In case you're not sure what I'm blabbering about, here's how I define a bullet:
 
"a mini headline followed by strong supporting sentence aimed to tease and entice your prospect."
 
Bullets help you create momentum in your copy. And since most people scan instead of read - bullets can help you quickly drive home the points you want your prospect to remember.
 
I love working for clients like Boardroom, Rodale and Frank Cawood & Associates. These guys really appreciate the value of bullets. In fact, for their style of copy - bullets are KING! Here's how I tackle writing a sales letter for them:
 
When I read their book, I turn every interesting fact or "fascination" I discover into a bullet. By the time I'm finished with the book, I've usually written well over 100 bullets.
 
Then I break up the bullets in groups of 10 to 15... add a few paragraphs of copy... drop in another 10 to 15 bullets... do that for several more times... add a few subheads... and voila - my letter practically writes itself!
 
Here are 5 ways to give your bullets a powerful punch. And take a look at the examples for each. They're actual bullets I wrote for a Boardroom Bottom Line Health promo:
 
#1: Be specific! Find ways to add impressive facts, studies and figures to your bullets...

Get the picture? So start practicing. Remember this: You're putting your bullets into a rifle not a shotgun. What does that mean?
 
FOCUS!
 
Shotguns spray their ammo over a large area. Rifles aim at a specific target. Keep your bullets targeted. Don't add too many sentences. One thought per bullet. Bullet writing is a genuine art - and you can master it!
 
Ok, now it's time for you to give me a hand...

Looks like my first-ever "boot camp on steroids" is  gonna happen.  Yikes!  I'm scared!

First of all, THANK YOU!
 
In the last issue, I asked you to tell me if you really wanted an intensive workshop to help you become a better copywriter. I asked you to send me an email to carlinecole@bellsouth.net saying "Put me on your priority list" - and the results were fantabulous!
 
In case you're new to CopyStar, let me give you a brief recap. I'm putting together a 2-day "boot camp on steroids" in late September 08 in Atlanta, GA. To help me plan for the event, I need to know how many people are genuinely interested in seeing my face for 2 days and getting all the copywriting secrets I can deliver to help you write killer copy.
 
Let me tell you this: If all the folks who signed up for the priority list actually attended the seminar - it would be a phenomenal event! But the truth is, I'm not going for volume here.
 
In fact, when I saw how many people said they were interested, I panicked at the idea of speaking in front of a large crowd.  Yep, Miss Loud Mouth is a scaredy cat! So to make this work, and to keep me from chickening out - I've decided to limit the number of attendees.
 
I'm only accepting 20 people to join me for this boot camp. If I have to push it to 25, I'll think about it- but NO MORE than that. Here are 3 reasons why I want to keep this event small:
 
#1: You want mentoring, right? The #1 question I get from my readers is "Can I be your copy cub?" I've only been able to say "yes" to a handful. So that leaves out a whole lotta folks. Offering this boot camp is one way to help a bunch more people. And keeping the number small is the best way I know to give you the one-on-one help you want. I can do that with 20 or so people - not with 100! So the goal of this boot camp is PERSONAL SERVICE and STELLAR COPYWRITING GROWTH!
 
#2: There are other larger copywriting seminars you can attend. Hey, I think the AWAI annual seminars are great! Hundreds of folks attend and you can meet and socialize with other copywriters and prospective clients. That's not what my boot camp is about. Remember, my goal is one-on-one mentoring. I just can't do that in a large crowd!
 
#3:  Gotta keep the cost down. On a business level, keeping this boot camp small is dumb. The more people, the more money, right? I guess that's true if I was in the seminar business, but I'm not. I see this as an opportunity to help new writers and give back a little to an industry that has given me a lot.
 
However, putting together this seminar will take some time and I've got to hire some folks to help me make it happen. I'm not complaining, mind you. Some things are just not about money. By keeping the size manageable, I also keep the cost down and it's a win-win.
 
Ok, now here's where I need your help:
 
If you haven't signed up for the priority list, please DO IT RIGHT NOW. Send me an email at carlinecole@bellsouth.net and say "Put me on your priority list".
 
In the next few weeks, I will contact ONLY the priority list members to give them the exact date, location and cost of the boot camp. If all 20 slots are filled at that time, there will not be another opportunity for you to sign up. WAIT - I have to make a full disclosure here:
 
I don't have 20 slots available. You see, one of those slots is already filled. Dick R. not only signed up for the priority list, but he said...