Art of the Interview!
How asking simple questions can drive traffic
… attract new prospects and customers
… and pad your bottom line
with high-ticket back-end sales in record time
In this issue:
- How to borrow the credibility of high profile “stars” in your niche, and claim some sugar for yourself …
- Why interview marketing is your perfect “entrée” into the wildly profitable joint ventures you’ve always dreamed of being a part of …
- How a simple program of sustained professional “asking” is your fastest road to a perpetual info-product creation money machine …
- And more!
Dear Business Builder,
People frequently ask me how I became such a pervasive name in copywriting and marketing circles so quickly. On reflection, I soon realized it had nothing to do with being any smarter than the average bear who tickles the styrene to bang out a sales message …
It had nothing to do with me being particularly brilliant at anything as a matter of fact.
Largely, it was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time, having the sense to realize it, and taking ACTION!
But as I sat naval gazing, I soon realized that some actions paid off far better than others … and near the top of the list? INTERVIEWS!
Yes, the lowly interview, where you humbly cast yourself as the seeker of knowledge and supplicate yourself at the feet of a master – THE FASTEST ROAD I KNOW FOR GOING FROM ZERO TO HERO on the Internet!
There’s just no better way to quickly and easily drive traffic, build your list, create kick ass products, and make a ton of money from info-products, while creating a name for yourself.
And in this article, I’m going to hand you some of the ins and outs of using them in your business for super fast growth.
Are you ready?
Let’s begin …
How to use interviews to drive traffic
… attract new prospects and customers
… and pad your bottom line
with high-ticket back-end sales
in record time …
There have to be 101 incredibly smart ways to use interviews to drive traffic that I’ve never considered. I bet some SEO geek is reading this right now and making plans. But I haven’t a clue about any of that stuff.
I take a much simpler, old-fashioned approach. For example, when I did Masters of Copywriting, which is essentially a compilation of interviews, I simply asked each interviewee if they’d send me some traffic, and I paid them a handsome commission to do it.
Most of them did. Why?
Because the outcome of interviewing a whole bunch of really smart dudes became a compelling, unique and exciting product. And because each “guru” was a part of it, naturally they had to believe it was good.
Now think about it. Be Mr. Guru for a minute. There you are. Somehow this guy’s managed to get your attention, interview you, and he seems like a nice guy. Now, he sends you a .txt file with the copy all done, affiliate link included. All you’ve got to do is copy and paste it into your autorsesponder. Can you think of a more profitable 5 minutes “work”?
Here’s another example …
Some of you have heard about my 9 Bootstrap Money Makers for Lightning FAST Profits teleseminar series. Again, interviews. Let me take you behind the scenes …
This is a series of teleconferences, where I invited a collection of guests to share their rags to riches story, and answer a challenge: What would you do right now, if your assets were stripped … your products and lists destroyed … and your notoriety erased?
Here’s what I need you to do:
- Send me some traffic.
- Give an hour of great content.
- Put together something special for our guests to buy at the end of the call.
Now let’s look at each of those aspects. Why would Mr. Guru consent to sending me traffic? Well the answer is simple. I’m giving them an attractive forum to sell his high end products. Not only am I filling the call with people from my list, I’m filling the call with interested people from all 9 partners who will be participating in the series.
That’s 9 times leverage for sending a couple of e-mails, and an hour’s work. Each interviewee will walk away with at least 4 figures, maybe 5. Sweet deal? You bet. Plus, I’m also paying them a 50% commission on the recordings and transcripts.
For me, these interviews are a rich vein of profits. I’m collecting thousands of leads that I can sell to again and again … I’m acquiring new customers on the front-end because I’m selling the recordings and transcripts … I’m making healthy affiliate commissions on the back-end after each call … and I’m building tremendous brand equity with my list because they absolutely LOVE these calls. It doesn’t get much better than that. And it’s all thanks to INTERVIEWS!
But that’s just the beginning …
How to borrow the credibility of high profile "stars"
in your niche, and claim some sugar for yourself …
When I was just starting out online, nobody knew me from Adam. I could have slaved away building a name for myself solely on the merits of my own knowledge and information, and chances are you wouldn’t be reading this right now.
It would have taken me years to build the same kind of notoriety … and my customer and prospect lists would be a tiny fraction of what they are now.
Instead, I chose to borrow some of the credibility of others, through interviews.
When you think about it, this allows virtually anybody, regardless of knowledge or experience to grow ANY kind of information publishing business now, and become an expert later. Isn’t that a revelation? It should be, because no matter who you are, or what you know, you now have no excuse not to start exponentially increasing your income right now!
All it takes is a burning passion for the information you’ve chosen to market, and the people you want to serve, and presto, interviewing gives you the means to begin!
It’s credibility by association. Bring valuable, in-demand information to the marketplace, delivered by the experts in your field, gradually start to mix your own information into the mix, and pretty soon you’re a celebrity, and people are interviewing YOU!
Why interview marketing is your perfect "entrée"
into the wildly profitable joint ventures you’ve always
dreamed of being a part of …
Having trouble getting the big dogs in your industry to JV with you? Interviews may be the answer. If the direct approach doesn’t work, try the indirect approach. Break the ice with an interview.
We’re all human. Joe Guru puts his pants on one leg at a time just like you. And being human, we love to talk about ourselves. In your niche, the “gurus” may have never even been asked for an interview, despite having achieved wild success. If you approach them properly, they’ll be flattered by your interest, and they’ll gladly agree to be interviewed.
Little do they know … your ulterior motive may have been to establish a JV. Now let me ask you: Which do you think is an easier entrée?
Do you think you’ll get more traction as a total stranger with a) a genuine expression of admiration, and a flattering offer to help publicize their business … or b) a business proposition that could entail some risk?
Obviously an interview is hands down less threatening, wouldn’t you say? Now, another question …
Where are you better positioned: As a total stranger? Or as someone who’s already spent a respectful, and potentially even intimate hour together with said JV partner discussing his or her favorite subject?
You guessed it … interviews hold the key to unlocking the gold mine contained in the customer lists of competitive and complimentary businesses far and wide!
I’m talking the Glengarry leads here folks! Listen up …
How a simple program of sustained professional
"asking" is your fastest road to a perpetual
info-product creation money machine …
Now this might just be the most exciting part of all. While your competition is slaving to compile their information products the hard way, fussing endlessly to write their life’s work with a keypad and mouse, you’re getting other people to do the work for you, and laughing all the way to the bank.
You see, when you get the hang of it, interviews make killer products. All you’ve got to do is research your market to find out what information people want. Find the experts who can give it to them. Record an interview with you asking your new friend those questions. And then sell the recordings. Heck, you can even have the interview transcribed and sell that too.
Can you think of a better way to create a product? Here’s one.
Conduct your interviews via e-mail! Doing so is so fast, easy and profitable it’s a wonder it’s even legal.
When I did Masters of Copywriting, the interviews were conducted mostly by e-mail. It took me all of a day to do the research and come up with the questions the marketplace wanted the answers to.
But then instead of spending countless hours scheduling the interviews and actually conducting them, I just hit send, and I was done. I didn’t even need to have them transcribed.
So the lesson is clear. If you’re just starting out in the information publishing biz, use interviews to cut months off your research time … give yourself instant credibility in the marketplace … grow your prospect and customer list at warp speed … and earn juicy commissions – starting today!
Until next time, Good Selling!
Daniel Levis
Editor, The Web Marketing Advisor
THE TOTAL PACKAGE
P.S. Oh and I almost forgot. Join me this Thursday for Bootstrap Money Makers #5, where I interview e-commerce whiz Marc Goldman about how he and his wife Terry started out as broke, frustrated college kids living in a studio (1 room) apartment, barely able to pay the minimum payment on their credit card bills, and went on to build a thriving information marketing and services business that’s made them millions.
What would this remarkably resourceful entrepreneur do today if he had to do it all over again … if his assets were stripped … his lists and products destroyed … and his notoriety erased? You’ll find out on this call. It’s FREE to attend! Register NOW!
Daniel Levis is a top marketing consultant & direct response copywriter based in Toronto, Canada and publisher of the world famous copywriting anthology Masters of Copywriting featuring the selling wisdom of 44 of the "Top Money" marketing minds of all time, including Clayton Makepeace, Dan Kennedy, Joe Sugarman, John Carlton, Joe Vitale, Michel Fortin, Richard Armstrong and dozens more! For a FREE excerpt visit Sellingtohumannature.com
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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 Ryan Law — July 18, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
Great article Daniel - I would love to see you address in more depth how to better approach the gurus for an interview. I was trying to put together an e-book and sent individualized e-mails out to about 10 gurus, praising them and offering to do an interview via e-mail or phone, which ever they preferred, and only one replied. How do you best approach them? What do you respond to when someone e-mails you? The gurus obviously get tons of e-mail a day, so what cathces your attention? Any comments would be appreciated!
Comment by Daniel Levis — July 19, 2007 @ 6:02 am
That\’s a great question Ryan. The simple answer is you\’re not going to get them all to respond. But here are a few tips …
You need a big idea that resonates with the people you are going after. It\’s not just about money. It\’s about having a unique idea they can relate to, and that excites them. This does two things. It grabs their attention and momentary interest, and it gives them confidence that your idea will deliver the benefits you promise. Very important.
Second, it\’s about networking, and leveraging from one contact to the next. You have one response, now add value to that guru\’s business, nurture the relationship, and then leverage that equity by having that person introduce you to the next guru in line.
There\’s more of course. Perhaps fodder for another issue some day.
All the best,
Daniel
Comment by Ryan Law — July 19, 2007 @ 6:59 am
Daniel -
Loved the title - \”How to Wake up the Sleeping Guru.\”
When Makepeace first announced he was taking this daily I thought it would be too much, but I really look forward to every issue.
Thanks for your contribution, Daniel, and thanks for the above tips.