Direct response writers won’t always tell you what I’m going to tell you…
We know that direct response writers have more in common with salespeople than they do with literature writers…since direct response writers’ job is to sell products and services rather than to entertain or provide great satisfaction to readers. . They also differ greatly from copywriters at agencies, whose job it is to sound smart.
Neverthelessover there it is a “creative” dimension to direct response writing that is not often discussed.
Take a look at some of the great direct response writers, like John Carlton and Dan Kennedy, for example. There is a strong literary component to his writing, with compelling characters…an ongoing story…and style.
These writers, like novelists, create a whole world for their readers. And they immerse readers in that world, take them by the hand and lead them where they want them to go.
Novelists lead their readers into dramatic tensions and satisfactions; The writers lead their readers to solutions to their problems…a new land where their lives are better and their futures brighter, if only buy the product!
This immersive literary element in DR writing is crucial to “getting” this type of writing. And just as almost any story is embellished for effect, so are DR ads.
Let’s say I told you I got these copywriting strategies from a secret DR copywriting “wizard” who went undercover to avoid public exposure. That would affect you much more than if I told you that I learned these things from a retired DR writer, right?
You see the difference? I am basically saying the same thing, except that I have transformed a boring fact into an extraordinary, almost mystical one.
Then it’s the history behind what you’re selling that really creates the impact and makes the writing epic.
Great copywriters don’t have to lie, because they are creative enough to “disguise” facts to make them seem otherworldly and engaging.
Another thing to keep in mind is that great writers create great characters… characters that readers identify with because they share the same problem or situation. These characters once experienced the same problem the readers are going through, but managed to escape or overcome that problem…usually because they used the product or service offered.
Here’s the deal: DR writing often has a strong literary and creative component. Many great DR writers have studied literature or even write it themselves.
Is it absolutely essential to write good DR copy? No. But study literature and narration. will be take your DR copy to the next level, I promise.
