Got some interesting “Q&A” today.
Some required longer-than-usual answers.
So no time for dilly-dally, let’s get it on…
QUESTION: I heard you talk about the benefits of going through the best copywriting and marketing courses 10 times at least. How do you get through all that material so many times? I hardly have enough time to get in 15 minutes much less an hour. What is your secret?
BEN: You just have to think outside the box a little.
For example:
Let’s say you bought a copywriting course that is made up of audio CD’s.
But you don’t have the time and/or the patience to sit there and listen to them.
What you do is simple:
You go for a one hour walk each day and… you listen to those CD’s during your walk.
There’s an extra “power hour” right there.
If you have a dog, this is a no-brainer.
If you live near a dog shelter (where they often encourage volunteers to walk dogs who have been cooped up all day) then you can turn this into a “double whammy” good thing.
Plus, here’s how to speed things up even more:
I recently had a long and pleasant talk with Daniel Levis — if you don’t Daniel, you really should. He writes articles for Clayton Makepeace’s site and is a truly brilliant marketer).
And one extremely valuable thing he suggested was to get a decent audio editing program and use it to put your audio course on a slightly higher speed.
That way, you can listen to more content in less time.
Pretty cool concept, eh?
Michael Senoff actually has an interview about this at:
Now, you may wondering what to do if the content you want to study is text — like a copywriting book or written transcript.
What can you do in this case?
Do what Ryan Healy recently did with Claude Hopkins’ “Scientific Advertising”:
Read the book into a digital recorder and turn it into an audio book.
That way you can listen to the book during your hour walk.
In your car when commuting.
Or when working on something mindless in your office.
Heck, if you’re REALLY ambitious, you can do what Ryan did (if it’s public domain, at least) and SELL your recording to other copywriters who couldn’t be bothered with such a task of reading it into a recorder themselves.
In fact, you can buy Ryan Healy’s recorded version of “Scientific Advertising” for $15 at:
Anyway, I think you get the point.
Just think outside the box and you’ll be amazed at what you can get done in 24 hours.
And hey… speaking of Ryan Healy…
QUESTION: I heard John Angel’s and Ryan Healy’s copywriting coaching program is about to open. You mentioned you would be giving some bonuses to those who buy it from you. Was wondering what those bonuses were?
BEN: If you join their coaching program from the link below, I will give you the following bundle of valuable of bonuses:
1. Copy of my “Copywriting Grab Bag” book — $49.95 value
2. One hour consultation on anything I’m qualified to talk about.
Including: Marketing, copywriting, publicity, press releases, audio marketing, affiliate marketing, positioning, selling face-to-face (or over the phone), product creation, book marketing, and anything else I’m qualified to talk about — $500.00 value
3. One individualized (just for you) press release you can fax or mail to the media (along with instructions on what to say and how to use it to get new clients).
In other words, I’ll write the press release for you, and show you how to use and adapt it however you like — $350.00 value
4. The contact info of at least (there may be more) 5 potential copywriting JV partners who I either don’t have time to help, or they sell something I’m not interested in.
These people were LOOKING for a copywriting JV partner just a few months ago. You don’t need any fancy sales letter or verbal tap dance to approach them. They are already looking for a copywriter to work with — or were a few months ago — and are at least somewhat “pre-screened.”
5. Access to all the free bonuses I give customers of Ryan Healy’s “How To Get Your First Paying Client In 14 Days” eBook.
This includes a whole bunch of valuable information about getting new clients. Including a lengthy interview (you can’t find anywhere else) about properly setting up copywriting joint ventures.
All you have to do to get these bonuses is sign up on the announcement list at:
If you buy using that link, and say you found them through me (they will ask before they let you buy), all the above is yours.
Easily $1,000+ in value.
QUESTION: I am a network marketer and am interested in learning copywriting. What do you suggest as the starting point for beginner copywriters?
BEN: You can never go wrong with reading (and re-reading… and re-reading… and re-reading…) the classics first (Hopkins, Caples, Ogilvy, Collier, Schwab, Eugene Schwartz, even Dan Kennedy’s “Ultimate Sales Letter”).
We’re talking less than $200 for all of these books.
And you can probably get them all dirt cheap on eBay.
Also, all the copywriting issues of Gary Halbert’s newsletter: www.TheGaryHalbertLetter.com
Gary Bencivenga’s newsletter: www.BencivengaBullets.com
Doug D’Anna’s newsletter: www.DougDanna.com
If you want to get into the more advanced stuff, you can check out more copywriting course recommendations here:
The key is to find a teacher whose personality and teaching style fits YOUR personality and learning style.
That will always be the “best” resource.
QUESTION: I have a question about the Michael Senoff swipe file deal at www.SwipeFileSecrets.com/senoff
It sounds good but what form are the ads in and how do I access them (Is it all online? Do I download them?).
BEN: You access them in a big, fat zip file of Microsoft Word files. Michael paid to have all those ads typed out word-for-word. It’s perfect if you want to be handed a giant swipe file for less than $100.
QUESTION: Up till now, I have only written copy for my own products but now I want clients. What do I do? I also want to go into Catalog copywriting. Do you think it will be possible for me to offer copywriting services to my clients as well as be into catalog copywriting at the same time?
BEN: Lots of freelancer questions this time. Sheesh!
Anyway, if you want to get clients “the easy way”, then seek out marketers who **already** hire copywriters and ask if they need any extra copywriting help.
Think of the big name marketers you know and hear about.
Many of them hire out their copywriting. They have to since they have so many projects going on.
I would contact them and just ask if they need any freelance help.
Don’t expect them all to answer you back.
But all you need is one or two to get the ball rolling.
As for your catalog question:
I know Jay White does both regular client work as well as catalog projects on the side, plus his own projects.
So it’s definitely possible (and being done).
It’s all about how hard you want to work, and how badly you want it, my friend.
You can learn more about Jay White’s catalog writing methods at:
OK, that’s it for today.
See you next time…
