Lies, Manipulation, and the Ethics of Copywriting….

Lies, Manipulation, and the Ethics of Copywriting….

I’ve let this one sit in my queue for a while… It’s a rather long email that dances around a question and calls for a response about ethics and copywriting. And, as my friendly correspondent suggests, it IS something I’ve considered frequently throughout my career. I...
The value of one-on-one mentorship

The value of one-on-one mentorship

“A few minutes or hours with these Titans — in the flesh — will completely alter the course of your business, your career, your life!” That was the 4th subhead in the live event sales letter for the Titans of Direct Response.  I was writing it in Brian Kurtz’s voice. ...
Become a “natural” sales superstar — 5 focus areas

Become a “natural” sales superstar — 5 focus areas

Sales is NOT a gift — it’s a skill… If you’ve ever watched someone sell and thought, “They’re a natural-born salesperson…” bad news. While that may be a convenient EXCUSE for you to not get good at selling, it’s just not true. Yes — they may have some inborn or...
Hoarders make the best copywriters — here’s why…

Hoarders make the best copywriters — here’s why…

I keep too much stuff… Way too much stuff.  And I’m not nearly as organized about it as I’d love to be.  I AM proactively trying to deal with it.  But just keeping it real, I’ve got a long ways to go. File cabinets too full of things that should’ve been thrown away...
Completely backwards advice on finding great clients…

Completely backwards advice on finding great clients…

Sometimes the best answer to a question is NOT a direct answer to the question… I’ll share some advice with you today that may run counter to my entire role and identity as a direct marketer and salesperson. But sometimes, that’s the absolute best thing I can do....
Don’t wait for your destiny to choose you…

Don’t wait for your destiny to choose you…

Too many people go through their lives waiting for opportunity to come from the outside… That doesn’t work. Destiny won’t choose you. Opportunity won’t fall in your lap. To turn a phrase, the bull won’t grab itself by the horns. Here’s what you need to do to live your...
John Carlton’s 3 stages of freelance success…

John Carlton’s 3 stages of freelance success…

Proper expectations prepare you to succeed… The easiest way to end up feeling like a failure — at anything — is to expect success in situations where it’s unlikely or even impossible. Let’s say someone promises you the moon.  They tell you they’re going to make you a...
“Your marketing campaign failed, now what?”

“Your marketing campaign failed, now what?”

What I’m about to share with you could dramatically increase your win rate or batting average, across all the marketing campaigns you run… As I’m pretty sure I’ve shared before, my word for the year 2018 is PROCESS. That is, I’m working on as many processes within my...
The most profitable part of marketing that everybody hates…

The most profitable part of marketing that everybody hates…

Copywriting is sexy… Now, I’ll admit — a large percentage of my list is copywriters.  Probably because that’s where my background is in business and marketing. But having the ability to come up with a message out of thin air, and have people send you money…  That’s a...
One more piece of advice I should’ve given you yesterday…

One more piece of advice I should’ve given you yesterday…

Here’s an ugly bit of advice that most wannabe copywriters and marketers (and entrepreneurs in general) don’t want to hear… In yesterday’s Mailbox Monday, I shared how to break into copywriting. And specifically, I gave my tough love advice that if you’re not out...