Copywriter's Clearinghouse

When last we checked in on the great masters of advertising and copywriting, it was 1880. And John E. Powers – a curmudgeon of the highest order – ruled the advertising roost in America. As you’ll remember, Powers – said by many to be the world’s first professional copywriter – doubled sales for Wanamaker’s Department […]

One of the most influential books on success and personal excellence was written more than 200 years ago. The author thought himself to be a simple man of ordinary ability. He started his career as a small, badly-in-debt printer in Philadelphia. But having an inventive mind, he devised a method of success so simple that […]

Whenever I am writing copy, I like to gather lots of statistics on my topic. The great thing about statistics is that you can always use them to support almost any sales point you want to make in your promotion. In fact, the same statistic can often be interpreted either to make a sales point or its opposite! For […]

I once took a media communications course in which I discovered an interesting example of the way the mind works. I soon realized how this applies to copywriting as well. As part of a given lesson, they showed a videotape of a televised newscast during which a journalist was about to give a live report […]

Do you have self-confidence? Next to a positive attitude, it’s one characteristic that can have great impact on your writing career. Yet Rebecca tells me it’s something a lot of aspiring writers lack. Said Rebecca when I asked her about writing this … “I wish I could bottle self-confidence and give it away! Some of […]

Regardless of what kind of writing you do, says a study from the National Writing Project of Louisiana, three key components seemed to have the biggest influence on how creatively productive you’ll be. What are those components? 1. A More Consistent Working Environment. Almost all of the writers in the study had a designated ‘place’ where they […]

Until recently, I thought I had to like a product to be able to sell it. Now, I know the truth. Sure, it helps to like the product. Maybe it even helps a lot. But the fact of the matter is, when you write copy, you’re not writing for yourself. You’re writing for the person […]

So much dross… In every newspaper. In every magazine… Dross, dross, dross. And I’m not talking about the news here. I’m talking about the ads. Dross, wallpaper, whatever you choose to call them. I call them a criminal waste of money… A good pal in the U.S – Ray Jutkins – recently shared this with […]

Do you want to market products so successfully you can earn a fortune? Or do you raise money for your church? Or favorite charity? Or political party? Or deserving families in need? Or get others to march for peace? Or even change the world? Once you master what I’m about to reveal, you can achieve […]

“Hello, is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me, is there anyone home? Come on now. I hear you’re feeling down. I can ease your pain and get you on your feet again. There is no pain, you are receding – a distant ship’s smoke on the horizon. You are only […]