True?

You probably subscribe to a handful of newsletters like mine... you've read a few of classic copywriting books by Claude Hopkins... John Caples... or Victor Schwab, and... you may have even read some "modern-day" books by guys like Dan Kennedy... Gary Halbert... and Joe Sugarman.

And this is good -- you're definitely going down right track here.

Keep doing this, because knowledge applied in right direction, really is powerful.

And in case you missed it...

The key word here, is... "applied"!

Anyway, what I want you to do right now, is to...

Completely Stop Reading These Books!

At least for a while anyway.

You see, you may not know it, but you could learn just as much -- if not more -- about writing effective sales copy, by reading fun stuff too, like fiction.

No, I'm not kidding, and let's face it, you also get a lot more involved and emotionally attached to characters in a good novel, then in a good "How To" book, any day.

Right?

See, I just finished up a few AWESOME novels, and I'd like to show you what to look for when you're reading a good novel, and how to use this information to easily learn how to improve your sales copy.

Ready?

O.K. then.

The first book I want to tell you about is called "Motherless Brooklyn", by an author named Jonathan Lethem, who's actually from Brooklyn.

If you like a good old-fashioned murder / mystery / adventure and suspense book, only one that takes place in modern times, then grab yourself a copy of this book -- you won't be sorry.

It's like a spy thriller, only there's no spies in this one -- just petty thugs and slick Brooklyn street hustlers.

Anyway, here's why I loved this book: Check out how well this guy writes, from page 155:

“The four of them wore identical blue suits with black piping on legs, and identical black sunglasses. They looked like a band that plays at weddings. Four white guys, assortedly chunky, pitched in face, with pimples, and indistinct. Their car was a rental. Chunky sat in backseat waiting and when two who'd picked me up crushed me into back beside him, he immediately put his arm around my neck in a sort of brotherly choke hold. The two who'd picked me off street -- Pimples and Indistinct -- jammed in beside me, to make four of us on backseat. It was a bit crowded.”

WOW!

I mean, how much cooler do you get than that?

Notice how Lethem's writing:

Short, stacco sentences! Lethem's writing exactly same way he'd be talking, if he was telling you this story in a conversation, instead of writing it.

Descriptive as all get out! He tells you what guys looked like... he gives you a visual and psychological anchor, by telling you they also resembled a band that plays at weddings... and... he also gives you an overview of their physical characteristics.

And thing is, physical attributes he's describing, are vivid and stereotypical enough, that you can start picturing other visual, physical, and personality characteristics typically associated with people who share these same "trademarks".

This guy's simply brilliant!

He’s specific! They're not just "blue suits", they're "identical blue suits with black piping on legs, and identical black sunglasses".

Being specific makes entire scenario much more believable and life-like. (Just same way it does when you're writing your sales copy.)

Do you see what my point is, about all this?

If you don't, then you're really missing out on a very valuable lesson here.

See, each of these techniques Lethem's using in his fiction writing, are same techniques you should be using in your sales copy.

They get your prospects more involved with message you're trying to deliver. And, if your prospects are actually taking time out of their lives to devote some mental "shelf-space" to you and your message... it brings them closer to you, and... closer to...

Buying From You!

Another book I just finished reading, is "Holes" by Louis Sachar.

"Hype" has become a word that many online marketers are shying away from. Yet each person has his or her own definition of what constitutes hype. I just typed in word "hype" at Answers.com and here are two definitions that dictionary returned:

1. Exaggerated or extravagant claims made especially in advertising or promotional material: "It is pure hype, a gigantic PR job" 2. Something deliberately misleading; a deception: " [He] says that there isn't any energy crisis at all, that it's all a hype, to maintain outrageous profits for oil companies"

Even from those two definitions we see that one indicates exaggeration which makes up figure of speech called a hyperbole and other suggests deliberate deception.

I think that most marketers will want to shy away from deceiving their prospects. From that perspective 'hype' will not just be wrong but unethical.

But what most people see as 'hype' normally involves a high-pressure direct selling sales letter that uses many superlatives and promises much more than product or service can deliver. For example, to make purchaser rich overnight with little effort on their part and instant success and gratification.

This style of writing has become so popular on internet that most people have become immune to such letters. The kind of sales copy that now stands out is one that is more down-to-earth and shows a human side. By 'human side' I mean openly admitting to downside or faults of your wares.

This of course is a counterintuitive approach. Who wants to admit that they are selling 'faulty' products? In fact, real purpose of a sales letter is to get a sale not to drive people away. So, if logic and common sense hold true, you should show all great benefits that your product or service offers. And be silent about weaknesses.

But a big issue especially on internet is a matter of credibility. And when you are willing to say that your product or service is not perfect solution then your credibility just shoots through roof! You become believable and transparent and it shows that you have nothing to hide.