Web Two Point “Schmo”
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Been a while since I did Q&A and the questions have been piling up.
Let’s take a whack at a few of them:
QUESTION: Ben, how come you don’t talk more about SEO, PPC and Web 2.0? And how important do you think it is to learn these things?
BEN: I don’t write about those things because I don’t know all that much about them.
Do I think they’re important to learn?
That depends on you.
In my experience (and this has just been in my life — I’m sure others will disagree) it’s better NOT to try and be all things to all people — and not to try and master every single new “thing” that comes down the pike.
Instead, find the few things you’re good at and spend 90% your time honing those skills.
Is this good advice for everyone?
Maybe, maybe not.
Some people can master multiple different skills and keep up with all the latest technological breakthroughs, fads and gimmicks without losing a step.
Not me.
I’ve tried to be a jack-of-all-trades and it just ain’t happen’ for me.
I don’t even bother keeping up with the latest (and ever-changing) PPC, SEO or Web 2.0 (whatever that even means) stuff.
So if you want to get good at those things this isn’t the place to be.
Instead, check out the sites of people who DO know about them.
Guys like Brian Clark and Michel Fortin (who really does seem to have the ability to master multiple skills!).
As well as anyone they refer you to on the subject.
Next question…
QUESTION: I’m just getting going with my copywriting business but I am having some problems with a certain a**hole client. How should I deal with her?
BEN: I think you should just send her check back with a quarter and a note that says, “here’s a quarter, buy yourself some class!”
Seriously.
You’ll put her in her place and feel a LOT better about yourself.
I can almost guarantee it.
Besides, why waste your time and talents on the jerks…when there are plenty of non-jerks out there who need copywriting?
Okay, last question to wrap up…
QUESTION: Ben, I’m new to copywriting and having a hard time with online sales letter headlines. Any advice to get me going fast?
BEN: Yeah — take a look at the stuff you see online…and do the exact opposite.
Yes, I know the conventional wisdom is to seek out online sales letters that work like gangbusters and model them.
But frankly, I think that’s dangerous.
Why?
Because there are a lot of headlines “working” online that wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell selling to anyone else but giant house lists of people who already want the product it’s selling.
If you don’t have that kind of asset in your hip pocket you have to be a little more sophisticated.
Here’s what I like to do:
Pretend you’re selling your product or service door-to-door.
And let’s say you find a house with someone you know is interested in what your product does…but is skeptical and has been visited by a hundred other salesmen selling something similar to what you got.
When that prospect opens the door, what’s the one thing you could say to her that will — instead of making her slam the door on your face — make her practically beg you to come inside to tell her more?
You figure that out and you got yourself a great headline, my friend.
Try it yourself and see.
Okay, that’s it for today.
If you have a question to submit for future Q&A’s Click Here.
Sometimes I wonder how guys like Michel excel at copywriting… and still seem to stay on top of all the tech stuff. It’s amazing.
I’ve occasionally delved into learning new skills just to get something done, but it’s usually only a passing knowledge… enough to get me by.
To restate your advice (which I agree with) in a slightly different way: focus on strengthening your strengths.
I hear ya Ryan.
I hate it when I have to learn some new techno thing.
Even simple stuff like Wordpress keeps me up ’till 2 am.
Bah!
Speaking of which…
For anyone who’s been a victim of the flawed revolving math plugin above, I fixed it.
A lot of times even if you put the right answer in it would still say you had the wrong answer. (So no, your calculator isn’t broken.)
That shouldn’t be a problem anymore.
Hopefully…
Copywriters On The Vital Few…
It’s August 8, 2006, and John Manley writes:Here’s the big point to remember: Decide on ONE self-promotion strategy. Follow it through. I diluted my efforts by going in too many directions. I could have made twice as much money this…
Which reminds me…
Trying to be all things to all people will usually murder your positioning in the market, too.
Just ask K-Mart.
I think when it comes to learning several skills such as SEO, PPC, Web 2.0 marketing, copywriting, etc., it really comes down to highly regimented time management. More importantly, I think it comes down to how much free time you have available due to other obligations such as family and clients. If you’re a superstar copywriter with people begging to be your client, you can cherry pick who you want to work with at high fees and use your extra time to learn new skills. When you’re first starting out in any of the abovementioned disciplines, I don’t think you can really be a superstar in one of these skillsets if you’re learning a bunch of them at once. Make sense?
re Michel Fortin’s multiple tech skills…is he still teaching at his local college or whatever? Being kept on your toes by motivated and informed students can REALLY fuel a teacher’s enthusiasm to burn the midnight oil before stepping up to the podium…
As Mike notes, the time mgt thing is a key component too. Keep asking what is working for whoever are your respected peers and mentors, and then try em out.
I gave the James Brausch TV extermination weapon a shot and haven’t looked back since
Best,
Chris