The Golden Thread – Copywriting Insider
The Week in Review
January 4–10, 2009

Welcome to Copywriting Insider – an e-letter from AWAI and the editorial team at Inside Direct Mail that brings you insider information on the hottest markets in the direct-mail industry and techniques you can use right now to improve your skills and further grow your copywriting business.

In This Issue:

• A Toast to Your Copywriting Success
  AWAI Staff Writer Guillermo Rubio offers three success tips from Wallace D. Wattles’ timeless book, The Science of Getting Rich.
• Sometimes It Pays (Big Time) to Be a Copy Cat …
  Jason Gaspero explains why it’s sometimes better and more profitable to “copy” others …

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3, 2, 1 … Happy New Year!
A Toast to Your Copywriting Success
By Guillermo Rubio

Picture this …

It’s New Year’s Eve, 2009. The champagne is flowing, and you’re getting ready to ring in 2010. You look back and realize 2009 has been nothing short of amazing.

You accomplished the resolutions and goals you set for yourself 12 months earlier.

And even more importantly, you’re finally living the writer’s life. The freedom and flexibility are amazing. And you wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I know, I know. It’s too soon to think about this stuff, right? After all, you’re probably still in post-holiday recovery mode.

But if you’d like to end 2009 by counting all your successes … proud of all that you accomplished … living out your copywriting dreams – then now is the time to start taking action.

If you’re not sure what action to take, don’t worry …

One guy who figured out a sure-fire way to turn dreams into reality was Wallace D. Wattles, who wrote the book The Science of Getting Rich.

In it, he reveals a success formula anyone can follow to achieve financial freedom. The advice he gives is as relevant today for copywriters, as it was for the general public back in 1910 when he penned it.

And here’s the thing …

Follow this simple, 3-step formula and without fail, you’ll become the copywriter you’ve always wanted to be. What’s more, you’ll ring in 2010 as a bona fide, professional freelance copywriter, living life on your terms.

Here are the three major steps in Wallace Wattles’ book. Act on them, do them consistently, and your success is guaranteed:

Step #1: Get clear.

“You must know what you want, and be definite. You can never get rich, or start the creative power into action, by sending out unformed longings and vague desires.”

You can’t achieve anything if you’re not clear on what it is you want. By being specific, you’re giving your mind exact directions as to what to do.

Think of it this way …

Let’s say your car has a GPS navigation system. If you’re trying to get from point A to point B, you absolutely must give it the specifics of the destination (an address). Otherwise, you won’t get very far. Just lost.

Getting clear serves as your “map” to making your dreams reality.

If you’d like more money, be specific. Maybe you want to earn an extra $36,000 this year.

If you’d like to end the year in your brand-new dream house, imagine the details. What does the roof look like, the yard, the flooring, etc.?

If you love to travel, maybe your ideal paradise is ringing in the New Year beachside in the Bahamas. Picture the wind gently blowing, the waves crashing, and celebrating under the moon’s soft glow.

Step #2: Take action.

“Behind your clear vision must be the purpose to realize it; to bring it out in tangible expression … When you know what to think and do, then you must use your will to compel yourself to think and do the right things.”

Nothing happens until action is taken. Once you’re clear on what you want, you need to take the steps to turning it into reality.

The first part of this is to visualize yourself as already having the thing you want. Everyday, as often as you can, “live” in your new reality.

For example, if you want to earn $50,000 your first year as a freelance copywriter, then pretend as though it’s already happened. Play a mental movie of you going to your mailbox and getting yet another check for your services. Picture the thrill of your clients calling you to tell you how well your promo did.

You should feel great every time you play out your mental movie.

The next component of taking action is to create a plan. Break what it is you want into small, attainable goals. So if you want to earn $50,000 as a first-year freelancer, break that into monthly, weekly, and daily goals.

In this case, the monthly goal is $4,167. The weekly goal becomes $962. The daily goal is then to take specific steps toward achieving the weekly goal.

For example, Day 1 might be to write your self promotion. Day 2, to create a list of target clients. Day 3, to get mailing info for your list of prospects. Day 4, to mail out 100 letters, etc.

Step #3: Practice gratitude.

“Gratitude will lead your mind out along the ways by which things come; and it will keep you in close harmony with creative thought and prevent you from falling into competitive thought.”

Be grateful for everything you have, right now.

No matter what your situation, there is something you can always be grateful for.

Here’s a great way to get into the gratitude habit …

When you wake up, grab a pad of paper. Sit down for 10 minutes and write down everything you are grateful for. As you write each thing down, really feel the gratitude. Repeat this exercise before you go to bed.

You’ll be hard pressed not to feel better after doing this exercise.

So there you have it. Follow these three steps, and you’ll be amazed at what you accomplish this year. And then, make sure to put some bubbly on ice, because 2009 will have been one incredible year.

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Sometimes It Pays (Big Time)
to Be a Copy Cat …
by Jason Gaspero

Remember when you were a little kid in school … and someone called you a “copy cat” for whatever reason?

Not the nicest thing to say back then.

But now that we’re adults, “copying” others is no longer taboo like it was in our childhood. In fact, observing the success of others – and emulating what they do – is not only acceptable, but perhaps the most efficient and effective success technique today.

On the surface, it’s simple to do. You see someone does something well. You imitate his actions. And you reap similar benefits.

Seems simple enough, right?

Yes, it is … but don’t let its simplicity fool you. And don’t let the idea of “being a copy cat” throw you off, either. For, as you’ll soon see, it’s an honored, time-tested technique that’s used by working professionals in just about every industry imaginable.

And you can do it, too.

Done right, this simple exercise in “mimicry” can help you become a wildly successful freelancer in a relatively short period of time. Not only that, but it can also help you save energy, frustration, time, and a lot of money, too.

In the next few minutes, I’m going to show you how you can emulate the success of winners in your chosen field – no matter what it is – and drastically reduce the amount of time it takes for you to reach the top as a freelance professional.

But before I get to that, I’d like to share with you a story about a young woman’s quick rise from relative obscurity to international superstardom.

It’ll give you an idea of the power of emulating successful people, and show you that it’s not so bad to be a “copy cat” after all.

From Small-Town Country Bumpkin to International Superstar

Not long ago, a small-town teenage girl was struggling to make it as a singer and entertainer.

She came from a town of only 2,600 residents in the gator-infested bayous of Louisiana … and didn’t have any big-name entertainment connections.

Her parents declared bankruptcy and wound up getting divorced, due to her father’s alcoholism and emotional abuse.

On top of all these obstacles, she got rejected by several recording labels at the beginning of her career, even though she showed promising talent.

However, this young girl was determined to make it big someday.

Eventually, she hit it big in October 1998 with her debut single, “Baby One More Time” which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1999.

Her name? Britney Spears … one of the most successful singers and entertainers of all time at the ripe old age of 27.

Yes, Britney’s career hasn’t been perfect. As you probably know by now, she’s had her fair share of struggles in recent times, although she has made what appears to be a remarkable comeback.

However, on the whole, there’s no arguing that Britney Spears has achieved tremendous success and amassed incredible wealth in a short, short period of time.

How, exactly, did she do it?

Several prominent journalists and publications point to her emulation of pop superstar Madonna:

• The British newspaper The Guardian commented that Britney’s fourth studio album, In the Zone, contained, “ … most importantly, oodles of Madonna” in Spears’ pop-heavy music tracks. In the Zone generated three worldwide #1 hits.
• According to Joan Anderman of The Boston Globe, Madonna is one of Britney’s biggest influences, commenting that Britney adopted Madonna’s “‘Truth or Dare’-era dance moves” into her sizzling, provocative dance routines.
• And just last week, a headline in the British tabloid The Sun read, “Pop princess Britney Spears is caught red-handed as she steals Madonna’s style crown – and wardrobe.”

Sounds like some good ol’ shameless copying to me!

But here’s the thing …

If you got the chance to ask Britney herself if she imitates Madonna, she’d probably tell you, “Absolutely!”

In fact, in the 2002 book Madonna Style by Carol Clerk, Britney is quoted as saying, “I have been a huge fan of Madonna since I was a little girl. I would really, really like to be a legend like Madonna.”

She sings like Madonna (well … sort of). She dresses like Madonna. She dances like Madonna. She even used to attend the same church as Madonna. And her strategy sure seems to have paid off.

Over the past decade, Britney’s album sales have totaled over 31 million in the United States alone … and over 83 million worldwide.

Her net worth? Last I heard, it was over $125 million.

Not bad for a girl from small-town USA …

And this is just one of many, many examples. In fact, name ANY famous musician or athlete or artist or writer or any other creative professional, and I bet you’ll almost definitely find they’ve got role models they imitate in one way or another:

• Professional golfer Tiger Woods has based his career after Jack Nicklaus …
• NBA basketball superstar LeBron James models his game after Michael Jordan …
• Artists Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso both stated that French artist Paul Cézanne “is the father of us all.” Cézanne, in turn, was influenced by Camille Pissarro … who was influenced by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot … who was influenced by … well, you get the idea.
• Writers J. D. Salinger, Hunter S. Thompson, and Jack Kerouac were all heavily influenced by Pulitzer-Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway …

 … and countless more examples.

That’s the power of emulating successful people.

And you can do it, too.

How to Emulate the Best in Your Field … and Expedite YOUR Success

So … how can you do this in YOUR chosen field?

Here are a few ideas …

First, find an accomplished person you want to emulate.

If you’re a photographer, find out who the best photographers in the business are. Same goes for writers … musicians … artists … web designers … whatever. Find out who the best are … and make a list.

Then, once you’ve found who you want to emulate, find out as much as you can about how they became successful.

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to get started:

• How did your chosen role models get proficient at their craft?
• What did they practice – day-in and day-out – to improve … to get great at what they do (or did)?
• When did they work? For how long? What tools did they use? Who helped them out? How?
• What does their finished work look, sound, or feel like? Collect as many samples as you can for inspiration.
• What particular style, philosophy, or structure do they espouse in their work? Organized? Chaotic? Linear? Intuitive? Structured? Unstructured? Other?
• What parts or aspects of their work can you model directly?
• How can you take this … and then add your own personality, flair, and creative genius?

In a nutshell, you want to ask yourself, “What did your role models do to become a huge success … and how can you do the same, with your own personal touch?”

For example, let’s say you want to become a web designer. Find out who the best web designers are in the business. Get their books on web design. Take classes. Meet them, either in person, or online. Find out how they got good at what they do. Look at the websites they’ve designed. Analyze them as much as you can … and start doing what they did to get successful.

Or, let’s say you want to become a travel writer. Find out who the best travel writers are! Get your hands on a bunch of articles or books they’ve written. Read the articles. Analyze the structure … the voice … and the content … and any other components of the articles worth noting.

If you can, contact the writers and ask them questions. And then use everything you’ve learned as inspiration when you start writing your own travel articles.

Or perhaps you’re an aspiring wildlife photographer, and your dream is to get one of your photos on the front page of National Geographic magazine. It’s a lofty goal, but hey, go for it!

Find out which photographers have photos in past issues of National Geographic. Learn as much as you can about these photographers and how they achieved their success. Make contact with them if you can and “pick their brain.” (Just don’t overdo it and annoy them. Use tact … and if possible, provide them with some information they might find helpful in their jobs). And then start your career how they started theirs.

Get the picture?

Just do what the experts do!

However, there’s a caveat.

You need to make sure you …

Put Your Own Personality Into It!

You don’t want to come across as a “cookie cutter,” a complete rip-off, or even worse, a plagiarizer, which can get you into legal trouble AND sully your professional reputation in one fell swoop.

So although it’s a good idea to model others, don’t overdo it. Put your own personality into it. Make it yours.

By the way, if you want a prime example of “making it yours,” simply turn on your television and watch the singing of “The Star Spangled Banner” before the Super Bowl a few weeks from today.

It’s always just a bit different every year, even though it’s the same song. The singer or singers put their own spin on it … and that’s part of what makes it so special. (Who could forget Whitney Houston’s stirring rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXV in 1991 … just months after Operation Desert Storm got underway. I got goose bumps just watching that.)

So no matter what your chosen field is, don’t be afraid to emulate the success of others, but don’t take it too far. Put your own spin on it and make it yours.

A Mentor Points Out the Power of “Ethical Borrowing”

Before I wrap things up today, I’d like to share with you one more quick story about the power of emulating successful people in your field.

A few years ago, when I first started writing copy full-time, my first mentor was a wonderfully friendly and helpful guy named Thom Hickling.

Thank goodness for Thom. My first few months, I was struggling to find my writing voice. You see, at the time, I felt compelled to be 100% original. To break completely new ground and “wow” all my peers with my dazzling writing skills.

Then one night over a few pints of Guinness in a dimly lit pub in Waterford, Ireland, Thom brought me back to earth. He told me that I was wasting heaps of time and energy in my efforts to be original … and that it was threatening my still-brief-at-the-time copywriting career.

He also told me that I should start reading all the promotions that were doing well at the time … figure out what made them work … and borrow as much from them as made sense when I wrote copy.

He didn’t tell me to plagiarize, of course. But he did say to “copy” and “borrow” and “steal” (ethically, of course) as much as I could.

At the end of that conversation, he made sure I understood him loud and clear when he said …

“That’s why they call it COPYwriting!”

Well said, Thom.