Tick-tock-tick-tock on the your chance to become a better copywriter in 3 days this November…
Last night I was listening to Ben Settle’s excellent (if a bit irreverent and NSFW) podcast. And I was a bit surprised to hear my name come up…
Ben was comparing the people out there really doing it…
And the wannabes who don’t do much more than complain…
And right as he was wrapping up, he mentioned a certain forum thread where a handful of folks were bashing my letter for The Titans of Direct Response.
And he basically said that he wouldn’t have wanted the task I took on of writing for all those gurus… That he thought I did a just fine job on the letter (as evidenced both by the packed room AND the feedback received from some of the heavyweights of our industry)… And that simply by spending all day on that forum complaining, there were many folks who were showing which side of the useful/useless divide they fall on.
Now, I’m not bashing EVERYBODY on that forum here. There were truly some gems who provided constructive feedback, wanting to help.
But within about 24 hours of me trying to engage in constructive conversation on that forum thread, I gave up. I decided it was in my best interests to ignore it all. It wasn’t worth my time and emotional energy to engage with 100 people who each had their own opinion on how I should do my job.
I had to put my head back down and focus on my work.
There’s a lesson in that.
Yes, you should always be open to feedback, and constructive criticism that can help you improve (in any and every area of your life).
But the moment that someone starts to take advantage of your willing attitude… And floods you with opinions and nitpicks that prevent you from focusing on your main goals… Get outta there! Get the gist of their feedback, thank them, and stop listening!
Even well meaning friends, family, and associates can suck the life out of you.
It’s different if someone is a coach or mentor. Where you’re specifically going to them for in-depth help based on the fact that they’ve already accomplished things you’d like to accomplish. But when it’s the great unwashed masses offering up their advice, it’s best to distance yourself from that pretty quickly.
Now, today I’d normally do a Mailbox Monday article, to answer your questions…
A little bit of a problem though. The queue seems to have run empty, for the first time since I started writing these things in April.
Maybe it’s because you’ve decided I’m a member of the great unwashed masses. Or maybe it’s because you think I’m not actually going to answer YOUR question. Or it’s too smart for me, or too dumb for me, or too whatever…
Not true! I’m happy to answer your questions. In fact, the very existence of this Mailbox Monday column depends on them!
So do me a favor.
Let me know what question you want answered.
It can be on marketing, selling, copywriting, business, life, the works…
I’ve got a ton of opinions, and am perfectly capable of forming an “unwashed masses” uninformed opinion on anything. 🙂
Challenge me!
Shoot your question to [email protected].
I’m going to take advantage of that empty queue to keep this email a little shorter than normal, with just one final note before I sign off…
We’re now two weeks away from the final registration deadline for the Advanced Direct Response Copywriting Workshop.
If you’ve been trying to figure out how to write better, higher-performing direct response marketing copy, more consistently… Well, you’re in luck.
I’m taking everything I’ve learned and internalized that’s allowed me to shoot to the top of the copywriting world in under a decade… And breaking it down step-by-step for you to start using it immediately.
There were really a handful of lessons that took me from confused rookie to competent work-a-day copywriter… And a handful more that have pushed me up to be able to play at a level with some of the best copywriters in the world. These are the secrets that take the guesswork out of writing profitable copy.
If you’ve been trying to figure out how to make this copywriting thing work — either as a freelancer, or for your own biz — the system I’ll be presenting holds your secret.
It does assume a certain baseline level of knowledge — one good measure is that your full-time career is in marketing, copywriting, or entrepreneurship — and it’s not for 100% rookies who’ve just discovered copywriting. There are better places for you to be if that describes you. However, assuming you’ve at least got your start in copywriting, this workshop should really start to bring it all together for you.
Yours for bigger breakthroughs,
Roy Furr
Editor, Breakthrough Marketing Secrets
