Go toward what makes you uncomfortable…

Go toward what makes you uncomfortable…

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It’s science fair time again… My kids’ school has an annual science fair, in the middle of winter. It’s required for 5th graders.  Optional for everyone else. We’ve encouraged the kids to participate every year.  And every year it’s gone really well. We typically try...
Simple 6-step selling formula…

Simple 6-step selling formula…

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When you clean your desk, sometimes you find gold… …  Which is why I’m sharing this ultra-simple 6-step selling formula with you today. I’ll admit, I have a tendency to gather stuff around me.  While I have — at various times — been better or worse, my default seems...
Reason Why Advertising [by John E. Kennedy]

Reason Why Advertising [by John E. Kennedy]

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He was the first direct response copywriter… In May 1904 a young John E Kennedy walked into the saloon at street level, downstairs from the Lord & Thomas Advertising Agency. He sent a note upstairs with a young bell boy. The note was addressed to Mr. Ambrose...
Getting clients when copywriting is your retirement gig

Getting clients when copywriting is your retirement gig

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I love the idea of copywriting as a retirement gig… You’re retired.  Presumably you have more flexibility in your income needs (hence why it’s retirement, and not just an ongoing career).  And you may want the flexibility to travel, take time off, and so on....

Content Marketing: A Simple, Effective Strategy

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Here’s today’s Video Friday issue… It reveals a remarkably simple — yet highly-effective — strategy for creating content marketing… Make sure you watch until the end though, because there is one big twist I put on it that reveals how to actually make this effective as...
Sales tip: neediness is unattractive…

Sales tip: neediness is unattractive…

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This is just one of those principles that need to be brought out from time to time… I don’t have a particular reason for doing so today, except for the fact that today seemed like a good day to do it. When you’re selling — in person, at a distance, or through media —...
Lying and cheating to get customers… [BenefitWallet scam?]

Lying and cheating to get customers… [BenefitWallet scam?]

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I’m a bit fired up, so look out… I got a letter in the mail that was very confusing. It was from BenefitWallet, a company I’d never heard of. It was a “Welcome to BenefitWallet” letter, telling me that they’d opened up a Health Savings Account for me. Except… I...
The FEF formula for more effective ads…

The FEF formula for more effective ads…

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Have you ever heard of the FEF formula? Probably not.  Because I just made it up to get you to read this — at least, this name for it. But the reality is that it’s something I think about on a semi-conscious level during pretty much every minute I’m writing copy. And...
Targeted email lead generation…

Targeted email lead generation…

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I’m usually not a big fan of swiping copy… That is, taking words that are largely someone else’s, and using them for my own. I think my aversion is especially strong because in high-level financial direct response, it’s just a no-go.  You can’t do it and write...

Self-Discipline vs. Self-Imposed Discipline

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Here’s today’s Video Friday issue… If you think you fall short on self-discipline, one small tweak in your perspective may be all you need to start creating bigger breakthroughs… Yours for bigger breakthroughs, Roy...
Removing friction [increase sales]

Removing friction [increase sales]

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Do you know the story of Amazon and free shipping? Early in the days of Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos realized he had a problem. He was spending a ton of money on advertising, to get people to come to Amazon to shop — mostly for books, at that time. They were doing okay. ...
Irresistible offers: Give me something clear to say yes to

Irresistible offers: Give me something clear to say yes to

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Let’s start with a little thought experiment… Imagine this.  You’ve heard raves about a new restaurant opening up in town.  The chef — Chef Browning — is apparently one of the hottest young chefs in the world. Legendary.  Rumor has it that with your first bite of food...
Recovery time and your maximum success…

Recovery time and your maximum success…

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The last week has been rough… As I mentioned last Friday, all three of my kids were sick.  Also, my wife, but not to the same degree. It started last Wednesday.  By Thursday afternoon, we had three kids with fevers over 100. I actually grabbed a piece of paper on...
Solving complex, multi-part marketing challenges…

Solving complex, multi-part marketing challenges…

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Here’s where business gets fun… Sometimes my Mailbox Monday questions are rather simple in nature. I often feel like the only answer I need to write to, “How do I get my first copywriting client?” is, “Go out and knock on doors, making offers, until you get one.” ...
3 hours of Jay Abraham’s moneymaking secrets…

3 hours of Jay Abraham’s moneymaking secrets…

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Today’s Video Friday is very different… All 3 of my kids came down with the flu yesterday, and I’ve spent most of my day with them.  In the couple short hours I have to work today, I’m not going to produce a video.  (I also want to keep pretty quiet because they’re...