Welcome to our first ever official Copy Tuesday!
Today’s update is going to be quick. In part, because I don’t have a lot of time to get it in. But also, because I want to make sure you get the point. So I’m going to keep it direct.
Let’s talk about your swipe file.
“Alright kid, one more swipe and you’re outta here. That might get you through in the minors. But this is the Big Leagues!”
This is your collection of ads, headlines, and ideas you can “swipe” to use in your advertising.
I’ve heard copy teachers — including some very well-known ones — essentially tell you to rip off other people’s copy to use for your own.
I recently even saw a piece of my own copy, blatantly stolen with only minor edits.
This is lazy, lame, weak copywriting.
Maybe you’ve heard of the so-called “A-list” of copywriters? These are the best-of-the-best, top-of-their-game copywriters who get the big bucks to write copy for the biggest mailers in the world.
They don’t do this.
Sure, they may borrow a phrase here, and get an idea there. Never whole sentences… Or worse, whole passages!
(I was hiring copywriters for a client a while back, and had one guy copy and paste in some old financial copy from one of the top copywriters. The worst part about it? The copy was about a completely different market condition than the one we were currently in. It made the guy sound like an idiot. That’s what this lazy approach does. When I called him out on it, he told me it’s what all the best copywriters do.)
You will NEVER be an “A-list” copywriter by “swiping.”
Let me tell you what “swiping” CAN get you, and why it’s taught.
– It can help you build your business in the “minor leagues” of direct marketing — which is just about any field where the major mailers DO NOT play. There’s nothing wrong with playing on these fields, and swiping headlines and copy elements may actually help you succeed in these markets. (I believe this is why some folks like Dan Kennedy regularly teach it — because MOST of their students are selling to “virgin” markets compared to financial, health, and similarly saturated markets.)
– It can help you rise to the level of about a “B-minus” copywriter. Compared to an “A-list” copywriter, you’ll never get the best gigs. Your promotions will never do as well. And you probably won’t work with the best of the best clients. But you can get by for a lifetime as a “B-minus” copywriter. Which, if you swipe regularly, will likely be the height of your career.
But… You’ll never play in the “Big Leagues” if you build your copy on swiping.
Here’s what to do instead…
If you DO want a chance of rising beyond “B-minus” you MUST think for yourself.
YES, you should study great copy. YES, you should use previous winning ads for inspiration. YES, you can even “adopt” a phrase here or there. (My most common guarantee text of “You’ll receive a prompt and courteous full refund of every penny you paid” is a mutt offspring of a few great copywriters’ work.)
But then, be yourself. Throw all that copy into your brain, jumble it up, and let your brain spit it back out from memory, and in your own voice.
And when you are looking directly to your swipe file for inspiration, don’t look for phrases to copy, or formulas to fill-in-the-blanks.
Think about the PSYCHOLOGY behind the copy.
What is John Caples really doing when he says, “They laughed when I sat down at the piano… But when I started to play!”
There’s the setup: they doubted me.
Then there’s the reveal: I triumphed!
When you step back and understand the psychology, you could come up with a headline like this…
“She told me it was time to go back and get a ‘real job’ again… But then I showed her the check I’d just pulled from the mailbox!”
Imagine that for a business opportunity pitch! Or maybe a day trading program.
It’s the exact same story as Caples was using.
Only it feels fresh.
If you don’t want to get laughed out of their office, this is what you need to do…
The major mailers don’t have much patience for “swiped” copy. Particularly if it’s one of the top 50 or 100 formulas that every copywriter learned in their first 3 months of study.
You will get laughed out of the office. Shamed. Ridiculed. Or just ignored if you don’t bring something fresh.
And in the sophisticated markets they play in, that type of formulaic swiping may have worked a few decades ago.
But it doesn’t work today.
YES, the prospects don’t know all the formulas like we do as copywriters. But they’re not dumb. They’ve “seen it all.”
And if you want a breakthrough, you’re going to have to come with something that feels new.
Even if it’s the same deep psychology that’s been used over and over and over again.
Most copywriting teachers won’t teach you these straight facts.
Frankly, many of the so-called gurus don’t know any better.
That’s part of what makes these emails — and my upcoming workshop — radically unique.
It will be a truly one-of-a-kind, transformative experience for the serious, dedicated copywriters who grab one of the few spots that will be available.
Later today, I’m touring the hotel I’ll be using.
The announcement won’t be far behind.
If you’re serious about becoming a high-level direct response copywriter, this workshop is designed to take you one huge leap forward.
I’m looking forward to it — and I hope you are too!
Yours for bigger breakthroughs,
Roy Furr
Editor, Breakthrough Marketing Secrets
I agree. I was going to post a comment about the new Vidsy copywriting automation from Noble Samurai, but then had the same thought as you. It will produce C grade copy which will probably get quickly filtered by the various filters out there because of the standard text used. And it will be popular with all those who will not pay the price for a good copywriter, so a good fit all around and I wish them well.
There is certainly room for automation. It just has to be YOURS and not someone else's. Hence my comment about my standard guarantee text. It shortcuts the process when I don't have to think too hard about how to express my guarantee. Others have mentioned it as being their "clicks" — the things they go to over and over again. But again, these have to be your own, not part of someone else's template.
Eugene Schwartz apparently had his own software designed later in his career that would allow him to quickly bring up copy points, etc., at any point in the process. So he'd be writing his guarantee, tell that to his computer, and have 10 example guarantees pop up to pull from. But also reportedly he didn't keep a swipe file — he didn't even keep his own ads. He just had a bunch of things he knew worked for him, that he used as appropriate. But again, he got the thinking right first — none of this was just to copy words. I think that's the big distinction.
Best wishes Colin!
Roy
Hmmm I see a spreadsheet in my future. And yes, while reading Breakthrough Advertising I kept having the thought that Eugene Schwartz was a human algorithm. Of course that seemed to apply to the tactics rather than the actual prose.
I don’t know the copywriters you’ve been hanging out with, but I’ve been doing this thiirty years and the idea of stealing ideas or copy is the last thing any of us do. And I’ve never heard of a teacher suggesting to do this. The risk of someone thinking that I stole an idea would keep me from even presenting it.
Hugh,
I imagine you\’re from the world of \”creative advertising\” then? (That\’s what it looks like from a quick glance at your site.)
Apparently a few LinkedIn groups where this was shared had more agency copywriters than direct response folks. And really, this site isn\’t written for you, if this is the case.
I\’m far more interested in speaking to and working with results-accountable, ROI-driven direct marketers.
If you have spent 30 years in direct response and you\’ve never heard this, I\’d question your dedication to learning and honing your craft.
Either way, probably not a fit.
Best wishes,
Roy
Most of this is crap. I’ve been writing for almost 50 years. Sure, I’ve seen what the other guys write. But I have no swipe file and never copy anyone elses work. Don’t have to. Every product – every new assignment is pregnant with a slew of possible approaches. I welcome the challenge. Most of my clients judge me by results. If my stuff doesn’t work, I’m out. Period. I get top bucks. Because I boldly march up to the starting line and let it fly. If newbees aren’t ready to do this, then they are not really ready.
Bob, perhaps you've internalized some of what works already when you "let it fly…"
Because I've seen what happens when a beginner "lets it fly" in terms of advertising copy. You end up with very creative approaches that sell nuthin' — a lot of expensive swings and misses.
That's why I outlined a simple process for studying what works and making it your own. Why not stand on the shoulders of giants?
Yes, every good product is pregnant with possibility — but why not have a pre-flight checklist based in what works to make sure all is a go before you take off?
Again, with near 50 years' experience, you've probably internalized and made subconscious 99% of what you do.
But for those with less personal experience, using the experience of others can shorten the time between "not really ready" and "boldly marking to the starting line."
Best wishes,
Roy
Sorry Bob, but I work side by side (virtually) with 3 of the top "A-list" copywriters in the country and they all have swipe files, and use them professionally as part of their business. They follow the advice in Roy's post here to the letter (not copying, plagiarizing etc…). We also review working direct response copy every single week.
So no, what Roy posted here isn't "crap" at all, it's just another way to do things. If your way works for you though, that's great, it sounds like you're doing well.
It's funny I should read your post about this now. I've started reading Eugene Schwartz's "Breakthrough Advertising" and, as you mentioned in a comment above, he recommends coming up with fresh advertising rather than using a swipe file.
One of my copywriting heroes is Dan Kennedy though, who strongly advocates using a swipe file. The two opinions has forced me to do a reconciliation.
Dan Kennedy never recommends a swipe file as a form of plagiarism. I believe, and this is only my opinion, that he's meaning you use a swipe file as a form of inspiration. If, like Dan Kennedy and myself, you're coming up with 100 headlines for every copywriting project you work on, a swipe file can help you get ideas.
I also think a swipe file can help you understand the structure behind successful ads. I recently worked on a landing page and my inspiration was the classic Wall Street Journal subscription letter. While it started off quite similar, by the time I'd edited it the structure remains but even if you know the Wall Street ad, you're unlikely to realise it. It's kind of like how Star Wars and Eragon both use Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey" as their structure.
Daniel,
I think your observations are astute… And in line with my recommendations in the article. I think Kennedy goes about as close to direct swiping as I'd be comfortable with — down to specific words in headlines. Although he is always great about thinking independently and only borrowing from those formulas as an ending point, not necessarily a starting point (the opposite of how rookies do it).
The real key is independent thought — you have it, or you don't. Great copywriters who get great results have it. Me-too copywriters who get so-so results don't. It sounds like while you use resources, you don't lean on them too heavily. Which is exactly the point I was making.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Best wishes,
Roy