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FIB - Scams 101
Re: AWAI COPYWRITER MONICA DAY SUFFERS COLLATERAL DAMAGE
Posted By: Peter In Response To: Re: AWAI COPYWRITER MONICA DAY SUFFERS COLLATERAL DAMAGE (Philip Coleman)
Date: Friday, March 20, 2009, at 11:27 p.m.(pst)
Wow. It seems like someone sure stirred up a hornet's nest.
I've been a professional copywriter for over 30 years. About half that as Senior Copywriter at a large advertising agency. The second half freelance or running my own small marketing company, which I do now. It's been a very good career.I've known about people like Bob Bly for years. What copywriter hasn't.
I ordered Million Dollar Web Copywriting from AWAI a few months ago. And I subscribe to their e-Newsletter. My opinion is that there is a lot of good and useful stuff there. Stuff that I use every day. Working in a creative department of an ad agency writing 30 second television commercials, or as we call them spots, you don't get exposed much to the "science" of direct marketing. I used the word "science" because that's what it seems like compared to what we do in an agency. There is a lot more selling going on in Direct than there is in a 30 second spot. I came to appreciate that. Frankly most of the selling we did at the ad agency was selling the client on our campaign. And sometimes that took a lot of selling. But did it actually help sell the client's product? Who knows? People would talk about the commercials, but did that mean they were buying the products because of them? Nobody knows?But Direct Marketing shows proven results. Campaigns are tested and improved until the results are outstanding. That's why I call it a "science". It's based on facts. And AWAI is very, very good at Direct Marketing.
If some of us feel cheated because we were convinced to buy one of their programs, that's because we were successfully sold. Does it feel like manipulation when we figure out how were were sold? Yeah. Selling is manipulation. Whether it's soft sell or hard sell, there's still a whole lot of very clever, psychological manipulation going on. When you know how to do that as well as AWAI and the people who create their courses and write their letters do, then you've got the makings of a pretty prosperous career as a copywriter ahead of you. It's sure worked for me.
If a product does not do what it promises to do, then that's false advertising. That's against the law. But the tips and techniques I've seen are solid Direct Marketing techniques. Most people writing for the web don't have a clue about selling. Nike Usborne, the fellow who wrote that copywriter's course I was talking about, does.
I don't work for AWAI. AWAI isn't paying me anything to write this. But if they wanted to give me a free course or a steep discount, I wouldn't complain.
Just the opinion of this old copywriter. Programs are pretty expensive, I'll give you that. And you sure won't learn any of this stuff in an accredited 4 year college. Not any I've ever heard of. I know a lot of writing professors and none that I know have a clue about writing good copy. It's both an art and a science. As we used to say at the agency, "It's not rocket science." But it does take a certain type of person and a lot of experience to do it well.
I would recommend every aspiring copywriter sell products door to door for at least three years before they attempt to write copy. That was the best training I ever had. And it's far better training than you'll ever get at a 4 year college. It's even better training than you'll get from AWAI. And you probably still need something like AWAI after your 3 years of door to door selling to learn how to do the same thing you do in person in print. The most important part of a sale is the close. Very few copywriters write good closes. No agency copywriter I've ever met knows how to write a solid close. Direct Marketers do not survive unless they can write great closes.
Just my humble opinion, for what it's worth.
Peter
>> I just want to add my support of AWAI.
>> A year ago I began on their 6 Figure copywriting course and have,
>> since then, followed a number of their courses.>> The result?
>> While I was already making a living from writing, before taking the
>> AWAI courses, the lessons I learned from them have improved my copywriting
>> hugely.>> I am a full time copywriter and I credit AWAI with much of the success
>> I have achieved over the last year. In fact, one course was so good that I
>> began one-on-one coaching with the course writer.>> I cannot personally vouch for any individual on the AWAI team,
>> although I have met with nothing but helpfulness and support. I am based
>> in London in the UK so I have not visited their premises nor met any
>> members of staff.>> But what I do know is that the writers who regularly work with AWAI,
>> and attend their bootcamps, and write their courses, and associate
>> themselves with AWAI, are some of the best in the business.>> And having read a wide range of books and followed a number of courses
>> on the practice of copywriting, I can make a judegement about the quality
>> of the AWAI teaching materials - and my judgement is very positive.>> I have recommended AWAI to a number of people and I will continue to
>> do so. If anyone is serious about learning the trade of copywriting I will
>> continue to suggest that they go to the AWAI.>> I am not associated with the AWAI in any way. I am simply a satisfied
>> customer who has spent more than a few thousand $ with the AWAI - but have
>> earned far more from the knowledge gained.>> Thank you for reading.
>> Phil>> Moderator's Note: While posting you link at the bottom is encouraged,
>> it is also restricted when it matches up to what is basically a post
>> promoting your opportunity. Post on other topics and your link will be
>> allowed to remainl
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