One of the lightbulb moments for me in my copywriting education came over 10 years ago, when I interviewed the great A-list copywriter Doug D\u2019Anna.<\/p>\n
It was a pretty short interview.<\/p>\n
(I think it clocked in at under 35 minutes.)<\/p>\n
And we started talking about headlines.<\/p>\n
He told me about a winning headline he\u2019d written that I suspect nary a hotshot copywriter today would think is either secksy or persuasive. In fact, I suspect 9 out of 10 copywriters would scoff at it and say it sucks if they were to critique the sales letter without knowing who wrote it.<\/p>\n
The headline?<\/p>\n
\u201cCan India Stop China?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I doubt you\u2019ll ever see that headline in a list of 100 greatest headlines. I doubt you\u2019ll see anyone try to \u201cswipe\u201d it. And, I doubt you\u2019d see it held up as a shining example of copywriting brilliance at any seminars.<\/p>\n But, it according to Doug it was a huge hit.<\/p>\n And, the reason why is because it wasn\u2019t trying to impress copywriters.<\/p>\n It was trying to make a sale.<\/p>\n And to that market, at that time in history, that question was burning in their minds, and of 100% importance & significance to their lives.<\/p>\n This is, btw, why I don\u2019t do critiques anymore.<\/p>\n (Besides the fact I hate doing copywriting critiques)<\/p>\n As Doug D\u2019Anna put it in the same interview:<\/p>\n \u201cHow can I offer somebody a copywriting critique on a piece of sales copy for a product or a prospect that I am 100 percent unfamiliar with?\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Anyway, guys like Doug and other A-listers have incredible headline knowledge.<\/p>\n And, I\u2019m always taken to school when I read their stuff.<\/p>\n Speaking of which:<\/p>\n There is a particular A-list copywriter who, for my money, is the single best headline writer on the planet. Someone whose headlines I study (even if they are a bit gross sometimes\u2026) all the time, and who I also get many email subject line and theme ideas just from the headlines.<\/p>\n And, on page 15 I show you where to find this copywriter\u2019s ads.<\/p>\n (It\u2019s my secret headline \u201cstash\u201d when I write ads.)<\/p>\n To subscribe before the deadline in a few days, go here:<\/p>\n