Swipe Your Way To Success (Legally!)

Every successful direct mail expert has
one. Same with the online experts who
continually pull in the big numbers.

What is it? The infamous 'swipe file.'
Have you started yours?

Every so often, you're faced with a blank computer screen and a deadline - your ezine is due, your sales letter needs to be posted, your ad needs to be
submitted.

And your mental batteries are
completely dead. You're suffering from
total and complete writers block. But the clock keeps ticking.

This is when you turn to your trusty 'swipe' file for inspiration. For a killer headline idea or theme. For a power word or two.

Now, I'm not saying steal someone else's
work, word for word. That's plagiarism,
and can get you in a lot of hot water. What you use a swipe file for is inspiration - the catalyst to help jump start your brain.

In the offline world, for those in the know, 'junk' mail is really treasure in disguise. You receive free, every day, new ideas for future pitches. Look through and pull out the offers, the headlines, the pieces that really
catch your eye, engage your emotions
and make you want to buy.

Then file them away for that mental rainy day.

Dan Kennedy, I understand, has rows of
file cabinets full of these treasures, just waiting to be used.

The online world has the equivalent in
spam. Yes, a silver lining for spam! As
with junk mail, look at the headlines, look at the offers. Save the ones you feel most powerful.

I have files called 'solo ads,' 'great
headlines,' 'new product pitches,' 'pitches for affiliate programs' ... you get the idea.

A Word About Headline Inspiration...

Your headline swipe file is worth its
weight in gold. Start building this resource immediately if you've not already done so. The headline is the key to unlocking an email, and some could argue it is the most important part of your offer.

The key is to take a headline from your file and adapt it to your product. When you're drawing a blank, how easy would it be to adapt the following?

38 Fun And Easy Ways to Earn $500
Next Weekend

7 Steps To Freedom

26 Days That Have Changed Thousands
Of Lives

An Amazing Business You Can Carry In
Your Pocket

Are You An Educated Failure?

Banking Secrets That Banks Don't Want
Published

California Lawyer Discovers How To
Make Money At Home With The Help
Of The U.S. Government

Do you think you could take these, and
plug your product or service in, and get a huge head start?

For example, if you were selling vitamins you could adapt the second sample from the bottom:

Health Secrets That Drug Companies Don't Want Published

Do you have a weight loss product or
exercise tape series? Use the first one:

38 Fun and Easy Ways To Lose 2-4
Pounds By Next Weekend

See the process?

Aside from your swipe file, you should also build a list of power words. Words like: free, sell, instant, successful, little known, system, select, explode, unlimited.

Use these words to create a sense of
urgency and curiosity.

I've an expanded list posted on the Ideal Marketing Corporation web site, if you want more ideas. Click here to view:

http://www.idealmarketingcorp.com/powerwords.html

Creating a killer headline, copy and power word swipe file should be an ongoing process. Keep building yours, as you never know when you'll need that next bit of inspiration.