Writers - this tool does the hard work for you!

And makes your copy even stronger … [The Writer’ s Life]( November 7, 2023 You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win. – Zig Ziglar Hi {NAME}, "You need to know what environmental engineers eat for breakfast," the CEO roared at the 21-year-old version of me oh so many years ago … I was working for a scientific publisher, putting together my first direct-mail campaign for a newsletter targeting — you guessed it — environmental engineers. What would they eat? … How would I know?! … Why do I need to know this?!? Fortunately, at AWAI, we have more effective (and less scary) ways of teaching fundamental copywriting principles like knowing your prospect. 😉 And today, Mindy McHorse, Executive Editor of Barefoot Writer, shares a powerful resource she uses to get the insights she needs about her audience to produce persuasive copy that drives action. Of course, knowing your prospect is only one of the important fundamentals you need to know to become an effective copywriter … one who outperforms (and out-earns!) other writers. We [teach them all to you here](, using a proven method based on 26+ years of training copywriters in person and online … … as well as giving you the hands-on experience, writing feedback, portfolio of samples, Certification, and continuing education you need … to stand out and succeed as a professional copywriter. [>> Check out all the details here.]( To your success, Rebecca Matter President AWAI Your ALL-ACCESS Key — Just $1! Get instant access to this exclusive B2B writing community and ALL their private resources, including … All the success roadmaps … All the writing templates … All the articles … All the how-to videos … All 150+ training webinars … The Forum, the Job Board, the tutorials, the tools … And much more! [Go Here for More Details]( Easy Domino-Effect Audience Research for Stronger Writing By Mindy McHorse [Writer typing on laptop with white dog looking at screen] The core, the heart, the soul of our writing … Lies in our audience. And getting to know your audience is the gold standard for good persuasive writing. Health Master Copywriter Carline Anglade-Cole perfected this art when writing about supplements to the older market. To really find out what was on their minds and haunting their dreams, she went and sat on a Walmart bench near the Pharmacy. She struck up conversations with them. Asked questions. Listened. And that's how she found out what bugged that cohort about the pills they took, along with what they preferred. And that's how — or at least, part of how — Carline went on to write blockbuster after blockbuster promotion, making her the million-dollar writing powerhouse she is today. But you have a resource at your fingertips 24/7 that you can use to get to know the people you're writing to … Amazon! Obviously, the online world offers loads of clues about certain groups and their preferences. And there are countless ways you can conduct research into behavior patterns using Google as your research assistant, or even Facebook. But my favorite, and an often overlooked, single, easy go-to source, is the Amazon mega-shopping site. Here's why: Provided you know at least one item your audience is interested in … One book, or one kitchen gadget, or one trusted gardening tool … Then you can unlock all their other secrets without having to dance around the rest of the web (and risk losing countless writing hours to research!). Let's say you're writing a promo on a new protein supplement for fitness fanatics. If it's still new enough, you won't find mention of it on Amazon. So you look up something comparable and plug in a search with related terms: Vegan, collagen, and protein powder. Loads of options come up, of course … But here's where you make it interesting. First, scroll past any sponsored products. You're looking for something that's a genuine best seller. Start by clicking on a product that has a high star rating, preferably with more than 200 assessments (it's easy to fix the ratings game with fewer than 200; you want authentic reviews). Once you're looking at the product page, review the "About this item" section. What's being highlighted? What unexpected terms are used? From there, scroll down to see what types of other purchases are bought by people who viewed this item, as well as the products related to your item. In my example, people who viewed vegan protein powder also viewed or bought Sambucus elderberry gummies and super green tea packets. You can also click the "buy" button that puts the product in your cart, because that takes you to a new screen with even more related products. (You don't have to actually go through with the purchase; the goal is just to see the new product connections and dig out clues from there.) Product descriptions and related product suggestions can give you a solid collection of terms and phrases to describe your product, its features, and benefits. Really, you're getting insight into the vernacular of the world of the product. But the real gold mine is in the testimonials … Reading through the testimonials gives you loads of clues. You'll find out if the users are mostly men or women or a blend. You'll learn whether this was often bought as a gift, or to help with a health issue. You'll even learn user habits, such as the woman who wrote about sprinkling the protein powder "every morning into my coffee," or the one who "never misses a day" because she's addicted to the energy boost. In this example, several of the reviewers even share their ages and the deeper benefits they're getting. "I'm 61 and dealing with fine lines and wrinkles … I really feel like my skin is more radiant and my hair and nails are stronger!" What you're really doing here is gathering real-world information to piece together an avatar (persona) to write to. And when it comes to good copywriting, that kind of knowledge is golden! Now, keep in mind that these aren't statistical samples of happy users. And often on Amazon, some of the most glowing reviews were bought (you can counter this somewhat by looking for the words "verified purchase" next to the review). Still, when you're stuck at home and eager for real-world feedback … it's hard to beat this one-stop-shop (literally) for information. Editorial Note: If you're ready to get serious about your copywriting career, and stand out as a "market-ready" copywriter millions of companies desperately need … [AWAI's brand-new, breakthrough training is for you.]( What's Hot at AWAI … 👀 Did you miss yesterday's Monday Morning Jumpstart? [You can watch it here!]( 👉 Have you checked out AWAI's BRAND-NEW training? [You can check out the details here!]( 🤩 [Kismet leads corporate communicator to new life of flexibility and fulfillment.]( Halfway mark … [Social media post editing a client's manuscript] We're so proud of you for reaching the halfway point of your project, Michelle! Keep us updated on your additional milestones. Have your own story to share? Email us at mysuccess@awai.com, or [post it over in the Facebook group](, so we can celebrate your win too! FREE Virtual Open House: All Your Questions About Circle of Success Answered! LIVE: Friday, November 10 at 12 p.m. ET Join AWAI's Executive Director Katie Yeakle and some surprise guests as they lift the curtain on our industry's most comprehensive and personalized level of copywriting training – Circle of Success. Discover the transformation that happens when you have top industry professionals setting you on a fast track to success … mentoring and guiding you every step of the way … teaching you the skills you need … giving you the feedback and direction you need to step into the "pro ranks" faster than you ever thought possible. It's all happening LIVE, this Friday at noon! Attendance is FREE, and there's no obligation. DON'T MISS IT! [Go here now to reserve your spot!]( Featured Jobs You can find these jobs and thousands more on [WritersWanted.com](: --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter — Fallon Health Full-time, Minneapolis, MN A Copywriter will partner with an Art Director to provide conceptual vision across a wide range of work, including broadcast, print, digital, design, motion graphics, social and immersive experiences. --------------------------------------------------------------- RFP Copywriter — Robert Half Contractor, Seattle, WA The RFP Copywriter will primarily be responsible for writing, editing, and improving RFPs. --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter – Beauty — Adecco Contractor, New York, NY We are looking for someone who has experience in highly scientific/medical-based tone and can learn the luxury skincare business. As well as someone who can lean into creating and telling the brand story – highlighting the biotechnology, benefit-driven aspect, and standardized the way the copy is written. --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2023 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 Ensure your subscription delivery. AWAI Whitelisting info available [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed to this newsletter as {EMAIL}. 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