Examples of copywriters promoting courses on copywriting using this classic, self-serving sales tactic

These examples illustrate exactly how copywriters typically promote their craft as “the #1 skill for online business success”.

Do YOU know the real #1 skill? And the #2 skill? (They're 1,000% and 800% more powerful, respectively, than copywriting. And that's in time-tested RESULTS, not just theory or puffery.)

(Copywriting is #3. These rankings have been proven over almost a century of tested performance in real-world advertising.)

Does that mean they're deliberately trying to deceive you?

I can't answer that question definitively for all copywriters. For a start, I don't know them all personally. But I don't believe that's the case. They're copywriters, and copywriting is a SELLING skill. They're professional SELLERS, even though most of them consider themselves MARKETERS. Discover the little-known difference — and WHY this problem is so widespread and misleading — in the Insight Reports.

Example #1: John Reese

I received this email from John Reese, one of the Internet's most respected marketers, just now (September 22, 2009). He's a good copywriter in his own right, but in this case he's promoting a course from John Carlton, arguably one of the top 5 copywriters online. (Yellow highlighter added to help you identify the key claim easily.)

OVERLOOKED: The #1 Skill For Online Success
Is Being Ignored!

Students ask me over and over...

"What's the #1 skill I need for making money online?"

Is it TRAFFIC?

Nope.

Is it BUILDING A LIST?

Nope.

Is it AFFILIATE MARKETING?

Nope.

Then What Is It???

It's something that most people overlook...

WRITING. Being able to use words that get people excited and inspired
to go and BUY something that you are selling or promoting as an affiliate.

This is how you make money with an email list, or with AdWords ads,
or with landing pages, or with ANYTHING you want to do in this business.

If you don't know how to do some simple writing that gets people to click,
buy, and take action you will never make as much as you should be in
this business.

And this is a proven fact.

HOWEVER... it's not hard at all to become good at using simple words
and phrases that will get people to keep reading something and ultimately
get them to TAKE ACTION that you want them to take.

The perfect example is WHAT YOU ARE READING RIGHT NOW.

Do you realize that this very email uses some simple techniques that
got you to read this far?

I learned many of these techniques from one of the greatest 'copywriters'
in marketing history... John Carlton.

And so have many of the other top Internet marketers that you hear about
everyday. That's no coincidence.

John not only knows how to turn words into cash, but he's also an amazing
teacher and teaching others how to do it for themselves.

If you want to learn how to get more opt-ins, AdWords clicks, orders and
affiliate commissions, I highly recommend you consider taking John Carlton's
"Simple Writing System" course.

It will be one of the best investments you can ever make.

You can check it out here:
[Link removed]

Yours For Online Profits,

John Reese

Income.com, Inc., 8815 Conroy-Windermere rd #415, Orlando, FL 32835, USA

Example #2: Dr Kevin Nunley

Dr Nunley is a well-known copywriting professional. His most widely used opening line in his ads for his professional service is…

"Web site not working? It's the copy!"

More examples will follow, but I think you get the message — yes?