The difference between success and failure in copywriting

The difference between success and failure in copywriting

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I had an epiphany during a copy review today… It was about juxtapositions. That is, putting two ideas, concepts, or outcomes alongside each other for comparison. This was a big one… We were talking about saving and taxes in retirement… And we realized there are two...
Daily copywriting habits that could make you rich…

Daily copywriting habits that could make you rich…

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Habits are EVERYTHING… Here’s my personal experience: — All of the best things I’ve wanted and gotten in my life have come about because of my best habits. — All of the areas where I’ve watched myself come up short of my goals have been because I let my bad habits...

Instant Influence by Michael V. Pantalon, Ph.D. [One Big Idea]

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Have you ever tried to convince a 5-year-old to do something you want them to do? It’s impossible.  Seriously.  They’re completely irrational little beings. And yet, this morning, I was able to apply the One Big Idea from Michael Pantalon’s book Instant Influence… ...
Content versus Marketing…

Content versus Marketing…

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I hate the idea of content marketing… And yet, here I am, writing an article, for my business — giving away what some have called THE BEST direct marketing and copywriting content on the internet, for free. Seriously, I’ve been told — many times — that my emails...
Do you believe in The Law of Attraction?

Do you believe in The Law of Attraction?

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Here is the ultimate secret to getting anything and everything you want in life… …  At least, that’s the promise of The Law of Attraction. What you think about creates your reality. And so if you want something to be true in reality, you must think about it.  Imagine...
The Science of Ethical Con-Artistry

The Science of Ethical Con-Artistry

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A-list copywriter Richard Armstrong has done it again… One of my favorite novels of all time is God Doesn’t Shoot Craps, by Richard Armstrong.  It’s about a junk mail copywriter whose marketing shenanigans get him into more trouble than he bargained for, and is a...
Should I charge an application fee for my offer?

Should I charge an application fee for my offer?

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You can’t have it, even if you want it… I don’t write about my wife’s business much.  Yet for today’s article, I’ll start with a quick story from her experience in getting clients. She’s a Psychologist, with a private practice here in Lincoln, NE. And when she was...

Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson [One Big Idea]

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This could easily be my #1 must-read business book… (At least, it’s near the top of my short list.) The book is Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat, by Michael Masterson. If you are an entrepreneur, startup founder, business builder, marketer,...
Hack your productivity with Instant Influence

Hack your productivity with Instant Influence

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We all struggle with productivity… Dan Kennedy is notoriously productive.  Multiple client projects and consulting days per month.  Something like five newsletters every month.  Two huge annual conferences.  Other smaller training events.  Plus additional products and...
The #1 Rule of Persuasion

The #1 Rule of Persuasion

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Can I tell you where I FAIL at persuasion? Straight up: with my five-year-old daughter. And often, in parenting in general. I don’t say this because my kids are somehow bad or anything like that — they’re actually really good kids, being really good kids. I say I fail...

No B.S. Direct Marketing by Dan Kennedy [One Big Idea]

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What’s the most important idea in Dan Kennedy’s No B.S. Direct Marketing book? Hint, it’s found in his 10 No B.S. Rules of Direct Marketing for Non-Direct Marketing Businesses: Rule #1: There Will ALWAYS Be an Offer or Offers. Rule #2: There Will Be Reason to Respond...
The last objection you must overcome to make the sale…

The last objection you must overcome to make the sale…

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I was on the phone with him, selling him an IT training package… This goes back a few years, when I worked for an IT training publisher in Oregon. You could tell he wanted to buy. He’d looked at other companies’ training, but was on the phone with me. He’d studied the...