Comments on: Eugene Schwartz Ad #14: “Do You Have the Courage to Earn a Half Million Dollars a Year?” http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/ 7 Breakthrough Info Marketing Offers, 127 Winning Advertising Headlines, 6 Consulting Rules To Break in 2008, 100 Good Advertising Headlines...And Much More! Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:31:28 -0700 hourly 1 By: admin http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-8028 admin Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:24:12 +0000 http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-8028 Hi Carl, You're 1-in-a-million. Well, at least 1-in-a-hundred. Dead on insight about how to get in the mind of the market and yet so few do it. Last month, I got on a 45 minute conference call (that turned into almost 3 hours) with a client and four of his biggest customers. After I ran down my checklist, as well as going on plenty of tangents I could never have anticipated, I had 400 pages of transcripts which when boiled down to its 40 page essence was the backbone for a DM piece that's taking off like a rocket. Hi Carl,

You’re 1-in-a-million.

Well, at least 1-in-a-hundred.

Dead on insight about how to get in the mind of the market and yet so few do it.

Last month, I got on a 45 minute conference call (that turned into almost 3 hours) with a client and four of his biggest customers.

After I ran down my checklist, as well as going on plenty of tangents I could never have anticipated, I had 400 pages of transcripts which when boiled down to its 40 page essence was the backbone for a DM piece that’s taking off like a rocket.

]]> By: Carl http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-8023 Carl Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:49:22 +0000 http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-8023 Great site Lawrence. There is much to be learnt from the masters. But IMHO, copy is most effective when it targets the demographic head on. I have no idea what the general mood of the consumer was back then, to comment with any authority why the ad worked. It could have been the word "courage". Or something unrelated to the ad itself. But before I write copy, I want to know the general sentiment of the audience I am writing to. So I get on the phone and cold call at least 300-500 names on the list. And pitch the product or service. I am a pretty good salesman. So my efforts aren't wasted. And this exercise gives me all possible objectives the copy must address; doubts; concerns; and solutions my target audience seek. Doing this also gives me the headline theme. And most important: the "offer". Instead of gambling on guesswork. This is market research at it's crudest. But perhaps not so crude, because I am not asking bog standard questions dreamt up by some numpty. It's amazing how easy it is to write copy - for me, that is - when I do this. Just my two cents worth. Great site Lawrence. There is much to be learnt from the masters. But IMHO, copy is most effective when it targets the demographic head on. I have no idea what the general mood of the consumer was back then, to comment with any authority why the ad worked. It could have been the word “courage”. Or something unrelated to the ad itself.
But before I write copy, I want to know the general sentiment of the audience I am writing to. So I get on the phone and cold call at least 300-500 names on the list. And pitch the product or service. I am a pretty good salesman. So my efforts aren’t wasted. And this exercise gives me all possible objectives the copy must address; doubts; concerns; and solutions my target audience seek. Doing this also gives me the headline theme. And most important: the “offer”. Instead of gambling on guesswork. This is market research at it’s crudest. But perhaps not so crude, because I am not asking bog standard questions dreamt up by some numpty. It’s amazing how easy it is to write copy – for me, that is – when I do this. Just my two cents worth.

]]> By: Doug Hughes http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-7857 Doug Hughes Mon, 28 Dec 2009 01:53:19 +0000 http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-7857 "Unlike the now nauseating “Who else wants?” headline which mindless marketers continue to ape, this is the kind of headline that can add a jolt of power to your promotions and make them stand out from the rest of the crowd." Agreed. Lawrence thank you for all of the awesome content you continually post to this blog. You are a diligent archivist and I appreciate your hard work. I continually refer to your blog. Thanks again, Doug Hughes “Unlike the now nauseating “Who else wants?” headline which mindless marketers continue to ape, this is the kind of headline that can add a jolt of power to your promotions and make them stand out from the rest of the crowd.”

Agreed. Lawrence thank you for all of the awesome content you continually post to this blog. You are a diligent archivist and I appreciate your hard work.

I continually refer to your blog.

Thanks again,

Doug Hughes

]]> By: Lenny Eng http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-4912 Lenny Eng Tue, 26 May 2009 11:31:22 +0000 http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-4912 I think the real magic in this ad was the fact that Schwartz attacked the biggest objection to the sale head-on. The claim of "How To Make Half a Million DOllars" automatically illicits skepticism and in itself would be a huge barrier to readership, let a lone a sale. Schwartz addresses this objection in the headline and switches the subject from "you can" (a greed appeal) to "do you have the courage to" (an ego appeal)... Reminds me of something I picked up from Zig Ziglar's "Secrets to Closing the Sale" (a must read for all copywriters in my opinion) and that is "the best time to handle the objection is before it occurs". Great site by the way! I think the real magic in this ad was the fact that Schwartz attacked the biggest objection to the sale head-on. The claim of “How To Make Half a Million DOllars” automatically illicits skepticism and in itself would be a huge barrier to readership, let a lone a sale. Schwartz addresses this objection in the headline and switches the subject from “you can” (a greed appeal) to “do you have the courage to” (an ego appeal)… Reminds me of something I picked up from Zig Ziglar’s “Secrets to Closing the Sale” (a must read for all copywriters in my opinion) and that is “the best time to handle the objection is before it occurs”. Great site by the way!

]]> By: Admiral Design and Print http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-4718 Admiral Design and Print Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:37:05 +0000 http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-4718 I'm glad I'm not the only one to find headlines starting "Who Else Wants..." particularly nauseating! Regards, Gill Clark I’m glad I’m not the only one to find headlines starting “Who Else Wants…” particularly nauseating!

Regards,
Gill Clark

]]> By: Kwasi http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-4570 Kwasi Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:50:58 +0000 http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-4570 Questioning the capability of people is the key of this ad. It challenges everybody who reads it and sets them to do what he wanted them to do Its something from a great and creative mind. Happier Times Ahead Kwasi Questioning the capability of people is the key of this ad. It challenges everybody who reads it and sets them to do what he wanted them to do

Its something from a great and creative mind.

Happier Times Ahead
Kwasi

]]> By: Bruce http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-4524 Bruce Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:40:35 +0000 http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-4524 I think the biggest action word, is Courage. It is this one word that turns this ad from being medicore to being a great display ad. Merry Xmas Bruce I think the biggest action word, is Courage. It is this
one word that turns this ad from being medicore to being
a great display ad.

Merry Xmas
Bruce

]]> By: Andrew Cavanagh http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-1450 Andrew Cavanagh Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:49:14 +0000 http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-1450 Tying your prospect's personal pride into the headline in this way is the kind of brilliance Eugene Schwartz was famous for. And you're so right. Without the question the headline would be almost impossible to believe but with it that challenge to your pride almost forces you to read the ad. Great copy. Kindest regards, Andrew Cavanagh Tying your prospect’s personal pride into the headline in this way is the kind of brilliance Eugene Schwartz was famous for.

And you’re so right.

Without the question the headline would be almost impossible to believe but with it that challenge to your pride almost forces you to read the ad.

Great copy.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

]]> By: 7 Articles You Don’t Want to Miss | Internet Business Coaching by Terry Dean http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-1320 7 Articles You Don’t Want to Miss | Internet Business Coaching by Terry Dean Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:53:39 +0000 http://www.infomarketingblog.com/eugene-schwartz-ad-14-do-you-have-the-courage-to-earn-a-half-million-dollars-a-year/#comment-1320 [...] Read Post #3: Do You Have the Courage to Earn a Half Million Dollar a Year? Look, it’s a question (see post #2 above). This is about an old Eugene Schwartz ad that ran [...] [...] Read Post #3: Do You Have the Courage to Earn a Half Million Dollar a Year? Look, it’s a question (see post #2 above). This is about an old Eugene Schwartz ad that ran [...]

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