing from Caples's classic example? - First, the Rule of One: One strong idea/emotion/benefit is better than half a dozen mediocre ones.
- Second, the power of the story: There is no stronger way to engage your prospect than with a simple story.
- Third, that adhering to the "rules" of good storytelling will produce the greatest effect. That means beginning in the middle with a conflict -- expressed or implicit -- that affects a protagonist the reader can identify with. And offering an emotionally satisfying solution.
You don't have to use Caples's words. Just borrow the deeper structure of his headline: - The hero, an ordinary person like your prospect, attempts to do something extraordinary.
- People doubt him.
- He proves them wrong.
There are countless ways to apply this structure. If you are selling an investment system, for example, you could tell a story about how all the experts doubted the system when it was first unveiled. If you are selling inexpensive domestic caviar, you could create a story about how a group of gastronomes ridiculed your product until they tasted it. Spend a few minutes right now jotting down notes on how you could use it in your next advertising campaign. P.S. Many copywriters spend just as much time on their headlines as they do on the rest of their sales copy. After all, the headline is the most important part of the ad. I've just revealed several secrets of writing million-dollar headlines. But with the American Writers & Artists Inc. Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting, you'll discover even more: the seven things your headline must do -- and what it should never try ... the deceptively simple secret of the "Four U's" ... why cleverness is not a virtue. It's all in there, along with hundreds of tips for supercharging the rest of your copy. ----------------------------------------------Highly Recommended --------------------------------------------------- Receive A $75,000 "Jackpot" From the Government - Recently discovered "glitch" for U.S. citizens. "Get paid" for improving your home. Or buy a new one! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More wealth, health, and wisdom from Masterson ... In a recent issue of Investor's Daily Edge, Bob Irish argued that "now is the best time to get back into the market again." He gave the following reasons: - Never before in history have we seen such explosive growth of the middle class worldwide. This means brand-new markets everywhere, for everything from mouthwash to microprocessors.
- History shows that returns are much higher for a portfolio formed midway through a recession than one formed midway through a recovery.
- Big flows will return to stocks and bonds. The amount of cash on the sidelines is staggering! Over $3.6 trillion is invested in money market mutual funds. How long will earning next to nothing look attractive?
- Despite the market run-up since March, the number of takeovers is rising. That means market pros are seeing good value in select companies.
- Corporate bond yields are generous, especially relative to Treasuries.
- Dividends, which are responsible for half the long-term return of the market, are very attractive in certain companies.
But if you are going to jump into the market now, be very cautious. As Steve McDonald pointed out in IDE recently, there are three waves of investing in every bullish market. And the bulk of investors get in on the third wave -- the one that inevitably crashes.
You can protect yourself with a disciplined investing system and stop-losses. And you can make better investment selections if you stick with someone who has a deep understanding of a narrow slice of the market. As far as your business is concerned, I'd make the following recommendations: Make an honest assessment of your prospects. If you are in a declining industry and personally losing money, don't count on an improved economy any time soon. Cut your losses and get out now. If you are covering expenses or making a profit, you should feel blessed. But don't be complacent. Take the following measures now: - Cut non-essential staff.
- Cut weak or mediocre products.
- Eliminate all non-essential processes and procedures.
- Renegotiate all vendor and freelance contracts.
- Shop around if you don't get satisfaction.
- Keep a sharp eye on all numbers. Double-check them. Don't trust projections.
- Reduce your inventory to "just in time."
- Eliminate general advertising that is questionable.
- Increase direct-response advertising for new customers.
- Increase direct-response advertising to existing customers.
- Start working harder and smarter than ever.
- Expect your employees to follow your lead.
American kids -- actually, kids all over the world -- are getting fatter faster than Oprah Winfrey is getting rich. Turn on the boob tube and you'll hear all sorts of theories on why this is true. But the answers are simple. - They are eating processed food, which is designed to be addictive and fattening.
- They are spending five hours a day sitting down in a classroom and another six to eight hours watching TV and screwing around on their computers.
Both of these problems are easy to solve. At the Masterson household, we did it this way: During the 20 years our children lived under our roof, we did not have our TVs connected to the outside world. Twice a week, the boys were allowed to watch a movie if their mother approved it. They were banned completely from video games. During the afternoons, when their friends were sitting at home moronically playing with video games, they were free to do what they wanted, so long as it was outside and involved being upright. All the food in the house was reasonably healthy. K cooked a healthy meal every night. Desserts were a rarity -- and when we had them, they were fresh fruit and ice cream. Cookies and candies existed only on holidays. We also talked to the kids about healthful eating. We knew we could not control what they ate when they weren't at home, and would eventually have to be responsible for themselves. A recently published study from Baylor University suggests this last bit of parental wisdom made a lot of sense. Two groups of obese kids participated. One group was told to read food labels and keep track of all the foods they ate. The other group did not have any nutrition intervention. At the end of the two-year study, the group that read labels and kept track of their food had significant weight loss compared to the control group. They also lowered their cholesterol and improved their body mass index. These are all very simple things you can do for your children if you are worried about their weight. And while you are at it, make sure you follow your own dicta. You'll be giving your children years of extra, productive living. And you'll be doing the same for yourself. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I gain heart and hope from your wisdom." "Michael, "I just love getting your 'stuff' in my e-mail ... I read it every time, as 90% of the time it is of relevance and value to me on some level. "Having just re-launched a business at the age of 61, I gain great heart and hope from your wisdom and untiring efforts to elevate your fellow entrepreneurs in any way you can. "Thanks for your inspiration and advice. It has been a great blueprint for us, and will certainly be the backbone of our new business strategy and action. "You are a high caliber human, and a drink or lunch with you some time down the track would be a delight." Ian Jones ---------------------------------------------- Highly Recommended --------------------------------------------------- Nobody's Going to Visit Your Online Business ... Unless You Give Them a Reason - Everybody and his uncle has a website these days. But 99% of them aren't making any money. The first step in gaining Internet wealth is getting people to your site. Until now, that has been a very difficult task. But thanks to a technique you already use every day -- but don't recognize the potential of -- you can attract thousands of "primed to buy" visitors. And it's totally free. That's ZERO marketing expenses. Read more... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Words That Work: Gastronome A gastronome (GAS-truh-nome) is a gourmet -- a connoisseur of fine food and drink. The word is derived from the Greek for "stomach." Example (as used by Michael Masterson today): "If you are selling inexpensive domestic caviar, you could create a story about how a group of gastronomes ridiculed your product until they tasted it." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We want your feedback! Let us know your thoughts on today's issue. Email us at: AskETR@ETRFeedback.com | 
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