Internet Business Q'n'A
Whenever I travel out to LA or Vegas, I always try and stick to my sleep-and-wake schedule as much as possible, so I’m up super early to finish today’s email…and then I’ll hit the gym pre-seminar.
On most Fridays, I’ll be bringing you a Q’n’A session, featuring the best questions posted on the blog each week. Today, let’s talk copy writing, web set-up, and how to write for your readers.
Q: I’ve been ripped off in the past and am having trouble finding someone to build me a website. Any help? And will you ever be over in the UK? – Darren in London
Answer:
Darren, great to hear from you. As for travel, I don’t have any plans for a trip to the UK this year, but I do need to get over to an EPL game soon.
Now about your site…
I would start by asking your social network for referrals. Same way people find their personal trainer.
If that doesn’t work out, I’d go to a local college that offers web development as a course, and befriend the instructor. Ask him/her to recommend a reliable student. You could even do this at the high school level.
All you’ll need is a simple WordPress site – that’s what I’m using on InternetIndependence.com. (Site design isn’t finished yet.)
WordPress sites can be built into visually beautiful and functionally superior websites. And they are easy for you to maintain on your own with a little instruction.
Trust me, if I can update a WordPress site, you can too. I’m a computer dunce and hate learning techy stuff.
By the way, when hiring someone, make sure you make the “jump through a few hoops” and prove that they can follow instructions first.
Hire slow, fire fast.
Q: Craig, I struggle to write copy that converts, as you say. Is there someone I can hire for this instead? – Elle in Arizona
Answer:
Hey Elle, as I wrote to my Mastermind members the other day…
The truth about ad copy is that you have to learn to write it yourself if you are going to succeed.
This is one of the most important components of your business, whether you are creating a Video Sales Letter, writing emails, or even FB ads.
For now, I recommend you start with “The Ultimate Sales Letter” by Dan Kennedy. It has all the formulas you need to get started and you should have success quickly if you practice.
PS – I’ll have more resources on copy coming soon.
Q: I’ve got a list of 23,000 right now. The disconnect is in really understand who I’m speaking with and what it is that they want more than anything. Thanks so much for your “content” because you really have some good stuff lately. (not that it hasn’t always been insightful but these last ones have already really helped.) – Jerome
Answer:
Thanks Jerome, I appreciate it. Checked out your site, well done.
Great question. There are two ways to approach this.
First, you can build an “avatar” of your readers. This avatar would represent your average reader. I’ll get into more details on that in a future article.
Second, you could picture one person that you actually know, perhaps a friend interested in your content, and write each daily email as if you were writing to him. Of course, you have to make sure that your friend is representative of your target audience.
Tim Ferriss even used that method to write his first book, “The 4-Hour Work Week”. While we were in Arizona in October, Tim explained that he scrapped several attempts at writing the book, and it finally “clicked” when he directed the content to a friend of his who he thought was working too much and deserved more from life.
Those tips will help you. In fact, you could even start doing Q’n’A emails, answering reader questions, until you find the right voice.
Looking forward to hearing about your success,
Craig Ballantyne
“The world does not reward average people so I will be extraordinary.”
Ted Nicholas