Copywriting Articles And Book Reviews

Back in 2016, I read two copywriting books by Seth Czerepak. The first in particular, The 24 Hour Marketing Miracle is excellent and was given 5 stars in my review. The second The Sexy Sales Letter Formula isn’t quite so good and is rated at 4 stars.

At this stage, I thought he was a rising star of the copywriting and direct marketing world. He was even given an excellent endorsement by Dan Kennedy. However, when I clicked over to his website to find out more, I found missing pages. In fact, everything on his website, except the home page had disappeared or become disconnected from what I could see.

I’d check every few months but found nothing new. I increased the time gaps, because, every time, I had to look up his name. [continue reading…]

I’m not sure how I found it but I’ve been listening to the

Copywriters Podcast with David Garfinkel

a great deal recently.

I recommend it very highly and if you’re interested in copywriting, I think it’s well worth your time.

Of course there are a lot of copywriting podcasts produced at the moment and many of them are packed with information. It’s hard to know where to go. [continue reading…]

In my review of the book

Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero’s Quick Start Guide to Writing Red Hot Copy

posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a rating of Four Stars. This means it is Good and Well Worth Reading.

Here is my book review.

A very user friendly guide to writing copy with one big drawback

This is a very easy book to read and understand in contrast to some of the heavyweight tones on copywriting.

The author explains an interesting process of writing copy which, after her extensive experience, doesn’t involve starting with the headline and lead. [continue reading…]

The full title of this book by Craig Simpson with Brian Kurtz is

The Advertising Solution: Influence Prospects, Multiply Sales, and Promote Your Brand

In my review of the book posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a rating of Five Stars. This means it is Excellent and Very Highly Recommended.

Here is my book review.

I wish I hadn’t ignored this excellent book for so long after buying

I’m ashamed to say I bought this book in November 2016 and hadn’t even opened my Kindle copy until January 2019. Why? Well I tend to go on buying binges and there’s the constant risk I start my next buying binge before I’ve worked my way through my last purchases.

The problem was I don’t like the main title – The Advertising Solution – or the subtitle if I’m getting picky because it mentions brands. After I’d bought it, I’d forgotten it was based on the work of six direct response marketing legends. Nor did my unfamiliarity with the main author – Craig Simpson – help me. It became a book to read some time, not next [continue reading…]

Introducing Ask Drayton from Drayton Bird

Drayton Bird is a legend in copywriting circles as he sold his own agency to David Ogilvy and worked with Ogilvy for many years. At Ogilvy and Mather, he was vice chairman and worldwide creative director of the agency which is now called OgilvyOne, according to his entry at Wikipedia.

Ogilvy is on record saying “Drayton Bird knows more about direct marketing than anyone in the world.”

Another important point is he’s British.

Why?

Because the British are generally quite reserved and can find the American direct response copywriters as brash. That’s not to say the techniques don’t work in the UK, just that there is more resistance but once hooked… [continue reading…]

The full title of this book by David Garfinkel is

Breakthrough Copywriting: How To Generate Quick Cash With The Written Word

In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave it Five Stars. This means it is Excellent and Very Highly Recommended.

Here is my book review.

Important new structures for copywriting

I started listening to the author’s excellent weekly copywriting podcast because I thought I’d enjoyed his book. Then he started referring to ideas I was unfamiliar with and I discovered I’d bought the book several years ago but not actually read it.

I’ve quickly put this mistake right and I wish I hadn’t allowed myself to get distracted. [continue reading…]

In my review of

The Art of Seductive Copywriting by Shirley Long

posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a rating of 2 Stars. This means it is disappointing.

Here is my book review.

Did the author write this book? It’s very similar to another.

When I started reading this book, I had a strong feeling of deja vu. What was written seemed incredibly familiar . It reminded me of another book I’d read recently when it came to talking about common copywriting mistakes. [continue reading…]

In my review of this book

The Boron Letters By Gary Halbert

posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave it four stars. This means I think it is good and worth reading.

Here is my book review.

“Babblings” of a great copywriter from prison

I first read these letters written by the author to his son from prison on the Gary Halbert Letters website and bought the book to add to my copywriting and marketing library.

These letters date back to 1984 so don’t expect tips about the Internet, email and social media. Instead expect advice that goes deeper than modern media. Their purpose was to teach his youngest son about marketing and life. [continue reading…]

The full title of this book by GN Reed is

101 Headline Templates That Crush It: How To Get Your Emails Opened Fast

In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a rating of 4 Stars. This means it is good and well worth reading.

Here is my book review.

The headline is the “ad for the ad”

All copywriters who get paid for results know the importance of the headline in its role as the ad for the ad.

If you’re sceptical, you just needs to reflect what happens when you read a newspaper, in print or offline. You read the headlines and if relevant it interesting, you’ll read further. Otherwise you don’t have the time to read everything. [continue reading…]