Ben Franklin

I consider Benjamin Franklin the original copywriting superstar.

Here's why …

Franklin is remembered most as an inventor, statesman, and diplomat.

But if he hadn't been a writer, those things may have never happened.

Franklin only had two years of formal schooling and taught himself to write. The New England Courant published his first article when he was only 16.

At the age of 22, he became the publisher of a newspaper called The Pennsylvania Gazette. Five years later, he started writing Poor Richard's Almanac under the pseudonym Richard Saunders. From 1733-1758, it sold almost 10,000 copies per year.

It was these two publications that gave Franklin a forum for his writing. The Gazette and Poor Richard's Almanac allowed him to start selling his ideas.

"Selling in print" – we've heard that definition of copywriting before, right?                         

There are four things about Benjamin Franklin's writing that we can apply two and a half centuries later:

1. Try to get ahead of the curve. Franklin was ahead of his time with his ideas about colonial unity, self-governance, and the cultural movement in general of the American Enlightenment. What can you get "ahead of the curve" on? Is there an emerging copywriting niche that hasn't been flooded yet? Do you have a different angle on an already established area? Look into trends, and like Franklin, capitalize on them.
2. Develop a unique voice in the marketplace. Franklin used the pseudonym Richard Saunders in Poor Richard's Almanac. Saunders was a somewhat funny and intelligent country fellow who believed in hard work and simple living. It helped Franklin sell a quarter-million copies and left us with the proverb, "Early to bed, early to rise …" How would someone describe your natural copywriting voice? Claim this style and be yourself.
3. Use your writing to build other business interests. Franklin became wealthy in large part from printing and publishing. Do you have some big ideas you could use your copywriting skills for? Do you have a book inside of you? Maybe an idea for a self-publishing niche? Once you know how to "sell in print," doors of opportunity will open. Look for one way you can parlay your copywriting skills into a further business venture.
4. Keep it simple. Franklin stuck to one simple writing rule: Make it smooth, clear, and short. Still good advice today.

If these four ideas intrigue you, check out The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (not a light summer beach read, though).