Anita Ashland: Autoresponder Copywriter

The voices in an email copywriter’s head

Have you heard of voice actor Billy West? I hadn’t either until I read an article that said he’s considered the “new Mel Blanc.” I sometimes call myself the Mel Blanc of Copywriting because an email copywriter has to be good at writing in many different voices. Mel Blanc was famous for being “the man [...]

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How I once told a persuasive story that drew blood

As you know, there are many opportunities in your daily life to practice persuasion skills. Those of us who are parents have even more opportunities to have to use persuasion. Last week I had to take all four of my daughters in for blood draws at the clinic’s lab. As you might imagine, they weren’t [...]

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5 questions to help you uncover your (or your client’s) story

As you know, your story is an essential part of your sales page and other marketing materials. When putting together a sales page, the story ranks right up there with the marketing research information in importance. Sometimes it’s difficult to uncover your story because it’s so easy to overlook the details in your life that [...]

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Email copy and the rock & roll 45

Remember the rock & roll 45? Singles used to be a big deal back in the day. Unfortunately it’s a format that seems to have been abandoned by a lot of rock & roll artists. According to Bono of U2, the rock & roll 45 “is the evolutionary peak of the species…it is by far [...]

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Beginning, Middle, End (Pithy Copywriting Tip #24)

Aristotle said “A whole is beginning, middle and end.” This applies to stories, emails, sales pages and blog posts too. You have to have all three elements – not just one or two. Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

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Marketing lesson from a singing janitor

While leaving a medical appointment at a clinic a couple of months ago, I walked alongside a janitor on my way to the elevator. He sang the entire time while carrying his supplies and putting things in order. He’s an older guy so his songs were from a different era and far more pleasant than [...]

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3 marketing lessons from Emma Peel

It’s about time Emma Peel from the Avengers makes an appearance on this blog. Sheesh, what took me so long? If you have the misfortune of being unfamiliar with Emma Peel and John Steed, the spy duo from the 1960s TV show The Avengers, then take a quick look at the one minute intro to [...]

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What’s in your prospect’s anxiety closet?

Today I get to make a reference to my favorite 1980s comic strip, Bloom County. But first a little marketing lesson… When I write copy for a client I often ask them what their prospect’s dominant emotion is while considering their product. Sometimes it’s a fear of something. I’ve learned, however, that when we use [...]

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Marketing and storytelling lessons from QVC

QVC, the ultimate home shopping network, succeeds in persuading people to buy products they can’t see or touch. Even perfume. So I think there are a few copywriting lessons here for you. According to The Atlantic’s story about QVC this month, each QVC host receives six months of training because they must master the details of [...]

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5 types of stories to use in email copy

An email copywriter is, essentially, a storyteller. My clients will usually ask me something like, “Write me stories like that one you wrote on your blog/list about the old lady in the grocery store.” They almost never say, “Write me 7 killer tips about affiliate marketing” even if they have an affiliate marketing product. Stories [...]

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