We’ve been discussing how to make sense of all the information you have via a storyboard. The 3x5 cards may now have bits of copy and salient points, features and benefits, and the like. A possible next step is to begin writing bullets. But first, we might ask, “What’s the Big Idea?”
If you feel overwhelmed by all the things you’d like to incorporate into your sales message, congratulations. You should have a lot to work with at this point. To simplify the process, from this point forward things should be guided by your overall marketing strategy. Of course, this will evolve over time. For now, we won’t worry about positioning, branding, or USP, and go straight to the underlying idea for this letter.
For example, if you were selling a time management system, your market research might reveal that everyone is imitating one approach. Depending on the stage of the market (we will come back to this concept a la Gene Schwartz), you might see a point of entry or difference for your product. Your big idea could be (if your product supports this) that instead of time ‘management’, you’re teaching time ‘production’.
If you go this route, from here your entire letter could be guided by this idea. A big promise (the big promise for this letter) coming out of this could be that you’ll be at least 10 times more productive. This idea, in terms of organizing your own brain, could offer the benefits of ‘creating’ time for what we all crave: love and money.
Once you have these things, your copywriting process will be much more streamlined. You’ll know why you're telling certain stories. It will be easier to test your ads/letters, especially in terms of that nebulous message to market match. And it will simplify and shorten your copywriting process.
To your Copywriting Mastery,
Sheridan
PS. If you’re interested in checking out what in my opinion is the most powerful ‘Time Production’ System in the world, and the inspiration for today’s lesson, click here.
In my last post, I shared a revised version of a letter sent to a friend of mine. The question at the beginning of the series, now in it's third and final installment, is how to boost response. Fundamentally, that is really the great question for the copywriter. Of course, it has to fit in with the overall marketing strategy, but we are only looking at a small piece of that picture for now.
The original letter had many useful elements, but they were not organized effectively, nor were they compelling as written. Now, I don't claim to have solved this puzzle in my little attempt, but I hope to shed some light on the process.
The original author knows his business. And he knows something about his prospects. So I would keep the original subject for the email. (After all, it did get my friend – the prospect – to open the email.) I then simply took the pieces and put them on 3x5 notecards (ok, I did it in my head to save time), and rearranged them to tell a better story.
If it were a professional job I would have collected much more information and gone much deeper into the process. But the part I want to show to day is simply 'storyboarding', a process I first learned of from Dan Kennedy. When you're facing a project, collect all the pieces of information you might ultimately want to use, and put each on its own 3x5 card. You can put them up on a corkboard and rearrange them as you see fit.
At this point, you will want to consider storytelling and form. Then fill it out with words and phrases that have an impact on your prospect. We will address each of these in future posts. Stay tuned...
For now, play with your own Storyboard. You'll be amazed at how quickly you can organize and evaluate what you put in your sales letter. Just one more trick to simplify your copywriting.
To your Copywriting Mastery,
Sheridan
The other day, I posted a letter soliciting a friend of mine for a certain law school. Here is a revised version:
Hello B,
I am writing you today 3 miles from the Florida coast. Where a stiff sea breeze and white sandy beaches keep your fellow law students relaxed and looking good. Want in on this deal? We’ll even sweeten it for you, to the tune of $45 grand…
Here’s what it’s all about:
You’ve heard how stressful law school can be. Even having to take the LSAT was no walk on the beach. We’ve got the remedy for you: a school that balances top notch professors with ocean sunsets. You’ll stroll out of law school relaxed and tan, with the tools to have the career in law you want.
But there’s more than that.
We follow through on our students. Our placement services will keep you in the loop, whether you’re gunning for a big metropolitan firm, or decide to look for something nice and quiet… on the ocean, say.
An offer you can’t refuse:
The other day I was looking through your LSAC file and noticed your outstanding LSAT score of xxx. Coupled with your collegiate GPA of x.xx, you deserve scholarship, based on merit. I have a letter here on my desk worth $45,000, payed out over three years, that I would love to send to you. Just say the word.
I have to warn you though, if you don’t respond by xx/xx/xxxx, I’ll have to give your award to the next one down the list.
Here’s what you need to do now:
Call my office by xx/xx/xxxx or email me and tell me you would like to spend three years in a sunny paradise by the sea, with your award for $45,000. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
J.
[Name]
Director of Admissions
[School]
[Contact Info]
In my next post, I'll go over the techniques I used to create this draft, which took all of 5 minutes.
I was recently in New York on business. While there, I met a friend of mine who has decided to leave the hedge fund desk job and head to law school. Having deferred a year, he apparently got himself on the 'desperately unadmitted' list. Hence the following unsolicited email he received from a school in Florida:
Hello B,
I was looking at your LSAC file today and noticed that your LSAT score of --- and -.-- GPA and other academic accomplishments qualify you for admission to our August '08 entering class. Fortunately, we still have some scholarship funds available, and your LSAT and GPA qualify you for a merit scholarship in the amount of $15,000 per year.
Would you like to study in X, a charming coastal city with wonderful weather? We have a lot of students from New York and we'd love for you to join them.
Please reply to this email or give me a call at (555) 555-5555 so we can talk more about this opportunity. By the way, I am willing to wave your application fee.
I will be working this weekend so feel free to contact me.
J.
[Name]
Director of Admissions
[School]
[Contact Info]
This was offered as an example of bad copywriting. However, I didn't find it to be so far off. The man clearly knows his business. Most business owners can make this claim. There are enough elements present for a good rewrite to turn this message into a compelling sales letter.
For example, the email is personalized. The first paragraph is congruent with the subject, which reads "Please confirm LSAT of --- and -.-- GPA", which of course is also personalized scores for this student. Certainly the student's own LSAT score is enough to get attention. (We'll talk in future posts about how to hit the right 'hot buttons' in your market in later posts.) There is specificity also in the $ figure offered. The benefits of living in a coastal city are alluded to, and an attempt to connect is made by referring to New Yorkers. The latter is unfortunately a mistake, as my friend is such a fan of New Yorkers. The mini-lesson there is never to assume you know what your prospect is thinking.
In tomorrow's post I'll show you how I would rewrite this letter for a first draft, with no further information. In the mean time, it might be fun, if you have a little knowledge of how to organize a letter, for you to try your hand, see what you come up with. Feel free to send it my way.
To your Copywriting Mastery,
Sheridan
Hello everyone. Bear with me for a few days. I'm in New York to make a solo recording, Then back to Tennessee on Wednesday, my birthday. I'll then be posting articles which may complement our course for the next couple of weeks. A mix of elementary and a few advanced things culled from Bencivenga, Carlton, Garfinkel, and others. The best, condensed and ready to put to work. For a higher response.
