By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted The #1 instinct of a great copywriter?
Rather than tell you the answer, I’d like to show you… by sharing this incredible exchange between a member of my community who left nursing to become a freelance copywriter, and a [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted If writing copy is just not clicking for you…
I bought an acoustic guitar from a pawn shop in Louisville, KY. This was around 1994. I was living on the road, touring the comedy circuit, with lots of time to kill between shows. [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted 5 things I wish I knew when I started writing copy
It thrills me to meet new copywriters at their enthusiastic best. I love guiding them through to the next levels, helping them avoid the nasty traps that derail progress. Looking back to when I [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted (FIRST LOOK) THE ADVANCED COPY CREATION BLUEPRINT
Ever done this one? You block a day on your calendar to write sales copy. You’ve pushed off starting a bit perhaps, but you know what you’re doing… there’s still plenty of time to get it done on [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted The brutally honest style of critique I adore…
Back in 1990, I drove almost nonstop from my barely furnished apartment in Clearwater, Florida, up and over to Dothan, Alabama for my first ever road gig as a comic. I was still trying to make it [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted ohhhh, change is gonna do ya good
That line from Elton John’s “Honky Cat” has been ringing in my head lately. The song is about a guy who grew up on the farm with dreams of moving to the big city… When I look back, [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In 4x6 Copy Breakdown, Blog, Freelancing Posted 4×6 Copy Breakdown: Profits Unlimited Ad by The Harmon Brothers
You’ve surely seen the hilarious viral video ads for products like Squatty Potty (with the famous ice cream-pooping unicorn), Purple Mattress, Lume Deodorant, and Poo Pourri. Those ads are made [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted What “freedom away from something” looks like
On a trip to Los Angeles, I came across the car wash where I had a conversation with a famous stranger that changed my life forever. (Here’s the story as I told John Lee Dumas on this [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted The single fastest way to prove yourself as a copywriter
There’s a single copywriting skill with the power to launch a career, win the respect of your peers (and heroes), and even have clients paying you just for the possibility of hiring you for major [...]
![[TAM] Ep 140: Elin Marie – Elin’s Ten Step Control-Beating Copy Process](https://copychief.com/wp-content/uploads/bfi_thumb/Episode_140-370fjj2bez5w40mdw21hc0.jpg "[TAM] Ep 140: Elin Marie – Elin’s Ten Step Control-Beating Copy Process")
![[TAM] Ep 139: My Best Advice For Freelancers](https://copychief.com/wp-content/uploads/bfi_thumb/Episode_139-370fjj2bez5w40mdw21hc0.jpg "[TAM] Ep 139: My Best Advice For Freelancers")
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, For business owners/marketers, Inspiration, Productivity, The Business of Copywriting Posted The 15-Minute “Focus Card” That Will End Your Stress and Fatten Your Wallet
How’s your business been treating you so far this year? Is it the friend you can’t wait to wake up to? Or the beast looming in the next room? People with “real jobs” don’t quite understand how it [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In 60-Second Sales Hook Posted The ONE sales hook that has never failed
My son Ben did something really ignorant last week… … and I’m so proud of him for it. He’s going to a new school next year – a start-up school – and all the students are pitching in [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Marketing Posted How to save your year in 12 minutes
This will sound strange coming from a guy who lives in Florida, but… I love the month of July. Yes, it’s hot here. Stupid hot. Not fit for humans hot. Yesterday I even saw a lizard wearing a [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Marketing Posted How to Cure Your Shiny Tactic Syndrome And Start Creating Offers That Convert
The following is a series of emails sent about a serious epidemic in online marketing circles. Email 1 Subject: Do you suffer from “shiny tactic syndrome”? (a quick test) Here’s a quick test to [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted The Next Million Dollar Copywriter Live Hangout with Brian Kurtz and Kevin Rogers
The Next Million Dollar Copywriter Live Hangout with Brian Kurtz and Kevin Rogers This epic live summit sought to help direct response copywriters and companies discover better ways to work [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Podcast, TAM Posted How to make money with your podcast
Enjoy a “chief’s only” Blab we held all about how to create and monetize a quality podcast…
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Media Posted Why it pays to be a video POSER (and not a “babbler”) Pt 1
No doubt about it… … short social videos are good for your business. They grow your authority, your reach and help you sell more of what you’re offering. IF you do it right. [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Marketing Posted 3 things that must happen before anyone will buy from you…
I’m about to get all serious up in here today. There’s an alarming trend happening with freelancers and entrepreneurs that needs to be called out. People I’ve spoken with are more confused and [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Marketing Posted How to create a “sure profit” dialogue with your customers and only produce winning offers
Do you know why 90% of small businesses fail in the first year? If you ask the owners themselves they’ll say, “we ran out of cash.” Yet, you and I both know that really means…. there was lots of [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Mindset, The art of learning Posted The Beginner’s Mindset and Finding Mentors
One of my all-time heroes is Jim Rohn. An inspiring motivational speaker and author, Rohn also knows how to give good quote. (My favorite of Jim’s is: “Never wish life were easier; wish that you [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Mindset Posted 5 Reasons Copywriters Stay Broke
1. Accepting a small role in someone else’s success, rather than creating big wins of your own. Freelancers, the good ones, often suffer from what I call “the sickness”. Which means they posses [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Podcast, TAM Posted Ep 3: The Truth About Passion Products
Copy Chief Thread Copy Chief members can see the community feedback on Wardee’s sales letter that led to a 400% peak boost in conversions.
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Posted “How do I choose the right avatar?”
One of the biggest questions I’m asked when teaching copywriters to write sales letters is this: “How do I choose the right avatar?” Coming right at the start of the research process, the [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Mindset Posted How do you know if it’s any good?
Your fingers are numb. Your brain is mush. And your eyeballs are practically popping out of your face, over-stimulated by the gallons of caffeine you’ve consumed. Man, the all-nighter you’ve just [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Posted Hunter S. Thompson’s ‘Secret’ To Jacked-Up Writing
Now when it came to ‘morning’ writing rituals, no-one could touch Hunter S. Thompson. According to his biographer, his day started at 3pm with a glass of Chivas Regal and a packet of Dunhills [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Marketing your business, Mindset Posted Creating recurring revenue
The first time I met Dean Jackson on the (now) famous white couches in Celebration, FL, he asked me a question… “How long could you sit on this couch and do nothing before it had a [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing, The art of learning Posted Stalking your mentors
This is the story of how I was able to “weasel my way” into John Carlton’s world. All the way from a guy he’d barely noticed writing about him on marketing forums — to eventually becoming a [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing, Marketing your business Posted Landing your first client
Chris Tomasulo was the first guy to introduce me to direct response copywriting. He showed me some sites and a few letters that looked weird and unappealing to my untrained eye. Chris patiently [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Marketing Posted Revealed: The “sales influencers” all around you
Sales influencers are those things put in place to guide buyers to the sale. Sometimes they are obvious, sometimes pretty stealth. Last week I shared a video walking through Manly Beach and [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Mindset Posted Spot the sales influencers in this video
How many sales influence factors can you spot through the lens of my iPhone over six minutes around Sydney? (there’s at least 1 per minute) See the sales influencers revealed in this post. [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips, Productivity Posted Frameworks as shortcuts
First morning back in Tampa from Australia. What an adventure. 19,298 miles and 180 handshakes over 7 days. So much to share with you this week from James Schramko’s incredible live [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Posted The right way to use empathy in copywriting
Today I’m going to share an important lesson about using empathy to relate to your prospect in a sales letter. This is an issue I’ve concentrated on a lot for two reasons… 1. [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting, Counterintuitive Copy: Why does it work? Posted The Million Dollar Potato Peeler Sales Pitch
1. Stop traffic. Once a small crowd has gathered Joe waves his audience in closer as a “courtesy” because it “saves me shouting.” He promises, “I won’t ask you for money” to differentiate [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Mindset Posted Stop being a pushover
In his book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, author Greg McKeown recalls his days as a first year law student in England. On a trip to the U.S., an executive mentioned casually, [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Mindset Posted How to “make it” online
I received an email from a subscriber in Australia yesterday with a common theme. It opens like this… “My question is, how did you find the transition from being a comedian to a [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting, Mindset, The art of learning Posted Kill information overload
My first year into freelance copywriting, I had a serious problem. The Problem: Information overload. You know this one, right? That feeling that there is so much good information about how to [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Mindset Posted “Mike & Molly” Star Billy Gardell on How To Create Your Own Success
Billy Gardell is the star of the hit sitcom “Mike & Molly” on CBS (with co-star Melissa McCarthy). We began our comedy careers together in 1988 and we’ve been great friends [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted 3 Things Every New Copywriter Needs
A subscriber named Tony asked: I’m a freelance copywriter who’s trying earn his crust by being a student of the game, and stalking Big Dog such as yourself to get my game face on. [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Posted How to develop sales conversion x-ray vision
Can you look at any sales letter or video and know exactly which parts are making the sale? Imagine what a direct marketing super-power like that could be worth. Talk about your “unfair [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips, Mindset Posted Copywriting Power Chords
Can a sales letter create the same kind of chest pounding intensity as a killer guitar riff blasting through a stack of Marshall amps? Do your words reverberate in your reader’s head like [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips Posted How Stand-Up Comics Sell You Jokes
There are many valuable lessons about effective copy in the rhythm and timing of comedy. There’s also great lessons in the art of joke writing. Styles vary greatly among comedians… [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting, Media Posted Speaking To Your Readers, Or At Them?
“You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talking… you talking to me? Well I’m the only one here.” – Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver (1976) Copywriting [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Marketing Posted How To Make People Love Giving You Money
There’s Only One Way To Make Men Enjoy Shopping For Clothes – And Trunk Club Did it Think back… When is the last time you were truly blown away with a buying experience? You [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Posted Jimmy Fallon’s 60-Second Sales Hook
Did you watch Jimmy Fallon take over as the host of The Tonight Show this week? It’s hard to fathom how much pressure he was under to get this moment right. The last time NBC attempted to [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Posted How to turn attention into money
There are a million ways to get attention online. But what you do with that attention is the X-factor that determines how much money you can make with the internet. Unless you’re as [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting, Public Speaking/Stand-Up Comedy Posted Secrets Smuggled Out of John Carlton’s Action Seminar 2011
Hi Friends, Just back from John Carlton’s Action Seminar – a torrid 3-day affair between the sharpest minds in marketing and the most elite group of copywriters ever assembled. I [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In 60-Second Sales Hook Posted 60-Second Sales Hook Makeovers
A 60-Second Sales Hook is a short story-driven sales message that instantly establishes Know, Like and Trust with your best prospects. You can think of it as the World’s Greatest Elevator [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips Posted Spewing Hype vs Inspiring Action
A reader asked… Q: How do I write effective sales copy without losing my genuine voice or coming across too hypey? Good question. “Hype” can be a subjective term, so… A: [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips Posted What to do when you’re “too close” to your product
Long-time subscriber, Orleatha, asked a great question about what to do when… Q: “I’m too close to my product to see all the reasons why people should buy it.” A: This is a great question, [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Marketing, Online Marketing Posted The amazing value of a free giveaway
A lot of people are asking why I’m giving away downloads of my book for free, even though it’s on sale at Amazon. Good question. Let me explain… Giving away something of value [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips, Freelancing Posted Top 5 Copywriting Lessons I Learned Eating Dinner with Dan Kennedy
Take a look at that photo… If my (the bald one) expression has a tone of “cat that just ate the canary,” it’s because I’ve just had dinner with three of the [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips Posted How the wrong bonuses can kill your sales
Trending right now inside Copy Chief: Hi @Lizzie – good question about the “wrong bonuses” killing the sale. If you’ve ever shopped for Internet Marketing courses [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips Posted How to write the perfect headline
It’s sunrise here in on the Gulf Coast of Florida… You should see the golden glow around my shiny bald head. Majestic. I’m on the laptop in my former home office (still in a [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting, Mindset Posted How To Sell Like A Six Year Old
Written By: Kevin Rogers My 6-year-old son is a natural born persuader. Here’s an example: He loves eating breakfast at Bob Evans (not a natural born gourmet, apparently)… so, on a recent Tuesday [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In 60-Second Sales Hook, Blog, Copywriting Tips Posted The amazing two-sentence answer to “what do you do?”
Have you ever noticed that the companies we love the most are usually rooted in rebellion? For instance… Apple started in the garage after Jobs and Wozniak left college, fed up by the slow pace [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Copywriting Posted Pump The Funk Into Your Copy
Have you ever swiped a sales letter? I haven’t. I’m not condemning the practice. Hell, it crossed my mind once or twice under heavy pressure of short deadlines. It could never work [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips Posted Are You A Natural Born Persuader?
My son is 6 and he is a natural born persuader. Here’s an example: He loves eating breakfast at Bob Evans (not a natural born gourmet, apparently)… so, on a recent Tuesday morning he announces… [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: The “Deathbed Cadillac”
Kev here… and this one is personal. There are two types of people in this world. Those who talk to their cars and the weirdos that don’t. I’ve had deep relationships with most [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Carrie Underwood’s Smokey Eyes
Kev here…and we have a new record! America’s sweetheart Carrie Underwood nails the KLT sales hook in fifteen seconds flat. Check out the clever use of time lapse to get RESULT across [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Freelancing Posted It’s What You Do When No One Is Watching
We surprised our 9-yr-old son with a set of drums for Christmas this year. (The neighbors were less surprised and far less excited about it) Ben loves music. He’s gifted with a natural ear [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Chief Interviews, Copywriting Tips Posted Text My Wife Into Bed? (Why I oughta!)
Hi Friends, When my friend (and fellow SWS instructor), Chris Haddad, asked me if I’d test out his product called, “Text Your Wife Into Bed” I didn’t know whether to laugh [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Convicted Criminal
Kevin here with a KLT Hook of the Week sure to become an instant classic. You don’t need to be baked to appreciate this video, but it certainly will help. OK, since you’re asking (I [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Etsy Store
Kevin here with another smokin’ Hook of the Week… and man, this is a good one. If you want to know how long it should take you to write a really good 60-Second Sales Hook, this HoW [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Adopt This Cat
Kev here again with another exciting Hook of the Week… This one was written by a really cool cat named Red. I’ll let 60SSH member Chad Brocato explain through the email he sent me: Hi [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Copywriting Posted Protected: The Two-Sentence Sales Proposal [SECRET PAGE]
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: “I Talk To Strangers” (Kickstarter)
Hello… Kev here… who are you? It’s pretty amazing how crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have revolutionized the idea of venture capitalism. For a small fee, you [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Wounded Warrior Project
Hi, Kevin here… We recognized Memorial Day here in US this past weekend. A special holiday where we pay tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives serving in the military by standing [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Divorce Mediator
Hey, Kev here… hard punching KLT hook this week from a divorce mediator who doesn’t mince words. The great lesson in this one is to match the tone of your hook to the conversation [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Starbuck’s Paper Bag
Have you noticed that once you get to know the KLT (know, like and trust) sales hook formula, you start to see it everywhere? I was in Orlando masterminding with the great Dean Jackson last week. [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Resume Cover Letter
Hey, Kev here, with another fantastic Hook of the Week to delight and inspire your own 60-Second Sales Hook writing. This one is submitted by Brenda S, who did something really cool that shows [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Real Estate
This Hook of the Week is from a real estate agent in Florida. It’s a great an example of how you can use client testimonials to introduce your product on a more personal level. I wrote this [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Consulting, Copywriting, Freelancing Posted How To Define Your “Bat Signal Talent”
What would you say is your #1 skill? I call this your Bat Signal Talent because it’s the ONE problem your best clients would call on you to solve in their most desperate hour. It’s [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Face-to-Face Sales Posted How to dress like you don’t work from home
Working from home = awesome. Dressing like you work from home = embarrassing. Listen to my interview with style consultant for Cosmo and HuffPost (and a really cool chick) Kimberly Seltzer of [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Hook of the Week Posted Hook of the Week: Hoop Dancing
Sarah Jordan nailed this hook. I only had a few tiny notes (see below) to this near-perfect hook for a fun and interesting training product. See if you can spot what’s missing before you read my [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Copywriting Posted 60-Second Sales Hook in a magazine ad
Once you learn it, you see it everywhere. The super-simple (yet magically effective) 60-Second Sales Hook is used by major ad agencies and brick and mortar businesses alike… for one good [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips Posted Marketing Secrets from John Carlton’s Action Seminar 2010
Hi Friends, I’m just back from San Diego where I took part in John Carlton‘s first Action Seminar. It was a 2 day event — much more marketing “workshop” than speaker [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Public Speaking/Stand-Up Comedy Posted The Night I Did Bernie Mac’s Show
I just heard about Bernie Mac’s passing. Man, that’s rough. I knew Bernie. He was the genuine article. In my 15 years as a stand-up comic, no one else electrified an audience the way [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Marketing, Mindset Posted Your Fighting Chance In This Economy
“Everyone’s feeling it.” You’ll hear that comment daily about our fledgling U.S. economy. It’s a psychological defense against the fear of an uncertain future. [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting, Inspiration, Online Marketing, Public Speaking/Stand-Up Comedy Posted The greatest benefit of a freelance career
When I was a skinny, punk-ass 16 year-old… my step-dad, Scotty, ran a construction crew building new homes in Tampa. He was a tough-as-nails, but fun-to-be-around guy (picture Willem DaFoe [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Inspiration, Marketing Posted Lessons From Chicago #1: What The Gurus Want From You
Anybody serious about marketing success studies other marketers – a lot. Some attend seminars, others prefer private study, and the most determined seek personal attention from the best [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Inspiration Posted If Michael Jordan Wants To Be Your Fan—Let Him.
Chicago, 1994—I was a relative newcomer on the Windy City comedy scene, but I’d landed a gig headlining the Improv comedy club about twice a month. The show was a cabaret, so I’d share the bill [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Copywriting Tips, Freelancing, Marketing Posted Expert Interview: Chris Haddad (new golden boy of the romance niche)
Chris Haddad is as sharp as they come. He’s long been one of the Internet’s most accomplished and saught-after copywriters, penning million dollar winners for the likes of Jeff [...]
By Kevin Rogers
In Blog, Chief Interviews, Marketing, Mindset Posted Expert Interview: Jason Moffatt (Genuine Facebook Rock Star)
Ever wonder why some people’s Facebook pages sparkle with the energy of a carnival sideshow, while others (despite all efforts) only chirp crickets? Is it purely a “personality [...]
