Module one from San Francisco School of Copywriting's Direct Response Copywriting Boot Camp. The basics of direct response copywriting for our September, 2013 boot camp.

1.  Copywriting Fundamentals

2.  Yes,Anyone can master this skill
 Practice and Patience
 Be Open to Critique and Copy OthersYou Like
 OutsourceWhen Sensible – Understanding
whatYour Business Needs is Different than
Doing Every Job
 We will cover a lot of
marketing and Psychology

3.  Great Copy uses the Dan Kennedy Formula of:
Problem, Agitate, Solution….
 Always Focused on the Prospect
 Get a Clear Picture ofThem inYour Mind
 Habits
 Age
 Preferences
 Gender
 Lifestyle
 What do they watch, read, eat?Where do they go
out?What do they do with their free time?

4.  What doThey Long For?
 What doThey Fear?
 What KeepsThemAwake at Night?
 This will tap into the problem you solve

5.  Picture One Person inYour Minds’ Eye
 Write toTHAT Person
 ALWAYS ONE PERSON
 ONLY ONE PERSON is
reading, watching, listening

6.  THEWRITING PROCESS
 Now…Start withYour Headline or Lead
 Write Several – Don’t Edit –Yet
 IfYou Can’t Come Up with the Lead, Start on the
Body
 Writing Ad OR Sales
Letter orWebsite,White Paper, Case
Study, eBook, Newsletter, Email…

7.  CreateYour Bullets – Index Card Method? Cut
and Paste. Stay open, keep the process fluid
 4-6 Key Reasons –Whether or notYou
Incorporate into Copy
 Bring in USP –Why Should
I Buy FromYou Instead
ofYour Competitor?

8.  Create Big Promise –WhatWill I Get?
 Make Sure Body Copy Stays inTouch with Big
Promise and Headline/Lead
 Make CertainYou Present Benefits of Every
Feature
 Put Benefits into Sentences, Play with Order
 The American Dream Has Changed, HaveYou?
 OR: Get Free From Corporate Bondage
 OR: Bust Out of the Corporate Shackles but
Keep the Income, Benefits and Perks

9. PROBLEM:
Dear Name,
Does this description fit you?You have a
healthy six figure income and some enviable
perks and benefits.You’ve paid your dues in
late meetings and long hours, unrealistic
expectations, lost sleep, crappy airport
meals, missed family events – maybe you’ve
compromised your health.

10.  AGITATE: It’s a harsh reality check, but the days of working for one company and
trading your loyalty for their beneficence are gone. Over. Finished.A relic of a
bygone era.These days everyone is replaceable and their jobs outsource-able –
from the C Suite to the factory floor
 AGITATE: Businesses of every size and description are working under the threat
of extinction and the fear of job loss looms at every level. Corporate employees
are constantly looking over their shoulders and for the worker over 40, there’s
always a chance of being tossed on the scrap heap while they replace you with
someone half your age, with twice your energy that works for half your pay.
 AGITATE:All your life, you’ve been told to work hard and get ahead.You’ve done
that and you’re proud of your accomplishments, but still, there’s a nagging
dissatisfaction. Long hours, stress and exhaustion may be in your way of
engineering a better solution.
 SOLUTION:You CanTranslateYour Skills and Knowledge Base into a
Lucrative Business
I call it the ‘Independent Executive Lifestyle’.Great income, ultimate freedom.
Imagine feeling energized when you put your feet on the floor in the
morning, excited to take on the day instead of worn out before you even brush
your teeth.You look forward to what’s next – challenges included - because
they’re yours to solve, on your terms, for your reward.

11.  CopyAmerican Express Letter and….over 6
weeks, along with…
 Project: Hair Growth Product for Men: short
letter or advertorial
 Features:
 Natural ‘secret’ ingredient from Amazon rain
forest
 Has scientific proof from independent labs
 Has testimonial proof from satisfied clients

12.  Project: Hair Growth Product for Men: short
letter or advertorial
 What doThey Fear?
 Less attractive
 Less Sex (Romance!)
 Perceived Loss ofVirility
 Lost Confidence
 Aging
 sanfranciscoschoolofcopywriting.com/special925.html

13.  What is Most Compelling of these Factors?
 Write a Headline to Grab Attention Using
their Key Fears
 RestoreYour Hair and Your Confidence
 AThick Head of Hair = More Romance
 RestoreYour Hair in Only 4 Weeks

14. ListYour Features and Benefits
 Features:
 Grows Hair
 Easy to Use
 Not Messy
 RevolutionaryTechnology
 Benefits ofThose Features:
 More Confidence +
 NotTime Consuming – CanWork withYour Busy Life
 Not a Lot of Screwing
Around with Formulas –
You’ll Actually Use it…
 You’re Cutting Edge/Cool

15.  Lay out Negative – Paint Picture of Fear and
Disappointment
 Lay out Positive – Removal of Fear and
Anxiety
 Provide Solution
 Offer Proof
 Remove Obstacles
to Buy

16.  Providing Proof
 Testimonials
 Pictures
 Stories
 Audio
 Video

17.  RemovingObstacles
 Guarantee
 Trial Period
 No Money Down
 Introductory Price
 Liberal Return Policy
 Sample (Chance to Sell)

18.  Why Guarantees are Important
 Prospect Needs to Rationalize Purchase
 BuildsTrust
 Enters Realm of Agreement as Opposed to
Sale
 Dispels Negative Feelings that Crop Up

19.  Negative Feelings:
 ThisWon’t Work
 Sure,Women Will Be Interested…Yeah, Right
 I Can’t Spend Money onThis –What if it Doesn’t
Work?
 Offer a Money Back Guarantee?
Ultimate Satisfaction?
Builds BIGTrust

20.  Reinforce in the P.S.
 PeopleOften Read Subheads and P.S. First
 Guarantee in the P.S., PutsThem at Ease to
Read in Buying Mentality
 Restate Benefits in P.S.
 P.P.S. to Cement
Credibility

21.  Ask this:
 Does my copy use Problem, Agitate, Solution?
 Did I make a compelling case?
 Did I prove genuine value?
 Did I illustrate clearly and in certain terms how
the product solves their problem? Did I make
them feel the pain of their problem first?
 Did I tell about features and provide benefits for
all of them?

22.  NowYou’ve got a First Draft
 What Now?
 LET IT SIT
 Overnight at Least
 Then Edit

23.  Editing – be Ruthless
 First ReadThrough
 ReadAgain
 Notice any Place that
MadeYou Stop - Glitch
 Start there

24.  What to Look for – COPY KEYS
 DoYour Sentences Flow one to the Next?
 Are they in the Correct Order so the Concepts
are Easy to Understand?
 Does EVERY singleWord
And Sentence Move the
Reader Forward and Serve
the Mission of the Copy?

25.  Edit with a Chain Saw!
 Look for ‘that’, in order to
 Take Out Passive Language
and FutureTense
 Write it all in the Present
Benefits Exceptions on Occasion
 Short Sentences are Better
 SubheadsTell a Story

26.  Editing is Often Much MoreWork than
Writing
 Don’t Get Married to Clever
 Don’t Fall in Love withYour Ideas

27.  Make a Copy and Remove anything that
Keeps CatchingYou
 Remove Entire Sentences, Re-read for Clarity
and Crispness
 Get Input From Coach/Mentor/Copy
Colleague

28.  YourWritingWill Improve
 Focus on One Area at aTime
 Move on to Others with Greater Confidence
 Be Patient
 Emulate PiecesYour Like – LiterallyWrite
themOut

29.  This week:
 Write the American Express letter out
longhand
 Start Hair Gro if you feel ready

30.  Make a List of Questions that Pop Up forYou:
 Why he uses a technique
 What the point of certain ideas is
 Something you would do differently or don’t
understand
 Anything else that jumps out
 sanfranciscoschoolofcopywriting.com/special925.html