Something to Think About …
Dear Business Builder,
Short one today … but well worth thinking about.
Over the past few weeks, things have been changing around here. Seems our readers are really getting into the whole “blog” thing at the end of each issue. And to tell you the truth, we’re delivering more valuable info in the days following my normal Monday issues than in the issues themselves!
Cool – right?
So this week – instead of writing a long issue on Monday and then going about my binness, I’m going to have a major post in the comments section on the blog at the end of this issue every day.
So be sure to bookmark this page and check in tomorrow and every day this week for more on how to use my partnership model to rake in big bucks in 2008.
In the meantime, though, I want you to think about something.
Hard.
Because in the last few weeks, I’ve received two e-mails that have made me think. Hard.
I can’t tell you who they’re from. And that’s OK, because you wouldn’t recognize their names anyway. I also can’t tell you where they live. Suffice it to say, they live in two of the 64 countries this e-letter goes to every day. Two countries afflicted with two of the most repressive governments on Earth.
But both of them had a similar message:
“Thank you for The Total Package. You have opened my eyes to what is possible when you dare to dream.
“Please don’t tell anyone I wrote this to you. Because trying to improve one’s lot in life is illegal in my country. If my government knew I was reading your issues, I would be arrested and shot.”
That’s right: They both said, “SHOT.”
And they weren’t kidding. I checked their URLs – and they both live in countries that kill people for dreaming.
What we do here – helping people achieve their dreams is punishable by death where they live.
Worse: Wanting something better for yourself and your family is a capital crime.
Nevertheless, these two subscribers – and unless I miss my guess, dozens more – lay their lives on the line every day just for the guilty pleasure of living vicariously through you.
Now, imagine going through your e-mail after finding those two messages. And then, finding another from a copywriter who’s complaining about how hard it is to find good clients. Or from a business owner who’s upset because he can’t find a copywriter/marketing partner capable of growing his business.
Kind of puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?
These two readers aren’t like most of us. They don’t live where we do. They don’t worship like most of us do. They probably don’t look like most of us. And when they awoke this morning, their world looked very, very different from the world most of us experienced on our drive to work.
But these two readers are our brothers. And they deserve our thoughts and our prayers.
So – what’s standing between you and the success you crave?
What are you afraid of?
What’s keeping you from sending your writing samples to a client who could make your career and then calling him or her to close the deal?
What’s keeping you from partnering with a copywriter/marketer who could take your company to the moon?
The best definition of the word “courage” I’ve ever heard is … “Being afraid and doing the right thing anyway.”
So here’s your assignment for today: Identify the one thing that stands between you and the success you dream about – the one thing that terrifies you the most.
And then – unless someone’s likely to shoot you for doing it …
DO IT.
And then, come back here … tell us what you did … and how it turned out for you.
Yours for Bigger Winners, More Often,
Clayton Makepeace
Publisher & Editor
THE TOTAL PACKAGE™
P.S. Bookmark this page! To help you through this – and to help as many copywriters and business owners as possible share in the success I’ve achieved through my partnership model – I’m going to read your comments every morning and respond to you personally, right on this page.
So do us both – and the rest of our readers – a huge favor? Use the feedback area below to tell me what you think about this article. Ask anything you want. Tell me I’m full of crap if you want to. Let’s have a lively chat about ramping up YOUR income!
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21 Comments »
Join the Discussion!
Let us know what you think. Or ask us anything. Or offer your own sage advice.
The only rule: RESPECT THIS HOUSE! Postings that contain abusive language and/or personal attacks will be cheerfully VAPORIZED. One cross word and – POOF! – your well-thought-out post will be gone in a puff of smoke.
– Clayton
Comment by Markus Trauernicht — February 11, 2008 @ 10:01 am
You are never really ready to start.
Basically that gives you two choices: Start now, or start now!
Regards Markus Trauernicht
Comment by Lara Loest — February 11, 2008 @ 10:38 am
As usual, wow. Talk about powerful. I got goosebumps Clayton. You always know how to jumpstart us don\’t you? And you know how to help us keep it in perspective, thank you.
My biggest fear is doing this full-time. I currently freelance for one or two clients (who are terrific).
So my goal is to drop my J.O.B. by July of this year and concentrate on my passion. July is the target date because there are a few things I need to get in line with before then.
With your help, a lot of grit, determination and old-fashioned elbow grease I know I can make it happen.
Comment by Lawton Chiles — February 11, 2008 @ 12:53 pm
Clayton, i just blogged about you, comparing your coolness to that of the late great Warren Zevon.
I hope you like the post, which is here [URL=http://chilesadvertising.com/mvp/?p=104]Clayton Makepeace is the warren zevon of direct response marketing[/URL]
Comment by Glen Kohlenberg — February 11, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
Clayton your in a class of your own and I mean that with the highest regard!
When you speak from the heart you always have the right things to say.
For me I just want to move over to the web side of things by May 1 2008.
Just thinking about what you said above and I have no worrys or fears.I have Clayton on my shoulder. Thank you.
Comment by Jay Boyer — February 11, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
You\’re calling my name Clayton! Let me tell you what happened to me today… when I got home from my regular 9 to 5, I did something that I\’ve so far NEVER DONE in my wanna-be copywriting career: I actually called a contact that I\’ve never met to ask them how to approach Nightingale-Conant for my first paid job. I know this probably falls under the category of \”getting ready to get ready,\” but it\’s more than I have done in the past 11 months towards making this major change in my life, and I\’m feeling pretty juiced!
So get this…AFTERWARDS I log onto Total Package to check out your Monday article, and you\’re double-dog-daring me to get off the dime! Not sure what it means, but I\’m chalking it up to just another sign that I\’m on the right track…If I can get out of my own way (and off the couch too!).
In response to your question about what terrifies me most…It has to be the process of actually moving from Point A to Point B career-wise, and the logistics of carving out another 20-30-40 hours from my schedule every week to complete a real-live writing gig, while still working full time. I understand that this is A LAME EXCUSE in light of what you descibred in your acticle, and that\’s how it feels.
Love ya Clayton, and thank you for the kick in the pants. I\’m gonna make this happen.
Jay
Comment by Toni — February 11, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
If we could shrink the worlds population to a village of precisely 100 people with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, we would have something like the following:
57 Asians
20 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere
8 Africans
52 would be femaile
48 would be male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would posses 59% of the entire world’s
wealth and all 6 would be from the US
80 would live in sub-standard housing
70 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death
1 would be near birth
1 (yes only1) would have a university degree
1 would own a computer
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.
Something Else To Ponder…
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness… you are blessed than the million who will not survive the week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without the fear of harrassment, arrest, torture or death… you are more blessed than 75% of the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep… you are richer than 75% of the world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish somewhere… you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and still married… you are very rare, even in Australia.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
How lucky are YOU!
Comment by Chris — February 11, 2008 @ 8:48 pm
Clayton,
I have made some money in the mortgage field by bringing clients into the door. I am about to get paid when they close and I am really pumped. I want to take this money and invest it in advetising with a catchy piece of copy that I will write myself. All signs point to yes and I feel that this is the next step but the fear of comming from nothing and then losing what I have made. Knowing I could have sat pretty for a while with it strikes the fear of God in me. I must heed your advice and put that ad out there! I must not let my fear hold me back. I am really new at this but a bright guy. I will report back and let you know how it goes. Keep pushing Clayton a guy like me who grew up with a street mentality could use a good kick in the but.
Let you knnow what happens,
Chris
Comment by Clayton Makepeace — February 13, 2008 @ 4:04 am
More stuff to think about …
We all came into this world with a single, precious and strictly limited resource: Time.
We also arrived with certain undeniable needs for food, clothing, shelter.
And it’s only human nature to also desire freedom, comfort and security and to improve our lot in life.
On this planet, getting those things requires money. So in a very real way, money equals food, clothing shelter, freedom, comfort, security and a more rewarding life.
To get money, we “sell” our precious limited resource – our time – to others.
If we do that in a traditional job, for example, we sell hours or weeks of our lives to an employer for a flat fee – an hourly wage or a weekly salary.
Like everything else in life, work is a transaction: The amount of money an employer is willing to give you in return for each hour of your workday is determined by three critical factors:
1. Value: The greater the value you bring to your employer, the more your time is worth to him or her.
The greater that value, the more money you can demand in return for each hour of work.
Example: Being able to save a life has greater value in most societies than, say, being able to build a house.
So construction workers typically earn much less than most doctors.
2. Scarcity: If the value you provide is difficult to come by, your time is worth even more.
The greater the demand and the lower the supply of the value you provide – the scarcity of your skill set – the more money you can demand for each hour of your time.
Example: Hundreds of thousands of new doctors establish practices each year while only a few hundred direct response copywriters establish theirs.
Which is why good direct response copywriters can earn more money than most doctors.
3. Respect: The greater the value you provide … and the harder it is for employers to find others with your skill set … you more power you have to structure working relationships that bring you maximum dollars for each hour you work.
Being able to write has value. But there’s no scarcity of people who can write – so general writers tend to be poorly compensated.
The ability to write good ad copy is a scarcer skill – which is why the average copywriter in America earns $70,000 to $90,000 per year.
The talent for creating effective direct response sales copy is scarcer still – and so top freelancers can earn as much as $1 million per year.
But only a tiny fraternity of direct response copywriters have the knowledge, the skills and the tools required to become business growth specialists with the marketing knowledge, skills and tools to accelerates clients’ success.
These are the scarcest copywriters of all – and as such, they can earn two, three, four or more million per year.
I’m living proof of this fact.
So is Jay Abraham – who structured a partnership with Icy Hot that made him tens of millions of dollars.
So is Gary Bencivenga – who created an exclusive partnership with Phillips Publishing that guaranteed he wouldn’t have to compete against other writers … that guaranteed Phillips’ Gary’s best ideas … and that created one of the greatest success stories the financial newsletter industry has ever seen.
This is the ladder I want to help you climb: To help you sharpen your chops as a direct response copywriter – AND to add critical marketing skills that lift you head and shoulders over your competition.
More importantly, I want to help you enlarge your vision – revise your ultimate destination: To see yourself becoming more than a writer … more than an ad writer … more than a copywriter.
I want you to see yourself as a highly respected, enormously valued and lavishly compensated business growth strategist … a marketing mastermind … a RAINMAKER with the power to explode any business you touch.
So check back tomorrow and we’ll dig in.
-Clayton
Comment by muhammed — February 13, 2008 @ 4:44 am
I want be have money in my area ,
because I am afread from the people I want the people is afread from me
let the people is afread from me just in my area
Comment by Larry Foster — February 13, 2008 @ 5:27 am
Just when I thought you reached the pinnacle of how much you would give, you show mw that you will go higher and further.
Thank you for this whole series.
You\’ve grabbed me, shook me a little and forced me to look inside myself.
As Americans, we\’ve become soft, entitled and pretty much babies.
Where others must do things to survive, we have come to reward those who want the \”gubmint\” to fix everything and take care of us.
Take away all risk. How can there be a reward without risk?
We find silly excuses why we can\’t do things.
The individuals you referred to are true heroes.
Their courage to dream, take real risks and attempt to rise above their situation should be an example for each of us to follow.
You and I are about the same age and have pretty similar political views.
You aren\’t just teaching us copywriting but how to succeed and be rewarded by helping others succeed.
Provide value and all the rest will follow.
But, we need to get off our duffs to do it.
Once again, thanks for all you do.
I guess it\’s time to stop rambling.
Comment by Susie Henderson — February 13, 2008 @ 7:56 am
Clayton,
In answer to your questions Monday…
What am I afraid of?
I\’m afraid I won\’t be good enough. I forget, most of those I want to approach don\’t know as much about marketing as I do.
My biggest roadblock?
My life. Too many responsibilities. Time. That commodity I\’m forever fighting to keep control of (and losing, many days).
What I\’m doing about it?
I\’m putting together a \”package\” to approach my most coveted prospects - the ones I dream of working with. I\’m working as many hours every day as I can see straight to work on it (when the responsibilities aren\’t intruding). I\’ve given myself a deadline to get it out. And, so far, I\’m on track.
I\’ll be back when it\’s out and I can tell you how I\’m doing.
Thanks Clayton, for perspective. I know the things you said are true. I just forget sometimes.
Susie
Comment by Ken — February 13, 2008 @ 7:58 am
Hey Clayton…
I recently did something that I\’d like to share with you and everyone else. I became acquainted with a successful info marketer through forum networking. One thing led to another, as they always seem to do.
He confided in me about a poorly performing online sales letter for a product he developed. He asked if I could take a look at the letter for any red flags.
By the way… a copywriter/friend wrote the letter for him.
Long story short… we struck a deal for mutual assistance and gain.
I\’ll do a re-write on the letter. In exchange he\’ll help me get set-up in a particular niche with an info product, and he\’ll also help me to market it.
We\’ve been exchanging marketing ideas. I do have a fair amount of marketing knowledge. I\’ve made a number of suggestions for his site, in question, that he likes a lot. And he\’s given me some pretty cool marketing and intelligence-gathering info.
We seem to be clicking pretty well. And I have a feeling this won\’t be the last project we\’ll do.
So, that\’s a different kind of partnering from what you\’ve been talking about, lately. But it\’s still a healthy, fair, and profitable partnering arrangement.
And if the two guys you talked about are reading this… stay strong and positive. You\’re very brave. I firmly believe all things \’crap\’ in life eventually end. And I\’m sure your situation will change, one day.
You are accomplishing something very positive because you\’re an inspiration to all the rest of us. And for me, it reminds me to have the highest appreciation for my life and all the good things in it. So, thank you!
Ken
Comment by Len Bailey — February 13, 2008 @ 11:28 am
Without a doubt, this thread is setting the copywriting world on fire… just as you said it would. And in case you hadn\’t heard, John Forde recently highlighted it in his CopyRoundtable e-zine (www.jackforde.com). Thanks again, and keep \’em coming!
- Len Bailey
Comment by Glen Kohlenberg — February 13, 2008 @ 11:33 am
Clayton and the group I find myself helping other contractors in my area because they think I write great ads for newspaper and postcards.
Yes I own 500 something books on marketing and advertising and thanks to Clayton/Halbert/Carlton/Abraham I have worked on direct response.
Yes I have spent countless hours just to get alittle better on each ad I write.
But I still get high when that damm phone rings off the hook with orders!
Then and only then do you feel it is worth it all.
We are in a class of our own nobody understands what we do. You can\’t talk to your friends about copywriting they look like your nuts.
So how does the like of Clayton smell success, by the number of zeros he adds to his check!
So with this in mind I will thank the masters for sharing there skills and life with me and can\’t wait to add the zeros to my check someday.
Comment by Dave — February 13, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
Another excellent lesson Clayton, and one that, if I don’t force myself to think about others les fortunate, is easy to forget the next time a pylon sprouts up in my path.
I know this is a tiny insignificant detail, but I can’t help wonder what countries allow email reception but kill people who seek individual advancement.
All the Islamic ones come to mind first. China and North Korea, of course. What about Zimbabwe? South Africa?
Friends moved here from Uzbekistan because to start a business requires giving an official $50,000. With Internet startups costing less than $100, we have it easy here – at least until Hillary/Obama/McCain are elected.
Ambrose Beirce said, “War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography.”
Perhaps you could teach us something by posting a list of countries that forbid self-improvement.
Comment by nita kapadia — February 14, 2008 @ 12:52 am
Hi Michael,
You are amazing. I have a very strong gut feeling that says that I have what it takes to be a direct response copywriter.but, i seriousely don\’t know the first step.guess i\’m a bit muddled.
sincerely,
nita
Comment by Clayton Makepeace — February 14, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
Dave, Allen, thanks for playing – but because this exchange violates the rules of this board, I have instructed my web wizards to remove your exchange.
Play nice, boys and girls … there\’s too much exciting stuff going on right now to engage in this kind of confrontation.
– Clayton
Comment by James Constantine — February 14, 2008 @ 9:26 pm
Hi Clayton,
I\’m a new reader who\’s been seduced by your understanding and wisdom of the human condition.
I agree that we here in the US are pretty well taken care of.
I really have no excuse for my inability to make money on the web other than I have trouble focusing on one good opportunity and following it to its logical conclusion. I once thought about becomming a copywriter, but I couldn\’t pull the trigger.
After reading your stuff I\’m wondering if I should quit what I\’m doing now and start off in a new direction.
I just read Seth Godins\’ book \”The Dip\” and I am rethinking my tactic for creating wealth before I\’m to old to enjoy it.
Right now, you make copywriting seem like a dream vocation.
Thanks for the swift kick in the a$$.
James
Comment by Allen — February 15, 2008 @ 9:26 am
Thank You Clayton!
Comment by Monique — March 10, 2008 @ 9:21 am
Thanks a bunch, Clayton!!! I’m also a writer located offshore (although not in such a strict country), and I’ve always wondered if there was a real future for me as a copywriter out there. I was a bit discouraged and about to let go when I saw this article. It gave me the motivation I needed, and I opened an account on elance. Less than two weeks later– bang, I had my first client!!! They’re located in the UK and totally fine with the fact that I’m far away. Thank you soooooooooo much !!!!!!!!
Comment by Grahame — March 18, 2008 @ 9:20 am
Dave wrote about which countries that kill people for desiring advancement:"…All the Islamic ones come to mind first. China and North Korea, of course. What about Zimbabwe? South Africa?"Dave, I live in South Africa and I’d like to assure you that individual advancement is certainly not frowned upon. No-one would be shot for wanting, and expressing a desire, for a better life. Although the Zimbabwean government is brutal and repressive, I don’t think it would happen there, either. Zimbabwe in our neighbour and we come into contact with Zimbabweans regularly, and, despite the dire situation in that country, they are for the most part trying to make a better life for themselves.