Hiya CopyStar!
Ok, so let’s say you got an assignment to write a promotion for a nutritional product. You turn on your computer, open up your WORD doc and click on the NEW page icon to get started.
Instantly, a fresh, BLANK screen pops up.
Suddenly – you stare at that screen like a deer in headlights. Your mind goes blank… your heart rate speeds up… and you start hyperventilating!
The words just ain’t coming and you hear that lil’ negative voice in your mind say, “you’re a fraud… a fake… you’ve bitten off more than you can chew… and you’re about to get busted!”
Sound familiar?
Here’s how you clobber the blank page blues…
Never start with a blank screen! Try this instead:
When you turn on the computer, DON’T click the new document icon! Instead, open up a file that contains a project you’ve already worked on.
If you don’t have an old project, then open up ANY document that already has words in it!
Then RENAME the file!
Guess what?
You’re no longer looking at a blank screen!
Now – if you’re working on a nutritional product, you know you’re going to need some standard elements for your package. After all…
… EVERY promotion needs an order form and a guarantee, right?
So – cut and paste an existing order form and guarantee from a previous project. Don’t worry – you’ll change the copy to make it more appropriate for the new client later.
Hmm…what else?
Well every promotion needs a headline, right?
So – on the top of the page – write in 24 pt type: “Big, Freakin’ Headline Goes Here!”
Now, delete the old copy that was on the file — and guess what?
You’ve still got about 3 pages of text and you haven’t written a single word of NEW copy! But here’s the best…
… you’ve beaten the blank page blues! But don’t stop there! Why?
Because…
…let’s get some butter — ’cause YOU’RE ON A ROLL…
Ok now, you know every good package needs strong testimonials.
So as you go through your research kit, find some interesting testimonials. Create a section in your copy that says “[Sidebar #XX Testimonials]” and park those strong testimonials right there.
Don’t worry about tweaking the testimonials or writing headlines for them yet. You’re just adding guts to your soon-to-be kick-butt promo!
What else? Hmmm… special reports AKA premiums are also MUST HAVES in your promo!
Who cares if you don’t know what those reports are going to be about yet. You know you need ’em so make a spot for them in your copy!
Here’s what you can do…
… say something like, “[Premium #1: this is my lead premium. Needs to tie in with my theme]. Make notations for the other 2…5… or 7 premiums you plan to write. But wait a minute…
… don’t you dare forget about the early bird premium! That’s going to make your prospect ACT NOW!
Don’t worry if it’s going to be a “Call within 7 or 10 days” — you’ll figure that out later — just make some room for that important fast response element right now!
You gotta be kidding me!
Have you really “written” about 7 pages of copy already?
You ROCK!
Keep this up and pretty soon, you’re going to have TOO MUCH copy — and you’ll need to edit it. That’s ok — editing is WAY easier than creating from scratch!
Do you get my point?
The best way to avoid the blank screen blues — is to NEVER start with a blank screen!
Yours for stellar results,
