brutally honest review of sam parr’s email course copythat

copy tip: write sentences of different lengths (short, medium, long) for better engagement

copy tip: don’t forget about the forgotten pieces of copy (like where you enter your email)

my thoughts on sam parr’s copythat course day 1

it took me about 30 minutes, which is the same time as indicated it would. at first, i was underwhelmed by the piece from louis ck. it seemed plain and unspectacular. i am doubtful the author put much thought and effort into it, as sam parr seems to think.

the part i did like was about where the user is asked for their email. everyone is worried about spam. “it’s to watch something”, i thought while reading, “why do i have to enter my email? why not just give it to me immediately after i pay here on the website?”

well, he answered my thought that it would be used for backup credentials in case i get logged out. also, he stated up front that the email would not be used to bother me…then a bit later said, unless i want to receive more info.

in the end, like usual, he offered to click a box to receive more emails about future stuff. good stuff.

copy tip: aida stands for a ttention, i nterest, d esire, a ction

other copythat day 2 notes

• aida works for videos too; you first want to grab attention
• interest can be interesting facts, ideally relevant to the viewer (ie how much money can be made via real estate in maui if that’s the ultimate offer), but also can be tangentially related, like what kinds of fish you can catch off the beach or the number of pretty girls walking around)
• desire is created by describing the benefits achieved by buying our product
• action: be very clear and detailed about precisely what you want the prospect to do next. plus, you want to ensure they take action right away and what they will get if they do and what they will lose if they wait.

• the goal of your first sentence: get people to read the second sentence.
• the goal of the third: get people to read the fourth. and so on.

• your copy needs to be long enough to sell and always written in simple language
• one sentence = one thought
• don’t use adverbs. also, don’t use cliches – come up with something unique on your own.
• sam parr is explaining things that haven’t been taught, or maybe i haven’t yet been convinced and they seem abstract yet he’s talking as if his opinion is factual (again, with the user’s buying). for example:
  • text: oh, man – who farted, right?
    • sam’s comment: this is poetry, for real. language like this gets you to fall down the slippery slope.
    • my comment: ok. i get that it’s a unique and exciting sentence. but why’s it poetry? why does it get you to fall down the slippery slope? at this point, i should be able to answer the why for each of his margin comments.

• with the intro, i thought it was going to reference sir ernest shackleton’s advertisement in the london paper from the 1800s:
  • men wanted for hazardous journey. small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. honour and recognition in case of success.
• but it was the wall street journals 28 year newspaper ad. lesson of the day: start with a story.

• write simply and how you talk. ditch the flower language.
  • i call it ‘fluff’ and i banish it from the airbnb listing hosts pay me to optimize to increase their conversion rate.
• the example used in this email is an email clutter service that i signed up for (fingers crossed)
  • these are not affiliate links, although there could have been a deal on the backend.

takeaway: your copy needs to be long enough to achieve your desired action.

• “..a terribly oversimplified rule to live by (and eventually break)
  • longer copy is better for unknown, expensive products.
    • shorter copy is better for well known or cheaper products.”

highlighted principle: great copywriting grabs your attention and gets you to fall down the slippery slope

• about forgotten copy (about us, terms, etc., pages) and highlights groupon’s email unsubscribe page, which featured a video and some interactivity.
  • my thoughts: while i think the page is unique, the only thing i would care about, as a business owner with limited resources, is how this affects the resubscribe rate. that information is missing; thus, who knows if this tactic was useful or useless?

key point: get people to say yes early and often in your sales copy. and if you do that well, they’re more likely to say yes to your bigger request: buying your product.

• probably the best sales letter of the course so far and maybe that’s because it’s a tool i’ve considered using: notion. it spoke to me, but more importantly, it speaks to anyone who wants a more organized life and/or business.

• i thought i recall seeing there would be 10 days total, five on each business day for two weeks, always starting on a monday, but today is wednesday. indeed, this was the last day. there is some mixing of wires on their end. i was surprised to see extra work for me this monday, so do one per day is my recommendation even though you’ll receive an email on saturday and sunday.

today’s tip: great copywriting and sales pages have one thing in common…they make you feel a certain emotion!

• write your copy like you’re writing an episode of succession. have a main character, a hero’s journey, a plot, ups and downs.
  • this point hit me. while writing, no matter what, think of it like a movie. you’ll prob have to add some different emotions/plot lines.
• i clicked most of the links and was surprised that most (not all) worked.

it’s good to be famous and have a large platform. i have nothing negative to write about copythat, but it’s also nothing groundbreaking. most people could not sell this course for $169. if you’re on a budget, i recommend skipping the purchase. if he runs a sale where it’s 80% off, then go ahead and get it.

note to sam: you could say that your purchase gives you access to all future courses you create. i think this would convert even those on a budget.

i’m glad i did it, mainly because one of my employees did it with me.

i’m undecided on whether this email learning course is better for newbies or experienced copywriters. there weren’t many hands-on activities. there was no writing besides copying.

to summarize, i think this is a good refresher course for copywriters that brought in a new idea or two for experience copywriters and by taking it, you can expect a mild bump in your copywriting abilities. nothing beats actual practice, and with x and other platforms that give you feedback on how many views and interactions you have, practicing has never become easier. however, someone like sam with millions of followers, hits on different posts than someone with 1,000 might. it’s a very different game at the top.

happy copywriting fellas. i invite you to leave your comments below, please.

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