[Michel Fortin]

Welcome to the board! We hope this forum brings you a lot of insight and help in your quest on how to write better copy. Browse around. But before you begin, here are a few instructions and rules to help you:

1. Forum Rules - Please Read First!

This forum is for a community of people who wish to seek help and to help in the world of copywriting -- a place for discussion, learning and support for one and other. Your questions and comments are strongly invited. (Please note that this message board is also in beta stage -- your suggestions and ideas are welcome.)

While this board may be open to all, by visiting and posting in this forum you must agree to the following rules for the respect and courtesy of all concerned. Please read before entering. Failure to comply with any of these rules will result in the deletion of your messages and the banning of your IP address (while IP addresses are logged, this action is implemented for security purposes only).

2. Professionalism, Respect and Advertising

This board will not tolerate posts of the following nature: hate-related, profane, pornographic, illegal or unethical. Questionable posts also include business opportunities, multilevel marketing, "get rich quick" schemes and the like -- this is a place for debate and discussion, not advertising. While signature files are allowed, the maximum is 3-5 lines per post. Accepted are websites, products, services, businesses or opportunities, if they are on-topic. Use discretion.

3. Important Disclaimer

The board administrator(s) have the power to censor certain messages or words that may be posted. Michel Fortin, the Success Doctor, this website or any of its representatives are not responsible for contributions posted or deleted.

By joining, reading, posting and participating in this forum, you agree that you were not made any promises, guarantees or warranties of any kind, in any way, whether implied or not, regarding sales, income, traffic or any other results. Results are typical or atypical of most pursuits. Your success depends on your efforts, situation and willingness to succeed, which is personal and varies with each individual. Note that the content of this discussion forum is provided strictly as information only -- members are required to use their own judgment or to seek the advice of a competent professional, if and where applicable.

4. Privacy Policy

Email addresses are kept private within the confines of this discussion board and will not be rented or sold to anyone for any reason by the administrators -- however, we are not responsible for the misuse of email addresses by other posters, if they are made public by their authors. As with all open discussion forums, use discretion when posting personal information. Please consult the privacy policy located at SuccessDoctor.com, for more information.

5. Your Profile

Before you even begin to venture into the board, I highly recommend that fill out your profile and upload a recent picture of you. Show us who you are. This gives your post a human touch and and a feeling that we're communicating to other people -- not "posts" or "electrons."

Simply click on the "Profile" link at the top of the white page (look underneath my picture at the top). Scroll down to the bottom where it says "Avatar." An avatar is a picture that represents you. It must be a .gif, .jpg or .png format, and no more than 80 pixels by 80 pixels.

If you have a picture and it's too big, you can resize it properly (without making it look grainy) using many graphics software or some of the following online services:

Online Image Resizer + Pixel Advertising. Resize Images Online, Post Pixel Ads.
Online Image Resizer - Resize digital photo, pictures or images online!
Mihov Image Resizer: resize, convert, and rotate digital photos - Description

6. Questions? Search First

At the time of this writing, this board has close to 15,000 articles in its database. So it means that your question may have already been answered somewhere in some way. We love to answer your question, but we get some of the same questions over and over.

So before you dive in with a question, do a search first. Click on "Search" at the top, near the middle. (Look for the blue "Search" link.)

Granted, your question might be unique and/or different enough to ask, even if someone answered it somewhat in the past. Also, times change, so some answers might be irrelevant. That's fine. Go right ahead and post your question. We'd love to help you as best we can.

7. Initiating Threads

First, please do not start any thread with an affiliate-related post, or a post with some kind of promotion. If you plan on starting a thread to start a discussion, please post a little more relevant content than simply, "here's my new product, what do you think," followed by a URL.

If your post is indeed a genuine attempt to get feedback on your product or website, please spend a few minutes to add more content. OK?

For example, discuss how you created the product, how well is your product doing now (or how you plan on creating/promoting/selling it), what kind of feedback specifically you're looking for, why you need the feedback in the first place, and what you intend to do with the feedback. (And yes, I'm looking for more than just 1-2 paragraphs, please!)

8. Replying To Existing Threads

Now, if there's an existing thread and your post is on-topic and the reply REALLY is an attempt to help the original poster (and contains more content that just your affiliate link), then post your comments and your affiliate link, but also mention that it is an affiliate link, and make doubly sure your post is relevant, on-topic and specific to the original poster.

And like the preceding rule, please add a little more content than just, "check this out, this will help you," blah blah blah. For example, add why you think your post is helpful, why the website or product you suggest is relevant, and what was YOUR experience using it (or how do you know for sure it's appropriate).

9. Blatant Ads

Please refrain from posting blatant ads. There's a forum specifically for offers and articles, but don't spam it. Don't blast your affiliate link just for the exposure. What I mean is, a post with a mere URL won't get you any business -- let alone quality business. People will see right through it. Regardless, if it's a blatant ad with no content, it will be deleted.

Sorry, but those are NOT acceptable.

To avoid this, follow some of the rules above. Add content. Tell us why you think your link is important for this community. In fact, why don't you go the extra mile and make a special offer to forum members?

The more unique/special your offer is, and the more content you add (and the more relevant and helpful the content is), the more people will click on your ad... And the more will likely be in a the right mindset to buy whatever it is you're promoting.

10. Signature Files

Signature files should be no more than 3-5 lines deep, and shouldn't contain any large graphics. I've noticed some signatures seem to carry buttons or banners. If you plan on adding a graphic image to your signature, stick to a single one, please.

And best of all, any post with a signature that's visibly larger than the post itself will be deleted. (And keep breaking this and any of the above rules, and your username and IP will be banned, too.) It's as simple as that.

Finally...

I don't mean to fingerpoint anyone. But this is a community created to discuss copywriting and marketing, and help others about copywriting marketing... Not for marketing in itself.

Enjoy your stay and get busy posting!