Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
July 21, 2008
Issue #463
- The hard truth "get rich quick" gurus never tell you …
- What it really takes to hit the big time …
- Why what you do the rest of today matters …
- Much more …
Dear Business-Builder,
My mom’s cousin married Ty Cobb’s son, Herschel. Since I’m not good at math, I can’t really tell you what that makes me. Ty Cobb’s grand nephew once removed? I dunno.
But still, I’ve always been proud to be related — even distantly — to the man who invented modern baseball. So a few years ago, I read Cobb: A Biography by Al Stump and later, watched the movie starring Tommy Lee Jones.
Great book; good flick. Not because they heralded Cobb’s exploits on the field, but because they painted a crystal-clear picture of the man behind the legend.
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Posted by:
Daniel Levis
July 16, 2008
Issue #460
“A man should learn to detect and watch for that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Dear Web Business-Builder,
From a young age, we are appointed.
Appointed by our parents … old enough to stay home alone. Appointed by our institutions … educated enough to enter the full time work force. Appointed by our employers … responsible enough for promotion.
Important question: Have you become mentally conditioned by all this external appointment?
Have you given your power to someone or something outside of yourself?
Could this be the invisible Great Wall of China that’s blocking you from rocketing toward your goals and reaching your full potential?
For most of us, to one degree or another, the answer is “yes." Take a look at this note I received from one of my subscribers earlier this week:
“I have a few questions re: your material …
- Is this setup as a correspondence study course or is it just ideas to use for implementation? Does the material guide you on how to write good, strong copy? Is there anyone who critiques you on your assignments? Or is it all up to one’s own imagination and assumptions?
- How does your material compare to the American Writers and Artists Institute – 6 figure copywriting? Or to the Institute of Copywritng course? Or to any other course out there … ?
- Is it possible to become a successful copywriter without prior experience in finance or marketing? Without a college degree in journalism, finance, marketing …?
- Do your materials also include how to improve one’s writing skills, language usage …?
“I’m very much interested in the field of copywriting. I believe I have a flair with words as well as a good way of expression. However, I’ve done extensive research online as well as perused the copywriting opportunities available, and I keep coming to the same conclusion.
“It seems the only way to truly succeed in the copywriting field is to have an accredited history in finance, journalism, or/and marketing as well as experience in the aforementioned fields. Being familiar with Web design and computer graphics doesn’t seem to hurt either. Many accomplished copywriters have refuted the idea of being able to master copywriting and succeed in the field by simply taking a copywriting course whether online or by correspondence (which doesn’t even seem to be what you’re offering).
“Therefore I question you, as well as other courses, which claim that after completing your/their material one can become a successful copywriter and earn …
“How can you distort reality just in order to sell your product or promote your course? How can you convince people of unbelievable, unattainable goals? Is this another marketing gimmick? Since you guys are the masters of copywriting, perhaps you’re pulling the wool over the consumer’s eyes and convincing them of twisted truths … all for your benefit. UNLESS … perhaps you can convince me otherwise.”
If it weren’t for the rather cheeky last paragraph, I might have sent this woman a constructive response. As it was, I simply replied: “Thanks for writing. With all due respect, I don’t think this is for you.” Who needs customers like this?
I can only imagine what kind of “research” could have possibly led her to these erroneous conclusions. I mean honestly, “an accredited history in finance, journalism, and/or marketing as well as experience in the aforementioned fields.” I can’t think of more onerous liability, can you? Where do these self-defeating delusions come from?
I’ll tell you …
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Posted by:
Carline Anglade-Cole
June 24, 2008
Issue #444
Right now, I’m about to get naked.
Yep, I’m stripping down and revealing one of my deepest, most darkest secrets.
Many of my closest friends (and even my husband and family) don’t even know what I’m about to tell you. Are you ready? Can you handle it? Ok, here it is …
I am petrified of writing copy.
Phew! There I said it. Did the world end? Wait — let me open my eyes to peek and see … nope, it’s still here. I guess it’s safe to continue.
Are you surprised that a million-dollar copywriter who writes scores of controls (a dozen so far this year – and it’s only June!)…
… Makes millions of dollars for her clients …
… Writes copywriting books (three so far!)…
… Publishes a copywriting e-zine called of all things, CopyStar …
… And appears as a guest speaker at prestigious copywriting conferences (including Clayton’s!)…
… Would be a scaredy cat when it comes to copywriting?
Well, it’s true.
When I start a copywriting project, the negative tapes (or CDs for the under-30 crowd) start playing:
“What are you doing? You’ve bitten off more than you can chew! They’re gonna find out you’re a fake this time! You suck!”
Yikes! Pretty scary stuff.
I’ve often contemplated taking the royalties from one of my controls to hire a full-time shrink!
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Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
June 2, 2008
Issue #430
In this issue:
- The unparalleled power of writing to the whole brain …
- The #1 blunder new copywriters make that sentences you to blank page block – and how to blast through and write better copy faster …
- How “writing in layers” can multiply your response rates …
- And much, MUCH MORE!
Dear Business-Builder,
Remember how, when you first learned to drive, you had to THINK about every little thing you did?
You know: Ease off the gas. Depress clutch. Move gearshift. Release clutch. Press the accelerator.
Before you knew it, though, you’d taught your brain to do all that automatically – right? You never really had to consciously think your way through that process in such painstaking detail again. So you were free to think about other things – like how to avoid that oncoming tractor trailer.
Well, guess what? Copywriting’s like that, too.
When I wrote my first direct response promotion, I had to think my way through even the tiniest decisions in every page, paragraph and line and even in my word choices.
But that was nearly 40 years ago. Today, it’s all second nature to me. And that’s good. Because I’m able to tear thought my clients’ copy at near light speed.
But it’s also not so good; because the other part of my job is helping younger writers achieve greater successes than I have – and to do it in far less time than it took me.
That requires a fresh set of eyes, a mind for detail and the ability to analyze the copywriting process … to dissect copywriting strategy … and even to parse word choices … all in ways I haven’t had to for decades.
What I really needed in order to pass these secrets along to you was a brilliant student of copywriting with tremendous energy, the academic background I lack and the knack for dissecting the copywriting process in ways that make it easy for new writers to understand.
Enter Anthony Flores …
Tony – a highly talented copywriter in his own right – is a genius. One of the most intense students of direct response marketing and advertising I’ve ever met.
I can’t tell you how thrilled we are to have his incredible research skills on our staff, skills he honed while attending Stanford University (one of his good friends even dated Chelsea Clinton!)
After college, Tony’s business savvy, marketing wisdom and sales copy helped double a friend’s natural health company in 2004 and then doubled it again in 2005 to nearly $3 million in sales. That’s when copywriting legend (and notoriously tough critic) John Carlton praised his writing as “damn good.”
There is no doubt that Tony has been a godsend to me; helping me pass these proven response-boosting techniques on to a new generation. But the greatest value Tony brings has been to thousands who have used his analysis of many of the world’s most successful direct response promotions and his easy-to-understand, plain-English teaching style to hone their copywriting skills.
I can only imagine the difference having Tony’s brilliant insights back in 1973 or 74 would have made in my life and career.
You don’t have to imagine.
Tony has taken the copywriting strategies I taught him and created the long-awaited, much anticipated Ultimate Desktop Copy Coach. It’s the clearest, most comprehensive, easiest to read, understand and USE course on direct response copywriting I’ve ever seen.
With a course like this in your marketing arsenal, you’ll be spared many of the blunders and disappointments that punctuate most writers’ climb to the top – and you’ll have hundreds of tools to take your response and your career to the next level.
The Ultimate Desktop Copy Coach will be available soon. Watch your inbox for more information – AND for the chance to download a free report!
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Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
May 5, 2008
Issue #410
An Interview with Top Copywriter,
Kim Krause Schwalm
Kim Krause Schwalm is one of the hottest copywriters alive. She has had many red-hot controls – both in the health and wealth fields – and her insights are money in the bank for both writers and the folks who hire them.
So Clayton did a little digging. He got right inside her head and found out what makes this top copywriter such a huge success.
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