In This Episode In 3 short years, Brenna McGowan went from full-time Mom, to “accidental” social media manager, to email copywriter, and now the leading expert on Pre-Launch marketing strategy. If you’ve ever felt like “there’s just no time” to do it all, and been stymied by choosing a specialty, today’s episode with Brenna …
EP 265: Freelancer’s Journey: Brenna McGowan Is Owning It Read More »
In This Episode I met AJ Harper in the office of best-selling author Mike Michalowicz (Profit First, Clockwork). He introduced her as his writing collaborator – essentially the person who wrote the words I’d been reading intently under his name for years. By the end of the first day of Mike’s workshop, I saw …
EP 264: New Breed: AJ Harper on How To Write A Must-Read Read More »
In This Episode This funny thing happens with high achievers (like you?)… As we’re transforming into the best versions of ourselves, we soak up tons of inspiration from self-development gurus (for me it was Jim Rohn, Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill, etc.)… Then, once we arrive at success, we tend to stop looking for new …
EP 263: Wisdom Tree: Rob Dube on the 10 Disciplines for optimal living Read More »
In This Episode Look, I get it. Money is how we measure success. So, the appeal of a promise that you can “double your (freelancing) income in X days” is a sexy one. We see this promise every day online and, understandably, people fall for it. Here’s the problem: It’s not only UNREALISTIC to …
EP 262: Coffee with Kev: The Truth About Doubling Your Copywriting Income Read More »
In This Episode If you thought there was no market for direct response copywriters in the tech space, today’s guest will shed some new light. Karl Hughes was leading high-profile tech teams until the lockdown freed up half his time to do what he always loved: write. So, he started blogging in his conversational …
EP 261: Freelancer’s Journey: Karl Hughes – Tech Copywriting Kingpin Read More »
In This Episode In this Coffee With Kev episode, I share some big lessons in… Customer support (via Virgin Hotels and Virgin Airlines failing hard at this) Developing your motivation into revenue (via Jack White’s elegant and inspiring Third Man empire) Strengthening your business with short, in-person mastermind events The most dramatic (and powerful) …
In This Episode Chris Farrell is a long admired and respected leader of communities where he helps people improve their lives. He’s done it with online marketing and other business skills, and now he’s building what he considers his most meaningful community yet. Here’s what he told me about it: “I want people …
EP 259: Wisdom Tree: Chris Farrell “We are all going through something” Read More »
In This Episode What does it really mean to have a “compliant” sales copy? The answer is a moving target, guided by risk tolerance, and trending enforcement measures. The ONE thing you can be sure of is that the law will follow the complaints, the money, and the headlines. Today, “badass attorney” Peter …
EP 258: New Breed: Peter Hoppenfeld – Copy Compliance Read More »
In This Episode Michael Fishman has been the private insider brand consultant for the biggest health brands (Bulletproof, VitalChoice, Healthy Directions) over the last 25 years. Today we discuss… The marketing voice vs. the relationship voice… Why clear, compassionate marketing is the most persuasive, and… Who the prospect trusts least, and why… A …
EP 257: Wisdom Tree: Michael Fishman – “Flag on the moon” Marketing Read More »
In This Episode A really fun and insightful conversation with Yara Golden, an email copywriter who now runs her own agency strategizing and producing email content for some of the biggest names in marketing (Russel Brunson, Shanda Sumpter, Peng Joon). She started out in business as an “accidental” relationship coach after her marriage …
EP 256: New Breed: The “List Assist” Email Strategy Planner w/ Yara Golden Read More »
In This Episode I’m thrilled about this episode today because I get to jump all the way to Phase 7 of The Freelancers Journey Timeline and talk to you about more advanced business strategies and tactics. If you don’t know about the Freelancers Journey – it’s a simple 7-step roadmap to freelance success. It …
In This Episode Gary Goldstein became the producer of Pretty Woman and other Hollywood blockbusters by seeking to help the creative forces behind those films navigate the cut-throat world of the entertainment business. Through his decades in the wild world of show business, he has never stopped being a champion for creatives. …
EP 254: Wisdom Tree – Gary Goldstein Mega Hollywood Producer and Champion For Creatives Read More »
In This Episode Could you tell your life story in ten minutes? It took me about 45 minutes, but the good folks over at Mirasee edited it down to ten minutes for an episode of their cool new podcast called Making It. I thought they did a really good job choosing the …
In This Episode Colin Chung admits he is “terrible at small talk”, yet he cites “connecting with people and networking” as the #1 asset a freelancer can have in succeeding in business. In this deep diving Freelancer’s Journey episode, Colin reflects on the work, and the network, that has led to his Phase …
EP 252: Freelancer’s Journey: Colin Chung – “Safer than a real job.” Read More »
In This Episode Copywriters face two hazards when writing ongoing content for clients, or themselves… Coming up with enough good ideas Connecting our ideas to relevant calendar events These usually happen in succession… In the early going you struggle to come up with ideas. Once the ideas start flowing, you almost can’t stop them, …
EP 251: New Breed: Copywriting publicity tactics with Selena Soo Read More »
In This Episode There’s no avoiding the camera these days. From conference calls to Insta updates, your camera is how you stay present with your prospects, clients, and growing audience. But it isn’t just about how to stage your background or wear your hair… The way you speak and express yourself on camera …
EP 250: New Breed: Jen Gottlieb – Connecting Through The Camera Read More »
In This Episode Carline Anglade-Cole is relentlessly honest. So, if you put your sales copy in front of her for review, you better be prepared for a lot of notes and no punches pulled. “Your copy sucks, you don’t,” is the loving warning shot she puts out before launching into the kind of …
EP 249: Wisdom Tree: Carline Anglade-Cole – “Your copy sucks, you don’t” Read More »
In This Episode In the trendy, fast-changing world of direct response marketing, staying consistent to your marketing beliefs can be difficult. But if the foundation of what you do is focused on OUTCOMES for your client, digging in and holding steady against the trends in a strong way to position yourself. Kev Kaye …
EP 248: Freelancer’s Journery: Kev Kaye “What you actually need is a growth strategy.” Read More »
In This Episode April Dykman has worn your shoes. She struggled up treacherous Mt. Freelance with just a pair of mittens and a pickaxe to start. Met some trusty guides along the way, and did ALL the work to become the independent (and in-demand!) business owner she is today, calling the shots and …
EP 247: New Breed: April Dykman – How to land (or lose) the gig Read More »
In This Episode Terri Trespicio is a creative force. A sharp-witted comedian, eloquent writer, trusted brand advisor, and world-renowned speaker with 7 million views on her TEDx talk. Her new book, Unfollow Your Passion: How To Create A Life that Matters To You is a category above the typical development book. Funny, challenging, …
EP 246: New Breed: Terri Trespicio – How to thrive inside your comfort zone Read More »
In This Episode Let’s face it, launching a product is typically as stressful as launching a spacecraft… Lots of staring at screens with a sweaty brow and biting fingernails down to a bloody nub until it’s time to hit “go”… then you cross your fingers and pray everything works like it you hoped. …
EP 245: New Breed: Brenna McGowan – The no stress launch plan Read More »
In This Episode As an entrepreneur or service provider your reputation is (by far) the most valuable asset you have. A good one will catapult you into the highest levels of opportunity, and a bad one will cost you dearly, often without even knowing the cause. So, how do you establish and protect …
EP 244: Coffee with Kev – 7 Reputation Boosters (and Killers) Read More »
In This Episode Last week a copy chief member sent me a piece of sales copy to look at. It was 20 pages long. In a typical first draft copy review there’s something critical on the very first page that needs to be fixed, so I rarely get beyond that before sending over …
EP 243: New Breed: Craig Dave – Ramping up tension (and laughs) in your copy Read More »
In This Episode Today’s episode could save lives – no joke. Arthur Lih is my guest, he’s the inventor of LifeVac (lifevac.net), a simple, plunger-like device that has saved 160+ lives (70 of them children) since he invented it. His “reason why” story will break your heart, as will the many stories of …
EP 242: New Breed: Arthur Lih – The tricky business of saving lives Read More »
In This Episode How does a high school gym teacher with dial-up internet end up starting, running, and being the face of multiple companies across vastly different niches, all without any formal business education or investors of any kind? By not overthinking it. Ryan Lee is a master of “ready, fire, aim” style entrepreneurship, …
EP 241: Wisdom Tree: Ryan Lee on reinventing your business without losing your way Read More »
In This Episode Dropping services you no longer enjoy delivering is hard for freelancers. Especially when those services are in demand. It takes a giant leap of faith to believe that by creating that space, better things will come. Copy Chief Live guest expert Laura Belgray has made a career of creating wildly popular …
In This Episode Cole Schafer is a writer. And like a real writer, he bares his soul in his work. Including in his ad copy. Even his descriptions of cookies can make you feel challenged, amused… even annoyed. Something you’d expect at a live spoken word event, far more than a chocolate chip cookie …
EP 239: New Breed – Cole Schafer on being the man in the arena Read More »
In This Episode Dean Edelson was a stand-up comic working the NYC club scene with legends like Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David… then he started writing TV promos and movie scripts in Hollywood before getting into real estate investing where he realized he loved writing the stuff to sell properties more than selling properties. …
EP 238: Freelancer’s Journey – Dean Edelson, ClickFunnels Senior Copywriter Read More »
In This Episode If I could corral my on-the-go teenagers for three days of focused attention, these are the 3 things I would want them to know about how to work with great clients, from anywhere, on their own terms. I came to these 3 things by reviewing what the most successful freelancers in …
EP 237: Coffee With Kev – The 3 things I would teach my kids about freelancing Read More »
In This Episode Best-selling author Mike Michalowicz (Profit First, Clockwork) has a new book about how to stand out in the deafening world of marketing noise. It’s called “Get Different” and it’s really good. “This isn’t about putting on a clown costume and making the ‘wonka, wonka’ sound,” Mike clarified to start the interview… …
EP 236: New Breed – Mike Michalowicz on how to Get Different (minus the clown shoes) Read More »
In This Episode Today I’m sharing a cool bit from one of my paid training sessions… It’s a way to take an ordinary review (or critique) and easily turn it into a piece of content that will instantly position you as a respected expert in your field. I call it R.E.A.C.H. content and I’m …
EP 235: Coffee With Kev – The R.E.A.C.H. content method Read More »
In This Episode Making the “big leap” is never an easy decision, and that’s why Claire knew if she didn’t make two of them (ending her stressful career AND marriage) simultaneously, she would likely put them off too long, or even forever. Today you’ll hear how Claire found the courage – and the path …
EP 234: Freelancer’s Journey: Claire Fernan – The Pharmacist Turned Copywriter Read More »
In This Episode Sure Instagram is a visual platform… but if you’ve been overlooking the copy in your captions, then you’re missing the biggest conversion factor. Copywriter and prolific Instagrammer, Sammy Musgrave is back to explain how she’s using proven copy strategies for turning scrollers into subscribers. Listen to Copy Chief Radio #233 New …
EP 233: New Breed: Sammy Musgrave – Instagram Caption Copy That Converts Read More »
In This Episode Fractional CMOs are essentially a hybrid of Marketing Consultant (which nobody really wants) and Chief Marketing Officer (which many companies can’t afford or aren’t yet ready for). Whether or not you feel equipped to step into a company as their fractional CMO, today’s episode will expand your thinking about… – Positioning …
EP 232: New Breed: Casey Stanton on Fractional CMO-ing Read More »
In This Episode One of the fastest ways to build a strong reputation for yourself as a freelancer is to create Authority Content by simply teaching what you’re learning. Csaba Borzasi (CH-aba Bor-za-SHE) has done an amazing job of this with his recent public challenge to break down 100 Legendary Sales Letters in 100 …
EP 231: Freelancer’s Journey: Csaba Borzasi – Growing Your Business By Showing Your Work Read More »
In This Episode Today I’m talking with Laura Lopuch who spent a gruelling three months sending cold emails into the silent void before she finally broke through and figured out why they weren’t working and what to do instead. The results were impressive: A quickly filling schedule of clients, her emails being forwarded to …
EP 230: New Breed: Laura Lopuch – Cold Outreach Email That Actually Work Read More »
In This Episode At some point, every freelancer will face “The Leap.” That Leap can be a calculated choice from a position of safety – for instance, finally having the confidence to quit the “main job” and go freelance full time. Or it can look more like life giving you a swift and unexpected …
EP 229: Freelancers Journey: Angie Colee “Making the big leaps” Read More »
In This Episode The only thing worse than having boring sales messaging these days is trying to be entertaining and missing the mark. The fails aren’t just cringeworthy, they can cost you big – and at worst even sink the entire ship. So, it makes sense that most business owners avoid the risk of …
EP 228: New Breed: Adam Hunt is revolutionizing humor in marketing Read More »
In This Episode “I hear stories about how horrible I was to people, and I say, ‘I’m sure that’s true, and I’m very sorry… but I have no recollection of it’.” If you’ve ever woken up after a wild night cringing because you can’t quite remember everything you did or said the night before, …
EP 227: Wisdom Tree – Chris Haddad, “My brain is a very frightening place” Read More »
In This Episode Hey! It’s Sammy Musgrave here for Copy Chief, your comrade in freelancing and copywriting. Tell me… how did you feel when you found out direct response copywriting was a thing? At first, I thought the chances of “making it” were as likely as starring in the next Avengers movie alongside my …
EP 226: Coffee With Kev – Copywriting Crash Course During A Car Chase Movie Scene Read More »
In This Episode Addison Rice is on one hell of an adventure. His journey into copywriting started with a question… and a Negroni. “Hey, how would you go about making money with music online?” The answer sparked a conversation that moved Addison out of Phase 0 (searching for salvation) and catapulted him into Phase …
EP 225: Freelancer’s Journey: Addison Rice – His recipe for digital nomad freedom Read More »
In This Episode When it comes to learning the absolute essentials of email copywriting… … the proven message frameworks… … the exact order of sequences, … the psychology behind every email you send (right down to the subject line), … and in what order and timeframe to send them… There is only ONE email copywriter I trust …
EP 224: New Breed: Elite Email Copywriting with Chris Orzechowski Read More »
In This Episode Marcella Allison is a copywriter of the highest calibre. Her controls dominate the most aggressively competitive markets like health and finance. If that was all she did, I could interview her endlessly on the topic of copywriting alone. But, she does SO much more than write amazing sales copy. Today we …
In This Episode Landing your first few gigs as a freelancer can be an exhilarating combination of intense excitement and gnawing fear. It’s natural to be nervous… after all, you want to deliver great work your client will love… but there can be a whole new set of internal fears that come leaping forward …
In This Episode “I have a confession to make… and I need your listeners to know this…” said Johnny when I asked a non-related question. His big confession was that he’d been “holding a microphone in front of his face” the entire interview, which covered his acclaimed Tedx talk, the wild financial ride of …
In This Episode There is magic in Laura Belgray’s writing. And she’s used it – with her email list specifically – to go from a TV Land promo writer, pumping out clever callbacks to Andy Griffith episodes… to running a seven-figure business from her couch. All with her words. The phrase, “I want to …
EP 220: Wisdom Tree – Showing up in your reader’s dreams with Laura Belgray Read More »
In This Episode If your freelancing business is starting to feel like a sh*tty job… and, worst part?… YOU are the nasty boss! Demanding these long hours, the “working weekends”, and now that you’re thinking about it, the pay kind of sucks, too! Then, we feel you. Every successful freelancer we know has been …
In This Episode Productivity expert Adrienne Dorison (RunLikeClockwork.com) is one of the experts I sought advice from last year when the pandemic poop hit the proverbial fan. Today we’re examining the changes that actually came from working in a year in lockdown. How are we working differently, which changes are here to stay, and …
In This Episode Sammy Musgrave is a rule breaker. She discovered her love for copywriting before she even knew it was a thing – during a sales presentation workshop… “Looking back, it was all copywriting principles – and I LOVED it.” Against their warnings, she used what she learned in that presentation to update …
EP 217: Freelancer’s Journey – Sammy Musgrave, Going full time and loving it Read More »
In This Episode John Lee Dumas is the epitome of self-made success. He started his industry-shifting podcast, Entrepreneur on Fire to solve his own problem… “I’m 32 and I hate working for other people, but I have no idea how to make money on my own.” So he started asking the people who were …
EP 216: New Breed – John Lee Dumas’s Uncommon Path To Success Read More »
In This Episode Like so many freelancers, Ross O’Lochlainn was waiting for “just the right time” to quit his job at an engineering firm and strike out on his own full time. Then “fate stepped in” and forced his hand. Dive into this in-depth review of how Ross has gone from nervous newbie (Phase …
In This Episode Frank McKinney is one of the most fascinating and inspiring people I’ve ever met. Considering I met him a few minutes before this interview started, that’s saying something. This dude defies common titles… He’s a real estate artist who’s designed and flipped 44 oceanfront homes at an average price of $14 …
In This Episode A raw and rarely shared “in the moment” recording of Kevin with his private coaching group of freelance copywriters. One member asked: “When was the moment that freelancing “clicked” for you?” I couldn’t resist sharing 3 key moments… The first was with the writing itself… the second with closing clients deals… …
In This Episode If you’re an expert at what you do – and have some case studies to show for it – then it’s time to step up and get yourself featured as an expert… on major blogs, podcasts, and even glossy magazine publications and television. Problem is, most of us don’t know where …
EP 212: New Breed – The Copywriter’s Edge For Landing Publicity with Selena Soo Read More »
In This Episode Freelance copywriting changed in some significant ways in 2020, and if you’re prepared, those changes play perfectly into your hands. Today, in an intimate “Coffee with Kev” episode, I’m detailing how businesses are working differently with freelancers in 2021. We’ve seen 5 major shifts in the marketplace, all spurned by the …
EP 211: Coffe With Kev – The New Reality of Freelance Copywriting in 2021 Read More »
In This Episode If it’s true, as Booker T. Washington says that, “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome” then Kelly Felix is living a very impressive life. Kelly is not only one of the best …
EP 210: Wisdom Tree – Kelly Felix – “I just knew I was going to die” Read More »
In This Episode Peep Laja has been a leader in conversion optimization for nearly a decade. Through the thousands of complex technical tests he and the crew at ConversionXL run, they can pinpoint exactly how your marketing pages are performing, and, of course, what’s needed to make them perform better. Of course, “the copy” …
EP 209: New Breed: Peep Laja – Human Copy Testing with a New Tech Twist Read More »
In This Episode If you’ve never heard of Damian Lanfranchi, that’s mostly on purpose. “I’ve done a lot of erasing throughout my entrepreneurial journey” he told me when I remarked that beyond his LinkedIn profile, there’s not much about him online. It isn’t that he’s embarrassed by the different businesses he’d created before becoming …
EP 208: Wisdom Tree: Damian Lanfranchi – “The guy with no Plan B” Read More »
In This Episode Taking the big leap into starting your own business is freakin scary. But, it actually doesn’t have to be. Today, over a cuppa Joe, I’ll share my advice for taking small steps toward the big leap. Making it both a lot more doable, and far less frightening. In this episode we …
EP 207: CCR Coffee with Kev – A Small Step Towards The Big Leap Read More »
In This Episode Some business experts just seem too smart, too experienced, too connected to fail. Perry Marshall is one of those experts. Here’s a guy who’s written not just one, but several books that became “the book” on their topic – Google Ads, Facebook Advertising, 80/20ing your sales and business. He’s endlessly intelligent …
EP 206: CCR New Breed – Perry Marshall – “There Will Be Dragons” Read More »
In This Episode Call it “Copy Chief Impossible”… Just like business makeover shows like Restaurant Impossible or (my new favorite find) Hotel Impossible… this episode is an unfiltered look behind the curtain of the intense rebuilding project to completely overhaul Copy Chief. My business integrator Rachel Mazza and I share all the gory details …
In This Episode David Deutsch is an A-List Copywriter in the truest sense… he started at Ogilvy and Mather (when Ogilvy was still leading the troops), pioneered the “magalog” style of direct mail sales letters, and has written for or consulted just about every major player in the industry for the over three decades. …
EP 204: CCR Wisdom Tree – A conversation with David Deutsch Read More »
In This Episode Dominic Hodgson took an unconventional route to building an internet marketing empire – dog walking. In this loose and insightful conversation, Dom explains how he gained an immediate advantage by niching down into the “luxury pet care” market – targeting wealthy pet owners and offering not just a “dog walk”, but …
In This Episode In the six years I’ve been coaching freelance copywriters, no one has blasted through the first 6 (of 7) Phases of the Freelancer’s Journey faster than Chris Orzechoski. Four years ago this guy was teaching high school and coaching wrestling, and now he’s running his own agency. Like, a real agency, …
EP 202: CCR Freelancer’s Journey – Chris Orzechowski – “Embrace the work” Read More »
In This Episode Carline’s new book, My Life As A 50+ Year-Old White Male is a rollicking ride through her life as a Haitian immigrant in the U.S., a colorful childhood with a tough love twist, becoming an A-List copywriter known as “queen of the control”, and raising children to understand the power of …
EP 201: CCR Wisdom Tree – Carline Anglade-Cole – The Copy Control Queen Read More »
In This Episode It’s our 200th episode and we’re celebrating with a total show makeover!New music, new intro, and lots of exciting new guests. Plus we’re categorizing the episodes into four different styles. Listen now to hear the new and improved Copy Chief Radio! In this episode we cover… It’s our 200th episode! We’ve …
EP 200: CCR Makeover – The Four New Episode Styles! Read More »
In This Episode Adam Hunt runs White Label Comedy, a done-for-you social media copywriting service that helps companies stand out with tweets and ad copy that build trust and engagement with humor. (A topic very close to my heart.) He recently joined Copy Chief and began devouring the training and applying what he learned …
EP 199: If Brands Told Jokes with Adam Hunt of White Label Comedy Read More »
In This Episode Looking back to when I first started, there are a few things I wish I’d figured out earlier. It would have saved me a lot of needless frustration, boosted my confidence and made the actual writing a lot more fun. So, I wrote out the 5 things I wish I’d known …
EP 198: 5 Things I Wish I’d Known As A New Copywriter Read More »
In This Episode 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 Harmon Brothers and have single-handedly revolutionized the world of Direct Response marketing by using bold humor to interrupt the long-running …
EP 197: Can Harmon Brothers make stock tips funny? (ad breakdown with creators) Read More »
In This Episode The world’s coolest marketing lawyer, Peter Hoppenfeld, is back to discuss California’s AB 5 statute that is wreaking havoc for the “gig economy” out there. Some in the freelancing community are fretting about how this could affect the nature of how Independent Contractors do business. Should you be scared?Are freelancers losing …
EP 196: Realities of California’s new AB 5 “freelancing law” with Peter Hoppenfeld Read More »
In This Episode Mike Rinard has his business running smooth on all cylinders right now. He’s been a frequent guest on CCR talking about his story-driven copywriting frameworks that are outperforming everything else on Facebook, and how he’s created a long string of super successful workshops and “mini-offers” to his growing email list. Today, …
EP 195: Mike Rinard’s (it was ugly for a minute) Freelancing Journey Read More »
In This Episode Jay Jackson began his rise to marketing expert status legit old school hustle style – hanging out in the parking lot of Whole Foods pitching customers on his fitness training as they scurried nervously to their cars. Then he discovered the world of online marketing and quickly tripled his income. Now, …
Ep 194: From Old School Hustle To Internet Marketing Muscle with Jay Jackson Read More »
In This Episode When Lorrie Morgan lost her “miserable” job, she decided to go freelance and stumbled into the world of direct response copywriting. From running into the ladies room in tears of intimidation during the first marketing conference she attended, to creating an alter ego named Roxie that has helped her fight off …
Ep 192: Igniting Your Freelancing Moxie with Lorrie Morgan Read More »
In This Episode Ever feel like all those books on productivity just don’t apply to you and your freelancing biz? That’s because running a freelance business IS different than other businesses – especially in early days when it’s JUST YOU doing everything. Yet, many of the freelancers I coach have been able to win …
Ep 191: More time for the “big buck stuff” with Ashlee Berghoff Read More »
