andrew
We were driving down the highway, the music faded out and the Announcer started spewing out something about Getting Rich on the Internet.
“What did you say Dad?”
“I said that guy is just “Poppin’ the Rag” he replied.
“Poppin’ the Rag”… what the heck is that?
“I never told you about my New Orleans trip?” he asked.
“Nope” - what happened?
“A couple years back — I went on a business trip to New Orleans. While I was walkin’ down Bourbon Street early one morning, I heard this “Pop!… Crack!… Pow!”
I listened again - heard where all the racket was coming from and headed in that direction.
There he was — a young shoeshine boy doing a number on a man’s shoes.
That shoeshine boy was really puttin on a show. He was nothing but a blur of sparks and elbows.
He jumped from side-to-side — popped that shoeshine rag in the air - whipped it around, what a performance. I’d never seen anything like it!
I stood there — waiting to see what is sure to be a “Hall of Fame” shoeshine - if there is such a thing.
The customer stepped off the shoeshine stand… and guess what?
There was nothing special about the shoeshine.
It was no big deal. Just a bunch of racket!
The Announcer we heard on the radio… he was “Poppin’ the Rag” — just like the young shoeshine boy did on Bourbon Street. They were making a bunch of racket, but that’s about it.
He didn’t say anything I hadn’t heard a million times already. He didn’t tell us anything new… he just talked about his company… how big they are - where they are; who cares? There is no reason to believe anything he said.
He was just Poppin’ the Rag! ”
Are you just “Poppin’ the Rag too?
Jump over to your web site.
Now tell me (be honest), is the copy on your web site persuasive, believable and truly memorable — or is it merely clever and creative?
Enough about your stuff… lets pick on someone else.
Check your email. Find a couple of the “here’s how to make a bunch of money quick” emails you received today. I can spare a few if you do not have any.
Open them up… quick scan….
Creative… Clever — maybe, maybe not.
Unless you were compelled to do whatever it was they wanted you to do (if you can even figure out what they want you to do)… you got it - they were just “Poppin’ the Rag”.
Compelling and Persuasive email, web site and advertising copy is not that difficult to write… but it does take practice.
I have discovered an easy way to write compelling and persuasive copy.
Here’s how… the next time you land on a web site, receive an email or read a sales letter — if you find your hand uncontrollably moving towards your wallet… or, if the “copy” is so compelling it literally forces you to take action…
Stop!…
Before you do anything else — print a copy of the sales letter. Put it in a “swipe file” for future reference.
Before long, you will have a valuable resource that you will use and depend on often to write compelling and persuasive copy.
I purchased a “swipe file” of proven sales letters and phrases (I needed one now) — I use mine every day.
If you do not feel like waiting to build a “swipe file” either - buy one. It is truly one of those “gotta haves” if you are wanting to know how, and plan on writing compelling blog articles or sales copy…
…and I AINT “Popping the Rag“!
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Disclaimer: I need to disclose… this is not a 100% original article.
The original can be found in one of the best books ever written on the subject of communication, “The Wizard of Ads“.
I modified, changed and rewrote the article as not to infringe on the copyright. If you do not have a copy of the book… get it.
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