Feminist unplugs the copywriting sex robots
Published: Tue, 11/17/20
i.e., “The Kimpire”
In this part she talks Facebook ads & her opinion of using A.I. software (i.e., what I call “copywriting sex robots” - the copywriter equivalent of incels love to use…)
Let’s get it on…
elBENBO: What do you think of Facebook compliance, and how different is it really from other compliance that you've always had to work within?
THE KIMPIRE: It’s not that different from the kind of compliance I’ve had to deal with over the years when writing copy for supplements, skin care, or financial newsletters, but it does have some added “twists”.
These added “twists” seem downright bizarre from the traditional direct response copy standpoint. And while it’s important to learn how to work around them, they’re not that hard to master.
What’s more, many clients you’ll work with have their own Facebook ad agencies or consultants who are the ones who will review your copy, tell you what needs changing, etc. Obviously things go more smoothly and you have a bit more control over the copy if you know what to avoid before it gets to them.
These added “twists” include things like being careful about the use of the word “you”…which pretty much blows away just about every direct response copy “rule” there is. It’s also best to present promises more as “positives”, versus focusing on agitating problems and using “negatives”. (In general, I’ve found this to be more effective approach with health copy overall).
Basically, Facebook is primarily concerned about their user experience, and doesn’t want anyone scrolling through their newsfeed and seeing something that makes them feel “bad”.
Ironically the average person on Facebook these days, especially with everything in the news, is seeing a lot of stuff that would make even Pollyanna feel bad. I’ve also seen plenty of Facebook ads that use plenty of negative imagery—especially ads targeted to women—that have made me wonder how they “got away” with it.
You also want to make sure you have study references you can link through in footnotes throughout whatever sales page you’re sending people to. You should be doing this anyway whenever you write copy, especially for supplements.
You don’t want to be in the position of having to go back months later and try to figure out where the heck you found that study you cited. Because that’s a time-consuming pain in the you-know-what!
elBENBO: What do you think of "formulas", templates and other “shortcuts” like software (i.e., copywriting sex robots) promising to write peoples' copy for them?
THE KIMPIRE: It’s true that AI (artificial intelligence) is making some headway in writing copy for very standardized and formulaic types of copy, like autoresponder emails for customer service, or even some shorter ad copy for online catalogs, etc. I’ve even seen articles about head-to-head tests where some of this shorter, more “generic” AI-generated copy performs better.
But at some point will computers or AI become more intelligent than human copywriters at coming up with “big ideas”…hitting the nail on the head when connecting with the prospect’s dominant emotions and pinpointing their biggest pain points…making the case with unassailable proof why their product or service is superior…and closing the sale by removing every possible objection or obstacle to buying?
I’m not holding my breath.
We still need human copywriters to do all of these things, especially with sales emails, letters, and longer-form copy. This is why it’s so essential for copywriters to master how to do research, and invest the time in doing so before they write a word of copy for a promo.
I personally spend at least a full week or more doing research on my product, avatar, spokesperson, market, etc. before I begin the actual writing stage. And it’s not something I hire out. I prefer to do it myself because that’s where I start collecting ideas, copy phrases, and other “fodder” for my promo.
As far as formulas and templates go, they can definitely be useful for copywriters who are beginners. You can even use them to shortcut your process if you’re more advanced. However, they should only be used for that initial bare-bones draft of copy.
From there you still need to inject your unique “big idea”, positioning, and understanding of the prospect, the stage of sophistication your market is in, and all the other aspects that come into play when crafting a promotion.
Otherwise, you’ll risk writing “me, too” copy that simply sounds like everything else out there. It may perform okay, but it’s going to have much less of a shot at being a breakout, highly-successful promotion with staying power.
I’ve never used formulas and templates. Every promo I write is its own unique creation, and my process is very organic based on what it is I’m writing for. It’s how I’ve consistently written controls (meaning they’re the promos that other tests can’t beat) that run for as long as 10 years or longer and keep bringing in sales for my clients (and royalties for me).
So ends part two of this interview.
While you wait for part 3:
If you get Kim’s new “Million Dollar Controls” program by Friday, November 20th at midnight EST, and if you email me your receipt by that deadline (not after), you will get a $200 discount, plus I will give you a special bonus:
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Here are a few of the secrets inside this training:
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* The single “ripest” & most profitable market for copywriters looking to do their own thing to get into. (I’ve sold in this niche twice and can assure you it’s rife with hopelessly inept marketers who only succeed because the market is so rabid to buy… and that’s why it probably won’t take much to clean up in it if you have even average copywriting skills.)
* Why (with rare exception) the single dumbest thing a copywriter can do is run their copy through a mastermind group for feedback. (And this is just as much the case if the group is full of savvy or even “world class” copywriters.)
* The one mistake even experienced freelancers make when it comes to so-called “handshake deals” with clients.
* elBenbo’s 2 rules for freelance copywriting success. (One is to never work for free — the other is something far less obvious but just as important to getting paid, getting paid on time, and getting paid the maximum amount you can command.)
* Why you should take any training, teaching, or advice from the early “Web 1.0” gurus from the 90’s and early 2000’s with a big, fat grain of salt. (Hint: when you see a lot of the stupid advice they still give to this day, you will realize a lot of those guys would have been dead in the water if they hadn’t gotten in early, when all you needed to do was have a decent sales letter and a circle jerk network of marketers all giving each other testimonials. This won’t be popular with a lot of goo-roo fanboys who hear it, but it’s for their own growth…)
* The only two people (other than myself, of course) I recommend learning email marketing or email copywriting from.
* The absolute BEST kind of JV partner to do business with if you want to use your copywriting skills to make a lot of money very quickly.
* Why all the stupid copywriter checklists you see floating around social media should be avoided like the bubonic plague if you want to make any real money as a copywriter.
* How to know if something you write about in an email is truly controversial (which is perfect for getting a ton of engagement and probably also a ton of sales, too) or you’re just pandering & virtue signaling for likes and ego boosts like your Facebook friends do all day long.
* A clever way to pump up your writing speed while also attracting more clients.
* How to be the only copywriter your clients won’t dare want to fire, get rid of, or displease. (And this has a lot less to do with talent, skill, or how effective you are than most would assume.)
* What to do with your pricing terms that can often attract nothing but the best clients while also making it far more likely they’ll run your ads without a bunch of pointless edits & changes.
* The “nothing special” copywriting secret I used to write a long-running control nobody could beat (all the way up until the day they retired the offer) in one of the most competitive & cutthroat markets on the internet.
* Why you should probably run from any client, JV partner, or anyone else you want to do with business with if they natter on about using or needing a “nurture sequence.”
All right, enough.
To get these bonuses along with a $200 discount off Kim’s Million Dollar Controls program, do this:
1. Get it at the URL below by Friday, Nov 20 at midnight EST
2. At the checkout use coupon code: BEN200
3. Forward your receipt to ben@bensettle.com by the above deadline — if you send me your receipt after that deadline, you will not get any bonuses
NOTE:
You will need a smart phone to access these bonus videos.
And it'll have to be newer than when Steve Jobs walked the earth.
Here’s the link:
https://www.EmailPlayers.com/ep-kim
Ben Settle