A swipe file is a file where you keep marketing materials you've 'swiped' from someone. And before you ask: no, that doesn't mean stealing.

The purpose of your swipe file is to keep examples of materials that worked for you because they connected with you and engaged you.

Then you can use your 'swiped' material to figure out what caught your attention and why, and how someone achieved the effect that pulled you in. And those insights will help you when you're creating your own materials.

A swipe file can be online or offline. Online can include items like website copy that made you want to take action; a promotion for a webinar that you signed up for; a page that enticed you to download a free ebook or video; a social media post that caught your attention; or an email that you found particularly effective.

An offline swipe file can contain brochures, catalogues, postcards or other printed marketing materials. Even the junk mail that lands in your mailbox daily. You may not be interested in what they're offering, but that missive was probably written by a professional and can be useful.

All this does not mean that you copy someone else's material. Absolutely not! That would be violating copyright laws. You're simply collecting examples that worked for you and keeping them as reference material.

And of course, if it seems like too much time, effort and energy to figure it out, you can contact a professional such as myself and I will apply the same techniques that helped get your attention, to writing or editing your materials.

Email me at Maggie@MyMarketingMessage.com or call me at 805 965 9173 and let's talk.

Copyright 2018 Maggie Dennison