1-Word Success Secret [for entrepreneurs]

1-Word Success Secret [for entrepreneurs]

Here’s some rapid-fire motivation and inspiration for you today… My mind has been swirling around this ONE WORD… One word that is… The Secret to Success! I know, it sounds like a big claim… And maybe a little cheesy. But hear me out. You’re about to discover the many...
SIMPLIFY Your Way to Success [Richard Koch Book]

SIMPLIFY Your Way to Success [Richard Koch Book]

If you want to build a great business, you must SIMPLIFY… Your prospect wants something. They want a specific result or outcome. They have a problem they want to have solved. And they think that result or outcome or solution is complicated. They don’t think it’s...

Build Trust with No Testimonials [in marketing & copywriting]

Today, I answer this subscriber question… — Roy, My biggest challenge is figuring out how to build enough trust and credibility in my sales letter or webinar when the product is new and I have no testimonials. That is, I have a new product, so: how can you compensate...
Swiping vs. Stealing [copywriting]

Swiping vs. Stealing [copywriting]

I hate “swipe file copywriters”… That is, the copywriter who uses other people’s ads… To write their own copy… Largely by copy-and-pasting their way to a final draft. And I’m NOT alone. Every top copywriting client I know will ban you for direct stealing… Because...
Your Advice, Please?

Your Advice, Please?

If you are an expert service provider, your advice is part of what you sell… It’s worth remembering this, especially if part of what you sell is ALSO work product (such as copywriting)… Even just the words coming out of your mouth can be valuable. But in order for...
4 Quadrants of Consumer Desire [new framework]

4 Quadrants of Consumer Desire [new framework]

Consumer desires drive buying behavior… The better you understand YOUR SPECIFIC CUSTOMER’S desire, the more likely they are to buy. Because — paraphrasing the late, great Gene Schwartz — you don’t create desire, you only harness it. Which means you have to understand...
From WRITER to COPYWRITER [the difference]

From WRITER to COPYWRITER [the difference]

So you’ve got some writing skills — does that make you a copywriter, too? And if you’re a marketer or entrepreneur looking to hire a copywriter, can you just hire your niece or nephew with a degree in creative writing? Well…  Not quite. There’s a critical difference...

The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson [one big idea]

How did you show up TODAY? What little things did you not have to do, that you got done? What challenges did you take on, that you could’ve skipped? What are you doing to give yourself a slight edge over the competition? The reality is that for most of us, we KNOW we...
Get this, they will buy from you [special kind of confidence]

Get this, they will buy from you [special kind of confidence]

This makes you unstoppable… I’m talking about confidence. But not general confidence, as a personality trait. I’m talking about a very specific type of confidence, specific to one narrow situation. When you develop THIS confidence, you almost won’t be able to keep...
EPIC “Beat the Control” Discussion

EPIC “Beat the Control” Discussion

The client only wants to pay you if you “beat the control” — should you take it? Saw a discussion on Facebook today. It was a question from a copywriter who had a “beat the control” opportunity. They were curious whether or not they should take it. On one hand, it was...
Huge Secret to Powerful Story Selling [copywriting, marketing]

Huge Secret to Powerful Story Selling [copywriting, marketing]

This one thing will make you a more powerful storyteller… And if you use it in your copywriting, in your marketing messages, and in your selling… Well, you’re likely to make a lot more sales and money, too! This lesson is a case of the student becoming the teacher… Or...
Who Hires Copywriters? [title, name, contact info]

Who Hires Copywriters? [title, name, contact info]

Who hires copywriters? What is their title? Where to get their name and contact info? And critically: Who will write you a big, fat check?! It’s a common enough question — especially when you’re starting out. And I got the question yet again from one of my...
Expect Irrationality [persuasion psychology secret]

Expect Irrationality [persuasion psychology secret]

If you want to be truly persuasive… There’s something simple you must understand. Your prospect will not behave in logical ways. They will not behave in rational ways. They will often respond in ways you think are crazy. They’ll often do things that are completely...