Direct Marketing Association Seminars
The Data & Marketing Association presents
 

Advanced Copywriting Seminar On-Site Training

This on-site training class is also available as Public Schedule Seminar.

Master the Fine Points of Writing

Course Description/Agenda


All direct marketing copywriters need to know the basics of one-to-one marketing. But soon your interest turns to fine-tuning your writing and turning your DM package or email campaign into the control with the highest return on investment.

As a copywriter, you need to make your offer easy to understand and impossible to refuse. So it’s well worth mastering the techniques of good writing to make your sales pitch potent and persuasive.

You'll review samples of successful copy from B-to-B, publishing, fundraising, retail and more. And write your own revenue generating copy in individual and group exercises.

What You'll Learn

  • The #1 underlying rule for all the copy you write
  • How point of view and narrative structure appear in marketing
  • Critical editing makes your copy “easy reading”

Benefits of Attending

  • Recognize and correct deadly copy mistakes before you mail
  • Apply proven copy formulas for effective writing
  • Brainstorm more effectively with new creativity boosters
  • Use narrative flow and structure to keep people reading
  • Edit and revise to increase readibility and response

Plus, you can have a sample of your promotion critiqued during the seminar. Please bring 10-15 copies for the group to share.

Please bring your laptop. You will enjoy a number of writing exercises to improve your writing skills.

Who Should Attend

Anyone who writes, edits or evaluates direct response copy will profit from hands-on training, including:

  • Account Executives
  • Ad Agency Presidents
  • Catalogers
  • Creative Directors
  • DM Copywriters who have been writing copy for 5+ years
  • Financial Services Promoters
  • Fundraisers
  • Marketing Managers
  • Membership Organizations
  • Publishers
  • Retail Product Promoters
  • Small Business Owners

Why You Should Attend

If you need the answers to any of the following questions, then you can’t afford to miss this event.

  • Should email include a salutation and signature?
  • What's the key difference in reading online and on paper?
  • Which type fonts should you use in headlines, body copy, emails and letters?
  • What reading level should your copy address?
  • Are surveys and other involvement techniques outdated or still proven response boosters?


FREE BONUS!

You will receive a workbook packed with valuable information you can continually reference back on the job. It includes proven techniques, checklists, guidelines, and a wealth of other methods for improving your company's results. Plus, there is ample space for you to take notes and highlight new ideas as they are presented during class discussions.

Attendees tell us this workbook alone is worth the price of admission!

Outline

DAY 1
9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Please arrive 30 minutes earlier than the start time to register. Continental breakfast will be served.

The Power of Point of View and Style in Direct Marketing

  • Examples of point of view in direct marketing letters
  • Diction: The importance of word choice
  • Examples of effective prose from Churchill, Fitzgerald, Dickens and more

How to Make Sentences that Keep People Reading

  • The value of short paragraphs
  • Why you should vary sentence length
  • The dangers of wandering modifiers

Getting and Holding Reader Attention With Imagery, Rhythm, and Description

  • Why imagery raises reader receptivity
  • Examples of great imagery and how to improve your own
  • The “default” rhythm of the English language
  • Varieties of metaphor
  • When to embrace repetition
  • Make description active by engaging the reader
  • The role of attitude

Coherence: Checking Your Prose For Effectiveness at Three Different Levels

  • Word order
  • Sentence order
  • Paragraph order
Networking Opportunity:
Lunch will be served each day to facilitate networking with your peers.

DAY 2
9:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Mathematical Techniques for Measuring Prose Readability

  • Counting words is not enough
  • The FOG Index

Using Narrative Flow and Structure to Make Your Sale.

Advanced Editing and Revision Techniques

  • A simple method for checking the “sound” of your prose
  • Sources in grammar and usage
  • Building revisions into your work plan
  • What’s the best sequence for your ideas?
  • Less is more with both words and sentences: Knowing when to cut
  • Keep your message lively and conversational

Applying Editing and Revision Techniques

  • A summary of the principles for high-powered writing
  • Exercises to get you started immediately with helpful new techniques

Creating New Controls

  • Testing panels
  • Examples of new and classic winners
Networking Opportunity:
Lunch will be served each day to facilitate networking with your peers.

Outline is subject to change.

 

More Seminar Information

The Data & Marketing Association
Direct Marketing Association Seminars

Delivery Method

 On-Site Training On-Site Training

Also Available As

 Seminar Seminar

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