Writing contest - 3 winners will get paid...

You could get your first paycheck as a writer… [The Writer’ s Life]( February 10, 2021 Hi {NAME}, It's Contest Time! I love doing these! 😊 You get extra practice at what it feels like to write for clients, AND you get a chance to get a $200 prize for your efforts. Plus, today's challenge lets you practice writing from a "client brief," and can be used as a sample when talking to potential clients. Writing short-form copy like in this challenge is a surefire way to make money as a writer (and it's great for beginners) … Nick Usborne explains the project and new challenge details below — along with some valuable copywriting tips. And Nick's the one to learn from — he's been in copywriting and marketing for 40 years now and he's as enthusiastic as he was on day one. He was the pioneer who helped businesses realize writing for the Web is different … creating a huge opportunity for trained online copywriters. And check this out … He's agreed to take on a small group of [apprentices](! Working directly with an experienced mentor like Nick as his apprentice is the fastest way to get up and running as an online copywriter who commands the highest fees. And with his hands-on training, feedback on your work, and additional coaching to help you bring clients to you, your success is virtually guaranteed. [>> Go here now]( to see exactly how Nick will guide you from zero to being a writer capable of earning $150,000+ a year. To your success, [Rebecca Matter's Signature] Rebecca Matter President, AWAI Write a Powerful, 83-Word Email About a Carpet Cleaner … And You Could Get a $200 Prize! By Nick Usborne [You can't win unless you enter written on wood board] This could be your first paid freelance copywriting job! I'm going to brief you on an online copywriting assignment, right now, in this article. You're going to be promoting a home portable carpet and upholstery cleaner. (One of these would come in very handy!) And, if yours is one of the best three submissions, we're going to award you $200. Not a bad payday for 83 words! We're doing this because we want you to have immediate, hands-on experience with writing for the Web. We've done this a couple of times before, and HUNDREDS of people have taken part. It's fun! A team of us here at AWAI gets involved in judging all the submissions, and it's amazing to see so much creative writing. And yes, we send out those $200 prizes to the winners! Here's How It Works … First, keep reading. I'm going to brief you on the job, just like a real client would. Then I'm going to give you some tips on how to write the copy. Finally, once you've written your copy and gone through a few drafts to make it the best it can be, you'll submit it to us (instructions below). Think about it. Whether you're one of our three winners or not, this is a professional copywriting project you can put in your portfolio! And it's a great opportunity to get a sense of what it feels like to be given a brief to write copy for a real client. Are you in? I hope so. Let's get started … Here's Your Brief … Your job is to write promotional copy for the DeepKlean Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner. This copy is going to appear in an email. There'll be a headline of 8 words or less that appears at the top of the body of the email itself. Then a photo of the DeepKlean Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner in a nice home, then up to 75 words of text, followed by a button for readers to click if they want to learn more. You probably get emails like this yourself … selling clothes, vacations, books, household items, and so on. To be clear … Headline of up to 8 words [photo of DeepKlean Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner] Up to 75 words of body text [The More Info button] Don't worry about the photo or the More Info button. And don't worry about the email subject line. Your task is just to write the headline and 75 words of compelling text. And … in answer to a question we got last time … if you use just 6 words in the headline, no, you can't use 2 extra words in the body copy. And … the answer to another question I get asked … yes, two words connected by a hyphen still count as two words! Up to 8 words for the headline. Up to 75 words for the body text. Basic Product Info Your client will always give you some briefing information like this, whatever you're going to be writing. The product name is: DeepKlean Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner. (I made the name up, but it's based on a real product!) Target Audience: People who enjoy the convenience of cleaning their own carpet and upholstery instead of hiring a service. Product: This is a portable carpet and upholstery cleaner for small and large clean-ups at home. Features: - Compact deep cleaner for small and large clean-ups. - The item weight is 12 pounds (5.4 kg). - The power rating is 3 Amps. - Strong spray and suction remove tough stains and spills, cleans, and helps dry in one step. Hose Length is 4'. - Parts made from post-consumer recycled plastic, PVC-free tanks and hose; no heater. - Tough-stain brush attachment included. - Dirt Tank Capacity: 48 Ounces - Measures 9-1/10 by 18-4/5 by 13-1/4-Inch - 1-year limited warranty What's unique: These little machines can remove deep-down dirt, spots, and stains because the powerful suction on these machines lift them out for good. Unlike a spray that goes on and cleans the surface of stains, spot cleaners combine hot water, targeted cleaning formula, and powerful suction to get deep down in the exact spot you need it. Portable spot cleaners like the DeepKlean are ideal for stairs, upholstery, auto interiors, and more. Price: This is a $100 purchase. (Pro tip: Don't mention the price in your copy. The price will be revealed on the website, after readers have clicked through from your email copy.) How to Research and Prepare Copy and print out the briefing information above. Then go to Amazon and look at the features and descriptions of other portable carpet and upholstery cleaners … Take notes. Get a feel for the products and the buyers. In other words, do your homework! This is how it goes with real clients. They give you a briefing, then you do your own research too, digging deeper and immersing yourself in the product or service. Pro Tips for Making Your Copy Better Once you've done all that research, you might think it's time to start writing. Not so fast! That's just Step One. Step Two is to immerse yourself in the lives of your buyers. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the home of someone who might be interested in buying a DeepKlean Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner. Will this be their first purchase of this kind or product? What's motivating them? Why now? Are they motivated mostly by the idea of keeping their home clean on their own on a regular basis? Do they have pets that might be causing tough stains? Do they have small children who are making messes at home or in their vehicle? Do they have light carpet or area rugs that need more consistent cleaning? Not sure how to answer those questions? Here's another pro tip for you … Go back to those Amazon listings. Now, instead of reading the product descriptions, read the buyer reviews! THAT'S where you get to know how it feels to be in your prospects' shoes. Totally immerse yourself in those reviews and opinions. Get a feel for the language buyers use when talking about these products. Do that and THEN you'll be ready to start writing. Remember … nobody truly needs a DeepKlean Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner. But a lot of people might WANT one. Why? Why do we want them? How will our lives change if we have one? Answer those questions and you'll be well on your way to writing some great copy. Three More Important Tips First … I've been a professional copywriter for over 40 years now. But still, after all those years, my first draft is NEVER my best draft. So … if you want to be one of the three writers who is rewarded with a $200 prize, write several drafts of both the headline and body text. Keep writing new drafts until it's the best you can do. Second … Almost every purchase we make is driven more by our hearts than our brains. We buy stuff to satisfy our emotions. We buy stuff to make ourselves feel good or to fulfill something in our lives. So … don't focus just on the features … give thought to the emotional triggers too. Third … You're not trying to close the sale with this copy. There's no buy button. Your task is to make the reader want to click through to a sales page on the company website. The purpose of the email copy is to make people interested enough to want to learn more. Make them click that More Info button! There Are Two Rules First rule … Play fair. Don't copy text from the Web. Make this all your own work. Remember, the real value here lies in the practice, and in having a piece of writing for your portfolio. Second rule … You have a deadline. There's always a deadline! We will cut off entries at 11:59 p.m. EST (one minute before midnight) on February 15, 2021. We'll then announce the three winners in The Writer's Life. When? That depends on the number of entries. But we should have our winners selected within a couple of weeks. Submission Details Again … Your submission needs to be dated by 11:59 p.m. EST, February 15, 2021. Submit your entry [here](. Only one entry per person. Remember, following the guidelines from a client is very important. So any submissions that do not follow these guidelines will more than likely be removed from consideration. I look forward to seeing your work! Time to get moving … and good luck! Do you have any questions? [Let us know in the comments.]( Groundbreaking Mentoring Program Digital copywriting expert Nick Usborne is taking on a small number of eager copywriters to train and mentor directly with him … In just 12 weeks, you'll walk away with the skills, confidence, and a professional portfolio of critiqued samples to prove you have what it takes … PLUS, a plan to bring qualified clients to you. First come, first served. [Go Here To Claim Your Spot Now.]( 5-Day Copywriting Crash Course — Just $129 $49 Skilled writers are in NEED in 2021! Get the basic skills you need to charge professional fees — starting next week! Join Katie and Rebecca LIVE online and together, we'll: - Super-charge your writing skills so you can earn higher fees from the start … - Instantly boost your confidence with the power to give your writing clients exactly what they need … - Uncover the secrets of persuasion that the highest-paid writers use … - Unlock the secret, four-part structure of copy that works — Impress your next client with this … - Make you look like a genius with our favorite editing tricks … And SO MUCH more! You'll even get a simple blueprint for attracting your first client — so you can start earning right away. All for just $129 $49. [Starts Monday. Get in Here!]( Are You "Good Enough" to Be a Paid Writer? If you've ever worried there's a chance you might not have what it takes to "make it" as a writer … [cover image] Don't worry — there is a very good reason for that. A reason I bet nobody has ever told you before now. But once you see it, you'll discover a whole new "easy road" to success … One that's transformed thousands of ordinary people into highly paid writers … ZERO experience required. [Get the Details Here.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2021 American Writers & Artists Institute Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? Simply direct them [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- American Writers & Artists Institute 220 George Bush Blvd, Suite D Delray Beach, FL 33444 (561) 278-5557 or (866) 879-2924 Ensure your subscription delivery. 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