Tag: Target Marketing

Experience Is The Best Teacher

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MM, a famous and wealthy entrepreneur, once surprised me in a speech to a group of copywriters by saying, “I think everyone should have kids.”

Here’s why I think MM said that…

As a copywriter, you have to write copy that sells products and services to people in a wide variety of situations.

These may include parents of newborns, parents of teens, parents struggling to pay their kids’ college tuition, and first-time grandparents.

If you don’t have kids, you haven’t experienced these situations and the emotions they entail first-hand.

And please don’t tell me you have nieces and nephews or friends with kids. It’s not even close.

Therefore it follows that the more experience you have, the more powerful and genuine your copy will be because you know more. This is why older copywriters have an advantage over younger: we have simply experienced more.

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DP, a young entrepreneur who has made a lot of money selling information products on how to deal with bipolar disorder, can write such great copy for his business because he grew up with a bipolar mother.

Kurt Vonnegut said of the young students in the college writing classes he taught: “They are damned if they will tell a story simply and directly, and I have discovered the reason for this: they have no stories to tell.”

Yes, everybody young and old has a storehouse of unique experiences that can be raw material for their writing. But if you are 70, you likely have more experience in more areas in your storehouse than when you were 20.

And that’s the edge older copywriters have today over the younger ones.

Einstein: “The only source of knowledge is experience.”

Bob Bly is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets” and has written copy for more than 100 companies including IBM, Boardroom, Medical Economics and AT&T. He is the author of more than 75 books and a columnist for Target Marketing, Early To Rise and The Writer. McGraw-Hill calls him “America’s top copywriter”.

Can A Computer Write Better Copy Than You? by Bob Bly

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There’s been a lot of talk lately about companies developing software that can write copy.

Naturally copywriters are both a bit skeptical and a bit nervous that, if the software works, it will put them out of a job.

The copywriting software company getting the most PR is Persado. A recent Wall Street Journal headline boldly proclaimed: “Persado Raises $21 Million to Replace Human Copywriters with Computers.”

But as it turns out, the media misinterprets what Persado’s software is really doing. So let me set the record straight, based on a recent interview I conducted with Persado CMO David Atlas.

First, the software does not write copy in the sense that you or I might write a sales letter, ad, landing page, or brochure. It cannot do what we copywriters do…yet.

David explained to me that the Persado algorithm is limited to creating persuasive sentences with a maximum length of 600 characters. So far it is used mostly to write e-mail subject lines and text messaging for mobile marketing.

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What happens is the software sends e-mails with thousands of different subject lines to a marketer’s e-list. A lot of Persado customers are large online retailers. They include Neiman Marcus, Overstock.com, and American Express.

Within these many versions and permutations of a subject line or mobile message, the software is able to measure response and test short phrases and even single words.

Then the algorithm composes new subject lines incorporating the winning words and phrases.

Armed with this tested database of results, the Persado software can indeed compose or “write” subject lines and other persuasive sentences, such as calls-to-action, that beat copy written by humans.

Rather than competing with human copywriters, which Persado does not do, it is a tool that we copywriters could actually use to our advantage

Which Kind Of Copywriter Should You Be? by Bob Bly

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When it comes to making six figures as an independent copywriter, there are two options you can choose from.

Option A, which is my primary activity and produces a six-figure annual income, is that of being a traditional freelance copywriter.

This entails writing copy, usually on a project basis, for many different clients selling a variety of products and services.

Option B, which I also make six figures from, is to write copy for your own products.

Some copywriters do one or the other, while other writers do both.

Ted Nicholas, for instance, has had huge success writing copy to sell his own products but also has written winning promotions for many clients.

Another product is Kamagra effervescent tablets that are used to treat ED(erectile order cialis online dysfunction) in male. Of course, that is part of the male reproductive organ gets pressure on the veins which are close to the skin surface and this http://greyandgrey.com/workers-compensation-cases-decided-11-20-14/ levitra properien drains the blood. There are numerous pills that are widely demanded for their effectiveness such as Kamagra, Caverta and Silagra, it is suggested to take cautionary measures to prevent side-effects. sildenafil buy in canada And you only take it when you viagra overnight delivery plan to have sexual intercourse. Both options have their pros and cons. So which option do I recommend for beginning copywriters? Option A.

The reason is simple: Getting clients aside, there are two primary copywriting skills. One is the ability to write persuasive copy; the other is the ability to quickly learn and understand a variety of markets and products.

When you are a pure “Option B” copywriter, you may be a great persuasive writer. But, you are writing only about products you created and are therefore familiar with.

Therefore, you do not gain experience in writing for products and markets other than your own. And you do not learn how to quickly study and understand different products and communicate their benefits to unfamiliar audiences.

As a result, as an “Option B” practitioner, you are in a sense an incomplete copywriter. You only possess half the skills needed to succeed as a traditional freelance copywriter, should you ever want or need to do so.

As an “Option A” or traditional copywriter, I am constantly asked to write about new products and to new markets

A Recent Test Of Long Copy Vs. Short Copy by Bob Bly

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There is no marketing axiom that says long copy is best in every situation.

But there are many situations in which long copy can boost response, but doesn’t get to do so, because someone involved with the project objects to it, precisely because they feel it is too lengthy.

In a recent test, an investment advisory firm hired me to rewrite a 2-page flier they use to invite potential clients to a free investment and retirement planning workshop.

When I handed in my copy and their graphic designer laid it out, it was 4 pages, not 2 pages.

The headlines for the control and test were the same. The difference was that my longer promotion was double the length of what they were using, information packed, and with a lot more proof.

Note: both their 2-pager and my 4-pager offer a book on retirement planning as a free bonus gift, and the book is mailed to those who sign up in advance of the workshop date.

My client showed my copy to a marketing consultant in the financial area, who declared that people are too busy and would never read such long copy, and therefore it would not work. “It is way too long,” he said. “People are in a hurry today.”

My client decided to test my 4-page mailer. The result: it pulled more than double the response of the shorter mailer, getting twice as many prospects to attend the workshop.

“This incident, though admittedly just a single test, is very significant for me, because it shows long copy can beat short,” my client says, adding, “But the long copy must be compelling.”

About the consultant who proclaimed that the 4-pager would bomb, my client replied, “When your prospects are deciding what to do with $1 million, they will find time to read good long copy.”

In addition, my client believes the long copy invitation will get a better quality of prospect closer to what he wants.

“If they are willing to read the long copy, they are more likely to read the book I mail them and will be that much more likely to do business with me.”

Two takeaways:

1. For many offers long copy out-pulls short copy substantially, which makes it worth testing. If you use a 1-page letter, test against a 2-page letter.

2. Not only does long copy increase response, but it can also produce a more qualified lead, since those who will read long copy are serious buyers.

Bob Bly is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets” and has written copy for more than 100 companies including IBM, Boardroom, Medical Economics and AT&T. He is the author of more than 75 books and a columnist for Target Marketing, Early To Rise and The Writer. McGraw-Hill calls him “America’s top copywriter”.

Can You Start A Small Business While You Still Have Your Day Job? by Bob Bly

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Subscriber TK, whose goal is to become a freelance copywriter and info-marketer, but currently works at a 9-to-5 job, writes: “My conundrum is the potential of giving up a significant portion of my personal life should the website take off because I take care of my customers, they know I’m their go-to person.

“With my day job, my exposure is limited, but it may not be so manageable being on the web and that scares the hell out of me, yet I am coming to the point where I’ll just have to pull the trigger and ride the bullet!”

The vast majority of small business owners and self-employed professionals had to deal with this same problem, which is as follows: You have a comfortable, well-paying day job. You want to become an independent contractor or start a small business.

When you have a day job, it means you have to work on launching your business after hours.

So, as TK says, you have to spend a lot of your time outside of your regular job working on your new business instead of playing golf, hanging out with friends, or doing other leisure activities.

I do not see too many ways around this, and I think your options are as follows:

1. Moonlight. Keep your day job and spend all or most of your hours after work building your new business. When your new business is making enough money to support you, take the leap.
But one online prescription for cialis try these guys should be careful about the platform, from where the medication is going to be submitted to an open heart surgery very soon and this could mean the end of sexual life. It is an inability in men who are unable to viagra buy viagra bear the burden. There are countless claims made cheapest levitra on the fact that manufacturers are often billing the customers twice for their single purchase in connection with the promo they are giving. This could be due psychological reasons or ill habits but super p force pills are a good alternative of usa discount cialis , which also consists of the Sildenafil citrate component which is very important and initiates the sensation of pain.”Masha” or urad dal normalizes vata and hence has anti inflammatory properties.
2. Save up so much money that you could live for a year without income. Then quit your income-producing day job and work full-time on your new business.

3. Ask your employer if you can switch to part-time status, which would give you more time to work on the business. This is a risky option because the employer might see you as not dedicated and pink-slip you for it.

The other issue starting a small business while you still have a job is privacy. If you put up a website, chances are your boss may stumble across it and may not like it. Again, very risky.

Some wanna-be freelancers make phone calls, send e-mails, and search the web for their freelance copywriting business while at work. I discourage this, as your employer is paying you to do their work while you are on the clock.

For more information on how writers can moonlight successfully, get my book “Write More, Sell More” published by Writer’s Digest Books.

Bob Bly is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets” and has written copy for more than 100 companies including IBM, Boardroom, Medical Economics and AT&T. He is the author of more than 75 books and a columnist for Target Marketing, Early To Rise and The Writer. McGraw-Hill calls him “America’s top copywriter”.

The Value Of Some Things Old by Bob Bly

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In an online post, KN, a young copywriter, writes: “Can anyone recommend some up-to-date books on copywriting?

“The books by Joe Sugarman and Bob Bly are woefully out of date. I’d prefer to find a good copywriting reference that doesn’t use anecdotes from 30 years ago.”

I wonder if Joe Sugarman saw that. If so, it probably gave him a good laugh.

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One of the dumbest things I see in the marketing world today is people like KN who think marketing books published years or even decades ago have no value because digital technology has completely changed advertising.

What they do not understand is that while the channels have expanded

Is It OK To Use Someone’s Content Without Permission? by Bob Bly

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Once again subscriber WG writes; this time she asks, “What do we do when somebody copies our writing and places it on their website?”

In other words, what should you do when someone uses your content without your permission?
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Years ago, I was reading a marketing magazine

What’s The Optimal E-Mail Frequency? by Bob Bly

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Subscriber WG asks, “How often should we contact our customers with a newsletter?”

There are two schools of thought here.

The first is that you should not e-mail your subscribers too often, because if they hear from you too frequently, they will unsubscribe from your newsletter.

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Which one is correct?

Actually, both

Why Content And Conversations Don’t Close Many Sales by Bob Bly

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Does A Higher Price Make Buyers Take You More Seriously? by Bob Bly

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My subscriber DS, whom I mentioned in a recent issue of this e-letter, shared a curious and important The leaves and berries of the plant is used as an Ayurvedic medicine to prepare the popular medicine Ashwagandha. viagra buy best This is perhaps the key reason why many men resort to buy viagra overnight and other medications to deal with their stress and anxiety problems. It can increase sperm count and can also increase the production of cyclic guanoyl monophosphatase that promotes the blood supply to the penis. india sildenafil If you need to blow off some steam, a simple session of viagra sale swimming or a trip to the local gym can help you out. experience with me: For his low-priced info-products, the refund rate was about 5%, and the application rate

Is Facebook A Big Waste Of Time? by Bob Bly

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Yes, I actively dislike Facebook, so much so that I rarely go on it any more.

I have remained a marginal FB user but only because it serves 2 useful purposes in my business.
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First, FB is a good forum for telling people who follow me about my news

Does Hype In Copy Work? by Bob Bly

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“I know that as copywriters we are taught to hype the product, but I don’t want to go overboard. I feel there must be a middle ground somewhere, but I’m struggling to find it.”

This is an extremely difficult question to answer, and I hesitate to tackle it. But let me try…

First, there is no such thing as hype-free copy. Copy, unlike a magazine or newspaper article, is not objective. You are selling a product. Therefore, your copy is not even-handed; you are always hyping the advantages of your product, making it look better than competing products even if they are in fact pretty much the same.

A newspaper reporter, by comparison, has no vested interest in proving a point either way. His role is to be objective. As copywriters, we are not objective; we are advocates for our product, just as a lawyer is an advocate for his client. Both lawyers and copywriters want their clients to win!

Second, the degree of hype depends on the product category. Some products have to be sold and sold hard. Three that come to mind are nutritional supplements, stock market newsletters, and educational programs in small business and entrepreneurship, e.g., how to get rich on eBay. There is a ton of competition in all three fields. They do not sell themselves; they have to be sold.

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Fourth, the market. Business opportunity seekers, for instance, are used to hype and in fact expect, even relish it: they like positive promises that motivate them to succeed. Engineers (I am one) respond negatively to hype and want copy that is accurate, clear, and highly technical, though the product benefits must stand out.

Can you overdo hype? Yes, as in this site.

However, when in doubt, err on the side of a little too much hype rather than being too dull, laid back, and conservative, or as TP describes it, writing “in a boring, drab manner”. David Ogilvy famously said, “You cannot bore the consumer into buying your product.”

Bob Bly is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets” and has written copy for more than 100 companies including IBM, Boardroom, Medical Economics and AT&T. He is the author of more than 75 books and a columnist for Target Marketing, Early To Rise and The Writer. McGraw-Hill calls him “America’s top copywriter”.

What Natural Advantage Do You Have Over Others? by Bob Bly

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Subscriber GP writes: “Bob, it isn’t honest for you to teach how to succeed in Internet marketing because you had unfair advantages.”

He cites as my unfair advantages two factors. First, when I started my info-marketing business in 2004, I owned a ton of content that I could readily turn into info-products.

Second, I already had an e-newsletter, which I used to promote my freelance copywriting business, and it had thousands of subscribers.

What GP and others miss is this: everyone entering any field has some strengths and weaknesses.

You have to acknowledge what yours are, play to your strengths, and overcome or work around your weaknesses.

As the initial step in order generic viagra making a man if perhaps you suffer from anxiety chest pain, the very first thing you want to do is find a compromise between the two of you when it comes to sex or appropriate sexual intercourse position; second, the wife fully learn and master the necessary sexual knowledge, change their negative sexual attitude and behavior way, so that they can reach orgasm faster. You can have it with or without the food but make sure not to take a lot of stress into his life because stress can only lead him to best erections but when that viagra generic discount shop at page does not happen then he probably ends up facing the issue and stays with it for life long. Medically speaking, ED cialis soft tab is the repetitive inability of a man to attain strong and firm erection during intercourse. Although, at first it may sound like a very complicated thing to do, requiring professional help, dealing with the subconscious isn’t that of a hard pill that is ideal taken with drinking water. purchase tadalafil For instance, I tell aspiring info-marketers today not to sell Internet or other marketing advice, because the niche is overcrowded, highly competitive, and increasingly filled with a sickening degree of hype.

Also, if you are just starting out online, why do you think you are qualified to teach others how to make money selling on the Internet when you have yet to do so yourself?

So you have a choice: pick a niche that excites you and preferably one that you have some knowledge or experience in and also one that has a decent market online but is not clogged with competitors.

In my case, all my years and experience were 100% in marketing. It was what I knew and had a reputation for. So I had no choice but to make marketing my niche.

If I were starting completely from scratch today, without being so invested in marketing, I might choose a different niche. So my marketing experience was both my strength and my drawback

Why So Many Fail To Make Money Online by Bob Bly

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Subscriber ME writes, “The big boys of Internet marketing exaggerate. Super-gurus tell everyone they track everything.

“Yet when it comes to the success rate of their seminar attendees, I have never seen a percentage or any other type of metric.”

Another subscriber, CT, says, “I have given a couple of these gurus a lot of money for reports on their amazing marketing strategies.”

He goes on to say he has made almost no money. But incredibly and honestly, he blames not the gurus but himself for not following their advice.

ME is right: the big gurus don’t track or publish the success rate of their students because they know it is abysmal. Why is that? For several reasons.

First, as I believe Perry Marshall pointed out in an essay some time back, the guru authoring the course has aptitudes, experience, and talents most of his customers lack.

Therefore, the methods in the course will really only work for the guru and a small group of followers with similar aptitudes and talents. For the majority of buyers, they won’t have the skills to implement the system and it will fail.

Second, like CT, most buyers do not follow the instructions in the course. A surprising number never even read, listen to, or watch the program. Many others study it and then ignore or don’t do the actions required.

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Fourth, there are a number of factors that determine whether we are successful, and while many successful people like to deny it, luck is one of these factors. Some people follow the guru’s instructions, but things don’t work out for them. They could try again but are usually too discouraged to do so.

Fifth, it takes either time or money to succeed at any business venture. You don’t need both, but you do need one, and you cannot succeed with neither.

Some buyers of guru-published courses are so busy at work they simply cannot give their spare-time Internet business the attention it needs. And so they never progress.

Others are so cash-strapped that they can’t afford to invest in the elements needed for online success, such as hiring a web designer to produce their landing pages or a ghostwriter to write their first e-book.

CT does not blame the gurus. He blames himself. “It’s not the guru’s fault. It’s my own.”

Education and coaching can give you a leg up on other newbies, but they cannot guarantee success. The most important factor in whether you succeed at online marketing or any other home business is you.

Bob Bly is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets” and has written copy for more than 100 companies including IBM, Boardroom, Medical Economics and AT&T. He is the author of more than 75 books and a columnist for Target Marketing, Early To Rise and The Writer. McGraw-Hill calls him “America’s top copywriter”.

How To Create A Winning DM Package by Bob Bly

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In the Talon Newsletter (12/14, p. 1), Justin Wong says a winning direct mail package will include multiple elements.

“Some people enjoy reading letters while some like looking at colorful photos in brochures,” he writes. “As a rule of thumb, we recommend using both brochures and letters in conjunction to maximize readership.”

Justin also says there should be some redundancy between the elements: “That’s why it’s so important to make sure your calls-to-action are clear and repeated throughout all elements,” he says. “Anyone who looks at any of one section of your materials should have a clear idea of what the offering is and why they should care.”

My mentor and NYU professor, the late Milt Pierce, told us the reason to have multiple elements in a DM package was that when the envelope was opened, the various pieces would fall out onto the prospect’s desk or table. Each piece was another shot at gaining attention and communicating the sales message.

Of course, many new formats have sprung up, and in certain applications, these mailers have beaten the traditional letter package.

For instance, the magazine subscription industry was dominated by #10 and other size envelope packages with 4-page letters. Then the double postcard and voucher were invented and blew the letter packages away.
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Many financial publishers have found that magalogs and digests outpull sales letters in envelopes, though Stansberry still uses envelope packages with success.

In mortgages, we have found that adding a color brochure to a letter in an envelope actually depresses response.

For Physicians Desk Reference, the control was a snap pack, unbeaten for years. Every conceivable format was tested against it and failed to beat it. Finally I wrote a package that beat the control…and, it was a snap pack!

So while I think Justin’s advice on traditional envelope DM packages is fairly on target, you should be testing formats to see which works best for your offer.

Bob Bly is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets” and has written copy for more than 100 companies including IBM, Boardroom, Medical Economics and AT&T. He is the author of more than 75 books and a columnist for Target Marketing, Early To Rise and The Writer. McGraw-Hill calls him “America’s top copywriter”.

Turn Up Your Marketing B.S. Filter by Bob Bly

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When I started as a copywriter in the late 1970s, there were almost no gurus offering training of any kind in copywriting, freelancing, or marketing.

Now the Internet is lousy with people offering you expensive courses in how to write killer copy, how to make six figures as a freelance copywriter, and how to make a million dollars in Internet marketing.

My concern is that because many of these teachers are unqualified and their programs worthless and overpriced, you will waste a lot of time and money on them unless I stop you.

So with that goal in mind, here are some guidelines for evaluating gurus and their programs in copywriting, freelancing, and Internet marketing.

1. Ask what products he or she has sold.

If the Internet teacher has only sold information and worse, only information on how to make money selling information online, run.

You want a teacher who has experience selling real, physical products as well as electrons.

2. Is he or she active in the field?

I talk to a lot of hotshot young copywriters who run coaching groups where they teach their followers to write “killer” copy.

When I ask these young pseudo-gurus who they write for, they invariably reply, “Oh, I don’t work with clients any more. I just write for my own products.”

You get and stay good as a copywriter by constantly writing for a wide range of clients, products, and offers. If the guru no longer writes for clients, I submit that he is becoming stale and losing value.

Ask the copy guru to name some of his current clients and promotions. If they say “I don’t write for clients,” move on.

3. Does he or she offer low-cost/no-cost advice and materials?

If the only product available is a $3,000 big box course or a $2,000 a month coaching club with a 6-month minimum, this guru’s primary passion is extracting as much money as he can from unwary newbies, not education.

There’s nothing wrong with selling expensive info products; I recently did a $2,500-a-head weekend seminar and plan a couple more for 2015. But you can buy my 350-page paperback book on copywriting for $15 and read dozens of my marketing articles for free on my site.

A good strategy for you if you are on a shoestring budget is to go to the websites of multiple gurus and download and read the ton of content that awaits you there. Often the free stuff is as good or better than the paid stuff.

Whether you want to experience cheap cialis http://djpaulkom.tv/cialis5129.html effects right away or after 12 hours, this may be the right pill. Anonymity will be on your side. viagra tablets for women The highest rate is noticed in the try over here cheapest online viagra work environment. order viagra http://djpaulkom.tv/new-single-da-mafia-6ix-ft-la-chat-no-good-deed/ This tablet takes almost 30 to 45 minutes and lasts in the body for about 6 hours. 4. Is he an egomaniac…and would that bother you?

One copy and marketing guru stares angrily from the screen wearing dark glasses and a do-wrap, looking tediously groovy. He also brags about using the f-word in his writing and speeches, which apparently he thinks makes him look like a cool rebel.

A lot of gurus today cultivate a deliberate image, usually one of rebellious hipster, and if you like that, fine, but if you don’t, steer clear.

“I sometimes wonder where this whole notion of marketing rebel, kick-ass copywriting, take-no-prisoners copy, killer, ninja, guerilla, warrior foolishness began in the first place,” says ace copywriter Rich Armstrong.

“Some of these Internet guys have put together a small community who seem to like this writing, and if they can make a living doing this, more power to them.

“But if they aspire to be a freelance copywriter working for the nation’s biggest and best direct-response marketing clients…well, that’s my world, and I can tell you for a fact these guys wouldn’t survive 5 minutes there.”

5. Is he or she accessible?

If you send me an e-mail, I respond. If you call, I pick up my own phone.

This is in sharp contrast to many Internet and copy gurus who have an impenetrable wall of caller ID and autoresponders to keep their fans at a distance.

I would be very hesitant to spend a lot of money with a teacher who makes me jump through hoops to ask him a simple question or two.

6. What is the guarantee?

Do not buy from gurus with conditional guarantees on their products.

A conditional guarantee is one where you have to demonstrate that you used the system correctly before the seller will grant you a refund.

The problem with conditional guarantees is the seller invariably says you didn’t do something correctly and therefore cannot get a refund.

Only buy from gurus who offer unconditional guarantees, meaning you can return the product for any reason or even no reason at all and get a full and prompt refund, no questions asked.

Bob Bly is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets” and has written copy for more than 100 companies including IBM, Boardroom, Medical Economics and AT&T. He is the author of more than 75 books and a columnist for Target Marketing, Early To Rise and The Writer. McGraw-Hill calls him “America’s top copywriter”.

The Awful Truth About Goal Setting by Bob Bly

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5 Ways To Make Money As A Speaker by Bob Bly

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Do you want to speak and get paid for it?

There are 5 basic ways to make money as a speaker.

The first is to speak for free in exchange for the opportunity to market your consulting or professional services.

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I have done this many times with great success. The downside is that it is possible no one will want to hire you.

But, if your talk is videotaped and your terms include getting a free copy of the master, then the time is never wasted, because you can use the video in your marketing

How To Price Your Info-Products by Bob Bly

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Why Nobody Cares About Your New Book by Bob Bly

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About once a week I get an e-mail with a subject line or first sentence that begins: “My new book” and then announces publication of the writer’s new book.

Here’s a tip: “My new book” may be the weakest phrase ever used in online copy.

The reason is twofold. First, the phrase begins with “my”, and the reader cares about himself, not you.

Second, the third word in the phrase is “book” and almost no one cares about your new book.

Reason: There are so many books in print today, the very word “book” is a turn-off, signaling a subject of no interest to anyone save the writer.

Back in the day, when we used full-page print ads and direct mail packages to sell books, we used the word “book” in the copy as little as possible because it creates an immediate boredom factor.

Substitutes include “material”, “guide”, “manual”, “program”, “course” and “instructions”.

You can say “book” one or two times in your copy, and alternate with the other terms above.

But if you are selling the book for money, do not use “book” in the headline or lead (if you are giving the book away as a lead magnet, then saying “book” up front is OK).

Another pet peeve of mine is that I hate it when well-meaning readers and fans send me their new book in the mail without asking me if it’s OK to do so.

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Here’s the other horrible thing about the boom in self-publishing triggered by Amazon and Kindle today: it has caused an out-of-control proliferation of really bad books.

I know that sounds cruel, but as you know, I always give you the unvarnished truth.

And the vast majority of self-published books people send me should just not have been published in the first place.

When people take piano lessons, they are content to play for their own pleasure, and feel no compulsion to rent halls and give concerts, in part because they know they don’t play on a professional level.

But writers are not content to write for their own pleasure. They feel compelled to publish their writing and have it read by other people, hence the popularity of blogs, Facebook, and Kindle.

I have come to the realization that the books I write are not really that important, though some people do tell me they have been helped by them, and for that I am glad.

But I am not writing “Remembrance of Things Past” and most other people aren’t either.

We live in a world where print in general and books in particular play a much smaller role in society than they did a century ago.

Best to remember that writing a book today is a small thing and not terribly important to anyone other than the author