How To Write A Million-Dollar Ad...With One Finger

By: Ben Settle
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:43:24
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A couple weeks ago I got together with some local business owners to discuss the many "ins and outs" of marketing.

Eventually, they started asking me about copywriting, and wanted to know what the biggest "secret" of copywriting was.

"It all comes down to your keyboard," I said. "There's a special key on your keyboard that, if you learn to use it, will let you create great copy almost on demand. Can you guess what it is?" I asked.

One of them said it was the exclamation mark.

Another said it was the period.

A couple people said the letter "f" (presumably for the word "free").

A few others said it was the space bar or "return" key.

"You're all wrong." I said. "The most important key on your keyboard for copywriting is the 'delete' key."

It's true.

More million dollar ads are "written" with the plain old delete key than any combination of letters or words combined.

In fact, one of the best pieces of advice I ever got when I was starting out was, "uh, Ben, this is great copy -- but it's way too 'wordy.'"

And he was right.

It was too wordy. And we cut that 30-page monstrosity down to less than 20 pages...simply by deleting all the "fat" that really didn't belong.

Since then, I've been relentless with the delete key.

You should, too.

Even if it means cutting out your favorite parts and even if it kind of hurts a little to do so.

This has always been one of the great "secrets" of great copywriting. And yet, it's really no secret at all. It's just common sense.

If you cut all the "fat" from your ads they'll read a thousand times faster, smoother and easier -- and skyrocket your response every single time.

So suck out those excess words and adjectives.

Cut those long-winded sentences in half.

Condense those 15 sentence paragraphs into one or two sentences that make the point.

In other words...

Delete, delete, delete -- until you're left with only the words and ideas you need to make the sale. With no meaningless tangents, irrelevant stories or bloated sentences in sight.

And then...when you're absolutely certain you got it "right"...put it away for a week or two (or longer, if you can).

Then come back and cut it down even more. After getting away from it, I guarantee you'll see even more fat to cut out.

Anyway, to make sure you never forget this important lesson, always remember this:

When in doubt...delete it out.

Ben Settle is a direct response copywriter and author of "The Copywriter's Cheat Sheet" -- which contains over 300 pages of advanced copywriting secrets and rare swipe file ads not easily found anywhere else. You can get a free copy of his book and read his latest copywriting ideas and tactics at http://bensettle.com

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