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Article Title:
==============
Want Your Copy to Win Clients? Take Your Shots!
Article Description:
====================
When writing an article, web site or brochure, we often get stuck
because we can't find the perfect opening. We can take a lesson
from basketball players: winners tend to take a lot of shots and
don't get hung up on the referee's latest call.
Additional Article Information:
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592 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line
Distribution Date and Time: 2006-09-07 14:24:00
Written By: Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
Copyright: 2006
Contact Email: mailto:goodwincathy@yahoo.com
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Want Your Copy to Win Clients? Take Your Shots!
Copyright � 2006 Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
Make Writing Pay
http://www.makewritingpay.com
"Start at the beginning." We hear that bit of wisdom everywhere,
even in one of the more syrup-y songs in Sound of Music. (I know:
I'm the only person on the planet who didn't like Julie Andrews
in that role.)
But writing copy often makes me think of playing basketball,
something I'd like to do in my next incarnation, when I'll also
be six feet tall and coordinated.
Many of us begin by thinking we should write our copy from
beginning to end. Begin with a killer opening so we draw in the
reader. Add bullets. Insert call to action. Create brilliant
sub-head. More bullets. Another call to action.
But it's easy to get stuck writing the sales letter opening. We
know it's important, so we keep polishing. And the harder we
work, the more frustrated we become. At least I do, anyway.
So how do we break the cycle? Take the pressure off.
Don't write just one sales opening! Write 2 or 3 in dramatically
different styles, just for fun.
And then don't stop writing. Keep going. And often your killer
opening will appear after you've written a page or two...or
ten.
I write a lot. Currently I update 3 blogs. I write tons of
articles and book reviews. Lots of e-books.
How do I do this?
I figure most people will hate what I write and I'll go back
after awhile and say, "How could I write that?!"
But so what? Some people love my stuff and they buy my e-books.
Often folks who buy my e-books come back and buy more.
They're happy. I'm ecstatic.
Here's my reasoning: If I write enough, some of it has to be
good.
In my experience, the only way to write compelling copy is to
write lots and lots of bad copy. Be willing to toss anything and
everything. One day, as you read what you wrote, you'll realize,
"That was a gem and I didn't know it at the time!"
So how does this working style resemble basketball?
One of my favorite basketball players is Diana Taurasi of the
Phoenix Mercury. I've followed her since she was a freshman at
UConn. She's been compared to Magic Johnson as one of the
greatest women players ever.
A sportswriter once said, "Diana never saw a shot she didn't
like." She shoots from anywhere, even when she's double-teamed
(which of course she usually is) and has a hand waving in her
face. Most of the time she looks like she's having fun (except
when she gets booed for arguing with the referees, who admittedly
are pretty awful in the WNBA).
She has a lot of bad shots and, every so often, has a really bad
game. But she gets star status for taking those shots over and
over again. And when she's hot, she starts getting
three-pointers and making them look easy.
Players who keep passing the ball, waiting for a perfect shot,
come across as timid. Fans get frustrated. Let's not even wonder
what the coaches are thinking. Timid players often end up
creating turnovers because, these days, you've got great players
on both teams. Botch a pass and your opponent goes sailing down
the court for an easy lay-up.
So that's my approach to copywriting.
Take a lot of shots.
Expect arguments with the self-appointed referees (like your
client's best friend, who considers herself a copywriting expert
because she took one marketing class and got a B-plus after three
grade appeals).
And, most of all, look like you're having fun. The fans always
know.
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Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
Strategic Copywriting and Communications Consulting
"Transform your lazy couch potato website into a lean mean
marketing machine"
http://www.makewritingpay.com
Fr^e 7-best kept secrets of client-attracting copy
http://www.makewritingpay.com/subscribe.html
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