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Copywriting lessons from David Garfinkel
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Deadly Manners is a 10 episode, dark comedy murder-mystery series set in the winter of 1954. It follows the events during the night of the affluent Billings family annual dinner party with their distinguished, eccentric guests. However, all is not fun and games as shortly after the party starts, a snowstorm begins to rage outside, trapping all the partygoers inside their host’s mansion. When a murderer starts killing off those in attendance, the guests must figure out who is responsible, or ...
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This podcast is hosted by the two creators of Deadly Manners: Ali Garfinkel (Writer) and Alex Aldea (Producer). They discuss the process of making the show and interview members of the Deadly Manners team.
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It happens to all of us, and can you remember a time where you wondered:“Is this really good copywriting? It seems like what I should write, but somehow it’s not clicking.”Here’s why you wonder.There’s a well-known saying from the Navy SEALs:"Under pressure, you don't rise to the level of your expectations, you sink to the level of your training". …
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Our special guest today, John Jantsch, is going to tell you about what could be the single most valuable sentence you have in your business for getting clients and customers.John’s the author of the Wall Street Journal best-seller Duct Tape Marketing, as well as three other books.Now when John talks about “core,” I’m pretty sure he’s not talking ab…
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You could have written the greatest copy in the world. Perfectly targeted with a killer offer. Great price. Unique and highly desirable.But I can tell you one way it is guaranteed NOT to work.And that’s if nobody reads it.Don’t laugh; it happens.There are a couple more than a dozen crucial things you must know and consistently DO to make your copy …
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Ever get frustrated with what happens when you try to get an AI to write something?According to Google Workspace Labs, the average prompt people give an AI is nine words or less.Nine words!The AI needs a lot more information than that to do a decent job for you.But the question is–what information?Today, we’re going to take a look at how AI goes so…
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Do storytelling skills REALLY make a difference for you?Just ask our special guest today, Parker Worth.Parker decided he had enough of high school at 16. His first job was cleaning toilets.From there, he went to electrician school and, after a few years, got a job traveling around the world as an electrician.But his own story really starts to take …
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Today we’re talking about three new ways to use ChatGPT for copywriters and business owners, and another development from another company which is a lot lower priced than ChatGPT’s a month for its premium service.We’ll also talk a little about some other specific ways to use OTHER AIs, but a lot of our focus is on ChatGPT.Now, to be clear, I wasn’t…
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One meeting of the minds reigns supreme above all others in copywriting–and that’s when the copywriter understands and addresses the same thoughts that are most pressing in the minds of their best prospect.Our returning champion today is the incredible Caleb O’Dowd. He was here a few weeks ago when he told us some closely guarded secrets from his b…
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One of the greatest insiders in direct response today is not primarily a copywriter, but a graphic designer.Actually, our returning champion Lori Haller is a designer… and so much more.She works side by side with many of the greatest copywriters of our time to help create control-beating packages, for clients like Boardroom, Healthy Directions, Dr.…
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27 Years Ago, pop singer Cher asked us this question:“Do you believe in life after love?”… and it promptly rocketed to the top of the charts, selling 11 million copies of the song.Today, in 2025, a better question—especially for copywriters—is“Do you believe in sales without belief?”It’s a question our returning champion today, Billy Broas, has tho…
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Two of the most confrontive words in a conversation are “Prove It!”Nobody really likes to be challenged about how true what they are saying.But when it comes to writing copy in the real world, you have to expect that prospects WON’T believe you.In fact, the more they like a claim you make, the more skeptical they will be.Why?Because of human nature…
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Confidence in copywriting isn’t just about choosing the right words—it’s about embodying conviction in every line you write. In this episode, we explore the hidden ways self-doubt seeps into your messaging, sabotaging conversions before your prospects even realize why. From subconscious hesitations to subtle linguistic hedging, you’ll discover how …
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Today we look at an old and very true saying:It’s not about the money you make, but about the money you KEEP.There’s an old joke about a guy who loses money on every sale, but, he says, “I make it up in volume.”We’re not talking about back ends or affiliate sales here.Things can go sideways in your business if you’re not making enough sales, or you…
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We’re past the point of wondering about or fearing AI when it comes to copywriting.At this point, the big question is: What do I need to know, do and have to make it work for me?I say that because copywriters at all levels of skill and in all niches are using AI in all kinds of ways. It’s no longer the new new thing. It’s a part of the business, an…
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We have a very special guest today. A legend among insiders, Caleb O’Dowd is a master marketer and copywriter. He has been launching and scaling businesses from zero to seven figures and eight figures, through the smart use of great copy and strategic sales funnels.In more industries than I can count. Including some of the most brutally competitive…
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At the highest levels of copywriting, big financial publishers ask copywriters to do a “re-lead” when they want to increase conversion on a proven offer.What’s that?A re-lead is basically a reframing of the intro to a sales letter, in the hopes that the reframing will spur greater sales.And it’s probably no coincidence that when my mentoring client…
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You could say the purpose of a sales funnel is to create desire that leads up to a sale, but these days, if that’s what you say, you’ve left out an important part.A part that very well could make the difference between a sale and no sale.With trust in general at such an all-time low and the feeling of isolation so rampant, people want a little more…
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Our returning champion is Brenna McGowan, the master of the pre-launch.Today she’s going to tell us about a special pre-launch technique called Anticipation Marketing™.Perhaps the best advantage it gives you is it puts you front and center in your prospects’ minds, and at the same time gets them eagerly looking forward to getting the full details a…
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It’s the day before the day of the night before Christmasas we put this on the air, and a very unknown year looms ahead.One thing for sure, no matter what happens:The market will be more unforgiving in 2025 than it was in 2024. Why?It’s simple. Competition keeps growing. So does impatience among almost all consumers, and mistrust among many of them…
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So, we’re right in the middle of the Christmas shopping season as we come to you this week, and I’m wondering:Have you figured out how to delight your customers and fatten up your bank account?If you haven’t you’re not alone.Many copywriters and businesses don’t know exactly what to do to join in the holiday buying and selling fun… so they don’t do…
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For the copywriting word of the year, I’d like to nominate the word “authenticity.”It’s a big deal right now.People talk about it a lot. I will give you an example on today’s show of how an accidental Facebook ad created more engagement than anything else I’ve ever seen.I went over the ad with my clients and we figured out that it was the way they …
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Have you ever heard a song and thought,“Dang! How did they do that? I wish my copy was that catchy!”Well, Nathan and I have thought the same thing and in fact pondered the similarities between writing a song and writing copy.You see, we’re both songwriters. We stoutly assert that we are both amateurs at this.At one point, music was Nathan’s busines…
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Ever wonder why some copywriters consistently crush it while others struggle to get conversions? This episode dives deep into the Five Stages of Copywriter Awareness—a transformative framework that shows the path from instinctive, mediocre copy to breakthrough results. If you’ve ever felt like your copy was missing something, this episode will pinp…
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Once you’ve finished your copy, the anxiety begins.And it almost always boils down to the answer to this question:How good is this copy–really?When people ask me to critique their copy, they’re often amazed at how quickly I can get to the heart of things. Once I have an overall opinion, I’ll drill down to a lot of specifics.But I think it’s importa…
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Today we’re going to do another episode of “Just because it’s a story, it’s not a hero’s journey story.”What I mean by that is, many people have been misleading copywriters and salespeople for a while now. Saying, if you’re going to tell a story, it’s got to be a hero’s journey story.As you may know, in my book The Persuasion Story Code, I show 25 …
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It’s become so common we don’t even think about sometimes, but subscription products have really taken over our world in a way no one could ever have predicted.And along with them, new demands and new opportunities for copywriting.If you look at the past, you’ll see a lot of promotions were based on a single sale, with the copywriter or the busines…
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If you would like your lead magnets to perform better and get you more qualified prospects and customers, wouldn’t it make sense to look at the most popular form of engagement in the world for some clues?I’m talking about video games. According to the sports and gaming platform Sportskeeda, last year gaming was a $396 billion industry. Movies, $284…
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Four months ago, I was completely skeptical about AI and how it would ever fit into copywriting. I saw a post on LinkedIn by Brian Halpin, a copywriter working in Jason Parker’s agency. Brian talked about some unbelievable results, nearly one million in sales, that they had gotten with a VSL that was 80% written by AI.I’ve known Jason for more than…
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The term “cult” has become such a loaded word lately.People who aren’t members of certain groups call the groups a cult, and the members of those groups resent and deny it.Yet, are all cults bad?Maybe some are, maybe some aren’t.But on today’s show, Nathan Fraser is going to talk about a special kind of cult that, in his view, is not only GOOD — bu…
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Ever wonder how to set yourself, your product, or your business apart?It’s a big puzzle these days.The best general advice I’ve heard is from recent podcast guest Scott Zetlan:“Different is better than better.”It almost sounds silly, but in the super-competitive marketplace, where products live in the real world, it’s not silly at all.It’s actually…
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Job one for a copywriter is getting and keeping attention. We always give that our best shot.But there are some situations where you need to do this more intensely, and you don’t want to come across like a screaming insane person yelling loudly just to get attention.So we need to come up with some unusual techniques, to increase the intensity witho…
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Today we’re going to talk about two words that can change your writing forever. Not just your copywriting, but especially your copywriting.One word is a first-grade word and the second word is a fourth-grade word, according to people who seem to know about those things.The words are “but” – with one ‘t’ – and “therefore.” Why are these words so imp…
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You know FAQs – that list of frequently asked questions, and answers?Are they a copywriting chore you would just as soon avoid?Well, today I’d like to offer a different way to look at them. As a huge, and mainly underutilized, marketing opportunity.I want you to consider this possibility:An FAQ section doesn't just inform. It also persuades. But no…
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OK, finally. You’ve got your copy written.At least your first draft.Now what?That’s what a subscriber to the podcast asked me on youtube a few weeks ago.The best I can do to answer that question is tell you how I look at copy, whether it’s my own, or a client’s.Today’s show is about a series of steps I go through to review copy with a mentoring cli…
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These days, things in copywriting are changing so fast it can make your head spin.Junior copywriters aren’t sure there’s a career path, because of AI.Experienced copywriters are finding clients have different and sometimes confusing demands that you never would have heard five years ago.Our special guest today, Scott Zetlan, has some answers for ju…
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One of the hardest things for copywriters and business owners to get right is running ads to cold traffic on Facebook and Instagram, and making those ads profitable.If you’ve tried this for yourself, I think you know what I mean.So does today’s guest, who has discovered some important techniques that work and has also discovered the mistakes to avo…
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I would say our guest today Will Siebler takes a Zen approach to copywriting. On the home page of his website, he has a picture of a lonely but sturdy coffee cup on a table. On the coffee cup is the word “Begin.”But the shimmering peace is shattered by a few words overlayed on the picture:“I’m Will. I write words that make your clients say, ‘Shut u…
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Listen to this:“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.”That’s from author and sportswriter Jim Dent, and it perfectly captures how a lot of us feel in the summertime. Lazy and happy to be so.And that’s fine. But don’t mistake your state of mind for the state of bu…
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It’s a double-edged word that doesn’t get talked about enough.And that word is: confidence.It definitely has a bad connotation, as in “con artist” or “confidence man.”But on the flip side, and with a different meaning, it’s a very important, positive word.I would say in some very straight-laced business circles, it’s the only emotion you can talk a…
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As a copywriter, sometimes your biggest problem is that your prospect doesn’t have a problem.Well, that’s not exactly it.Actually, sometimes your biggest problem is when you don’t KNOW what your prospect’s problem is… and how to communicate to them in a compelling way that your product can solve that problem.And if you can show convincingly that yo…
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Does the world turn upside down when you are writing copy for prospects with money?The first time you do it, it sure seems that way.And there’s a good reason for that. The rules are different for writing that kind of copy.Does that mean that the core basic aspects of psychology are different for rich people than they are for everyone else?Absolutel…
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In this episode, we dive into the concept of transformation in marketing, revealing why it's the secret ingredient behind successful campaigns.We'll uncover the types of transformations—physical, emotional, and social—that resonate most with audiences. Learn how to identify the most compelling transformation your product offers and how to overcome …
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In theory, AI should be able to do anything you tell it, including write good copy for you.In practice, AI does what you give it instructions to do.And finding the instructions to give it that will make it write in compelling, simple conversational English… looking for those instructions has been like the search for the Holy Grail.At least for me. …
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It is rare that we quote baseball players on Copywriters Podcast, but today we are going to quote a great one, Yogi Berra. He said,“It is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future.”But as intrepid copywriters, we do the difficult.Actually, stories about the future are very useful and effective in copy.They’re probably not exactly w…
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If your tank is empty and you’re looking for inspiration, you could do worse than to watch a little WWE wrestling.¬Our special guest today, Todd Jones, is quite a fan and an expert. He’s written a terrific article called “5 Lessons I Learned About Storytelling From Pro Wrestling.”Yesterday I read it. Because it’s online, it has videos to illustrate…
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I really didn’t believe it was possible—that AI could crank out compelling copy in a conversational, persuasive voice.But I reconnected with my old mentoring client Jason Parker last week. By “old,” I mean it’s been over a decade since we worked together. He’s not all that old himself. Me, that’s another story.When he showed me what he’s come up wi…
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When you talk about your product and you get that deer-in-the-headlights look, what gives?In the best of all worlds, it’s simply that the prospect doesn’t understand what you’re saying.And that very much could be because you’re the man or woman who knows too much.I’m talking about the curse of knowledge—when you’ve gotten all this expertise, which …
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First weekend in May, the #1 show on Netflix was an origin story. Not a real origin story, but a total fabrication for comedy purposes. It was a movie called Unfrosted.It’s important for copywriters for a couple of reasons.The first is the power of a product name.The movie was a totally fictional story about how Kellogg's popular toaster pastries b…
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Every day it gets worse–the struggle to get people’s attention.It’s always been hard, but never like this before.Too many things and people are competing for our attention at any given moment.This may seem like a particular problem for copywriters, since we’ve been trained to start every message with a headline or a subject line.Nothing wrong with …
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Time to talk about a taboo subject that needs to be discussed: The truly awful clients copywriters inevitably get, and how to set things right with them (or make a Quick Draw McGraw exit)!We’ve all had them. That can’t be changed or avoided.But what to DO about them?That can be learned, from an expert who’s been there, done that, and figured it out…
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After you’ve finished your copy, how do you know that you got everything right and haven’t left anything out?There are several good ways to double-check, but I don’t think there’s one more fun than Jack Turk’s Killer Copy Checklist.It’s an 8-page PDF, written and presented like a comic book.But it’s serious stuff, in an easy-to-take form.Today Jack…
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