Nicole Bianchi

Writing, Copywriting, & Marketing Strategies

5 Essential Marketing Strategies From Legendary Copywriter Claude C. Hopkins

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When you think of the word “copywriter”, you might picture advertising executives like those from the show Mad Men. Copy generally refers to the text in an advertisement: those words that persuade the customer to buy a product or service.

But in today’s Internet age we’re all writing copy even if we’re not selling a product for a company. We might be trying to persuade someone to click a link to read an article or leave a comment on a social media post or sign up to our email list or buy our book and write a review.

No matter whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you can learn invaluable marketing and writing strategies from copywriting books. These strategies will help you write more persuasively and market more effectively so you get your message out to the world.

One of the copywriting classics is a book called My Life in Advertising by legendary copywriter Claude C. Hopkins. It was published way back in 1927 but still contains many copywriting lessons that we can learn from in 2021. 

In today’s post, I’ve written up my top five takeaways. Let’s dive in.

(Please note that links to books are affiliate links which means I’ll earn a small commission if you buy through the link with no extra cost to you. Thank you!)

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How to Start A Story: “The Ordinary World” Technique (Video)

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I’m excited to share a new video with you today! 

How can you write a compelling opening that captivates readers? In this video, I dive into how to hook readers with the concept of “The Ordinary World” from Joseph Campbell’s story structure “The Hero’s Journey”. Discover five ingredients for powerful openings whether you’re writing a fiction or nonfiction book, a screenplay, or a short story.

I hope you enjoy the video! It would be awesome if you could give it a thumbs up and leave a comment. Do you have any other story opening tips to add to my list?

Also make sure to subscribe to my channel if you haven’t already!

I’ve just started making YouTube videos and really appreciate your support. I hope the video inspires you with your writing. Thanks for watching! 

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Some of the above links might be affiliate links. Thank you for helping to support the blog!

4 Copywriting Templates That Will Help You Beat Writer’s Block

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You’ve poured your heart and soul into creating something new to share with your audience. Maybe it’s a helpful blog post or an entertaining short story or even a product like an online course.

At last, you’re ready to send an email, publish a social media post, or write up a sales page to promote what you’ve created.

But your fingers hover over your keyboard as you struggle to figure out what to write. How can you grab your audience’s attention? How can you communicate the value of what you’ve created and make them eager to check it out?

You don’t want all of your time and effort to go to waste. You don’t want to lose this chance to impact your audience’s lives just because your promotional post wasn’t as compelling as it could be.

Not to worry.

In today’s article, I’m sharing four powerful copywriting templates that will help you structure a piece of writing that captivates your audience.

Whenever I face writer’s block when typing up an email, a social media post, a sales page, or even a blog post introduction, I love turning to these fantastic templates for guidance.

Let’s dive in.

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How to Find Your Writing Voice: 5 Methods from Famous Writers

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When a reader says they love the way an author writes, they usually are talking about much more than the author’s style. For example, a fan of Ernest Hemingway might love Hemingway’s economy with words, but also the way he brings characters and places to life and how he views the world.

A distinct voice makes your writing resonate with readers. Even if you’re writing about a topic that has been discussed by others a hundred times before, your unique voice and perspective bring something new to the topic.

Readers who fall in love with your writing voice become your truest fans impatiently awaiting your next article or story. And once you find your unique voice, your writing becomes a truer representation of yourself.

Novelist Meg Rosoff observes,

Your writing voice is the deepest possible reflection of who you are. The job of your voice is not to seduce or flatter or make well-shaped sentences. In your voice, your readers should be able to hear the contents of your mind, your heart, your soul.

In today’s blog post, I’m sharing five methods you can use to find your writing voice. Let’s dive in.

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A Flock of One Hundred Birds (Short Story)

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I have something a little different to share with you today: a new short story! When the spring weather arrives here in North Carolina, I always feel more creatively inspired. So here’s a spring gift for you:

A Flock of One Hundred Birds (A Short Story)

“If it hadn’t been for the war, he might never have met her. It happened on one of those nightmarish evenings when above ground the city rocked with bombs while below ground crowds of people huddled together in subway stations converted into air raid shelters. He stood alone in the wavering electric light and scanned the surrounding faces. His eyes searched for a friendly one that would allow him to exchange a few words and forget the worry that his apartment building might soon be replaced by a giant crater. Then he saw her…”

I hope you enjoy the story!