Category Archives: Copywriting

7 Tips For Writing More Powerful Copy

June 7, 2011 – 4:15 am

Writing powerful copy comes more easily to some people than others. But almost anyone can improve their writing by keeping these simple rules in mind: Use Short Sentences. Short sentences are easier to grasp than long ones. Vary sentence length for the sake of interest, but keep most sentences under twenty words. Keep Paragraphs Concise. [...]

By Val Gosset | Leave a Comment

Creative Inspiration for Email Marketing

May 25, 2011 – 4:15 am

It’s common practice among copywriters to maintain a “swipe file” of ads to provide inspiration and ideas for their own work. In 1984, renowned copywriter Denny Hatch simplified this practice… (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Advertising, Direct response advertising, Email marketing | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment

A Systematic Process For Writing Effective Advertising

May 10, 2011 – 4:15 am

Whether you’re developing your own advertising, or reviewing ads someone else has created for you, it helps to understand the building blocks of a compelling ad. The following systematic approach has always served me well, no matter what type of advertising I’m writing: (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Advertising | Leave a Comment

How to Provide Feedback on Copy and Design

April 19, 2011 – 4:15 am

When you have to give feedback on copy and design, what approach gets the best results? A fairly common, and not terribly helpful method, (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Tagged , | Leave a Comment

What Your Copywriter Needs to Know

April 12, 2011 – 4:15 am

To get the best work from a copywriter, you need to give them the right tools and clear direction. When starting any job, here are the five things that are critical for you to supply: (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Leave a Comment

A Treasure Trove of Offers to Test

March 11, 2011 – 4:15 am

We’ve all heard over and over how important the offer is to making a sale. But to most people, an offer is nothing more than “Buy A at B price,” or “Buy A at C price, a XX% discount off the regular B price.”

There are many offers that are far more profitable than discounts, and unfortunately, they’re rarely used. Years ago, renowned copywriter Dean Rieck, then a columnist for DM News, devoted several columns to suggesting dozens of different types of offers. I’ve misplaced my copy of it, so I was delighted to find a similar list on his blog: 60 powerful offers proven to make sales.

The comprehensive list is divided into no less than 9 different categories: (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Offers | Tagged | Leave a Comment

A Roundup of Ad Headlines, Good and Bad

October 6, 2010 – 4:15 am

I just finished reading a recent issue of a trade magazine for garden centers and found myself struck by the huge percentage of bad headlines.

What makes a headline a bad one? (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Advertising | Tagged | Leave a Comment

Where Your Most Important Copy Points Belong

August 9, 2010 – 4:15 am

Lists and bulleted copy can make it easy for readers to absorb information quickly. When using this technique, (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Leave a Comment

An Acid Test for Headlines and Subject Lines

July 12, 2010 – 4:15 am

When your prospects are flipping through a magazine, your ad only has a second to catch their eye. Your headline and image has to do all the heavy lifting. Unless that catches their interest, they’re guaranteed not to delve further.

Likewise, when looking at an overflowing email inbox, readers are most likely scanning “from” lines and subject lines, deciding which emails they can delete without opening.

That makes writing powerful headlines and subject lines a pretty important skill to master. Here’s the trick I use to see if mine measure up: (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Advertising, Email marketing | Leave a Comment

Does Your Marketing Message Need Revamping?

May 26, 2010 – 4:15 am

The last few years have seen an influx of new gardeners. The National Gardening Association reports that the number of new vegetable gardeners increased 10% in 2008, and a whopping 19% in 2009. By all appearances, the trend is continuing in 2010. Unlike previous generations, (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Garden industry trends | Leave a Comment
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