Business Growth, Copywriting, Etc.

I really thought it would be easier to select a winner. I really did.

But after spending hours (literally) reading and re-reading the entries, I realized just how much thought, emotion, and passion each person put into their entry.

And each time I eliminated one of the entries, it caused me a twinge of pain. I just hated having to delete a good contest entry.

Anyway, there were many excellent entries, but ultimately we had to choose just one.

Wait. Scratch that.

Actually, we decided at the last minute to select TWO people — partially to ease our consciences, and partially to say thank you.

But let me tell you how we made the decision.

First, I took all the entries and put them into a separate text document. It is important for you to know that I stripped out all the names.

I then read every single entry at least two times — some of them more than that.

I began to whittle the entries down during the second reading. Then I deleted more entries during my third reading. Etc.

Finally, I had a list of seven names.

I took my list and then compared it to the list John had created on his own, apart from me.

There were a few names in common.

From there, we simply discussed our reasons for choosing the final two winners.

With that in mind, here are the two people we selected:

1. Nicoline Lentze - Entry #50

2. Sudheendra D. - Entry #60

Both winners have been notified by email that they were selected for free spots in our upcoming coaching program.

If you would like, you can read their contest submissions here.

My Best,

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. John and I are extremely grateful to each person who took the time to enter the contest. To say thank you, we will be emailing each of you a surprise bonus gift. It should arrive early next week.

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With Terry Dean railing against “hypercopyitis” on his blog, I thought it would be a good time to define what “hype” actually is.

Because lately I’ve noticed consumers of information are very “anti-hype.” I believe this has been caused by market fatigue (too many people making similar outlandish promises), but also because people have told them they should be anti-hype.

The problem: Most people don’t understand what hype really is.

First, it helps to know that hype is simply a slang form of the word “hyperbole.”

Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines hyperbole this way: “Exaggeration for effect, not to be taken literally. Example: This story is as old as time.”

Hype is then defined as: “Deception; especially, loud, exaggerated promotion or publicity.”

Here’s my definition of hype:

“Promise without Proof”

By my definition, it’s perfectly okay to be enthusiastic in sales copy or any persuasive medium — so long as there is proof to back up the claims. Without proof, claims are just hype.

But with proof, a claim is justified. It becomes a legitimate promise a potential customer can expect to receive should he or she buy the product or service being advertised.

A bold promise with proof to back it up is a stroke of genius. Especially if it’s a promise everybody else is afraid to make.

This should not be classified as hype, but rather as good advertising.

Some of the symptoms Terry describes in his tongue-in-cheek blog post are, I believe, symptoms of greed. And when a person becomes seized by greed, they are more likely to “try too hard” in their copy. This often manifests as hype.

Unfortunately, many people assume that something is hype just because it has an exclamation point behind it, or it is written in a persuasive manner.

But just as a knife on the dinner table doesn’t indicate meat is being served, neither does an exclamation point at the end of a sentence indicate hype is being served.

The key to remember is this: Hype is deception. It is a promise without proof.

As you read and study sales copy, use this definition as your measuring stick — and be careful of labeling as hype all forms of persuasive communication.

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. What are your thoughts? How do YOU define hype?

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I’ve got a big announcement today.

That’s because John “Angel” Anghelache and I have created a new contest that gives you the chance to win a free spot in our upcoming “Secrets of Freelance Copywriting Success” Coaching Program, which starts the beginning of August.

If you are serious about becoming a successful, “booked solid” copywriter, then I guarantee you will want to enter this contest.

How can I say that with such confidence?

It’s because entering the contest is quick and easy. Not to mention 100% FREE.

To enter, here’s what you need to do. Simply post a comment below and answer these two questions:

1. WHY do you want to become a successful freelance copywriter (besides the money)? I’m looking for the ultimate reason you got interested in copywriting in the first place. What does all that money get you?

2. HOW will participating in our 6-month Coaching Program help you?

If you can answer these two questions, you have a shot at winning the prize.

What exactly will you win? Simply this…

• FREE entry into the 6-month Freelance Copywriting Coaching Program starting in August 2008 (valued at $???)

Think about this for a minute. If you invest just a few minutes of your time to answer the two questions above, you could potentially walk away with free spot in our program.

If you apply what we teach you, it is entirely possible for you to land five, 10, or even 15 (or more) clients before the program is complete.

If each client paid you $2,500 (extremely conservative), you’d be winning the equivalent of $12,500 to $37,500… and that’s just for the first 6 months!

You’ll be able to continue profiting from the skills we teach you for the rest of your life.

I’d say that’s a fair trade, wouldn’t you?

Here’s what I want you to do now…

Scroll down to the section below that says “Leave a Comment.” Be sure to add your full name and email address so I can contact you in case you win. Answer the two questions. It should take you no more than 5 or 10 minutes. But the pay-off could be huge…

DEADLINE: Saturday, July 19th, at 12 noon Mountain time.

Any entries received after the deadline will NOT be considered.

John and I will choose a winner based on what we feel is the best response to these questions. How we pick the winner is at our sole discretion and whim.

The winner will be chosen and notified Saturday night, July 19th, by 9 p.m. Mountain time.

I’m really excited to kick off our Coaching Program with this contest, and look forward to hearing from everybody.

Be sure to check back Saturday night to see who the winner is.

Alright, then…  on your marks… get set… GO!

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. If you don’t yet know what we’re including in the Coaching Program, you can listen to our two-part audio series here:

==> Details About the “Secrets of Freelance Copywriting Success” Coaching Program

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Normally, I wouldn’t post this type of news.

But it’s critical that you know what’s happening in the U.S.

Today, the Constitution died. Or, more accurately, it continued its slow death.

In fact, the news article on Digg has been “dugg” more than 12,000 times. I think that’s an all-time record (although I haven’t been able to verify it yet).

Here’s the link:

http://digg.com/political_opinion/The_Constitution_Dies_Tomorrow

Also, it’s important to note that President Franklin Roosevelt declared an economic emergency in 1933 to remove us from the protection of the Constitution. This was an important turning point in history.

But today’s historical vote to extend warrantless searches and wiretapping is certainly an acceleration in the loss of our freedoms.

Be watchful.

-Ryan M. Healy

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John “Angel” Anghelache and I wanted to offer you yet another strategy for generating leads for your copywriting business (or any business for that matter).

Why?

Because after releasing Video #3 and #4, we had some objections. Stuff like, “Well, of course that strategy works for you, but it would never work for me!”

So John whipped up this report in response to those objections. He titled it, “How to Flood Your Business With Even More Copywriting Prospects.”

Now, before you write this headline off as “hype,” I encourage you to read the report. (At 4 pages, it’s a quick read.)

I’m confident that anybody who applies this strategy in the right newspaper or magazine WILL be flooded with prospects.

So… apply this strategy at your own risk, okay?

Here’s the link to grab the report:

==> http://www.copywritingcode.com/lessons/flood.pdf

My Best,

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. If you think of someone who could benefit from this lead generation strategy, please forward the PDF to him or her. Thanks!

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First of all, if you’ve submitted a question about how to make it as a freelance copywriter, I want to thank you.

I value your input and appreciate you taking time to “play along” with me.

Secondly, based on some of the questions I’ve received, I can tell certain people are NOT yet ready to be freelance copywriters.

How do I know this? Simple. The questions that are being asked reveal where somebody is at in the learning cycle.

Obviously, my goal is to attract the right kind of copywriter into the coaching program John Angel and I will be releasing in a couple of weeks.

But — equally as important — I want to help you determine whether you are the type of person who will succeed as a freelance copywriter.

With that in mind, allow me to address a few observations I’ve made (without naming names).

Sign #1: If you won’t invest money into generating leads, you’re not ready to be a freelance copywriter!

Somebody recently asked what he should do if he couldn’t afford to mail out lead generation letters.

I was floored.

Let’s calculate the cost to mail out 50 letters to a narrowly targeted list. About $0.42 for postage on each letter, plus maybe an extra $0.15 per piece to cover the cost of paper and envelope.

So what are we looking at? A “whopping” $28.50, right?

Look. If you’re not willing to invest $28.50 in your own copy, how in the world do you expect somebody else to invest $3,000 or more in your copy?

Okay, let’s change our assumptions. Let’s assume you’re going to overnight all 50 letters (which is a lot of letters to overnight, by the way). And let’s assume the cost is $30 a letter.

That would set you back $1,500.

But what if you got just one client for $3,000? Would the mailing have been worth it?

And what if you got a 40% response rate (which is on the low side of what’s possible)?

You would have 20 new clients. If each of them paid you $3,000 apiece, you’d have made $60,000!

Would you pay $1,500 to get $60,000 back?

I would.

Now, obviously, you couldn’t handle 20 new clients all at once. So you want to stage your mailings so you can handle the new clients coming in.

The point I’m trying to make is this: You’re NOT ready to be a freelance copywriter until you’re ready to invest in yourself.

Sign #2: If you don’t know what “direct response” means, you’re not ready to be a freelance copywriter!

I am a direct response copywriter. So is John Angel.

Which means we’re paid to get results.

We are NOT paid to write content, fill up web sites with articles, or write ebooks.

Ordinary content writers are a dime a dozen. You’d be lucky to make a living as a content writer. That’s because there’s so much competition from people who are willing to work for fees that equate to less than minimum wage.

You’d probably be better off pushing carts at Costco.

If you’d like to make real money as a copywriter, you must be in the direct response biz. You must place yourself at the start of the money funnel where you live or die based on your ability to convert prospects into customers or clients.

This is how you get paid (and paid well!) to write.

Sign #3: If you’re not confident in your ability to produce results, you’re not ready to be a freelance copywriter!

There have been times I wasn’t confident I could produce results; the client hired me anyway.

In fact, the more I split-test and see what really works, the more I question my abilities.

Because the results I see often fly in the face of popular copywriting theories — the same theories I studied before becoming a copywriter!

Furthermore, there was a time when I wasn’t that confident about my own abilities. But I was confident that I could eventually produce results.

In other words, if I failed the first time out, I knew I could try again and again and eventually succeed.

Just knowing that time was in my favor gave me confidence.

But that wasn’t enough. So to build my confidence, I took on low-risk, low-pay projects at the beginning of my freelance career.

I got a few easy wins under my belt, which gave me enough confidence to start asking for bigger fees and going after higher-profile clients.

So there are ways to get around the whole “lack of confidence” issue.

Still, if you’re afraid of working for clients… and so completely unsure of your ability to produce results… then you’re probably not ready for the freelancer’s life.

Better to postpone the freelance copywriting career and build up your experience — and your confidence — before making a commitment you won’t be able to fulfill.

In addition to what I’ve shared so far, I thought it would be helpful to point out that the best copywriters fit a certain profile. This has been recognized by some of the top copywriters who’ve ever lived.

Joe Sugarman, in his book Advertising Secrets of the Written Word, says this about what makes for a great copywriter:

The best copywriters in the world are those who are curious about life, read a great deal, have many hobbies, like to travel, have a variety of interests, often master many skills, get bored and then look for other skills to master. They hunger for experience and knowledge and find other people interesting. They are very good listeners. […] The thirst for knowledge, a tremendous curiosity about life, a wealth of experiences and not being afraid to work are the top credentials for being a good copywriter. (p. 11)

Beyond this, David Ogilvy quotes the work of Dr. Frank Barron in Confessions of an Advertising Man. Ogilvy says Barron’s observations about creative people match his own. Namely, that:

Creative people are especially observant, and they value accurate observation (telling themselves the truth) more than other people do.

They often express part-truths, but this they do vividly; the part they express is the generally unrecognized; by displacement of accent and apparent disproportion in statement they seek to point to the usually unobserved. They see things as others do, but also as others do not.

They are born with greater brain capacity; they have more ability to hold many ideas at once, and to compare more ideas with another — hence to make a richer synthesis.

They are by constitution more vigorous, and have available to them an exceptional fund of psychic and physical energy.

Their universe is thus more complex, and in addition they usually lead more complex lives.

They have more contact than most people do with the life of the unconscious — with fantasy, reverie, and the world of imagination. (pp. 44, 45)

As you read these passages from Sugarman and Ogilvy, did you see yourself? Could you relate to their descriptions?

If so, then perhaps you are ready for the copywriter’s life.

As you decide whether or not freelance copywriting is for you, heed the ancient Greeks’ advice: “Know thyself.”

For only you can make the decision.

My Best,

-Ryan M. Healy

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John “Angel” Anghelache and I have just released yet another complimentary training video. And this one is all about setting copywriting fees and finally getting paid what you’re worth.

When you watch this video, you’ll learn:

• A Simple Formula for Determining What You’re Worth.

• 3 Easy Ways to Charge Fees.

• How to Increase Your Fees Fast.

• Beyond Fees — How to Double or Triple Your Income in 12 Months.

• 4 Rules for Commission-Based Copywriting.

This 18-minute training video is 100% FREE when you sign-up here:

==> http://www.copywritingcode.com/lessons/

Will we try to sell you something after you opt-in?

Of course.

John and I are getting ready to release a coaching program for freelance copywriters later this month.

The free training videos we’re releasing are our way of giving back to our readers and subscribers while at the same time getting freelance copywriters to raise their hands and say, “I’m interested.”

Now, the coaching program will not be for everybody. And the number of students we will accept is limited.

So if it turns out you ARE interested (and it’s totally okay if you’re not), then you’ll want to stick with us for just a little while longer. We plan to release more information about the coaching program in a week or so.

In the mean time, I strongly encourage you to watch training Video #4: How to Raise Your Copywriting Fees & Finally Get Paid What You’re Worth.

Why?

Because this video — along with all of the others — provides real, practical value that you can implement starting today.

Just yesterday evening, I received this email from Matt Hegedus. He writes:

As you can see, even experienced copywriters are getting a lot of value and insight from these free training videos. And I think you will, too.

You can get instant access to “The Copywriting Fee Video,” plus all the others, when you sign-up here:

==> http://www.copywritingcode.com/lessons/

My Best,

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. We love hearing from you! Make yourself heard by leaving a comment below.

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When I was 18 years old, I joined Amway.

I called close to 100 different people in my warm market, and I even hunted down unsuspecting “prospects” in public places like Barnes & Noble.

Embarrassing, I know.

During that time of my life (from age 18 to 21), I listened to scores of motivational tapes. One of them, more than any of the others, left its mark on my thinking.

It was a tape by Burt Gullick, who at the time was a Diamond in the Amway business. On the tape, Burt described Amway as “the goose that laid the golden egg.” He then proceeded to explain this metaphor.

Is Copywriting Your Goose?

Basically, Amway had provided Burt with a means of achieving his freedom. It provided him with a level of wealth and time independence he hadn’t been able to find anywhere else.

After achieving success in Amway, Burt used his income to invest in other opportunities. One of them I remember vividly because it was so unusual.

What did Burt invest in?

Landfills.

Yep, Burt used his Amway money to buy trash dumps. The model (as I remember it) went like this:

• Buy land near a city.
• Charge waste management companies to dump trash on the land.
• Collect monthly income from the waste management companies.
• Sell land later for a profit.

As you can imagine, this story really stuck with me. Here was a guy who had achieved success in Amway, but then reinvested his money in other opportunities.

Essentially, Burt Gullick diversified his income streams.

And wisely so!

But the other key point was that Burt needed “the goose” to get to a point where he had other opportunities to invest in.

As I’ve reflected on this story, I’ve decided that for me, copywriting is “the goose that laid the golden egg.”

I say this not because I’m done being a freelance copywriter. Fact is, I intend to continue as a freelance copywriter for quite some time, even though I may cut back on my workload.

Rather, I say this because copywriting has given me a greater income than I could have found in a job; more time flexibility than almost any other self-employed profession; and more opportunities than I know what to do with.

I have achieved a measure of success within the field of freelance copywriting. But more importantly, this success has positioned me for even greater success in the future.

Obviously, a career as a freelance copywriter isn’t for everybody. Neither is a career in Amway.

But ask yourself, “What is my goose? Where will my golden egg come from?”

There are many different “gooses” that can lay golden eggs. The trick is to find one that fits your skills, preferences, and personality. Once you find it, stick with it — and really put forth your best effort.

Because, if you do, your “goose” could easily become a stepping stone into bigger and better things for you in the future.

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. Think freelance copywriting might be for you? Then you’ll want to watch the free training videos posted here.

P.P.S. Questions about running a freelance copywriting business are continuing to come in daily. If you’ve asked a question, John and I will do our best to respond as quickly as possible. Thanks.

P.P.P.S. Video #4 is going to be released tomorrow, July 1. In this video, I reveal some methods and strategies for commanding copywriting fees you can be proud of. If you’re on the notification list, you’ll be automatically emailed when the video is posted.

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John “Angel” Anghelache and I were talking today. Many questions that copywriters have submitted to us haven’t been answered yet. So we decided it was time to answer them. This time, John provides the answers. -Ryan

Q: “How does one get clients when their cash reserve won’t permit mailing out packages? Even if one could mail out packages, how does one persuade the client they are capable of doing the job?” -Ruth

John’s Answer: Resort to a combination of email and phone calls. Send an email with an abbreviated version of your pitch. Then follow up with a call.

Samples are one way to persuade clients. Put together a portfolio of ads. Even if they are “mock ups”. Something is better than nothing.

Ryan’s 2 Cents: If you decide to mail out some packages, Ruth, make your copy more conversational. Instead of saying, “How does one get clients?” say, “How do I get clients?” When you use the word “one” for a person, it sounds like a mid-term exam.

Q: “I’m the only breadwinner in my household and on my job I have very little ‘free time’ to do anything else. By the time I get home from work most of my prospects are gone for the day.

“I’m still a copywriter in training and it seems you would be required to bang the phones following up on your lead generation letters etc. to land some jobs. Any advice is greatly appreciated!” -Emette

John’s Answer: Get someone else to do the follow up calls for you. Have them schedule a phone meeting with the prospect when you will be available. There’s no shortcut here. You have to talk to prospects to turn them into clients.

Ryan’s 2 Cents: Hi, Emette. I’ve been in your shoes. If I were you, I’d schedule follow-up calls during my lunch hour. I’d take an early or late lunch if necessary. I’d make phone calls from my car, then eat lunch at my desk after making my calls. (I’ve actually done this.)

Q: “Tracking down the decision-maker.” -Paul

John’s Answer: Do research on the company. Find out who the decision-maker is. Contact them directly. They will either talk to you or hand off the project to someone else. Playing “phone tag” is part of the game. A good offer compels prospects to get in touch with you.

Q: “Time management people always say to just set a limit and make it be done. But me, hours later I’m still working away at an article. How the heck are you supposed to do that?” -Tracy

John’s Answer: There are tricks to writing faster. One is to use a template. Another is to set a timer on your desk. Write for a specific period of time. Then go on to another part of the writing job. You’ll get faster the more you write.

Ryan’s 2 Cents: Sounds like you might be a perfectionist, Tracy. In addition to what John suggested, try to establish what is good enough. Stop writing once you’ve reached the “good enough” level. Then test the copy to see what kind of results it gets.

Q: “Can you give us an in-depth discussion on building our niches and USP? For example, should I just say I am a copywriter who specializes in writing sales letters for the I.T. market? The concern I have here is that I might only receive projects from the IT sector even though I am equally qualified to serve the financial sector, aviation and aerospace, and the oil and gas industry.” -Raj

John’s Answer: Customize your offers to different markets. When approaching the I.T. market, talk about your experience in that market. When approaching the financial market focus on your experience there.

It doesn’t make much sense anyway to present yourself as a financial copywriter when going after the I.T. market. The key is to customize your self-promotions.

Q: “How difficult would it be to break into freelancing for established ad agencies in NY City or elsewhere? What do you think might be the right approach? Who would be the best person to contact at an ad firm? What kind of fee arrangement should I look for? Is this a crazy idea? Thanks for your input!” -Chris McMorrow

John’s Answer: First off, define what kind of ad agency. Conventional or direct response? There are huge differences between the two. I would go after direct response agencies. Compile a list of Creative Directors for various agencies. Send them a letter with a relevant offer.

(Hint: They only hire freelancers to unload work when in-house copywriters are swamped.)

Take whatever they pay. Usually, it’s somewhere in the $2,000 range or so. Go for the experience. The money will come.

-John L. Anghelache

[Editor’s Note: We’ve now released three videos about finding and landing copywriting clients. The first video is free. You can watch it here. If you’d like to see all the videos as they are released (including Videos #2 and #3), please enter your name and email in the form that appears underneath the video. Thanks. -Ryan M. Healy]

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In late May, I went on a three-day cycling trip in southern Colorado. I got to see some amazing places, including Pagosa Springs, Wolf Creek Pass, La Veta, Cuchara, and even Chama, New Mexico.

As I was grinding my way up steep mountain passes, I had a lot of time to think. And I began comparing marketing to bicycling. Here are some of the lessons I learned.

Hitting the Road: Kevin, Rick, Bruce & I get ready
to drive to southern Colorado.

Lesson #1: Consistency Is Key

Question: How do you climb more than 14,000 vertical feet in 3 days on a bicycle?

Answer: One pedal rotation at a time.

It really is that simple. You just grind it out. Set your sights on an object you can see in the distance and commit to pedaling until you get there.

After you’ve achieved that mini-goal, pick another object you can see. Keep pedaling until you get there. Next thing you know, you’ve eaten up miles of road almost without realizing it.

It’s the same way with marketing.

Marketing is not an event. It is a process. And so the spoils of marketing go to those with endurance. You have to consistently take action over time to see results.

The Pay-Off: Kevin & me at the top of Cuchara Pass.

Lesson #2: You’ve Got to Work Hard for the Pay-Off

When you’re climbing up a mountain pass, it’s hard work. Sometimes you might be going uphill for 1-2 hours straight without a single downhill section.

But when you get the top, what an awesome feeling that is!

I remember back in 2001 when I did The Triple Bypass. After climbing Squaw Pass, Loveland Pass, and Vail Pass, I got to enjoy more than 20 miles of downhill into the small town of Avon.

But I had to go 100 miles before I reached the “pay off.”

It’s the same in marketing. You’ve got to work at it. You’ll have moments when you’re coasting and moments when you’ve got to put your nose to the grindstone. But if you stick with it and focus on doing what works, you’ll eventually experience that “pay off” moment.

Cottage in the Trees: Ahh, peace and quiet.

Lesson #3: Take Time to Rest

Day 1: 46 miles

Day 2: 63 miles

Day 3: 37 miles

The only way you can have the strength to keep going when you’re logging miles like this is to make sure your body has sufficient rest.

After each day of riding (especially Day 2), I was exhausted. All I wanted was to sit and eat. So that’s what I did. Lots of sitting and lots of eating. And, of course, some good conversation to pass the time.

Each night my body began to shut down about 9 p.m. I got to bed early and allowed my body to recover before the next day of riding.

Marketers need “down time” too. You can’t stay plugged in 24/7. It kills your creativity, your passion, and your drive to get things done.

Just like your body, your brain needs rest. It needs time to digest information and clear out the tangle of information strung up in your gray matter.

Unfortunately, with Twitter and iPhones and WiFi, it’s hard to get away.

But you’ve got to get away.

So be deliberate about unplugging from the grid. Give yourself structured down time… and watch your creativity, focus, and productivity soar.

-Ryan M. Healy

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