“Advertising is salesmanship. The only purpose of advertising is to make sales. It is profitable or unprofitable according to its actual sales.”

- Claude Hopkins, one of early masters of advertising and author of My Life in Advertising and Scientific Advertising.

This #1 issue of Copywriting Classics Quick Tips focuses on late, great Claude Hopkins and how you can apply his decades old marketing wisdom to your online efforts today.

Jay Abraham, renowned as 'America’s Number One Marketing Wizard' said this about Hopkins. “Claude Hopkins is master of them all. His influence has easily added over $6 million to my personal Income…and still counting.”

So, what else did Claude have to say about advertising in addition to quote above? Hopkins said “Advertising is not for general effect. It is not to keep your name before people. It is not primarily to aid your other salesmen. Treat it as a salesman. Force it to justify itself.

Compare it with other salesmen. Figure its cost and result. Accept no excuses which good salesmen do not make. Then you will not go far wrong.”

So how many of us do a good job of this in online world?

Obviously only way you can know if your advertising is profitable is to be able to accurately track its results.

How many of us have thrown money at concept of branding - of keeping our name before people? Just hoping we'd get some results. I know I’ve been guilty of it in past.

With that, I put together a 32 point copy checklist which I consult religiously. Here's a version of checklist I use. I hope you find it to be as helpful as I do.

1. Does headline in your body copy and/or opening paragraph include word 'you' or at least imply it?

2. Does it attract attention and shout out strong, "specific" benefits?

3. Does it relate to needs of your reader?

4. If you are marketing to a specific group, have you flagged that group in subject?

5. Does subject header include person's name?

6. Does body copy begin with "Dear [name]?"

7. Does your subheading or second paragraph flow on from headline hinting at a solution to their problem?

8. Does your copy address fears or wants and needs of your buyer and show them how to achieve results?

9. When you've made claims, have you shown why it gets results?

10. Have you started with most powerful benefit first?

11. Have you given your reader all benefits and details they need to make a buying decision?