If you’re on my email list, then you already have my copywriting check list — what I have in the past called the “Conversion Booster Check List.”

Just this week I spent some time reviewing it, adding new items to the list, and dressing it up just a little bit (with my meager design skills).

The PDF is now a 39-Point Copywriting Check List that you can use to review and strengthen online sales letters and opt-in pages. And I’ve also included check boxes so you can print out the list and actually physically check off each step.

It’s much improved over the previous version.

Did I mention this check list is free when you join my email list? You can get it here:

• FREE: 39-Point Copywriting Check List

-Ryan M. Healy

It’s been more than a year since I switched from Typepad to Wordpress… and it’s also been more than a year since I started using the Copyblogger theme for my blog (after a couple months running the Sandbox theme).

Since last summer I had been thinking about upgrading to Chris Pearson’s Thesis Theme. From the moment I learned of it, I wanted to use it. Finally, my friend (and master programmer) Ken Gary took care of it for me.

And so you’ll notice that I’m now running the Thesis Theme on my blog. Ken carried over the colors from my previous theme and even created the icon idea I had described to him.

Because of the changes I’ve been implementing, I figured it would be a good idea to share with you how to improve your blog three ways. Here it goes…

Improvement #1: Install a High-End Blog Theme to Maximize Traffic & Readership

You might think that all Wordpress themes are about the same, and that you should just pick one that “looks good” to you.

But this approach is misguided.

I’ve run multiple themes on this blog, my other blog, and my client’s blogs. And let me tell you: Not all blog themes are created equal.

Some are difficult to work with. Some have major limitations. And most have no support, so if you ever have a problem, you’re stuck!

Not so with Thesis.

Thesis is a fully SEO-optimized Wordpress theme. The standard fonts are highly readable; the theme itself has amazing design flexibility; and, best of all, it comes with support since it’s a paid theme.

A lot of bloggers try to do everything as cheaply as possible. Unfortunately, what little you save in the beginning costs you even more over the long haul (in the form of lost traffic, lost back-links, and lost search engine rankings).

That’s why I strongly recommend you install the Thesis theme or a theme with similar functionality.

Improvement #2: Install Action Comments to Turn “Commenters” into Email Subscribers

Whenever somebody makes a small purchase, you have an immediate opportunity to upsell them into a larger purchase. And because of the principle of commitment and consistency, a certain percentage will automatically accept your upsell offer.

This is the principle behind Action Comments, a paid Wordpress plug-in created by Robert Plank.

Basically, whenever one of your blog readers takes action by leaving a comment, you have an opportunity to “upsell” them by asking them to subscribe to your email list. And a certain percentage will.

You can see how Action Comments works below. If you leave a comment, it asks if you want a free copy of my Conversion Booster check list. All you have to do is check the box and submit your comment.

The plug-in is super simple to install. And it works with most email service providers, including Aweber. This one plug-in is responsible for adding a couple hundred readers to my blog in just a couple months. The first month I installed it, the number of email subscribers on my list doubled.

Oh, and the best part: You can get Action Comments for only $12.95. Best money you’ll ever spend to improve your Wordpress blog.

Improvement #3: Install Ultimate Footer Ad to Overcome “Familiarity Blindness”

The first day I installed Ultimate Footer Ad on my blog, reader Becki Maxson left a comment saying, “What’s the cool bottom pop-up you’re using?”

Ultimate Footer Ad displays a horizontal ad across the bottom of your blog (or website). I’ve set it to display every 7 visits on a 2-second delay.

You can use the ad to offer a free gift in exchange for an email address as I have, or you can simply use the ad to link to a paid offer or whatever you want, really.

Caution: This is NOT a Wordpress plug-in since it’s designed to work on any web site. Which means it was not as easy to install as I had expected. I actually needed a little help from my friend Ken Gary to get it set up properly.

Nevertheless, the results are awesome. Not only does the ad look professional, it is less intrusive than a regular pop-up. What’s more, since it’s so different, people actually pay attention to it.

Now, I don’t have any definitive test results that prove Ultimate Footer Ad is worth it since it’s only been on my blog for less than a week. But a couple of reputable marketers have already run tests and seen big increases.

And I know that pop-ups in general increase opt-ins, so I can’t imagine that the footer ad would reduce opt-ins. In other words, it can only help.

The Ultimate Footer Ad costs $47. If you’re interested in putting it on your blog or web site, you can order it here.

So there you have it — 3 ways to improve your blog. Now, the key is to take action. Pick at least one of these three suggestions and go implement it right now.

My Best,

-Ryan M. Healy

A few days ago, W.C. bought my ebook on how to get copywriting clients. I then learned via Twitter that he was going to his first Internet marketing seminar, and that he needed business cards fast. Here’s what he wrote:

Business cards are one of those things you don’t normally think about until you really need them. And when you don’t have them in a networking situation, it’s painful.

What I told W.C. I’ll tell you.

If you need business cards in a pinch, then I recommend Overnight Prints. Your order can be at your front door in 1-2 business days if you want.

This is not an affiliate link. I’ve designed and ordered cards from Overnight Prints before, and I’ve been very happy with them.

In fact, I’ll be headed to a business meeting in Dallas in a couple weeks, so I just ordered some new business cards this morning. And I ordered them from Overnight Prints.

How to Design a Business Card

The principles that apply to all forms of direct response advertising apply to business cards as well. Don’t think of them as a way to convey your contact information; rather, think of them as a way to generate a response.

Here are some ideas for making your business card actually work:

Tip #1. Offer a free gift to drive people to a web site where you can capture names and email addresses.

Tip #2. Include testimonial(s) to build credibility.

Tip #3. If you make a claim, be specific. It’s more believable.

Tip #4. Use both the front AND the back of the card to double your “word space.” (You wouldn’t set aside half of a full-page advertisement for “white space.” Don’t do it with a business card either.)

Tip #5. If you’re a service professional, and you don’t have a retail office space where clients visit, then don’t include your address. It’s a poor use of space.

So what might such a business card look like?

To show you, I’ve included the front and back of the business card I created this morning.

As you can see, the first part of my card is an offer to get my free conversion booster check list. The call to action is to go to this blog.

I could have sent them to a specific opt-in (squeeze) page… but in this case I decided sending them to my blog was good enough.

I then include my primary contact information. I omit my address since it’s not necessary to my business.

On the back of the card, I include two testimonials from people who have name recognition.

For the call to action, I send them to read “all 32″ of my testimonials on my blog. I use specificity to increase believability. I think the use of the number 32 creates some curiosity, too. I can imagine a person thinking, “Who else gave Ryan a testimonial…?”

Anyway, business cards can be an excellent tool if designed correctly and used in the right environment. Hopefully what I’ve shared here will help you the next time you create some business cards for yourself.

-Ryan M. Healy

I just got done reading three marketing newsletters.

I used to be good about tearing open the envelope whenever a newsletter arrived and reading it right then and there. These days, I’m more prone to save up two or three and then “batch” them by reading them one right after the other.

Anyway, whether it’s newsletters, blogs, or books — I LOVE to read.

Always have.

In fact, back in the 8th grade, I started logging all the books I finished reading. I would record the title, author, a paragraph or two about my reaction to the book, and a rating.

I’ve been keeping my book log ever since. About 16 years now.

What’s cool is that keeping a book log motivates me to maintain or increase my reading levels every year. And it also encourages me to read quality material, usually found in books.

For instance, yesterday morning I finished reading my 24th book of the year. I’ll probably hit about 26 or 27 books total. I find I average about 30 books a year, give or take.

So back in 2005, I was thinking and thinking and thinking about Web 2.0 and how I might be able to capitalize on it. That’s when it hit me.

Create a Community for Book Lovers!

I actually mapped out the site, what it would do, why people would sign up, the marketing plan… basically everything… in Aug/Sep 2005.

The only problem was… I’m not a programmer!

But — I have a friend who is. His name is Ken Gary. We used to work together before I became a freelance copywriter.

So I approached Ken to gauge his interest in the project, and to see if he’d be willing to partner with me. He agreed to be a part, which was really cool. The not cool part is that…

It’s Taken Us 3 Years to Get to This Point!

I remember back at Harlan Kilstein’s seminar in San Francisco (early 2006), I was talking with Jim Van Wyck about my idea for the online book log.

He thought it was the best idea he’d heard in a long time. He even said, “Ryan, don’t tell ANYBODY about this. You just need to get it done.”

That’s not a direct quote, but it’s the gist of what he said.

I was totally pumped because of Jim’s encouragement. I knew it would be big if we could build the site and the community.

Unfortunately, along the way I found out we had (gasp!) COMPETITORS!

That’s right! Some other bright people had the same exact idea I had had… and they were implementing it as well.

In fact, one of these sites was recently purchased by Amazon for an undisclosed amount of money. Pretty cool. I felt vindicated when I heard the news…

And a little depressed that it had taken so long to get the site going.

Fortunately, my friend Ken didn’t give up on the idea. He got mad at me for being discouraged. This turned out to be a good thing because he then proceeded to make the site WAY better practically overnight.

So here we are. We’ve got a really cool web site for book lovers…

And It’s Ready for YOU.

You see, Ken and I have been using the site for quite a while. It’s called MyBookLog.com. We’ve attracted some other users naturally, but we haven’t really started promoting the site.

That time has now come.

So: If you are a book lover… and you’d like to check it out… go to My Book Log right now and sign up for a FREE account.

When you do, you’ll get the following:

1. Ability to log and track the books you’re reading.

2. Log books you own… books you’ve read… and books you’re now reading.

3. Upload a cool widget to your blog that displays the books you’re now reading. (You can see my widget in the column to the right.)

4. And more. Actually, we’re still developing more features, so if there’s something you want to see improved or added to the site, just let me know. We’ll get it done.

Alright, I’ve talked enough. Go get your FREE My Book Log account right now. When you do, leave a comment with a link to your book log so I can go check it out. Thanks! :-)

-Ryan M. Healy

Over the last few months, I’ve tweaked this blog a bit and added a few pages.

So I thought it would be good to let you know about them.

1. I removed the “no follow” tags from this blog.

I did this on Fred Black’s recommendation. You can read his post about removing “no follow” tags here: I’ve Removed the No Follow Tag from My Blog — You Should Too!

Basically, what this means is you now have a greater incentive to comment on my blog. Because PageRank will pass to your web site should you include a site when you submit a comment.

2. I’ve added an incentive for subscribing to my blog’s email list.

Earlier this month, I created what I call the “Conversion Booster Check List.” Whenever you write an ad or sales letter, simply use the check list to make sure you haven’t overlooked any obvious ways to boost response.

When you subscribe to my blog email list, you’ll get this check list free. (You’ll also get this check list free if you “Follow Me” on Twitter.)

3. I’ve created a page of Ad Copy Samples.

Every once in a while, a potential client will ask to see some of my copy samples.

In the past, I would dig up past projects, attach them individually to an email, and send them off. This was tedious, so I created the new page.

It doesn’t include entire ads or sales letters (it’s not a swipe file), although it does give you a good idea of my style. The page is located here: Ryan Healy’s Ad Copy Samples

4. I’ve created a “Ryan Recommends” page.

Since I’ve been involved in online marketing for 6+ years, I’ve encountered (and used) a lot of products.

So I’ve built a page that includes some of my favorite products. Some are free, some are paid. Some use my affiliate link, some don’t.

I’ve designed the page with an eye towards making it useful for you. That’s why I’ve written a short blurb about each tool to explain how/why I use it. If you’d like to see what I recommend, go here: Ryan Recommends

(I just added five new tools to my “recommends” page today.)

Enjoy!

-Ryan M. Healy

As a writer, I often need to look up the meaning of words. Sometimes it’s because I don’t know what a certain word means; other times I need to confirm I’m using a word properly.

Of course, I’ve got dictionaries on my shelf. I’ve even got a monstrous Webster’s Unabridged dictionary from 1978. (It measures 4.5 inches thick.)

But when I’m in the middle of writing, it’s not my preference to haul down a dictionary to look up a word. I’d rather just type in the word-in-question and get the definition immediately.

So that’s been my habit for a number of years.

Up until now, I would go to Dictionary.com, but the site is really annoying. Lots of pop-ups and banner ads.

Now I’m using a better method. It’s called Google.

To look up the definition of a word using Google, all you have to do is use the define: operator.

So, for instance, if you wanted to know the meaning of “sesquipedalian,” you would type in the Google search box:

define:sesquipedalian

You would then get back multiple definitions of the word with all the sources cited.

I find this is a much cleaner, simpler way of looking up words (as compared to Dictionary.com). Give it a try the next time you need an online dictionary.

I woke up this morning to a pleasant surprise. My email inbox was filled with PayPal receipts.

I sat there scratching my head for a moment… “Did I run a promotion I forgot about?” Well, the answer was “yes,” kind of.

I did run a Glyphius promotion a few months back and sold half the copies I had. But I hadn’t promoted it much recently.

That’s when I knew that somebody must have linked to the blog post where I had originally announced the promotion. It turns out, it was my friend Eric Graham, a.k.a. “The Conversion Doctor.”

Here is what Eric discovered based on 181 split-tests he conducted in 2007: “Glyphius actually ‘predicted’ the winner 70.1% of the time.”

This is no fluke.

Eric is not one to leap to conclusions without enough evidence on which to base them. When you go to his blog, you’ll notice the screenshot from his Google Website Optimizer account shows the winning headline in one test with a 99% confidence rating.

In most of my headline tests, I’ve found Glyphius to be fairly accurate in predicting the winning headline. But I’ve done nowhere near as many split-tests as Eric has done. Which is why I greatly appreciate his willingness to share the results of his study.

I highly recommend you read Eric’s Glyphius study here. (And don’t forget to register for the “Headline Testing Secrets” webinar he’ll be conducting on Monday night, February 4, 2008.)

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. I have no more copies of Glyphius or Muvar available. I am completely sold out (not counting one copy of each program I’m keeping for myself).

THIS OFFER IS SOLD OUT! But in case you haven’t read it yet, you need to go to Eric Graham’s blog right now and read his study of Glyphius based on 181 test rounds.

******

As you may already know, I use Glyphius to help strengthen the copy I write. I also split-test Glyphius copy against non-Glyphius copy. Usually, Glyphius wins. In fact, in a recent test, I discovered one word in Glyphius that more than doubled the conversion rate of one page.

I’m serious. Just one word more than doubled the response of the letter. While I’m not ready to share some of the details of these tests broadly, I have shared them with my mentoring students.

The reason I’m writing this is because January 3, 2008, was the last day you could buy Glyphius from James Brausch, the man who created the software. He has chosen to stop competing with his resellers so they can have more success selling the software themselves.

Over the summer, I decided to become a reseller and bought a set of 10 to offer my readers. I also received 10 copies of Muvar from James, a gift for participating in one of his contests. Muvar is his multivariate testing software. Then, I received another copy of each program when I joined James Brausch’s Magic Email program.

Long story short, I had 11 copies of Glyphius and 11 copies of Muvar. Since I originally offered them, six people have taken me up on my offer, which means 5 copies of each program are left.

The last offer I had posted on my old blog was one copy of Glyphius plus a copy of Muvar for only $300. I will still honor that offer. If you’d like a copy of each, PayPal $300 to rhealy@gmail.com.

If you’d rather just have one program or the other, you can have it for $200. When you send the money, put “Glyphius” in the subject line or “Muvar,” depending on the program you want.

So, to recap, I have 0 copies of each software program: 0 of Glyphius and 0 of Muvar. You can have both programs for $300 or just one of the programs for $200. If you’re interested, send your payment to rhealy@gmail.com.

-Ryan M. Healy