- WEALTHY: While the economy slides, get in on a wealth-building trend (Michael Masterson)
- HEALTHY: An appetite suppressant gone wrong (Shane Ellison)
- WISE: Michael Masterson on copywriting
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- How to attract almost any client you want (Clayton Makepeace)
- One small way ETR can improve your life (Suzanne Richardson)
- It’s Good to Know… before you make your next trip to the gas station (Charlie Byrne)
- Add “sojourn” to your vocabulary
== Highly Recommended ==
“I feel like I’ve gotten a bachelor’s degree in Internet marketing in five days…”
Words of wisdom from 16-year-old Matthew Andreas of Santa Barbara, CA. After attending the Five Days in July event in Denver, he went on to say:
I’m a devote Mac user … to me, Macs are to PCs as XSitePro is to other web designing programs. It’s so much more efficient and fast. It’s just a really, really amazing program. I’ve learned so much.
I feel like I’ve gotten a bachelor’s degree in Internet marketing in five days. All the coaches are so brilliant and at the tops of their fields. And the XSitePro software will speed up the process to no end.
-Matthew Andreas, Santa Barbara, CA
His father – Brian Andreas – added:
“It was phenomenal … There was such great information on pay per click and the software, XSitePro. I’ve worked with some industrial strength software for building websites and none of them compare …”.
Discover what over 90 aspiring entrepreneurs – ranging in age from 16 to 76 – discovered –the “ETR / Agora Model” makes starting your own Internet money-making businesses easy…
The Internet Business Is Booming in Europe Too
Here in London for the summer, I’m reading the British business press. Not surprisingly, trends here are following those in the United States. The global real estate meltdown is affecting Europe. The housing market has dropped. The banking industry is down. And rising fuel costs are making things even worse.
Many economic sectors have been affected – advertising sales included. According to the Financial Times, the big agencies are lowering their budgets. Contracts are being cancelled. At best, pundits say, European advertising will be lucky to grow at 3.5 percent – which won’t even keep up with inflation.
For brand advertisers, the situation is actually worse. That 3.5 percent figure includes Internet marketing. And that is soaring – which means brand advertising is shrinking. Fast.
I have three clients here. All three have gotten into Internet marketing in the past several years. They are glad they did. Sales are improving.
One client has a magazine that relies partly on brand advertising for its income. I asked the publisher what he’s going to do about the advertising slump, and he said, “More Internet marketing.”
He’s right to be thinking in that direction. Overall, Internet ad spending in Europe will increase by 32 percent this year, Zenith Optimedia reports. That’s even higher than the earlier projection of 28 percent.
“Internet advertising is benefiting because it allows marketers to track the effects of their spending – something that is more difficult to do in the other media,” The International Herald Tribune reported. “Our clients don’t want big, fancy projects anymore,” one ad agency noted. “They want [advertising campaigns] that are direct, effective, and right to the point.”
Longtime ETR readers know that business success in the 21st century will be all about direct marketing on the Internet. If you’d like to guarantee you are in on this wealth-building trend, start your own Internet money-making business right now.
[Ed. Note: You can get five full days of instruction on the "ETR/Agora Model" that you can apply toward your own business online. You'll learn from some of the best Internet marketers and business-builders in the world - and you'll be able to follow, step by step, as they show you how to get a business, website, and marketing plan up and running. Pick up your copy of this advice-packed DVD library right here.]
Click to comment on this article
“Being able to sell with words will bring you much more than money. It will bring you a lifetime of interesting work, enjoyable experiences, and unlimited challenges.”
Michael Masterson
6 Steps to Getting Your Phone to Ring Off the Hook With New Clients
New copywriters write me all the time, asking how to get a high-paying gig. A desperate few just want to know how to get any assignment.
Sometimes I have to resist the urge to leap through the computer screen at them. I want to grab ‘em by the shoulders, shake ‘em till their eyes rattle, and shout, “Hey! Wake up! You’re one of the chosen few. You’re a COPYWRITER! You’ve been blessed with the gift of persuasion, the greatest super-power on the planet. Compared to you, Batman and Wonder Woman are wimps! And YOU are the most exciting product you will ever write for!”
Throughout my 35-year career, I’ve been asked to write copy to sell conferences and water heaters… golf magazines and exotic pastries… investment diamonds and buttless pants… Holy Land tours and sex tapes… rare coins and junk furniture… tons of books and newsletters on finance, investing, and health… and, once, an entire company.
The single best product I ever promoted? Clayton Friggin’ Makepeace!
I don’t have to do it these days, of course. My name and past successes are well-known, and I turn down far more assignments than I could ever accept. But there was a time when I was a virtual unknown, struggling to make ends meet. I had my chops, of course – I had written some strong promotions for small-ish clients on the West Coast – but I couldn’t even get the big boys to answer the phone.
What did I do?
I sat down at my trusty old IBM Selectric typewriter (the state-of-the-art writing instrument in 1979) and wrote a sales promotion – about myself! I mentally put Clayton on the desk just as if he were any other product, and I pulled out all the stops. Then I used that copy in a six-step campaign designed to make all the best clients call me.
How’d it work? Like a charm. Within a week, my phone was ringing off the hook, and I was schmoozing with the big boys. Within two weeks, the advances began rolling in. And a few months later, a major mailer offered me a six-figure retainer plus 5 percent of his gross sales, plus perks out the wazoo to take him on exclusively.
Attract the Clients Who’ll Make You Rich!
I’m not that old. I still remember the days when I was trying to break into this business, hungry to put everything I’d learned to work for a real client. And I remember when I was a pretty successful “B” writer whose fondest dream was to fill my schedule with “A” clients. Both times, I did the only thing that made sense to me: I mounted an intensive sales promotion for yours truly.
Here’s how I did it, and how you can do it too…
Step #1: Pick your targets carefully.
First, I created a mailing list of 400 prospective clients. Since I was focusing on self-help publishers, I picked the biggest companies, starting with firms I already knew about (including Phillips, KCI, Agora, Boardroom, and Ruff Times), and then using the Oxbridge Directory of Newsletters to select the rest. (Now, with the advent of the Internet, this research is even easier.)
If I knew the name of the person in the organization who hired writers, I included that with the address on my list. If I didn’t, I called and said, “I need to send a letter to the person responsible for creating your direct-mail promotions. Could you please tell me who that is?”
Step #2: Get their attention.
I wrote a short, one-page personalized letter saying that the following Tuesday would be a Red Letter Day. The FedEx guy was going to deliver a very important package to him/her on that date – a package that would bring a big bump in sales and profits. And I asked my prospect to take a quick look at it, saying that it could be the most profitable few minutes he/she’d spent reading in years. (You may want to do this with an e-mail. It should work even better.)
Step #3: Deliver the goods.
I created a second short letter to go out with my sample kits. I introduced myself, and briefly listed my accomplishments… said that in two weeks, I’d be filling my writing schedule for the second half of the year… that I had some intriguing ideas for boosting his/her revenues and response… and asked the prospect to take a look at the enclosed material and call me to discuss it. I told him/her I’d be waiting for his/her call – and if I hadn’t heard from him/her by a certain date, I’d give him/her a ring.
Step #4: Get your spiel down pat.
I spent time thinking about exactly what I would do and say when anyone responded…
I would answer the phone on the third ring – not too eager, not too nonchalant. I would be polite, friendly, and excited that they had called. And I would compliment them on the stuff I’d seen coming from their organization. If they asked, “How much do you charge?” I would say “Depends on the product and the promotion. We can discuss that later.”
I knew precisely what I wanted the next step to be – to schedule a call a few days later to discuss potential projects. And I knew that I’d ask the prospect to send me a “Care Package” – samples of their best promotions, premiums, issues of their newsletter, etc. – that I could study in the meantime.
Step #5: Send out 100 introductory letters and 100 sample kits each week.
Timing was crucial. Every Monday, I mailed 100 introductory letters… so those prospects would get them before their sample kits arrived via FedEx the following Tuesday. At the same time, I overnighted 100 sample kits to the prospects who’d received my introductory letter the week before… so they would get my sample kit exactly when my introductory letter said they would – on Tuesday.
I waited by the phone, not really expecting anyone to call. But a few did.
Some politely told me they had all the writers they needed at the time. I’d say, “Cool! Maybe we’ll have a chance to work together some other time.” Some said they liked what they saw and wanted to know more – in which case, I told them a little about myself, asked what they were looking for, requested the Care Package, and scheduled a call to discuss it all with them in a few days.
Step #6: Make your follow-up calls religiously.
I set aside at least one full day each week to bang the phones, calling all the prospects who should have called me the week before but didn’t. I started with the ones who were the biggest mailers, and worked my way down.
If the person I wanted to talk to wasn’t available, I left a voice message: “Hey, Bob, it’s Clayton Makepeace. I sent you some samples of my work last week and promised to give you a call about them. I’ve got some ideas to boost your response, and can’t wait to share them with you. Give me a call?” I left my number, and said I’d be in all afternoon.
If they answered, I said, “Hey, Bob, it’s Clayton Makepeace. I sent you some samples of my work last week and promised to give you a call. Did you have time to take a look at them?”… and things progressed naturally from there.
Every penny I’ve earned since can be traced to this simple six-step campaign. Scrupulously following this plan filled my schedule with new clients. It also made my name recognizable at the companies I wanted to work for – a fact that paid dividends in later years. And work I did for some of the companies that responded created key turning points in my career, enabling me to hit grand slams that made mine a “household name” in this industry and earned me millions.
IMPORTANT…
1. Everything you write to sell yourself to a potential client reflects upon your ability to sell that client’s product. Take time to make sure each self-promotional communication is also a sample of your copywriting skill. Pull out all the stops.
2. Never let them see you sweat. Coming off like you’re desperate for work only makes you look… well, desperate. Clients assume that if you were any good, you’d already be booked solid. So be ready with a reason why you have gaps in your schedule. Maybe it’s September, and you’re making your reservations for the first six months of next year. Maybe you’ve seen the client’s mail piece, and are so convinced you can do better you’re willing to make room for them on your calendar.
Whether you’re just starting your career or are going great guns, you can earn more – LOTS MORE – than you do now. Put my six-step campaign to work, and you’ll be on your way to a six- (even seven-) figure income as a copywriter in no time.
[Ed. Note: Now, you can get access to a vault full of persuasion and marketing knowledge that can launch your career not only in sales but in any field you choose. Get the details here.
And be sure to sign up for direct-marketing consultant and copywriter Clayton Makepeace's highly acclaimed e-zine The Total Package. It's designed to help business owners and copywriters accelerate their sales and profits. Check it out here and claim four free money-making e-books - bursting with tips, tricks, and tactics that'll skyrocket your response rates.]
Click to comment on this article
Is Today the Financial Turning Point in Your Life?
Right now – this very minute – an incredible, ultra-lucrative opportunity lies in wait for YOU, and I’d like to show you how to seize it.
Can you afford to risk this opportunity passing you by? I guarantee this is unlike anything you’ve EVER seen.
Check out everything for yourself by reading on right now.
ETR Insider Report: One Valuable Lesson I’ve Learned From ETR
Here’s a bit of a riddle for you:
What’s the shortest path to success?
Answer: Failure.
As a longtime reader of ETR, this should come as no surprise to you. But when I first heard Michael Masterson’s secret of accelerated failure, it was like putting on glasses for the first time.
A die-hard perfectionist, I used to stay away from anything with a modicum of risk. Who knows what opportunities I missed out on? But then I joined the ETR team. And that’s when I learned that failure isn’t something to fear. It’s something to welcome.
Now I’m not saying I seek it out. But I no longer get bent out of shape when I fail. Instead, I take a good hard look at what went wrong. And I apply that knowledge to my next attempt.
Take, for example, copywriting. The first sales promotion I wrote was a flop. But – with the help of Michael Masterson and Charlie Byrne – I was able to pinpoint a couple of elements that weren’t working. And my second sales promotion performed much better.
Fail quickly. Study your failures. Apply what you’ve learned to your next attempt. And you’ll reach success that much faster.
I read each and every word of ETR – each and every day. And, just like you, I’m storing up all the valuable advice ETR’s experts give in every issue. I can’t even count the number of new and useful marketing techniques, business-building strategies, health recommendations, and investment tips I’ve discovered in these pages.
Now it’s your turn. Of all the things you’ve learned from ETR, which one has been the most valuable? How have you made use of it in your own life? Just think… maybe the same advice that helped you could change the life of at least one of your fellow readers.
Write to me at AskETR@ETRFeedback.com and tell me about that one important lesson you learned from ETR. Include your name and hometown, and we just may publish your e-mail in Early to Rise.
Click to comment on this article
Are You Being Scammed by This Nutritional Supplement?
By Shane “The People’s Chemist” Ellison
No one’s perfect. Sometimes, even health professionals like me break our good health habits. But I try hard never to break the most important one: Don’t snack. Snacking can really pack on the pounds, so I stick to eating only during mealtime.
Admittedly, this can be difficult – which is why many people are splurging on the diet pill “hoodia.”
Hoodia is “all the rage.” Discovered by a Dutch anthropologist in 1937, it’s been used by the San Bushmen of Africa for many years to curb appetite during long stints in the desert. It was never used for fat loss. But that didn’t stop drug giant Pfizer from investing over $20 million in researching its active ingredient (a steroidal glycoside). Apparently, they figured that appetite control would lead to fat loss – and that Americans would benefit from curbing their hunger during those arduous, hunger-inducing stints at the grocery store.
Wrong.
Hoodia only slightly curbs hunger in obese Americans, probably due to their severe sugar addiction. Still, hoodia hucksters call this a “miracle effect.” In reality, it’s a “pointless effect.” Hoodia’s slight anorectic (hunger-curbing) ability has never translated into significant weight loss. There are no large-scale clinical trials to prove otherwise.
Lesson learned, Pfizer abandoned hoodia and its active ingredient. They unleashed it to the supplement industry – where, ignoring the science (which the supplement industry tends to do), they have utilized the cactus-like plant to scam people seeking an effective diet pill.
Don’t fall victim. You don’t need a pill to curb the urge to eat between meals. The most effective way to do it is by consuming “limonene.” This active ingredient in lemon juice goes great with sparkling water. And it will ward off hunger for a good hour. I use it myself… often.
[Ed. Note: You don't need diet drugs to lose weight and get healthy. With advice from best-selling author and organic chemist Shane Ellison, you can prevent or reverse health disasters like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Learn how to feel better and live healthier here.
And get expert advice on how to get in shape, lose weight, and improve your overall health with ETR's free health e-letter. Sign up here.]
Click to comment on this article
It’s Good to Know: Where Is This Car’s Fuel Tank Opening?
My high school pal Greg and I had picked up the rental car at JFK, driven three hours north toward Boston, and now the fuel gauge was almost on “E.” I pulled off I-95 and into the service plaza, looked down at the gauge again, and headed for the gas pumps.
“Hang on. I think the gas cap is on the passenger side on this car,” Greg said, as I drove toward a pump that would be on my left.
“No, it’s on my side,” I said confidently.
“How are you so sure?” Greg asked.
Turns out I was absolutely sure because of a little trick you might not be aware of. Many (maybe most) late model cars have a little arrow on the dashboard fuel gauge. It points to the side of the car with the gas tank “door.”
“Wow, that’s good to know!” Greg said.
Click to comment on this article
Want Real Career Freedom This Year?
A “job” you love… Plenty of money… Working when you want, and wherever you want. Now, you can have it all. You can even choose the type of business you want to get into, among dozens we’ve fully researched for you. There’s one that will likely fit you like a glove. See for yourself by clicking here…
Word to the Wise: Sojourn
A “sojourn” (SOH-jurn) – from the Latin for “lasting for a day” – is a temporary stay.
Example (as used by Christopher Benfey in Degas in New Orleans): “As chance would have it, Degas’s five-month sojourn in New Orleans coincided with an extraordinarily contentious period in the stormy political history of the city.”
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2008
Similar Articles:
- 6 Steps to Getting Your Phone to Ring Off the Hook With New Clients – New copywriters write me all the time, asking how to get a high-paying gig. A desperate few just wan…
- The Internet Business Is Booming in Europe Too – Here in London for the summer, I’m reading the British business press. Not surprisingly, trends here…
- 10 Words to Close Any Sale – A simple 10-word question. That’s all you need to increase sales, close deals, and cement profitable…
- Persuade Everybody About Anything by Adding a “Pitch” – If you want people to do as you wish, don’t tell them, sell them. This is a simple rule that applies…
- Christmas Predictions for 2009 – Builders make plans. Entrepreneurs make goals. Gamblers make bets. Fools make predictions. I am qui…
- A Low-Cost, Highly Effective Way to Build Your Business – I’m going to share with you a marketing tactic that will, without a doubt, generate more clients for…
- How to Instantly Grab a New Contact’s Attention With Your Answer to One Question – One of the first questions you get when you meet someone at a networking event is “What do you do?” …
Hi,
I have a question rather than a comment. It may have been OK to send email letters to hundreds of prospects in 1979, but isn’t this spam now?
If I send out a handful (not hundreds) of email letters to introduce myself to prospects who might have a use for my service, and to let them know that I will be in their town in the next week, is this spam? Would one such email be spam?
Michelle
I love spam! How on Earth can I find out about something I did not already know about, if I reject all but those sources which I already know about?
If “spam” means “unwanted email”, then you cannot know in advance what total strangers do and don’t want. Send it to one and all and offer them a chance to not EVER get email from you again, the ol’ opt-out option. That’s polite enough.