Copywriters Podcast

When you talk about your product and you get that deer-in-the-headlights look, what gives? In the best of all worlds, it’s simply that the prospect doesn’t understand what you’re saying. And that very much could be because you’re the man or woman who knows too much. I’m talking about the curse of knowledge—when you’ve gotten all this expertise, which you needed, but you forgot to take the next step of simplifying it and putting it into appealing marketing language so your prospect can instantly understand and appreciate the value of what you’re offering. The curse of knowledge is real. But it’s curable. We’ll look at what it is and how to cure it on today’s show. There’s lots to learn, but I recommend my book, The Persuasion Story Code, as a way to use stories to break the curse of knowledge. Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFD2KXNQDownload.

First weekend in May, the #1 show on Netflix was an origin story. Not a real origin story, but a total fabrication for comedy purposes. It was a movie called Unfrosted. It’s important for copywriters for a couple of reasons. The first is the power of a product name. The movie was a totally fictional story about how Kellogg's popular toaster pastries became a hit in grocery stores. It's hardly a spoiler to tell you the name they settled on that led to the big bucks: Pop-Tarts. How they got there is a big part of the totally made-up plot. Also, there's a great cameo by actors Jon Hamm and John Slattery, who play two leading characters in the series Mad Men. In the new Netflix movie, they play out-of-touch New York admen who come up with totally wrong product names. Later in the movie, when they hear the name Pop-Tarts, one of ’em grumbles an admission of defeat: "That'll sell." So that’s the first important lesson for copywriters: Gotta get the name right! But there’s a second lesson that’s maybe

Every day it gets worse–the struggle to get people’s attention. It’s always been hard, but never like this before. Too many things and people are competing for our attention at any given moment. This may seem like a particular problem for copywriters, since we’ve been trained to start every message with a headline or a subject line. Nothing wrong with that, but there is a way of using words that is scientifically proven to get and hold attention better than anything else. And that’s a story. We’re hard-wired at birth to blot everything else out, except a life-threatening emergency, when a good story is being told. So, how do you tell a story in a headline? Or in your lead? Or in your opening paragraph? Without, you know, launching into an old, tired, never-ending hero’s journey story or a nightmare story? Well there is a way, and it’s much easier than you think. Since you’ve already been exposed to it for years without realizing people were using stories that way. The Persuasion Story Code: https

Time to talk about a taboo subject that needs to be discussed: The truly awful clients copywriters inevitably get, and how to set things right with them (or make a Quick Draw McGraw exit)! We’ve all had them. That can’t be changed or avoided. But what to DO about them? That can be learned, from an expert who’s been there, done that, and figured it out! Our special guest today is A-List Copywriter Kim Krause Schwalm, author of the great new book Client Badassery Secrets: How Copywriters Can Earn MORE, Run A Thriving Freelance Business, And Cut Out The Client Bullshit I’ve read it and it’s really good. Kim’s just the right person to write this book, too. She’s worked as an executive with big direct-response publishers where she hired copywriters, and also someone who has written copy for some of the best-known publishers and supplement companies in the world. And plenty of other clients, along the way. Today she’s going to tell us about the seven kinds of clients you meet on the way to copywriting “hel

After you’ve finished your copy, how do you know that you got everything right and haven’t left anything out? There are several good ways to double-check, but I don’t think there’s one more fun than Jack Turk’s Killer Copy Checklist. It’s an 8-page PDF, written and presented like a comic book. But it’s serious stuff, in an easy-to-take form. Today Jack’s going to tell us about the checklist and make it available to you free… free… free of charge. To understand why this is such a good checklist, you need to know a little bit about Jack. He’s our returning champion, and we’re really happy to have him back today! Jack has decades of experience writing for corporations like Microsoft and Kodak, as well as a number of small businesses including dentists, attorneys, even magicians. As the voice of Dan Kennedy at GKIC and many other high-profile thought leaders, his sales copy has generated millions of dollars in sales and he’s now known as the world’s FASTEST Copywriter. Jack was also host of the hig

If you’re a copywriter and you’re itching to build a business, what should you do? You probably have many options. But if you’d like to know whether building your own agency is the right way to go, we have some valuable information for you. Today’s guest, Andy Strote, has built two agencies. The first one, Fireworks Creative, grew from 2 to 30 people in five years. Andy and his partner sold the agency to a large company called Cognicase. Six months later, he started another agency with one partner and one employee. That agency is called Context Creative. After 15 years, the agency had grown to have a staff of 28, and Andy sold his shares to his partners and returned to freelancing. But he wrote a book about what he learned in 20 years of starting, managing, growing, and selling two agencies. The book is called How to Start a Successful Creative Agency, and of all the people I know, he’s the one to write that book! Andy’s going to share some of those lessons and secrets today. Andy’s book: How to Star

Once you can start using stories effectively in your copy, you have for all practical purposes developed a marketing superpower. But don’t stop there. Because the difference between a story and a STRONG story can be the difference between high-test gasoline and rocket fuel. One will get you there faster… but one will get you there a lot faster, and go a lot further! Strong stories are the rocket fuel in your sales copy. And we’re going to talk about 5 ways to make any story stronger today. Develop your superpower with The Persuasion Story Code: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFD2KXNQDownload.

If you wanted to build your own home from scratch, it would be a good idea to talk to someone who’s done that, right? Same thing with a sales funnel that generates a level of income you can barely imagine. How do you build one? My advice is: Listen to our returning champion, Aaron Gentzler. Because he’s been there and done that. Multiple times. For example, Aaron led a team in growing a newsletter business by a factor of 12, from $4 million to nearly $50 million a year. Another example: Aaron wrote a promo in 2008 resulting in tens of millions of sales. His promo was so good that others in the company used his copy as a template, resulting in tens of millions of more sales. More than 10 years ago, when Bitcoin was trading at about $500, Aaron published research urging investors to learn more about crypto and speculate prudently. Anyone who took his advice in 2013 would have increased their investment by more than 100 times. As we’re recording today at the beginning of April, Bitcoin closed yesterda

Today we have a special edition of the Old Masters Series. I’ve convened a “board meeting” of six of our favorite Old Masters: David Ogilvy, Vic Schwab, Joe Sugarman, Gene Schwartz, Claude Hopkins and John Caples. If you’ve read Think and Grow Rich, you know how Napoleon Hill used to have imaginary meetings with dead presidents? Well, this one’s like that, but a little different. I’ve taken actual quotes from these six featured Old Masters and organized the quotes into three categories, to answer the question: How can you improve the quality and response of your video ads on Facebook, youtube and TikTok? You’ll be surprised and maybe delighted to find out that these guys had some wisdom they published before there even was an internet that applies 100% today—and we’ll show you how. Because some things never change. Download.

Last week we had A-List Copywriter Donnie Bryant on to tell us that the era of salesmanship in print is over for copywriting, to be replaced by showmanship in print. He added that knowing how to sell is still a top priority, but today it’s almost imperative that you do it in an entertaining context. Donnie’s right. We’re in an entertainment era, that’s for sure. A couple days ago I was watching a Pulitzer-prize-winning reporter from the Washington Post describe some major breaking news with her prediction of how it would play out in the future in a movie. She started her description by saying, “In the Netflix version… ” Let’s just for a moment go back to the 1970s, when I was a journalist myself. Can you Imagine the summer of 1974, after Nixon resigns, Woodward and Bernstein on with Walter Cronkite, saying, “I think in the movie Robert Redford should play Woodward, and Dustin Hoffman can play Bernstein.” Never woulda, coulda or shoulda happened. In 1974. But that was then and this is now. And here

For years, copywriters have been bowing down to a pivotal moment in copywriting history when John E. Kennedy revealed to Albert Lasker that advertising is, in fact, nothing more than “salesmanship in print.” That happened in Chicago in the early 1900s. Today, a modern-day copywriting visionary from Chicago, Donnie Bryant, says it’s time to update the definition. Donnie is our returning champion. He was on a couple months ago to talk about his great new book, Subject Line Science. But this time, he’s got a new idea that may stop you in your tracks. Donnie knows whereof he speaks. He has generated over $130 million in sales for his clients, which include Agora Financial, Dan Kennedy’s GKIC and Early to Rise. And he has shared the stage with copy legends like Parris Lampropolous, Clayton Makepeace and the other David, David Deutsch. We take a deep dive into Donnie’s stunning new idea today. Donnie’s Book, Subject Line Science: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPRRS2LKDownload.

If you’d like to know what goes on behind the scenes in the world of financial copywriting, our guest today has the inside story. Aaron Gentzler is CMO of Mauldin Economics, a major financial publisher based in Northern Florida. He’s been in the business since 2006 and tells us about his own journey, as well as some of the experiences he’s had training and advocating for younger copywriters. Just as important, he’ll let you know what he has seen that spells bad news for people trying to get their foot in the door in the first place. Plus, he shares in-the-trenches insights about what works and what doesn’t work with stories in copywriting. My book, The Persuasion Story Code https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFD2KXNQDownload.

This is a Manifesto and an Exposé. People ask me all the time what I do in my mentoring of copywriters and business owners. I mean, what did I do to earn the tagline, “The World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach?” I’ve decided to come clean. It’s never been a secret, but now that I think about it, I just don’t talk about it all that much. In dribs and drabs, sure. But never the full monty. Until today. Today’s show is for two types of people: First, anyone who’s interested in the kind of mentoring I do and might want to bring me on as a mentor. But second, anyone else who mentors copywriters or wants to. Look, there are far more people who want to be mentored than I’ll ever be able to work with one-on-one. So if you can take my 10 rules of copywriting mentoring and put them to use with your own clients, have at it. This is an open invitation. To learn more about my mentoring, go to: https://garfinkelcoaching.com Download.

These days, more than ever before, it’s not merely optional that you stand out in the marketplace. For the listeners of this podcast, that is true whether you’re a copywriter, a marketing consultant with a specialty, or a business owner. You need to stand apart from the crowd especially these days because the marketplace is so crowded and getting more so every day. You want to be known for something specific. In the best of all possible worlds, you want to be the “go-to” person for what you do. Brenna McGowan, who is our returning champion today, figured that out and did something about it. Even though what she does is relatively innovative and not the most crowded part of our field, she found a way to stand out, big-time. Brenna’s specialty is pre-launches—warming up your market by letting them get to know you even before your launch begins. That’s what she told us about when she was on the show a couple months ago. But now she’s back to talk about a multi-day virtual event she hosts every few months,

One of the first two books I devoured and then recommended to people who bought my course was by Old Master Joe Sugarman, who passed away two years ago. The book was called “Advertising Secrets of the Written Word.” Just about everything in that book is valid today, and Sugarman writes like a friendly human being, not an imposing overlord of advertising. It’s a very easy book to read, but it is chock-full of detailed, high-powered value. Today, as we continue our streak of Old Masters Series episodes, we’re going to talk about the book and talk about Joe. The good news is, the whole book is available for less than half of what I paid for it in 1999. And I marvel at how much good stuff he was able to get in there. We’re going to cover some of his most important points today. Resources: (same book, new title, better price): The Adweek Copywriting Book, by Joe Sugarman: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0470051248 My new book, The Persuasion Story Code: http://shorturl.at/pzAEQDownload.

Today we’re going to talk about an emotion that gets short shrift in copywriting, but I believe is the most powerful of all when it comes to motivating people. That emotion is: Envy. It’s controversial, because there are so many prohibitions against it. We’ll talk about those today. But it’s also widespread, from solopreneurs to marketing from the largest corporations in the world. Some observers have suggested, for example, that Apple is expert in making its products objects of aspirational desire by creating envy, subtly, in its ads. We have a lot more examples of envy in marketing, some of them very concrete, in today’s show. To find out more about coaching: https://garfinkelcoaching.comDownload.

How do you put together a seven, eight or even nine-figure promotion? (Just in case you weren’t sure, “nine figures” means north of 100 million dollars. And yes, you’re about to meet someone who has written a promotion that took in more than $100 million.) But in fact, there are precious few copywriters who have done all this and will tell you how. However, our special guest today is one of the few who can, and will—and he’s Henry Bingaman. All told, Henry’s copy has generated well over $300 million. He’s written blockbusters for Newsmax, Natural Health Sherpa, and Money Map Press, as well as other top publishers. And just as important to me, Henry is both trusted and feared by those at the top. I can’t think of a better way to demonstrate trust than by what top copywriter Marcella Allison said: “I practically have Henry Bingaman on ‘speed dial’. Seriously. Whenever I’m faced with a difficult choice, or major business or career decision, he’s the first person I reach out to!” And as for fear, it’s the

You can have the greatest product, the greatest headline, the greatest targeting, the greatest offer, and the greatest price. But you know what’s going to torpedo your entire promotion in a New York minute? It’s: if your prospect doesn’t believe you. We covered one aspect of believability last week, but we have some fresh tips today. Because believability is the pass/fail test every ad must pass in order to work. Period. But that’s not the end of the story. In today’s Old Masters Series episode, we draw on the considerable wisdom of the great John Caples, and a new book I just found out about. Unlike the classic Caples work Tested Advertising Methods, this book is readily available on Amazon for the low, low price of $8.86. And the Kindle is even less. It’s called Making Ads Pay, and it’s worth far more than the asking price. In this book Caples has a whole chapter on making ads believable. We’re going to talk more about that today. Making Ads Pay, by John Caples: https://www.amazon.co

You can have the greatest product, the greatest headline, the greatest targeting, the greatest offer, and the greatest price. But you know what’s going to torpedo your entire promotion in a New York minute? It’s: if your prospect doesn’t believe you. Believability is the pass/fail test every ad must pass in order to work. Period. But that’s not the end of the story. In today’s Old Masters Series episode, we draw on the considerable wisdom of the great John Caples, and a new book recommended on twitter/x by a current copywriting master and friend of the show, Doug D’Anna. Unlike the classic Caples work Tested Advertising Methods, this book is readily available on Amazon for the low, low price of $8.86. And the Kindle is even less. It’s called Making Ads Pay, and it’s worth far more than the asking price. In this book Caples has a whole chapter on making ads believable. We’re going to talk about that today. Making Ads Pay, by John Caples: https://www.amazon.com/dp/048648601X Download.

What do the world’s most experienced, successful copywriters really think? What if I could get them all together in one room and ask them to share their best ideas and techniques on specific copywriting topics they know most about? If you’ve ever wondered those things, you’re not alone. Our special guest today, Jack Turk, wondered the same thing. And next week, he’s going to give you an answer, at no cost to you, to hear what some of the world’s top copywriters have to say. Including David Deutsch, Dave Dee, and another David, I can’t remember his name right now. Plus many more! Jack’s going to tell us all about it midway through the show. You should know he has decades of experience writing for the big guys, like Microsoft and Kodak. Plus many smaller businesses including dentists, attorneys, even magicians. As the voice of Dan Kennedy at GKIC and of many other high-profile thought leaders, Jack’s sales copy has generated millions upon millions of dollars. Plus, he’s now known as the world’s FASTEST