1. Materials

What We’ll Be Covering

1. Research Process
Insights into Demographics, Other Existing Solutions, Curiosity, Corruption, Where to Find Answers, For Nutra Ingredients, Important Notes

2. Mechanism Process
Mechanism Behind Problem, Mechanism Behind Solution, A Logical Question, Mechanism Examples, How the Mechanism Pre- Sells the Product For You

3. The Brief Process
Connecting Research + Mechanism Together, Pain Points, Promises, Paradoxical Questions, Metaphors, Product and Story, Examples.

4. Copy Process
Sales Letter Outline, Lead Types, Story Types, Product Types, Fascinations, AOV Money Close, Dissecting Examples.

Basic Premises

Writing a winning sales copy is not hard. It also doesn’t take a long time. Instead, it’s all about the process.
Most of us overcomplicate things dramatically.
We also think we need to be original “creative geniuses” when it’s just not the case.
Perfection is the enemy.
Writing a winning direct response piece can be boiled down to four simple steps: Research, Mechanism, Brief, and Copy.

Research

I. What We’re Looking For…

Insights Into Demographic :

Who Is Your Customer?
What Attitudes Do They Have? (Religious, Political, Social, Economic)?
What Are Their Hopes and Dreams?
What Are Their Victories and Failures?
What Outside Forces Do THEY Believe Have Prevented Their Best Life?
What Are Their Prejudices?
Sum Up Their Core Beliefs About Life, Love, and Family In 1-3 Sentences.
Other Existing Solutions:

What is the Market Already Using? (List Out)
What Has Their Experience Been Like?
What Does the Market Like About Existing Solutions?
What Does the Market Dislike About Existing Solutions?
Are Their Horror Stories About Existing Solutions?
Does the Market Believe Existing Solution Works?
If Not, Why?
Curiosity:

Has Someone Tried to Solve the Market’s Pain Points Before In A Very Unique Way?
What Was The Result?
Is There A Conspiratorial Story Behind Why Old Solutions Didn’t Work?
Are There Any Older Attempts to Solve the Problem (Pre-1960) That Are Unique?
What Happened? Were they successful but forgotten? Or were they a failure? Why?

Examples:

Tesla in the energy space. Big energy didn’t want his solutions, he was discredited and shamed. His inventions and discoveries were thrown into the ash heap of history until now.
U.S. Army tried to cure foot fungus during WWII, surgeon general was on a desperate race because troops were missing service time. Finally succeeded by using Undecylenic Acid. But today we forget how effective it is.
Corruption:

Is There A Belief That the Market’s Pain Point Used To Not Exist, Or Used To Not Be So Bad?
Is There A Belief That It’s Been Recently Exacerbated By Outside Forces?
If So, What Are Those Forces And What’s The Reason Behind Their Presence?

Examples:
Obesity and diabetes being the result of Dr. Ancil Keyes.

This isolated group of people doesn’t struggle from whatever condition/pain point that most of us do. In America we DO suffer from this pain point. The reason why is that we are exposed to these outside forces while this isolated group isn’t.

Where to Find the Answers to Your Research Questions?

Forums/Reddit:
Look for replies vs. views. Why? On a post, if lots of people view it that’s great, and there may be interest. But when there are a ton of REPLIES, it means people are really passionate, interested, and engaged.

Facebook Groups and Pages:
Similar to forums. Pay attention to the posts with the most engagement. Not interested in a ton of “likes.” Only semi-interested in a ton of “shares.” Really interested in a ton of comments and arguments.

Amazon.Com
No surprise here of course. But perfect for looking at similar products on the market, and reading reviews of them too. This works for both indirectly compete products, and direct competitors.

Look at 5 Star Reviews and 1 Star Reviews.
Look at the FAQs as this will help know what your market is wondering about.
Look at similar products customers have bought.
Look at product features/benefits/claims.

Unique Mechanism

I. In a Nutshell:
The unique mechanism explains why our prospect is struggling or suffering to achieve a goal…

And how they can overcome that problem.

At its core, the unique mechanism is always a two-part logical connection.

II. There are two parts to the unique mechanism:
Unique Mechanism Behind the Problem our Prospect Faces.
Unique Mechanism Behind the Solution to that Problem.
It’s important to identify the unique mechanism behind both the problem AND the solution.

By showing the unique mechanism behind the problem, you get the prospect to understand why they’ve failed in the past.

By showing the unique mechanism behind the solution, you get the prospect to believe that our product will bring them success where other alternatives have failed.

III. To Put It Another way…
Typically by the time our prospect comes to us, they’ve tried numerous solutions to their problem already. In the past, these other solutions may have not worked at all, worked partially, or worked fully for a period of time (before they stopped working).

Our job as a copywriter is to educate our prospect about the REAL reason why past solutions didn’t bring them permanent results. We do this by explaining that their knowledge about the problem is incomplete. They’ve been missing ONE CRUCIAL PIECE OF INFORMATION, and this “knowledge gap” is what’s been holding them back.

Unique Mechanism Example:
Olive Oil of the Month Club
https://www.freshpressedoliveoil.com/c/APMG041_Q218/tj

Unique Mechanism Behind The Problem:
Olive oil, unlike wine, does not improve with time. Just the opposite! It’s at its peak of nutritional perfection and flavor immediately after it’s pressed! Olives, after all, are a fruit, and olive oil is a fruit juice. Just as with any other fruit juice, it’s most delicious when fresh-pressed, and that’s when you want to enjoy it.

But virtually none of the fresh-pressed olive oil from Italy—or any other great olive-growing country—ever makes it to our shores. The reason is that shipping by air is prohibitively expensive. As a result, virtually all the olive oils sent to the U.S. travel here by molasses-slow cargo ship. Adding insult to injury, many oils are shipped months—maybe even a year!—after pressing.

Moreover, olive oil is not shipped as perishable food. To save money, producers send it in container ships along with scores of manufactured goods—cars, machinery, whatever—and the oils are subjected to brutal conditions, and, worst of all, delays.

There are flavor-sapping delays at every port of call on its long ocean voyage, while sitting at anchor in the harbor waiting for customs inspections and FDA approval before admittance. Then there are further delays at the docks, in trucking transport, and in warehouses before eventual distribution to local stores. Then these oils may sit yet additional weeks, months, or even years on shelves under fluorescent lights, which also destroy flavor and precious, perishable nutrients.

And now you know why the producers of ordinary olive oils seldom if ever print a “Harvest” date (sometimes also called the “Pressing” date) on their labels. Sure, they will print a “Best Used By” date,” but not the harvest date. I suspect they want to extend shelf life as long as possible. They realize that savvy olive oil lovers prize freshness above all else, and they don’t want to give you any hint as to how old and stale their oils may be after their torturously slow journey from overseas to your shopping cart.

Unique Mechanism Behind the Solution
Long story short, that’s how I founded the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club. I realized that if I were willing to break with the tradition of shipping olive oil by slow cargo ship and instead rush it to America by jet, direct from the new harvest of each olive-growing country, I could be the first to bring authentic fresh-pressed oil to foodies here in America all year round!

Four times a year—roughly in November, February, May, and August—I travel the world, stalking the global olive groves to sample hundreds of fresh-pressed olive oils right at the peak of their harvest-fresh flavor.

My trusted sources in these faraway olive groves—established over my years of globetrotting— include hundreds of the finest boutique producers and traditional family-owned estates whose oils are proud local treasures. These oils are normally produced in small, exclusive batches and reserved for high-end restaurants and a gourmet clientele in their own locales. Many are the top award winners in regional olive oil competitions. They are virtually never shipped to the U.S.

When I arrive at these harvests, the most respected artisanal producers roll out the welcome mat for me. They know I represent Club members who are the most discriminating olive oil aficionados in America and who fully appreciate fresh and exquisitely flavorful oils. Indeed, our Club’s membership consists of many chefs, high-end restaurants and hotels, as well as a wide array of gourmets, foodies, and health-conscious individuals from every walk of life who insist on enjoying—and serving their lucky guests—the most flavorful and healthiest olive oils on earth.

Our Club’s demanding reputation precedes me, and I usually find myself being treated like a visiting raja. The region’s top artisanal producers vie with one another to bring me dozens of their finest fresh-pressed oils to make me smile with pleasure. From these, I choose the three brightest, most flavorful oils. Then I race my newfound treasures at the peak of their harvest-flavor and nutritional goodness to the U.S. by jet plane, and then right to your front door by rush delivery. The result is that, as a Club member, you get to enjoy what only a tiny handful of Americans ever get to experience—true fresh-pressed olive oil and all its amazing taste and health benefits, rushed to you straight from the latest harvest.

Brief

1. Who’s the Audience?

2. What are the pain points, or biggest fears?
(+ identify the 1-3 HUGE ones, while the rest are secondary)

- Short Term:

-Long Term:

3. So by reversing the pain points/biggest fears, what is the one big promise (1-3 sentences) you are going to make about the sales copy they’re now reading…how this will change their lives forever?

4. What solutions for the reader’s problem (s) exist already (and why aren’t they working for them)?

5. What’s the new claim/root cause/surprising info? And how does this new solution we’re offering them work? [This is the Unique Mechanism Part]

(Think about it as if they had 99% of the solution already, but you’re sharing that missing 1%...the easy but unexpected REAL REASON, or REAL SECRET to their success).

6. Paradoxical Question:

7. Metaphor:

8. Bold Claim
(What’s the huge promise about the results they’re going to get using this product/solution?):

9. What is the Product?
(If you can write out fascinations here, it will help you immensely. This is the part where you get to shape exactly what the product we’re selling will include)

10. Background Story + Story of Discovery:

11. Some Headline Ideas:
(One sentence – something that would be the first line of the VSL, or in the copy above the video screen. Attention grabbing)

12. Ideas for a potential upsell product?
(Something that could be sold to the customer immediately after purchasing the main product. You’d want this to be related to the product, but solve an additional problem, or provide a significant additional benefit).

Brief Example:
Olive Oil of the Month Club
https://www.freshpressedoliveoil.com/c/APMG041_Q218/tj

1. Who’s the Audience?

Foodies. People who care about the quality of meals. They often have guests over and entertain. They are motivated by prestige, uniqueness, and individuality.

2. What are the pain points, or biggest fears?
(+ identify the 1-3 HUGE ones, while the rest are secondary)

- Short Term:

Missing out on a luxury experience. Having mediocre or less than perfect meals. Having something “kept” from them. Rancidness, being taken advantage of. Hard to find good quality olive oil.

-Long Term:

Always having mediocre meals, always missing out, always having something kept from you.

3. So by reversing the pain points/biggest fears, what is the one big promise (1-3 sentences) you are going to make…how this will change their lives forever?

They’re going to see why they’ve been misled about Olive Oil in the past, and discover the TRUTH about Olive Oil, so that they experience the freshest, best tasting, most aromatic olive oil they’ve ever had.

4. What solutions for the reader’s problem (s) exist already (and why aren’t they working for them)?

All of the other olive oil brands out there. But none of them have a “made on” date, they are shipped slowly, and they sit around for months before you ever buy them. The truth is that olives are fruit, and they’re best when consumed fresh.

5. What’s the new claim/root cause/surprising info? And how does this new solution we’re offering them work?
(Think about it as if they had 99% of the solution already, but you’re sharing that missing 1%...the easy but unexpected REAL REASON, or REAL SECRET to their success).

Unique Mechanism Behind The Problem:
Olive oil, unlike wine, does not improve with time. Just the opposite! It’s at its peak of nutritional perfection and flavor immediately after it’s pressed! Olives, after all, are a fruit, and olive oil is a fruit juice. Just as with any other fruit juice, it’s most delicious when fresh-pressed, and that’s when you want to enjoy it.

But virtually none of the fresh-pressed olive oil from Italy—or any other great olive-growing country—ever makes it to our shores. The reason is that shipping by air is prohibitively expensive. As a result, virtually all the olive oils sent to the U.S. travel here by molasses-slow cargo ship. Adding insult to injury, many oils are shipped months—maybe even a year!—after pressing.

Moreover, olive oil is not shipped as perishable food. To save money, producers send it in container ships along with scores of manufactured goods—cars, machinery, whatever—and the oils are subjected to brutal conditions, and, worst of all, delays.

There are flavor-sapping delays at every port of call on its long ocean voyage, while sitting at anchor in the harbor waiting for customs inspections and FDA approval before admittance. Then there are further delays at the docks, in trucking transport, and in warehouses before eventual distribution to local stores. Then these oils may sit yet additional weeks, months, or even years on shelves under fluorescent lights, which also destroy flavor and precious, perishable nutrients.

And now you know why the producers of ordinary olive oils seldom if ever print a “Harvest” date (sometimes also called the “Pressing” date) on their labels. Sure, they will print a “Best Used By” date,” but not the harvest date. I suspect they want to extend shelf life as long as possible. They realize that savvy olive oil lovers prize freshness above all else, and they don’t want to give you any hint as to how old and stale their oils may be after their torturously slow journey from overseas to your shopping cart.

Unique Mechanism Behind the Solution
Long story short, that’s how I founded the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club. I realized that if I were willing to break with the tradition of shipping olive oil by slow cargo ship and instead rush it to America by jet, direct from the new harvest of each olive-growing country, I could be the first to bring authentic fresh-pressed oil to foodies here in America all year round!

Four times a year—roughly in November, February, May, and August—I travel the world, stalking the global olive groves to sample hundreds of fresh-pressed olive oils right at the peak of their harvest-fresh flavor.

My trusted sources in these faraway olive groves—established over my years of globetrotting— include hundreds of the finest boutique producers and traditional family-owned estates whose oils are proud local treasures. These oils are normally produced in small, exclusive batches and reserved for high-end restaurants and a gourmet clientele in their own locales. Many are the top award winners in regional olive oil competitions. They are virtually never shipped to the U.S.

When I arrive at these harvests, the most respected artisanal producers roll out the welcome mat for me. They know I represent Club members who are the most discriminating olive oil aficionados in America and who fully appreciate fresh and exquisitely flavorful oils. Indeed, our Club’s membership consists of many chefs, high-end restaurants and hotels, as well as a wide array of gourmets, foodies, and health-conscious individuals from every walk of life who insist on enjoying—and serving their lucky guests—the most flavorful and healthiest olive oils on earth.

Our Club’s demanding reputation precedes me, and I usually find myself being treated like a visiting raja. The region’s top artisanal producers vie with one another to bring me dozens of their finest fresh-pressed oils to make me smile with pleasure. From these, I choose the three brightest, most flavorful oils. Then I race my newfound treasures at the peak of their harvest-flavor and nutritional goodness to the U.S. by jet plane, and then right to your front door by rush delivery. The result is that, as a Club member, you get to enjoy what only a tiny handful of Americans ever get to experience—true fresh-pressed olive oil and all its amazing taste and health benefits, rushed to you straight from the latest harvest.

6. Paradoxical Question:

We all know that when it comes to fruit juice, the fresher the better.

Olives are a fruit, so why don’t we worry about how fresh our olive oil is?

7. Metaphor:

Mostly it’s used here in relation to all of the language describing the experience of having this olive oil.

8. Bold Claim
(What’s the huge promise about the results they’re going to get using this product/solution?):

You’ll receive only the finest, freshest olive oils in the world, with zero obligations or risk.

9. What is the Product?
(If you can write out fascinations here, it will help you immensely. This is the part where you get to shape exactly what the product we’re selling will include)

Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club.

Long story short, that’s how I founded the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club. I realized that if I were willing to break with the tradition of shipping olive oil by slow cargo ship and instead rush it to America by jet, direct from the new harvest of each olive-growing country, I could be the first to bring authentic fresh-pressed oil to foodies here in America all year round!

I shamelessly admit that I want to make it as irresistible as I possibly can for you to try my fresh-pressed olive oil. Based on the experience of my other customers, I know that once you try it, you'll never want to live without it. Think for one moment of all the things for which you'll spend $1 or more in the coming months, many of which will have little or no impact on the joy and pleasure you experience in your daily life.

Contrast these with the modest $1 I ask to help cover my shipping. This one little dollar will be your first-class ticket to a whole new world of dining pleasure and satisfaction. For just $1, you'll get to crown about a month's worth of your favorite dishes with the incomparable flavor of divine, fresh-from-the-harvest olive oil.

That's dozens of deliciously enhanced meals for just $1! And no matter what you decide, the $39 bottle is yours to keep with my compliments.
Best of all, as a member of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club, there's no obligation or commitment to buy anything, now or ever.

Four times a year—roughly in November, February, May, and August—I travel the world, stalking the global olive groves to sample hundreds of fresh-pressed olive oils right at the peak of their harvest-fresh flavor.

My trusted sources in these faraway olive groves—established over my years of globetrotting— include hundreds of the finest boutique producers and traditional family-owned estates whose oils are proud local treasures. These oils are normally produced in small, exclusive batches and reserved for high-end restaurants and a gourmet clientele in their own locales. Many are the top award winners in regional olive oil competitions. They are virtually never shipped to the U.S.

10. Background Story + Story of Discovery:

Food journalist and chef who is traveling in Italy. His Italian friend tells him that he’s a “virgin olive oil virgin” and brings him to an olive grove, where he experiences fresh olive oil for the first time in his life. It’s amazing and totally unlike anything he’s ever experienced before and realizes he needs to bring this to his friends in the U.S.

11. Some Headline Ideas:
(One sentence – something that would be the first line of the VSL, or in the copy above the video screen. Attention grabbing)

If you'll pay just $1 to help cover my shipping costs, I'll send you a complimentary $39 bottle of one of the greatest olive oils I've ever discovered...

12. Ideas for a potential upsell product?
(Something that could be sold to the customer immediately after purchasing the main product. You’d want this to be related to the product, but solve an additional problem, or provide a significant additional benefit).

I’m not sure what they did in this funnel. But if it were me some immediate ideas would be:

Sell a supersized bundle
Sell other cooking oils
Sell a wine of the club month
Sell expedited shipping
Other complementary products like rare forms of sea salt and seasoning, etc.

Copy

I. Lead
Call Out Problem
Promise Solution to Pain Point + Promise to Save Time/Money
Tease Emotional Discovery Story
Tease Unique Mechanism Behind Solution
Tease Contrarian Nature of Mechanism (This Flies in the Face of What You’ve Been Told Before)
Working in “Fascinations” as Incentive For Continuing With Copy (I’ll Answer This Riddle For You)
Briefly Address Skepticism
Briefly Mention Credibility Builders
Qualifiers – Who This Works For. Is It For Everyone? Is It For a Certain Subset? Speak to Your Market.
Include a Few Broad Testimonials if Available (About Benefits But Don’t Give Away Product)
II. Background Story
Who I Am + Credibility Builders When Appropriate (ie. A Doctor or Expert)
“I or Someone Close to Me Was Just Like You (In Pain)” – Here’s The Emotional Story About It
Traditional Solutions & Advice Not Working
Trigger Event – Problem or Pain Point Escalated to Where Avatar
Realizes Something MUST Change
Search for Truth/Answers
Optional: Meets Wise “Sensei” Type Who Promises to Reveal the Truth That’s Been Hidden.
III. Unique Mechanism of the Problem
Explaining the “Real Cause” of the Problem; You’ve Had 99% of the Answer But This is the Missing 1%
Should Be Surprising, Possibly Even Counterintuitive
Backed by Credibility and Proof Elements
IV. Unique Mechanism of the Solution
Now That You Know the Real Cause of the Problem, This is the “Real Solution” on a MACRO level.
This Should Be Logically Connected to the Problem
For Example: If Bad Bacteria is Causing Your Weight Gain, the Solution is a Novel Way to Rid Your Gut of Bad Bacteria.
Once They Have the MACRO Solution (A Theory) – They Dig Deep To Prove The Theory (And Get Into The MICRO).
Backed By Credibility and Proof Elements, Including Citations and Scientific Sources.
V. Product Buildup + Reveal
Now That Avatar Knows The Solution, He Looks For An “Out-of-the-Box” Version; Something That Will Just End His Quest and Solve The Problem Right There
But Discovers That Out-of-the-Box Is Flawed
Has to Do It Himself And Create Novel New Solution
Starts Testing It or Working On It. There Are Problems and Setbacks
But Eventual Success/Breakthrough
Proof Product Works
Others Asking For It
PRODUCT Is Born!
VI. Close
Product Details (What’s Included, What Makes it Special, Unique Selling Propositions)
Discuss and Dismiss Other Alternatives (Expensive, Ineffective, Side-Effects, Poor Quality, Unproven)
Keep Building Up Value of -PRODUCT-
Additional Testimonials
How to Use The Product
Optional Urgency – Powers That Be May Want to Stop Me From Sharing This At Any Time
Scarcity: Demand Is High, Supplies Are Limited, Out-of-Stocks Are Common
Personal Mission of Avatar to Make Things Better – Tied to Emotion
Price Justification & Reveal – Other “Solutions” Are More Expensive & Consequences of Inaction are Costly (Cost Can Be Either Material or Immaterial)
This Solution is Better and Will Save You Money, It’s Normally $X Which is Bargain, But Right Now You Can Get It For Just $Y!
Smart People Buy More
First Call to Action
What Happens After You Click The Button
Optional: Valuable Free Bonuses Revealed
Guarantee – You’ll Most Likely Have a Great Experience, But If For Any Reason You Don’t, No Risk and No Hassle
Second Call to Action
Two Choices – You Can Go On Suffering, Or You Can Take Action Today and Change Your Life forever; The Choice Is Yours
Urgency 2 – But You Really Must Hurry As This is The End of the Presentation And There’s No Guarantee How Long Offer Will Be Available
Third Call to Action
Thank You For Watching
VII. FAQs
Back to Being Their Friend; Helping To Clear Up Any Confusion They May Have
Reminding Them of What Product Is, What It’s Used For, Importance of Taking Action Today, Terms of Guarantee, and How to Buy!