How about a bit o’ Q&A today?
Here’s a question that rolls in a lot these days, especially from people new to writing ads and sales letters.
Check it out:
QUESTION: Ben what do you think of fill in the blank sales letter templates or software where you type in the benefits and it spits out a sales letter for you? Are they worth it?
BEN: I’m not a big fan of software like that.
I won’t say they never work.
Even a broken clock is right twice per day, no?
And they can be especially useful for basic offers for something your list already wants (a discount, or whatever). But if you want to get your products into as many hands as possible… then methinks you can (and should) do better.
Why?
Because copywriting ain’t about the “letter.”
It ain’t about the “writing”, either.
It’s about your customers.
It’s about their problems, pains, desires and emotions right now, at this exact point in their lives. The kind of stuff that transcends the test results and cold analysis a software program would likely be based on. I think “A-List” copywriter Doug D’Anna nailed it perfectly in The Copywriting Grab Bag on page 250.
Here’s what he said:
“… part of it is the science of testing. I’m a big tester. Another part comes from your instincts. I really sell for the most part, investment newsletters. Yesterday, the market was down 300 points. Today it’s up a little bit. How are those people feeling today? Well, hey, I’ve been around a long time. I’ve studied my customer. That’s the one thing that I feel I do that’s different.”
How about THEM apples?
Doug is one of the world’s top direct mail copywriters. He’s competed against (and has beaten) the BEST in the industry (including the legendary copywriter Eugene Schwartz).
And the one thing he does different is study his customer.
No special software.
No “killer” secrets.
And no super duper swipe file.
That’s selling, baby.
Ben Settle
P.S. You can get the entire Doug D’Anna interview in “The Copywriting Grab Bag” over yonder at:
