“If we become increasingly humble about how little we know, we may be more eager to search.”
~ Sir John Templeton
In 2001, I did the impossible – TWICE.
Back in the days of Milk & Honey, there was this Pay Per Click (cough) search engine called “GoTo”. It would later become “Overture”, and later still “Yahoo Search Marketing”.
Walk with me down memory lane and let us recall how “GoTo” offered clicks for nickel bids. Reminisce if you will, at the outrage when “GoTo” became “Overture” and as the new namesake implies, made an “overture” to it’s customers by raising the minimum bid from a nickel to…
…a DIME.
Do you remember the scandal? They didn’t even have the online blogopolis and it still made headlines.
Now, picture me (Preferably 30 pounds thinner with no male-pattern-baldness) gleefully tearing open the robins-egg-blue envelope from Capital One where my newly minted Visa Gold Card greeted me with all of it’s shiny $10,000 credit limit goodness.
“Nickel Clicks, come to poppa.”
How hard do you think it was to burn through $2,000 spending five cents at a time?
Pfffffft. I made it look easy. And for my herculean effort, THREE (3) conversions.
“No worries, it’s only 37.8% interest. And there’s EIGHT GRAND LEFT on that red hot glowing credit card. All I’ve got to do is “target” some different keywords, cause Lord knows keyword selection is EVERYTHING – can I get a witness?”
$4,500 and FIVE (5) conversions later…
Sir John was right, I was pretty “eager to search”.
And like Magellan, I searched for about 46 seconds, “discovering” that my sales copy was so sinfully bad that anyone who read it was likely to need hand sanitizer and Jesus.
Me: “Hi, my name is Andy Jenkins and I suck at Copy Writing”.
Group: “Hi Andy!”
What happened next was the definition of an “Accident”. And this Accident forever changed the way that I wrote ANY kind of copy;
- PPC Ads
- SEO Meta Description Tags
- Email (Subject and Body Copy)
- Squeeze Pages
- Thank You Pages
- Sales Letters
- Physical Product Descriptions
- Blog Posts
- Articles
- Video Scripts
And I made not one, but TWO videos about my accident. So now you can have all my secrets. 
It’s VIDEO TIME!
Video #7 – The Moccasin Method of Copy Writing Part 1 of 2.
How I accidentally discovered that perpetually sucking at copy was not my destiny after all. And how you can too!
Video #8 – The Moccasin Method of Copy Writing Part 2of 2.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE - I need to give special props and respect to my good friend and fellow curmudgeon John Carlton. You see, John IS a MASTER Copywriter, not a hack like me. And I didn’t fully develop the Moccasin Method of Copy Writing until after John spent many red-bull infused days helping me sort out the most important components of my process.
I owe him a great deal for preventing me from (mostly) embarrassing myself whenever I write anything. And being the proactive kinda guy I am, I’d like to apologize to John in advanced for dropping his name in this post like Apple dropped the Google Voice App.
You want some REAL Copy writing instruction? Go right now and see what John is talking about:
John Carlton – REAL Copywriter. (Disclosure – affiliate link, but it’s before noon PST, so that’s okay)
As always, leave me a comment – Tell me what you thought about them there videos thingies.
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{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
Haven’t even watched the video yet, but I laughed out loud at least a couple times reading that email… Well done
I LOVE that freakin song. I actually look forward to it. Where are you getting your super fun royalty free music?
HI Andy
Hi Andy
love the email.
So weird. I sat still for all 2 hours of the webinar, and I can’t even remember you talking about copywriitng.
How weird is that?
Any way I’m listening to it again.
This email is Andy “back on TOP form”.
Ooo gah tcha
Peter
Stop having so damn much fun! Business is supposed to be serious!
So many time s I hear this “People always love to hear stories”. Even from the network marketing business that I’m involved, the successful ones keep saying “tell them stories after stories”.
Another person that exemplifies about telling great stories is Joel Osteen. He never went to bible college to preach and yet his ministry grown in great magnitude. His delivery of sermon is so simple: read a bible verse – tell a story. And he just repeats the cycle throughout his sermon.
Andy, I think what you shared this time would make my copywriting challenges not a factor anymore because I wont telling stories myself. And by far the best tip of all copywriting wisdom Ive been trying to find ever since.
Resty Malia
Really good videos. I loves movies too and often wondered what makes a good movie good and why do some movies flop – besides good and bad acting. I think you nailed it with the “how to write good copy” example. VERY INTERESTING STUFF. I listened to both videos all the way through… a rare thing. Thank you
I like what you say about the hero being flawed and the outcome being something greater. I was working on a story last night, know just how to incorporate that.
“You could be the offspring of a Goblin and a Troll and weigh 800lbs, but there will still be a day when you look your best” – stellar!
…and just for the record – I’m a Greys Anatomy Gal…
Thanks, Andy.
Good as always.
Love the Moccasin method, this is the kind of stuff that makes you an expert Internet marketer.
Andy,
Beautifully done. Thank you. You have helped make my story have a happier ending.
(the original) Bill Murray
Hi Andy,
Great vids as always… You are the pinnacle of perfection.
Q. How many internet marketers does it take to change the world?
A. One, and the rest will follow…
Keep it up my friend!
Aly.
I’m always blown away by your unselfish sharing of these truly killer strategies! Your instructional videos are the absolute best. You are one of the only IM guys I really listen to and trust. Thanks for helping us all out!
Andy..
Thank you so much. More more more please..
These videos are great! Now I’ve had profitable lead generation and the moccasin method of copy writing. I can’t wait for the others you mentioned: pulling back the free line, the lazy spare time business and concussion planning. You really should be charging for these but I’m so glad you are not
Blessings,
Wendy
Great information. I also have always loved your emails and stories pre-post Stomper. Keep up the fantastic work!
Andy:
I always learn something new that I can use immediately when I view your fantastic, information- packed videos and e-mails.
Thank you for helping me improve my skills!
Lisa
Man what a video! Loved it beyound belief. If this video does not inspire your readers to write a good story instead of the same old copy they must have been pre-occupied, asleep or watching tv while the video was on!
Paul
I gotta say Andy, I was starting to ignore your emails like spam for the most part. I almost didn’t watch this. I wish I was a sponge so I could absorb the charisma that oozes off of you. Great stuff dude.
Here’s bed time story for you!
Once there was a guy named Andy.
On writing copy he wasn’t very handy.
He says now being a marketer I can’t have that!
What shall I do? I’ll get me a thinking hat.
One fine and grand but not to sloppy.
One that will help me write better copy.
One that will help me squash the rumor.
That Andy Jenkins has no since of humor.
I need one a little corny.
And maybe even a little horny.
One with a point right on the top.
That will get me thinking and I won’t stop.
With two yellow braids to tickle my ears.
And one that will last me several years.
Yes, one I can wear at home where I reside.
And let me get in touch with my famine side.
So, I’ll search the world wide web with all it’s glory.
I believe with the right hat I can tell my story.
Now with the right hat and with any luck.
I’ll teach and train others to make a buck.
And since I’m done stomping I must confess.
You will never see me again in any dress.
I’ll teach you for free and make it funny.
But if you want my best it’ll cost you money.
Now if you take action you will see.
That this is more for you than for me.
Dog gone it Andy! You and your stories. It’s all your fault! I hope I didn’t let the cat out of the hat for you but, you got me started.
I’m a big fan of yours and apparently Dr. Seuss too. You marketers are addictive.
I may need to change my reading material. You think?
Anyway, enjoyed your videos and look forward to the rest.
Great videos Andy …I’m getting emotional just thinking I might get an invite to the big John Goblin and Cindy Troll wedding.
Dear Andy,
Thanks so much for sharing valuable information that can be put to practical use.
I did attend the webinar and the timing of the course conflicts with what I’m presently committed to but, there may be a future opportunity that I’ll be able to take advantage of.
I look forward to part 3.
Tony Neilson
“Adorable Andy” – you’re brilliant!
I found your 2 videos above at the standard I hope to find every time I click on your emails.
What ever your message is – you have keep sending it out….
Here’s why
What you tell in, and how you tell your stories helps you to reach inside of yourself to connect with your own stories and starts cut away the anchors that keep them at the bottom of your personal “sea of life” .
Your experiences and how you are solving some of the challenges you encounter, when you are sharing with others can make the world a better space to be in – even if it’s just a product to clean a bath tub!
A clean bath tube is a step closer to having more time to do more good THINGS… for others
– which is what most people (especially the VERY rich) seem to really be really happiest doing?
Hope this helps
“Darling Desi”
PS I like movies – I learn how to do THINGS from them…
PSS A great movie challenges you – gets you thinking – how, who, why, what, where or when can I do that?
Thanks Andy helpful videos to me… and as a side note Liz my partner was forced to listen aswell but you got a rare thumbs up from her… Usually she says why do you listen to all that rubbish!
From other people I hasten to add.
I’m not American Indian, but I have moccasins, so I get it.
Somehow (like always) you make it sound fun.
Now I can go pick up all the pencils I threw across the room when I was writing my last copy.
Like always Andy, you keep my attention far longer than anyone else can. It sounds so easy. Just need to actually do it. In my experience, that is the hardest part of this whole deal. Do it, Do it, Do it!
Andy,
You’re an excellent storyteller!
When you say tell it like a ‘true story’ are you saying a mythical character story can work as well, being up front that it’s a hypothetical situation but still ringing true with the customer’s main frustrations?
Thanks, AJ
Howard
Hey Andy
I’m loving this new Andy Unleashed style you have going. I, too, suck at copywriting, so I’ll have to stick to stories. I suck a little less at those. What can I say, I’m a techie
Hi Andy,
thanks for sharing that useful information on copywriting.
Cheers
Marc-Philipp
Someone might say in response to this “but I suck at story telling too”!!
I used to think I sucked at story telling. I’m still nowhere near as good as you (you rock!)
But since I started a blog I am getting so much better! All it takes is a little success to build enough confidence.. anway a good way to build you story telling skills is get a blog and start posting. You’ll find your stride sooner or later
Thanks a million Andy. This takes a lot of the pressure I was putting on myself to be something else other than what my natural gifting is. Studying or worrying about writing copy has stopped me or has been a support to my stopping of developing killer programs. This feels natural. I’m totally afraid some times of this internet marketing stuff but have invested to much (some hype some not) to turn back now! I really have true stories to tell. This is a way to be an author far before the book deal is signed….okay I’ll hush! Your the best!
Andy…
Toady I landed a HUGE opportunity to write a
post in a very high traffic blog as a guest poster.
I’ve ‘done’ copywriting, read ‘stuff’, bought ‘things’.
I even watched your vids here a while ago.
Been there, done that.
So there I was, sat down, ready to write the post,
when I decided that I needed a crash primer in
copywriting (again).
Naturally, I came rushing over to this spot of the
InterWeb…
…and watched…
…and copied your mindmap.
NOW I GET IT!
There’s nothing quite like having a NEED and finding the solution…
I finally have my copywriting box ticked.
Thank you for sharing. This is pure gold.
PS If they reject my article I know who to blame
PPS I’ll be delivering my complaint inside a story of course
An excellent set of videos on How-To Tell A Story For Profit.
Thanks for sharing your marketing knowledge.