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Copy Logic! The New Science of Producing Breakthrough Copy
Back in the "old days" of direct marketing, producing copy was a long, painstaking ordeal. What's more, training a copywriter to write good copy was just as slow... often taking two to four years and generating lots of hurt feelings.
Copy Logic! The New Science of Producing Breakthrough Copy (Without Criticism) eliminates both of these problems. It is far and away the best -- and fastest -- way to improve copy... and cut a copywriter's learning curve in half.
In this book, direct-marketing expert Michael Masterson and master copywriter Mike Palmer reveal their methodical, step-by-step process for turning "B-level" copy into control beating "A-level" copy in just 24 hours.
This is the exact process that was directly responsible for helping one company boost its revenues into the $300-million-a-year range (while creating six-figure incomes for many of its copywriters).
Needless to say, Copy Logic! works.
Simply follow Masterson and Palmer's clearly outlined steps and detailed examples, and you can't help bu come out with significantly stronger copy.
Whether you're a business owner, marketing director, copy chief, or copywriter, Copy Logic! will help you produce bigger winners, more often.
Copy Logic! The New Science of Producing Breakthrough Copy (Without Criticism) eliminates both of these problems. It is far and away the best -- and fastest -- way to improve copy... and cut a copywriter's learning curve in half.
In this book, direct-marketing expert Michael Masterson and master copywriter Mike Palmer reveal their methodical, step-by-step process for turning "B-level" copy into control beating "A-level" copy in just 24 hours.
This is the exact process that was directly responsible for helping one company boost its revenues into the $300-million-a-year range (while creating six-figure incomes for many of its copywriters).
Needless to say, Copy Logic! works.
Simply follow Masterson and Palmer's clearly outlined steps and detailed examples, and you can't help bu come out with significantly stronger copy.
Whether you're a business owner, marketing director, copy chief, or copywriter, Copy Logic! will help you produce bigger winners, more often.
119 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
75 people are currently reading
391 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 14, 2019
Despite deep skepticism and considered reservations, I can't attest one way or the other about the methods described by Materson and Palmer. What I can do is evaluate the book itself, which I found to be unnecessarily long at 119 pages and thoroughly overwritten. What it offers are simple concepts, comprising three distinct processes, which if described with greater clarity of thought, fewer promises of "breakthrough copy" and no testimonials could probably fill an interesting 20 pages. In a word, it's abundantly evident that it was written by copywriters who primarily produce sales letters, and I feel like I'm being sold to on every page. What's more, it's astonishing to me that for as many times as they repeat the steps of the "peer review," I can't easily locate a simplified outline of the process for easy reference (p. 30 mentions a five-minute limit to the headline review; why can't I find that mentioned anywhere else?).
Frankly, _Copy Logic!_ may suffer from the success of its own methods, which rail against criticism despite later espousing it in the "CUB critique." The "no-criticism" approach is essentially *positive* in that it seeks to make continual contributions; it looks to add by rewriting, add by adding, add by cutting. I short, it seeks always to identify gut-level solutions on the premise that we're gathered around the correct issue. What I fear it lacks is the radical questioning, essential for copywriters, that asks, Why? and What if? "Why something rather than nothing?" "Why are we unable to identify a headline that really produces a strong reaction for us?" "What if we intentionally underpromise here?" "What if we turn this assignment on its head?" "What might that look like?" Divergent thinking is essential to creativity, and my greatest concern with Masterson and Palmer's project is that its interest in expedient consensus is that it ultimate forces convergent thinking without creating the necessary spaces for questioning, friction and conflict. But if Masterson and Palmer's only concern is layering contributions that hope to keeps the reader reading, I believe the result you may get is overwritten copy without affording the opportunity for someone to challenge, "I'm not sure how yet, but how might we say this in half as many words?"
Again, I can't argue with results if use of these methods has worked for agencies to create more effective copy apart from sales letters (unlike the authors, I tend to think that effective copy is measured by an audience taking *action* rather than continuing *reading*, but we'll leave that key point aside); however, I offer as a case in point the author biographies on the inside back cover. Of Masterson, it begins: "There is *no one* more qualified to write about copywriting." Surely this is better than simply saying that Masterson is a highly experienced copywriter; surely this creates a greater gut reaction, and the _Copy Logic!_ peer review is constructed for no more central concern than this, regardless of whether it's true or supportable or what that feeling is that it produces. Palmer in turn is "A *prolific* writer who has . . . helped build one of the country's *biggest* and *most profitable* newsletter businesses [for] the industry's *most successful* promotions." Surely all of these superlatives will make the copy more compelling, no? Surely it makes it better because it's bigger, stronger, most. Yet for my eyes as a reader, it's poor copy—not because I'm overly concerned with its style rather than its effectiveness but because when we keep turning the volume up on copy, the reader will eventually tune out.
As I said, I felt I was reading a sales pitch for over 100 pages, and as a reader, I really, really didn't like that feeling. As a copywriter, it makes me concerned about everything that I was being sold about copywriting.
Frankly, _Copy Logic!_ may suffer from the success of its own methods, which rail against criticism despite later espousing it in the "CUB critique." The "no-criticism" approach is essentially *positive* in that it seeks to make continual contributions; it looks to add by rewriting, add by adding, add by cutting. I short, it seeks always to identify gut-level solutions on the premise that we're gathered around the correct issue. What I fear it lacks is the radical questioning, essential for copywriters, that asks, Why? and What if? "Why something rather than nothing?" "Why are we unable to identify a headline that really produces a strong reaction for us?" "What if we intentionally underpromise here?" "What if we turn this assignment on its head?" "What might that look like?" Divergent thinking is essential to creativity, and my greatest concern with Masterson and Palmer's project is that its interest in expedient consensus is that it ultimate forces convergent thinking without creating the necessary spaces for questioning, friction and conflict. But if Masterson and Palmer's only concern is layering contributions that hope to keeps the reader reading, I believe the result you may get is overwritten copy without affording the opportunity for someone to challenge, "I'm not sure how yet, but how might we say this in half as many words?"
Again, I can't argue with results if use of these methods has worked for agencies to create more effective copy apart from sales letters (unlike the authors, I tend to think that effective copy is measured by an audience taking *action* rather than continuing *reading*, but we'll leave that key point aside); however, I offer as a case in point the author biographies on the inside back cover. Of Masterson, it begins: "There is *no one* more qualified to write about copywriting." Surely this is better than simply saying that Masterson is a highly experienced copywriter; surely this creates a greater gut reaction, and the _Copy Logic!_ peer review is constructed for no more central concern than this, regardless of whether it's true or supportable or what that feeling is that it produces. Palmer in turn is "A *prolific* writer who has . . . helped build one of the country's *biggest* and *most profitable* newsletter businesses [for] the industry's *most successful* promotions." Surely all of these superlatives will make the copy more compelling, no? Surely it makes it better because it's bigger, stronger, most. Yet for my eyes as a reader, it's poor copy—not because I'm overly concerned with its style rather than its effectiveness but because when we keep turning the volume up on copy, the reader will eventually tune out.
As I said, I felt I was reading a sales pitch for over 100 pages, and as a reader, I really, really didn't like that feeling. As a copywriter, it makes me concerned about everything that I was being sold about copywriting.
May 26, 2019
É basicamente o melhor processo de avaliação de copy que existe no momento
Por isso eu acho a Agora Financial FODA
Eles só não respiram Copy e os princios da resposta direta. Estando ao lado de grandes outras publicadoras que os Grandes Copywriters competem entre si para bater o controle um do outro, essas companhias que ao lado da Agora são Rodale, Philips Publishing e Bottom Line (antiga Boardroom que cresceu para marcas bilionárias graças Brian Kurts)
Mas eles tem processos que revolucionaram totalmente os paradigmas de se fazer e escrever Copy e de forma rápida.
Copy Logic nos ensina o que uma reunião de 30 minutos com 6 pessoas para a avaliação de uma Promoção pode fazer para o sucesso ou fracasso de uma Copy
Se eu fosse tirar uma lição desse livro para minha carreira individual como Copywriter isso é:
na sua Copy CRITICAS não importam, nem mesmo elogios
O que importam são sugestões e como melhorar a copy para gerar resultados de forma produtiva
faça isso, isso e isso... e se você usar isso isso e isso? o grupo concorda que ficou melhor? em uma nota de 0 a 4 quanto?
Em vez de.. essa copy ta boa, ou você tinha que ser mais especifico... (irrelevante)
No final nosso trabalho como copywriters o que importa são os resultados, e isso do que vai para o seu bolso e pra lucratividade do negócio para comprar coisas legais!
No destino para copy de sucesso!
Por isso eu acho a Agora Financial FODA
Eles só não respiram Copy e os princios da resposta direta. Estando ao lado de grandes outras publicadoras que os Grandes Copywriters competem entre si para bater o controle um do outro, essas companhias que ao lado da Agora são Rodale, Philips Publishing e Bottom Line (antiga Boardroom que cresceu para marcas bilionárias graças Brian Kurts)
Mas eles tem processos que revolucionaram totalmente os paradigmas de se fazer e escrever Copy e de forma rápida.
Copy Logic nos ensina o que uma reunião de 30 minutos com 6 pessoas para a avaliação de uma Promoção pode fazer para o sucesso ou fracasso de uma Copy
Se eu fosse tirar uma lição desse livro para minha carreira individual como Copywriter isso é:
na sua Copy CRITICAS não importam, nem mesmo elogios
O que importam são sugestões e como melhorar a copy para gerar resultados de forma produtiva
faça isso, isso e isso... e se você usar isso isso e isso? o grupo concorda que ficou melhor? em uma nota de 0 a 4 quanto?
Em vez de.. essa copy ta boa, ou você tinha que ser mais especifico... (irrelevante)
No final nosso trabalho como copywriters o que importa são os resultados, e isso do que vai para o seu bolso e pra lucratividade do negócio para comprar coisas legais!
No destino para copy de sucesso!
April 25, 2020
A short and great book about how to write better copy.
The Peer Review part was not very useful for me (I don't even have a team of 4-6 people in order to do it), but the CUB test is simples and easy to implement: I will start using it from this very day.
The 4-leg test is also powerful, and can be applied as an easy to use checklist.
For its very pragmatic approach, I recommend it for people who want to improve their copywriting efforts.
The Peer Review part was not very useful for me (I don't even have a team of 4-6 people in order to do it), but the CUB test is simples and easy to implement: I will start using it from this very day.
The 4-leg test is also powerful, and can be applied as an easy to use checklist.
For its very pragmatic approach, I recommend it for people who want to improve their copywriting efforts.
March 25, 2018
Anyone who supervises copywriters should read this. Even if you've been a copywriter before... This is a totally efficient, amazing way to give feedback to copywriters that actually improves their work - and it only takes 30 minutes instead of hours/days of back and forth drafts. Even if you can execute the entire process as described there is a lot to take away about developing copywriter talent from this copy review process.
Copywriters can also learn a lot about what to ask for when getting feedback. If you can coax supervisors and clients into giving you feedback following these guidelines, you would just explode professionally and really knock the ball out of the park.
Copy Logic is 3 separate review processes for direct response copywriting. Anyone who supervises copywriters (like agencies) should try to put these processes into place internally because it will develop their copywriting talent much faster. If you're a copywriter you'll learn a lot of interesting details about how the major publishing houses (Stansberry Research, Agora) develop their talent.
Copywriters can also learn a lot about what to ask for when getting feedback. If you can coax supervisors and clients into giving you feedback following these guidelines, you would just explode professionally and really knock the ball out of the park.
Copy Logic is 3 separate review processes for direct response copywriting. Anyone who supervises copywriters (like agencies) should try to put these processes into place internally because it will develop their copywriting talent much faster. If you're a copywriter you'll learn a lot of interesting details about how the major publishing houses (Stansberry Research, Agora) develop their talent.
August 22, 2021
Following my goal to read all the books that the Copy Camp Course recommends, I've just finished Copy Logic.
The method sounds simple and practical, and the book size helps because it's short. But the chapter 3 is so exhausting and somehow boring that I almost dropped the reading there. Fortunatelly, I decided to keep going, because it worth it.
It is a Great Leads complementary content. I recommend for marketers and Copywriter leaders that are looking for a way to improve the performance team. For freelancers, I would recommend that they jump to the Chapter 5.
The method sounds simple and practical, and the book size helps because it's short. But the chapter 3 is so exhausting and somehow boring that I almost dropped the reading there. Fortunatelly, I decided to keep going, because it worth it.
It is a Great Leads complementary content. I recommend for marketers and Copywriter leaders that are looking for a way to improve the performance team. For freelancers, I would recommend that they jump to the Chapter 5.
September 5, 2017
Excellent process to excel in copywriting!!!
March 30, 2024
Peer Review, CUB, Four-Legged Stool
December 1, 2015
An excellent book. I just started a Facebook private discussion where me and 6 other online course creators from http://www.coursera.org and http://courses.vaidabogdan.com give feedback to our copy.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews