- June 25, 2018 -

Raise your hand if your least favorite class in high school was English.

Spending my time learning about words that dangle, split, and get misplaced was NOT my idea of fun.

Writing was even worse...thesis statements, supporting statements, citing references, blah blah blah.

I mean outside of my English teachers, who would ever want to read this stuff?

Turns out...no one!

If I were to write emails today that read like essays, would you honestly waste even a minute reading them?

+ Boring as hell..check.

+ No personality...check.

+ But perfect grammar...check, check!

Guess what the #1 skill business owners wish they were better at?

Writing.

Because when you write better, things cost less.

Leads will cost less because your ads will convert better.

Clients will cost less because your emails and video scripts will work harder so that your sales guys don't have to.

So what's the secret to writing gooder...oops, I mean better?

Pick an answer:

A) Read all the classic copywriting books from the greats like Claude Hopkins, Robert Collier, John Caples, Joe Sugarman, Robert Cialdini, and David Ogilvy.

B) Swipe stuff from marketing gurus.

So...

If you chose "A"...excellent! You got time for that?

Regarding "B"...you'll sound just like 'em.

Here's the real answer to writing better...

Read more. Read broad. Read often.

I hated learning grammar and writing...but I loved reading.

Yet not one teacher ever told me: "Art, get good at writing stuff that people really want to read...and you'll make more money."

Not one teacher told me: "And to get really good at writing...you need to read books that are SO good you don't want to put them down."

Not one teacher ever told me: "And to get even better at writing...read from totally unrelated sources because you'll find words that just sound delicious.

Phrases that make you laugh out loud.

Words that you can't get out of your head."

That's what it means to read broad.

Here are a few of my favorites...

Quotes.

You can't go wrong with a good John Wayne, David Ogilvy or Rocky quote! You've read my emails and seen them.

TV and Movie Scripts.

NCIS has been on for what 15 years? You know why? The writers rock!

Tip...watch shows whose characters are kinda sorta like you. Notice how they talk...the cadence of their words. Use them for inspiration.

My current favorite is the show Bull. I'll be using one of the good doctor's lines in another email this week. Bonus points if you can pick it out.

Song Lyrics.

I'm not much into Country music, but they sure tell damn good stories...and stories are a part of good writing.

Sermons and Speeches.

Ever listen to a Southern Baptist evangelist?

Remember Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech?

Or Patrick Henry's "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death" speech?

Or John F. Kennedy's "Ask not what you can do for your country..." inaugural address?

...their choice of words draw you in. Hold you spellbound.

...their choice of words stir something inside of you.

You get the idea.

Read broad...you'll find words, phrases, styles, tones, techniques that nobody else is using.

Not in your space, anyway.

And the more literary gold you dig up? The more you study it, absorb it, and let it guide you in creating your own, original material?

Well, the more fascinating your words become.

Just be on the hunt constantly for anything that makes you sit up and say, "Hmmm...I like that a lot!"

Jot it down quick and read it over and over.

And then make it your own. Put your spin, your voice to it...and make it work for whatever point you're trying to make.

You literally can't mess it up.

Or if you need help making your offer sing, just hire us.
 
I'll be back tomorrow 🙂

[leadpages_leadbox leadbox_id=14555ac46639c5] [/leadpages_leadbox]