|
If you're going to be a
copywriter - you gotta speaka da lingo!
Hi
CopyStar,
Yikes! I can't believe we're half way
through the month and I haven't had a chance
to talk to you yet! Did ya miss me?
I sure hope so! But I've got a perfectly
good reason for not writing this issue
sooner - actually 5 of them:
#1: A non-stop flow of visitors in
my home! After all, I had to be a
gracious guest and entertain them!
#2: "Minor" surgery. First
of all, I've now learned there's no such
thing as minor surgery. A lipoma removal
office procedure that should've taken a day
or two to recover had me on pain pills for 3
days - and kept me in bed nearly a week!
#3: Family "drama". I think
I've been anointed as the family peacekeeper
because everybody seems to think I can solve
their problems. Usually they're right, but I
got pounced on so hard this past month, I
decided to terminate this non-paying
position!
#4: I'm going to be a grandma!
Yep - my daughter #1 and her husband gotta
bun in the oven - and it'll be fully cooked
in early February 09! Talk about being
thrilled! Needless to say, I HAD to go out
and start shopping for baby paraphernalia
immediately - I only have 6 months before my
grandbaby's arrival!
#5: Putting the final touches on my
first-ever Copywriting Boot Camp on
Steroids! Phew! This Boot Camp idea
turned out to be much more work than I had
planned - but that's because I'm going all
out and giving away my BEST copywriting
secrets! With just about 30 days to go - I
had to get writing assignments out to the
attendees...create a workbook so they won't
have to spend a lot of time taking
notes...finalize all the invisible
arrangements that are critical for a
successful seminar...and as the saying goes,
"and much more!" By the way, as I write this
issue, there are 3 seats still available
before I shut the doors. So if you haven't
signed up - DO IT NOW! Don't worry - I'll
make sure you get all the assignments so
you'll be ready for the first day of Boot
Camp!
Click Here!
Did you
notice ONE thing I didn't have on my list of
excuses?
Not
once did I mention my job was tying me down!
Actually, when I saw how chaotic my month
was looking - I just made a few phone calls
to my clients and rearranged my work
schedule! I gave myself an INSTANT 30-day
vacation - and I'm still getting paid while
NOT working!
That's the beauty of copywriting, my friend!
You can have your job revolve around your
life - while those other 9-to-5ers are
trying to squeeze a life around their jobs!
And when you get good at copywriting, you
can create a passive stream of income called
ROYALTIES that pays the bills even if you
don't feel like working!
That's one thing we're going to really talk
about in the upcoming Copywriting on
Steroids Boot Camp - how to catapult your
skills so you're making a 5 or 6 figure
income on your terms. And I'm going to show
you how I do it - step by step!
But if you're going to be in this fantastic
biz, there's one thing you must do:
You gotta speaka da lingo!
Nothing says "rookie" faster than a
copywriter who doesn't know the basic
language of his trade. And that rookie
status will prevent you from demanding a
higher price for your work.
So,
right now, I want to make sure you've got
the basics down.
So, here's a cheat sheet to help you feel
like a native in the land of copywriters...
BRE: This stands for
"business reply envelope". It's a
postage-paid envelope that's included in
direct mail promotions.
Bullets: "Mini" headlines
with supporting sentence aimed to tease and
entice your prospect to purchase a product.
See chapter two for specific examples.
Carrier: Another name for
the envelope.
Client: Your "bread and
butter". The company/person who hires you to
write the creative promo.
Control: The current
winning promotion. The sure thing. New
promos are tested against a control. If the
new test wins, then it becomes the new
control. If your package is the control -
your goal is to try to keep it fresh and
alive. Why? Because your royalty checks are
based on the number of pieces mailed from
your control. Regularly provide the client -
free of charge - new headlines, cover tests,
leads, or anything you feel can give you a
lift in response to keep your control alive.
Copy chief: The experienced
copywriter in charge of giving critiques to
junior writers. Copy chief makes sure copy
is strong before turning it over to the
client.
Copy cub: A junior writer
in need of copy supervision.
Design: The layout of your
copy. A designer is the person who brings
your promotion to life with pictures and
other graphics.
Digest: Think "Reader's
Digest" size. Average is a 5x8. A digest can
run from 40 to 56 pages long! Many of my
successful designs look like a book. For
example, my chapters start on right hand
side of the page. The front cover is 4-color
glossy but the interior is 2-color, etc...
E-book: Stands for
"electronic book". A book that is delivered
electronically to your computer usually in a
PDF file.
Fatigue: No matter how good
your copy is, it will start to tire out and
drop in response rate. Fatigue is a reason
why your client will request new cover tests
or a new package. To "fight" fatigue you can
create additional headlines... new intro...
and even new design tests.
Flat-fee arrangement: This
means you agree on a price for your promo
upfront. Once you're paid, the client can
use your copy for as long as he wants
without any additional payments to you.
Headline: The copy designed
to grab the attention of your market on the
cover.
Launch: A new project that
needs strong copy to make it successful.
Magalog: A cross between a
magazine and catalog - get it, "maga-log"?
Size runs around 8x11. Remember, exact size
can change depending on the client and/or
the printer. Average length is 24-32 pages.
Mailing list: These are the
names your promotion will be mailed to. The
direct marketer will choose names that best
fit the profile of the product you're
selling. Each mailing list has a "keycode".
This tracks the number of orders received
from individual mailing lists. Total number
of orders received helps determine if your
package beats the control.
Number 10 carrier (#10):
This is a standard envelope size used in
business correspondence. It's 4 1/8th x 9 ½
size.
Package: Your direct mail
promotion. Also called a "piece", "creative"
or "promo".
PDF: Stands for "portable
document format". A PDF can be easily viewed
and printed on any type of computer. It
makes it possible for anyone to download and
use documents created by specialized
software without having to buy and install
anything special. PDF files are compact and
easily downloaded over the internet.
Premiums: These are the
special gifts you use to entice your
prospect to make a purchase. They can be
special reports, gadgets or just about
anything with a perceived value.
Promotion: Another name for
your creative piece. Also called a "promo",
"creative" or "piece".
RAE: This stands for
"return address envelope". It's the envelope
that requires the customer to pay his own
postage. In other words, it's not a "BRE".
Results: The day of
reckoning for a copywriter. After your
package mails - usually around day 21 - your
client is able to read the package
performance. If your test beats the
control, you're the WINNER (you've got the
new control)!
Retainer: A set amount of
money guaranteed for your copywriting
services. A client retains you to write copy
and agrees to pay you one lump amount
instead of a per project basis.
Royalty: What you're paid
when you create a control. Royalty
arrangements are negotiated in advance of
starting your project. The arrangements can
differ but usually you're paid on a "cents
per name". For example: If your royalty is
"3 c/n", that means you get 3 cents for
every piece mailed. So a 100,000 piece
mailing generates a $3,000 royalty check!
Slim Jim: An anorexic
magalog. Usually 6x10, 28-36 pages long.
These are more popular now because they
qualify for more postal discounts.
Tabloid: A super-sized
magalog. Size runs 10x12 or larger. Average
length is 16-24 pages. Be careful of going
under 16 pages -- it may be too "floppy" to
meet postal standards.
Test: This is what your new
promo is considered. If it beats the
control, then your test becomes the new
control.
USP: Unique Selling
Proposition. This is the main reason your
product exists. It differentiates it from
any other product on the market.
Ok,
that's enough to get you started. Now, make
the time to learn these words so you can
"talk the talk"!
|
Meet
a few more attendees at the upcoming
Copywriting Boot Camp - but first let me
clear up a boo boo!
