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DAN KENNEDY’S
COPYWRITING
SEMINAR-IN-A-TOOLKIT
DVD NOTES
1
Dan Kennedy’s Copywriting Seminar-In-A-ToolKit DVD notes – Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
DVD 1 Pt 3:
Ad tips, Lead generation, Letters pg 3
DVD 2 Pt 1:
Testimonials, Ad formats, Tired ads, Copy formulas, Credibility and
believability, Guarantees, Renewals, Headlines, E-factors pg 6
DVD 2 Pt 2:
Cosmetics pg
11
DVD 3 Pt 1:
Photos, Grabbers/gimmicks, Use of celebrities, The PS, The offer,
Before you write, While you write, Clicks pg
13
DVD 3 Pt 2:
Clicks continued, The pitch, Sample pitch pg
17
DVD 4 Pt 1:
Sample pitch continued, Things to do with pitches pg
19
DVD 5 Pt 1:
General copywriting tips pg
23
DVD 6 Pt 1:
Before you start, Shortcuts for speed, How to test copy, Tips,
Getting it read pg
26
DVD 6 Pt 2:
29
DVD 7 Pt 2:
Key points for the pitch pg
30
DVD 8 Pt 1:
Improvements pg
31
2
Dan Kennedy’s Copywriting Seminar-In-A-ToolKit DVD notes – Table of Contents
DVD 8 Pt 2:
32
DVD 8 Pt 3:
33
Appendix A:
Headlines/Clicks pg
34
3
Dan Kennedy’s Copywriting Seminar-In-A-ToolKit DVD notes – DVD 1 Pt 3
DVD 1 Pt 3
• Storytelling is important as it gives a genuine, conversational and anecdotal feel
which connects on a personal level with your customer
• Target relevant mediums
• Aim to create/utilise unique ads e.g. no pictures, all typewriter font
• Language outsells logos and pictures – when in doubt go for an all-copy ad
• Emphasise exclusivity (no one else would tell you this but…)
• The more copy the better – the more you tell, the more you sell
• Make full usage of all your possible space
• Advertorial: reads like a journalist’s article all the way until the very end where
the sales pitch really begins in earnest. It needs to look as similar to the rest of the
editorial in this specific medium as possible, e.g. typestyles should match, fonts,
sizes, colours, columns, a picture etc - gets a higher readership for the ad
• Change your copy based on your demographic
• All ads die so be ready to twist it, shelve it, add testimonials, make it an
advertorial, turn it into a letter, into a postcard, into a fax, into a radio ad etc
• Write using the voice of one of the type of people you’re trying to sell to – give
customers a reason to identify with your ad
For lead generation consider:
1. Who you want to respond
2. Who you don’t want to respond
3. An incentive that makes people want to respond (bulk or quantity reward)
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• With your lead generation ads, for a niche market be as specific as possible as to
who you do and don’t want and the great things they’ll get, for a broader market
you can be more general
Keys:
1. Alarm – and go for the throat, don’t do it by half measures
2. HUGE promises
3. Curiosity
4. Credibility
5. Know the people you want to attract and target them
Letters:
• Letters sell because of the visceral emotional reaction people have opening them,
and they out-pull other styles of ads because they are the closest thing to one on
one personal communication
• With “personal” mail, it has to be consistent. Make sure the customer sees a letter
when they open it, not an order form or a company logo. Hand address them, stick
the stamp on crooked, have a return address that looks like someone’s house
address – all this increases the chances of it being opened
• Letters that look like official government/bank documents letters will get opened
• In business to business mailing find ways to make sure your letter gets through
the receptionist and into the decision maker’s hands, otherwise it is useless
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• When responding to a lead there is no point doing a “personal” letter – lay it all
out on the line, use every inch of the envelope, start selling from the moment they
look in their mailbox – they want information from you, so give it to them
• The narrower your market, the more important it is to you what percentage of
your market you alienate
• Things to watch with letters – regional bias, day of the week bias etc
Things to add to mail-outs:
• Tear sheets (looks like it was an article in a magazine/paper that has been torn out
– adds credibility)
• Lift notes (smaller separate pieces of paper that are for example a testimonial
from a celebrity/an endorsement/a guarantee etc, the job of which is to support the
sales pitch and drive customers back to it)
• “Read last” pieces in mail-outs need to stand alone and be strong enough to be
read at any time
• Post-it notes, stapled paper, loose coloured paper, photographs, postcards etc can
all be used as lift notes
• Add coupons to your letter as a reward
• Give options on your order forms and don’t call them order forms to the customer
– Action Form, Urgent Response Form – give it a fancy name
6
DVD 2 Pt 1
Testimonials:
• It is difficult to overdo the use of testimonials – use them a lot, all the good ones
you have and in as many different ways as possible. Testimonials sell your
product for you
• If you don’t have any testimonials, give some people your product for free and
coach them through their responses. Replace testimonials with better ones as soon
as you have them
• Change the formats of testimonials for example put them on an audiotape, a
videotape, a CD, a DVD, a whole book of them, an eavesdrop line, postcards
• The more information you provide about the identity of a testimonial the better –
adds believability & value – Full name, city, state, occupation
• Be actively involved in gaining testimonials, coach people through their
responses, ask questions, direct them, rewrite them, offer gifts to get testimonials
• If you have a long term product and no testimonials for the full thing then get
testimonials for everything else - the customer service, the process was cheap and
easy etc
• Reprint articles if someone has written about you and use them – credibility
Formats:
• Audio and video are a cheap and easy way to market – people will listen to/watch
far more than they would bother reading. They can’t skim it and you control the
order in which they get the pitch. You can dramatise it – use multiple voices,
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inflection, emphasis, testimonials in their own voices, music, sound effects,
presentation/demonstration etc. These tapes can also be passed on between
people. It should look like an infomercial and/or a television show. People
watch/listen to it because they’re curious about what’s on it and they are more
reluctant to throw a tape away than a piece of junk mail. Make it as long as you
need because interested people will sit through it
• Creating books that you can buy in bookstores/order online adds credibility and
looks legitimate
• A booklet format may be read by people who wouldn’t read a sales letter
Tired ads:
• If an ad becomes tired try flipping the pitch – offer the bonuses first and give
them the most attention and only talk about the product last and least. This
freshens it up
• If an ad becomes tired change the whole thing into one person’s testimonial and
use their voice consistently from start to finish
Copy Formulas:
1. Problem, Agitate, Solve (Freak them out and then show them the solution)
2. Before and After (Before I was fat and now I’m thin)
3. Arousal Interest Desire Action
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4. Simple Promise → Example → Restate the promise word for word →
Testimonial → Restate the promise word for word (Internal repetition to drive
home the message. Make yourself unnecessarily redundant.)
Credibility and Believability:
• Believability is key, though for older audiences credibility is more important
• Make your discounts believable. Justify them or else you undermine the
believability that you’re selling a good product. Anything there is something a
customer doesn’t believe, the whole pitch is compromised
• “We’ve……….so we can pass the savings on to you” – justify it so it sounds
reasonable even if slightly illogical. Tell the story of why you’re doing it
• Junk science – giving a comparison when one has nothing to do with the other –
the connection is the mental leap the customer makes. E.g. Sharks don’t get
cancer, so if you take shark cartilage you won’t get cancer
• Details (even small and almost insignificant ones) give you believability
Guarantees:
• Multiple guarantees are better than single ones because people are sceptical
• You can guarantee satisfaction – and so it doesn’t matter why they’re
unhappy, they just get their money back (unconditional)
• You can guarantee results – something specific will happen in a certain time
or money back (conditional)
• You can guarantee perceptions – how you feel or your money back (both)
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• Always have at least one unconditional guarantee for money back
• How you state the guarantee is important – get imaginative and have fun with
it. Make the customer interested and excited by your guarantee
• Give your guarantee a name – The Super Special Once In A Lifetime Best
Ever Guarantee – this makes it sound important, unique and valuable
• Your guarantees should make you should make you sound CONFIDENT that
your product really is fantastic
• Guarantee your guarantees, your testimonials, the value of reading the letter
and so forth as this ads credibility
• If you’re going to give a ‘take twenty dollars right out of my pocket on top of
whatever else you’ve pair if this whole experience has been useless to you’
guarantee be aware of your market and know whether they will burn you for it
Renewals:
• Renewals are always harder to do because they’ve already got the product and
they know what it does and doesn’t do. The pitch is always better than the
product. Go for large sum now rather than renewing/reselling over time, or go
for auto-renewals so it’s easier to keep buying than get out
Headlines:
1. They all laughed when……….until I……….
2. Flagging: Attention………; Calling all……….; If you are a……….; (Specific
audience target so that your ad is effectively calling the people you want)
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3. Promises: You will……….; (something will happen for you)
4. Guarantee lead: If you don’t……….in ten days we’ll send you your money
back
5. Fear/pain: Afraid of getting fired if you hire the wrong person?; Losing what’s
left of your hair? (go all the way and terrorise them, don’t use half measures)
6. Story headline: (specific, personal, anecdotal. A journalistic style headline
reporting on an event/person)
7. News bulletin: Now…….…; Breaking Story……….; Newsflash………..
8. How to………; How I……….
9. Shocking statement: Everyone is trying to kill you so………...
10. Question headline: Do you want to become rich and thin in under a week?
11. Event headline: Christmas is only………..days away so………..
12. Before and After: Before I was……….and now I’m………..and it’s all due
to……….
E-factors:
• Some people will not act even though they believe in your product, your pitch,
your guarantees, and even the fact that maybe other people can achieve what
you say they will with your product, but because they don’t believe in
themselves – they don’t believe they specifically can. It is the job of your copy
to be so supportive, informative, encouraging, entertaining, persuasive and
foolproof that it gets them over this barrier
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DVD 2 Pt 2
Cosmetics:
• Almost as important as the copy as it increases readership
• The copywriter needs to make the cosmetic decisions or check them once
someone else has done them
• The bulk of a letter should look like a letter
• Use standard fonts
• You don’t want anything that looks like an ad if you’re doing a letter – make
it a bit messy
• Cosmetics make your piece visually enjoyable to read
• Change fonts/sizes for emphasis, put paragraphs in boxes and so on
• Image orientated companies will be more concerned with how polished and
professional a piece looks often regardless of how effective it is
• Junk up copy that has started to become ineffective by adding hand written
margin notes, asterisks, underlining, circling and so on to call attention
• Paper and envelope stock is generally irrelevant – though consider colours
• Don’t be afraid of being messy – lead them through your letter with
handwritten notes and circling important parts – all these things get the reader
involved and act as a salesperson emphasising the benefits
• The more interesting and junked up and unusual and fun a piece s the more
accessible to is to readers
• The harder a piece is to read after you’ve got their attention, maybe the better
• Don’t fight the familiar, the colloquial – go with things people understand
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• Don’t let technology dictate your marketing – go with what’s most effective
• If a person only looked at the emphasised points in your letter, they should
still be able to understand exactly what you’re selling, why they should get it
and how to order – Your emphasised points create a second readership path
through your piece
• Emphasise key benefits, specifics, numbers, great promises, emotional
reaction sections – keep giving them reasons to stay interested
• Other things to get something read include using cartoons, putting a coffee
stain on the paper, something odd in the envelope – attention grabbers to
generate interest – makes the copy seem less intimidating
• Form follows function
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DVD 3 Pt 1
Photos:
• Use them to tell a story
• The picture needs to suit the pitch
• If a picture is for whatever reason unsuitable, just don’t use it
• People with families, dogs, kids are trusted more
• As a guide to where to place pictures, look where everyone else in your
publication is placing them and do the opposite – stand out
Grabbers/Gimmicks:
• Grab attention with little free gifts
• Can give you an idea to build a pitch around
• Gives increased response without fail
• Can use fake money, million dollar bills, monopoly money, small toy etc
Use of Celebrities:
• If you can get celebrities/athletes in the twilight of their careers but who are very
well known, use their picture, their name, their autograph, a bit of copy by them,
an endorsement etc
The PS:
• PS’s are important and they do work
• The middle PS should be the most important one
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• Use PS’s to restate the promise, highlight the bonuses/discounts, a change in the
offer from that offered in a previous letter and so on
The Offer:
• Does the offer have a name? ‘The Once in a Lifetime Twenty Million Bucks Or
Your Money Back Package’ – gives value and uniqueness
• Create as high a value as you possibly can by having many parts to the offer and
each part being valuable on its own merits so you can bump up the figure that the
total package is worth and then emphasise the discounts you’re giving
• Do everything you can to make your offer irresistible
• Add little gimmicky gifts – a customised coffee cup, whatever
• Have options to get the premium or the deluxe offer (more expensive) – More
than two offers is not necessary and probably riskier
• Offering a choice of premiums is better than just stating the premiums – for
example present a list of ten books and customers can choose any four they like
• Get the customer involved in and excited about the offer
Before you write consider:
1. Who you’re writing for – get information on them
2. Promises and benefits of your offer, and how to display them in order of priority
3. Reasons why the customer won’t buy – address all of these objections
4. Ways you’ll prove your case – employ a lot of proofs
5. Your offer – know it back to front and upside down
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While you write consider:
• The language of your target market, their jargon, their industry experts
• Proof – go in there thinking nobody will believe a thing you say; therefore you
must write in a manner as persuasive and indisputable as you possibly can
• Think of your customer as a sloth – they don’t want to do anything for anything.
They want things done for them. They want the magic pill
• Your job as a writer is to overcome inertia – offer a HUGE promise. Shake them
up, frighten them and do everything you can to get them moving, and then make it
as easy as is humanly possible for them to respond to you
• Gather information on what is working for your competitors or other working
pitches from other industries/eras etc update the language and use these as
shortcuts
• When you look at an old pitch, think about why they didn’t buy the first time –
they didn’t have the money, they simply didn’t get it, they were tired, bored, the
ordering process was too complicated etc – address the issues and make it easier
Clicks on a dial:
• I was sceptical but……….
• What this is NOT……….
• Frankly I’m puzzled that I haven’t heard from you. There can only be three or
four reasons why you haven’t responded……….(and you address them all & re-
pitch)
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• As you can see, I’ve attached……….to this letter. Why have I done this? For
several important reasons……….
• No competitor will dare match this guarantee
• Double/Triple guarantee
• I’ll donate……….to……….for every sale I make
• Conspiracy/enemy pitch: If only the powers that be had told you what I’m about
to tell you, you wouldn’t be……….
• Question and answer format
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DVD 3 Pt 2
Clicks on a dial continued:
• Question and answer format where a testimonial addresses the objections, or even
just used anecdotally to answer some questions
• Two man story – two similar men started at the same time in the same company,
same education and opportunities but now one is a millionaire and the other is
bankrupt, so what made the difference? Our product
• Apples to Oranges comparison – cost of doing it now vs. cost of doing it later.
Not a product to product comparison but a comparison which is flattering to you.
Illogical but persuasive and favourable to you
• “Your decision won’t change my life, I’ll still eat stead tonight whether you buy
or not, but whether you buy it may make a big difference upon whether or not you
get to eat steak tonight” – Use it as a fill in the blanks formula. You don’t want to
offend them with your opulence, but the idea is that you don’t necessarily need
their money (nothing to fear from you) but that the product may simply be a good
decision for the customer – good for a PS
• WARNING! Consumer alert; Don’t………..until you’ve………..
• Summary of a complicated offer
• Exclusivity issue – throw out a challenge and annoy people into acting – nobody
wants to be the one this easy thing doesn’t work for
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The pitch:
• Be very clear and specific about what you want the customer to do – instruct
them
• Tell them again and again – reinforce
• Forget rejection in copy – go in for the kill at the end, don’t wimp out – lay it all
out on the line
• Remember that you are not selling to a customer with your own personal aesthetic
standards – you’re selling to somebody who wants to know what you’re selling
and why they should buy it – be persuasive and visually stimulating, even if it
seems ‘ugly’ to you
Sample pitch:
1. Grabber
2. Guarantee
3. Problem and solution
4. Build value by describing the agony/cost that went into creating your product
5. Repeat the core promise both word for word and rephrased
6. Show examples of the core promise realised
7. Build value of how much the product is worth by telling a story to illustrate
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DVD 4 Pt 1
Sample pitch continued:
8. Add value with bulk – all the information won’t fit in just one volume!
9. Give choices for payment
10. Another guarantee
11. As soon as you talk about the price, introduce the discounts to soften the blow
12. Give clear, clear, clear instructions as to how to order
13. Apples to Oranges comparison (in a PS)
14. The completely irrelevant but fun premium offer just thrown in at the end – free
mouse pad/customised coffee cup etc for the first fifty customers – Bonuses drive
sale and goofy little nudges hook people in
Things to do with pitches:
• Curiosity headline/oddball picture
• Restate the offer, the bonus and how to order
• A page only of bribes – Outrageous Amazing Offer #1: #2: etc and each one has
value so you can do a total value build. Premiums should be more valuable than
the price you’re offering. Quantity of premiums
• Grabber, hand notes, junked up letter
• Premium driven letter
• Note from known industry expert to people that arena
• “Maybe” – something for nothing implication
• The benefits
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• Format – each of the premiums becomes a section of the letter
• Sub-bonuses for each of the bonuses
• Isolate the promise and make it stand out – a box of asterisks around it, etc
• ‘Uncensored’ tapes, banned in………… - people like risqué things
• Important and timely note (adds a sense of urgency); Impending event close
(hurry, you don’t want to miss out, act now!)
• Two typed pages that made me $..................
• Guarantees conditional & unconditional
• My accountant thinks I’m an idiot for giving you a discount this good; Only while
my accountant is out of town could I offer you a deal as good as this
(championing the customer)
• The PS’s – clear advice, up the ante, give bonuses
• The order form is an opportunity to get money over and above what you’ve
offered before – offer things that you haven’t mentioned before, cheaper add-ons
at a fraction of the primary purchase price (the up-selling principle)
• Testimonials, hand written notes, asterisks, more proof
• Envelope – offer, expiration date, guarantee, 2nd and final notice
• Guarantee the letter itself – if this was a waste of your time, I’ll send you a check
for ten dollars
• List of people who get an extra $50.00 discount – people look for their own name
and the names of their competitors, gets them involved. They can call in too if
they think they should be on the discount list
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• Whenever you quote an amount that a customer makes, put the cents value on the
end because it makes the dollar amount look bigger e.g. $34567.00
• When you copy headlines make sure you get them right – don’t leave off the
punch line for example
• Story ad – how this couple went from dead broke to stinking rich
• When an ad starts to die, shrink it down and add testimonials – You may have
seen this ad before but these people benefited from it!
• Flow on effect – in fact, some of our new customers are physicians who saw the
increased vitality and wellbeing in their patients and wanted to get the same
benefits for themselves – as good as a testimonial
• Exclusively for………… - targeting
• Put the word ‘You’ or ‘Free’ at the beginning of the headline
• Create a longer version of the same ad
• Style and copy that is entertaining, that possesses good images, humour, dramatic
sentences and other fiction techniques like tension and suspense works
• Make it as easy and obvious as possible how to buy or how to contact us every
single time you contact a customer – doesn’t matter whether they are potential or
repeat customers
• People tend to buy from you the same way they bought from you before – you
condition how they buy from you but don’t get routine or they will get bored. Add
gimmicks, be entertaining
• Address people’s self esteem issues in your copy – You, not just other people, can
do it. In order to overcome people’s skepticism employ all your believability
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weapons – give examples of people LIKE THEM who have done it, relevant and
comparable individuals (same industry, job, age etc) – show them proofs they
can’t refute
• Disclosures – stylistic device to add secrecy value
• Use a fantastic headline
• Get testimonials to speak for you – I’m just a……….like you…….
• In a conservative industry it can pay to give yourself some sort of dangerous aura
• Make sure the voice of your piece flows and is consistent – smooth out odd shifts
• Demonstrate that one person specifically and many people as well had success
from the product
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DVD 5 Pt 1
• A picture isn’t always necessary, and if you’re going to use it make sure it is
appropriate – a picture sends messages you can’t control so make sure the
messages are suitable
• Don’t obviously lie to your customers
• Use emotional stories
• Use guarantees
• Always approach your pitches as if you have an ENORMOUS challenge on your
hands
• Use controversy (in the right context)
• Because – explain everything, adds believability
• Handwritten fonts are okay for envelope addresses
• Handwrite the letter if you’re going to handwrite – don’t use a handwritten font
• Drive people to free recorded messages – they’re a 24/7 salesperson
• Offer BIG PROMISES – End………in…..days without………
- How a new kind of …..gave me better/more….in just….days
• The lazy man’s way to……..
• This is absolutely the easiest way ever for you to……….
• Hair loss sucks! (A blast of brutal honesty)
• FINALLY, ……and ……..made simple
• Have……….&………..(positives) without even…….. And without even……
&…….(negatives of the other guys)
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• Storytelling
• Exposed! (looks like dirt dishing but turns around into a testimonial)
• Free…….(locking into a contract like with mobile phones)
• Overstocked - $201.00 off, anniversary/Christmas/summer special
• Diary of a frustrated………. (printed on notebook paper, handwritten, messed up
words, underlining, looks legitimately like the only one)
• Broadcast fax – in business to business the decision maker needs to get a hold of
the faxes, which can be difficult in big companies, or where you don’t know
specifically who to address it to, or where there are way more targets for the ad in
the office than there are fax machines – think about these issues when considering
faxes
• Give your customers options to respond – either by phone, by fax, by email and
so on – make it as easy as possible for them to get to you
• The purpose of lead generation and targeting lists is to separate the herd early on
so that you can find out who is interested and concentrate your resources on those
people who are most likely to buy
• Faxes are antiquated and generally not good for sales letters, beyond this you
cannot include any different coloured papers, grabbers, control how the piece will
look cosmetically beyond plain black and white – opening an envelope out-
performs receiving a fax
• Even leads generated from email/fax can be sent a snail mail letter & it may be
more effective
• A membership system for customers so they get a sense of inclusiveness
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• Get to know people in your niche and name drop if you can, try and interview
them if you can
• If you can get permission to use a client’s letterhead, print a testimonial on it and
send it out – endorsement
• The cosmetics of a sales piece are related to the rhythm of emphasis you would
place upon them as if you were speaking – the most important and convincing
parts
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DVD 6 Pt 1
Before you start consider:
1. The offer
2. Benefits
3. Objections customers may have
• In order to help create a speed outline you can write these on index cards and
shuffle them around until the order seems right to you and then start
• Storyboarding (making things visual) may also help create an outline
• Stream of consciousness rough drafts – no outline, no swipe files – experiment
with it and go back and tweak it until it works
• Get the pitch down to 3 or 4 sentences before you start so it is absolutely clear
Shortcuts for speed:
1. Rewrite existing letters
2. Recycle previous controls
3. Turn ads into letters, letters into ads
4. Build and use a ‘cut and paste’ book
5. Q & A format
6. Blank your mind and start
7. Concentrated effort
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How to test copy:
1. Read it out loud – especially if you cut and paste things – make sure it is smooth
reading
2. Have someone else read it aloud
3. Have a 7th/8th grade kid read it aloud
4. Try it out on peers/associates/the office
5. Try it out on another copywriter
6. Try it out on customers & potential customers
7. Search for its weaknesses – check the rhythm and so on
Tips:
• An engaging and consistent voice is what will turn copy into good copy
• Any word that a 7th/8th grade kid doesn’t know shouldn’t be in your copy
Getting it read:
• Add a sensational teaser e.g. Do not read unless you’re over 18
• With the final letter in a sequence, don’t fool around – the customer knows who
you are and what you want and they still haven’t bought so hit hard and offer the
best deal, even half now half later (and don’t expect to get the second half)
• Get an endorsement for your product
• If your product was on TV, plaster it with ‘As Seen On TV’ – utilize advantages,
put it on the outside of the envelope, put a screen capture picture they’ve seen on
TV on the outside of the envelope
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• Label your letter Second Notice, or Final Notice, and say that you sent a first
letter before this (you haven’t) – people feel guilty they didn’t get the first letter
and want to know what they’ve been missing out on
• Use the Blackie Story – secrets rescued from the rich man’s deathbead – With his
dying breath he told me the secret that made him over ten million dollars and
now I’m going to tell it to you
• Conspiracy – If certain powers had had their way the secret would have died with
him, but luckily I heard it and have dedicated my life to sharing it
• Find streaks you can brag about – find the germ of truth that gives you a fantastic
statistic to uphold
• If you have quite a few bullet points, number them instead as it makes it easier to
read – guide your reader through, maybe box the bullet points or put them in a
different font/size, put a screen behind them
• Use specifics in your headlines – a dollar number, a month number, a guarantee
• Put a screen behind testimonials – draws attention and makes it harder to read
• Sort bullet points out into sections/topics and put subheadings on them – easier to
handle, maybe turn it into Q & A format
• Use the ‘I’m going to war for you’ pitch – “I refuse to have your price be the
same as anybody off the street, so I went to my accountant and argued and
argued with him, until finally he gave in. I got it for you. Now you can have it for
half price.” – obligates the customer, makes them feel grateful/special, a personal
connection to you for doing that
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DVD 6 Pt 2
• When using lead generation ads or even direct selling, say for the customer to call
and ask for someone specific (Jackie, Sarah, Sam – whatever) and have everyone
in your office answer the phone as that person – a name gives you a bump in
response, it’s more personal and friendly
• January, February, March are possibly better times for mailing
• Use a life note from someone the customer can identify with – if that’s a family
with a dog, then go for it
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DVD 7 Pt 2
Key points for the pitch:
• Be clear on what the offer is
• Have a killer close – be direct!
• Make it as easy as possible for them to respond
• Give a strong incentive for the customer to act
31
DVD 8 Pt 1
Improvements:
• Don’t underestimate how hard the task is
• To improve your pitch make it punchy and engaging, add a grabber, tell ‘secrets’,
offer big promises, have outcome specific testimonials (it made me this much
money) not product specific testimonials (it was very nice looking)
• Be persuasive – You will not you might
• Keep the style consistent and smooth out any cut and paste differences
• Write stronger copy – cosmetics get people to read but the copy is what sells them
• Offer many bonuses and bonuses they can have now! People want instant
gratification even if the product itself only comes twice a year
• Newsletters build customer value
• Be careful with your line breaks and be careful if you hand things off to someone
else to finish, that you recheck what they’ve done so they haven’t messed up any
of your strategic line breaks etc
• Put ordering and price information in the body of the letter itself and justify the
price – explain why and then make guarantee
• Try putting You at the start of a sentence/section/headline
• Change 1st person stories into 2nd person – you can
32
DVD 8 Pt 2
• Where a sentence/page breaks can change the meaning of what is being said so be
careful
• Offer free gifts/services
• Sometimes it works to use an apology based ploy – I’m sorry that we’ve been
doing something wrong, please come and tell me why you haven’t bought
• Offer ‘no strings attached’ offers and put them up the top of your letter,
emphasise them & make a big deal about it
• Use photographs to tell a story for your product
• Tell them what is new/unusual/unique/hard to find about your product – creates
some excitement
33
DVD 8 Pt 3
• Customer appreciate sale/giveaway – once or twice (as many times as it works) a
year
• Create a relationship with your customers by staging branded events
• Use mailings from your clients that are endorsed to other people in order to get
referrals – specifically create incentives for your customers to go out and find you
other customers
• Whenever a customer does something you like make a big deal about it with
respect/recognition and they’ll be likely to do it again for you
• Be careful about the over saturation of niche markets – find interesting ways to do
things. Over saturation simply won’t happen in large markets
• With corporate marketing, don’t just hit one level of the hierarchy, hit as many
levels as you can and address individuals personally within these companies and
levels if you can
34
Dan Kennedy’s Copywriting Seminar-In-A-ToolKit DVD notes – Appendix A – Headlines
Appendix A
Headlines/Clicks:
1. They all laughed when……….until I……….
2. Flagging: Attention………; Calling all……….; If you are a……….; (Specific
audience target so that your ad is effectively calling the people you want)
3. Promises: You will……….; (something will happen for you)
4. Guarantee: If you don’t……….in ten days we’ll send you your money back
5. Fear/pain: Afraid of getting fired if you hire the wrong person?; Losing what’s
left of your once glorious hair? (go all the way and terrorise them, don’t use
half measures)
6. Story headline: (specific, personal, anecdotal. A journalistic style headline
reporting on an event/person)
7. News bulletin: Now…….…; Breaking Story……….; Newsflash………..
8. How to………; How I……….
9. Shocking statement: Everyone is trying to kill you so………...
10. Question headline: Do you want to become rich and thin in under a week?
11. Event headline: Christmas is only………..days away so………..
12. Before and After: Before I was……….and now I’m………..and it’s all due
to……….
13. I was sceptical but……….
14. What this is NOT……….
35
15. Frankly I’m puzzled that I haven’t heard from you. There can only be three or
four reasons why you haven’t responded……….(and you address them all &
re-pitch)
16. As you can see, I’ve attached……….to this letter. Why have I done this? For
several important reasons……….
17. No competitor will dare match this guarantee
18. Double/Triple guarantee
19. I’ll donate……….to……….for every sale I make
20. Conspiracy/enemy pitch: If only the powers that be had told you what I’m
about to tell you, you wouldn’t be……….
21. Question and answer format
22. Question and answer format where a testimonial addresses the objections, or
is even just used anecdotally to answer some questions
23. Two man story – two similar men started at the same time in the same
company, same education and opportunities but now one is a millionaire and
the other is bankrupt, so what made the difference? Our product
24. Blackie story – secrets to wealth rescued from the rich man’s deathbed - With
his dying breath he told me the secret that made him over ten million dollars
and now I’m going to tell it to you
25. Apples to Oranges comparison – cost of doing it now vs. cost of doing it later.
(Not a product to product comparison but a comparison which is flattering to
you. Illogical but persuasive and favourable to you)
36
26. “Your decision won’t change my life, I’ll still eat steak tonight whether you
buy or not, but whether you buy it may make a big difference upon whether or
not you get to eat steak tonight” – Use it as a fill in the blanks formula. You
don’t want to offend them with your opulence, but the idea is that you don’t
necessarily need their money (they have nothing to fear from you) but that the
product may simply be a good decision for the customer – good for a PS
27. WARNING! Consumer alert; Don’t………..until you’ve………..
28. Summary of a complicated offer
29. Exclusivity issue: You may not be smart enough to……. – throw out a
challenge and annoy people into acting – nobody wants to be the one this easy
thing doesn’t work for
30. Curiosity headline/strange picture
31. Uncensored, adult material enclosed………..; banned in………..
32. Important and timely note (adds a sense of urgency); Impending event close
(hurry, you don’t want to miss out, act now!)
33. Two typed pages that made me $..................
34. My accountant thinks I’m an idiot for giving you a discount this good; Only
while my accountant is out of town could I offer you a deal as good as this
35. Story ad – how this couple went from dead broke to stinking rich
36. Exclusively for………..
37. Put the word ‘You’ or ‘Free’ at the beginning of the headline
38. EXPOSED………..(looks like dirt dishing but turns around into a testimonial)
37
39. Disclosure, by reading this letter you agree not to reveal the amazing fantastic
things you read inside to any other individual without our express written
permission – stylistic device to add secrecy value
40. BIG PROMISES: End………in…..days without……; How a new kind of
…..gave me better/more….in just….days; Dominoes. Hot, fresh to your door
in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.
41. The lazy man’s way to……..
42. This is absolutely the easiest way ever for you to……….
43. Hair loss sucks! (A blast of brutal honesty)
44. FINALLY, ……and ……..made simple
45. Have……….&………..(positives) without even…….. And without even……
&…….(negatives of the other guys)
46. Overstocked - $201.00 off, anniversary/Christmas/summer special
47. Diary of a frustrated………
48. Use……….and if you haven’t made………in………months, send it back for
a full refund
49. A whole new way to………..
50. Why would a rich man……..offer to……..for just……..?
51. SECOND NOTICE (You never sent a first notice – people think they might
have missed something and want to get in quick)
52. The ‘I’m going to war for you’ pitch - “I refuse to have your price be the same
as anybody off the street, so I went to my accountant and argued with him and
38
argued with him, until finally he gave in. I got it for you. Now you can have it
for a half of the regular price”
53. Delirious millionaire reveals how to greatly improve your……….
54. If you knew you could make $...... in …….days would you pay $........?
55. I saved over $………
56. I didn’t think I could do it but I was persuaded by an individual and now…….
57. The Apology based ploy – I’m sorry that we’ve been doing something wrong
and that you haven’t bought. It keeps me up at night trying to figure out why
that is. Please come in to the store and tell us why you haven’t bought –
(nothing is really wrong and they get sucked back into the store in order to tell
you that)
58. Create an aura of uniqueness around your product – The one and
only….that…..
39

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DAN KENNEDY’S

• Storytelling is important as it gives a genuine, conversational and anecdotal feel

which connects on a personal level with your customer

• Target relevant mediums

• Aim to create/utilise unique ads e.g. no pictures, all typewriter font

• Language outsells logos and pictures – when in doubt go for an all-copy ad

• Make full usage of all your possible space

• Change your copy based on your demographic

customers a reason to identify with your ad

For lead generation consider:

1. Who you want to respond

2. Who you don’t want to respond

3. An incentive that makes people want to respond (bulk or quantity reward)

you can be more general

1. Alarm – and go for the throat, don’t do it by half measures

5. Know the people you want to attract and target them

one personal communication

address – all this increases the chances of it being opened

your market you alienate

Things to add to mail-outs:

sales pitch and drive customers back to it)

read at any time

all be used as lift notes

• Add coupons to your letter as a reward

– Action Form, Urgent Response Form – give it a fancy name

product for you

as you have them

• Change the formats of testimonials for example put them on an audiotape, a

videotape, a CD, a DVD, a whole book of them, an eavesdrop line, postcards

adds believability & value – Full name, city, state, occupation

• Be actively involved in gaining testimonials, coach people through their

inflection, emphasis, testimonials in their own voices, music, sound effects,

presentation/demonstration etc. These tapes can also be passed on between

people. It should look like an infomercial and/or a television show. People

need because interested people will sit through it

use their voice consistently from start to finish

3. Arousal Interest Desire Action

4. Simple Promise → Example → Restate the promise word for word →

home the message. Make yourself unnecessarily redundant.)

Credibility and Believability:

• Believability is key, though for older audiences credibility is more important

believability that you’re selling a good product. Anything there is something a

customer doesn’t believe, the whole pitch is compromised

• “We’ve……….so we can pass the savings on to you” – justify it so it sounds

cancer, so if you take shark cartilage you won’t get cancer

• You can guarantee satisfaction – and so it doesn’t matter why they’re

unhappy, they just get their money back (unconditional)

or money back (conditional)

• Always have at least one unconditional guarantee for money back

it. Make the customer interested and excited by your guarantee

Ever Guarantee – this makes it sound important, unique and valuable

your product really is fantastic

and so forth as this ads credibility

for auto-renewals so it’s easier to keep buying than get out

1. They all laughed when……….until I……….

2. Flagging: Attention………; Calling all……….; If you are a……….; (Specific

3. Promises: You will……….; (something will happen for you)

6. Story headline: (specific, personal, anecdotal. A journalistic style headline

7. News bulletin: Now…….…; Breaking Story……….; Newsflash………..

8. How to………; How I……….

9. Shocking statement: Everyone is trying to kill you so………...

11. Event headline: Christmas is only………..days away so………..

to be so supportive, informative, encouraging, entertaining, persuasive and