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Quick Tip for Writing Copy Quickly
I was writing a landing page last week for one of my new programs, and I noticed that it was taking – well, forever – to get the thing done. Finishing just the first few paragraphs was like hacking my way through a jungle with a pocket knife. It was slow going. Then I...
How to Write Fast
Listen to the audio version of this blog post here: I admit, I'm the last person who should be writing an article about writing quickly. I procrastinate. I get stuck on a paragraph and can't move on. I get distracted, like a minute ago when I felt compelled to...
Marketing Lesson from a Flourishing Florist
I attended a funeral last week. Rather than being a gloomy affair, it was actually a celebration of a long and happy life. I didn't know the deceased well -- (he was my neighbor's older brother) -- but by the time the service was over I wish I had. What a cool guy!...
Which Tweet worked best?
I'm moderately active on Twitter. I follow experts, creative thinkers and other people I like. I reply and retweet fairly often. I even had a long conversation with an author friend of mine using Direct Message (when we could just as easily spoke on the phone!) I also...
Create your crowd
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: Here's something you've probably heard umpteen times before: To market your services, you need to get in front of your target audience as often as you can. You need to give talks. You need to...
Don’t get stuck in the “how”
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: My friend invited me to his Super Bowl party last Sunday. One of the pre-game festivities – besides eating waaaay too many chips – was watching a baseball documentary about knuckleball pitchers....
Become more “find-able” on LinkedIn
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: Last week I was looking for a virtual assistant to help me with a new project. In the past, I would have Googled to find someone. But that's so 2012! This time, I went to LinkedIn, did a search...
Facts are not enough
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: I had an amazing opportunity earlier this week. I was invited to pitch a book idea, in person, to an Executive Acquisitions Editor of a major publisher. That doesn't happen every day! So, as you...
About your “ABOUT” page
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: A few weeks ago, I was looking for a consultant to help me with a particular issue. I asked around, got a referral for "Jane" (not her real name), and then checked out her website. I scanned her...
A simple way to write an elevator pitch
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: Imagine you're a freelance copywriter… You visit a major marketing convention. There are hundreds of prospective clients there. It's the perfect networking opportunity. Someone comes up...
Are you, ah, different?
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: It was my wife's birthday last week. A milestone. So I decided to order one of those wonderfully corny, slightly embarrassing lawn signs and have it secretly set up in the middle of the night....
Should you pigeonhole prospects?
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: I got a lot of questions and comments regarding my Marketing Memo earlier this month – 3 Simple Ways to Stay In Touch. People loved the ideas. But some of you asked whether or not you...
3 simple ways to stay in touch
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: I thought about giving up a few times. It was about seven years ago, and I had been following up with a particular prospect for more than a year. When we first chatted, he seemed to be...
Don’t let this happen. (You might lose the client.)
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: I had a weird experience last week. I needed a change of scenery, so I thought I'd grab a coffee and muffin at my local Starbucks and do some writing. As I placed my order, the guy behind the...
A new prospecting approach. (That works better.)
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: When I started my business in the mid-1990s, I had no contacts. So, in an effort to promote my services to prospective clients, I made cold calls. Dozens of them. Probably hundreds of them! It...
Don’t forget to ask, “What’s next?”
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: See if this scenario sounds familiar to you... You've completed an important project with a new client. He's clearly happy with your work. You're pretty sure he's going to use your services...
How to write a better headline
As you're probably aware, headlines are really, really important. Using good headlines in your emails, web pages and other marketing materials can help boost your marketing results - while using poor headlines can have the opposite effect. So how do you write a good...
How to raise your price (without losing clients)
Click here to subscribe in iTunes; or, listen to the audio version below: A coaching client recently asked me to help him increase his prices – ideally, without losing any of his current clients. During the past couple of weeks, I received about half a dozen...
Next steps
Got a question about which training program or online copywriting course is right for you? Contact me anytime to schedule a quick call.