Want — What does the potential customer WANT

Headline(s) — What’s the point of the copy?

Offer — What’s being offered?

Action — The Request/Prompt for ACTION!

I just read this the other day, but can’t remember where I read it. It seems good, however.

The most lucrative six-word mail-order copy formula I’ve used over the last 40 years is:

Create a need and fulfill it!

Here’s another one.

When your benefit copy outweighs your product’s perceived value, you make a sale!

Write overwhelming emotional appeals enticing your prospects inner most desire to own your product. Anticipate answering all your prospects objections perfectly. Then enthusiastically close using proven exciting reasons why (s)he can’t live without it NOW!

Here’s another simple one: Keep your benefit copy moving!

One of my favorite copy formulas which I added to, comes from the legendary master copywriter and strategist Bob Stone:

1. Promise a major benefit in your headline or first paragraph—your most important selling benefit.

2. Immediately expand on your most important benefit.

3. Tell the reader/viewer specifically what she is going to receive.

4. Back up your persuasive selling copy with proof and testimonials.

5. Show the reader/viewer what she will lose if she does not act NOW!

6. Rephrase your most compelling benefits in your closing offer.

7. Incite immediate action to order—now.

The Robert Collier Formula is similar to the AIDA one. As one of the greatest direct mail copy experts of all times, he insisted the right order for sales copy was:

Attention
Interest
Description
Persuasion
Proof
Close

Earle Buckly’s Formula for successful direct mail letter copy is:
Interest • Desire • Conviction • Action

Victor O. Schwab’s AAPPA formula (one of the giants in traditional mail order advertising)
A—Get Attention
A—Show People an Advantage
P—Prove it
P—Persuade People to Grasp This Advantage
A—Ask for Action

There are dozens more mail order old-timers like myself and dm/mo advertising pioneers who have written copy formulas. If you want to know more of them, email me at cca4dmcopy@att.net. Happy to share the list.

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Beliefs, Feelings, Desires

Unique, Useful, Ultra-Specific, Urgent

Emotional, Personal, Intellectual

Fear, Anger, Greed, Salvation, Flattery, Exclusivity, Guilt

Get, Get rid of, Relieve, Avoid, Protect, Prevent

Tell them what you’re going to tell them.

Tell them.

Tell them what you told them.

Write about something that’s interesting in an interesting way for interested people.

Attention step
Need step
Satisfaction step
Visualization step
Action step.

Al Gansky

But I think you’ll agree the lesson is valuable for copywriters.

“You’ve got seven seconds before your reader abandons you for ‘Dear Abby.’ “