Copywriting is NOT salesmanship in print.
 

Over a century ago, some guy (John E. Kennedy) said it was.

He was wrong.

However, for decade after decade that false belief has been embraced by advertising people the world over.

Writing copy for remote prospects IS an attempt to sell (in the case where a direct response is the call to action).

But it isn't salesmanship. It often follows the century old formula known as AIDCAS (and 101 variations).

ATTENTION
INTEREST
DESIRE
CONCLUSION
ACTION
SATISFACTION

And in today's DATA driven copy, it can be argued only ATTENTION is important...cause once you lose that, they are gone.

Salesmanship takes place between people. It is dynamic, fluid and constantly changing. The skilled salesman can overcome objections, can answer questions...can use all the persuasive and influence weapons in his arsenal.

AND, it is why selling face to face is 10 times easier than writing copy which converts.

Unless a high ticket or specialty item, most salesman won't last long with a 2% close rate, but a good remote direct marketer could get rich with a 2% response.

Copywriting today is a commodity, an easy to come by skill which can be purchased for nickles and dimes. So called copywriters are being turned out like "Hypnosis Experts and Personal Coaches", many whom simply buy a diploma and hang their shingle and the population will buy.

There are many Walmart (beats on price) marketers and coaches out there, easily found and ready to sell.

Is this good or bad?

Neither.

Depends on what you want or need, gas stations for the most part don't need much in the way of advertising, they need LOCATIONS. Sort of like Cable Hogue (The Ballad of Cable Hogue- from IMDB: A hobo accidentally stumbles onto a water spring, and creates a profitable way station in the middle of the desert).

Sort of like Gary Halbert wanting to build a hamburger stand in the middle of a starving crowd (but oops, they are Vegans, now what?).

I am getting closer and closer to an opinion that copywriting skills are becoming less and less important for a soon to be majority of Online businesses.

I will also explore some of (but not all of, who has the time?) myths and fallacies of testing and of tweaking copy, when it may begin to become a time wasting proposition.

Feel free to disagree, after all, most Copywriters spout the John E. Kennedy line as if it were one of Newton's Laws...mainly because today's so-called copywriters are the sheep, the herds created by the Shepard's of Salesmanship and in truth, couldn't sell their way out of a wet paper bag (an OLD timer's expression).

FEAR, action numbing anxiety, unable to pick up the phone, and although I've had my AZZ chewed out more than once over the phone, no one was able to leave bite marks on my butt.

If you are one of those types, and live in a terrified state of anxiety over offering people your wares, then, by all means invest in one of the 1001 copywriting courses out there...but don't for one second think you are going to learn any thing about

SALESMANSHIP

because you ain't. Salesmanship doesn't even take courage, it does however take place between two (or more people)...

one with a product or service which could benefit the other...

and he, the other, with the means and motive (after the Salesmanship has taken place) to PAY the PRICE.

Copywriting is NOT salesmanship in print.

Gordon Jay Alexander

Re: Copywriting is NOT salesmanship in print.
 

Nice points.

I'd definitely agree that it's not salesmanship, it's a different (and kind-of) related skillset.

Apart from anything else, direct mail and web copy are very one sided - there's no way to figure out the reasons don't buy which I guess is why even 2% is profitable although higher rates are definitely possible.

Grab attention - yes, but in a way that isn't in your face. You could be offering me $100 free but chances are I'd have clicked the "X" or "close" button before I even read that far. And even if I did read that far I'd be trying to work out what the scam was.

Copywriting is only a part of the deal.
 

Only those people who sell copy writing courses, or those who fall for the copy which turned them into a wannabee copywriter...believe it is the Holy Grail or Magic Bullet to increasing sales. It can be, at times, but mostly it is just one part of a marketing process.

One OLD time formula for selling more of your wares, and has withstood the test of time is the old NPGS or Net Profits Generator System.

The NPGS has four parts.

Prospect
Product
Promotion
Media

With tens of millions of dollars spent on testing and advertising and carefully tracking every variation...these four parts are still equally important.

A perfect score of 10 (on a one to 10 scale) in each of these four areas gives you the best opportunity to make a success.

If any one of the four is weak, then the overall performance is going to fall flat, or flatter than it need to.

Today's schools of copywriting, those Diploma Mills, hammer away on the singular importance of the words, as if they truly are magical and mystical.

Sure, some adjustments, tweaks, or even just the moving of a few words around, could and might impact response, but it doesn't get tested beyond the single significant increase...in other words, no one goes back and retests the first against the new which is pulling twice the amount. Why would they?

But, the increase could just as likely be a timing issue, or a traffic issue.

Where is the PROSPECT meeting the PROMOTION? Where is this INTERSECTION?

QVC increased response rates through the roof with Easy Payments. And with Lori Greiner attached to it, the celebrity bump could also account for an increased response rate. QVC and HSN come closest to being Salesmanship because of the interaction (one sided as it might be) when people call in and ask questions or make comments.

The Intersection of the Prospect/Promotion is determined by where this target person can be found, or what MEDIA will be used.

QVC may send out mail pieces to existing customers, BUT, their very well defined target is known to be in front of the TV, and then WHEN to run certain kinds of stuff, has also been data honed to the fine art which makes QVC so successful.

I marvel, hmmm, no...I'm befuddled or flabberghasted (maybe)...

no, I'm MIFFED

at these new copywriters who beg people to help them find clients. AND, don't understand why they don't use their supposed newly acquired skills to write copy and get it in front of the decision makers.

It would be like someone who sells bullets asking where the gun owners are.

Sure, writing copy is a skill and an art, but it is part of business and when you look at what makes a business successful, you'll see in every single instance (over the long haul)...the business knows how and where to set up the Intersection and control the encounter.

Now, I'm selling delicious, nutritious, healthy Kale and Spinach filled cookies, where do I find customers? OH, never mind, I'll hire me some new copywriter who can make them fly off the shelf with his newly printed diploma hanging over his desk.

Gordon

PS. The NPGS formula was developed over 40 years ago by Ben Suarez and has been used by three 100 million dollar companies to sell BILLIONS of dollars of products. Gee, I wonder what an NLP certified copywriter could have done for them?