A personal confession: I don’t just like being a copywriter. I also happen to like copywriters in general. As people, I mean. Why? Before you accuse me of being too kind to my own, consider. How many copywriters do you… Continue Reading
Why thank customers? The short answer, of course, is “why not?” Unless you were raised by wolverines, it’s a common courtesy you’re proud to offer… am I right? The longer answer is that it’s practically money in the bank for… Continue Reading
“We must not be free because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.” – William Faulkner My friend Paul Hollingshead is pretty smart fella. He recently wrote a piece that shared the math on this career path we’ve chosen,… Continue Reading
On D-Day, hundreds of thousands of Allied troops pulled off the largest invasion in history, forcing their way into Nazi-occupied Europe. Strategy was key. So was equipment. But the real mettle of the moment came from the soldiers staging the… Continue Reading
“Sleep,” said Shakespeare, “rock thy brain.” Study after study shows it, a good night’s sleep makes for a sharper, more productive mind. And yet, your average worker gets 6 hours and 55 minutes. With half of those saying they were… Continue Reading
What is creativity? I’m sure you’ve heard the cliche that gets kicked around, about the value of thinking “outside the box.” But in my experience, that’s the opposite of true… Continue Reading
Carnegie-Mellon, says the book “Made to Stick,” did a study. They invited participants in to take a survey. The topic wasn’t important — something about tech products — but what mattered was the small payout. Each participant got paid with five… Continue Reading
It’s always a great idea to throw lots of testimonials into your copy. Except when it isn’t. Here are some times when you might not want to run a testimonial past your audience… When it’s emotionally unsatisfying and vague: “I found… Continue Reading
I joked in an issue of my e-letter about writing “good,” and got a note from a reader soon after that said… “So there I was reading my favorite newsletter writer and I come across, ‘For career success: lather, rinse,… Continue Reading
The unflinching principle of all successfuladvertising… all marketing… all business… and all relationships… is also one of the oldest success secrets in the world. What is it? Quite simply… “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You”… Continue Reading