Copywriting is NOT salesmanship in print.

[GordonJ]

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