Content extracted from The Secret Formula for Making Six-Figures from Home --- Writing Letters. Chapter 5 "The Secret To Good Writing".
It struck me that readers didn’t want to hear everything I had to say about a topic every time I wrote. They were looking for a single, useful suggestion or idea that could make them more successful.
The underling rule of The Power of One is that every piece of copy you write must be built on:
- One good idea
- One core emotion
- One captivating story
- One single, desirable benefit
- One inevitable response
In that book, Schwab listed his choice for the “Top 100 Headlines.” John found that of those 100 Top Headlines, 90 were driven by single, Big Ideas. Note how instantly clear and engaging these “Big Ideas” are …
- “The Secret of Making People Like You”
- “Is the Life of a Child Worth $1 to You?”
- “To Men Who Want to Quit Work Someday”
- “Are You Ever Tongue-Tied at a Party?”
- “How a New Discovery Made a Plain Girl Beautiful”
- “Who Else Wants a Screen Star Figure?”
- “You Can Laugh at Money Worries — If You Follow This Simple Plan”
- “When Doctors Feel Rotten This is What They Do”
- “How I Improved My Memory in One Evening”
- “Discover the Fortune That Lies Hidden In Your Salary”
- “How I Made a Fortune with a ‹Fool Idea’”
- “Have You a ‹Worry’ Stock?”
- More ideas don't strengthen your copy.
- Stick to one main idea.
- One idea per paragraph
- in as few sentences as possible (short sentences).
- Everything must stick to Power of One (discipline)
Find your Big Idea — one great, dominant idea your reader can grasp immediately. Then commit to it. Stick with it. Make sure that every single sentence directly relates to and supports it.