copywriter

How to fight

“Everybody circle up,” yelled Pete, the wiry, wild-eyed boxing instructor at Combat Fitness.  “If I point at you, get on the mat. Three-minute rounds.” I stood awkwardly adjusting the tattered, sour-smelling headgear over my ears and scanned the other men in the circle.  A full spectrum of ages and fitness levels, all with one common

How to fight Read More »

The scary thing

I was in the “shaving needs” aisle of a small grocery store when it hit me and I started FREAKING OUT.  My nerves on end, adrenaline pumping relentlessly, my feet disconnected from the floor.  I felt like a character in a Twilight Zone story where the world moves at half your speed.  People at the

The scary thing Read More »

Starting over

When I quit stand-up comedy and got off the road, I was STUCK. Ten years of driving all over the United States, sleeping in dingy motels, and talking dirty to strangers for laughs was incredible fun.  But, when it was time for me to pull off the road and find a new line of work…

Starting over Read More »

Crashing the gate

“Can I see your ID, sir?” “Are you fking serious?” That’s how my day started at the “Copy Legends Lock-in” event Tuesday in Orlando.  The “lock-in” was a one-day, invite-only mastermind hosted by Todd Brown, fulfilling a longtime dream of his to gather around a table with what he considers the “absolute royalty of Direct

Crashing the gate Read More »

Don’t tell

“Wait… is that an actual suggestion, or is this some sort of metaphor?” My brain wasn’t comprehending what my therapist, Nick, was telling me.  “Just for three months to see what happens,” Nick replied. “Absolutely not,” I said tersely. “I am not up for that.” Up until this point, in nearly six months of sessions

Don’t tell Read More »

Total humiliation

Get this… It’s Thursday of last week.  I have, essentially ONE thing on my calendar:  “Podcast Recording – Marie Forleo 4:30” You should know… I friggin’ LOVE Marie Forleo! I could take up the next three pages listing all the reasons I admire her and what she’s built through MarieTV, B School, Copy Cure, her

Total humiliation Read More »

A good “no”

“I’d love to hire you, but I just can’t afford your price.” “I’d love to work with you, but I just can’t wait for your next opening.” “This all looks great, but you’re a bit out of my league.” Hearing these phrases from good prospects is music to a freelancer’s ears.  I call them, “a

A good “no” Read More »

Your writing bubble

One of the greatest challenges for freelancers is creating “the bubble.” The impenetrable little cocoon of sanctity where you do your thinking, your writing, your creating… the stuff people are actually paying you for.  All the other “functional” stuff we must do for our businesses; the marketing, the billing, the communicating… doesn’t require the same

Your writing bubble Read More »

Why we quit

This is a picture of my daughter a quiz in her forensic science class… This year, as a junior in high school, she started attending school virtually.  It’s the first time in her life that she was free to do her work in the way that works best for her.  She has all A’s and

Why we quit Read More »

Follow that!

Kim Krause Schwalm walked past me and said,  “I’m sorry you have to follow that.” The audio guy was running a mic cable down the back of my shirt to wire me up. Sam Woods was wrapping up his Q&A with Brian Kurtz, which was running 20 minutes over, after Sam’s hour-long talk. The room

Follow that! Read More »

When John met Gary

“This is shit. Write it again.” It was John’s very first day working under Gary.  He’d accepted Gary’s invitation to give up his current clients and spend a year living in L.A. to become his apprentice.  John had quickly established himself as a hot hand on the copy scene and had no problem landing projects

When John met Gary Read More »

Mrs. Kravitz

Three times in my life I’ve packed everything I could fit into the trunk of a used, four-door sedan and relocated thousands of miles from home. Twice towards a place, and once, away from it.  The away was Los Angeles. I’ll never forget pointing the hood of my Oldsmobile East and watching that smog pit

Mrs. Kravitz Read More »

Losing it

What’s the last thing a redneck says before he dies? “Hey, y’all, watch this!” – One time my wife and I were at a Lucinda Williams concert at Jannus Live here in St. Pete.  It’s an outdoor venue. Holds a couple thousand. Bars line the perimeter. Jam-packed in the middle, where the sound is best. 

Losing it Read More »

Fitting in

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 Walter White and Jeff Spicoli merged as one) who had one rule on the job site: Never get outworked. That summer, rather than sit around broke watching

Fitting in Read More »

Chief Chat Replay: The AI’s effect on copywriting, and how to use it to become a Creative Machine.

Timestamps: 1:00 Meet two great thinkers of the new AI copywriting world 7:00 Why copywriters are so afraid of GPT (and the pro writers’ secret to staying sane) 15:00 How to stay ahead of the curve as GPT4 takes the world by storm 30:00 Step-by-step tips for using ChatGPT in your copywriting process 35:00 Why

Chief Chat Replay: The AI’s effect on copywriting, and how to use it to become a Creative Machine. Read More »

Those who know

The truth about marketing, which very few people will admit, is that you never know what is going to work. True marketing teams comprise a gaggle of experts. Experts in predictive data.  Experts in funnel design.  Experts in messaging.  All making their most educated guesses at which angles, hooks, and prices will click in place

Those who know Read More »

Copy Chief Radio

EP 195: Mike Rinard’s (it was ugly for a minute) Freelancing Journey

   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 »

Ep 194: From Old School Hustle To Internet Marketing Muscle with Jay Jackson

   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 »

Copy Chief Radio

Ep 193: The Art of The One-Sided Conversation (5-min coffee break)

   In This Episode As copywriters, mastering the one-sided conversation is a major part of our job. We assemble the people we’ll be talking ‘to’ (our customer avatars) from research, and some real-life people who match the audience, then go about constructing a very personal conversation that hopefully triggers no threat alarms at all. No

Ep 193: The Art of The One-Sided Conversation (5-min coffee break) Read More »

[Story Sells] How a “Ticking Time Bomb” Helps Capture Attention

Nothing motivates action like a time limit. It’s why sales and coupons don’t last forever. Deadlines seem to be hard-wired into our brains. It goes back to caveman days: “We get home before sun goes down, Thog. That when monster attack.” And when it comes to closing a sale, time limits create urgency to act.

[Story Sells] How a “Ticking Time Bomb” Helps Capture Attention Read More »

Ep 151: Laura Belgray – How To Steal Attention With Strange Copy (Then Keep It With Good Writing)

   In This Episode “I’m going to eat my face now.” That subject line, “I’m going to eat my face now” is the 12th most popular (by open rate) in Laura’s list of her top 33. (You can get a link to them all in the show notes) My favorite interviews are the ones with

Ep 151: Laura Belgray – How To Steal Attention With Strange Copy (Then Keep It With Good Writing) Read More »

Ep 149: Jon Stoltzfus – The Most In-Demand Copywriter On The Planet Right Now

   In This Episode Jon Stoltzfus is currently the most in-demand copywriter in the industry. He’s an engineer who loves his work and makes a very comfortable living. He’s also a damn good copywriter. He’s been creating super strong controls in his part-time. He’s about to make the leap into full time copywriting, because when

Ep 149: Jon Stoltzfus – The Most In-Demand Copywriter On The Planet Right Now Read More »

[Story Sells] Use this Spider-Man ‘Twist’ to Make Your Sales Story Unforgettable

There’s one story principle that’s tough to execute, but very valuable if you do it right. This principle gives a story added depth. What does that mean? Simply, the tale penetrates deeper into the audience. The story stays with them, echoes in their minds in the days after they first see it. Instead of dissolving

[Story Sells] Use this Spider-Man ‘Twist’ to Make Your Sales Story Unforgettable Read More »

[Story Sells] “Ice-Breakers” in Ads: How To Gradually Introduce a Radical Idea

J.R.R. Tolkien had a big problem. He loved the ancient, epic tales. He began writing his own (see The Silmarillion). But he quickly discovered that these ancient worlds of honor and vengeance, with black and white heroes with little characterization, were almost totally inaccessible to a modern audience. All that oath-swearing. And listing of lineage.

[Story Sells] “Ice-Breakers” in Ads: How To Gradually Introduce a Radical Idea Read More »

[Story Sells] Beef Up Before and After Testimonials with this Story Technique

In Blake Snyder’s useful screenwriting how-to book, Save The Cat, he talks about two scenes you must have in your movie. An opening image. And a closing image. And one more thing: They should be OPPOSITES of each other. Why? To show how the character has changed and grown. This journey is the character’s “Arc.”.

[Story Sells] Beef Up Before and After Testimonials with this Story Technique Read More »

How to use the “Doctors Dumbfounded” effect to Build Credibility & Desire: From Shyamalan to Schwartz

There’s a simple story technique you can use to quickly build credibility and desire for your product. The best novelists and filmmakers use it, as so do the best ad-slingers. In fact, Eugene Schwartz lists it as the 7th (out of 13) way to “strengthen desire for your product.” I recently saw this storytelling tool

How to use the “Doctors Dumbfounded” effect to Build Credibility & Desire: From Shyamalan to Schwartz Read More »

[Story Sells] Prevent prospects from abandoning your ad by fixing the “Broken Film” mistake

I used to work at a movie theater in high school. One of my best jobs ever. I could watch any movie for free, and eat all the popcorn and drink all the soda I wanted. But some days were bad. When the film skipped — or worse — broke. (These were in the old

[Story Sells] Prevent prospects from abandoning your ad by fixing the “Broken Film” mistake Read More »

Unleashing Your Inner Lazy B*stard – How Freelance Copywriters Can Get More Done By Working Less

As freelance copywriters, we’re at this weird intersection between ‘creatives’ and ‘craftspeople’… Because our working practices need to draw from both areas. Creatively, copywriters must be sensitive to human emotions and highly empathetic… We have to be regularly inspired to create and develop ‘big ideas’ that resonate with people and help sell our clients’ products…

Unleashing Your Inner Lazy B*stard – How Freelance Copywriters Can Get More Done By Working Less Read More »

David Bowie: The Ultimate Artist-As-Entrepreneur?

June 2017 marks 50 years since David Bowie released his first album. The title of this landmark record? Somewhat unimaginatively, it was called: David Bowie. Ironic, because nothing else in Bowie’s extraordinary life was ever that predictable again… The Ultimate Artist-as-Entrepreneur As a long-time fan, I was recently struck by just how well some of

David Bowie: The Ultimate Artist-As-Entrepreneur? Read More »

[Story Sells] How to Capture Drifting Attention with the Captain “Hook” Rule

You will lose sales unless you hook your customer’s attention with the very first sentence. But what do you say? Well, to figure that out, let’s look at what not to do. And then just do the opposite. Captain Hook and his pals at Jake and the Neverland Pirates hold the treasure we seek. If

[Story Sells] How to Capture Drifting Attention with the Captain “Hook” Rule Read More »

Ep 107: Kim Schwalm – Consistently Beating Control Ads

   In This Episode Kim Krauss Schwalm is the perfect follow-up to Clayton Makepeace’s copywriting masterclass. Kim is a top-level copywriter Brian Kurtz couldn’t hire fast enough to work for Boardroom… … where she became the first ever female copywriter to beat one of their controls (her first Boardroom project out-performed a 7-year Parris Lampropoulos

Ep 107: Kim Schwalm – Consistently Beating Control Ads Read More »

Stephen King’s IT And The Secret To Creating Emotion-Driven Copy That Converts

It’s one of the most notorious openings to any novel… Shocking, gruesome… …and so very, very vivid. From Stephen King’s epic 1986 tale, IT: “A small boy in a yellow slicker and red galoshes ran cheerfully along beside the newspaper boat. The rain had not stopped, but it was finally slackening. It tapped on the

Stephen King’s IT And The Secret To Creating Emotion-Driven Copy That Converts Read More »

Ep 106: Clayton Makepeace – Selling on Emotion ($1.5 Billion Worth!)

   In This Episode Clayton Makepeace is the mind behind ads that sold a Billion and a half dollars worth of products in the health and financial markets. There aren’t many copywriters alive who can bring a whopping four decades of in-the-trenches experience to the table. So naturally, Makepeace is also one of the most

Ep 106: Clayton Makepeace – Selling on Emotion ($1.5 Billion Worth!) Read More »

Ep 103: Marcella Allison – The Truth About Speaking Your Customer’s Language

   In This Episode Today you’re in for a treat. My guest is Marcella Allison and she’s the perfect guest to follow two epic episodes with Parris Lampropoulos. Why? Because she is one of the few writers that top-of-the-heap A-Listers including Parris, and David Deutsch look to team with first when it’s time to beat

Ep 103: Marcella Allison – The Truth About Speaking Your Customer’s Language Read More »

Ep 54: Brian Kurtz – Becoming A Million Dollar Copywriter

In This Episode Brian Kurtz joins Kevin to discuss the controversy around how freelance copywriters and business owners work together. Brian’s recent article, The Next Million Dollar Copywriter, created a lot of talk in direct response circles about the problems with how companies have been hiring and compensating freelance copywriters. Companies want teams of full-timers

Ep 54: Brian Kurtz – Becoming A Million Dollar Copywriter Read More »

THE AMAZING 60-SECOND SALES HOOK THAT CREATES
AN INSTANT BOND WITH YOUR BEST PROSPECTS

PLUS: Get fill-in-the-blank templates that instantly establish “Know, Like, and Trust”

THE AMAZING 60-SECOND SALES HOOK THAT CREATES
AN INSTANT BOND WITH YOUR BEST PROSPECTS
PLUS: Get fill-in-the-blank templates that instantly establish “Know, Like, and Trust”
THE AMAZING 60-SECOND SALES HOOK THAT CREATES
AN INSTANT BOND WITH YOUR BEST PROSPECTS
PLUS: Get fill-in-the-blank templates that instantly establish “Know, Like, and Trust”
 
100% Secure. We Never Share Your Email

100% Secure. We Never Share Your Email

100% Secure. We Never Share Your Email