AWAI – Secrets of Writing For The Catalog Market

Sale Page : http://www.awaionline.com/copywriting/catalog/learn/copywriting-niche/

“Does it Really Take 8, 12, or
20 Pages to Sell Something Online
or Through the Mail?”

Not in this Often Over-Looked
Copywriting Niche – Where You’ll
Rarely Be Asked to Write More Than
100 Words of Copy at a Time …

Word for Word, This Just May be the Best and Most Lucrative Opportunity for Up-and-Coming Copywriters

From the desk of Paul Hollingshead …

Dear Reader,

The thing I hear a lot from people starting up their copywriting careers is: “Do I have to write letters that are as long as the ones you and a lot of copywriters write?”

I asked the same thing when I started writing years ago. “Does it really take 8, 12, or 20 pages to sell something in the mail?”

And time after time I was told: “Yes. Long copy sells better – tests have proven it.”

Fact is, long copy does work better – but it often depends on what you’re selling … and how you’re selling it.

For me, it takes at least a dozen pages to sell a financial newsletter. Why? Because when it comes right down to it, you’re selling someone’s opinion of where the stock market is going to go … or why one kind of investing is better than another. And to do that right, you need to show a lot of examples … build a lot of credibility … and do a lot of convincing that your way is better.

But some things don’t need as much persuasion.

In fact, there’s one very large copywriting niche where “long” copy is the enemy. In this realm of the copywriting universe, you simply can’t write 12 pages of copy …

Or six …

Or two …

Or even one.

It’s very rare you can ever write more than 100 words!

Does this sound more up your alley?

Sound a lot more appealing to you than writing page after page after page of copy?

Wait. It gets even better.

• There’s big demand – simply because there aren’t many people around who are good at it.
• Since the average “sales letter” you’ll be writing is less than 100 words, you could spend as little as an hour “per project.”
• And the money’s good. (Better than good, actually. It pays, on average, about $50 to $75 an hour.)

But before I tell you what it is, I want to introduce you to the gentleman who brought this opportunity to light for us.

His name is Steve Leveen, a good friend of Michael Masterson.

Steve is a lot of things – a writer, a reader, a successful businessman. He’s active in the community too.

But his main passion is a little catalog company he started 20 years ago called Levenger. You may have heard of it. It’s a business that sells everything to do with reading and writing – lamps, bookmarks, journals, pens, chairs, and desks. You name it.

Steve has spoken at our Bootcamp in the past because, after all, he’s in the business of selling through words as well. And he really knows his stuff.

During his presentation, Steve talked about catalog copy – how it works, how it’s different from the kind of long copy we do.

But what stuck out in my mind is that people in his business have the same problem that people in the direct-response business have …

There just aren’t enough people out there who know how to write good, lean, effective catalog copy!

Frankly, I was surprised. “How tough can it be to write a paragraph of copy that describes a product?” I thought.

But I discovered it’s much more than that.

Just like our business, there are tricks to writing catalog copy that work … techniques that get the reader to say to himself, “Wow – I want to buy that.”

For instance, in listening to Steve, I learned that there’s a special technique catalog copywriters use to whittle down what’s essentially a page of copy into a tiny paragraph … and not lose a smidgen of its impact.

I learned that there are certain products where bullets work better than text … and others where bullets will actually kill the sale.

I learned the importance of going easy on adjectives – which ones you should never use in catalog copy … along with the 5 most powerful adjectives you can and should use.

I learned other things too – great stuff to know about the inner workings of the catalog business, so I can go to virtually any cataloger and be able to talk in their language. That’s important. That’s the kind of thing that says to a prospective employer: “Hey, this guy knows what he’s doing. Let’s give him a shot.”

Other things too …

For instance, I never knew why certain products got more “space” in catalogs than others. I assumed it had something to do with the fact that they were big moneymakers … but that’s wrong. The reason will surprise you – and help you enormously in your quest to become a catalog copy specialist.

Then I thought, “This would be great for our people.” You’re already developing the skill of selling through AWAI’s copywriting program. And this is very much the same thing – only there are very specific rules for writing effective catalog copy … just as our long copy has very specific rules about language, pace, and structure.

Plus, this is a great way to reinforce the basics of selling. Let’s face it. It’ll only make you a better writer in the long run. And it’s a great way to earn some substantial “pocket cash” while you’re mastering the art of copywriting.

So that’s the reason for this letter. We wanted to make this opportunity available to you … or at least make you aware of it. And then, if you decided you’d like to take a crack at it – and earn yourself a couple hundred or a thousand a week, or more – you could.

But there was a problem.

None of us here at AWAI are catalog copy experts. I’m not. Don’s not either. Michael knows the basics, but he’s never sat down for any length of time and written catalog copy. Michael’s friend, Steve, is an expert, but (though he agreed to give us his input) he’s far too busy running his successful business to create a new program for us.

So we went to the pros and we asked: “Who’s the best in the business when it comes to writing catalog copy?”

One name kept coming up: Herschell Gordon Lewis. Herschell’s a master marketer – and a great copywriter. But I had no idea he’d spent so much of his career writing catalog copy.

And not just for run-of-the-mill catalog outfits. He’s written for such prestigious companies as Ethel M Chocolates, Omaha Steaks, Wine Enthusiast, ProFlowers.com, San Francisco Music Box Company … and he consults regularly with Harry & David and Orvis.

Meet the Best Catalog Copywriter in the Biz

Besides being a great writer, Herschell Gordon Lewis is arguably the best-known direct-response writer and expert consultant in the world.

He’s the author of more than 32 books, including Copywriting Secrets and Tactics (Dartnell), More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Mail Order Advertising (Prentice Hall), How to Write Powerful Catalog Copy (Bonus Books), and Catalog Copy That Sizzles (National Textbook Company).

For years, Herschell conducted the copy workshop at the International Direct Marketing Symposium in Switzerland. He is frequently called upon to speak at meetings of the Direct Marketing Association in the United States, and has been named to the Direct Marketing Association Hall of Fame.

Today, he writes catalog critiques for the UK publication Catalogue & eBusiness, and is the copy columnist for Multichannel Merchant (formerly Catalog Age).

In short, there’s no one more qualified to show you the secrets of catalog copywriting than Herschell Gordon Lewis.

So we asked him. Would he help us assemble a program that would show anyone who’s interested the secrets to becoming a highly skilled, top-notch Catalog Copywriter?

We were thrilled when he said YES.

And even more thrilling was working closely with this industry legend to pull it all together. With his signature grace and style, Herschell methodically took his vast knowledge of the subject and organized it into an easy-to-follow, easy-to-grasp, step-by-step program.

Imagine a resource, if you will, of all the most powerful catalog copy secrets – secret words, secret phrases, secret paragraph structures, secrets to overcoming the resistance catalog readers have to buying sight unseen, for instance.

Secrets, in other words, to turning browsers into buyers.

That’s what marketers in the catalog business want. And that’s what you can deliver, once you know and understand the kind of writing secrets revealed in this program.

One secret in particular hit me like a ton of bricks.

It’s where Herschell explains the secret to condensing a long message – and making each word you write do the work of 10. It’s a crucial secret that you must know to become a great Catalog Copywriter, simply because of the space limitations of the medium. But I know it will help you become a better direct-mail copywriter as well. After all, as you and I both know – the leaner the writing, the more powerful the message.

But there’s more to it …

The Power of “I Want That”

There are two types of copy that you see in catalogs. One is the kind of copy you see most of the time. There’s a picture, along with a paragraph or two describing the product and its key benefits. It’s everything you (the buyer) need to know – and it works just fine.

But then there’s that copy that hits you on a deeper level – where you not only know everything you need to know about the product, but you also know you just gotta have it.

Ever read that kind of copy? I have. And I’ve never quite understood what it is that evokes that emotion.

Now I do.

That’s because in Section 3 of the program, Herschell explains it in precise detail. It’s a technique he refers to as “The Clarity Commandment.” The best thing about it is that once you know this little secret, you can very easily and automatically apply it to every piece of copy you write.

In my humble opinion, these are the two most powerful secrets any top-notch Catalog Copywriter could know.

But they’re just two of dozens of secrets you’ll discover, like …

• How to write the perfect heading for any product description. Plus, a simple system that helps you remember the advantages and disadvantages of using a huge vocabulary.
• How to pick and push the emotional hot button that’s most likely to stimulate your reader’s buying impulse – no matter what you’re selling.
• The major differences between print catalog copy and e-catalog copy … including the most effective way to use the old “Grab and Shake” technique.
• The one deadly mistake amateur copywriters make that instantly lets your prospective employer know you’re a rookie, and how to avoid it.
• How to marry copy with product illustrations … and more!

Once you’ve mastered these techniques, you’ll be able to write and compete on a professional level. Anyone who hires you will know they’ve found a bona fide pro … and your name will be etched in their Rolodex.

And if you have any concerns about finding work, not to worry. Herschell also reveals his proven secrets for finding and landing jobs, such as …

• How to get well-paying jobs with the most reputable catalogers with a single phone call or e-mail.
• The names (and addresses) of the 2 major players who cover all the happenings in the catalog world – an excellent source for free weekly e-zines – including specific, time-tested techniques you can use to:
  • Get the attention of a Creative Director …
  • Know what to do if they ask to see samples …
• The secret to landing one-shots.
• A ten-part exercise that eliminates ALL anxiety and instantly gives you the courage to tackle any writing assignment.
• The one rule in catalog copywriting that overrides all the others.
• Why, in some cases, facts actually give way to product benefits.
• The 5 Great Motivators, plus 2 “Soft” Motivators that Catalog Copywriters use to stimulate a reader’s buying impulse.
• The four main categories of product description headings. Choose wisely, because the best for one item may be the worst for another.
• The secret to avoiding the #1 challenge that’s unique to catalog copywriting: describing similar items on the same page without killing the sale of some of them.
• The key to Web catalog success.
• The fastest way to familiarize yourself with catalog terminology and the medium itself.
• Tri-level secrets of the Benefit/Benefit/Benefit Principle. Once you know how this technique works and can communicate at the third level, you should be able to write for any dynamic catalog operation … and name your price!

You get the idea. The answers to these, and just about every other creative question you might ask, are right here, in one tightly-written, fact-packed program.

And now it’s ready for you … if you’re interested.

Why should you be?

Why Anyone Would Want to be
a Catalog Copywriter?

Unlike other forms of direct marketing, the ability to write effective catalog copy isn’t limited to a single industry. Catalog Copywriters regularly move from one industry to another.

Today, you might be writing about hand-crafted furniture or sporting goods … tomorrow, lingerie.

Which means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to write for a variety of industries, so you’ll never get bored.

And because the writing assignments are shorter – with approximately 5 to 6 copy blocks per catalog page – it’s easy to finish one assignment, collect your writing fee, and move on to the next project.

A Huge and Growing Market
for Catalog Copywriters

And here’s the thing that amazes me most …

I thought there were a lot of direct mailers looking for good “long” sales copy. But it’s nothing compared to the number of catalogs out there.

Market Research reports that there are 12,000 catalog marketers in the U.S. that bring in a total of $150 billion in sales each year. That’s right. 12,000 potential clients … and growing!

If each of the catalogs in circulation requires the work of, say, 5 copywriters … conservatively speaking … that translates to more than 60,000 jobs!

And online catalogs are on a tear. A recent report by the National Directory of Catalogs states that “as online catalogs continue to grow, existing catalogs are spinning off new titles and diversifying their product lines.”

What does that mean for you? It means that every new catalog, spin-off, and product line will require the services of a highly trained, professional copywriter. Which is exactly what you will be when you complete Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market.

Here’s the kicker …

Out of all the professional copywriters I know and work with, fewer than 10 specialize in writing catalog copy exclusively.

Here’s my point: Just imagine the possibilities if, for example, you could market yourself as a catalog copywriting expert …

What if you were to become known as the “go-to” guy/gal for top-notch catalog copy?

Can you imagine what that would mean for your career?

… How much money you could make …

… How much your lifestyle would change …

1) You’d have a near monopoly on the catalog market; 2) You’d have more work than you’d know what to do with; and 3) Your client list would read like a Who’s Who of direct marketing!

Assuming you had an eager list of clients, how quickly could you make a million dollars?

And here’s what’s extra-special about this program …

Everything You Need to Write Copy
for Any Publication … Starting With the
Information You Need Most, First!

Rather than saving the best for last …

We’ve structured Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market so that you get the information you need the most first, so you can get started right away.

Right off the bat, we’ll dive into the heart and soul of catalog copywriting – starting with the ability to master two key skills which, alone, are responsible for making catalog copy unique … and the mastery of it so lucrative.

We’ll also introduce you to the Benefit/Benefit/Benefit Principle, which we’ll discuss in greater detail in Section 4, so you get the gist of what it takes to write solid copy blocks almost immediately.

That’s what’s unique about this program …

Just discovering and applying the principles, skills, and techniques you’ll find in the first few sections of this program will give you the motivation you need and the desire to succeed at writing catalog copy for any publication!

Best of all, you can get started … right away!

That’s because throughout Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market, you’ll have ample hands-on opportunities to test and perfect your skills as an effective Catalog Copywriter.

There’s never been a more comprehensive, more interactive program on catalog copywriting.

In fact, it’s the ONLY program that we know of that shows you how to become a Master Catalog Copywriter … fast! The only one!

Once you’ve nailed down the most important elements of catalog copy, we’ll go back and reinforce what you’ve learned with more advanced techniques.

There’s even a section on breaking into the business and establishing yourself as an “expert in the field” …

Are you ready to take on the catalog industry … and do it the right way?

• You’ll find these three “read-and-use” commentaries especially useful and profitable.

Want to be recognized as an expert Catalog Copywriter?

• Quote these commentaries to a prospective client-cataloger. You won’t believe the reaction you’ll get!

Ready to get your feet wet?

• Following these Standard Operating Procedures for Catalog Copywriters will help you make sure you’ve covered all your bases, impress prospective employers, and ultimately, land your first paid assignment.

It’s all here – in AWAI’s Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market!

I don’t see any reason why – if you work hard and follow this program – you can’t become a top-notch Catalog Copywriter who’s always in demand in less than a year!

Now is the perfect time to get started …

Learn the Same Secrets That Have
Sold Billions … in the Mail and Online!

While some insiders predicted that the growth of the Internet would spell disaster for the print catalog – just the opposite has occurred.

Catalogs are still huge!

According to the Direct Marketing Association’s 16th Annual State of the Catalog Industry report, the paper catalog is still the largest revenue generator among all channels used by direct marketing companies. In fact, 62% of direct mailers use catalogs as their main source of sales.

This is great news for you … because so few copywriters understand what it takes to write strong, lean, effective catalog copy …

So if you’re looking for a fun and easy way to make money writing copy, now is the perfect time to break into this huge and growing market for copywriters …

While the industry’s still aching for good, qualified catalog copy experts.

And the timing is perfect for yet another reason …

Because right now, marketers are busy testing the proper integration of printed catalogs with their online versions.

They are still learning the best ways to drive traffic from one to the other, and to maximize overall response from both.

In the process, catalogers are finding that simply transferring their catalog copy to their website is rarely the most effective way to maximize sales.

So, as they continue to realize that the sales message needs to be tailored to the specific medium, their need for well-trained catalog copy experts will increase dramatically!

This is where you come in. A whole new world of opportunity is currently opening up for those writers who have the necessary skills to deliver the goods in this exciting market.

As a student of Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market you will be well positioned to fill the needs of these marketers.

This is also why we decided to take this writing program, already the best of its kind by far, and make it even better. A lot better!

So again, we went back to the pros and asked for names. We looked for a writer who not only spent time in the trenches of the catalog world, but one who had a deep understanding of the differences between online and offline catalog copy …

… and one who could show our members proven methods for …

Finding and Landing the Best Catalog Gigs

Meet Jay White. You may have heard of Jay. Many know him as the world’s best writer of autoresponder copy.

A number of the giants of the Internet marketing world currently rely on him for his red-hot autoresponder copy that masterfully converts website visitors into paying customers.

Jay credits his expertise in autoresponder copy to his years as a Catalog Copywriter.

You see, when you spend as much time as Jay has boiling a complex selling message down to a tight, effective copy block, you’ve got a skill that is transferable to many different disciplines.

And I hope you didn’t miss the not-so-hidden benefit in my last statement.

As I said earlier in this letter, you’ll not only earn substantial money as a Catalog Copywriter, your overall writing skills will greatly improve by learning and mastering these secrets.

In other words, wherever your copywriting journey leads you, the skills you acquire in this course will make you a better, faster, more accomplished writer.

And Jay is just the guy to help you on this part of your journey if you think catalog copywriting is something you’d like to try.

Before he established himself as one of the industry’s top autoresponder experts, Jay wrote catalog copy, both print and web, for the likes of Bass Pro Shop, RedHead, Offshore Angler, PropCo, Kaehler World Traveler, and SkyMall, among others.

He has also developed instructional material and taught many up-and-comers how to write top notch catalog copy, with an emphasis on marketing their talents to the under-served catalog market.

So, yes, Jay knows the art of writing winning catalog copy. But his strategies for getting the attention of industry insiders and landing high-paying catalog assignments are where he really shines.

I mean, this is a guy who turned a simple prospecting email into $20,000 worth of business. Do you think he could help you grab a big piece of this dynamic market? You bet he can.

We were overjoyed when Jay agreed to help us update the catalog program.

We knew that his soaring reputation in the Internet marketing universe had severely cut into the time he might have available. So we had to do a little extra pleading …

The World’s Most Comprehensive Program for Mastering Catalog Copywriting Just Got a Whole Lot Better

So, are you starting to see what we’ve done here?

We’ve taken what was already, hands down, the most comprehensive, most interactive, most authoritative program on becoming a Master Catalog Copywriter … and made it twice as good!

We started with Master Copywriting instruction from the Master himself, Herschell Gordon Lewis. Powerful secrets, never before available to “outsiders”, explained in painstaking detail, then reinforced with today’s most advanced, hands-on practice techniques …

Virtually everything you need to know in order to become a highly sought-after writer in the wide-open catalog market.

Then, instead of being satisfied, we started to think about how we could make this resource even better.

It’s taken us over a year of planning and tweaking (and pleading), while keeping one question foremost in our minds: “How can we take the best Catalog Copywriting program on earth and make it even more valuable to our members?”

And that’s where Jay White came to the rescue.

You see, even with the master-level writing instruction and job securing tips that have made Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market the industry standard, we want to give you up-to-date, proven methods to grab more work than you can possibly handle.

We want you to not only feel confident in your writing abilities, but also to be self-assured when you go out into the marketplace to get your share of this rewarding niche.

An Inside View of the Catalog Market

We think Jay White delivered what we were looking for in a big way.

Allow me to quickly walk you through some of the valuable resources Jay has brought to the table.

He’s created three separate learning modules that you will access from your MyAWAI.com member page.

Jay calls this, Catalog Copywriting Secrets 3.0: How to Generate a Full-Time Income Writing Catalog Copy for the Web.

Sit back and watch these screen-capture video lessons with Jay’s clear and concise follow-along audio.

This will be like attending a webinar — except you’ll have total access to the material 24/7!

In Module One, Jay explains the ins and outs of the catalog world, and why it may be the best opportunity to quickly become a well-paid, well-respected copywriter.

He shows you how it is a market of niches within niches, and how that variety can be an exciting — and lucrative — aspect of catalog writing.

Then he goes through the ways that the Internet has changed the catalog world, and what these changes mean for you as a catalog copy expert. Hint: It’s good news!

He even takes you, quite candidly, through the pros and cons of the life of a Catalog Copywriter as only a veteran can.

In Module Two, Jay gets right into the meat of the good stuff — how to find, contact, and secure top catalog clients.

He’ll share his hot tips for …

Finding clients that are desperate for good copywriters

Where and how to advertise your services

Secrets to landing your first catalog copywriting gig

Then Jay lays out his detailed, step-by-step, easy-to-follow method for reaching out to prospective clients and landing great projects.

This method is a valuable, time tested tool that you will use over and over to build a rock solid stable of clients, and keep the projects coming.

Really good stuff!

Of course, once you’ve landed a client or two, and word gets out about you in catalog circles, the projects will be much easier to come by.

And with Jay’s step-by-step system, those first gigs will be in the bag in no time.

In Module Three, he rounds it all out with the most frequently asked questions about catalog copywriting. These are issues and concerns that, throughout his career, Jay has heard and learned to anticipate from new catalog writers.

Here he’ll uncover ways for you to continue practicing your craft and keep your skills sharp … best methods for collecting a swipe file … and even how to handle a client that isn’t 100% happy with your work.

Like Getting Two Courses for the Price of One

My hope is that the incredible value of this updated program is becoming clear to you.

As I said earlier, Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market was already head and shoulders above any other catalog copywriting program out there.

And now, we’ve taken a resource of equal value … and plugged it right into the original.

Either one of these products could stand on its own and offer you easy entrée into the exciting and lucrative field of catalog copywriting.

That was the standard we set for both components – before we married them into this power-packed resource.

What I’m saying is — you could use either one of these resources, all by itself, to quickly shift your copywriting career into overdrive, build an impressive list of clients, and cash in on this under-served sector of direct response marketing.

Imagine where you could be a year from now — or even less — by spending some quality time with both of these powerful tools.

And that’s the opportunity you’ve got in front of you today, because together, these two elements have everything you need to become an unstoppable force in the catalog world.

Let Me Be Honest

Listen. If you’d told me 20 years ago that I’d be rich today …

That I would be making a great six-figure income … working from anywhere I wanted … with enough free time left over to ski on Tuesday afternoons in the winter with my son … cruise around the lake on my boat in the summer … and regularly fit in a round of golf when the weather cooperates …

I probably would have said you were nuts! Literally!But you and I both know it’s true. You really CAN make a fortune writing all kinds of sales copy.

That’s because you’re on the inside now.

You’ve seen the kind of success and lifestyle that being a top-notch copywriter can bring. Fancy cars … beachfront properties … golf memberships … free trips to exotic locations … shopping sprees …

More importantly – you know that as a copywriter you possess a skill that not too many people even know exists. One that gets people’s attention, piques their curiosity, and commands their respect.

But right now, you have the opportunity to master a skill that not 1 out of 100 copywriters know about: How to write good, lean, effective catalog copy …

A skill that can open up an entirely new world of freedom and opportunity for you – with more projects that take less time and energy … and pay very well.

You can make the decision right now. You can focus on the long copy the Accelerated Program focuses on. Or you can pick up AWAI’s Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market and add “Catalog Copy Pro” to your arsenal of skills.

Needless to say, this is invaluable information that can have a profound impact on your future wealth. So what’s it worth to you?

Well, I don’t think $2,500 would be too unreasonable. At $1,500, it would be a bargain. That would mean just one project once you’re up and running would pay for a whole lifetime of knowledge and earning power.

But this program is priced even lower than that.

But before I tell you how much it is, I have a few more things I want to send your way – resources that’ll help you be more successful even faster.

How Can We Add Even More Value?

In addition to all the powerful catalog copy secrets – the secret words, secret phrases, and secret paragraph structures that you’ll find in this very special program … and the amazing insights into the catalog world, how to navigate it, and how to grab your share of clients and assignments …

You’ll also receive two valuable bonuses that the AWAI Board insisted on throwing into the mix …

Bonus #1
AWAI’s Catalog Niche List

First, you’re going to get what amounts to a list of potential clients … this is AWAI’s “niche list” and it’s going to be a go-to resource for you as you become ready to start taking on assignments.

Have specific interests or passions you’d like to write copy about? This list makes it easy for you to zero in on the industries that you’re already jazzed about …

In all, the list contains 335 catalogers — broken out into 16 different niches.

And as Jay White says, the catalog world is “niched to the nth degree”.

So … let’s say you’re int

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