Entries from March 2008 ↓

Here are some of the best blog posts I’ve read in the last two weeks.

When Simple Is Stupid - by Robert Phillips

Is your marketing process overly simple? Are you open to being knocked off by a savvy competitor? In this post, Robert talks about the advantages of being complex. (And I totally agree.)

Subscribers and Sales - by Terry Dean

Terry has an uncanny ability to track with the conversation that’s already happening in my mind. We’ve never talked on the phone. Yet he still writes about the issues I’m actively thinking about. Weird. This post talks about how traffic is not the best indicator of success. (Before I read this post, I started the draft of a similar article titled “The Feedburner Deception.” Look for it soon.)

There’s More to Tracking than Conversion - by Michel Fortin

If you test and track the results of your sales letters, then this post will be well worth your time. Is it better to make a free offer or a $1 offer? Michel reveals the answer here.

The Deep Secrets to Success - by Joseph Ratliff

After being in business for himself for quite a while, Joseph has discovered three critical secrets to success. You may have heard of them before; maybe not. I particularly liked the twist he put on the concept of massive action. It’s in Secret #2.

An Interview with Copywriter Stephen “Ebiz” Dean - by Keith Goodrum & Stephen Dean

Keith and Stephen are colleagues of mine. I enjoy keeping up with what they’re doing. Keith decided to interview Stephen when he posted an offer on his blog. It’s a solid interview. I’m sure you’ll pick up at least one or two good tips.

Have a great weekend!

-Ryan M. Healy

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I was on the phone with a blog reader of mine yesterday. We were talking about a possible joint venture. During our conversation, he mentioned to me that he thought my transparency may be hurting my ability to attract clients.

What did he mean by “transparency?”

In this case, he was referring to another blog I write. It’s a blog about debt reduction. I haven’t tried to hide this blog; but I also haven’t promoted it to many people who know me.

His thought: If people know I’m in debt, wouldn’t they be less likely to hire me?

I guess we could ask this question of other issues as well: If people know I’m a Christian, wouldn’t they be less likely to hire me?

Or how about: If people know I like snowboarding, skateboarding, and motorcycling, wouldn’t they be less likely to hire me? (”That Ryan, he’s such a hooligan!”)

I’ve thought about this issue quite a bit. And I have wondered, “Was it a bad decision to use my real name on my debt blog?”

I haven’t really fully answered that question yet.

But consider this:

• Gary Halbert did hard time in jail. That didn’t seem to hurt his ability to get clients.

• James Brausch is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. As far as I know, he still grosses over a million dollars in revenue per year.

• John Carlton was fired from every job he ever had (or nearly). He still commands hefty five-figure fees for the copy he writes.

Obviously, some things will definitely hurt your business. For instance, a scandal à la Eliot Spitzer.

But other “negative” things seem to have little or no effect. Possibly even a positive effect.

Why do I say positive?

Because I believe people want to know that those they respect and esteem are normal folks, just like they are. They want to know about their failures, their foibles, their unusual beliefs and interests.

Why else do tabloids sell so well?

Why else do Carlton-esque hooks attract so many readers? (”Man with no legs and no arms drives golf ball 500 yards… by swinging a club he holds with his teeth!”)

It all comes down to real people succeeding and doing big things in life.

It’s about being human and becoming great in spite of your humanity.

It gives you hope.

“Hey, if so-and-so can do it, so can I.”

That kind of thing.

So… what do you think? Is transparency a good thing or a bad thing for business? Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

-Ryan M. Healy

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Earlier this week I wrote about the 12 books that changed my life.

At the end of that post, I invited you to participate by writing your own list, publishing it on your blog, and linking back to my original post.

For doing this, I said I would give you a free link back to your web site.

So far, three people have taken me up on the offer: Joseph Ratliff, Louis R. Burns, and Chad Kettner. If you view my original post, you can see links to their articles at the bottom.

But I wonder: why haven’t more readers taken me up on my offer?

Maybe you don’t read. Maybe you’re too busy. Maybe you’re not interested in getting a free link. I don’t know.

But if you are interested, there is still time to participate.

You don’t have to do exactly what I did. If you need ideas, try these:

• 3 Marketing Books that Changed My Life
• 5 Copywriting Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read
• 12 Books that Inspired Me to Be a Better Person

If you do participate and want to make sure you’re included in my list, send an email to rhealy [at] gmail [dot] com.

Oh, and one last thing: this offer is only available through Saturday, March 29. After that, this offer is closed.

-Ryan M. Healy

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I love to read.

And I love to track every book I read.

In fact, I began logging every book I finished starting in the 8th grade, and I’ve been doing it ever since. Every January, I close out the prior year, print my log, hole-punch it, and put it in my book log binder.

It’s nothing fancy, really. Just the book title, author, a few sentences about the book (including what I did or didn’t like), and a rating.

Since 1993, I’ve finished reading 405 books. So a couple weeks ago, I began thinking: Which of all the books I’ve read have deeply influenced me? Which books have actually changed my life?

I began writing them down in this post to share with you. I’ve added some commentary to explain why each book made the cut.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Have you ever been tempted to have an affair? Then this book will be like cold water on a blazing fire. I actually read it the first time when I was in high school; I wasn’t married yet. I read it again after I married. But the lessons I took from this book are a constant reminder to me.

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

This is most powerful book I’ve ever read about the issue of color and race in America. The “Invisible Man” in this book is the main character, but he has no name. People don’t see him; they see through him. It is a book about blindness and the ultimate removal of that blindness–the lifting of the veil.

All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren

A story of the rise and fall of a political icon. Not only does this novel illustrate the transient nature of power, it also paints a picture of regret and “what might have been.” Unless you’re reading with your eyes closed, this book should awaken you to grab hold of the pivotal moments that happen in your life.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

It is helpful to know this book was written specifically to expose what was happening in Chicago’s meat packing district at the beginning of the 20th Century. Sinclair was called a “muckraker,” which means he sought to expose “the powers that be” by speaking the truth. This book opened my eyes to the idea that the government is not as trustworthy as the school textbooks would have us believe.

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo

Growing up, I wondered why so many old men were interested in the history of war. I now find the subject fascinating. I especially like war literature. This book was the first novel I’d ever read about war. It is exceptionally powerful. It tells the story of a man who has lost his arms and legs, as well as his ability to hear, see, or speak. He is, quite literally, a living stump. And so the book is a collection of his memories before the war, his thoughts about his post-war condition, and his efforts to communicate with the outside world.

Purple Cow by Seth Godin

Of all the marketing books I’ve read, this one had the most profound effect on me. It’s a simple message: be remarkable. Godin uses case studies to show how to be remarkable, and why it’s so important in today’s advertising-saturated world.

All in All by A.E. Knoch

This was the first book I had ever read that presented the idea that God would eventually restore all men to fellowship with Him. It was the first book I read that suggested “hell” didn’t exist. Definitely worth reading, although I feel there are better books on the subject (anything by Stephen Jones). You can also read “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” which is a primer I wrote.

Secrets of Time by Stephen Jones

Have you ever wondered how old the earth is according to the Bible? Or have you ever wondered what kind of time cycles are revealed in the Scriptures? If so, you’ll want to read this book. It opened my eyes to the fact that time is not random. Rather, it is governed and controlled by God. Furthermore, Biblical time cycles help us to understand prophecy, especially what is happening in the world today.

The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun & Paul Hattaway

Never have I read a book (besides the Bible) that is so spiritually inspirational. Brother Yun is a Chinese man who spent many years sharing the love of Jesus in Communist China. We Christians in America have no idea what hardship is or what dying daily to ourselves really means. Brother Yun’s story is a testament to that. I believe all Christians should read this book.

The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch

Koch’s book is based on a discovery made by Vilfredo Pareto, a discovery that says 20% of inputs create 80% of outputs; and 80% of inputs create only 20% of outputs. It seems rather simple on the surface, but seeing the 80/20 Principle at work in life and business is amazing. It’s a principle that can change your life if it is applied consistently to how you live and work.

Debt-Free Living by Larry Burkett

Over the years, I’ve accumulated a bit of debt. Much of it was justified by viewing the money I spent as “business investments.” This book helped me to see the debt I had accumulated was a result of greed and a desire to get rich quick. I can’t say this book was comfortable for me to read. But it definitely gave me a kick in the seat of the pants and made me finally do something about my debt.

The Bible

Last, but not least, the Bible has changed my life more than any other book ever written. I can’t even begin to say how it has changed me. I wouldn’t be able to trace its influence on me if I tried. It’s been a part of my life since I was born and will be a part of my life until I die.

On a side note, the first book of the Bible I ever read was Leviticus. I read it in 7th grade. Why? Because everybody said Leviticus was the worst book of the Bible. Naturally, given my contrarian nature, I knew I had to read Leviticus first.

So these are the 12 books that have changed my life.

Of course, I wish I could share more. I didn’t even get to mention Steinbeck, Faulkner, Rand, or any of the Russian authors, all of whom have impacted me in some way.

Now it’s your turn.

I want to know what books have changed your life.

If you’re up for it, write a blog post listing the books that have changed your life and why. Then link back to this blog post.

I will start a list at the bottom of this post linking to anybody who decides to participate. If you want to make sure you are included in the list, then please send me an email including the link to your post at rhealy [at] gmail [dot] com.

Thanks! And I look forward to reading your list.

-Ryan M. Healy

Links to Other Book Lists

• Five Books That Changed My Business Life - by Joseph Ratliff
• Books that Changed Your Life - Louis R. Burns
• 12 Books That Changed My Life - Chad Kettner
• Nine Books That Influenced Me the Most - Keith Goodrum
• Fun on Friday: 10 Books That Changed My Life - by Lynnae
• Can Books Change Your Life? - Walt Goshert
• 10 Books I’ve Never Read - Mr. Stupid
• Books that Rock! - Justin McCammon
• 12 Books That Changed My Life - Danielle
• 10 Books That Changed My Life - The Simple Dollar
• Literature That Changed My Mindset - Wade Balsdon

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My friend Ben Settle published a book earlier this year called The Copywriting Grab Bag. I have a copy of the book, and it’s phenomenal.

But here’s what’s so cool…

One of the guys who bought Ben’s book was so impressed that he actually created a video and published it on YouTube!

Observation: you have to be thrilled with a product to give a testimonial… but you have to be really thrilled to create a video and upload it to YouTube.

Here is a link to the video:

==> Unsolicited video review of The Copywriting Grab Bag by Ben Settle

-Ryan M. Healy

Popularity: 50% [?]

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On March 6, 2008, Blair Singer interviewed me about the role of copywriting in sales.

If you don’t know Blair, he is a member of the Robert Kiyosaki Rich Dad’s Advisors team, and he has authored two best-selling books in the series: Sales Dogs: You Do Not Have to Be an Attack Dog to Be Successful in Sales and The ABCs of How to Build a Business Team that Wins.

What’s more, Blair is an excellent speaker, salesman, and business growth expert. (One of his areas of expertise is how to increase sales in six weeks or less.)

After I got on the phone for the interview, I quickly discovered that Blair is an excellent interviewer as well. He just has a natural way of engaging and asking great questions.

The subject of our call was… what else? Copywriting! We covered a lot of ground, including:

• The difference between copy and direct response copy.

• How to evaluate your sales and marketing process and identify the weak links.

• The most important lesson I’ve learned from working with more than 60 clients.

• The essential elements of a powerful sales message.

• In-depth analysis of a Guthy-Renker advertisement.

• What makes the difference between a mediocre sales message and a great one.

• The secret to attracting qualified buyers.

• And a lot more.

I’ve decided to offer this audio interview for free as a way of saying “thank you” for being one of my loyal blog readers. You can either listen to the streaming audio using the player below… or you can download the MP3 and listen to it at your leisure. Enjoy!

Download Blair Singer Interview
(53 minutes, 31 seconds)

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. There are no product pitches during this interview. I do mention my copywriting services and RyanHealy.com at the end, but you already know about that web site.

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Update: Based on the recent gains in the price of gold, it seems wisdom is becoming more valuable by the day.

In turbulent and uncertain times like these, nothing is more important or valuable than wisdom.

-Ryan M. Healy

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The legal name of my business is Gambit LLC. Last week, when I cashed some checks at the bank, the teller came back with a grin on his face.

Teller: “Are you the business owner?”

Me: “Yes, I am.”

Teller: “Did you name your business after Gambit, the comic book character?”

I get this question a lot… because nobody knows what “gambit” means.

I hated to let the teller down, but I had to. I realize Gambit is the name of a Marvel comic book character, but he was not my inspiration. And I told the teller so. I went on to explain that…

Chess was my inspiration.

I love the game of chess. Unfortunately, not many people share my interest in the game. It’s a nerd’s game, I guess.

This is also why most people don’t know what gambit means.

In chess, a gambit is a sacrifice made to improve your board position.

So a player may choose to sacrifice a bishop if it sets up a move that might allow him to pin down the queen. This is just an example. There are literally hundreds of different gambits that can be made in the game of chess, depending on the circumstances.

This is why, when I quit my job back in 2005, I viewed it as a gambit. I was sacrificing my job to improve my overall “board position” in the game of life.

This gambit set me back in the short-term. But it gave me the possibility of improving my situation over the long-term. I felt that the sacrifice was worth it. Turns out, it was more than worth it.

What gambits have you made in the game of life? How did they turn out?

-Ryan M. Healy

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After a two-week hiatus, Five on Friday is back. Let’s dive right in…

What You Don’t Publish Defines Your Site - by Maki

This post caught my attention because I stumbled upon it AFTER I had written my post “Does Frequent Blogging Encourage Bad Writing?” Turns out, Maki and I have some similar feelings about blogging and how often you should post.

Maki starts the post with this: “I didn’t write any articles in the last few days on Dosh Dosh because I didn’t feel that I had anything interesting to say. It’s not entirely self-censorship: I just don’t like to write when there’s no way to inject a new perspective on any topic.”

Six Figures Is Chump Change - by Clayton Makepeace

If you are a copywriter, you MUST read this post. Clayton writes: “The freelance copywriting model is insane.” And he goes on to prove it with five well-crafted arguments.

What’s better, he provides an alternative business model that can provide a much better income with less effort and more enjoyment. If you read this post, make sure you read the follow-up as well: Busted!

Perspective, Part 1 - by John Carlton

I really enjoyed this post. John debunks some myths and covers everything from copywriting and marketing to politics… in one post… which he wrote while he was sick.

One of my favorite parts of the article: “In contrarian philosophy, you never, ever, ever follow the crowd. In fact, you USE the movement of crowds to decide your next move — when the crowd zigs, you zag.”

8 Steps to Create Your Internet Business - by Terry Dean

This post is the antidote to information overload. Here Terry gives a bird’s eye view of how to build an Internet business in only eight steps. And it’s much simpler than you may think! If you’ve been struggling to get started (and get some traction), then print this post and read it often.

Internet Lifestyle Video: Can You Work From Anywhere? - by Ray Edwards

My friend Ray is heading down to Sedona, Arizona to have an extended vacation. He’s planning to be down there for about six weeks or so. This post includes a short little video documenting Ray and his wife Lynn’s struggles to get out the door and on the road.

If you’ve wanted to do some extended travel and take your work on the road, then this video will be of some encouragement to you.

Have a great weekend!

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. Which of the above posts do you like best? Leave a comment and let me know. Thanks!

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A copywriter’s job is to recognize people as they are, and not how he wishes them to be. This is one of the secrets to becoming a great copywriter. If you can see people as they actually are, then you will be much better equipped to write in a way that connects with your readers and influences them to take the action you desire.

Here’s one of those ugly human traits most good copywriters recognize: people don’t like to take personal responsibility. Rather, they like to blame other people, circumstances, government, and everything else for all of their problems.

Take responsibility? No.

Blame others? Yes.

It’s this deep understanding of human nature that leads to the creation (and use) of certain copywriting strategies like the one in which you create a common enemy.

Have you seen this strategy before? It goes something like this:

If you’re struggling to make ends meet; if you can’t seem to ever save any money; if you’re going deeper and deeper into debt every day, week, and month of the year… it’s not your fault!

What’s more, the situation you’re in is certainly not unique. Thousands of people around the country are in the same exact situation. Why? Because big business is doing whatever it can to milk you for all you’re worth.

Every advertising campaign you witness, every product you buy, and every purchasing decision you make has been designed to get as much of your money as possible… often leaving you with nothing left! (Except for a big credit card balance.)

I just wrote that off the top of my head so you could actually see what I’m talking about. In this case, the common enemy is “big business.” It could just as easily be “credit card companies,” “the wealthy elite,” or even “Wall Street.”

By creating a common enemy,
you are siding with your reader.

All of a sudden, you’re the good guy. Imagine… your reader is standing next to you and you’ve got your arm around his shoulder. You point at your common enemy and play the blame game. “It’s your fault we’re in this mess!” you yell together.

All this is really just a set-up for making the sale. Because while your prospect is distracted by blaming everybody for his problems, you’re getting ready to present the solution. And since your reader’s state of mind has been altered, he will be more receptive to whatever solution you present him with.

The ironic (sad?) part is, the solution being offered will probably also be designed to get as much money as possible from your prospect. Although your reader won’t recognize this immediately because he sees you as a friend.

Let me give you an illustration not at all connected with business, sales, or marketing:

David Barsamian: In A People’s History of the United States, you quote Randolph Bourne, “War is the health of the state.”

Howard Zinn: Randolph Bourne wrote that around the time of World War I. He saw that war was something that the state needs, that the government needs, for various reasons but one of them being that it gives the government a reason for existence. It gives the government a rationale for all it does. It gives the government more security from the possible rebelliousness of its own population when they face difficult situations. Because war gives the government, the state, as Randolph Bourne put it, an opportunity to unite the country around a foreign enemy and therefore to put into the shadows the grievances that people have against their own system.

[Source: Original Zinn: Conversations on History and Politics by Howard Zinn with David Barsamian, p. 89]

I found this passage illuminating because as we do in war, we also do in advertising.

Just as the government wages war to unite the people against a common enemy, thereby making citizens more receptive to legislation that takes away personal freedom, so copywriters “wage war” against a common enemy, thereby making prospects more receptive to products that take away their money.

“Advertising is much like war,
minus the venom.” –Claude Hopkins

My observations are by no means unique. Claude Hopkins made some of the same observations many decades before I did. Although I might alter Hopkins’ quote to say simply, “Advertising is much like war.” Period.

In business, there are casualties along the way (overextended consumers), and often the ends (profit) justify the means (advertising), even though the means are not always entirely above board.

But that is the nature of the business we find ourselves in. The trick, then, is to recognize these things and act in a way that is ethical, honorable, even admirable.

-Ryan M. Healy

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