Brilliant winemaker accidentally reveals #1 greatest "trick" to copywriting

A true copywriting story for the ages: One of my all-time favorite wineries is in The Burgle (Roseburg, OR — the bung hole of the universe, imo) called Hillcrest. It’s owned by an extremely talented winemaker named Dyson Paul. Easily the best wine in the state. Haven’t been there in a while, but will likely be going there again this Summer. And the last time I visited, he explained why his wines are so good compared to many others. :Like, for example: How he does everything old school still. How he knows the centuries long history of his grapes. How he often still travels to Europe to study the old masters, and so forth. Anyway, he said something last time that I have never forgotten: “The trick is there are no tricks” He was talking about making wine. But, it’s just as true for writing sales copy. Case in point: Many years ago I was talking to a copywriting student who was struggling with a re-writing a sales letter for a client. This student was stuck on “what” to say in the ad to keep it interesting and not stale (like almost all ads, especially in that particular niche), and was experiencing all the usual overwhelm, stress, and anxiety a lot of copywriters go through in a similar situation. “Mr. elBenbo, what should I do???” “Relax, child,” I replied. And then went on to show my customer a truly “fool proof” technique I use for getting un-stuck and banging out ads that I have used on many of my highest-converting sales letters. The result? In 15-minutes my student’s ad was completely different. It was more exciting. More interesting. And, yes, far more profitable. And, this is the case even though I knew bupkis about the market. I think it was selling a course to cyclists or something. What I do remember though, is the client being extremely happy with it, and it made my customer look like a hero — all from a ridiculously simple trick I gave that took me maybe 15-seconds to explain. Now, some might ask: “Ben what was the copywriting trick?” And anyone asking that would be disappointed. Because it wasn’t a “trick.” Just like with my winemaker pal: The trick is there is no tricks. What I said to do was simply something I do in all my ads (and emails) that is so obvious it astonishes me so few others do it when doing research for their sales letters. Something that shaves days (if not weeks) off my research time. Something that is so simple, probably many younger copywriters still thinking it is about "writing" will brush off because it’s not fun or exciting. The “something”? Look at the market and see what their biggest pains, horrors, are, and write about 'em. Ooh. So clever! Yet that one little switch dictated a new headline, a new opening paragraph, a new story, and many new bullets for the student, plus enhancing the offer (challenging the client to make the offer better), all in one fell swoop. This is just an example of how one should be approaching copywriting. One of many examples, in fact. I’m not a “tricks & tips” kinda guy, I’m more meat & potatoes. In fact, Stefania’s personal trainer said something that perfectly sums up this approach. She told Stefania: “Avoid the middle aisles in grocery stores. Only shop around the sides.” Why? Because that’s where the healthy, whole foods are: Meat, potatoes, fruits, vegetables, eggs, etc. The middle aisles are mostly junk, empty calories, candy, sugar, whatever it is. That is exactly my approach to copywriting: Shopping around the side of the store's aisles. What I teach, do, say, follow, pursue is the raw fundamentals and basics, the healthy stuff, that makes for healthy sales, and healthy customer relationships after the sale — not the fun carby junk food in the middle aisles that look exciting & cool, but just kill sales & customer relationships, especially after the sale. I still use the word “secrets” and “tricks” a lot in my ads & emails. Because, frankly, the fundamentals are a secret & seem like “tricks” to most. If they weren’t a secret or if they did look like tricks, more copywriters would use them. But they don’t. Thus, I still use those words. Whatever the case: The upcoming King-Sized May Email Players — a fat 32 pages vs the usual 20 — issue is chock-full of “my” kind of copywriting above. It’s also an intense page-by-page, paragraph-by-paragraph, line-by-line, precept-upon-precept analysis of one of my sales letters, that also includes a lot of ideas, thoughts, principles I have not taught anywhere else including in my Copy Slacker book — and with all the psychology explained, including with many tricks I use “on you.” Deadline of doom is creeping up. If you want into on time, go here: [https∶//www.EmailPlayers.com]( Ben Settle This email was sent by Ben Settle as owner of Settle, LLC. Copyright © 2023 Settle, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this email may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from Settle, LLC. Click here to [unsubscribe]( Settle, LLC PO Box 1056 Gold Beach Oregon 97444 USA