Bad Habits of Copywriters

I have a confession.

I’ve developed a bad habit since getting into copywriting.

I buy products, skim them, but fail to spend the time to read and think about what I’ve learned.  I am not applying what I’m learning.

This is something a lot of wantrapreneurs experience.  They’re always looking for a magical product.  A product that will tell them how to make money, launch a business, create a product, or get rich.

They consume lightly, but never take action.

Another trap I fall into is the temptation to buy the deal.  Who wouldn’t want to save $100 or 50%?  But with so many deals piling up and no time to read the products, I end up wasting my money.

My Nominee for Best Copywriting Advice

So my attention was peaked one Sunday morning when I was listening to the Ben Settle Show.

Ben said, “Don’t buy any more products. First read everything you already have ten times.”

Wow!

I’ve never heard a marketer say that, and I’ve been mulling it over ever since.

I don’t think Ben means read the same product ten times in a row.  It would numb the mind!  And, at least in my case, there would be certain things I’d subconsciously memorize and begin to skip over by the third or fourth time through.

After thinking about it, here’s how to apply Ben’s advice.  For me, it means to list three to five half-read books, marketing materials, newsletters, incomplete courses and cycle through the material ten times.

By doing this, you’ll give your brain a break and much needed variety.  You’re conscious mind will forget what you’ve read.  (Which is the point).  But the sub-conscious will begin to make connections, grasp insights that it otherwise might not have been able to make.  By the ninth or tenth read through, the material will be familiar, but not stale.

Another advantage to this approach is that you’ll be far more discriminating when it comes to buying your next copywriting materials.  You’ll have a better idea of what quality material is versus what it is not.  You’ll also have a better idea of which marketers know their subject versus who is in the pump and dump business.

I love Ben’s idea and I’m nominating it as the single best copywriting idea of 2015.