5 Steps to Cut Your Writing Time in Half
By David Garfinkel
How long does it take you to write your copy?
Does it take too long?
Maybe you’ve heard things like “Money is attracted to speed” and “The way to make more money is to make more offers.”
Well, the one thing that gets in the way of succeeding with those ideas is, for so many people, it takes too long to write the copy.
My name is David Garfinkel. Today I’m going to show you how to write high-converting copy a lot faster. Once you learn the five steps in this system, you will easily cut your writing time in half.
I’m an accomplished copywriter myself.
I’ve written sales letters that have made millions of dollars, but I started my own writing career as a journalist. In the last four years of journalism, I worked for a wire service.
Part of my job was writing stories on deadline — sometimes in as little as one hour.
So when I became a copywriter, it didn’t make sense to me why I couldn’t write sales letters just as fast.
It does make sense to me now, though. Writing copy is more demanding than writing wire service stories. Even so, I think it takes most people way too long to write good copy.
I’ve consulted with large direct response companies, like Agora Financial, on writing copy. I’m author of the bestseller Breakthrough Copywriting. And I’ve helped hundreds of people and companies you’ve probably never heard of. I also host the weekly Copywriters Podcast, the number one show in the industry.
I’ve been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com, Entrepreneur Magazine, and even The National Enquirer!
And, most important of all, I’ve put together and honed this five-step system to help you slice hours, maybe even days, off the time it takes for you to write a sales letter or video sales letter. Because, like I said, I’ve always thought that it takes people too long to write copy. And, I’ve done something about it. So, let’s get started.
“The World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach.
—BEN SETTLE,
Publisher, Email Players newsletter
“David Garfinkel, ‘The World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach’–with the clientele, and a mile-long-list of superstar copywriting students, to back up that claim.”
Step 1: Get Your Research Organized
Take a moment now to think about where you get the ideas and information that go into what you write.
There are really three places you can get your source material:
First, you can base what you’re writing on information you have gathered, preparing to write your copy.
Second, you can base what you write on your general knowledge and memories of your experiences. You bring up thoughts from your memory as your write.
Or third, you can just make stuff up.
Now, if you want your copy to work and you want to stay out of trouble, your best choice would be the first approach: Basing your copy on information you have gathered, preparing to write. And that information is called “research.”
But... if you have your research on Post-It notes or scraps of paper scattered all over the place... or, info randomly stuck on pieces of paper in files and accessible through links on your phone and your computer... all in different places...
... then you’re going to spend a lot of time starting and stopping your writing, as you scramble over and over again to find that one fact... or detail... or testimonial... or whatever, that would fit perfectly in your copy.
Can you see how much extra time it takes you when your research is not organized?
Can you visualize how much time you would save if you had your research organized well enough so that as you’re writing, when you need it, you’ll have what you need at your fingertips?
So that’s step one of cutting your writing time in half — get your research done and organized.
Hey — it doesn’t have to be meticulously organized. Just in one place and easy to access.
Yes, it will take a little effort and a little time to do this. But it will save you far more time when you’re ready to write.
And that’s Step 1: Get Your Research Organized.
“Using your techniques, we obtained thousands of new clients.
—Daniel G. Alcorn,
Senior Vice President, Chittenden Bank, Rutland, VT
“David, the results we obtained more than lived up to your claims. Using your techniques, we obtained thousands of new clients, tripling the profitability of our program to nearly $4 million.”
Step 2. Write out your offer in a compelling way
You know that feeling when you’re just chugging along, writing your copy, and it comes time to write your offer... and then...
Dead Stop?
It’s not a pleasant feeling. I know. I’ve been there. More times than I’d like to remember.
It can be a big problem to come up with your offer “on the fly.” Why? Because creating your offer requires a special kind of thinking and some cranked-up energy to produce something that’s really compelling. An offer that stands out. You know, an offer that “glows.”
Now, having to change gears and increase the intensity WHILE you’re writing copy is NOT the best idea. Again, it screws with your writing momentum. It breaks your stride. It can even instantly form a wall that you crash right into.
Fortunately, there’s a way to avoid all of this heartbreak and frustration. Plus, you’ll save a lot of time overall in the process.
And that is this:
Write out your offer ahead of time.
In advance.
It doesn’t have to be perfect, either.
A reasonable first draft will work just fine.
And then... when you’re writing all of your copy later... why, you just pop it in.
Boom!
Done.
You can always tweak it later.
But at least you didn’t derail yourself and you can keep going.
So that’s step 2: Write out your offer in advance.
“The coaching I get from David Garfinkel is consistently valuable and almost always leads to profit.
—Mike Straumietis,
CEO, Advanced Nutrients, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
“I’ve hired many of the top names in the world of entrepreneurial coaching. Some have worked out and some haven’t. The coaching I get from David Garfinkel is consistently valuable and almost always leads to profit. My conservative estimate of the increased profit our company has made directly from David’s advice is in the neighborhood of $5 million US. That’s one of the main reasons we’ve renewed our contract with him twice.”
Step 3: Write Out Some Bullets
A perfectly reasonable question to ask is:
“Why should I write bullets, which takes a lot of concentration and energy, before I start writing my copy — since I don’t even know if I’m going to use them?”
Good question.
And here’s why:
Every time you write a bullet, you have to think a little bit about the product you’re selling.
Most of the time, a bullet will be
- The transformation of a feature into a really compelling benefit, or
- A fascinating description of an unusual and appealing feature of the product, or
- A clever way to create curiosity about some part of the product.
So, you see... every time you write a bullet, you’re practicing a little step of selling the products.
It’s like what a good athlete will do before they get in the arena or on the track — they stretch.
Some of the world’s top A-List copywriters create hundreds of bullets before they write a word of their copy.
Why is this?
I don’t know for sure, but I can tell you this:
When you’re writing the copy itself, you’re going to have to make some important decisions about what to say to build desire in your prospect for what you’re selling.
Having made even 20 or 30 or those decisions before you start to write will definitely make the bigger decisions easier and quicker when you are writing.
So, that’s step 3 to cut your writing time in half: Write some bullets. At least 20. Up to 100 if you can. The more you write in advance, the better prepared you’ll be to write fast and easily.
“David Garfinkel has demonstrated time and again his ability to identify growth opportunities for virtually any business.
—Ray Edwards,
Copywriter and Communications Strategist, Spokane, WA
“David Garfinkel has demonstrated time and again his ability to identify growth opportunities for virtually any business. He’s got in-the-field proof that his advice works; he’s got years of real-world experience to draw on; and he’s got a string of client who will tell you he made them money.”
Step 4: Outline Your Copy — Bare-Bones
When you hear the word “outline,” do you feel a pang of anxiety? Don’t feel that way here.
I’m not talking about a final nitty-gritty step-by-step recipe you will follow to the letter when you write. That could take a long time and really tie you up.
What I’m talking about is a series of milestones. Helpful markers that sketch out where you start, where you end up, and a few touchpoints in-between.
Like these other early steps, your outline doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t even have to be right. Of course it’s better if it ends up being right, but that’s not the point now. What’s important is that you have a big-picture road map to guide you through the process of writing your copy a little later on.
It really can be as simple as this:
1. Opening
2. Customer’s problem
3. Your solution to the customer’s problem
4. Your offer
5. Call to action and guarantee
You might have your own favorite outline format to use instead. For our purposes here, any outline format is fine. Don’t agonize over it. Just set up a structure, a sequence, to start with.
Then, for each category (like Opening, Customer’s problem, etc.), you can make a few notes. Thoughts that come up from your research and bullets, for example.
Again, just enough to get you started.
The reason this will save you time right away is it will give you a path to follow once you’re writing. You can modify it later as everything gets clearer. Which it will when you are actually writing your copy.
And that’s the fourth step: Outline Your Copy — Bare Bones
“Through my discipleship, I’ve written copy for sales letters and websites that have generated millions in revenue for my businesses.
—Peter Van L. Brady,
One Touch Lending, Laguna Hills, CA
“As a coaching client of David’s, I can easy and confidently attest to David’s instructional prowess in sales and marketing copy. I’ve spent many, many hours with David one-on-one. Through my discipleship, I’ve written copy for sales letters and websites that have generated millions in revenue for my businesses.”
Step 5. Now — Write. Just Write!
OK. So you’ve got
- Your research done, organized and accessible to you
- Your offer sketched out
- Some bullets written down
- A starter outline, to indicate where you plan to begin, where you’re planning to end up, and how you expect to get there
What’s next?
Write — just write!
Now, relax. Once again, what comes next does not have to be perfect. Not on your first round.
In fact, I would urge you not to focus on getting “right.”
Instead, I would advise you:
Just get it done.
Make getting it done your priority.
You want to keep your writing momentum going for as long as you can.
All the way to the end, if possible.
The reason is, the energy of your sales copy is very important.
It’s even better when you’re doing this part of writing to leave out chunks of your copy — if you have to — and keep going all the way to your call to action before you quit.
You can fill in the holes later.
Just make sure you promise yourself that you’ll have another session where you add in the missing pieces (if there are any) and go over what you’ve written with a fine-tooth comb.
And then don’t even think of trying to wiggle out of it. Absolutely have another session!
Take the time to go over what you’ve written carefully, later.
Now, even with all these steps, you’re still saving a bunch of time.
So why would you be able to write so much faster once you’ve already handled your research... offer... bullets... and outline?
One reason is you’ve already done a lot of the heavy lifting before you actually start “writing.”
Compare that to the all-at-once approach. When you try to write that way, it’s like trying to push a bowling ball through a garden hose.
Good luck with that! You’ll encounter lots of resistance, and it’ll be very slow going.
Now try this way instead. Write — just write!
“I strongly recommend it.
—joe sugarman,
Author, The Adweek Copywriting Handbook
“David's work provides a clear path toward acquiring wealth by mastering the written word. I strongly recommend it.”
So let’s wrap this up.
Your bonus comes in three parts
1. The .mp3 that has the same content as this Special Report.
2. This Special Report (that you’re reading now).
3. A one-page PDF you can print out. It shows you the big picture of the five steps to cut your writing time in half.
You may find this works right away for you. Then again, it’s worth trying a few times, to get the hang of it, if that’s what you need to do.
I’ve got to admit, the best part of this system is not all the time you’ll save — although that’s a very good thing, and, no doubt, you’ll save a lot of time.
No, the best part of this is how you’ll write better copy (that converts better) and it will be a whole lot easier to write it.
One more thing — how much easier still would it be if you had templates for every piece of your copy: Your headline, stories, bullets, offers, and more?
As well as a 10-minute unique process to zero-in on what words and ideas get your prospect the most excited about your offer?
I can answer that for you. It would be even easier than what you get here.
That’s why I’m inviting you to check out High Speed Copywriting. it takes what you’ve learned here to the next level.
Just visit highspeedcopywriting.com/order
This is David Garfinkel. I’m rooting for you as you write faster and better!
Unlock Even More Copy Secrets that have Generated Millions
Here are just a few of David’s success stories:
Garf is far and away the best copywriting coach there is and I’m grateful every day to have him as both a mentor and a friend.
“Before I met David Garfinkel I was a wet-behind-the-ears wannabe copywriter way more concerned with protecting my ego than I was with writing copy that CONVERTS. David took me under his wing, brutalized my copy, burned away the bullshit keeping me from reaching that next level and transformed me into a world-class writer with well over 9 figures in sales to my name.
“Even better, thanks to what David taught me and applying it to my Digital Romance, Inc. business, I became a multi-millionaire while still in my mid-thirties. Garf is far and away the best copywriting coach there is and I’m grateful every day to have him as both a mentor and a friend. Thanks for everything, sir.”
David’s responsible for the careers of more of the hot “new breed” copywriters than anyone.
“David’s responsible for the careers of more of the hot “new breed” copywriters than anyone. Chris Haddad, Mike Morgan, Vin Montello, Travis Cody and many more all cite David as an integral reason for their meteoric rise through the ranks and bombastic fee-garnering as freelancers.”
If you want to become a copy master, get David’s help.
“David was the best mentor I’ve EVER had. Months after I first started working with him, I wrote my first million dollar sales letter. Recently, I wrote one of what the publisher at Agora Financial called one of the three best promos they’ve ever had. I also beat the longest standing control in their history. But I didn’t do any of these by myself. David gave me crucial feedback that made my copy sing. If you want to become a copy master, get David’s help.”
It's a system that makes it so darn easy...
“I feel confident that I could easily write 1 to 2 full sales pages every day now without breaking a sweat if I wanted to. I might even start doing some freelance copywriting, now that I have this formula. It's a system that makes it so darn easy... I didn't do any freelancing before because I thought it would take up too much time, but now I feel like a human sales letter factory.”
Under David Garfinkel's guidance, just one of my sales letters raised $250,000 in one day.
Devour every page and use these proven strategies for success. Under David Garfinkel's guidance, just one of my sales letters raised $250,000 in one day."
I strongly recommend it.
“David's work provides a clear path toward acquiring wealth by mastering the written word. I strongly recommend it.”
Super-Valuable.
“I find I use the concepts to tickle ideas several times each day. It saves me hours of laboring over coming up with ideas from scratch. Now, I just take the ideas from these lessons and give them my own twist.”
Using your techniques, we obtained thousands of new clients.
“David, the results we obtained more than lived up to your claims. Using your techniques, we obtained thousands of new clients, tripling the profitability of our program to nearly $4 million.”
8 New Headlines... In No Time Flat.
“Just came up with 8 headline ideas that I might use for a new booklet I am writing. Also came up with a good one for an insurance product I am marketing. I wasn’t even trying for that one. All this in a half hour.”
It’s at a point where David’s coaching is basically paying for itself — and we aren’t even half-way through the program.
“After just a few coaching sessions with David I feel like another person. My new insurance business venture is booming (we are getting more leads than we can handle, so we had to hire two new employees), and the copy I wrote with David’s help for a new info-product is converting better than anything I ever wrote myself. It’s at a point where David’s coaching is basically paying for itself — and we aren’t even half-way through the program. David completely changed my way of looking at copywriting.”
If you’re looking to master the art and craft of writing great copy, you’d be very hard pressed to find anyone better than David.
“If you’re looking to master the art and craft of writing great copy, you’d be very hard pressed to find anyone better than David. Not only is he an outstanding copywriter. He is also a truly exceptional mentor and teacher. David has a knack of explaining the strategy and psychology behind copy and why certain things work while others fail. In his teaching he doesn’t just tell you what to do but guides you through the process so that you really ‘get’ what it’s all about, and write great copy yourself.”
David Garfinkel is the best copywriter I know.
“David Garfinkel is the best copywriter I know.”
When David speaks, savvy marketers listen.
“David Garfinkel has generated tens of million dollars in sales, and substantial profits, for his clients. To paraphrase the old E.F. Hutton ad: When David speaks, savvy marketers listen.”
Unlock Even More Copy Secrets
that have Generated Millions
Unlock Even More Copy Secrets that have Generated Millions
Here are just a few of David’s success stories:
The Best Advice.
“David gives the best advice on words that sell.”
There was only one copywriter I trusted to get it right...
“When it came time to get sales copy written for my course on business branding, there was only one copywriter I trusted to get it right: David Garfinkel.”
David has worked with so many of the top pros in the business. You will be fortunate to have him copy chief a project for you
“David Garfinkel was the copy chief for a 24-page tabloid promotion that I recently finished for a major health publisher.
Let me tell you… he certainly lived up to his reputation for ‘going over copy like a forensic accountant.’ He was meticulous in every detail. He uncovered wording that was unclear and suggested important improvements throughout the copy.
David also helped immensely at the concept-development stage. He helped me focus on the strongest overall themes and make them more emotionally powerful.
David has worked with so many of the top pros in the business. You will be fortunate to have him copy chief a project for you, or to get a spot in one of his outstanding copywriter or business mentoring programs."
The coaching I get from David Garfinkel is consistently valuable and almost always leads to profit.
“I’ve hired many of the top names in the world of entrepreneurial coaching. Some have worked out and some haven’t. The coaching I get from David Garfinkel is consistently valuable and almost always leads to profit. My conservative estimate of the increased profit our company has made directly from David’s advice is in the neighborhood of $5 million US. That’s one of the main reasons we’ve renewed our contract with him twice.”
After I worked with David, I wrote a sales letter that pulled 4% on a list of 10,000, where the best anyone had been able to get before was 2%.
“David coached me over a period of time. He had to help me erase the bad habits I learned while getting my MBA in marketing. After I worked with David, I wrote a sales letter that pulled 4% on a list of 10,000, where the best anyone had been able to get before was 2%.”
Through my discipleship, I’ve written copy for sales letters and websites that have generated millions in revenue for my businesses.
“As a coaching client of David’s, I can easy and confidently attest to David’s instructional prowess in sales and marketing copy. I’ve spent many, many hours with David one-on-one. Through my discipleship, I’ve written copy for sales letters and websites that have generated millions in revenue for my businesses.”
The World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach
“David Garfinkel, ‘The World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach’–with the clientele, and a mile-long-list of superstar copywriting students, to back up that claim.”
After WEEKS of struggling to find the perfect lead for a promotion I was working on, David nailed it in only 37 seconds flat.
“David Garfinkel always seems to be able to help me find clarity amidst chaos when it comes to all the copy ideas swirling around inside my head. After WEEKS of struggling to find the perfect lead for a promotion I was working on, David nailed it in only 37 seconds flat. If you have the opportunity to brainstorm or mentor with David, you should jump on it immediately.”
It would take me at least 30 minutes to put together what comes out of his mouth in just 30 seconds!
“Whenever I need help with a sales letter, I set up a session with David. He has this uncanny ability to tell me what’s wrong with the sales message, and what can be improved. He also has this ridiculous talent for coming up with copy, like, effortlessly! It would take me at least 30 minutes to put together what comes out of his mouth in just 30 seconds!”
His expertise is well worth the investment.
“On one promotion, David’s small but meaningful changes increased conversions of my sales video by 139.43%. I intend to continue working with David and would encourage anyone else to as well. His expertise is well worth the investment.”
The new clients from David’s campaign accounted for more than $5 million in recurring annual income.
“David put together a direct marketing program for us, targeting fast-growing entrepreneurial companies in the Phoenix area. The results were phenomenal. The new clients from David’s campaign accounted for more than $5 million in recurring annual income.”
It would be hard to overstate the value I get from these conversations.
“I have used David twice to help me come up with titles for business eBooks. In both cases, he made sure he deeply understood what my books were about, my audience and the challenges they faced, before starting to make suggestions. It would be hard to overstate the value I get from these conversations.”
David Garfinkel has demonstrated time and again his ability to identify growth opportunities for virtually any business.
“David Garfinkel has demonstrated time and again his ability to identify growth opportunities for virtually any business. He’s got in-the-field proof that his advice works; he’s got years of real-world experience to draw on; and he’s got a string of clients who will tell you he made them money.”
Unlock Even More Copy Secrets
that have Generated Millions
Unlock Even More Copy Secrets that have Generated Millions