"Ray Edwards on Copywriting, Internet Marketing, Product Launches - and how to make your business more profitable in any economic environment. "
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By Ray Edwards | June 23, 2009 What good is a “mastermind group”?
Ask Darth Vader.
I mean, for almost a DECADE we all thought Darth was the villain of Star Wars.
And after more than 20 years in the making, the series of movies in the Star Wars saga tells the whole story.
Darth Vader started out as a good guy.
He got off track. WAY off track.
Then, in the end, he did the right thing. Read more…
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By Ray Edwards | May 13, 2009 
Funny story.
Back in my radio days, one of the shows I was in charge of was a morning radio team.
And this particular morning team had a regular feature where a couple of psychotherapists woud come on each week.
When I say a “couple”, I mean it. They were actually a COUPLE, and they were both actually THERAPISTS (can you imagine the dinner table conversations?).
Anyhow, I knew this couple only as characters on this particular morning show. “Judith and Jim” was how I knew them. And I knew only their voices.
Fast forward a few years later.
I had left the radio business, and was at an Internet Marketing seminar.
During one of the presentations, I noticed this couple sitting near the front, and I noticed they were asking lots of questions. And their voices sounded familiar. And their names were… Judith and Jim.
We connected for the first time in person, and we’ve been friends ever since. (Okay, so it was “funny” as in “coincidence” and not funny as in “LOL”).
To continue my story…
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By Ray Edwards | January 1, 2009 
It’s the first day of the New Year.
I should be working on other stuff.
For instance, I have 8 more small business profit boosters to write for you (I’m up to #13 and I promised 21). But…
I felt compelled to write this post instead.
I’ve been reflecting on who I owe my success to in the copywriting and internet marketing world. Because you know, none of us do this on our own. I’m not an island. I’ve been helped by a number of people along the way. And as we move into the new year, I want to publicly thank and acknowledge a number of them.
Disclaimer: making a list like this always opens up the risk that I’ll leave someone out. If you have helped me, and I somehow forget to mention you, remind me privately and I’ll add your name to the list.
Armand Morin. Armand is the guy who has taught me the most about Internet Marketing, and he pushed and prodded me to create my own info-products (I went from zero to over 20 in less than a year) and to get serious about my speaking career. Without a doubt, I recommend Armand’s Big Seminar and his Internet Marketing Newsletter.
Alex Mandossian. Alex taught me how to use Teleseminars to build my business (even though I was a copywriter at the time, my first year using Alex’s techniques easily made me over $100,000). He’s also a man of deep integrity.
Brad Callen. One of my top clients, I am actually involved in a site with Brad and his brother Matt. These guys have been with me as clients for a long time now, and have been a great encouragement to me.
Willie Crawford. One of the first friends I made in this business. Willie and I had some pretty amusing adventures together.
John Carlton. Possibly the world’s greatest living copywriter. I have learned so much from John, I can’t even begin to tell you. I attended a seminar once just so I could buy his “mother of all offers” where he sold a $5,000 box of his materials. Pay attention: I went to a seminar so that I could spend $5,000 with John. That ought to tell you something. I had the privilege of hanging out with John in Vegas recently, and it was the highlight of my trip.
Harlan Kilstein. Killer copywriter and Carlton’s top student, Harlan is also a master of hypnosis and NLP. Harlan taught me how to get paid what I’m worth as a copywriter. Seriously. After attending one of his seminars, I TRIPLED my fees. Thanks Harlan.
Matt Bacak. One of my top clients, Matt was one of the very first people to hire me to write copy. We met because I saw him sitting in the bar… with his laptop! I knew he was a kindred spirit. We’ve done some great things together (recently we did a $3.5 million promotion), and I’ve learned a lot from Matt. He’s also been a good friend.
Mike Litman. Mike was the first Internet Marketer to pay me for copy. He paid me a scandalously low amount of money. When he ordered 2 more sales letters from me, he coached me on raising my prices – on his project! His was the first IM event I ever attended, and it’s where I met my long-term friends (and now clients) Armand Morin and Matt Bacak.
Mike Stewart. Mike showed me “lifestyle business” at its best when he invited me to spend a couple of days at his lake place in Georgia. We played around on the lake, ate a lot of good food, and created a new video product (on copywriting) in his home studio (said product to be released soon).
Frank Kern. I’ve learned a lot from Frank, and he’s hired more than once to write copy for him. Frank gave me my all-time favorite testimonial (it’s a bit off-color, so I won’t quote it here). It’s through Frank I first met John Carlton, Sarkis, Neil Strauss, and a bunch of other “fancy people”. And Frank recommended me to Tony Robbins for some copywriting work – so how could I not acknowledge Captain Kern?
Ed Dale. I actually met Frank Kern and Ed Dale at the same time. They had hired me to write copy for their Underachiever Conference before we ever actually met. What endeared me to Ed first was his love for all things Apple. Instant bonding. And Ed actually gave me the testimonial that ties with Frank’s for my all-time favorite. Since it doesn’t contain the “F Word” I’ll quote it in full: “Ray, I bless the day your copy met my bank account”.
Jeff Walker. The creator of the Product Launch Formula, Jeff taught me the art of Product Launches. I was one of the first customers for the original PLF, and ended up in Jeff’s high-end Platinum Coaching group. Jeff coached me through my first launch (of my own product). Jeff had made me… well, a lot of money. And he’s also a good friend. Jeff credits me with being the first person he’s ever actually paid to write copy for him. I can’t thank him enough for all the guidance, encouragement, and generosity he has shown me.
Jon Walker. Jon is Jeff’s brother. I actually got to know him before I got to know Jeff, and I count Jon as one of my very favorite people. He’s kind, diplomatic, and has a razor-sharp business mind. He is truly one of those “guys behind the scenes” who is responsible for some big stuff in the online world. Jon has given me some invaluable counsel, advice and insight on my own business, and he’s one of the people I love to bounce ideas around with.
Michel Fortin. One of the first people I got to know in the copywriting world, I owe Michel several debts of gratitude. I’ve learned a lot from him about copy, marketing, and online technology (Michel convinced me to migrate from Movable Type to Wordpress, for instance… and was at least partially responsible for getting me hooked on Photoshop). He’s also helped me navigate through a couple of difficult situations, and has unselfishly helped me grow my business.
Sylvie Fortin. Sylvie is one of the most vibrant, determined and principled people I know. She has the courage to speak her mind even when it might be unpopular to do so. I am astounded by her willingness to share personal challenges publicly so that others may benefit. And her keen insight played a crucial role in rescuing me from total burn-out in 2008. Really. I love Sylvie Fortin for these reasons and more.
Craig Perrine. Smart, funny, intelligent, and willing to encourage me in my tendency to sit in the back of the room and cause trouble, Craig is a great friend and a smart marketer.
Kirt Christensen. One of the first people I bought an information product from, Kirt agreed to meet with me not knowing for sure whether I might be a stalker. We ended up become friends and business partners. Kirt helped me form my pursuit of the ideal business: working 20 hours a week and making $100,000 per month. That’s not too much to ask, right?
Eric Graham. I’ve never met a person more dedicated to rigorous scientific testing of copy, marketing tactics, and web page factors. Eric takes the “voodoo” of marketing and makes it science. From him I’ve learned discipline and tenacity. Plus, he flies stunt planes. Yep, upside down, loop-the-loops, and all that stuff.
Christina Hills. Christina is the CEO of “Shopping Cart Queen” – a company that educates online businesses on how to use their shopping cart software. They also teach a lot more stuff, including other software and systems. Christina was crucial to my first product launch coming off well, and she’s helped me in a pinch on more than one occasion.
Stu McLaren. Stu was one of my early clients. I wrote the copy for his Idea Incubator Seminar. I was so excited by it I decided to attend. Stu and I became friends, and through him I met Stephen Pierce, David Frey, Alex Mandossian, Jeff Walker and many others. Now Stu not only is a big-shot Internet Marketer but is now working with his wife Amy to change the world. Bravo!
Mike Filsaime . I met Mike before he was “famous”. We had a conversation outside the seminar room in Denver where Mike told me the story of this new product he was creating called “Butterfly Marketing”. We have remained friends over the years, and Mike recently had me work on the “7 Figure Code” launch with him (which was a blast).
Tom Beal. Tom and I were in a Mastermind Group together for a while, and when we met through that group I only had a vague idea that he worked with Mike Filsaime. Tom and I have laughed together, hung out in the back of many a seminar room, and worked together on a few projects. I count him as both a friend and a great marketing mind.
Joel Comm. Joel and I knew each other a while before we ever did any work together. Joel has been a true friend, and has done a lot to help me as a person and on a business level. Joel got me my publishing deal, invited me to be a guest expert on The Next Internet Millionaire, hired me to write copy, and has been a true supporter.
Andy Jenkins. You know him as the StomperNet guy – and so do I. I’ve written some copy for the Stomper guys (Andy and Brad Fallon). Andy has been encouraging, enthusiastic, and promoted me in places where it counted.
Rich Schefren. Controversial, smart, challenging, and able to wear you down. And that was just my first dinner with Rich! Rich is not only a client, he’s one of the people I’ve learned some of my most valuable business lessons from.
Brian Johnson. You may know him as Schefren’s right-hand guy. I know him as a trustworthy friend and tireless supporter. He’s also a guy who will be there to get the job done, even when other people have gone home.
Ryan Healy, Ben Settle, John Angel and Daniel Levis are all part of a secret mastermind group I belong to. The weird thing is we’re all copywriters. And it’s one of the most profitable and enjoyable groups I’m a member of. This group has been referred to as “The Five Horsemen of the Copywriting Apocalypse”.
Jeanette Cates. She’s organized, she’s diligent, and she’s one of the best teachers I’ve ever met. She’s also fun to hang around with.
Dave Bernstein. One of the first products I ever created, I created with Dave. He’s absolutely nuts about all things audio. And he is smart enough to live where it’s warm all year.
George Callens. George works with Armand to run a $25 million dollar a year company and makes it looks easy. He’s on top of things, he’s in charge, and he’s one of the most stunningly competent people I know. George has helped me sort through some important challenges in my business.
Chris & Jim Howard. I’ve been friends with Jim & Chris just about as long as anyone in this business. They are a continuous inspiration, and “go to” people when I need help or advice.
Dr Mike Woo-Ming. He’s a friend, he’s a client, and he’s an International Man of Mystery.Remember that time you rented that house in Vegas and we all hung out there? That was awesome.
Howie Schwartz. One of the smartest and funniest people I have ever met and someone I am proud to know and call friend.
Yanik Silver. Brilliant marketer, tireless entrepreneur, and peerless promoter. I love the Underground Seminar, and his YSS is brilliant. I’m also inspired by what he’s been doing with the Maverick Brand.
Dan Kennedy. What can I say about Dan that hasn’t been said? I think he mostly invented the info-product/coaching business. He’s a writer’s writer. He lives the life he chose to live. And he seems to be a true genius when it comes to this stuff.
Jason Moffatt. Jason and I are probably about a much alike as East and West – but I count him as a friend, a keen marketing mind, and one of the very best salesmen I have ever met.
Tracy Childers. Tracy and I have held a few late-night brainstorming sessions involving large quantities of what another friend of mine calls “barley pop”. Every time I talk to him, I get about two dozen new ideas. And Tracy is inspiring in his ability to get products created, and his integrity and kindness.
Marlon Sanders. The first marketing product I ever bought was “The Amazing Formula”. It blew me away. Since then I’ve had a chance to get to know Marlon as one of the funniest, most intelligent, and most interesting people I know. Plus, have you seen this guy’s hats?
David Frey. He’s the “gentle giant” of Internet Marketing, He’s been an encourager, a good teacher, and someone I’ve felt inspired by since we first met at Stu McLaren’s Idea Incubator.
Ken McArthur. One of my favorite clients, Ken has been another ardent supporter of mine. He’s someone who is universally loved by everyone who knows him. And he invited me to speak in Orlando in February (Disney, here I come).
Clayton Makepeace. One of my copywriting “heroes”, Clayton is one sharp guy. And Clayton is the guy about whom I have the strangest “how we met” story of all. Sorry, I’m not telling. Not today, anyway.
Mary Mazzullo. She took the pictures that make me look good. Of course, that ‘s what she does. She also got me into the mysterious “Club 33”. And she’s a true friend.
Bob Bly. The copywriter’s copywriter, a scholar, and a gentleman. Bob really got me started down this road, and one of the highlights of my career was being quoted on the cover of “Secrets of a Freelance Writer”.
Mari Smith. First she was my student (in copywriting) and now she is my teacher (in Social Media Marketing). Thanks Mari!
Seth Godin. Some of the most intense learning I ever did, I did at Seth’s office. Thanks Seth!
This post grew as I was writing it.
The truth is, there are so many people I should thank I probably could never write it all down. So please, if you don’t see your name here, don’t take it personally. I love and appreciate you — and if you know me at all, I hope you know that’s true.
Bear with me, I have a couple more acknowledgments: my business could not exist without the support of my family (both near and far).
My wife and son are the two most important people on earth to me. I love you both with complete and reckless abandon.
Finally, and most importantly, I would be nothing if not for the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Every good thing I have (or ever will have) comes from Him.
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By Ray Edwards | December 2, 2008 
Every day you and your employees come into contact with your customers.
For most companies this is a disaster.
Every contact with your prospects and customers is either an opportunity, or a problem. There is no in between.
Question: why do we leave these interactions to chance?
We all instinctively know there is usually a “best way” to answer the phone, greet a customer, run an interview, or deal with a customer service issue.
Yet we (and more frighteningly, our employees) do absolutely nothing to prepare for these interactions. What if you changed that?
Write a script for every interaction you can anticipate with your prospects and customers. This means you’ll have a script for:
Creating a script for each situation-and making sure your employees actually use the script-can make a world of difference for your company.
So get busy. Write your scripts. Know your lines.
And make sure your people know their lines too.
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By Ray Edwards | November 12, 2008 
How many times have you heard self-help or business gurus talk about how they ‘uncovered’ the ‘real secrets’ of success? Hundreds? Thousands?
Right. Me too.
Well, let me save you some money and time. Forget the gurus for a moment.
Here is the real, true, ‘Master Secret of Success’:
Just get started!
Don’t laugh.
The problem most business people, entrepreneurs, and companies have is that they spend far too much time coming up with new buzzwords and management systems — and almost zero time just getting down to the work that needs to be done.
For the individual or entrepreneur, I offer this tactic that will help you ‘get started’ on something that will generate new revenue…
Think carefully about your answer to this question: If you could only do one thing to generate revenue immediately, what would that one thing be?
I really want you to think about this.
If it was a “must” – for instance, if it meant being able to pay the mortgage on your house this month – what one thing
would you do right now? Some possible examples:
Okay, do you have your “one thing”? Great. Write it down. Then…
JUST GET STARTED!
When it’s done, do the whole exercise over again.
I know that right about now you’re thinking, ‘Ray, this is the most elementary, simple, stupid thing I’ve heard all week.’
That’s okay. Try it anyway – and after you have tried it, I’d love to hear from you with your success story.
And remember, you heard the Master Key To Success right here. In case you forgot already, it’s this:
Just get started!
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By Ray Edwards | November 5, 2008 
There is a myth in the marketing world that anyone can write good copy. When this myth is spoken, it’s usually followed by the advice that all one needs is a good swipe file (successful ads of the past that one can “borrow” from).
This myth has always struck me as false — or at least only partially true.
I believe that when it comes right down to it, you must have some writing talent. If you don’t, your copy will not be brilliant. It may not even be good. In most cases, it will just be bad.
I see plenty of evidence that the last is the most common result.
There is another myth that if one studies enough of the right manuals, or attends enough of the right seminars, one can learn to write well. Frankly, if you don’t have some native talent — a “knack”, if you will — I don’t think all the classes, courses, or seminars in the world can help you much.
Stephen King would agree with me, I suspect. In a recent article he penned for the Washington Post, King wrote: “The only things that can teach writing are reading, writing and the semi-domestication of one’s muse.”
So there it is, then.
My opinion is that not everyone can learn to be a great (or even good) writer. Everyone is born with a certain aptitude (or lack of it), and they’re pretty much stuck with that aptitude. They can take classes or be taught to make the most of it, but they are always limited to a certain range in the development of their craft.
What do you think?
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By Ray Edwards | January 1, 2008 
“Ray, what do I sell online? How do I decide?”
This is a question I am asked often, and my answer to this question 
is in two parts. First is an answer appropriate if you’re already selling something online and the second part is the answer for those who haven’t yet decided what product or service you’re going to sell.
Let’s start with the first situation. You’re already selling something — a product or service –online. If you want to re-energize your business you simple find a new product line or service to offer your existing customers. Survey those existing customers and ask them what their needs are. You can use a service like the Ask Database to take this survey. Ask Database is a very simple way to survey your customers and it also offers some sophisticated data analysis tools. Another option is SurveyMonkey, which is not as sophisticated but is easier for beginners to use.
So when you’re surveying your present customers, what exactly do you ask them? You might want to start with something simple. First determine what your category is. If you have an existing business that sells dog training materials for instance you might do a simple survey where you ask your customers, what’s your biggest problem when it comes to dog training? I didn’t invent this method — I have to give credit to Alex Mandossian, who teaches this in his Teleseminar Secrets course.
Now… what if you’re not already selling something online and you’re trying to determine what your product or service is going to be? The answer is remarkably similar. In this case you also want to do a survey, but this time you’re going to survey yourself, your colleagues, friends and associates.
What are you looking for? You’re looking for things that you’re both good at and passionate about. If you can find that combination, you’ll have a much clearer idea of what you should be marketing. Here’s the exercise…
Sit down with two clean sheets of paper and ask yourself this question.: “What am I good at?”
Make a list. Your list might include things like
Don’t make any judgments about which of these things might be marketable. That will come later. For now, just write down a long list of things you’re good at – even the little things, like organizing your daily tasks, keeping your home or office in order, or even playing video game!
On the second sheet of paper, answer this question: “What am I passionate about?”
This list may surprise you. You may have written down that you’re good at keeping your checkbook up to date – but now you may write down that you hate accounting! Don’t worry about it. Just keep writing.
Make this second list as long as you can… then compare the two and see if there are any items that show up on both lists. You want to pay attention because these may be potential areas where you want to focus your efforts.
Now I want you to ask your colleagues, friends and associates a similar question. Ask them to tell you what you’re good at. Don’t prejudice their answers; just get their initial first impressions of what they think you’re good at. Then compile those answers and again go back to your other lists. The things that show up on all the lists will give you some big clues of what you want to focus on and what you want to sell online as a product or service.
I believe that focusing on an area that you’re both good at and passionate about is the best answer. There are those who recommend focusing on where there’s a market need. Those who hold this opinion would say that your personal preference doesn’t matter.
While it’s true that you must be careful not to make the entire decision based only on your feelings, I don’t think it’s wise to disregard them either. Do you want to be stuck with a successful business that you hate?
My opinion is that if you want to stick with your business, to remain excited about it, and if you want the joy as well as the money — focus on something you’re good at and that you’re passionate about.
What do you think? I invite your comments below…
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By Ray Edwards | December 17, 2007 How many times have you heard self-help or business gurus talk about how they ‘uncovered’ the ‘real secrets’ of success? Hundreds? Thousands?
Right. Me too.
Well, let me save you some money and time. Forget the gurus for a moment.
Here is the real, true, ‘Master Secret of Success’:
Just get started!
Don’t laugh.
The problem most business people, entrepreneurs, and companies have is that they spend far too much time coming up with new buzzwords and management systems — and almost zero time just getting down to the work that needs to be done.
For the individual or entrepreneur, I offer this tactic that will help you ‘get started’ on something that will generate new revenue…
Think carefully about your answer to this question: If you could only do one thing to generate revenue immediately, what would that one thing be?
I really want you to think about this.
If it was a “must” – for instance, if it meant being able to pay the mortgage on your house this month – what one thing
would you do right now? Some possible examples:
Okay, do you have your “one thing”? Great. Write it down. Then…
JUST GET STARTED!
When it’s done, do the whole exercise over again.
I know that right about now you’re thinking, ‘Ray, this is the most elementary, simple, stupid thing I’ve heard all week.’
That’s okay. Try it anyway – and after you have tried it, I’d love to hear from you with your success story.
And remember, you heard the Master Key To Success right here. In case you forgot already, it’s this:
Just get started!
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By Ray Edwards | September 27, 2007 
The Story: Britney Spears knows how to get your attention.
The Point: While there’s a lot of debate about Britney’s musical talent, career choices, and parenting potential, nobody can argue that she doesn’t know how to get our attention.
You can learn a lot from a diva.
The Resource: Attention Age Doctrine
Keys To Capturing Your Prospect’s Attention:
1. Be relevant to their lives.
2. Give them more of what they want.
3. Don’t betray their expectations.
Click for the Podcast Audio:
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By Ray Edwards | September 18, 2007 
The Story: Everyone seems obsessed with “time management”, but there is no such thing.
You can’t “manage” time.
The Point: To get past the feeling of overwhelm, you need to overcome procrastination and manage your activities.
Doing so will clear up “space” in your day to get things done.
The Resource: Sedona Method
5 Ways To Feel More In Control Of Your World:
1. Let go of needing to control everything, do everything, know everything.
2. Check email only twice daily.
3. Check voicemail (or return calls) only once daily.
4. Have a Sabbath (day off) each week.
5. Focus on the 20% of activities that yield 80% of your results.
Click for the Podcast Audio:
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