Dangerous Ideas To Write Like a Copywriter

Copywriting and DJing have more in common than you might think.

This unobvious thought came to my mind the other day.

You see, I was watching a fascinating interview with Theo Parrish.

Theo Parrish is an unconventional DJ and producer from Detroit.

Theo runs a Detroit House record label called Sound Signature. And he is World-famous for his groundbreaking DJ sets blending house music, soul, jazz and funk in a very distinct way.

But this wasn't your typical interview with a DJ.

It was an open talk with Theo dissecting the roots of dance music, creative responsibility and the art of DJing.

My favorite part was when Theo starts talking about what it means for him to honor the DJ craft — even when you have to play in front of difficult crowds.

Theo starts by saying, "I'm of the opinion that you can crack just about any crowd."

Then Theo adds, "Did you bring the right records to do it? Because the goal is to get them all moving. We can't do the thing where we go, 'Oh, they're corny, so no.' We can't do that. They're humans. They don't know."

Then Theo goes deeper and says, "So we've got to give them something. It could be tempo, texture, it could be instrumental, vocal, non-vocal. It could be mood. Have we brought enough of a variety? And in that maybe 10 to 12 songs variety of things that might work...could work...definitely would...in your mind...before you get to the spot."

In other words Theo then adds, "From there, 5 to 10 songs that you know are just going to work, because they just work. Don't be afraid to play so-called corny songs, but find things that are not corny… to work with those corny songs so that you fool these corny m*therf*ckers into getting in there with it."

Then Theo concludes, "And now you're dragging them along. You might get them for 10, 15 records before they realize that they are in the hands of a master(…)You can't give up on people you don't know."

If you think about it, a good DJ must be four people.

A crowd reader who knows how to read a room full of people.

A culture curator who isn't afraid to play so-called corny records that people know and makes them dance. And who knows exactly when to mix them with new records in a way that makes people keep dancing and easy to get lost in.

A digger who brings enough of a variety of good music to build up and release tension and emotions.

And a maestro with advanced technical skills to transition from one record to another in a way that makes everything interesting and gets people moving.

A good copywriter must also be four people.

A nutbar who writes copy always based on human biases and a good understanding of consumer buyer psychology.

A moron who isn’t afraid to bring product facts to life in a way that feels new (and relatable) — even when that sometimes means "crossing the line” and getting your client’s brand into good trouble.

A stylist who understands popular culture, and writes copy based on a good dose of intuition and in a way that’s interesting, not forgettable.

And a critic who is intelligent enough to know that a copywriter’s real job is to break through the noise and keep a brand famous and wantable in people's minds... it’s not to win a Pulitzer prize. And this involves using writing techniques that have successfully stood the 'test of time' in the advertising industry.

All things considered, a good copywriter is like a good DJ. Both see the World from the audience's perspective. Then they tell crowds a story that resonates and gets people to move.

This eBook won’t make you magically start writing copy like a Pro copywriter with 20+ years experience. But think of it as a copywriting crash course to learn 11 dangerous principles, 11 dangerous writing techniques, 17 headline techniques and 29 headline formulas to write copy that gets people to move. Or in other words, copy that is a lot easier to read than to ignore.

Pay what you want for my eBook (minimum price: $19.99 for the first 50 copies, then minimum price increases to $29.99).

But who the heck am I and...why learn from me?

I'm a copywriter turned indiepreneur. But I’m not your typical copywriter. I’m a trained marketer and have an MSc in International Marketing Management from University of Surrey.

I run a tiny copywriting agency called Teardwn. AND as an experienced copywriter, I help DTC and eCommerce brands inject a little more fuego and personality into their website copy.

I've written copy for brands like Pinch (before they were acquired by Chime), Littlefund (before they were acquired by UNest), Hashtag Monday Sunday or Wellgard.

I also have a 13+ year track record of building startups & brands. I founded That Special Record (RIP) and co-founded Foodzai (RIP) and Gruv Lisbon (RIP).

But I'm also a solo entrepreneur bootstrapping my own products. You might remember me as the guy behind:

- Creative Samba - Snackable stories good enough to train your mind to think more like a copywriter. Even better for learning and connecting the unobvious dots between copywriting, marketing and psychology.

- Snackable Copy Tips - An online library of snackable copywriting tips. So you can learn how to write copy far more believable, more vivid, more persuasive than anything ChatGPT puts out.

- Nobody Reads Ads- Archive of print and outdoor ads + ONE thing each ad does well.

- Oh, for business's sake...write like you talk! (The web copywriting crash course for bootstrapping business owners).

- Think Like a Copywriter - When you train your mind to think more like a copywriter, this radically changes how you think about marketing and business problems.

- Chill Music Club - The chillest place on the interwebs to discover new music (without algorithms).

- The hashtag #ihaveathingforvinyl on Instagram.