The Best Copy Writer Books in One Place

What are the best copywriter books?

If you are an aspiring copywriter, or you are a business owner who wants to
increase sales, or if you are an online business owner who wants to write
persuasive web copy...these seminal books on copywriting are for you.

Choosing the best copywriting books is an invidious task-one that is bound to

divide opinion and provoke debate.

But the copywriting books that are referred to below are recommended by
some of the finest copywriters who plied their trade writing powerfully
persuasive direct response copy.

And they have stood the test of time as they contain the universal principles
that have been successful in selling billions of dollars worth of goods and
services since they have been published.

People like Eugene Schwartz, Claude Hopkins, David Oglivy, Dan Kennedy,
Gary Halbert, Gary Bencivenga, Clayton Makepeace have at one time or
another recommended certain copywriting books for budding copywriters-
books that they described as essential.

It is these books that will be the primary focus of this page.

I have read almost all of them and have my personal favorites which I will
share with you.

But it is important to let you know about what you can expect in each book as
your needs and knowledge and personal style will be different from mine.
I don't neglect modern copywriting books either but the emphasis will be on
the classics, the copywriting books that have stood the test of time and which
have been recommended again and again by the masters.

Because in my opinion, most of what followed from the classic copywriters

was simply a different take on the universal principles of persuasion set out in
the pages of the classics.

Copywriting Books Recommended by Eugene Schwartz

"Breakthrough Advertising" by Eugne Schwartz is one of the best copywriting

books ever written.

It is detailed, comprehensive, and is the copywriting book that should be in

every copywriter's library.

It is not a book to be read at one sitting. It is a book that you will find yourself
drawn to again and again if you are serious about your copywriting trade.

I have done an exhaustive review of this book which you can check out by
clicking on the link below.

Eugene Schwartz recommended the following books at the back of his

seminal work:

1. an anthology of great advertisements -The 100 Greatest Advertisements by

Julian Watkins, 1949

2. My Life in Advertising by Claude Hopkins, 1927

3. Intensive Advertising by John E. Kennedy

4. The Robert Collier Letter Book by Robert Collier

5. Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Oglivy

6. Reality of Advertising by Rosser Reeves

Any copywriter who has read "Breakthrough Advertising" by Schwartz will pay
acute attention to his recommendations above.

Modern Day Copywriting Books to Consider

Modern day copywriters who must be considered include

Jay Abraham and his book "Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've
Got"

Ted Nicholas and his "The Golden Mailbox"

"The Ultimate Sales Letter" by Dan Kennedy

"Kick-Ass Copywriting Secretes of a Marketing Rebel" by John Carlton

All of these guys studied the "masters of copywriting" like Claude Hopkins,
David Oglivy, Eugene Schwartz, Victor Schwab, John Caples, Rosser Reeves,
Robert Collier, etc.

So if you want to truly get under the skin of the thinking, psychology, testing
in the field of the pioneers of writing persuasive copy, you won't go too far
wrong by studying these old timers.

How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab-A Deceptively Easy

and Powerful Read

I have read virtually all of the copywriting and advertising books referred to
on this page. But one book that I find myself coming back to time and time
again is Victor O. Schwab's "How to Write a Good Advertisement".

What I like about this book is it's accessibility and simplicity. He boils
persuasive copywriting down to 5 fundamentals:

Get the reader's attention

Show him/her an advantage

Prove the advantage

Persuade the reader to grasp this advantage

Persuade him/her to act now.

His book also analyses and critiques 100 famous headlines and he explains
why they were successful or not.

These headlines are a fantastic resource to have to hand when you are
writing to persuade because they can be easily adapted to your particular
situation.

Schwab's book is very well written, easy to read and I particularly like his
references to the great Greek and Roman orators who used persuasive
rhetoric to move peoples' minds to action.

He also provides a quiz at the end of each chapter which certainly gets you
thinking about what you have just read.

As well as expanding on the 5 principles outlined above Schwab also answers

the question of how long your copy should be, how to get more inquiries and
some interesting random observations.

The ease of reading of this book should not fool you into thinking that the
precepts and principles Schwab outlines are not incredibly powerful-they
most certainly are and are common characteristics in any good
advertisement or copy.

Joe Sugarman-Advertising Secrets of the Written Word

Joe Sugarman was different.

Sugarman developed his own style but boy, was it a successful one..

Sugarman's seminars were expensive and in white hot demand and his most
famous book, "Advertising Secrets of the Written Word: The Ultimate
Resource on How to Write Powerful Advertising Copy from One of America's
Top Copywriters and Mail Order Entrepreneurs" is a must for any aspiring
copywriter.

Sugraman's philosophy might be summarized as follows:

Get reader to read. Short sentences, interesting, curiosity?

Create the right environment to get the reader comfortable

Harmonize with your reader by getting them to agree with you

Then the slippery slide-readers should be so compelled to read that they

cant stop

Use seeds of curiosity to keep them reading, especially at the end of

paragraphs

Use emotion to sell, logic to justify-understand the nature of the product

and the customer/reader-all words have emotions attached

Sell the concept, not the product, the sizzle, not the steak

Be personal-should be a personal message

Copy must flow-anticipate questions and answer them

Edit

The Gary Halbert Copywriting Technique

Gary Halbert, the self described "Prince of Print" set out his technique for
writing great copy on his website thegaryhalbertnewsletter.com.

Here is a summary of his method:

1. Fact sheet/list

2. Translate facts into benefits-benefit list

3. Start thinking about your offer-how would you like to buy it? THE OFFER IS
THE HEART AND SOUL OF GREAT COPY-deal sheet

==========

4. Headline-benefit and news. Look at your deal sheet/offer and adapt it to a

headline. Offer ordinary? Sweeten it until you have something to say..

5. First sentence/paragraph-tell him what is in it for him to read the letter

6. Next paragraphs-tell the good news-elaborate specifically on your promises

7. Why? Why such a good deal?

8. If he is interested he wants facts-enumerate them as benefits

9. Prove why your deal is so good..and make it believable

10. Call to action-tell him what to do and in a hurry

11. PS-one of the facts/benefits

_If you want to be more persuasive with your copywriting, there is a 4-part
persuasion formula I want to share with you. I learned this formula from one
of the worlds greatest copywriters, Gary Bencivenga, who is a mentor, client
and dear friend.

Part One: Urgent Problem

If there is no problem, there is nothing to talk about because you cant offer a
solution. Make sure its an urgent problem, because urgency makes people
more motivated to find a solution.

For example, one offer I used to make when speaking at conferences was an
8-month mentoring program. I would start by talking about the problem of
overwhelm.

Id say, Listen, Ill bet you are overwhelmed with too much to do. Thats why
Im offering an eight-month mentoring program. You have access to me for
eight months, one time per month. You will learn a lot more and digest a lot
more than if I did this in eight days or in eight weeks, as many other
marketers do.

Part Two: Unique Promise

The key word is unique. My promise was unique. The program was
delivered over an eight-month period. Youd get the audio transcripts and
executive summaries, which have live links. Id help you build your business.

If you came up with a website, I promoted you to others in the mentoring

program. Many coaches dont do that. Through my promotion, you could
generate joint venture opportunities.

Part Three: Unquestionable Proof

The urgent problem I used when promoting my first product, a postcard

marketing course, was that we are in an over-marketed society and the
only thing that would get through is a postcard.

The unique promise was: Postcards are the fastest, easiest, most economical
way to increase your sales and profits without spending an extra dime on
advertising or marketing costs.

Then I started providing unquestionable proof. I wrote, Thats why Marketing

With Postcards is the most unique and cutting edge advertising course of its
kind. Want proof? Take a sneak peek at the postcard marketing secrets youll
discover.

Following that, I rattled off a bunch of bullet points, like 52 time-tested and
winning postcard designs you can legally steal from me to make your
response rates soar. See Chapter 6, page 53 and Flood your business with
more sales leads than youll know what to do with. My 41 sales phrases show
you how. See Chapter 4, page 14.

Other pieces of proof include testimonials from Jay Conrad Levinson, Joe
Vitale, Jonathan Mizel, Mike Litman and more. I also used four case studies for
unquestionable proof. I stated the clients problem, the action I took and the
result we got.

Part Four: User-Friendly Proposition

Make it easy for people to say yes to your offer. A user-friendly proposition is
being one click away to the order form. Its having an 800 number, so they
can call in and order. Its processing a credit card order in real time, so
everything is done at once, and they get the product shipped to them.

Those are the 4 steps to the Bencivenga Persuasion Formula. Print it out,
hang it on your wall, and look at it each day before you write a word of copy.

Urgent Problem

Unique Promise

Unquestionable Proof

User-Friendly Proposition

PERSUASION

Now that youve learned the 4 steps to persuasion in copywriting, tell me

how will using this formula impact your copywriting results and process?
Chime in below!

_
With the constant demand for more quality content and the growing need for
effective copywriting one to attract visitors, the other to convert them to
leads and customers consistently producing powerful, high-quality copy is
tough.

To help you avoid burnout, beat writers block, and ultimately get more
results, here are 35 sure-fire copywriting tips from some of the greatest
copywriters and advertisers.

1. Do more research.

All the copywriting and advertising greats know the value of research. David
Ogilvy, the Father of Advertising, said to stuff your conscious mind with
information so you have plenty to work with. One of Ogilvys students,
legendary copywriter Gary Bencivenga (who also studied with several other
great copywriters), said:

The best copywriters are the most tenacious researchers. Like miners, they
dig, drill, dynamite, and chip until they have carloads of valuable ore. John
Caples advised me once to gather seven times more interesting information
than I could possibly use Research is the infallible cure for writers block.

The more information you have, the more possibilities you can play with.

image source

2. Add more interest.

When you dont know what to write next or how to make your draft better,
one copywriting hint is to add interest. As David Ogilvy once said, Tell the
truth but make truth fascinating. You know, you cant bore people into buying
your product. You can only interest them in buying it.

So how do you make your copy more interesting and fascinating?

 Make it scannable and visually appealing

Use your distinct personality or unique selling proposition

Make it entertaining (as long as the humor furthers your goal)

Incorporate controversy

Newsjack

Tell stories

3. Inject personality.

Every writer and every brand has their own unique voice, style, and unique
selling proposition (USP). Ogilvy knew that building a sharply defined
personality is the best way (and sometimes the only way) to differentiate
yourself from the competition and gain a larger market share. Before
publishing anything, make sure it clearly demonstrates your brand
personality - including voice, style, word choice, values, and USP as well as
matches your target audiences needs and desires.

4. Refine your headline.

On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the
body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty
cents out of your dollar. ~ David Ogilvy ~

In their books on copywriting and advertising, legends like Ogilvy and John
Caples wrote whole chapters on crafting powerful headlines. Here are a few
of the best tips on copywriting effective headlines and subject lines to get
you started:

Copybloggers Magnetic Headlines training

Write the copy first, then pull out the strongest phrases to use as headlines
and subheadings. This ensures your headlines match your copy.

Opt for straightforward, simple headlines over tricky or clever ones.

Remember the 4 Us: Urgent, Unique, Useful, Ultra-specific.

Give readers a benefit then make sure you deliver in the body copy.

Paint a vivid picture or stimulate an intense emotion. These grab attention

and add interest, and they can instantly convey the most important benefit.

Use David Garfinkels Shortcut Test: If you posted the headline and a phone
number as a classified ad, would it generate inquiries?

Copywriting Hall-of-Famer John Caples divided successful headlines into three

classes. In his experience, the third best headlines used curiosity, the second-
best used news, and the best of all used the readers self-interest. He
suggested that writers try to get self-interest into every headline and
avoid headlines that merely provoke curiosity curiosity by itself is seldom
enough.

5. Simplify your content.

Simplifying your copy doesnt necessarily mean ditching the technical jargon
or writing to a ninth-graders comprehension level.
It means making your message clear and concise so your target audience
understands your offer and benefits as quickly as possible.

Famous copywriter Eugene Scwartz put it this way: Write to the chimpanzee
brain simply and directly.

6. Give your audience what they want.

Copywriter Gary Halbert tells a story about the best advantages a restaurant
could have. It wasnt great food, low prices, or a good location. The key to
any restaurants success is the starving crowd. You start with a group of
people who have demonstrated their hunger, and then you satisfy that need.

You cant create desire; you can only stoke and channel it. Great content and
copy gives your audience exactly what they already want.

7. Tell a story.

A 26-year-old raw copywriter sat down in 1926 to write an ad for the U.S.
School of Music selling home-study courses for would-be musicians. He could
have used a simple benefit headline, like Master the Piano at Home in 30
Days Without a Teacher!

But he didnt.

He dug deeper. He knew that mastering an instrument is hard work, and that
the real reasons people do it is to be popular, to win their friends admiration
and envy, and to find happiness. That copywriter realized the real product of
the ad wasnt a course or the ability to play, but popularity and happiness.
With that in mind, he still could have used the classic how-to benefit
headline, such as How to Be the Most Popular Guy of Any Party!

But he didnt.
He knew that simply describing musicians popularity wouldnt be enough. He
needed the headline to resonate emotionally with prospects. He needed to
create a vivid image of a buffoonthe kind of person no one ever dreamed
could play who left his friends stunned speechless by his performance.

His headline was They Laughed When I Sat Down At the Piano But When I
Started to Play!

Then he used half of his entire ad space to tell the story of personal triumph,
seducing prospects into reading the whole ad and giving them a vision of the
possibilities.

image source

That copywriter was John Caples, who was inducted into both the Copywriters
Hall of Fame and the Advertising Hall of Fame in the 1970s. That ad he wrote
in the 20s launched his career and is still considered one of the pillars of the
copywriting field.

It worked because it captured prospects attention, drew them into a world

they desperately wanted to be part of, and left them hungry for more. The
story presented the product as doing most of the hard work of learning to
play and overcame the objection that you need a special talent to play (since
even the buffoon could do it).

Consider these storyselling examples from CrazyEgg and these tips on

mastering storyselling from Forbes.

8. Make the copy visually appealing.

Successful advertiser Leo Burnett developed simple icons to symbolize easy-

to-understand product benefits and values (such as the Jolly Green Giant and
the Pillsbury Doughboy). One of his rules of copywriting was to make it
inviting to look at since if the ad didnt invite and entice the eye, no one
would read it.

The same is even more true today, with the flood of content online, shrinking
attention spans, and skimming readers. If your content doesnt have what
David Garfinkel calls eye appeal, it wont get read or shared.

So how do you give your copy eye appeal?

a good typefont thats easy on the eyes and big enough to read

short paragraphs

variety in the text, e.g. bolding, italicizing, underlining

bulleted or numbered lists

indented paragraphs or quotes

headings and subheadings

visual cues, i.e. arrows pointing at the form button

9. Dont be clever.

As writers and content marketers, we like to play with our words. Sometimes
thats okay, depending on your brand personality and the type of content.
But most of the time, being clear and concise will return greater rewards than
being clever.
As million-dollar copywriter Gary Bencivenga said:

Effective copywriting is salesmanship in print, not clever wordsmithing. The

more self-effacing and invisible your selling skill, the more effective you are.
Copywriters who show off their skills are as ineffective as fishermen who
reveal the hook.

10. Break the rules.

This copywriting tip might seem counter-intuitive, but the best writers know
when and how to break the rules of proper grammar, syntax, and mechanics.
As David Garfinkel said, Ive advised many clients who feel compelled to use
proper English in their sales letters to fire your English teacher!

Speaking directly to your prospect in language theyll easily understand is

always more important than writing things by the book.

11. Keep a swipe file.

One of the most well-known copywriting hints is to keep a swipe filea

collection of emails, ads, and other copy or content you love or that
performed well. That way, whenever youre stuck on a tough headline or
dont know what to try next, you can glance through your collection and
jumpstart your creativity.

12. Have a purpose behind everything you write.

With the content marketing boom, lots of marketers create content for
contents sake. Having a large library of content can be incredibly useful, but
only if each piece has a purpose and fits in the overall plan.

As David Ogilvy said, In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a

creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create. Witty,
clever content by itself doesnt do you any good. Make sure your content
engages your audience, builds trust, and encourages sales first.
13. Avoid distraction.

Sometimes when youre stuck writing, the real culprit isnt a lack of ideas or
words, but not enough time to devote to the project. If youre having trouble,
try this copywriting hint and productivity hack from Eugene Schwartz.

First, close the door and turn off your phone. Close or sign out of email and
social media. Eliminate as many distractions as possible.

Then sit your chair and set a timer for 33 minutes. The only things you can do
during that half hour are think about the writing project and get to work on it.

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When the timer goes off, take a 10-minute break and repeat.

With this system, Schwartz wrote about 3 hours a day, 5 days a weekand
become one of the highest-paid copywriters of the 1950s and 60s.

14. Think outside the box.

David Ogilvy said, Talent, I believe, is most likely to be found among

nonconformists, dissenters, and rebels. Dont be afraid to try something
different and new, because it just might work. Find and form relationships
with the nonconformists, dissenters, and rebels in your field and see what
great ideas might spark. Unhook your rational thought process and allow your
subconscious to make connections between ideas. Thats when youll come
up with the best content and copywriting ideas.

15. Speak your ideal customers language.

Ogilvy also said, If youre trying to persuade people to do something, or buy

something, it seems to me you should use their language, the language they
use every day, the language in which they think. We try to write in the
vernacular.

Speaking in their language helps prospects get to know, like, and trust you
because they recognize themselves in your words. That helps you connect
and build relationships with them, and more easily persuade them.

If youre stuck writing, go back and make sure everything sounds the way
your customers think. Put yourself in their shoes. Make yourself invisible. Not
only will your copy get better for the exercise, but getting out of your own
way like this can jumpstart new ideas and illuminate what should come next.

16. Focus on benefits.

Every great copywriter advises other writers to emphasize benefits, not

features:

John Caples said, The best headlines are those that appeal to the reader
benefits.

Eugene Schwartz said, Talk about what your product does, not is and
demonstrate this.

Bob Bly said, Virtually all successful copy discusses benefits.

Everybody talks about this copywriting tip because it works, and its a
relatively easy fix if your current copy isnt doing so well. Make every feature
you mention leads to a benefit.

17. Make prospects feel like theyre already getting something.

Another great tip about copywriting from Schwartz is to make gratification

instantaneous. When prospects get something valuable from you just by
reading, they learn to trust you and believe that you deliver what you
promise. This copywriting trick gives prospects a taste so that real desire
fuels their actions, not just curiosity, and its also one of the reasons content
marketing works so well.

18. Ask questions that get readers to say yes.

A classic persuasion technique used by Socrates and used car salesmen, this
theory states that the more often you can get prospects to say yes, the
more likely they are to say yes again. A-list direct-response copywriter
Parris Lampropoulos uses this technique a different way: In sales copy, Ill
throw in a question here and there, but more often, Ill phrase it as a
statement. You know one of those statements that get prospects nodding
their heads.

If theyre saying yes and nodding their heads, youve hooked them.

19. Appeal to emotion.

Early in his career, Lampropoulos saw a particular copywriting gig as his

chance to make it to the big leagues, so he pulled out all the stops. In
addition to packing it with proof elements, testimonials, and price
justifications, he also worked every possible emotion the reader might
have. It was one of his most successful direct-mail packages, and it mailed
for four years.

The trick to incorporating emotions in your copy is to ask yourself: what is my

prospects deepest desire right now? There are lots of emotions you can
appeal to, but the key driving emotions - the strongest, deepest emotions not
governed by rational thought are:

fear

greed
 guilt

exclusivity

anger

salvation

flattery

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20. Try a unique angle or hook.

When asked about his process for writing stock stories and promotions for
financial newsletters, Parris Lampropoulos said:

First, I go to Fortune, Forbes and Business Week and read every article I can
find on the company being recommended. Then I do something unusual: I sit
down and start writing fascination bullets for those articles. By doing that, I
find all kinds of unexploited sales angles. Those angles lead me to the hook
for the stock story. And once Ive got the hook, the story almost writes itself.

The blogs and magazines you look at may be very different, but the principle
is the same: start by researching good sources, then delve deeper to find the
different, interesting, unusual, or unheard-of. Those golden nuggets become
the angle or hook you need to catch attention and generate interest.

21. Hunt down the right words.

One of the oldest copywriting tips is to not use adjectives and adverbs to
make an okay word good enough. Track down the very best word to convey
the message, emotion, or imagery. It makes your copy stronger, makes you
as the writer more invisible so the reader can feel or see or understand what
you want to convey that much better.

As Mark Twain famously said, The right word is the difference between
lightning and lightning bug.

22. Use active voice.

Stronger and usually shorter than passive construction, active voice is easier
to understand and conveys your message better and faster. Passive voice
makes you sound weak, reactive, or acted upon, while active voice takes
charge.

For example, the passive sentence Over 5000 customers have been helped
by our services is much stronger in the active voice: We have helped over
5000 customers.

23. Replace weasel words with imperatives and promises.

Avoiding commands and strong words like will and can are a way of
protecting yourself, but it makes you sound wishy-washy and unable to
deliver. Go through your copy and replace every weasel word (e.g. may,
hope, could, perhaps, etc.) with the appropriate imperative or promise word
(e.g. will, can, do, etc.). This strengthens your copy and makes you sound
confident, which builds prospects trust.

24. Back up your claims.

Youll sound even more confident and build more trust and credibility when
you prove your case with reliable data. Back up your benefits and other
claims with proof. This wins over skeptic readers and shows that you really do
know what youre talking about. A few copywriting ideas to back up your
claims might include:

facts and statistics

 methodologies

testimonials

case studies

success stories

25. Use specific examples.

Resume writers and school counselors tell you to include specific numbers in
your resume because they quickly convey your experience and skills. This
copywriting trick works in just about everything you write, and it makes your
copy stronger by attracting attention and making you seem more credible
and memorable. As Bob Bly, one of Americas top copywriters, says: Since
so much advertising is vague and general, being specific in your copy sets it
apart from other ads and creates interest.

26. Evaluate your copys ratio of you vs. we.

Effective content marketing and copywriting always starts with the customer.
Thats why no one wants to read brochures or websites that only talk about
the company and why copy that speaks directly to the prospect gets more
results. When you make sure your copy uses you at least twice as often as
we or your brand name, youll naturally focus on your customers needs
and desires. Your copy will be stronger, and youll get more traffic, leads, and
sales.

Derek Halpern of Social Triggers is a great example. In his post about creating
amazing About Us pages, he explains why its important to include a benefit-
driven headline benefit-driven introduction and social proof. To see his
advice in action, check out his Social Triggers About page. Theres a lot of I
and Social Triggers in therebut theres also tons of you. He talks directly
to his audience so they know exactly what they can expect from him.

27. Incorporate the fundamentals of persuasive copywriting.

According to Americas Top Copywriter Bob Bly, the fundamentals of

persuasive copwriting are:

Gains attention

Focuses on the customer

Stresses benefits

Differentiates you from the competition

Proves its case

Establishes credibility

Builds value

Closes with a call to action

Depending on your product, prospect, and type of content, you may not need
to use all eight. For example, established brand names might not need to
worry about proof and credibility. But keeping them in mind while you write
and revise can help you create stronger, more compelling copy.

28. Use imagery.

Imagery helps readers instantly understand a situation or benefit (plus, it
makes your copy more interesting to read). Copywriter David Garfinkel says
one of his favorite headlines/slogans is this one for a plumbing service:

Call Roto-Rooter thats the name -

And away go troubles, down the drain!

Describing it, he says: Wow is that perfection in a couple of lines, or what?

You get a call to action, company identification, and a visual description of
the benefit.

The imagery of the drain instantly conveys the benefit. Its also memorable,
always a plus in great content.

image source

29. Lead with your strongest point.

So many writers save their most potent points for last, when it should be the
other way around. More prospects will read the beginning than the end, so
putting your best idea first is more persuasive. The strongest point can often
grab attention better than weaker points, making it ideal for the beginning.

30. Build credibility.

Another very successful copywriter, Steve Slaunwhite, said:

In my experience, the number one key to persuasion is this: communicate

trust. If you do this well, you at least have a chance at engaging and
persuading the reader. If you dont do this well, however, no amount of fancy
copywriting techniques will save you.
You can build credibility and trust by mentioning credentials like:

strong guarantee, return, and privacy policies

testimonials and data about your track record

years in business

innovations and awards

publications

membership and participation in professional societies

seals of approval

agency ratings

independent survey results

media coverage

31. Mention the most important point at least three times.

This is Winston Churchills tremendous whack theory, which says to not be

subtle or clever about your important point. Richard Perry says, Use a pile
driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third
timea tremendous whack.

Successful writers and marketers use the power of three all the time.

Derek Halpern advises putting an opt-in form in three places on your About
Page.

Lots of email marketers include three links in an email to drive clicks (just
look at a few of the email newsletters you get).

Long-form landing pages often have three CTA areas.

If somethings important, say it at the beginning, again in the middle, and

again at the end.

32. Stress value.

Americas top copywriter Bob Bly says, Its not enough to convince prospects
you have a great product or a superior service. You must also show them that
the value of your offer far exceeds the price you are asking for it.

Showing the overall value is also known as the drop-in-the-bucket

technique, where the cost of purchase is a tiny thing compared to the
benefits your offer delivers. This works for email subscriptions and blog
comments as well as product sales, since readers give up something they
valuetheir time, email address, privacyto get something of value in return.

This fundamental copywriting tip works really well in conjunction with tip
#17, providing instantaneous gratification. If they already get value from
your content, the value of your offer is almost certainly worth the cost.

33. Include a strong call to action.

If you dont specifically ask people to do something, chances are they wont
do it. Everything you write, from blog posts to emails to social updates to
landing pages, should close with a call to action (CTA). To get the most out of
your CTAs, make sure they:

match the buyer persona and stage of the buying cycle

offer something of value

offer prospects something they actually want

reiterate your most important benefit or emotional driver

34. Make it personal.

Copywriter David Garfinkel says that successful content is personal, and it

doesnt use stilted formal English or stickler language of a school
assignment. He recommends writing in a more personal, relaxed style, as if
youre having a one-on-one conversation with your prospect.

Research indicates that personalized emails convert better than mass

messages, and most internet marketers know that the most successful blogs
employ the relaxed, personal style.

35. Organize your writing with a formula.

AIDA is a popular sales letter format for a reason it works. Using a

framework like attention-interest-desire-action (or John Caples version,
attention-interest-action) makes it easy to know exactly what to write next.

Here are a few other frameworks and formulas to help you get started:
 Dan Kennedys favorite copywriting formula is PAS, or Problem-Agitate-
Solution. It works because people are more likely to act to avoid pain than get
gain.

Copyblogger promotes a simple 1-2-3-4 framework that helps you focus on

the customer and incorporate the most important persuasion fundamentals.

Essential copywriting formulas and checklists to make your copy as strong

and powerful as possible.

Growing your readership is desirable, but its not enough. Professional

copywriters need to convert that audience into an active customer base.
How? Through a mix of effective copywriting techniques and powerful
conversion copywriting hacks.

Here are 17 proven copywriting strategies that can help drive up sales and
give you an edge over your competition.

1. Make it Rhyme

Yes, really. Rhyming as a copywriting technique helps to create a pleasant

connection and makes content memorable. Along with alliteration, a simple
rhyme will stretch the effectiveness of a sentence.

2. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Repetition of key points in your copy will help the reader remember them.

3. Add the Human Element

Your readers want to identify with you, so appeal to their humanness to make
a positive, memorable connection. Prove that you are just like them in that
youve suffered the same problem, enjoyed the same experiences, or have
the same needs or desires.

4. Use the Word Get

People want, and if you have something to give, then tell them how to get it.
Using the word get in copy can be a powerful conversion hack, playing into
one of your readers main weaknesses their urge to acquire.

5. Employ the Bizarreness Effect

If your content is cliche and boring, its probably not memorable? The unusual
and unexpected will surprise your reader and make a lasting impression.

6. Or, the Primacy and Recency Effect

Basically, the theory of primacy and recency states that readers recall the
first and/or last parts of what they have seen. When you want your copy to be
effective and persuasive, be sure to place the key points at the beginning and
end of your copy for maximum retention.

7. Make it Scannable

Blame the internet if you like, but todays readers could more accurately be
called scanners. Nobody is going to sit down and ingest full paragraphs of
online copy. Make your copy concise and scannable, with the most important
information highlighted at the beginning and end of your content.

8. Speak to the Heart

To make that all-important connection that compels readers to take action,

make sure you are telling a story that appeals to their emotions, since that is
what will incite them to take action and become customers.

9. Focus on Benefits
In your copy, put emphasis on the benefits of buying your product or service,
not the features that it boasts.

10. Knock em Down With Subtlety

With so much information constantly at their fingertips, readers are getting

smarter all the time. Subtlety has always been a keystone of great
copywriting, but it is more important than ever to convince your reader that
they are taking action because they want to, not because you told them to.

professional copywriter, copywriting strategies, copywriting techniques,

copywriting hacks, conversion copywriting

Image source

11. Be Transparent

Transparency and honesty earn trust, so be truthful about the good stuff as
well as the bad. Let your readers know what problems you have had. If you
solved the problems, explain how. If you have a problem to solve, ask your
readers for help; theyll appreciate your honesty and will feel a sense of
involvement in the process.

12. Ask Questions You Can Answer

Start out asking the reader a question you already have the answer to. This
works to build a connection, since you obviously understand the reader, and
to establish yourself as an authority once you provide the answer.

13. Back it Up

Back up your claims with specific proof of how good your product or service
really is. Dont just proclaim that rates have increased. Add that they have
increased 70% in the last 6 months! This will get the readers attention much
more than empty statements.

14. Use Testimonials

Share a client testimonial or two instead of just expecting the reader to rely
on your own proclamations. Word-of-mouth advertising is one of the most
powerful conversion tools, and it can be effective even if the word comes
from a stranger.

15. Embed Commands

Use embedded commands to secretly instruct the reader to take action. An

example would be: I am going to let you digest what you just read and think
about how beautiful my product would look around your dainty wrist.

16. Follow Best Practices

This requires continuing education, but staying informed of industry

standards, search engine algorithm changes, and best practices for
copywriting will help you be more effective and gain both readership and
conversions.

17. Use a Postscript

Write a strong and memorable postscript (or P.S.) at the very end of your
copy. This is can either shore up repetition of a strong point or serve as a call
to action.

There is no one sure path to a higher conversion rate, but using a

combination of at least three of these conversion copywriting hacks and
techniques can help set you on the path to success.

The most vital characteristic of copy that sells is persuasive writing. Once you
have mastered the ability to weave words in a way that will persuade people
to buy something, youve pretty much got it made as an Internet marketer.

Persuasive writing is one of the most valuable skills youll ever learn and,
consequently, one of the hardest to grasp. If youre currently struggling in
this area, take a look at these 9 persuasive writing tips, and start watching
your copy improve.

1. Tell a Story

Quote_Seth-Godin-on-Brand-Storytelling_US-4

Image source

Stories are one of the best ways to connect on a personal level with your
audience. By sharing an incident from your life one that your copys
audience can relate to you immediately begin to feel less like a stranger
and more like an acquaintance to them.

Weve written quite a bit on storytelling at Writtent, like here, here, and here.

2. Share Your Personality

Where are you more likely to shop for basic groceries at the jolly, but
small-time grocer down the street youve been friends with for decades, or
the big, new, expensive supermarket downtown? Im betting that most of you
voted the former.

Why? Because you know the grocer. Personally. And the trouble with Internet
selling is that its hard for you to get to know your customers and vice versa.
By sharing your personality and just being yourself in your copy, youll help
rectify that situation.

3. Important Info Goes First

In high school literature, I was always taught that the ideal place for your
most factual, well-researched, and supported points was right at the end of
the essay, before the conclusion.

Not so in web copywriting. Most people dont have time to read through your
entire copy, so they judge you by your first few sentences. Thats where your
important information, most eloquent copy, and persuasive statistics should
go.

4. Talk Results

Cut right to the chase. Start talking results in your copy; what your product
will do for your customer.

After all, the only reason why people browse the Internet is because they
want benefits. Solutions to problems. Results. Guarantee them results, and
youll be able hold their attention for longer and be more likely to persuade
them to buy.

5. Repeat Winning Reasons

Have you discovered an especially good reason why people should buy your
product? Good. Put it at the top, but dont forget to repeat it further down.

Repetition is a crucial element of any learning process, so if you want your

visitors to remember a specific reason why they should buy your product,
repeat it!

6. Be the Expert

Expert

Image source

Nobody listens to the guy who doesnt sound like hes sure of himself. After
all, if hes not confident about his own capabilities, why should you be
confident about his leadership?

Its the same concept (although slightly tweaked) in copywriting. You are the
expert. You know what youre talking about, and you have to let your readers
know that.

7. Social Proof

Social proof is one of the most powerful tools around in persuasive writing. If
you want someone to buy something theyve never bought before, show
them that others just like them have already taken the leap and are happy
with their results.

Flattering testimonials and large social media followings are two prime
indicators of social proof.

8. Abolish Inhibitions

Everybody has inhibitions before making a purchase. We all have doubts

before we buy something will it be worth the money? Will it hold up for as
long as I need it to? Will I in any way be endangered/compromised by it?

These inhibitions are bad enough in a supermarket, but theyre amplified on

the Internet, since its much easier for shady characters to get away with a
scam on the world wide web than it is for them to do so in real life.

The quick fix? Address and abolish those inhibitions. Bring them up in your
copy. Dont waste time broaching the subject or beating around the bush
just get right to it and say no, we wont scam you or yes, our product is
worth its price tag (mind you, youll have to phrase it differently ;-)).

9. Be Clear About Next Steps

After you hook your visitor in and convince them that they need your product
in your life, you cant just sit back and expect cash to start rolling in. Your job
isnt over yet.

You need to be clear about the next steps the visitor needs to take in order to
purchase the product. Guide them right through your sales funnel with
prominent buttons and call to actions.

Persuasive copywriting is hardly an easy thing to learn, but learning it is well

worth the time and effort youll invest. With these 9 tips to guide you, youll
soon be well on your way to become a master persuader (yes, its a word).

Would you like to generate more leads, sales, and business? Want to improve
conversions and effectively establish your brand? Two words: content
marketing.

Maybe these stats will help convince you

80% of American Internet users interact with blogs and social media.

70% of people would rather learn about a company through articles than
through ads.

90% of consumers find custom content useful.

Oh, and lets not forget that marketing with content costs you about 62% less
than traditional marketing (you can see all the statistics here).

Heres the thing about content marketing, though you need a killer
strategy! Here are nine steps to cementing one that empowers both your
customers and your brand.

1. Zoom in on the Audience You Want to Attract

When marketing with content, the goal is usually to preserve your current
customer base and reel in new consumers. Knowing how to connect with
these intended audiences is the foundation of an effective content strategy.

The best approach is to view your audience as people, rather than statistics.
What are they interested in learning? What are they specifically searching for
online? What problems do they have? Answering these questions is the first
step to success.

2. Identify the Relationship Between What Youre Teaching and Selling

To expand the reach of your products or services, the content you deploy
must be interesting and relevant. The information should strike a chord with
readers emotionally, intellectually, and/or in terms of practicality.

For example, if you sell a culinary product, the content could reflect the many
meals that could be prepared using it. You could include recipes for nostalgic
comfort foods, engaging emotions and intellect and presenting the product as
uniquely useful.

3. Focus on Content Integrity

Consumers are smart and can differentiate solid information from spam. The
latter can hurt your business. Consumers will avoid spammy material,
whereas they will hold your company in high esteem if you prove to be
authentic.

Your best bet is to hire subject matter experts who can shape your message
into one that reflects your brand while educating readers. If you cant afford
to outsource to professionals, make the time and create high-quality content
yourself.

4. Define the Voice of Your Content

Your content marketing strategy should be just one layer of your overall
marketing campaign, which can include anything from television commercials
to ads on social media. Everything under the umbrella of your campaign
should be synchronized.

The content pieces you put out should never contradict any other brand
messaging, or your main objective. Rather, each promotional aspect should
strengthen the other by reaffirming your companys overarching purpose.
5. Be Consistent

When creating your content strategy, be sure to decide on the frequency of

your content and stick to it. Your readers, once engaged, will expect to
receive information from you on a steady basis. If this doesnt occur, they will
disengage.

Being consistent is the hallmark of a successful business in general.

Everything from the quality of your products to the production of your content
should be reliable. This will give you credibility needed to position your brand
as an industry authority.

6. Use the Right Channels

The best channels to utilize tie back to your audience. If your services are
geared toward senior citizens, a hard copy newsletter might be their
preferred medium. If you are focused on a younger crowd, social media may
be best.

Promoting your content on social sites like Twitter can make it go viral. If the
content is what readers are looking for, they wont hesitate to share. Quick
Sprouts guide to content marketing offers more details.

7. Plan Way Ahead

To be consistent, you will need a long-term editorial calendar. Once you

establish the frequency of your efforts, determine the topics you want to
tackle as far ahead as possible. This gives your subject matter experts time
to gather information.

One should bear in mind, though, that it is impossible to fully predict the
future. You may have to change a topic at the last minute based on a current
event. Trends might change in a way not forecasted. Be prepared, yet
flexible.

8. Leverage SEO
A solid content marketing strategy geared toward the right audience is
pointless if it doesnt reach this audience. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
is one of the best free ways to get valuable prospects to your web pages.

SEO involves incorporating keywords that consumers search for into your
material. This way, your content will show up in search engine results and
reach the computer/tablet/smartphone screens of your target audience.

9. Never Stop Collecting Data

Intelligence gathering doesnt stop when you identify your audience. The
world keeps evolving, and so should your business. Keeping abreast of trends
and stats ensures that your content is relevant at all times.

Additionally, its important to track what the competition is doing. After all,
they could be rounding up your customers. To measure content metrics, you
can use programs like Google Analytics. Use online tools to see what
competitors are up to.

Writing persuasive copy is the goal of every professional copywriter.

Persuading readers to agree with you can help convert them into paying
customers. While it can prove challenging at times, persuasive copywriting
can be learned and perfected by following some basic techniques.

Here are 17 persuasive writing techniques that are a combination of

psychological methods and proven strategies to gain your readers trust and
get them to agree with you.

1. Focus On Your Best Audience

Writers tend to cast a wide net, hoping to influence everyone. However,

focusing on the people who are most likely to benefit from the content and
writing for them will bring better results.

2. Tell Them Why

Readers are constantly bombarded with messages on a daily basis. If you
want their attention, justify it with a good reason up front, preferably
something that will benefit them.

3. Rely on a Proven Copywriting Formula

Copywriting formulas exist solely to help copywriters persuade readers. There

are several excellent copywriting formulas that are both effective and easy to
remember, and its well worth your time to learn a handful of them.

4. Use the Right Tone of Voice

What you say is important, but how you say it is vital. Tone influences how
your reader perceives your message, so decide which one will be most
effective then use it consistently.

5. Be Authoritative

Establish yourself as an authority up front and be consistent in backing up

that authority with proof, statistics and examples. Be honest and transparent,
dont waver, and pretty soon your audience will believe you.

persuasive copywriting, copywriting techniques, professional copywriter,

copywriting formula

Image source

6. Take The Readers Point of View

If you were the reader, what would grab your attention? When you are writing
persuasive copy, you have to become the reader to understand what appeals
to them.

7. Show That You Understand

Before you can persuade your reader, you must establish that you are just
like them in some way. Perhaps you share the same problem or have similar
desires. Find a mutual connection and state it early on.

8. Tell a Story

From the time we are old enough to understand language, humans are
suckers for a good story that makes us feel. Anecdotes, especially when
backed by facts, are a great way to connect with your readers on an
emotional level.

9. Tell Both Sides of the Story

There is always another side of the story. Unlike addressing objections, telling
the other side of the story allows you to paint a compelling picture of what
life would be like without your product or service. It would be awful. Tell them.

10. Use Influential Words

To write persuasive copy, use persuasive action words like miracle,

discovery, discount, and bargain. Use uplifting words like vitality, grace,
wisdom, and confidence. Finally, make sure your copy has Free, How, New
and You in abundance.

11. Simplify & Amplify

Simplify your core ideas into hard-hitting individual thoughts, then amplify
them with the help of things that are important to the reader. Use words that
help empower your readers. Get! Learn! Results! Now!

12. Be Specific

Place a laser focus on specific facts and benefits. For example:

90% of customers see results in 2 weeks or less!

Results can be seen in 2 weeks.

The first line is more specific, making it more persuasive.

13. Be Repetitive

If youve said it once, you can say it again. Repetition is a time-honored tactic
for remembering anything. Use it to your advantage.

14. Address Objections

Even the most agreeable readers will likely have objections, and you are
much better off addressing them up front than waiting for your potential
customer to voice them. This is another means of establishing authority, and
also tells your reader that you have thought the matter through.

15. Show Proof

As previously mentioned, showing proof helps establish you as an authority

on the subject, and shows your reader that you respect them.

16. Focus on Headline Psychology

Headlines matter. If the headline is not catchy enough for a click, the rest of
the content will fall flat. Make sure that the headline is psychologically
stimulating and interesting to your readers. However, dont sacrifice clarity
for the sake of flash. Your headlines should be catchy but concise.

17. Be Consistent

State your position up front, then proceed to be unfailingly consistent in

backing it up with facts, stats and proof. Essentially, you want your readers to
trust you. A reader who trusts you will tend to agree with you, and nothing
builds trust more effectively than being consistent.

None of these techniques alone will win over your readers, but combined
strategically and used wisely, they can help you write persuasive copy that
will turn readers into customers.
=

Writing great email subject lines for your marketing and email newsletters is
a breeze, you just have to study copywriting for years, sales for decades,
psychology and everything else that goes along with crafting a message that
gets opened and read! Or you can have something like a swipe file of great
email subject lines you have collected, ones that make you respond and want
to click through to open. With that in mind, I have swiped some of my very
favorite email subject lines and will continue to build upon this list as I go!

They are in no particular order and if you have written or read a great email
subject line yourself, please leave me a comment and I will add it with a
submitted by. Just know they have to be GREAT, compelling, striking or
otherwise interesting to management (me!)

Some New Ones I Love

Great teaser from @jeniiferscot- 12 Pinterest Boards You Cant Live

Without, #3 is my bible! sp

If You Like Us, Youll Love This (GREAT affiliate partner verbiage!)

The Brain-Dead Simple but Astonishingly Effective Way to Become a Better

Writer Jon Morrow Boost Blog Traffic

Requested Items? Not always really requested but definitely an eye

grabber!

I am not all that sure how I feel about some of these email subject linesif
someone ACTUALLY requested info I am fine, BUT the ones where they use
the reply sign to deceive is not so great for permission based marketing!

As promised, the scoop on the additional material You want to know

something Chris Garrett and

Teaching Sells
RE: 1k System Did You Apply?

The Retired Millionaire

REPLAY! Heres that link as promised Hey! Sorry for not getting this back to
you sooner. Ive put the

Nick Peall. Webinar Replay

Free Offers

With all the talk of moving the free line, many of your email newsletters and
offers MUST include a free component to opens. We are moving towards
providing MUCH more free content for our peeps!

Tube Fool upggrade Check out this DEMO video

Mark Dulisse

Check out these essential videos Hi Tara, We provide many

Infusionsoft

How to DOUBLE your YouTube Views (and a giveaway!)

James Wedmore

(VIP Early Notice) Early Warning About Amazing Mobile Product (Plus Free
Software from

Brian Anderson

My New Email Marketing Course (free) Excitement doesnt begin to describe

how I feel today

Leslie Samuel
Ignite Your Growth in 2013 With Kauffman FastTrac: FREE Courtesy of NYC

Ventureneer Vcourse

[Breaking News] Grab Your Free Guide to Pinterests Brand New Business
Accounts

HubSpot

[FREE VIDEO] 1 Week of Work Done in 4 HoursWatch this video to see how
you can do an ENTIRE weeks worth of work in as little as 4

Mike Filsaime

your free Tube Traffic Secrets Cheat Sheets are ready [PDF] I shot over a
youtube training video Saturday, but I just wanted to

make sure

Todd [Spontent]

How to get unlimited customers from Twitter! - Last nights webinar, How to
Instantly Attract Customers in ANY Niche Anywhere in the World

Bill Crosby

Amazing free bundle from ByPeople.com

Webdesigner Depot

Tara, check out this cool free tool I found: Tara, check out this cool free tool I
found:

James J Jones
Did You Miss Your Bonus Training Make $100k by GIVING stuff away!

Aaron (Spin Rewriter)

AMAZINGLY interesting calls to action from Bryan Ellis

(I am not a huge investing kind of kid, but always open his emails to see how
he is going to frame some of his links!)

Cold, Hard Numbers: Housing markets in how many? states now have THIS
in common

Lies in Lending: Why THIS bank will have to pay millions thanks to a 75-
percent FAIL rate on rating loans

Foreclosure Double Dip: Why federal INTERFERENCE likely will cause

another foreclosure wave (the deal that created the double dip)

Business Notes: Lobbyists hope to extend TERRORISM insurance options

for another 7 years (is your property covered?)

Financial Markets: The INSIDER INFORMATION that shows a bearish secret

in the markets

Personal Finance: Why THIS investment vehicle is pulling in record amounts

of cash

Interesting titles

Okay, this is sort of a miscellaneous category, but I thought that it was great
for when I will be brainstorming email subject lines. Much like using the
Cosmo magazine to jump off from, using these ones to get the gears going
may be a great idea!

Top Story: Re/Max Trademark Bullying Goes too Far e-Brief for Sunday,
November 18

NewsGeni.us
even a Newbie can use this Affiliate system Yeah even a Newbie can use
this new

Howie Schwartz

The Electronic Signature Market is Poised to Take Off

Sales & Marketing Update

The secrets behind Black Friday ad copy

SpyFu

Essential Touch-Up Tools for Stamped Concrete

Concrete Network

Downloads that Make a $50,000 Difference

iStockPhoto

Finally, SEO Expert Reveals Easy Way to Make Your Sites More Visible &
Attractive

SocialMonkee

SALES FUNNEL MAGIC! create yours and triple your sales in an hour!!!

Fire Your Self Marketing

If I had to start again, this is what I would do. to what these current students
are sayingBadly Needed A Source

Ed Dale
How to get ALL of your copy READ does is check out the headline. They kind
of linger there for a few moments, thinking about it. THEN, if they stay on the
page..

Andy Jenkins

please dont call this a bonus package (time sensitive details enclosed) -
freak you out but this is the largest and most comprehensive package weve
ever put together.

Greg Clement

Become A Traffic Mogul With This Game Changing Software/System

WarriorPlus

BII REPORT: How To Solve Mobile Advertisings Monetization Problem

SAI Select

Listen to this (URGENT) Its not often you get a chance to access a proven
system thats banking over $10k

Frank Dang

Marketing: Marketing Trumps Special Effects on YouTube | YouTube Nation 31

Laura Ciampa

you have my permission to copy this [VERY PROFITABLE] Your about to see
one of my most profitable business models Ive used in my business

Mike Filsaime

Have Customers Begging for Your Help! <<<< That's Cool! Do you struggle
getting new customers? If so, then you cant miss this webinar!
Bill Crosby

How to win the $2.2 trillion war for your living room

The Motley Fool

Whats your mind-body type (quick quiz) Heres a fun way to start your

Chris and Janet Attwood, The Passion Test

[OFFLINE] Real Estate Agents Will Write You 5K Checks With This

WarriorPlus

Announcing! The End of Writers Block (The Easy Way)

Psychotactics

[SocialMediaExaminer] Nov. 20, 2012, 9 Tips for Integrating Your Facebook

Page With Your Facebook Profile

Michael Stelzner Social Media Examiner

mThink Blue Blook Survey: Help Us Stay #1!

Rakuten LinkShare

Heres EXACTLY how you MAXIMIZE your profits using the LEAST effort + huge
bonus revealed!

Brian Tracy

Irish woman goes nuts Tracey Meagher is a former JV partner of mine, we

released
Martin Crumlish

how many in dog beers?

Kevin Larson

What a great pleasure to have a startup rock star like you

LinkedIn Group: Startup Specialists

Invitation: Exclusive Partner Program from LinkSmart

Kevin Weiss | LinkSmart

roduct Sales

I found that many of the email subject lines were related to sales, free
shipping and less about marketing. I dont think that just discounting your
product is an effective long term strategy. Will keep my peepers open for
more good ones!

Glam Chandeliers Up to 73% Off Ship Free! Plus, Foyer Furnishings, Small
Space Decor, M

55 Downing Street

New themes and fonts are here!

Weebly

Events

Getting butts in seats can be a real challenge. There are some great email
subject lines here, designed to make people stand up and notice your event!
BIG webinar tomorrow with a special guest! We love to give you access to
the top experts in the world

Lewis Howes

[Webinar TODAY] Fighter pilot secrets for profit and passion Its been less
than 1 month after the launch of..

Mike Koenigs

My Tim Ferriss Interview (And Its Fresh!) - You can download my latest
podcast, a brand new

Yaro

Connecting the digital dots before 2013 starts free Inman webinar

Inman News

[Live] Ron Douglas Rare Training Dont know who Ron Douglas is? Hes a
guy like you and me. Had a job

Bill Guthrie

Today: Tim Ferriss on book writing + promotion Join me for a free telephone
seminar today with one of the sharpest authors I know

Steve Harrison

-UPDATED-Youre invited to an Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. Party!

Emily Patten

were going live in 3, 2, 1

Mari Smith
Crazy Invitation, I am Going to Buy You Lunch Im not sure if you are
checking your e-mail today, but I thought I would try..

James Malinchak, Big Money Speaker

My Gift of Thanks to you. A complimentary Seat in my Your Corporate

Success Program!

Quantum Endeavors, Inc. / Ann Farrell

Holiday Emails

Okay, this one WILL get bigger as we surf the seasons but all 100 could have
been about holiday email subject lines. I love a corny topic so these are right
up my alley!

What a Turkey! Mastering Conflict Novembers Small Step #3 for Your

Corporate Success

Quantum Endeavors, Inc.

Why Daily Learning Beats Gobble-Gobble Learning

Psychotactics

Gobble Up These Great Deals Before They Are All Gone! Book Now

Southwest

Vote for Working Less and Making More HERE Its Election Day here in the
US. Whether you live in the US or abroad

Rich Schefren

Fearing the Turkey-pocolypse, Watch How to Survive Thanksgiving on YouTube

YouTube Broadcast Newsletter

Additional Characters

Using snazzy html characters can really set yourself apart. While making this
list I looked at THOUSANDS of emails and the ones with a little something-
something in the titles REALLY jumped off the page!

FR|E|E Womens Networking Event and Holiday Kick-Off

Colorado Connector

Get your message across now [gift]

Brian Tracy

[NO B.S. E-ZINE] Long Form Copy vs. Short Form Copy - can make these
connections without the stress of uncomfortable situations and consuming all
of your time.

Mara Glazer

[ - HOT FSO - ] Steal From Google In 5 Stupidly Simple Steps? Just a few
moments ago a new product launched

Bobby Walker

$19+ Last Minute Hotel Deals!

Priceline

[Mari's Top5] Aug 10 Perfecting Pinterest plus your hot social media tips

Mari Smith
What A Friggin Mess. {SCS Video #5} - This property was a friggen mess
when I took it down and bought itNo bank, No Hard Money

Josh Cantwell

[BREAKTHROUGH] How it IS possible to work 90% less, but make 3X more

Once, Australian entrepreneur, Pete Williams was right where you may be
now. He was spinning

Mike Filsaime

A normal Monday? YES, PLEASE :-) Im SO happy to be having a

David Risley

Future Trend Report :: Creating a Global Language Archive

Thomas Frey

#1 WSO Copywriter Spills Her Best Secret To Selling More Of ANYTHING

WarriorPlus

Scarcity and Urgency

Okay, this was a stretch for me. I KNOW that scarcity and urgency work in
email subject lines, just have gotten fooled too many times myself BUT will
be willing to try some and see if they work out!

[Uh Oh!] Gone for good at midnight

Stephen Pierce

Hurry, 4 Days Only: Add a Second Large Pizza for $9.99! Order Now

Papa Johns
Personalization

With all the talk about using personalization in emails these days, hardly
anyone is doing it. I think this will be an area I can make a big difference!

Suggested Travel Resource For marketingartfully.com My name is Laura and

Im a freelance writer

Laura Chapman

Questions

A question begs an answer. Using a question in your email subject lines is a

great way to get them openedin almost every case I stopped reading and
opened these

How long do I have to wait until I can get a loan?

Brian P. Forrester

How Have You Progressed Since the Third Grade?

Jerrery Gitomer

Want Even More Wiki Links for Your Press Releases?

Bill & Jason | Opportunity Marketers

Whats the 2nd most popular search engine? - You know what the #1
search engine is, right? But do you know what the SECOND most popular
search engine

Eben Pagen

[FREE?] 8 giant step-by-step advanced training courses?

Stephen Pierce

Health and Beauty

Because we are so focused on industry based marketing (we have a whole

site dedicated to that www.MandMMonsters.com), I am cognizant of how
different industries need to target specific niches. Will be filling this out more
as we go along!

The Best No-Equipment Workout for Weight Loss

Womens Health Magazine

Is Back Pain Preventing Your Business Success

Jeff Vacek

Negative Offers

I dont like scare tactics or putting people in harms way (like the ASPCA
showing pictures of dying dogs), BUT there is a segment of email marketing
that does this very effectively!

DONT buy Simple Main Street Control (Video inside shows HUGE Glitch
Open Now)

James J Jones

9 Disgusting Facts about Thanksgiving

Eat This Not That

Risks, Red Flags, and Things to Watch For When Accepting Credit Cards

TradePub Finance Publications

Lists Emails
The lists have been overused and are no longer important (hehehehe this
post is a list post and I assure you it does very well). Lists let people know
how long the message might be! If you say 100, you know you are going to
be reading for a while, if you say 3 then you can probably blow through it.

Six Ways to Rank #1 in Google Results

SocialMediadd

21 Inspiring Examples of White Space in Web Design

Web Design Ledger

50 Things I Know About Women Now That Im 50

HuffPost Post 50

18 SEO Killers You Must Clean Up and Avoid for 2013

Emily Roth

6 Freaky Fast Food Creations Defend your waistline against these fearsome
menu items

Eat this not that

Real Estate

Back to industry based marketing. Great email subject lines target your
industry and will increase open rates.

Top Story: Top Ten Most Expensive Areas for Buyers

NewsGeni.us eBrief
Top Broker: How I Rescued My Stalling Practice To Average $17,238 GCI
Every Month

Vangie Berry

7 Ways to Meet Buyers This Season

Trulia

Theres no doubt that my previous two posts on headline formulas have been
extremely popular. But theyve also caused me to take a lot of flak.

First off, you still have the doubters who wonder if 80-year-old headline
structures can possibly work in the modern social media environment. Truth
is, I used one such structure for a post this summer that received over 1,600
Diggs, while also making an appearance on just about every social media
news site around and bringing in over 70,000 unique visitors.

And I never had a doubt that it would work. Why?

Because Do You Make These Mistakes When You Write? and the original Do
You Make These Mistakes in English? are literally about the same thing
grammar. It was an absolute no brainer, because Maxwell Sackheim did the
work for me over 80 years ago, and his ad ran successfully for 40 years. But
keep in mind that I and plenty of others have successfully used the these
mistakes template in many other contexts as well, because the specific
promise contained in the headline makes it irresistible if used properly.

That brings me to the other complaint Im hearingtoo many people are

using the same formulas over and over, badly. This is likely because people
did not heed the warning about headline templates that youll hear from any
copywriter, which is to understand why they work before trying to use them.
When you understand why the original headlines worked, youll be able to
select an appropriate structure, and youll be a better headline writer in
general. If you dont, you might not only write a bad headline, you might
come off looking bad in general.

So, here are 5 more headline templates that work, but use them at your own
risk. If you dont match up an appropriate headline structure with your
content, you might crash and burn worse than if you just came up with a
headline off the top of your head.

1. Warning: [blank].

If youve read this far, I guess it still works. Starting a headline with the word
warning will almost always catch attention, but its what you say next that
will determine how well it works for your particular content.

Warning: If You Depend on Google for Both Traffic and Advertising, You
Pretty Much Work for Google

Warning: Two Out of Every Three People in Your Industry Will be Out of
Work in 5 YearsWill You Be One of Them?

Warning: Do You Recognize These 7 Early Warning Signs of Blogger

Burnout?

2. How [blank] Made Me [blank].

Use this structure when relating a personal story. The key to the most
effective use of this template is for the two blanks to dramatically contrast, so
that the curiosity factor goes way up and people feel compelled to read more.

How a Fool Stunt Made Me a Star Salesman

How an Obvious Idea Made Me $3.5 Million

How Moving to Iowa Improved My Sex Life

3. Are You [blank]?

A nice use of the question headline, designed to catch attention with curiosity
or a challenge to the reader. Dont be afraid to be bold with this one.

Are You Ashamed of Smells in Your House?

Are You Ready to Learn Chinese for Your Next Job?

Are You a Courageous Blogger?

4. [Blank] Ways to [blank].

One of the best list structures, because its really a how to headline
enhanced by specificity that either impresses the prospective reader with
how many tips youve got, or at minimum lets them know exactly what to
expect.

101 Ways to Cope With Stress

21 Ways to Live a Better Life With Less

5 Ways to Write Killer Headlines

5. If Youre [blank], You Can [blank].

Another great use of specificity, this headline addresses a particular type of

person with the first blank, and the beneficial promise to that person in the
content or body copy with the second.

If Youre a Non-Smoker, You Can Save 33% on Life Insurance.

If Youre an Accountant, Our Frequent Flyer Program Really Adds Up

 If You Love Scuba, You Can Dive Belize This Week Only for a Song!

=-I know youve been there before. You sit down, grab a pen and paper and
start to write those killer ads for real estate that will bring you motivated
sellers right to your door. Or do you?

Writing real estate ads is not as easy as it sounds, is it? You see that blank
piece of paper, you stare at it and get frustrated because nothing good is
pouring out on that piece of paper. Your brain just does not want to write
ads :)

Well today, in a true Real Estate Black Book fashion, I have another free
resource for you that will get those real estate classified ads written and
written in such a way that will grab your readers attention like flies on sh_t.

I have to tell you something though. I see this a lot in newspapers, on the
internet, in the snail mail, emails, and everything in between. Most ads,
emails, mail pieces, newspaper ads are written by non-marketers. They dont
grab attention, jump out at you, and fight for your attention.

Think about it. What will happen when you go home today and get your mail
in the mailbox? You take your mail, stand right next to your trash can, and
glance at the envelope to see if its anything important, and then you
automatically throw it away.750230_full_bin.jpg

Same goes for newspaper ads for real estate, Craigslist ads, Ebay ads, PPC
ads, bandit signs, postcards, online real estate ads and letters. If your ad
doesnt catch your readers attention in the first few seconds, you just wasted
your money.

So, how do you solve this issue?

First, I believe that each and every marketing piece you write needs to have a
headline. Youve heard me talk about it before and Ill keep talking about
from time to time. But, Im not going to go into how you can write a powerful
headline since thats a whole new subject of its own.

If you want a quick lesson on grabbing your reader by the eyeballs then you
should read the post that, as luck may have it, was written today by one of
the best copywriters in the world, Clayton Makepeace.

But thats not what this post is about. This post is about a free resource that
will give you the necessary ammo you need to write powerful and compelling
marketing pieces.

Every successful marketer has a secret swipe file that he keeps on his desk
which he can refer to whenever he writes something and needs ideas to get
his creative juices flowing.

You, as an internet real estate investor, need those swipe files to refer to so
you can communicate with your customers in the best possible way.

The swipe file Im recommending today was put together by one of the best
copywriters in the world. Its a 71 page file that contains some of the best
swipe file information Ive seen but my 2 favorite gems I got out of this free
report are:

boat load of stunningly effective words and phrases you can use in your
marketing to better market your real estate investing service (I think there
are like over 1500 of those words and phrases in there-Its a goldmine is you
ask me.)

and how to quickly become the coolest person in your market

So go ahead and grab the free report, print it out and put it next to your
computer so you can refer to it over whenever writing anything to your
prospects.

RealEstateBlackBook.com/recommends/powerfulads

By the way, if you have already downloaded my previous recommended

report on The Single Most Important Skill Every Real Estate Investor Needs To
Know then you have probably received this report in your inbox already. If
not, you can download it here.

Whats the best marketing youve ever encountered?

Maybe its Verizons can you hear me now? campaign. Or the ever-so-
catchy Every Kiss Begins with Kay thats helped the jeweler sell loads of
diamonds. Regardless, the marketing was probably far more than just
content. It was probably really persuasive.

Robert Cialdini holds a Doctorate in Psychology, and became famous for the
scary efficacy of his 1986 book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. If
youve never read it, here are the six principles:

1. Reciprocity

2. Commitment and Consistency

3. Social Proof

4. Likability

5. Authority
6. Scarcity

Do these principles still matter, almost 30 years later? Absolutely. In fact,

theyre so incredibly effective that Harvard Business Review recently revisited
the danger of persuasion when its abused. Dont ever use these pillars to
make false promises, but as a tool for enhancing your conversion copywriting.
Here are some tried-and-true ways to apply Cialdinis principles to your blog,
landing pages, and calls-to-actions:

1. Reciprocity

The first principle is actually a lot more common than your realize when it
comes to amazing copy. In fact, reciprocity is at the very core of inbound
marketing. Download our free eBook. Register for our free webinar. Todays
brightest brands have mastered the art of providing something of value to
their customers, in exchange for a lead conversion. Check out the following
example:

Your prospects are busy people. By offering something of value in exchange

for their time or email address, youll have much better luck winning their
attention.

2. Commitment and Consistency

Sales masters know how to get customers to commit early in the process.
Maybe not to a sale, but to a test drive or a free demo. While its critical to
avoid being overly salesy in content marketing for top-of-the-funnel
customers, you can easily leverage this principle. By writing a strong
introduction to your blogs and landing pages, you can build an instant rapport
with your audience, increasing your chances of getting them to stick around.

Some powerful ways to hook your readers into committing to finishing your
content could include:

Using humor
 Empathizing with their pain points

Shocking them with stats and facts

For more insights on how to write amazing copy for blog intros, check out Top
Writing Tips to Infuse Your Blog With Stickiness.

3. Social Proof

Social proof was a powerful phenomenon when Cialdini performed his

groundbreaking research in the early 1980s. If anything, it matters even
more today. You probably rely on social proof more than you realize to
determine the credibility of brands. A thought leader is partially valued by the
size of their following, and you probably check out Google local reviews
before heading to a restaurant.

Heres one example of social proof you see on a daily basis:

Image source

Display your customers feedback or blog subscribers with pride its only
going to enhance your copy!

4. Likability

Its a well-established fact that people buy from people or brands they like.
Your company doesnt need to be everything to everyone, but you should
have a very strong appeal to your ideal customers. One organization that
does this extremely well is actually Taco Bell, whose social media content is
well-known for being incredibly humorous, irreverent and on-point:

Image source

5. Authority
If you know what youre talking about, people will listen. Its why we flock to
thought leaders blogs and Twitter feeds. We want to learn at the feet of
people whove proven time and time again that they know their stuff.

When it comes to writing convincing and amazing copy, its crucial that you
both give the impression of expertise, while working to truly earn it. While
theres absolutely no way to cover up an abject lack of knowledge, here are
some quick ways to make your writing seem more authoritative:

Use fresh, reputable stats and facts

Use expert quotes, preferably from original interviews

Edit with a meticulous eye for errors

Even if you are the leading expert in your field, a few misplaced typos or a
lack of research can wreck credibility. Inversely, highly effective research can
go a long way to further the words of an up-and-coming blogger.

6. Scarcity

Everyone and I mean everyone is a sucker for limited time deals and
offers. Trust me, weve all fallen for them at least once. Whats even better,
the principle of scarcity can be applied to all areas of your marketing
campaign, not just your sales offers. Consider creating an exclusive forum or
secret Facebook group for your fans. Offer a webinar with extremely limited
spaces. Consider offering an eBook for a limited time only.

The sky is the limit when it comes to applying the highly effective principle of
scarcity, so let your imagination run wild.

his ad is from 42 years ago for luxury land plots on the Island of Montserrat. It
masterfully uses scarcity and social proof and is an ad that can be
successfully modeled for as long as exotic plots of land are bought and sold.
There Are Precisely 104 Custom Villa Sites

On These Lovely Wooded Slopes

Framed By Mountain And Caribbean Sea With A Golf Course For A Floor

You May Own One In ISLES BAY of MONTSERRAT

This is a reproduction of a reproduction-a printing of black and white

photograph. Were depending heavily on it to begin the job of capturing you.
But its not truthful. I cant be

Because, on Montserrat itself, the land is green, the Caribbean soft and blue.
Come to life for you-there in the Montserrat-are the mountains thick with
forest; the far puffs of white fleece against the infinite sky: the pure, sweet air
of this most superb of island climates.

Extravagance? Are we reaching? It might seem so. but for this solid truth:
MONTSERRAT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND IN THE BRITISH WEST INDIES!

This secret is already known to some-to those who have flown out of the
damp and the cold and in a few hours come to a climate that is in truth the
gentlest and least humid in the Caribbean, where the winters are balmier
than in southern Spain and the summers cooler than in parts of Alaska. These
people have been to other islands which offer only the fiat monotony of low-
growing shrub and now come gladly to the lofty mountains and green-topped
cliffs of Montserrat where gleaming beaches soften the coastline in crescent
arcs and where the sea is always in their view. Always in their view! This is,
perhaps, the most fascinating thing about Montserrat: to be always able to
look out and away, constantly to have an incomparable scene of Nature meet
the eye, like an enormous masterpiece.

Montserrat has been described as a lavishly endowed island of astonishing

changes. A turn in the road may bring you suddenly to a tropical ravine along
which a stream tumbles on its way to the sea. Or you will pass from
cultivated fields Montserrat supplies larger islands with its garden products)
to the riotous beauty of wild orchid and Poinciana. Flamboyant splash scarlet
dabs against the hills; mango, coconut, lime, banana hang heavy with fruit in
season. Youve never tasted such pineapple or eaten such tomatoes. Nor
have you probably ever seen so many mahogany trees or knelt in such grass.
And it is certain that on very few islands, if any. have you drunk such water-
the fabled Montserrat water, pumped not from man-made catchments (like
islands in the Virgins, for instance) but from springs high in the cool mountain
forests. Unless you know the islands, its hard to appreciate how unique is
Montserrat pure, abundant water.

Those who discover Montserrat are enchanted at its sight-then made captive
by its people. There is no resisting them, native or recently-arrived. One
learns to drive with one arm; the other is needed to wave return greetings.
Its a little island-32 sq. miles. the size of St. Thomas. Of its 13.000 people
(theres an Irish flavor to their English) 3000 live in Plymouth, the capital,
thought by the TORONTO GLOBE a MAIL to be the cleanest town in the
British West Indies Youll love going into Plymouth, to watch the bustle at
the harbor, to walk its neat, narrow streets lined with balconied houses, to
say hello to everyone around you, to shop. You can buy virtually anything you
need in Plymouth-from newspapers to frozen foods-and youll pick up
bargains along the way: good beef at 594 a lb., Scotch or Canadian at $2.25 a
fifth. American cigarettes at $2.20 a carton. At the price, $1350 youll want a
new foreign car for Montserrats rather narrow but excellently-paved roads.
Royal Bank and Barclays have put up new buildings and there is discussion
of a shopping center as well as another cinema. We have public and private
schools. doctors, churches, and are getting a new hospital. And heres
something that is exciting everybody on the island: the Government has
slashed all income taxes, personal and corporate, to a very low figure.

Theres a style, such a grace to this island that we are almost tempted to say:
Thats Why we chose Montserrat. But the fact is that ISLES BAY OF
MONTSERRAT could not have been created on any other island!

The main reason, right off, is price. Lets ascribe a beauty, equaling
Montserrat, to Puerto Rico, or Antigua. or Jamaica. or to St. Thomas. Lets
scour their coasts for a lovely tract of 125 acres with every spot of it having
an unobstructed view of the sea. Top the land with luxuriant trees and plants,
fashion a steady gentle breeze to eliminate the need for air-conditioning, and
place a lush golf course in a valley directly alongside it. Bring in paved roads
to each site, underground power to each site, piped mountain spring water to
each site. See that it overlooks a Yacht Club and Marina site and gild the lily
by giving your buyers a 2 year free membership in the golf course; and, if
they own boats and are invited to join, pay their membership fees in the
proposed private Yacht Club, also for 2 years.

And then set your architects to work to custom those 125 acres into just 104
villa sites. each with an estate privacy, each with a superb view. Then finally-
with mountains, sea, and golf course forming unencroachable borders-
guarantee your property buyers that Isles Bay of Puerto Rico or of Antigua
or of any island will be set off in perpetual privacy from any other community.
If you could find such land on these islands and improve it as weve written-
because all of these improvements will he yours at ISLES BAY OF
MONTSERRAT-the prices you would have to charge your site-buyers would be
frightening. In Jamaica. where elevated sites with a view are a considerable
distance from the ocean (due to a wide band of fronting flat land), prices for
quality lots are 60C a sq. ft. and higher; an acre (40.000 sq. ft.) would cost at
least $24.000. In Barbados, with no soaring views to speak of, prime lots are
being quoted at 80 cents to 51.00. And we estimate that in Puerto Rico a one
acre site equivalent to what we are offering in ISLES BAY OF MONTSERRAT
would cost $50,000! In ISLES BAY OF MONTSERRAT the average price per sq.
ft. is about 32 cents. Since the average lot measures about one acre (40,000
sq. ft.) the average price

is $12,800. And yet pay only 3% down and 1% a month! Perhaps youll say
that swift transportation is the chief reason for the sky-climbing prices
elsewhere. And youll probably be right. Puerto Rico. Jamaica. Barbados.
Antigua -theyre all jet-strip islands, quickly reached. So here is remote
Montserrat, light years from the jangle and artificiality of these popular
resorts, yet only 27 miles from Antigua. Yon reach Antigua in 3 hours and 50
minutes by non-stop jet from New York and in about 4 hours from Toronto.
Daily shuttle flights get you from Antigua to Montserrat in 15 minutes. The
complete round-trip fare from New York to Antigua is $161, every month of
the year.

Please read the headline of this advertisement once again: THERE ARE
PRECISELY 104 VILLA SITES Thats all there are-104 precious lots. We
couldnt add any more if we wanted to; Nature has seen to that. And because
there are only 104, and because they are all indescribably lovely. they will all
soon be gone. You may count on it.

At this moment, as you read this, thousands of others are doing the same. We
have released our advertising simultaneously in the United States, Canada
and Great Britain to give an equal opportunity to wide audiences. And we
have chosen the mail method because we know that most of you cant pick
up right off and fly to Montserrat.

Here is what we urgently advise that you do: fill out the coupon and rush it to
us. Well immediately mail you-free and with utterly no obligation-a thick and
informative portfolio which will contain a large color brochure of ISLES BAY OF
MONTSERRAT and a color booklet of the Belham River Valley Golf Course: a
Question and Answer fact-book covering in depth virtually every point which
may occur to you (e.g. domestic help is competent and plentiful-salaries
about $5 a week): even architects plans in color and a list of builders (the
cost of a house 510-315 a sq. ft.). And in this portfolio you will find
photographs from ground and sky and an immense architectural aerial plus a
huge surveyors plat of all of ISLES BAY OF MONTSERRAT. This architectural
photograph is almost precise. It will show you every one of the 104 villa sites
and fully describe each one-its size, elevation, landscape, views. price. By
referring to both the painting and to the plat youll be able to pick out and
reserve the lot of your choice, almost as though you were there.

Notice the word reserve. Youll not be asked to commit yourself. Your
reservation will hold your site for 60 days. You may cancel for any reason
during that period and get immediate refund of your deposit of $100. But
during that time you and only you will have a tight hold on the lot of your
choice.

Our portfolio will also tell you of a further guarantee: even after youve
decided to purchase and have. begun payments you have a full year to visit
Montserrat. to see your land, and request and get complete refund of every
penny youve paid in if then you dont like what you see.

Thank you for having read through this message. You have been privy to an
instance without precedence: the offering of a limited number of villa sites of
the highest order of quality-by mail. If you are an island-lover carrying around
a dream of the perfect island, here it is. Have a go at it. Send at once. please,
for our free portfolio. You wont be annoyed by salesmen. we promise you.

But dont wait. There are just 104.

Real Estate Advertising (William Nickerson: How I Turned $1,000 Into A

Million)

William NickersonNearly every promoter of real estate investment today owes

his existence to a 47 year old, breakthrough ad.

However, unlike many of todays promoters who are 95% pitchmen/5% real
estate investors, Bill Nickerson was the real deal. He was as blue collar as it
gets a telephone company employee who started off in his part time
and built substantial wealth through real estate investing.
At the time this ad was published, real estate investing was not something
the average wage earner got involved with. Thats hard to imagine today
considering the deluge of late-night infomercials.

And thats why this was such a breakthrough ad.

Take the title of this now out-of-print classic: How I Turned $1,000 Into A
Million. Its spot on specificand infinitely stronger thanHow I Got Rich in
Real Estate.

Its an evergreen headline thats swiped successfully to this day.

Even forty seven years later, the copy is very strong in this ad. Look how the
very first sentence sides with the skeptical reader and builds momentum
from there.

Who ever heard of an ordinary wage earner like me amassing a fortune of

half a million dollars in his spare time?

Yet thats what happened to me. And the money making formula I used can
be applied by almost anybody, almost anywhere.

Maybe youll make less than $500,000. Maybe youll make more (as I did
later on.) In any case, I see no reason why you cant accumulate enough to
retire on a handsome income while you are still young enough to enjoy it to
the fullest. Your chances for success in this field are far better than 400-to-1.
In fact, 1600 times better than if you went into business according to actual
US government statistics.

Notice too, the sophistication of this approach. Nickerson says: the money
making formula I used can be applied by almost anybody, almost anywhere.
This adds volumes of credibility to the claim because we all know theres no
way everyone, everywhere can make something work successfully.

Interestingly, even though this ad is for a 47 year old, $4.95 book, the
information within has hardly been excelled upon.

Heres the full sized ad for How I Turned $1,000 Into a Million.

The following is a transcription of this terrific ad. Unfortunately, the identity of

this superb writer is unknown.

How a $1,000 Investment Enabled Me to Retire at 42 with $500,000

The true story of an amazing money making formula that may change your
life too the way it did mine.

by William Nickerson

Who ever heard of an ordinary wage earner like me amassing a fortune of

half a million dollars in his spare time?

Yet thats what happened to me. And the money making formula I used can
be applied by almost anybody, almost anywhere.

Maybe youll make less than $500,000. Maybe youll make more (as I did later
on.) In any case, I see no reason why you cant accumulate enough to retire
on a handsome income while you are still young enough to enjoy it to the
fullest. Your chances for success in this field are far better than 400-to-1. In
fact, 1600 times better than if you went into business according to actual US
government statistics.

How It All Began

When I was 25, my wife, Lucille, and I started saving part of my first modest
earnings as a telephone company employee. In three years, we saved up to
$1,000, which we used as a down payment to buy a home. Then, I began
looking about for a way to insure a modest retirement income to supplement
my telephone company pension.

I started with only the $1,000 cash equity in my home. Much to my surprise, I
was able to pyramid this modest asset into $500,000 by the time I was 42
all in my spare time. I retired at 42 to concentrate on my investment with
plenty of time left over for gardening, swimming in our backyard pool,
hunting, fishing, and traveling.

Many friends turned to me for advice on how they could follow me up the
road to fortune. Finally, I decided to write a unique guide book, in which I
would share my money making secrets.

Another $500,000 in Only Two Years

This led me to study other mens money-making experience and current non-
depression period opportunities. Although I had not intended to increase my
holdings, I found so many opportunities that in two years I doubled my estate
to over $1,000,000.

Now my book, how I turned $1,000 into A Million is ready at last. And in it I
reveal and tell how to use these four basic principles of traveling the last
remaining road to great fortunate still open to the average person:

1. How to harness the secret force of free enterprise the pyramiding power
of borrowed money. If you have ever experienced difficulty in arranging a
personal loan (or a commercial loan to go into business) you may have the
idea that banks wont lend money to the little fellow for the purpose of
making money. But I will show you to get lenders to put up gladly at least
three dollars for every one of yours, thereby quadrupling the earning power
of your capital.
2. How to choose income-producing multiple dwellings in which to invest your
own (and your borrowed) capital. If you are interested in investing in income-
producing property for income alone, then you will probably get along all
right without any advice from me, although even there I can give you many
tips. But if you are out to pyramid your capital, there is a definite set of
conditions to look for.

3. How to Make Your Equity Grow. A fair market value of an income-producing

property is in ratio to its income. Therefore, if you increase the annual net by
means of the steps I outline, you increase the market value of the property
thereby, increasing your equity.

4. How to virtually eliminate the tax bite on your capital growth. I will show
you how you can increase your net worth steadily without it being subject to
income taxes not even capital gains tax! J.K. Lassers, a famous guide, Your
Income Tax, says of this method that the mathematics have almost
unparalleled attraction.

If you have about $2,500 right now or if you can save only $50/month for
the next four years you can start out soundly on the road to $1M. To
enhance your progress, you will need an additional personal investment of
$50/month, or 600/year, for two more years after that, making a total
investment from your personal savings of $3,600. But then you will start
receiving income from your investment. In addition, if you follow my
instructions carefully, your capital can grow at the following startling rate:

In 2 years, your $3,600 grows to $5,800

In 4 years you have $11,575.

In 6 years, $21,681.

In 8 years, $39,363.
In 10 years, $70,548.

In 12 years, $124,884.

In 14 years, $219,972.

In 16 years, $386,376.

In 18 years, $677,583.

In 20 years, $1,187,195.

How far you go up this ladder depends on how much retirement income you
would like. You can conservatively expect to earn an average net return of 6%
on your personal equity. So, if you would be satisfied with a retirement
income of at least $12,000 a year, you must decide to stop when your equity
reaches $200,000.

There must be a catch to it!

Right now, it would be understandable if you were stuttering but it is not

that simple, there must be a catch to it!

Of course there is a catch to it! There are hundreds of catches, hundreds of

pitfalls and traps for the unwary, who have never traveled what I call the
reality road to riches. But, I made it by learning as I went along. And, you
have a priceless advantage, which I never had the advantage of being able
to know beforehand everything I had to learn by trial and error.
My 497-page book is literally the product of a lifetime, into which I have
poured every distilled ounce of practical knowledge I gained along the road to
fortune. It answers all the questions on real estate operations that my friends
have ever asked me. I lead you through one actual transaction after another,
setting forth each step in detail.

This method of making money is not dependent on continued economic boom

or inflation, it is benefited and underwritten by Americas continuing
population boom, which is expected to result in 77 million more people by
1980. And it is comparatively recession-proof.

Read the book for two weeks free then decide. You may have other
questions, other doubts. Rather than attempt to answer them all here, the
publishers invite you to examine my book free for two weeks in your own
home. If you are not impressed, return the book in two weeks, and pay
nothing, owe nothing. Otherwise, it is yours to keep for only $4.95, plus a few
cents postage.

Perhaps the hardest thing about making a million dollars, or even $200,000,
is the act of believing it is possible. This may be the stumbling block which
will keep you from ceasing upon the extraordinary opportunity presented
here.

Out of every 1,000 people who read this page, perhaps only 10 will be able to
overcome their ingrained skepticism, enough to send away for more
information. And out of those 10, perhaps only one or two will exploit this
opportunity to the hilt. But those fortunate few may enjoy the kind of
financial success that millions dream of, but only a few achieve. I have come
to the conclusion that opportunity frowns on those without faith, but a real
fortune awaits anyone who earnestly seeks the fruits of free enterprise

William Nickerson is not the only self-made millionaire of our time, but he is
perhaps the first one who is willing to reveal his money making secrets to
others in great detail. As a salaried telephone company employee, he did so
well with his spare-time money-making, that at 42, he was able to realize the
popular dream of early retirement from the daily grind on a handsome
income. He wrote his best selling sensation, How I Turned $1,000 Into A
Million, (described here) out of his firm conviction that the age of opportunity
is not dead that one remaining road to fortune still lies open to the average
person. Read what he has to say here carefully. Then if you would like to find
out more, without cost or obligation, mail the coupon for a free examination
copy of his book.\