Is writing for non-profit organizations any different from writing for other businesses or clients? It turns out, the answer is "yes". Because most of the time your "customer" won't receive a product or service when they "buy". And that means you need to be very good at providing the experiences and stories they want in the copy you write. Our guest for the 380th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Shterna Lazaroff and she's got a lot to say on the topic, so stay tune Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...

Brainstorming and creativity are often forgotten in the world of online marketing. We often jump straight into what will convert at the expense of the creative tools used by copywriters working in Ad Agencies around the world. In the 379th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with freelance advertising copywriter Shlomo Genchin about his processes for coming up with creative concepts that attract attention and engage readers and passers-by. Shlomo shared some great tips for finding better, bigger ideas for the work we do. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Full Transcript: Rob Marsh: Have you noticed that the work most copywriters do doesn't exactly fall under the description of creative? Yeah, we write about ideas, hopefully big ideas, but the work of most copywriters is pretty common. It's like all of the other copy in their industry. So here's a test, choose a niche, doesn't matter which one, go to Google, find 10 companies in that niche and open up their websites. Then read the headlines. You can actually do this for the niche that you work in. Every time I do this, I'm amazed that about eight out of the 10 make pretty much the same promise in their headlines.  Now, usually it's something like save time, save money. They word it a little bit differently, but it's basically the same. And then the other two headlines are usually so bland that they're not really making any promise at all. They might be trying to describe what they do, but usually that even falls flat. And it's not just websites. With a few exceptions, ads look and feel the same. Even most content blurs into a vast mass of content schlock.  Hi, I'm Rob Marsh, one of the founders of The Copywriter Club. And on today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, my co-founder Kira Hug and I interviewed creative copywriter Shlomo Genshin. Shlomo writes a lot about his creative process, how he comes up with ideas, and how to think more expansively when developing things like headlines, hooks, and more. It's really the answer to this everybody looks the same problem. It's something that copywriters and content writers around the world definitely need to be doing more of. So we think you're going to like this episode.  But first, this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. That's the membership for copywriters and content writers that includes not just training, literally more than a hundred hours of training on different topics, but actual feedback on your copy, as well as monthly coaching calls from mentors you can trust, where you can get the help that you need to grow your business. I'm not going to share all of the details here. You can find out more at thecopyrighterclub.com/tcu. That's TCU for The Copywriter Underground, where you can join and immediately expand your network of amazing copywriters who are all working to grow and build something bigger together this year. Okay, let's go to our interview with Shlomo. Shlomo Genchin: So I started just like a lot of people, I just started looking for ways to maybe to get rich online. You know, how to start a business, how to make money online. And I came across all those regular scammers that you would see. They would tell you, get rich in 10 days. And I bought one of those courses. And nothing came out of it, of course, because it was kind of scammy and not really possible to apply… to kind of implement all of that.  But one thing I learned there was copywriting. Like the magic of copywriting, you can basically persuade any person to buy anything. And it's so easy. You just need some words. And it's so simple. And I was like, that sounds interesting. I could sell anything in the world, do affiliate marketing, and whatnot. And then I just went to Google and looked up the best co...

How do you get stuff done? What can you do to make sure your goals for the new year don't fall by the wayside. In the 378th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk about their strategies for accomplishing goals and resolutions and what they plan on getting done in the coming year. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. We mentioned a lot of books on this show: The Opposable Mind by Roger Martin The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller Who Do We Choose to Be by Meg Wheatley Breaking Together by Gem Bendell This One Wild and Precious Life by Sarah Wilson Quiet by Susan Cain Bittersweet by Susan Cain 4000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Full Transcript: Rob Marsh: We're a couple of weeks into the new year, and if you're like the average resolution setter, tomorrow is the day you quit. 17 days is the average length of time that goal setters, resolution setters, whoever, stick to their goals. And maybe you've already quit, given up on what you expected to get done this month or this year, or maybe you're still going strong. Either way, on today's episode of the Copywriter Club podcast, Kira and I are talking about what we do to make sure we get stuff done. and some of the goal setting fallacies that might keep you from accomplishing everything that you set out to do. Stick around to hear what we shared.  But before we get into all of that, this episode of the Copywriter Club podcast is brought to you by the Copywriter Underground. It is truly the best membership for copywriters, content writers, and other marketers out there. given the value that you get for the very low price that you pay. There's a monthly group coaching call where Kira and I help you get answers to your business questions, your copywriting questions, whatever. We do a weekly copy critique where we take a look at what you've written and give you advice and insights and things that you might want to do a little bit differently. There are regular training sessions on copy techniques, business practices, everything designed to help you get better. And we even talk about AI and tools and things that you can do in order to stay on top of everything you're doing with AI. And that's on top of the massive library of training and templates that are there. The community is amazing. Lots of copywriters ready to help you with answers to any questions you have, even sometimes sharing leads. Find out more at thecopywriterclub.com/TCU.  All right, Kira, we're here just you and me again. and just chatting. It's the new year. I think I've got some goals of things I want to do. You've got some goals of things that you want to do in the coming year. You must have some. I know you're very goal oriented, but before we do all, before we talk about the new year, before we talk about, you know, what things we're thinking and maybe share some ideas that might help people get more done. If they're thinking about their goals, if they actually made resolutions, if they have a word of the year, any of that stuff. Let's just do a couple of warm-up questions. I want to find out a couple more things about you. Even though we've been working together for six or seven years, it's hard to believe there are still things I don't know. Kira Hug: Yeah, I know. I know. I guess we can always dive deeper in our relationship. Rob Marsh: Here we go. So first question, when's the last time you were really, really scared? Kira Hug: I mean, how scared are we talking? Rob Marsh: That's a good question because as I was thinking about this, the only time I am really terrified is in my dreams. I'm not sure that there's anything that terrifies me. that much in real life. But from my answer, I was thinking, okay, if I take away dreams,

How do you stand out in a world where more than a million people are calling themselves copywriters or content writers? You've heard all the "expected" ways to do it: find a niche, develop a personal brand, create a unique framework or unique mechanism. Those are all great ideas, but in this the 377th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with copywriter and membership strategist Robert Skrob who suggests a very different—and quite possibly better—approach to solving this problem. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy Retention Point by Robert Skrob The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Last time I checked there were nearly a million people on LinkedIn calling themselves copywriters. And almost another million with the title content writer. So how do you complete with two million copywriters? Many of whom are better than you? Hi, I’m Rob Marsh and on today’s episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast Kira Hug and I interviewed copywriter and membership strategist Robert Skrob. Robert says that instead of figuring out how to outcompete everyone else, suggests carving out your own niche so you DON’T compete with anyone else. Creating a space where you’re the only on doing what you do.  He also shared how he created a stead flow of clients to his business using a strategy we’ve never seen used by anyone else. It has nothing to do with LinkedIn or pitching or social media or just about anything else you’ve heard the so called experts say you have to do. Robert only works with high-end clients paying him at least $20,000 a month. He told us his “fishing for sailfish” secret for finding them. You’re going to want to hear what he has to say. Before we get to the interview, I need to take a minute to tell you about the Copywriter Accelerator. But before you tune me out and think, I’ve heard about this before, we’re trying something a little different. It’s called The Copywriter Accelerator Fast Track… rather than taking 5 months to go through the program, you’ll go through the business-changing or business-creating program (depending on where you are in your business)you’ll go through the program in 30 days or less. And because this is the fast track version, it’s the lowest price we’ve ever offered for The Copywriter Accelerator before. You owe it to yourself to find out more at thecopywriteraccelerator.com. And with that, let’s go to our interview with Robert Skrob. Robert Skrob:  It’s my honor to be here. It took, I guess I’m 148 on the list of the most interesting copywriters to talk to. Rob Marsh:   You’re way above that. But, we just haven’t been able to get with you. You’re so busy. Kira Hug:   That’s true. Rob Marsh:   With a such a great business. It’s amazing to have you here though. Thank you so much for being here. Robert Skrob:  I’m honored. I don’t hang out at copywriting events or speak at those things, but I certainly see copywriters struggle and become very frustrated. So hopefully, we can share some ideas that can help simplify this whole business for everybody. Kira Hug:   Sounds great. Well, let’s start with your story first. How did you end up as a copywriter? Robert Skrob:   Actually, back in 1993, I was an accountant at a public accounting firm and hated it. I was there three months and left, took a job as a bookkeeper for a company that did consulting with non-profit associations, and I ended up buying that company about five years later. So, I had 20 associations that I was responsible for doing membership marketing, event marketing, sponsorship sales, and I needed to know how to get this stuff sold. I ran across Dan Kennedy about ’96 and found his how to write a sales letter book. I can remember sitting at my living room coffee table going through that book chapter by c...

Too many of us get caught up in the doing of our business instead of thinking about our business. So for this 376th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we are flashing back to another one of our best interviews... this one from business strategist Jereshia Hawk who went deep on selling to high ticket clients as well as what it takes to truly grow your business. She calls it super thinking. We call it CEO time. Whatever you call it, you definitely want to hear what Jereshia has to say about it. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Things we mentioned to check out: The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Welcome to the New Year. Whether you’re back at your desk today or still taking a few days to ramp back up for 2024, this interview is just what you need… or at least, it is just what I needed to hear to kick off the new year. It is the perfect compliment to last week’s throwback episode with Seth Godin. Because Jereshia is another expert that I love to learn from. When we interviewed her a little over three years ago, she shared a ton of great information about selling to clients with money… what is often referred to as high-ticket sales. And that’s what we focused the title and promotion of that interview on. But we also covered the idea of super-thinking. That is the idea that we need to be creating space for coming up with new ideas and insights and not just reacting to what’s going on. And quite honestly, a lot of us spent the past year reacting to economic issues, artificial intelligence and a lot of other stuff that impacted the way we work. So I think you’re going to like the throwback interview with business coach Jereshia Hawk. Before we get to that, if you want this year to be better than last year, better clients, better projects, and better opportunities, you absolutely need to visit thecopywriterunderground.com and check out the resources waiting for you there. That’s thecopywriterunderground.com. Now let’s get to our interview with Jereshia… Kira Hug: All right, Jereshia, welcome. We want to kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a high ticket sales coach? Jereshia Hawk:   Well, I kind of stumbled my way here. I was an engineer by trade before even knowing this whole online world existed. And I started doing some of my videos, started getting into coaching, just people asking me to give advice or insight on how I was able to navigate my corporate career and how I was able to position myself for upward mobility opportunities in a nontraditional way or in a way that just wasn’t the same beat and path of how you’re supposed to excel in corporate. And one thing I started recognizing during my coaching calls at the very, very beginning, when I was charging $60 for a month of coaching, less than what you would pay for a fitness class, and the biggest thing that I noticed was the transferrable skills that I had acquired in corporate America. I was a lead engineer of a $400 million pipeline project, I was responsible for managing our money on a day-to-day basis, making decisions based off of input and output, and so I understood how money moved from a corporates perspective, but then I also understood kind of a gap that I noticed in the industry, or that I noticed just from people that I was discussing on, how do you effectively articulate your value in a way that whoever is in the other position, the buying decision or the position of authority to make a decision, how do you articulate your value in a way where they get it and that it also correlates to how it impacts the bottom line or impacts the thing that’s most important to them, and how do you position yourself to be able to do that repeatedly. And once I started to recognize that those three things were really my sweet spot and as I started growing in the coaching business,

For the 375th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we brought back Seth Godin. But maybe not quite the way you think. We talked to Seth more than five years ago about creating art, freelancing, and the story you create for yourself. It's such a great discussion, but because it happened so long ago, not very many listeners find it. So for our very first throwback episode, we've pulled this great interview out of the vault and are sharing it again... with a few new thoughts at the end. Even if you heard this interview the first time we ran it, it's worth another listen. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Stuff to check out: This is Marketing by Seth Godin The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Accelerator Full Transcript: Rob Marsh: A little over 5 years ago, as we were approaching our 100th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and I were trying to think of who would be an amazing guest for the 100th episode of the show. There are some amazing—even famous—copywriters who came to mind. It’s too bad David Ogilvy wasn’t alive. He definitely would have made the cut. But this show is about more than copywriting. It’s about marketing and showing up and making a difference in the world. And when we added those considerations to the list, one obvious choice stood out. Seth Godin. You know Seth. He’s been a vocal advocate for making art or as Steve Jobs once said, making a dent in the universe. Much of Seth’s career, certainly for the last decade, has been about encouraging people to make their art. So I reached out to Seth and asked him if he would be our 100th guest. And I think it was about 20 minutes later, I got a reply back. I still have it, in fact, let me just read what he said… he wrote… I can happily do this, but my publisher asked me to not have any new podcast interviews until November. Can we record it soon, but have it come out then? That timing meant that Seth wouldn’t be our 100th guest, but we weren’t about to say no. And in fact, I think the timing actually worked in our favor. As you can imagine, Seth appeared on many podcasts around the same time ours went live—all to promote his new book. But because we recorded 5 months earlier, we didn’t have the book, so our interview was very different from all the others that went live at the same time. It’s been 5 years since we recorded this interview with Seth, but I have to tell you I go back and listen to it more than any other episode. Seth’s advice on making art, owning the work we do, doing the difficult emotional work, building spec projects, and what happens when we don’t do those things is even more important today than if was when we recorded this interview more than 5 years ago. Now… this is where I would usually mention the copywriter underground. I’m not going to do that today because we wanted to give you something as a thank you for being a regular listener to the show. Just after the new year, we launch the copywriter accelerator. It’s not a course. It’s an 8 part business building program designed to help you build a six-figure business that works for you. I’m not going to tell you all the things it includes here. You can find that out at thecopywriteraccelerator.com. But I will share an exclusive code only available to you as a podcast listener. This is the only place we’re sharing it. If you go to the copywriter accelerator.com and enter the code: POD200, you’ll save $200 off the price of the program. That’s POD200 at the copywriter accelerator .com. And you can find far more details about what the program includes there. Check it out. And if it’s a fit, join with the code: POD200. Okay, now we hope you enjoy this incredible interview with Seth Godin. Kira Hug:  Seth, welcome. Rob Marsh:  Hey, Seth. Seth Godin:  Thanks. Great to talk to you guys. Kira Hug:  We’re very excited and honored that you’re a part of our show. Before we start recording,

Copywriter and Publisher of Freelancer magazine, Sophie Cross, is the guest for the 374th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira and Rob asked Sophie why she decided to publish a print magazine in a time when many printed magazines seem to be struggling to find readers and advertisers. She shared what it takes to accomplish such a Herculean task each quarter. One of our big take aways from this discussion is that you may need to do something BIG to stand out in today's competitive world. Publishing a magazine is that kind of big idea that stands out. And this episode may give you a few ideas that you can use to stand out in your own niche or industry. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Important links to check out: Freelancer Magazine The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Full Transcript: Rob Marsh: Want to build your authority? Then you need to be sharing your ideas, insights and content in places where your audience will find you. Linkedin. Instagram. Medium. Twitter. That’s good advice and it has helped hundreds of copywriters rise above the crowd and get noticed by the clients they serve. But if you really want to stand out… the way to do it is by showing up in ways that no one else has thought of before. Instead of posting on someone else’s platform, why not create your own? Hi, I’m Rob Marsh, one of the founders of The Copywriter Club. And on today’s episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, my co-founder, Kira Hug, and I interviewed copywriter and magazine publisher Sophie Cross. Sophie is the publisher of Freelancer magazine, a printed quarterly magazine about the ins and outs of working on your own. As you’ll hear her explain, Sophie wanted to create a platform to help her get noticed. So she started her magazine and we wanted to understand what it takes to publish and mail a 100-page magazine 4 times a year. Turns out it’s a lot of work. We also talked about freelancing in the hospitality industry, creating courses and other assets, and Sophie’s advice for anyone working as a freelancer today. Stick around because this one is pretty good. But first, this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. It is truly the best membership for copywriters and content writers… let me just give you an idea of what you get for $87 a month… first there’s a monthly group coaching call with Kira and me where you can get answers to your questions, advice for overcoming any business or client or writing challenge you have. There are weekly copy critiques where we give you feedback on your copy or content. There are regular training sessions on different copy techniques and business practices designed to help you get better. And we’re adding a new monthly AI tool review where we share a new AI tool or a technique or prompt you can do with AI get more done. That’s on top of the massive library of training and templates. And the community is full of copywriters ready to help you with just about anything… including sharing leads from time to time. Find out more at thecopywriterclub.com/tcu And with that, let’s go to our interview with Sophie. Kira Hug: All right, Sophie, let's kick off with your story. How did you end up as the editor of Freelancer magazine? Sophie Cross: I ended up with the editor because I made the magazine and made myself the editor. Rob Marsh: That is a very good way to start. Yeah. Sophie Cross: I I was already making a magazine, had a little bit of experience in my backgrounds in hospitality marketing before. Yeah. Well, when I went freelance and went freelance, I had the experience making hotel brochures and collateral and things like that. You can only look back at the stepping stones, can't you can't sort of see where they're taking you. I sort of didn't think much of it at the time, but actually now realizing that I had this real passion for printed collateral and things l...

We're talking all about online business myths and what to do when you're struggling in your business on the 373rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. This episode is a Kira and Rob only show—no guest. And they delve into the realities of running a business today. The path is seldom up and to the right (always growing) and often so challenging, you're tempted to get a "real" job or at least something part-time until client work gets steadier. We cover a lot of ground in this one. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Almost no one expects to launch a business and have everything go easily from the beginning, but after a few years, well by then, things should be getting easier, right? Well, not always, and not exactly.  I'm Rob Marsh, one of the founders of the Copywriter Club. And on today's episode of the Copywriter Club podcast, my co-founder Kira Hug and I talk about a couple of business myths. Like the idea that your progress should always be up and to the right. That is that things always get easier and more profitable year after year. Or the idea that replacing clients with products and passive income is easy. or the all-too-common belief that taking a job in-house is a failure. I also talked a little bit about how to prepare for a business downturn. If you struggle to find clients or your business hasn't been growing as quickly as you hoped, you may want to stay around and listen to the end of this episode.  But first, this episode of the Copywriter Club podcast is brought to you by the Copywriter Underground. You've heard me talk about this for the past few weeks. It truly is the best membership for copywriters, content writers, marketers of all kinds. And let me just give you an idea of what you get for what you pay every single month. First, there's a monthly group coaching call with Kira and me where you can get answers to your questions, advice about overcoming any business or client or writing challenge that you have. When we do one-on-one coaching, we charge several hundred dollars an hour for that. it's included in your membership.  There are regular training sessions on different copy techniques. Sometimes that's from Kira and myself. Sometimes that's an expert that we bring in to talk about something they're doing interesting in their business. All of those are designed to help you get better at this thing that we do. We've been talking about new AI tools and ways to use AI in the underground. even new tools, techniques, prompts that you can use to have AI help you get more done quicker. And on top of that, there's this massive library of training and templates. And the community is full of copywriters who are ready to help you with almost anything, including sharing leads from time to time. What an amazing value that is. To find out more of what it includes, go to thecopyrighterclub.com/tcu.  And with that, let's get to our discussion for a few suggestions about how to prepare for the inevitable downturns and hard times in your business.  All right, Kira, just you and me again today. And we're going to talk about a couple of things. But before we jump into talking about recessions and making our businesses stronger and all of that stuff, I put together a couple of getting to know you questions that are maybe a little bit different. Let's start easy. Mountain or beach vacation? Kira Hug:  I feel like we've covered that one on the pod already. And I feel like last time you asked me, I was like, I don't, I don't know. I can't choose between mountain or beach. Because the question stresses me out. So I remember it, but I mean, I would probably lean towards beach if I had to choose. I just, I like both. It's hard for me to choose.  Rob Marsh:  Why does it stress you out? 

Financial Copywriter Sean MacIntyre is our guest for the 372nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We had the opportunity to hang out with Sean at the Copy Legends Lockdown Event and were intrigued by what he had to say about A.I., positioning yourself as an expert authority, and how to get better at copywriting. There's some great advice here that Sean shares from his mentors as well as direction on how to read a sales page so you learn from it. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Small Group Coaching The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  You’ve heard the good and bad about the future of copywriting and content writing. AI is going to take all of our jobs. Or conversely, it’s the greatest opportunity ever to come along… at least for the copywriters ready to take advantage of the new technology. And then there’s the economy, which for many has felt like a recession—in spite of some positive broader economic markers… regardless the ups and downs of the business cycle means there’s a recession coming sometime in the future… whether that’s next year or five years from now. So how are you planning for this stuff? What are you doing to add new skills? And should you get a part time job to hold you over while you figure this all out? Hi, I’m Rob Marsh, one of the founders of The Copywriter Club. And on today’s episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, my co-founder, Kira Hug, and I interviewed financial copywriter Sean MacIntyre. We covered a lot of ground in this episode… we talked about AI and why it may not be the risk some people say it is AND what’s really happening as these technologies develop. We talked about how to protect yourself from a recession and the themes your copy should address to connect with readers in stressful economic times. We also talked about having ideas, how to read a promotion so you learn from it and become a better copywriter, and a lot more. You’ll definitely want to stick around for this episode. But first, this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. It is truly the best membership for copywriters and content writers… let me just give you an idea of what you get for $87 a month… first there’s a monthly group coaching call with Kira and me where you can get answers to your questions, advice for overcoming any business or client or writing challenge you have. There are weekly copy critiques where we give you feedback on your copy or content. There are regular training sessions on different copy techniques and business practices designed to help you get better. And we’re adding a new monthly AI tool review where we share a new AI tool or a technique or prompt you can do with AI get more done. That’s on top of the massive library of training and templates. And the community is full of copywriters ready to help you with just about anything… including sharing leads from time to time. Find out more at thecopywriterclub.com/tcu And with that, let’s go to our interview with Sean. Kira Hug:   All right, Sean, let's kick off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Sean MacIntyre:  Oh, well, I've been writing for money since about 2001. Thanks, mom. And so yeah, I did that to sort of fund my lifestyle at the time. Spent a few years homeless. And so I was actually going to school and writing and working a few jobs on the side there. Did that got one master's degree, then got another master's degree, ended up teaching for about seven years in there somewhere. Then around 2015 while I was actually, helping ghost writing books for business professors, I got a job at a little place called Palm Beach Research Group, which is now called Legacy Research Group in the Agora and MarketWise family of companies. And I got hired as a proofreader. And within three months,

Femtech Copywriter Lanae Carmichael is our guest for the 371st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, and Kira and Rob asked her about finding her niche and framework (which Kira got a little too much pleasure from making Rob name), user testing copy before you present it to the client, and how she landed 50% of the work she did this year from other copywriters. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. A few links related to this show that you should definitely click: Lanae's Website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  What’s your best source of leads? Where do the majority of your clients come from? As you look back on the past year, it’s a question worth thinking about. Do clients easily find you based on your social media presence or your LinkedIn profile? Do you seek out the people and brands you want to work with and pitch them on a project? Or maybe you benefit from referrals from past clients and other people who know you. Hi, I’m Rob Marsh, one of the founders of The Copywriter Club. And on today’s episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, my co-founder, Kira Hug, and I interviewed copywriter Lanae Carmichael. Near the end of our interview Lanae said something that surprised us. She said that more than half of her clients this year came from other copywriters. This isn’t a new idea. We’ve talked about it before on the podcast. But 50% is a big number. Lanae shared what she did to put herself in position to get those referrals and it’s something any copywriter can do. And we talked about a lot more than that. You’ll want to keep listening to this episode. But first, this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. It is truly the best membership for copywriters and content writers… let me just give you an idea of what you get for $87 a month… first there’s a monthly group coaching call with Kira and me where you can get answers to your questions, advice for overcoming any business or client or writing challenge you have. There are weekly copy critiques where we give you feedback on your copy or content. There are regular training sessions on different copy techniques and business practices designed to help you get better. And we’re adding a new monthly AI tool review where we share a new AI tool or a technique or prompt you can do with AI get more done. That’s on top of the massive library of training and templates. And the community is full of copywriters ready to help you with just about anything… including sharing leads from time to time. Find out more at thecopywriterclub.com/tcu And with that, let’s go to our interview with Lanae. Kira Hug:  Let's kick off, Lanae, with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter?  Lanae Carmichael:  All right, so I started out as a marketing consultant at a small TV tech firm, or a marketing specialist. I don't remember what my title was there. But I was very junior on the team, and I was primarily doing their internal communications. But slowly over time, I started working with the COO, and we were doing executive video scripts, and I was doing some change management communications as the small TV tech firm got bought out by a new company. After three or four years of working with that marketing team, I got pivoted into the product marketing side, and that's where I discovered branding and positioning and messaging, and I loved it.  Shortly after that, I had my first baby, and I knew I didn't really want the corporate lifestyle. I had friends that were in the copywriting industry. I didn't really know what the word meant, but I was already doing it. as is the story that so many copywriters have. But I was living in the Bay Area at the time, and there were startups abundant all around. And so I was on Angel's list, and I just started pitching. And pretty quickly, within two weeks,

Copywriter Justin Goff is the guest for the 370th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. He typically works 3-4 hours a day on his business, so Kira and Rob asked about that and what he does to ensure work doesn't creep into the rest of his day. Actually we talked about a lot more than that. To hear what Justin shared, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh: Most of us have a dream of reaching that level in our business where we call all the shots. We’ve got a little bit of money saved, so we’re not dependent on the feast and famine cycle. And we’ve created a business where we only work 3-4 hours a day… when we want. As I said, for most copywriters and content creators, this is still a dream. But there are more than a handful of copywriters who have achieved this. It is do-able. And given the rewards, it’s a goal worth pursuing. Hi, I’m Rob Marsh, one of the founders of The Copywriter Club. And on today’s episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, my co-founder, Kira Hug, and I interviewed copywriter and entrepreneur Justin Goff. Justin is one of those copywriters who has reached that place in his business where he calls the shots. So we brought him on the show to talk about that… what he does while he’s working, what he does while he’s not working, and how he keeps it all going. If you share the dream of working a few hours a day and really taking control of your time, you’ll want to stick around for this interview. But first, this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. It is truly the best membership for copywriters and content writers… let me just give you an idea of what you get for $87 a month… first there’s a monthly group coaching call with Kira and me where you can get answers to your questions, advice for overcoming any business or client or writing challenge you have. There are weekly copy critiques where we give you feedback on your copy or content. There are regular training sessions on different copy techniques and business practices designed to help you get better. And we’re adding a new monthly AI tool review where we share a new AI tool or a technique or prompt you can do with AI get more done. That’s on top of the massive library of training and templates. And the community is full of copywriters ready to help you with just about anything… including sharing leads from time to time. Find out more at thecopywriterclub.com/tcu And with that, let’s go to our interview with Justin. Kira Hug:  Justin, in one of your emails, I think it was from June, maybe it was from June, you kicked off the email and you said that recently there was a thread in a certain Facebook group with people saying that you had quit copywriting or retired or that you had sold all your possessions and moved to Peru. And in this particular email, you wanted to clear the air. And so it was a really fun email where you talked a little bit about what you're doing today in business and life. So maybe that's a good place to start. Did you move to Peru or what are you doing now?  Rob Marsh:  Retirement looks good on you, Justin.  Justin Goff:  Yeah, that was funny. So I actually sent a Peru email on April Fool's Day that I was going to move to Peru and be a shaman. So apparently some people did not catch the April Fool's joke on that.  Kira Hug:  They didn't know what day it was.  Justin Goff:  Yeah, even though it was very clearly April Fool's. But yeah, so for the people listening that don't know me, I used to run a copy coaching program called Copy Accelerator with Stefan Georgi. Uh, I ran that from 2019 to 2022. And then last summer, uh, Stefan and I parted ways. I sold my share of the company to him. Um, and I was kinda just trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Um, luckily I I've, I've been through this before where I'd sold a company. Cause I previously sold a company in 2017,

This is 369th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. And today Kira and Rob talk in depth about writing sales pages. They share their formulas for writing, how they landed their first sales page assignments, and the best ways to improve your skills when it comes to writing sales pages. You definitely don't want to miss this episode. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.     Full Transcript: As content writers and copywriters gain experience and work on different types of projects, many of them express interest in doing less content work like blog posts and more sales copy work. There are a lot of reasons for this. One big reason is that sales pages are closely tied to the sale of the product or service you are writing about, so it’s easier to justify charging higher prices for the work you do. The sales page leads directly to the sale, where a blog post or case study may be a couple of steps away. Hi, I’m Rob Marsh, one of the founders of The Copywriter Club. And on today’s episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, my co-founder, Kira Hug and I are talking about sales pages. How we approach them. The research we do. The formulas we use to write them. And our secrets for making sure they work as promised. If you write sales copy or want to write sales pages in the future, you may want to stick around for this one. But first, this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. It is truly the best membership for copywriters and content writers… let me just give you an idea of what you get for $87 a month… first there’s a monthly group coaching call with Kira and me where you can get answers to your questions, advice for overcoming any business or client or writing challenge you have. There are weekly copy critiques where we give you feedback on your copy or content. There are regular training sessions on different copy techniques and business practices designed to help you get better. And we’re adding a new monthly AI tool review where we share a new AI tool or a technique or prompt you can do with AI get more done. That’s on top of the massive library of training and templates. And the community is full of copywriters ready to help you with just about anything… including sharing leads from time to time. Find out more at thecopywriterclub.com/tcu And with that, let’s go to our discussion for some of what we’ve learned over the past few weeks. Kira Hug:  Well I think it's exciting that we are talking together twice in a row back to back. We've never done that on this podcast. Usually it's like 1 podcast for the 2 of us and then maybe ten later we get back on together. Rob Marsh:  Yeah, it's definitely been a while, if it has happened at all. I'd have to go back through… I mean it's probably because you and I talk to each other a lot, but we don't record those and share those as podcasts. So. Kira Hug:  This is the first. It's never happened.  Rob Marsh:  Maybe we're opening up the doors a little bit to some of our personal conversations here, I don't know, but hopefully people will enjoy what we have to share today. Kira Hug:  Well, it's also snowing here in Maine. It's the first snow of the season. Okay it slowed down. It stopped, but it was snowing all morning. It's absolutely beautiful and it put me in such a good mood, like you just can't bring me down right now. Rob Marsh:  Do you have a blanket and hot chocolate anything by the fire? Kira Hug:  I've been I've been making stew and just drinking hot water. And I'm so ready for the holidays I just drink hot water…  Rob Marsh:  Wait… You're drinking hot water, like not tea? Kira Hug:  I just drink hot water. So I stopped drinking caffeine since London when I got sick because I felt awful anyway. So anytime I get sick, I'm like, “Well I may as well cut out some of my vices because I already feel awful.” So I'm not drinking caffeine.

This episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is all about what we learned from participating in the Copy Legends Lock-in Event, The Top One Mastermind, TCC IRL in London and our own Think Tank Retreat in London. There's something in this episode for everyone, from copywriting tips to ideas for better supporting your clients and interacting with members of your team to be more effective. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   Full Transcript: You’ve heard us talk about the impact that masterminds and events can have on your business. It’s why we talk about The Copywriter Think Tank so often. It’s why we organize retreats and IRL events just about every year. And we don’t just say that because we produce our own events. From the beginning of The Copywriter Club, Kira and I have both belonged to several masterminds from people like Brian Kurtz, Jeresia Hawk, and Todd Brown. And we’ve attended events around the country to add to our own business and copywriting skills. Hi, I’m Rob Marsh, one of the founders of The Copywriter Club. And on today’s episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, my co-founder, Kira Hug, who I just mentioned, talked about the four events we attended over the past two weeks—Copy Legends Lock-in, The Top One Mastermind Retreat, The Copywriter Club In Real Life in London, and our own Think Tank retreat in London. We’re sharing our biggest takeaways and what we learned from these awesome experiences. You’ll want to stick around and listen to this episode. But first, this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. It is truly the best membership for copywriters and content writers… let me just give you an idea of what you get for $87 a month… first there’s a monthly group coaching call with Kira and me where you can get answers to your questions, advice for overcoming any business or client or writing challenge you have. There are weekly copy critiques where we give you feedback on your copy or content. There are regular training sessions on different copy techniques and business practices designed to help you get better. And we’re adding a new monthly AI tool review where we share a new AI tool or a technique or prompt you can do with AI get more done. That’s on top of the massive library of training and templates. And the community is full of copywriters ready to help you with just about anything… including sharing leads from time to time. Find out more at thecopywriterclub.com/tcu And with that, let’s go to our discussion for some of what we’ve learned over the past few weeks. Okay, Kira we are. It's just you and me today. But we've been up to a lot of stuff. Lots been going on the last few weeks so let's let's kick it off you know where do you where do you want to start with all the stuff that's been going on. Kira Hug: Ah I think we should just start with our health… I mean I'm seeing you on the screen and you have a heat pad on your shoulder and you're in pain and I think we should talk about this. We have been traveling a lot and I don't know how we physically do it. Travel isn’t necessarily is what triggered your pain, but I think it definitely triggered my cold. I'm a little worn out. I know you're a little worn out. What's going on with your arm and shoulder right now? Rob Marsh:  Yeah, well we were in London for an IRL event and a Think Tank Retreat but I went a few days early just to do a little bit of traveling around England with my wife and some friends that we have there. I woke up Sunday morning in massive pain. It was the most pain I've ever felt. I could barely move… it was hard to dress myself. It was it was awful and I didn't really know what was going on. I felt a little bit better the next day. Although it hurt all week long I didn't want to go to the emergency room, simply because we were on vacation. We had our friends there then we had the retreat and everything was going on with ...

On the 367th episode of The Copywriter Club, Russ Henneberry joins the show to chat all about SEO. Russ is the founder of theCLIKK, a free daily email newsletter covering digital business topics. He shares strategies copywriters can use to increase website traffic and how they can keep up with the evolving digital marketing landscape. It’s an episode you’ll want to keep handy.  Here’s what you’ll find out:  How Russ went from teacher to marketer and SEO expert.  When he was introduced to the world of digital marketing and SEO. Why skills like content marketing and copywriting are essential in today’s landscape.  The impact of AI on search behavior and the everchanging search experience. What copywriters can do to optimize their chances of ranking in online searches.  How to customize dedicated webpages for various niches to increase discoverability.  What is link building and why is it important? Why your content needs to be thorough and how to create a content strategy for your business.  Paid advertising vs. organic search… How can they coexist? Should you productize your services?  What kind of clients are willing to pay premium rates? The difference between you and the in-house employee.  What is the theCLIKK and how do they leverage evolving marketing techniques to scale? Tune into the episode by hitting play below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Underground Kira’s website Rob’s website Russ's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

On the 366th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, website copywriter and niche extraordinaire, Masha Koyen joins the show. We walk through Masha’s journey from a demanding corporate marketing career to a thriving copywriting business. She shares her “REVEAL” framework, a six-step process that helps her attract high-value clients, and how copywriters can build their business from scratch.  Tune into the episode to find out more about: Masha’s transition from corporate marketing director to website copywriter for interior designers.  When do you know it’s time to pivot or go off on your own? How she unexpectedly gained her first clients and how she markets her business today.  Burnout after 3 months?! How she navigated the early stages of entrepreneurship.  How she decided to niche down both vertically and horizontally. Her methods to delving into her audience’s pain points and challenges.  Where she found clients in a hyper-specific market and how she began to stand out.  The key to finding differentiating factors within competitive niches. Her six-step framework for strategic website copywriting.  The importance of having a framework in your business.  What’s a CEO retreat and how can it benefit your overall well-being?  How can you gain access to higher-level clients?  The impact of The Copywriter Think Tank on Masha’s business.  Tune into the episode by hitting the play button below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Underground Kira’s website Rob’s website Masha's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

On the 365th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Rob and Kira sit down with seasoned copywriter, John Bejakovic. With a background in IT, John made his way into copywriting and now has a daily email newsletter. This episode dives into the underlying principles that make copywriting effective and how copywriters can position themselves in an evolving industry. Here’s how the conversation goes: Why do marketers gatekeep this book? All will be revealed – no gatekeeping here. How a 500-word blog post changed John’s career path.  Why he decided to become a published author on Amazon.  The importance of having an email list. When should you pivot your business? Why an email list is the fastest way to grow as a copywriter.  Should you create a niche-specific newsletter? (plus how to decide which niche to focus on) John’s monetization strategy and how he’s grown his newsletter.  How do magic, persuasion, and copywriting overlap and work together? What’s the push-and-pull technique? Why Jaws is the perfect example of teasing and how to use it in your emails.  How to include anticipation for future emails.  Don’t forget about proof – how it increases credibility. The effectiveness of transparent copywriting.  The future of copywriting and the use of AI.  Tune into the episode below.  The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Underground Kira’s website Rob’s website Join John's list  John's website  Derren Brown's book Tricks of the Mind The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

Lauren Hermann is our guest on the 364th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Lauren is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) turned copywriter who now owns and operates The Copy Clinicians, a small copywriting agency for the healthcare industry. Lauren's journey from scrub life to "scribe" life has led to surprising results and a desire to teach other clinicians how to become copywriters in their niche. Listen to the episode to find out: How writing a book on speech-language pathology introduced Lauren to the world of copywriting.  The two pitch emails that almost landed her a forward by a renowned surgeon. Why we don’t always need a ‘yes’ to be successful.  How to take rejection and thrive.  What do people misunderstand about speech-language pathology? How SLPs and copywriters are similar and how Lauren merges the two worlds.  The importance of looking at objective and subjective data.  How she found her first set of clients on Upwork and through a Facebook post.  Why she niched into writing for SLPs and how it’s helped her build her micro-agency.  Can you pivot and still be relevant to your audience?  The pros and cons of working as a copywriter and SLP.  How The Think Tank has helped her business and improved her copywriting confidence.  We don’t know what we don’t know – how can we build awareness around improving copy for our audience? Hit the play button below to tune in. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Underground Kira’s website Rob’s website Lauren's website  Join Lauren's course waitlist The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

On the 363rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Eden Bidani hops on the show to chat all things conversion, sales conversations, and pitching prospects. Eden is a conversion copywriter and messaging strategist who uses her anthropology background to get to the root message that’ll attract the right customers to the right offer. Tune into the episode to find out: How Eden went from selling cosmetics to writing blogs.  Why she slowly raised her prices and how it built her confidence.  Here’s the truth about pitching and some practical advice you can apply.  Why you need to be emotionally distant from your pitches.  The importance of making promises you know you can keep and how it can impact your business.  Should you start doing this in your sales calls?  How to guide your sales calls while letting your prospect take the lead.  The process for writing an advertorial.  How her background in anthropology has shaped her research process. Are you reading between the lines while conducting research? How her business is currently structured to support her lifestyle.  Messaging vs. copywriting – what’s the difference and how it can be the key to increasing conversions? When you want to do it all, remember this.   Hit play to listen to the episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Underground Kira’s website Rob’s website Connect with Eden  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

On the 362nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Alex Thompson takes the mic to chat all things LinkedIn. Alex is a website and email copywriter who gains the majority of his clients on LinkedIn by creating parody content. You’ll walk away from this episode with tangible steps you can use to create a LinkedIn strategy that works for you. Tune into the episode to discover: How Alex went from teacher to farm worker to copywriter.  Why it’s okay to leave a profession you thought was your end all be all.  Alex’s discovery of The Copywriter Club Podcast, and how it helped him grow his business.  How he uses LinkedIn as his primary source to find clients.  The significance of curating the right kind of LinkedIn feed for your mental state.  How to embrace the “sucky” beginnings of anything new.  Why every copywriter needs to acquire this trait.  Offers you can service and skill stack to gain clients.  What most copywriters get wrong when they start their business. His marketing strategy on LinkedIn and how you can make it your own.  Why you need to be ridiculously yourself on any platform you choose.  What’s in a successful LinkedIn profile? What new and seasoned copywriters need to keep in mind. Not finding clients on LinkedIn? This could be why. Where you need to spend more time on LinkedIn.  How to effectively close sales calls (and with ease). The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Alex's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

  Abi’s early beginnings on Upwork and how she got kicked off the platform.  How she uses Facebook groups to land and secure clients.  Why she decided to invest in herself and her business.  The switch she made from live launching to evergreen launching. The truth behind a “bad” launch and how to learn from it.  How she increased her rates after 30 sales pages and hundreds of emails.  What’s the real reason behind an unsuccessful launch? The power behind having a strategic mindset.  Why you cannot ignore feedback loops and how they’ll increase conversions.  How talking to the wrong people can make great copy fall flat.  Tune into the episode by hitting the play button. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Abi's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

Ali Rector joins the show on the 360th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Ali is a cycle-syncing coach and copywriter who gained her expertise from years of agency copywriting. She sheds light on the importance of not letting your ego interfere with your work and how to build a strong creative process to become the best copywriter you can be. Tune into the episode to find out: How Ali quickly grew her skillset and became a lead agency copywriter Her path from agency copywriter to freelance copywriter. The follow-up email that landed her a high-paying contract.  The ins and outs of the creative process at an agency.  How to communicate your vision to your team. What characteristics make copywriters successful? Why it’s a good thing for everyone to have a different creative process.  How to spark creativity as a freelance copywriter.  Why she decided to pivot into coaching and how she made the transition.  How The Copywriter Accelerator helped Ali build her business.  Why community is absolutely essential as a freelancer The balance between intuition and logic.  The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Connect with Ali The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

Erica Salm Rench is our guest on the 359th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Erica is the COO of Rasa.io, an AI tool used to personalize and streamline email newsletters. She shares insights about the world of AI and how although there’s no slowing it down, how copywriters can use AI to optimize their systems and processes in their own businesses and use it as a competitive edge in a crowded marketplace. Here’s what you’ll find: What exactly is Rasa.io, and how does it work? Why email is still powerful and why you need an email newsletter.  The importance of client feedback and how AI can streamline your process. How to incorporate the use of AI in your business model and packages.  The similarities between a sales conversation and offering value.  Do your discovery questions need a facelift? How to intertwine human relationships with the use of AI.  Need a reason to create a bank of content? Here’s why.  How to repurpose your content and save yourself time and energy.  How to dig beneath the surface and get customer feedback that matters. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Rasa.io The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

On the 358th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re covering all things law and your business. Taylor Tieman, Esq. joins the show to give copywriters actionable steps they can take to legally protect their business. Legal is an unavoidable part of running a business, and Taylor breaks it down in an approachable way. Tune into the episode to find out: The pitfalls of not having a proper contract in place. The difference between owning your copy and the right to use it in your portfolio.  Can you have 50/50 ownership of the copy you write? What is an intellectual property clause and how can you add it to your contract? What if you need to end the project abruptly?  The specific clauses copywriters need to have in their contracts.  When do you actually need to enforce the contract? LLC vs. S-Corp: Which one is right for your business? The 3 most important legal aspects to protect your business.  Why you may need a trademark and the different levels of filing.  AI and legal… A lawyer’s input.  How to better protect your clients’ private info from AI.  What about privacy policies and terms and conditions?  How to be GDPR compliant. Is there a problem with using “re:” as a subject line Hit play to listen to the episode below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Taylor's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

Angela Morris is our guest on the 357th episode of The Copywriter Club. Angela is a makeup artist turned copywriter and digital marketing strategist who teaches her clients how to quiet quit Instagram, so they can save time and energy in their businesses. This episode breaks down her strategy and framework for how to take a step back from social media while continuing to grow your impact and your business. Here’s what you’ll find in the episode: How to solve problems your audience actually is struggling with. Where she found her first set of social media clients in the midst of losing all her makeup industry gigs.  Why you should channel what makes you angry.  Is palatable still sellable?  How she went from writing captions to strategizing business messaging.  The importance of having good perception as a copywriter.  What is Quiet Quitting Instagram? Angela’s strategy for Quiet Quitting Instagram and how it’s affected her business.  Is Kira quitting Instagram? The process of creating a successful package and selling it.  What happens once your static feed is radio silent? What does the data say? Could Quiet Quitting Instagram be for you? Binge the episode by hitting the play button below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Angela's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

Katelyn Collins joins us on the 356th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. With a background in theater, Katelyn has transferred her many talents into the world of copywriting. Now she writes for 7-figure course creators and is a copywriting educator to those looking to improve their writing chops. Tune into the episode to find out: How an actor ignited a passion for email marketing. What are darlings and how can you cut them in your copy? The importance of throughlines and how they build decisiveness as a copywriter.  Katelyn’s inside scoop on what it’s like to work for start–ups.  When diving head first into your business… Where do you start to find clients? The delicate balance between being the dreamer and generator in your business.  What’s really on the other side of uncomfortable pivots and changes in our lives and businesses?  The perspective shift every entrepreneur needs to make.  How to recover from burnout and notice when it starts to creep in.  Is it still worth it to work with course creators? Her perspective on AI and copywriting and what it means for the changing marketing landscape. How to minimize the amount of airtime your negative thoughts get.  The perks of working with 7-figure business owners and a few things to look out for.  Katelyn’s 4 P’s and how it’ll help you land more clients.  Why you need to include potential objections inside your project pitch.  How to be more decisive in your business.  Her method for nipping writing procrastination in the bud.  Listen to the episode or check out the transcript below.  The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Katelyn's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

On the 355th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob take the mic to talk about the 5 critical moves copywriters need to make to build, grow, and scale a successful copywriting business. If this year has got you questioning your business, this episode is for you. Here’s what you’ll learn: How to “flip the switch” in your business.  What successful copywriters know that struggling copywriters don’t.  Why you need to build an operating system to support your goals.  How to define your X-factor… The very thing that makes you stand out.  The steps to create your ideal client and discover the problems they want to be solved. How to find the right pricing model for your business.  Why having a signature service will make you more revenue. The importance of processes and systems and how to begin to build them.  Why systems are the solution to imposter complex.  How to improve your sales skills without feeling sleazy.  The 4 mistakes copywriters are making in growing their business.  How to actually find higher-paying clients who recognize your value. Why you need to implement these 4 levers to make your business run more efficiently.  How to radically change your business in just 5 months.  Tune into the episode by hitting play or checking out the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript:    

Brenna McGowan is our guest on the 354th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Brenna is a social media manager turned email copywriter and launch strategist who helps her clients implement prelaunch methods that generate greater awareness and sales. If you want to create natural momemtum before your launch, you'll want to listen to Brenna's behind-the-curtain insights. Here's what you'll find: Why Brenna transitioned from social media marketing to email marketing. How she repositioned her business in a new industry and grew an online presence.  The process she created for validating her offer and expertise.  Why she niched into prelaunch and how it can benefit the overall launch of a product or service. What’s so important about your “why?” What are you supposed to do after you pivot your business? Being good at things vs being passionate about them.  How Brenna uses the LEAP process to help entrepreneurs find their sweet spot to achieve their goals.  What’s working with prelaunch now? Why you’re really feeling overwhelmed by prelaunch and how to stop it.  How to build your email list before you launch.  Her inspiration behind creating a different style event aka The Voxer Summit. A behind-the-scenes look at her client launch based on her CASE method.  How she packages her offers and positions herself as a strategist.  What if you only have 3 hours before your next launch? The easier way to create natural momentum for your business. Tune into the episode to learn all of this and more. The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Brenna's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  If you've dreamed of building a copywriting business that earns five figures a month, there are certain types of projects that make reaching that goal a lot easier. And at the top of that list of projects is product launches, that is, helping clients sell a course or a membership or another kind of product, with a combination of strategy emails, landing pages, ads and sales pages. A single launch project can pay a good copywriter a lot of money. Hi, I'm Rob Marsh. Kira Hug:  And I'm Kira Hug. And we're the founders and hosts of the Copywriter Club podcast. Our guest for today's episode is copywriter and launch strategist Brenna McGowan. In just the past couple of years, Brenna has become a leader in the launch world, helping clients sell more and teaching copywriters and other marketers how to put together more successful launches. Rob Marsh:  But there's a lot more to a successful launch than a bunch of emails and sales pages. Brenna shared with us how she thinks about the days or weeks immediately before a launch and what you should be doing to prime your audience so that they're ready to buy when you launch. She also shared her thoughts about pivoting your business, validating offers and ethical marketing practices. We think you're going to like what you had to share. Kira Hug:  But first, and speaking of priming your audience so they're ready to buy when you launch a product, which is what we are trying to do, this is part of our pre-launch strategy, hopefully we nail it, the Copywriter Accelerator is coming up soon. The doors will be open soon. This is our signature business-building program for copywriters and content writers where we help you put together the most critical eight components of your business, the eight parts that you need in order to build a profitable business. And we've had success story after success story with some of the most internet-famous copywriters that you may have heard of, and it's coming up soon.

On the 353rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Lindsay Hyatt joins the show to talk about how to make strategic pivots in your business and step into the spotlight with confidence. Lindsay is a copywriter and empowerment coach who helps her clients build a stand-out personal brand. Before she built her business, she worked in radio ads and healthcare marketing, and she was a 5th-grade teacher before jumping ship to start her own blog, so she knows a thing or two about making big pivots. Listen in to find out: How do you know when it’s time to pivot in your business… or life? The steps Lindsay took to meet her salary within a couple of months.  How to create a writing habit and build your portfolio.  The benefits of setting aside your pride and putting yourself out there.  What’s the key to building a personal brand? Her Instagram philosophy for growth and building an audience.  What to do when it’s hard to show up on social media.  General content pillars vs rigid content calendar – which one is for you? How to stand out on LinkedIn.  Why she chose to niche horizontally vs vertically. The reality of creating a new arm in your business.  How to grow your visibility with intention and mindset.  Want to gain clarity and perspective? Follow this step. Why she started a podcast and how it’s shifting her business.  What happens when we challenge our beliefs? The benefits of creating an alter ego and stepping into the spotlight.  How Rob’s email was the tough love she (and we) all needed to hear.  Hit that play button or check out the transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Lindsay's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  There's a saying that gets thrown around occasionally in the business world that goes something like this: We overestimate what we can get done in a day and we underestimate what we can accomplish in a year, which is probably why we often feel like we don't get much done as we work through our days. But when we look back to where we were last year or the year before, we are amazed at some of the changes that we've seen and experienced. Hi, this is Rob Marsh. Kira Hug:  And I'm Kira Hug. Rob Marsh:  And we are the founders and hosts of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Our guest for today's episode is copywriter and copy coach Lindsay Hyatt. Over the past two years, Lindsay has experienced some big changes in her business. As we chatted with her, she shared a few of the things that she's done that made all of the difference: activities like showing up regularly on social media, creating personal connections with their network, and exploring new opportunities for serving her clients. They're small things, but they produce really big results. In short, she puts in the reps, so stick around to hear what she has to share about her business. Kira Hug: But first, this episode is sponsored by The Copywriter Accelerator, which is our signature business building program that we are running in the fall for four months in the fall. And Lindsay actually is an alumni member of that program, so she'll speak to a little bit of that program and the benefits, and you can hear from this conversation how it's helped her in her business. If you have any interest in learning more about that program and the eight-part framework we work through in that program that will help build the foundation of your business, you can learn more at our wait list page, which is at thecopywriterclub.com/accelerator-waitlist. We'll link to it in the show notes so you can jump over there and get your name on the list ...

Chris Mason is our guest on the 352nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Chris is a direct-response marketer who wrote a companion book to Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz called, Breakthrough Advertising Mastery. Chris breaks down his process for writing this book and he gives actionable tips for copywriters can use today. Tune into the episode to find out: What similarities are there between songwriting and direct response marketing? Why you need to build your “sitting down” muscle.  How Chris landed Brian Kurtz as a client and how their partnership grew.  What is the 40/40/20 mix?  The best process for context switching and juggling multiple projects at a time.  How to get better at decision-making and what that means for your business.  Determining your audience’s mass desire and understanding market sophistication.  When do you incorporate a unique mechanism? Two techniques to better understand your audience and their needs.  How to build the stream of acceptance and shift current beliefs.  How to break things down into actionable steps for your audience. What’s a profit partner and what’s involved? Tune into the episode by hitting play or checking out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Chris's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  If you've been a copywriter for more than a few days, you've almost certainly been told that the preeminent copywriting book that you absolutely have to read, maybe even read over and over, is Eugene Schwartz's Breakthrough Advertising. A few years ago when the book was out of print, it wasn't uncommon to see a single copy of Breakthrough Advertising selling on eBay for close to a thousand dollars. And it is a good book, even a must read for serious copywriters, but it's not the easiest book to read or understand. Hi, I'm Rob Marsh and my co-host of The Copywriter Club podcast is Kira Hug, and our guest for this episode is copywriter and marketing strategist Chris Mason. Chris spent much of the last two years writing a companion volume for Eugene Schwartz's book called Breakthrough Advertising Mastery. It makes learning the concepts that Eugene Schwartz taught in that book a lot easier to learn. And Chris tell us which concepts of the book he thinks are most important during this interview. He also shared his thoughts about songwriting, juggling multiple large projects at the same time, and what it takes to help shift a prospect's belief so they can buy. Kira Hug:  But first, this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator, which is actually coming up pretty soon. We have a nice little wait list you can jump on that we'll link to if you have any interest in this program. And hopefully you do have some interest in this program. Rob, why should someone listening be interested in this program? Rob Marsh:  So if you are a new copywriter, a newish copywriter, or a copywriter that is trying to make a shift in your business in some way, we've actually designed this to help you go through all of those steps so that you can lay the foundation for successful business, including figuring out what niche you serve, who your exact ideal client is, what kinds of services and products they will actually buy, how you position yourself so that they want to hear from you, how you get yourself out into the world, how you price things. All of that is wrapped up into this one, I don't want to call it a course because it's not really a course, but it's a cohort based group program you go through with several other copywriters, all who are working through the same assignments.

Jess Kelly is our guest on the 351st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. She is a copywriter who helps conscientious brands build authentic and true-to-them businesses through brand and marketing strategies. From shifts in careers and misdiagnoses, Jess’s journey highlights the benefits of personal growth and becoming different and new versions of yourself along the way. Listen to the episode to find out: Why Jess dropped out of journalism.  Experimentation vs expectation – why does it matter?  The permission slip you need to give yourself – like yesterday.  How she fell into copywriting and her career paths to get there.  The 10-minute call that landed her inside of The Copywriter Accelerator.  What’s the secret to building better interview skills?  Why you need to start showing up and how it’s going to pay off.  The diagnoses that helped Jess make sense of her identity and experience.  How to connect with more people in your network.  What kinds of relationships should we really be building?  The best thing about becoming a new version of yourself.  Tune into the episode by hitting play or checking out the transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Jess's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Connecting with others and creating a relationship with the people around you is a critical part of building a sustainable copywriting business. If you're not connecting regularly with people that you might work with someday, you will eventually run out of clients. To talk about how we don't let that happen to you, and speaking of creating connections and relationships, hi, we're Rob Marsh and Kira Hug, the hosts of the Copywriter Club Podcast. And Kira, I'm pretty sure that's the very first time we've ever said our names in the intro. Kira Hug:  Yeah, I'm, Kira Hug. It feels good to finally share that with the world. Why did it take us so long? Rob Marsh:  350 episodes and we've been hiding back there. But now that we've established this relationship, we're thrilled to introduce our guest for this episode, who is copywriter, Jess Kelly. And Jess shared how she discovered copywriting, how neurodiversity impacts how she works and sees the world, and what she does to connect with others in this interview. It's an activity that attracts new clients to her business and an idea that we can all steal or borrow and use in our own businesses. Stick around to hear what Jess shared. Kira Hug:  But first, this episode is sponsored by the Copywriter Accelerator, which is our business building system that we put together for copywriters and content writers like you to figure out how to put the foundation of your business together so that you know how to attract the right clients. You know what to focus on in your business. You have your positioning dialed in, so what makes you different from every other writer out there. Your signature package and even a starter package that you can sell and introduce to the world. You've nailed down your pricing, you know how to show up and where to show up to build your visibility and so much more. And so it's really everything you need to run and grow a copywriting business. And it's all one program, so you get all of it bundled together, and Rob and I walk you through the entire program along with an incredible group of generous writers who will do it alongside you. So we're kicking that off in just a few weeks. And if you have any interest or you've heard about it before and you want to learn more about the Copywriter Accelerator, you can learn more at thecopywriteraccelerator.

350 episodes and over 1.5 million downloads later, Rob and Kira sit down to chat about... pitching (and phones?). From setting intentions for a new season to setting your business up for success in Q3, you'll walk away from this episode with ideas and actionable steps you can use right now  in your business. Catch up with Rob and Kira to find out: The sure-fire way to gain clients in Q3.  How Kira’s flip-phone project is going. Creating a theme for a new season.  What summer on this side of the globe means for Rob and Kira. What’s new with TCC this summer? The do’s and don’t’s of pitching and why copywriters need to focus on this instead.  Is your ego getting in the way of new clients? What business activities can help you come out of a slow season? How are copywriters getting paid right now? What’s new on the AI for Creative Entrepreneurs podcast? The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Underground Annual Membership --> Get P7 for Free The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  I am Rob Marsh. Kira Hug:  I am Kira Hug, and we are the host of the Copywriter Club podcast. We are the host who did not introduce ourselves for 350 episodes or at least 340 episodes. We did not ever introduce ourselves. Rob Marsh:  We fixed that. We're here. This is just a conversation between you and me, Kira and Rob, and hopefully if you're tuning into this episode, you're interested in some of the updates that we have coming up, but we also want to talk a little bit about what's going on in the economy and the industry and what's working for people right now. We'll get to that in just a minute as well. Kira, let's kick this off. I was talking to our team just the other day. We literally hit 80 degrees for maybe the second time this year a couple days ago, Summer finally started here. Let's just talk about our summer plans. What's going on with you this summer? Kira Hug:  Yeah, I will have some travel in July. I know you and I are both traveling in July and my travel includes actually staying within my state and staying at a couple cabins in Maine, in the woods and just having more of a rustic experience. I know you have a trip. I think the same week I'm gone. I don't even know where you're going. Rob Marsh:  My daughter is playing in Junior Olympics water polo tournament. We are going to turn that travel into a little bit of a beach vacation. We're going to spend a couple days at the beach, maybe check out an amusement park one day. My kids are older. The Disney Land, Disney World type thing doesn't really work for us anymore. Kira Hug:  That's so sad. Rob Marsh:  Rollercoasters are still fun and paying for overpriced amusement park food, we might do that one day, but I think we're going to spend a lot of time sitting with our toes in the sand listening to the waves crash on the beach because we don't get that here a whole lot in Salt Lake. Kira Hug:  Yeah, that'll be nice. It's really sad to think that they've already outgrown Disney like that. I don't know, that crushes me. Rob Marsh:  It happens, but it's good. Different things, different strokes for different times of life. It'll just be me, my daughters and my wife and I will be sitting on the beach reading, splashing around a little bit and having a good time. Kira Hug:  What is your vacation style. When you're on vacation, some people are really well planned and they have every moment planned, lots of activities. Some people just kick back and just want to chill on the sofa with the book. Rob Marsh:  I'm the chill. I do not love to go into it with tons of plans.

On the 349th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Michelle Pollack joins the show to completely shatter your perception of the inner critic and how something as “simple” as values can truly change how you show up in your life and business. Michelle is an Executive and Leadership Coach who shares her expertise in how to give yourself permission to play bigger and live the life you desire. Follow along to find out: How Michelle was able to change the neural pathways in her brain. What to do when the “is this all there is” feeling pops up and how to step out of it.  The importance of values and how to define them for yourself.  Can you have too many values and how to prioritize values for different seasons of life?  Is there such a thing as balance?  How to LIVE within your values once you’ve actually identified them despite life’s responsibilities.  The #1 barrier to facing your own inner critic.  7 ways the inner critic could be showing up in your life. How to create awareness around your inner critic. The critical component of working through your inner critic. What’s a “why” and how do you create one? What does compassion got to do with your inner critic? Why is messy action better than no action? The reality of shifting into new identities.  How are you supposed to sit in difficult emotions? Leadership vs power: what’s the difference? How to lead with your values.  Tune into the episode by hitting play or reading the transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Michelle's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  At some point in your business or life you've probably thought a bit about your values. What's really important to you as a human, as a copywriter, maybe as a parent or a friend or a sibling, or any of the other roles that you fill in your life. What's really important? Some of the stuff isn't easy to figure out, it takes time and deep thinking, and that's why we invited our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast to join us, that's Michelle Pollack, and Michelle is a leadership and mindset coach for executives. We asked her about figuring out our values, setting the right goals and dealing with the inner critic that won't leave us alone, and her answers are directly applicable to your business and success. Kira Hug:  But first, this episode is brought to you by the P7 Client Attraction Pipeline, which is our client acquisition system. And anytime we survey our community of lovely copywriters, we ask you what do you want? And you say, I need help finding clients, I need a prospecting system. So we put it together and we continue to improve and add to it so that it works for copywriters based on what's happening in the marketplace today. And inside the Pipeline Prospecting System we have over 21 pitching templates, so there's different styles you can use, different templates you can pull from based on what works for you. There are also different tools and pitch tracking templates that you can pull from so that you… It's really easy to start pitching tomorrow and you don't have to reinvent everything from scratch. And there are also a ton of other templates and tools and resources inside the system that other copywriters have used to find new clients. So, we wanted to make it really easy for you to just get up and running and find those clients, especially during weird recession times like right now, where it feels a little tricky. And so if you are looking for something like that, you can learn more at thecopywriterclub.com/p7. Okay, let's kick off our episode with Michelle.

Dan Nelken is our guest on the 348th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Dan is a copywriter and author of A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters. If you’re a creative, you may have fallen into the inner critic rabbit hole that keeps you in a cycle of stuck. But Dan gives practical and actionable steps to move away from creative burnout and into a process that helps you turn surface-level ideas into substance. Tune into the episode to find out: Dan’s experience in ad school and how it shaped his expertise and portfolio.  The grind that turned into a sustainable copywriting career. How to come up with ideas without letting self-doubt, inner critic, and the feeling of stuck get in the way.  The bucket exercise – how to trick your brain into creating ideas.  What’s the creative process and what tools are useful? The two reasons procrastination is keeping you from total creativity.  Why you should use AI to feel inspired rather than disposable.  How to create a swipe folder system and maximize it.  Do you have a habit of following through?  How to make your emotions work for you. The variety of work copywriters can do and industries they can dive into.  How to keep your business alive without feeling resentful and burned out.  Creativity outside of writing – how do we do it? How Dan’s been able to scale back his client projects by 40%.  Listen to the episode or check out the transcript below.  The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Dan's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Creativity is a big part of your work as a copywriter. Whether you're coming up with new angles for leads and headlines or new ideas for content or new approaches for pitches to prospects who you want to work with, creativity plays a big part in all of that, which begs the question, can creativity be systematized? Can processes and formulas help you be more creative? Those approaches feel a little bit uncreative to me, but our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Dan Nelken, and Dan is here to correct that misconception. He shared several details about his creative process that might help make you more creative too. Stick around for this fun conversation. Kira Hug:  But before we all get super creative here, we just want to share something special for you. We call it the P7 Client Attraction Pipeline, which is kind of a mouthful. You can call it P7 for short. This is our client acquisition system designed specifically to help copywriters create a prospecting habit. So we want to make it really easy for you to fit prospecting into your day so it feels natural. And so, not only do we cover prospecting tools you can use, we give you a bunch of pitching templates and we continue to kind of add new templates that work for copywriters. We also give you industry niches, 293 specifically, so you can figure out which niches you could tap, especially if you feel like the space you're working in currently might be slowing down and not hiring. This is where we can be really flexible and explore other niches to find work. And so, we do all of that inside the pipeline and this program along with supporting you with some behavior shifting that can help you really turn this behavior into a habit so it doesn't become the thing that you try one day and then you stop doing. It does work. We've seen copywriters use these tools and these trainings to gain clients, so it's worth exploring if you don't have a client attraction pipeline in your business. And you can find out more information, thecopywriterclub.com/p7 to find out more information about this client acquisiti...

On the 347th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Linda Perry makes her FOURTH appearance on the show. This episode acts as a friendly reminder to take care of your mindset especially in times of financial uncertainty and business (and life) plateaus. Linda shares how we can continue to grow our mindset toolbelt, so we can stop getting in our own way. Here’s how the episode goes: How Linda’s work has changed over the last few years.  Her dream of moving to Europe and how she made it happen.  What’s the challenge with selling something like mindset? The real reason you keep coming back to your mindset struggles.  How finding your why will help you craft messaging and communicate better.  What tools should copywriters add to their business?  Here’s the real problem with continually purchasing courses and programs.  The 5 traps keeping you from business confidence.  What’s the difference between worth base and value base? Are we telling ourselves a story that keeps us stuck? How to focus on what we can control. Can you be the solution AND the problem in your business?  Why Linda paused her podcast and grew her client roster. The importance of having a sounding board.  The simple shift that’ll help you save time and energy in your business.  Why you shouldn’t be afraid to do something because someone else is doing it.  How defining success will keep you from feelings of shame.  Is the Think Tank the right program for you? Tune into the episode by hitting play or reading the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Linda's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Longtime listeners to this podcast will recognize a recurring topic that we revisit from time to time, and that's mindset. Your mindset as a copywriter, as a business owner, as a problem solver impacts everything that you do in your work. It often determines whether you land that client that you've been dreaming of or hit the goals that you've set. And when it comes to mindset, our go-to expert is Linda Perry. She's the guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Linda is a mindset coach who has helped hundreds of copywriters deal with the head trash that gets in the way of all of our success. She's a coach inside the Copywriter Think Tank, and we invited her to talk with us about the challenges facing copywriters, content writers, and other marketers today. Kira Hug:  But first, this podcast episode is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank. And I'm not going to share a whole lot about the Think Tank because we talk about it with Linda in depth and we talk about a lot of the struggles and wins Copywriter Think Tank members have experienced. Linda is a Think Tank alumni member. So we dive pretty deep into what's possible with the Think Tank in this episode. So stay tuned and if you like what you're hearing about the Think Tank and what's possible, you can learn more at copywriterthinktank.com and jump in there with us. Okay, let's get into our episode with Linda. All right, so let's just catch up real quick because you've had some big life changes that we were just chatting about. I'm very jealous of these life changes that you've made and excited for you. So why don't we just start with how your life and business has changed over the last year. Linda Perry:  Yeah, I could actually just listen to your podcast to track all my changes in life. This would be great. So in the last year, I decided somewhere along the way to pick up and move and leave the States. We now are living in Portugal. I think I've expanded my business as well in terms ...

Dr. Rebecca Fortgang is our guest on the 346th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Dr. Becky is a clinical psychologist, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, and a research scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Just a light background, huh? Kira knew Dr. Becky had to be on the show after taking her class, and she did not disappoint. Take a peek inside the conversation: Is willpower a muscle? What’s all the debate around willpower?  What do willpower and love have in common? Researching topics with inconclusive and incomplete data – this work has to start somewhere.  Tools creative entrepreneurs can use to be more productive. Why do people really quit on their goals? What to do when lapses happen and what are they trying to tell us? How to avoid spiraling and what we should do instead.  What’s a goal cleanse?  Are you a failure if you quit a long-term goal? How to find alternate goals if you can’t let goals go.  The clear-cut approach to setting goals and achieving them. What is “gripping the table” self-control and how can we do less of it? How your future self can motivate you in completing your goals TODAY.  Is sacrifice needed to attain goals?  Strategies to stop procrastinating and how to tap into your willpower.  Can you convince yourself to be in the right headspace?  How can you prioritize mental health in your life? Tune into the episode to listen to all the insights. The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Rebecca's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Most copywriters we know share an interest in psychology and figuring out what makes people tick. After all, if you're writing something to convince your prospect to buy or to take some kind of action, you need to understand them. But our interest in psychology often goes well beyond persuasion tactics and mental heuristics. Our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is Dr. Rebecca Fortgang, who specializes in willpower, goal setting and mental health. Just as a quick side note, she was Kira's professor last year in a class she took, and I like to point out that it was at Harvard University, the CURE Harvard student. We talked with Rebecca about the ins and outs of willpower, overcoming procrastination, mental health, and a lot more. We think you're really going to like this episode. Kira Hug:  But before we jump in, we are going to promote something because that's what we do. So today, Rob, I want to talk about our new-ish course, not like brand new but new as in couple months ago. Our AI for copywriters course, which is available to all writers. And the reason I want to mention it today is because we're adding a certification to it, a prompt engineer certification, because we know as we've been talking to a lot of startups, especially on our new podcast, AI for Creative Entrepreneurs, we're interviewing different startups and they're talking about the need for prompt engineers and that it's hard to find prompt engineers right now, and writers are really set up to succeed in that role because we ask good questions. We think about prompting in a creative way, and there is no university that has a prompt engineer program right now. There's this new need in the marketplace and there aren't enough people to fill that role. We're creating the program that you need to train you to not only provide the training, but also to give you a certification, and that usually means a boost of confidence for you to go out there and maybe even update your LinkedIn title to include prompt engineer and maybe even pitch yourself or go after opportunities t...

Kate Hollis is our guest on the 345th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kate is a copywriter and sales strategist whose alter ego is a librarian, but her skillset doesn’t stop there. Fueled by curiosity, she’s also on track to become a certified Enneagram practitioner. With her “hummingbird” mindset, she emphasizes the value of leading a curiosity-driven life, and how it can lead to a more fulfilling life and business. Here’s how the conversation goes: What’s the bus metaphor and how does it apply to business? Kate’s path to copywriting and owning a business. Why creating connections with others will help you become a better copywriter.  How to create an identity outside of your business.  Is simple messaging underrated? How to build your intellectual and emotional muscles. What is the Enneagram?  How books will help you become a more compassionate salesperson.  The benefits of using the Enneagram in your messaging and how it’ll benefit your ideal audience.  How the Enneagram can influence your sales funnels.  The do’s and don’ts of the Enneagram.  Could you be holding yourself back from essential growth? Tune into the episode below or by reading the transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Kate's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  What is it about personality tests that draws us to them? From Myers-Briggs and StrengthsFinder to DiSC and the Enneagram and lots more besides those, humans tend to be attracted to tests and quizzes that promise to reveal something about ourselves and the people around us. Maybe it's our innate curiosity that drives this behavior. I don't know. But our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is copywriter and strategist Kate Hollis. And Kate is a certified Enneagram coach who uses that test a little differently than most other people do, as a way to think about positioning your offers. To hear how she does it, you're going to have to stay tuned. Kate also talked a bit about the books that she's read and how to stay curious as a creative. There's a lot to learn from her in this episode, so stay tuned. Kira Hug:  We also talk about poop in this episode, which Rob did not include in the intro, but I think it's the first time that we've ever talked about that. Rob Marsh:  Barely. It gets mentioned. Let's be honest. We didn't talk about it, mentioned it. Kira Hug:  It's the first time we've ever mentioned it on the podcast. Rob Marsh:  I think so. Kira Hug:  So I think it deserves some attention. Also, this podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Think Tank, which is our mastermind, and I'm going to do something that you're not supposed to do as a copywriter. We're supposed to talk about benefits, but I'm going to talk about features today and everything that's included in the Think Tank. So I'm going to run through it, and Rob, let me know if I'm missing anything. These are the features you get when you join our Think Tank mastermind, which is phenomenal. You get access to our upcoming virtual retreat that is coming up really soon on June 1st and 2nd. It's not too late. You could actually be a part of that amazing virtual retreat that we put together with at least like eight different speakers talking about a variety of topics, talking about how to use AI in a project from start to finish. What other topics do we have covered, Rob, in the retreat? Rob Marsh:  Talking about things like email deliverability, finding clients and how you do that when your business has been going relatively well and then suddenly you hit a tough patch.

Paulo Faustino is our guest on the 344th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Paulo is a serial entrepreneur and digital marketing expert who shares his experience in building and scaling businesses even in the midst of chaos. From writing 550 articles for $100 to scaling a millionaire-dollar business, Paulo shares insights all business owners can glean. Tune into the episode to find out: How a gut feeling kept him on the path to entrepreneurship. How he scaled his business to a million dollars and why it took an extreme hit.  The pivot he made to save his business and grow his audience.  What is affiliate marketing and how can it benefit your business? How to navigate a financial loss and why fear cannot stop you from moving forward.  This reality of business can make or break you.  The 4 foundational pieces your business need to thrive. Why marketing and authority go hand in hand? When does the sale really start?  The effects of a world-class client experience.  Why it’s not your job to fix all your client’s problems (including money mindset). How to filter the types of clients you work with.  The simpler and faster way to save time and energy in your business.  The ins and outs of Paulo’s social media marketing strategy and how he grew his following and email list to hundreds of thousands.  How to bring aligned content to your audience.  Why you need to focus on value rather than design.  What Paulo would do differently if he could start over. Authority grows when you have these two things.  The current struggles of a high-earning entrepreneur.  Press play or check out the transcript below.  The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Paulo's Instagram The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Building a business is hard. Sometimes things go really well. Clients are plentiful. The work is fun and rewarding, and the money comes in, and other times things don't go so well. Laws change or the algorithm changes or the economy changes and the client pipeline dries up. The work is hard and the money runs out. Our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Paulo Faustino, and he built a thriving affiliate business that collapsed in less than a month, thanks to a change in the laws. He had just enough money to last four months, which means that he had to completely rebuild his business in 120 days and in this interview, he tells us how he did it, and along the way, he shares a ton of great business advice for anyone who's trying to build their own business. Kira Hug:  But before we jump into this interview, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank, which is our mastermind for copywriters who want to figure out a new revenue stream for their business and launch something new that can transform their business in the year ahead. We have a retreat coming up actually in a couple weeks. In early June, we have our next retreat, and if you want to be a part of that mastermind retreat where we bring in top speakers where Rob and I teach and share. Well, Rob, what are you sharing? Rob Marsh:  I think we're going to talk about profits, profit margins, and how do you increase the money that's coming in, but we'll cover a lot of other stuff too. We have guests who are speaking about the client buying cycle and how to implement the things that were taught by Eugene Schwartz. We're pulling in guests to talk about all kinds of things like email and such. So, definitely worth tuning in and learning from all of these experts as well as the super smart people that are already in the think tank. Kira Hug:  Yes,

We’re bringing Brittany McBean back for the 343rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. It’s been 3 years since Brittany’s been on the show and a lot of has changed for her and her business. From highs and lows of building a 6-figure business, she’s completely transparent in her journey and how other copywriters can use her wisdom to grow their own business. Here’s how the conversation goes:  Why Brittany works on long projects and what it does for her client retention.  The benefits of having a highly-automated inquiry process.  Why she’s not looking for a 500k year but this instead.  The raw and real downsides of business.  Her hiring process – why you need to know what you need and how to hire based on two specific criteria.  The imposter complex pops up even for high-level copywriters? What is a malleable role and how can it fit into your business (with boundaries)? How to be a better leader to your team when things are falling off track. Her process for letting someone go. Why your role changes as you grow into your business as CEO.  How to have humanizing and empathetic conversations with your team. What’s working in the marketing world today and what needs to change? Is your audience jaded?  How to create shifts in your messaging to position yourself as the answer.  What’s the deal with urgency and scarcity? Her process for strategy and writing copy.  What’s the hierarchy of messaging? How to get fewer revisions on the final copy.  How belief can hold you back for far too long.  Tune into the episode by hitting play or checking out the transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Brittany's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Brittany's first episode Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Growth and change are a natural part of starting and building a business. And sometimes it all goes smoothly, other times it can be a little bit painful. But, ultimately we have to figure this stuff out in order to succeed as copywriters and as business owners. Our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is returning once again to share what she's learned as she's built her copywriting agency and helped dozens of high-end clients build their businesses too. Strategist and copywriter, Brittany McBean is here to share what's happened to her business over the last couple of years, why she hit pause on her YouTube channel, the struggles of managing employees, mental health, and a lot more. It's another great interview that you're definitely going to want to stick around for. Kira Hug:  But, before we jump into the interview, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank. That's our mastermind for copywriters, content writers, strategists, marketers, you name it. If you're a creative and you're building a service-based business and creating scalable offers or products, new podcast, you will be a good fit in this room. Brittany McBean, today's guest is a Think Tank alumni member, so we were lucky enough to work with her in the Think Tank. And we do have a retreat coming up in our Think Tank. It's a virtual retreat coming up June 1st and 2nd. So, if you would like to be a part of that virtual retreat and meet our entire Think Tank crew, it's not too late. You can reach out to us and we can chat about whether or not the Think Tank makes sense for you. One thing I feel like we don't typically talk about when we talk about the Think Tank, Rob, is what new members can expect when they join, and how we help them immediately over the first month. And so, I thought we could just touch on that real quick,

Rob and Kennedy of Email Marketing Heroes are our guests on the 342nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. With backgrounds in hypnotism and mentalism, they steered away from traditional marketing and into the world of email marketing. With great success, they began teaching other entertainers how to use the power of email and have since expanded into teaching business owners and entrepreneurs how to use email to its fullest potential. Here’s how the conversation goes: The reality of human influence and psychological triggers.  How to excel at sales calls and turn them into a formality.  Why you want to get the ‘no’ as soon as possible.  The benefits of having an email list and having control of your house.  The value behind honest and transparent communication during sales calls. Should your potential clients fill out an application? What if someone isn’t a good fit for your program or service? Why you shouldn’t be attached to outcomes in business.  What is the perception of choice? How Rob and Kennedy made a multi-5 figure FB ads mistake and how they recovered.  The silver lining to making mistakes in business.  Their current business model and how they’ve structured it for growth.  Email marketing and being a service provider – what are the best practices for you? Why you need to position yourself to be top of mind.  The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Rob and Kennedy's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  As a copywriter, you probably write emails for your clients. You almost certainly subscribe to a few email lists to watch what other smart marketers and copywriters are doing with email. And let me just interject here that you should definitely be subscribed to the Copywriter Club email list, but even if you don't use email or if you only subscribe to just a few well curated lists, today's episode is going to change the way that you think about email, persuasion and marketing. Our guests today are Rob and Kennedy, the psychic mentalist hypnotist duo behind Email Marketing Heroes. You'll definitely want to hear what they share about manipulative marketing and the most important thing, maybe the only thing that you should be doing with the emails that you send to your own list. Kira Hug:  But before we get to our interview, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank, which we've mentioned several times recently. So if you listen to the show, you may already know what it's all about. Rob Marsh:  Yeah, so what's taken you so long to apply and join us there? Is the real question here. Kira Hug:  Yeah, I mean, okay Rob, I'm going to ask you a question about it, but what has surprised you about the Think Tank and what copywriters have been able to do in the Think Tank, recently? Rob Marsh:  So I'm not sure that this is recent, well, I mean it happens with a lot of copywriters who join, but just how quickly people make progress in their business. We've had people join who are struggling to make four or $5,000 months and literally within 60 days are clearing $10,000 months. That's not everybody, but it has happened enough times that sometimes I'm thinking the mental switch that you go through when you commit to a program like the Think Tank just has an amazing impact on your business. So I love seeing that happen over and over and over. And that doesn't mean people don't go through dry patches as well, we work through those for a lot of people, but it has real impact and I love seeing that. Kira Hug:  And I love our weekly check-in calls. So every Tuesday in the Think Tank, I host a check-in.

Alyssa Burkus is our guest on the 341st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Alyssa is a thought leadership and content marketer. She started her business after being faced with asking life’s big questions after a chronic cancer prognosis but has defied the odds over and over again by building a business that works for her, her health, and her family. While we may not all be faced with life-threatening illnesses, we all face uncertainty and downsides. Alyssa shares the systems she has in place to look after what matters most. Here’s how the conversation goes: How her background in a global change consulting company has impacted her copywriting career.  Why she leaned into thought leadership and authority building as her area of specialization.  What really is thought leadership and how is it different from other forms of content marketing? Is all content marketing created equal? Tools to cope with uncertainty.  The importance of energy management for your personal and business life.  What AI doesn’t have on thought leadership. What’s Alyssa’s strategy for working with a new client on building their authority? How to strategically repurpose content.  Using the “plant and…” approach to pivoting.  How to create writing habits that stick as a writer.  Why it’s a good idea to have a place you can relearn information.  “Write it in your own words” is making a comeback.  How she sold out her first program with no list.  What can you modify in your products or services to make them stand out? The #1 question you need to ask yourself when creating a course.  Why you can’t hustle culture your way through business.  Morning routines vs morning windows… What’s the difference? Press play or check out the transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Alyssa's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM AI for Creative Entrepreneurs Podcast Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  What does it mean to be a thought leader? What kind of content does a thought leader produce? And maybe the biggest question of all, once you've got good content that reflects your strategic thinking, how do you make sure that the world will even see it? Those are just three questions that we asked our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Alyssa Burkus is a strategist, a copywriter, a member of the Think Tank and a thought partner for her clients, and she shared how she helps them build their audience with great thinking. We also talked about working through serious difficulties, what to do when change becomes a constant, how to pivot and creating a writing habit that will actually stick. This is an episode definitely worth listening to twice. Kira Hug:  Or maybe three times. Maybe four times. Before we get to the interview though, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank. That is our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to figure out the next phase of their business. Some things are working well in their business, but they want to figure out what comes next; they want to increase their revenue; they want to figure out new revenue streams, increase visibility and really figure out what their X factor looks like, so they can build a business around that. We actually have a retreat coming up in June. It's a virtual retreat on June 2nd and 3rd. So it's coming up fast, and if you want to participate in that, you can apply today to see if you're a good fit in the Copywriter Think Tank. We also have a retreat that we're really excited about coming up in September in London, and Rob and I are thrilled to have an excuse to fly to London and hang out with copywriters.

Rob and Kira sit down on the 340th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast to chat about a few episodes that have stood out to them over the last 5 years. Yup, they’re jumping all the way back in the archives to tap into what still applies to today’s copywriting arena and how you can use past insight to your business today. Here’s how the conversation goes: The copywriting event happening in London in 2023. The FREE A.I. challenge being hosted THIS week. Rob and Kira’s new A.I for Creative Entrepreneurs podcast. Why Joel Klettke didn’t start with beginner rates and jumped straight into value rates? How to turn mindset and confidence into action. The difference between an employee mindset and an entrepreneurial mindset. Do you need a portfolio to start charging higher rates? How to shift our mindset around the imposter complex. The benefits of imposter complex. The 12 lies of the imposter complex and what to do about it. What is The Stone Soup tale and how does it apply to copywriting? How to become the go-to copywriter in the room. Jereshia’s advice on high-ticket sales as a copywriter. The real difference between low-ticket and high-ticket sales. Are you being a spork? What are the POP and the Champagne Closer methods? How to lead a sales call with authority. Tune into the episode below by hitting play or reading the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the  show: Join the AI Challenge  The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 21 with Joel Klettke Episode 47 with Tanya Geisler Episode 36 with Ken McCarthy Episode 204 with Jereshia Hawk  Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is number 340. Not very many podcasts have that long of a lifespan. Most stop a long time before that. In fact, I've heard some people say that the average podcast lasts about 12 to 15 episodes. I'm not sure how correct those numbers are. But we are fully committed to keeping this podcast going because talking to copywriters, content writers, and other marketers isn't just a learning experience for us, it's fun. You are our people, and talking to copywriters is honestly one of the most enjoyable things that we do every week. Having said that, there are a lot of great episodes you probably haven't listened to yet, especially if you've only been listening to the podcast for the last year or so. And even if you've heard every single episode, I'm tempted to wave at our mothers here, Kira, although my mom has passed, but your mom maybe is one of the few that's listened to every episode. Kira Hug:  She has not listened to every episode. Rob Marsh:  She should have. But if you've listened to every episode, you've probably forgotten some of the phenomenal advice that we've heard over the years. So we thought today we would share just a couple of clips from our back catalog so you can go back and check out some of these amazing interviews. It's a bit of a best of show episode for you today. Kira Hug:  But before we jump into all those episodes, this episode is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank, which is our mastermind. And we have a retreat coming up pretty soon actually, in June. Early June, we have a virtual retreat with all of our Think Tank members. It's one of my favorite parts of this mastermind and being a part of the Think Tank. It's also my favorite part of being in other masterminds that Rob and I are part of. The retreats are where, it's really cheesy, but that is where the magic happens. Because there's collaboration, you're talking about ideas, and you bring in brilliant people who can teach you something new that you can implement right away in your business.

Dave Harland is our guest on the 339th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. After starting a career as a soccer (or should we say football) reporter in Manchester, Dave shifted to the world of copywriting where he’s known for coming up with big ideas and a method to execute them. In this episode, you’ll find out exactly how he makes it happen. You’ll also learn: How Dave improved his copy skills with limited technology capabilities. Why he branded himself using “word” rather than “copy.” How he organized his portfolio when he first started his business. A typical day in the life of Dave and how he balances client work with his own business goals. Why writers need time to simmer in their thoughts and why they shouldn’t rush the critical thinking process. How to get bigger brands to notice you. The 3 question test Dave uses when coming up with a big idea. How many projects are too many projects? His method for attracting clients and building his brand using LinkedIn. How to find your voice, break the rules, and connect with your audience. Dave’s path to becoming the “copywriting comedian.” Why you need to create a connection in anything you write. How he uses AI as a firestarter and as a means to eliminate the most common ideas. Why he believes ChatGPT won’t replace dedicated, skilled copywriters. Tune into the episode by hitting play or reading the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join the AI Challenge  The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Dave's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  There's a saying among copywriters, especially online conversion copywriters that goes back to Eugene Schwartz. He put it like this: sales copy is not written, copy is assembled. And of course that's true. The messages that customers relate to best are assembled from interviews, surveys, and other research. But in subscribing to this idea, a lot of copywriters have inadvertently lost the connection to creativity and copy. After all, what's the point of being creative if the words are in the survey responses? Our guest for The Copywriter Club podcast today takes a more creative approach than many copywriters we know. Dave Harland, also known as the word man, walked us through his 10-step process for coming up with big, compelling ideas. And he shared three questions that he asks every time he comes up with a good headline or a good idea, to make sure that it is good. He also talked in-depth about his unconventional approach to posting on LinkedIn, one that has attracted a lot of great clients for his business. If you want to be more creative in your approach to copywriting, this episode is for you. Kira Hug:  But before we get to the interview, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think tank. That is our mastermind for copywriters, content writers and other marketers who want to figure out the next thing in their businesses. That could be anything from creating a new revenue stream or a couple new revenue streams to launching a new product or a subscription service or a membership or podcast book. You name it. Our members are doing incredible things and we actually have a retreat coming up in early June. It's a virtual retreat and in-person retreat in London in September. And so we are really excited to add a couple of new members to the Think Tank before the retreat in June. And if you think that could be you, visit copywriterthinktank.com to apply. Let's kick off our episode with Dave. Dave Harland:  Probably like most people fell into it completely by accident. My, no, my background is journalism, so I did a journalism degree. I mean, before that, I loved writing as a kid,

Corrie Myers is a website copywriter and messaging strategist who acts as a thought partner for her clients. After 15 years in the education field, she made the shift to copy and has found ways to incorporate her leadership and teaching expertise into her business. She’s built a successful business over the last few years by leading with empathy and setting clear boundaries. Here’s how the conversation goes: Corrie’s career shift from teacher to copywriter. Building a business as a parent of three and how she balances work and life. The skills she’s brought from her teaching career into copywriting. Why she treats her own business as a client and why you should, too. The benefits of having less hours to do something. How she built confidence in making big life changes. Being a thought partner for your clients – how do you position yourself as the go-to? How the Think Tank has helped transform Corrie’s business. Why you should pinpoint gaps your clients might miss. How she determines the types of clients she works with. Where she finds leads and projects during unprecedented times and what she leans on during periods of unknown. How her pricing has evolved since the beginning of her business and how she packages her offers. Why day rates are helpful in getting your foot in the door for long-term work. How to selll a day rate or retainer. The subtle shift in language Corrie uses to position herself as the strategist. The messy middle – how do you trudge through? How AI has impacted her business and maximized her energy by being a way to “chop vegetables.” Tune into the episode by hitting play or checking out the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Corrie's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  There is a challenge facing most copywriters that many of us struggle to deal with, and that is how do I stand out from the massive other copywriters and content writers who offer sales pages, emails, case studies, and all of the other things that we help our clients with? And for the most part, any copywriter can probably figure out how to do a decent job writing just about any project deliverable. And, yes, I know I'm probably oversimplifying here to make the point, but our guest on today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is copywriter and Think Tank member Corrie Myers. And as we talk with Corrie, she shared a ton of details about her business. Perhaps, most importantly, she talked about showing up not just as a copywriter, but as a thought partner for your clients. It's an approach that has helped her stay fully booked over the last year, while many other copywriters have struggled to find clients. And it's an approach that a lot of us could use in our own businesses. Kira Hug:  But before we jump into the interview, this episode is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank, which is our Mastermind for copywriters and marketers who want to figure out the next thing in their business, that could be new revenue streams or it could be a new idea or podcast or so many different ideas. I'm not even going to promote it right now, because Corrie talks about it with us in this conversation. So you'll get to hear from her what her experience was like in the Think Tank, and you can also hear the results of what she's been able to do while being in the Think Tank. And so I think that's truly the best promo for the Mastermind. We also had a chance to talk about the retreats. I know Corrie got a lot out of our most recent retreat in New Orleans. And I'm just going to mention that we do have Think Tank retreats coming up. In June, we have a virtual retreat,

Carolyn McMurray is our guest on the 337th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Carolyn is a copywriter and host of a community designed for generation Z to learn about copywriting. But how does one start a community and grow towards 100+ members? Tune into the episode to find out. You’ll also discover: Carolyn’s accidental discovery of copywriting and how she landed her first gig. Her advice for getting her business started if she had to do it all over again. How she fell into the tech niche. Why she decided to build and grow a community for gen Z? What’s her community all about and how does she benefit from it? Should you label yourself as a junior copywriter? When she increased her rates and began to build her reputation and brand. How to create a copywriting portfolio that stands out. Where she gathers inspiration to write her list weekly. Why she doesn’t take herself too seriously and how it benefits her brand. Carolyn’s advice for building a successful community. Mistakes she’s made in the growth of her community and what to avoid. Why you need something to get you out of your head. Using ChatGTP for writer’s block – does it really help? Thinking about marketing to gen z? Here’s some advice from a gen z’er. Using AI and the future of copywriting for upcoming generations. Listen to the episode by hitting play or checking out the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Connect with Carolyn The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Way back in 1991, two academics, William Straus and Neil Howell came up with a theory about a generational cycle in American and Western history. And in their theory, they defined 13 different generations starting from the founding of the American colonies and running right up to the publication of their book. Actually, it goes farther back than those 13, but that's where they focused on. Their work is partially responsible for the way that marketers talk today about different generations like Generation X, Millennials, who are at one point also called Generation Y and Gen Z, which some academics like to call the homeland generation. So, why the long introduction about generations to start this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast? Well, our guest for this episode is Carolyn McMurray. She's a member of Generation Z and the founder of a copywriting group exclusively for Gen Z copywriters. We asked her about how she got her start in copywriting, building a portfolio, outdated writing advice, overcoming writer's block, and what to do if you're writing to Gen Z. Stick around. This is a pretty good discussion. Kira Hug:  That might be your most Rob Marsh-esque introduction that you've ever created. Rob Marsh:  I don't know. Kira Hug:  I love it. I love it. All right, so before we jump into the interview, if you haven't heard yet, we just launched our newest podcast, AI for Creative Entrepreneurs, which officially has dropped this week with new episodes, which we'll share regularly on YouTube and also wherever you stream your podcasts. So again, that's AI for Creative Entrepreneurs. You can also check out the site where you can sign up for regular updates so you never miss an episode as we're trying our best to figure out what's happening with AI and apply it in our businesses and in our creative lives. And, we won't pass up the opportunity to also mention our mastermind, The Copywriter Think Tank, which is, in my opinion, the best place to go if you are a writer and you want to figure out what is the next thing in your business; the next offer, the next product, the next revenue stream. We've really figured out how to help writers cre...

John Forde is a direct-response copywriter and co-author of the book, Great Leads and the person behind the long-running newsletter called the Copywriter’s Roundtable. John shared his process for getting started with research and copy and the lessons he’s learned from his 23-year copywriting career. Here’s how the episode goes: John’s approach to research – how much do you really need to get started? What does it mean for your copy to be invisible? Do you need to invest in another copywriting formula? How often do you need to check in with your writing process and method? The difference between divergent and convergent thinking and how to use each in copywriting. Why the warm-up is essential to writing your best copy. The benefits of reverse engineering outlines in different copywriting assets. How speed can benefit your copy and emulate positive energy. John’s process for feeding his brain from morning to night. How fiction books can help you develop a better sense of empathy. The 6 leads John teaches in his book. What makes a great lead? Info product vs. a wise product – what makes one better than the other? The discipline that comes with writing a weekly newsletter for over 20 years. His view on the future of copywriting and the lifestyle of copywriters. Hit that play button or check out the transcript below! The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website John's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  If you've been listening to the Copywriter Club podcast for very long, you know that we love talking to copywriters, content creators, and marketers at all stages of business, from beginners to seasoned experts. Today's guest fits very comfortably in the latter group. John Forde is the co-author of the book Great Leads, along with Michael Masterson, and the man behind the long-running weekly email called The Copywriter's Roundtable. He's also the author of dozens, maybe even hundreds, of high performing sales promotions in the financial newsletter industry. John shared his process for getting started with research and copy, how divergent and convergent thinking helps him come up with new ideas, the lessons that he learned as a copywriter, especially as he was just starting out, along with a lot more. Stick around, because this interview is a good one. Kira Hug:  But before we get to the interview, this podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Think Tank. That is our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to figure out the next thing in their businesses. That could be anything from creating a new product to launching a podcast or a video channel. Maybe it's creating a product company or building an agency. Maybe you just want to be the best copywriter in your niche. Maybe you just want to hang out with us in real life at one of the upcoming retreats that we're so excited about. Regardless, you can check out more information copywriterthinktank.com to find out more and to apply today. Rob Marsh:  Okay. Let's kick our episode off with John. And as we do, just a quick note that John's neighbor decided to mow his lawn about halfway through the interview. It's not too bad, but we do apologize for any of the background noise that you might hear. Don't let that stop you from listening though, because this is a really good interview packed with lots of ideas you can implement in your business. John Forde:  I guess, just like any story you ask a copywriter to tell, it can be long versions and short versions. So, I'll try to come somewhere in the middle. When I was in school, I was studying... What I wanted to study was English lit. I was talked out of that by my mother who has a deg...

Paul Roetzer is our guest on the 335th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Paul is the host of The Marketing Artificial Intelligence Show and Founder & CEO of the Marketing AI Institute. He shares how AI can be used as a tool to increase efficiency and help grow your business. Here’s what you’ll find out: The impact AI is having on children and future generations. Is AI stealing imagination? The 3 questions you need to ask yourself as a creative using AI. Can we avoid using AI? The effects of AI-generated content and the natural human need. Low-cost and free access tools to start experimenting with AI. The areas copywriters should focus on and how they can leverage them. Should you shift your title? How to become a more efficient writer. Finding trusted voices to learn from to become more confident in AI. What AI cannot take away from copywriters. How to rid yourself of the fear that come with the never-ending updates, changes, and shifts in copywriting. Why you need to be willing to put out imperfect work. What can be streamlined with your team using AI? How does ChatGPT really work? How Paul uses AI in his business to maximize productivity without extra work. AI and fears – what does it mean for the future? Responsible principles and ethics while using AI for business and marketing. Tune into the episode by hitting play or reading the transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website AI Writer's Summit Connect with Paul on LinkedIn The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  When it comes to AI, it's hard not to wonder, as a creative person, if we're losing something or if we're unlocking a whole new level of creativity. In today's podcast episode, we cover the three questions we need to ask ourselves as creatives, and we dive deep into the world of AI and its applications in the business world. Our guest, Paul Roetzer, host of the Marketing Artificial Intelligence Show and founder and CEO of the Marketing AI Institute, shares his insights on how AI can be used as a tool to increase efficiency and solve business problems. Paul shares how his business uses AI for podcast transcription, summaries, blog post creation, and social media content. And naturally, it's impossible not to talk about the importance of responsible AI and how it affects our future and society. We also dive into how we can get excited about AI as creatives and accept it as part of our businesses and our lives. And yes, that intro was written in collaboration with ChatGPT because we've got to walk our talk and start experimenting with these tools. Now, let's get started. Rob Marsh:  Okay, so this part of the podcast is not written by ChatGPT. It's just me talking about the Copywriter Think Tank, that's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to do more in their business. You've heard us talk about this before. If you've been thinking about joining a mastermind and in particular, the Think Tank, now is the best time to do it because we have a retreat coming up in the first part of June. We also are planning a retreat overseas in London coming in September. Members have free access to both of those, plus a whole slew of other things that we do, including one-on-one coaching from Kira and myself on how to accomplish bigger things in your business, whether that's stepping out on stage, creating a new product, building a podcast or video channel, or maybe you're building an agency, a product company, even if you just want to become the best-known copywriter in your niche. Those are the kinds of things that we do in the Copywriter Think Tank. To find out more, visit copywriterthinktank.com,

Sam Woods is our guest on the 334th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Sam is a copywriter who’s been leveraging AI for copywriting since 2019. This episode dives into how AI is going to integrate into our personal and professional lives over the next decade, and Sam shares how copywriters can use it to their advantage. Take a peek at what we chat out: How will AI create and eliminate jobs and reshape the economy. What capabilities does ChatGPT have and how can copywriters leverage it in their business? How Sam uses AI in his client projects and his process for writing sales copy. Using ChatGPT prompts for market research. What ChatGPT is and what it’s not. Can ChatGPT really write in your voice? Treating ChatGPT like a junior copywriter. Is AI a tool for creativity on tap? How to present using AI to a client. What else can AI actually do? Why your input matters more than anything. The benefits and value of using AI in your creative business. Can using AI make you a better copywriter? What are the first steps to start using tools like ChatGPT? Tune into the episode below by hitting play or reading the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Sam's Twitter The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  You'd have to be living on a different planet to not have your inbox clogged with emails about AI. Talk about artificial intelligence is everywhere. Some people are saying that it means the end of content, copy, and copywriting. Others are saying the opposite, that AI is the biggest opportunity for marketers in generations. And the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. I can't remember who said this, but I recently saw a comment that said, "AI won't take your job, but someone using AI will." So learning about these tools and how to use them is not just a good idea, but quite possibly the best way to ensure that you're still working as a copywriter in the coming decade. Our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is copywriter and AI expert Sam Woods, and we grilled him with our questions about AI, ChatGPT, and what it all means for the future. You are definitely going to want to stick around for this one. Kira Hug:  Before we get to our interview, the podcast today is sponsored by, actually, it's sponsored by our new podcast. So we have a new podcast that is launching soon featuring other experts like Sam Woods, and so today is a preview of what's to come on the new podcast, which is called AI for Creatives. So if you like today's episode and you want more of that, you can just check out our show notes and there'll be a link in our show notes so you can get on the list and hear all about the new podcast when new shows come out. Rob Marsh:  And that podcast is we're interviewing experts in AI, experts who are developing their own AI tools. It's really all about how we get better at using artificial intelligence in our own businesses as creatives. Kira Hug:  And this podcast episode is also sponsored by the Copywriter Underground, which is our membership for copywriters, content writers, creatives. And we're creating a new series of AI trainings in the membership so that you can figure out how to use these tools, how to apply them to your business. And so actually, Sam Woods has a training in the Underground that you can access where he shows a demo of how to use the tools in your own copywriting. And so, if you want access to other trainings like that, definitely check out the Underground membership. Rob Marsh:  Yeah, listen to this episode with Sam, then go to the Underground, check out what he shared there. That's good for now.

Juliet Peay is our guest on the 333rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Juliet is a personal brand coach and copywriter who helps her clients “unfrankenstein” themselves, so they can show up authentically online. When it comes to building a business, your personal brand can be the key to attracting your ideal clients. Here’s how the conversation went: Why Juliet decided to start a blog about local business and how it opened up a full-time job opportunity. Freelancing on the side and when she felt ready take the leap in her business. Doing something because you think you’re supposed to. Going from a reactive to a proactive client search and why mindset plays a key role. Finding the right social media platform for your business. Do you have to send hard pitches? Building relationships with people using LinkedIn. How Juliet landed a ghostwriting retainer project. The fine line between personal branding and copywriting. Her personal branding process – what does she use with clients? How personal should we get online? Is there a line we shouldn’t cross? How to find a middle ground when sharing strong opinions and viewpoints. One project at a time vs. balancing multiple deadlines. Implementing shorter deadlines for proposals and sending this key piece in your proposal routine. Hiring a VA + using Dubsado for business. Learning from client mistakes and the necessity of having contracts Common misconceptions around boundaries and how they improve your customer service skills. Finding contractors to make your life easier. Juliet’s cut and clear approach to problem-solving. The struggles of keeping up with the opportunities and not yet having the bandwidth to make it happen. Tune into the episode by hitting play or reading the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Juliet's website Nikita's episode  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  A lot of copywriters start out doing copy as a side hustle while they work at a real job, and as the work piles up, they quickly realize that they could probably be making more money doing the side hustle full-time. That's what happened to today's guest on the Copywriter Club podcast. Juliet Peay started a blog as a side hustle, got a bit of traction, and then started doing copy projects all while working her full-time job. Then she realized that what she was making as a freelancer was double the hourly rate she had in her real job, so it was time to jump. Juliet shared how she made the jump, plus she also told us about feeling trapped in a niche, how she sets boundaries, and her unique approach to making connections on LinkedIn. But before we get to our interview, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank. That's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to do more in their business, whether it's something like stepping out on stage, creating a new product, your own podcast or video channel, building an agency, a product company, anything like that. Maybe you just want to become the best-known copywriter in your niche. That's the kind of stuff that we help copywriters do in the Think Tank. To learn more, visit copywriterthinktank.com and fill out the application there. Before we get to the interview, I also need to introduce my co-host for this episode, Nikita Morell. Nikita is known as the copywriter for architects. She was our guest on this podcast a long time ago, it was episode 136. She's a former member of the Think Tank and I'm just excited to hang out with you for 30 minutes again. Nikita, thanks for joining me and welcome back to the show. Nikita Morell:  Thanks, Rob.

Chloe Barnes is our guest on the 332nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Chloe is a copywriter and creator coach who made her freelance gig a full-time income. After going viral on a little platform known as TikTok, Chloe has been able to grow her business by building her personal brand. But what makes good content and how can you use the platform to your advantage? Tune into the episode to find out… You’ll also hear: Why she ended up studying abroad in Sweden and how it changed the projection of her career. Starting a travel blog and getting a full-time content marketing job out of it. How she maintained working a 9-5 and a 5-9. Why she ended up on TikTok in the first place. How she blew up on TikTok on two different occasions and booked out her calendar. Why you need to be okay with the long game and how to be consistent. How she builds her personal brand on TikTok rather than her copywriting expertise. Her process for posting on TikTok and her content marketing strategy. How do you come down from a viral moment? What about haters and trolls? What do you do about them? Balancing the many ideas that come from quick growth and success. Dealing with wrong-fit clients and how to navigate sticky situations. How to develop your own style on social media. Why you don’t have to pay to get started and how it’s holding you back. Press play or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Chloe's TikTok The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  How long does it take to become an overnight sensation? How much work do you need to put in until something goes viral or your audience starts to find you? And what happens when you finally break through and people want to hear from you? Our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast knows the answers to those questions. Copywriter and TikTok sensation, Chloe Barnes, is here to answer those questions and more. We talked about going viral on social media, dealing with haters and trolls, her not exactly strategic approach to creating content and a lot more. So stay tuned because we think you're going to like this episode. But before we get to that interview, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank, that's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to do more in their businesses. Whether that's getting onto a stage, creating a new product, growing the business that you already have, creating a video channel, building an agency, anything like that. Maybe you want to just become the best known copywriter in your niche. That's the kind of thing that we help copywriters do in the Think Tank. To learn more, visit copywriterthinktank.com and fill out that short application. And I also need to introduce you to my guest host for this episode, copywriter and business strategist, Jill Wise. Jill has been a previous guest on the podcast, that was episode 235. She's also a former Think Tank member. She's an amazing copywriter. Welcome to the show, Jill. Jill Wise:  Thank you so much for having me. Like I said before we started recording, I was really excited to just hang out with you this morning. Rob Marsh:  Yeah, well I mean, when you're talking about all the amazing things... Before we started recording the show, telling me all the things going on in your business, I'm like, I wish we had more time now. Jill Wise:  I mean, maybe I'll just come back for another episode. Rob Marsh:  Yeah, let's do that. Jill Wise:  I'm pitching myself live. Rob Marsh:  We should definitely do that. I mean, since the last time we recorded you've had a baby, your business is still growing and doing amazing. So yeah, you have a lot, I think to add, not just to this conversation, but maybe a future episode.

Anne-Laure Le Cunff is our guest on the 331st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. After deciding to go back to school to study neuroscience, Anne-Laure created a newsletter that turned into the thriving business known as Ness Labs, a science-based learning community to become more creative and productive without the burnout. Anne-Laure shares how business owners can minimize content overload and make their lives simpler. Here’s how the conversation goes: Why Anne-Laure decided to go back to school and shift her career path. What is the generation effect and how it’ll help you learn more effectively? How a newsletter became a full-fledged business. The importance of finding the learning output that works for you. The reality of being an “expert.” Is there such a thing as the curse of knowledge? Why everyone could benefit from becoming a teacher. How do you connect all the things you’ve learned? What is mind gardening and how does Anne-Laure use it in her life? Are you holding onto too much random information? How she organizes her notes and filters through her mind as she takes notes. A book reading process – is it effective? How to decide what to learn next. What does creative chaos actually consist of? The benefits of breaking up your work into smaller tasks. How to work with your team in creative chaos. Do you have to change your work style for other people? Time management and themed days – could it work for you? How she balances her Ph.D. program and running a business. Anne-Laure’s advice for creating your OWN ladder and path. Do you have transferable skills? Assess before you pivot. How to run experiments on yourself, collect data, and conduct personal check-ins. What to watch out for to avoid burnout. AI and the future of copywriting. Tune into the episode or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Ness Labs Anne-Laure's Twitter page  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  There's a term renaissance man or renaissance woman that refers to people like Leonardo da Vinci, who had many interests in hobbies from writing and art to engineering and architecture. Another word used to describe people like this is Polymath. Isaac Newton and Benjamin Franklin were Polymaths. And Polymath or Renaissance woman are the terms that come to mind when I try to describe our guest for this week's episode of the Copywriter podcast. She is Anne-Laure Le Cunff, and she knows a lot about a lot. She's a neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and ex-Googler, expert note-taker, and all-around genius. Not to mention that she's a really cool person to hang out with. I have been following Anne-Laure for a few years and was thrilled when she agreed to join us to talk about learning and neuroscience and expertise and getting things done and so much more. I think you were going to love this interview. Kira Hug:  But before we jump into the interview, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank. That is our mastermind for copywriters and creatives and other marketers who want to figure out what's next in their business. That could be anything from stepping on a stage for the first time or creating a new product, maybe a new podcast, maybe a new video channel. Maybe you want to build out an agency or a product company. Maybe you just want to be the best-known copywriter or expert in your niche. Regardless of what it is, or even if you don't know what it is exactly, but you know there's something out there for you, this is how we help copywriters in the Think Tank. You can learn more if you're interested in being a part of a mastermind and joining us at retreats.

On the 330th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Rob and Kira sit down after two weeks of in-person retreats to share what they’re most excited about in 2023. Between new conversations around writing a book, learning new languages, competing in an Ironman, and AI and ChatGPT, you’ll want to tune into the few surprises Rob and Kira have up their sleeve. Tune into the podcast to find out: Who’s going to learn Italian – Rob or Kira? Did Rob actually bike 200 miles in one day?! Is Kira going to be the new Ironman? The tentative releases of Rob and Kira’s books. Is there a ghost in Kira’s photo? The power of in-person retreats and masterminds. Will there be a new AI workshop for copywriters? Who should worry about AI? Where will the next Think Tank retreats take place? A Copywriter Club spin-off podcast is happening… what’s it about? Find out the answers by tuning into the podcast below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: If you'd like to be the first to know about the AI workshop + limited series all about AI and ChatGPT, then click here to add yourself to the list! The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Welcome to the Copywriter Club podcast. We don't have an intro today, but we were just talking about the fact that maybe we haven't ever even said our names on the podcast other than occasionally talking to each other. So this is the Copywriter Club podcast with Rob Marsh and Kira Hug. Kira Hug:  Right. Rob Marsh:  What else should we say about ourselves? I don't know. Kira Hug:  Well, Rob, so we're at the beginning of February. What are you really excited about right now? Personally, professionally? Rob Marsh:  Personally, a couple of things are going on. So outside of work, I am taking an Italian class with my wife and my oldest daughter, and the class actually started a couple of weeks ago. I haven't been able to take the first two classes because you and I have been traveling out of town. We had our retreat; then we had our mastermind group that met together. And so today that we're recording is my first day that I get to go to this class. So I'm hoping that after missing the first two classes, I'm not hopelessly far behind in my attempts to learn Italian. So I'm looking forward to that. Kira Hug:  You got to prove it. You have to say something. Rob Marsh:  Well, I haven't been to class yet, so I don't have anything to say, but I will eventually. I think, maybe I even said this on the podcast once. I can't remember, but Italian to me, is the most beautiful language. It's musical. When I hear people speaking Italian, it sounds like they're singing in a lot of ways. My wife lived in Italy for close to a year at one point, and so we have some friends in Italy that we've connected with over the years, once or twice, and usually, it's my wife talking to them at dinner or sitting around their homes, and I'm sitting there quietly picking out a word or two that I might understand because I took high school Spanish and there are some similarities there. And you know what? It's just time for me to pick up another language, so in addition to the very little Spanish that I can understand and joke about speaking, maybe I'll learn Italian. And so yeah, that's going on in- Kira Hug:  That's so fun. Rob Marsh: ... In my life right now.  Yeah, it's a lot easier than training for a marathon and 112 mile bike race and a two-mile swim all at the same time. Kira Hug:  I don't think it is. I am slightly jealous because I do want to learn another language desperately, but I also realize I tend to take on too much. And so I was like, don't take on any other goals for now; just focus on what's in front of you....

Steph Trovato is our guest on the 329th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Steph is a copywriter who has been able to scale her business to $300k a year in just 3 years. In this episode, she shares the tools, strategies, support, and systems she’s put in place along the way to make it happen. Here’s a breakdown of the conversation: How Steph went from marketer for dental practices to freelancer and copywriter. Why she had to make the jump to full-time in her business and how she earned her first clients. Her pitching method – 100 pitches a week?! The most important step in the pitching process. How long she had to pitch before her business was sustainable. Her mindset and perspective shifts as she went full-time in her business. The transition from one-off projects to robust retainers. Can you be profitable and NOT be a launch copywriter? The power of being upfront about your pricing. How to set up a profitable retainer for your business. The reality of finding the perfect work schedule for your business and lifestyle. Steph’s mamba mentality – her approach to business, resilience, and dedication. Is it a sacrifice forever or just for a season? Here come those boundaries again… Why are they so vital for business growth and success? What really is a CEO retreat and how does affect business? How Steph breaks down her CEO retreats and how she stays productive. Why you need to find a supportive group of people who understand what you do. Creating goals that aren’t monetarily based. Creating truth to your purpose and the power you give to those around you. Tune into the episode by hitting play or reading the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Stephanie's LinkedIn The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Is it really possible to make six figures writing copy? How about three times that much. You might be thinking, "yeah, it's a possibility, but only after decades or longer of cultivating the right clients and developing your sales skills." That's certainly one pathway there. But our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast did it in just two years while primarily writing websites and content, not sales copy. Copywriter, Stephanie Trovato shares how she launched her business as a side hustle during COVID, then went full-time to avoid going back to the office. Two years later, she just cleared over $300,000 in her business. Steph told us how she did it and she filled us in on her CEO retreats, how she manages her time and family, and how the Copywriter Think Tank helped her do it. Kira Hug:  But before we get into our interview with Steph, we want to talk about our sponsor for this episode, The Copywriter Think Tank. So I have all this promotional copy in front of me that I should read about the Think Tank and how amazing it is. But I think it's better just to listen to the episode because Steph is a Think Tank member. She's in year two of the Think Tank, and I think she is one of the best examples of what the Think Tank is all about. It's about figuring out what else is possible for your business beyond the basics and beyond what you ever thought was possible for yourself and for your family, and for your own business and for your revenue. And so if you resonate with anything Steph is sharing in this episode, consider a Think Tank mastermind and apply. We'll jump on a call and discuss whether or not it's a good fit for you. But I think the best way to sum it up is like the Think Tank attracts people like Steph who want to challenge themselves and think differently about what they're building and explore what's possible for...

Andrea Grassi is our guest on the 328th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Andrea is a serial entrepreneur with 6 businesses, and he shares how he’s able to manage, build, and grow each business. If you’ve ever thought about expanding your sources of income, you’ll want to tune into this episode. Here’s how the conversation goes: How Andrea became a marketer and entrepreneur. The reality of growing a business. Why he decided to start a second business… and a third business and… The most important part about starting a business. A breakdown of each of his vastly different businesses. Why he doesn’t need to be the expert in every business. The ingredients needed to build any business. How to create profit in your business and create a successful chain. Why your revenue isn’t that important – here’s what is. The importance of paying attention to each weak link in your business. The 3 pillars to any successful business. How to begin making a marketing plan. The mindshifts that take place while growing multiple businesses. Are you making it harder than it needs to be? The 3 positions you hold as a business owner. How to calculate your business value in each position. Finding out when it’s time to grow a team. How to look for the right business partner. The balance between multiple businesses, business partners, and employees. How Andrea breaks up his time and energy between each business. Measuring success through KPI’s. Splitting the stakes in business – what’s the first step? Are you really working or are you just working? Why you need to add in your rest block FIRST. The importance of deadlines for you and your team. The benefits of compartmentalizing. Andrea’s biggest strength and weakness are the same? How riding horses has anything to do with business. Listen to the episode or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Andrea's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  There's a well known and much shared idea that says that the average millionaire has seven different streams of income. They might earn money from serving clients in their business, from selling evergreen products, from a property rental, from stocks and other financial assets and so on. Our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is Andrea Grassi. He's a partner in six or seven different businesses that generate income for him and more importantly, he makes a major contribution as the marketing expert in each of the businesses he runs. And because running even a single business is a big challenge for most of us, we wanted to find out how he does it all. How does he find partners? What exactly does he do in each of his businesses? And maybe how more copywriters can create businesses like the ones Andrea has. There's lots of great business building advice in this episode, so be sure to stick around for all of it. Kira Hug:  This podcast episode is sponsored by New Orleans. This is a city that Rob and I are currently in right now. We're together in New Orleans. We're actually here for our think tank Mastermind retreat, which we just wrapped last night. And Rob, did you have a good time? Rob Marsh:  That was amazing. Hanging out with these guys. They're doing such cool things with their businesses and just talking about the challenges they have, working through some of those solutions and also listening to the presentations, the speakers that we had, talking about all kinds of things from processes to running a minimalist business that works, people who are doing amazing things, running six figure businesses,

Mike Garner is our guest on the 327th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Mike is a message consultant who focuses on story-based emails that build connections and convert for small businesses. If you’ve ever struggled to share your story in a way that’s true to you, this episode will give you the inspiration to make it happen. Here’s what we chat about: How Mike went from translator to copywriter and how he uses his past experience today. The art of copywriting vs the art of other forms of writing – how’s it different? How you can use your title or label to your advantage. Why Mike decided to “sit down and do stuff” aka give copywriting a fair go. How digging out the trash, shame, and insecurities will make you a better writer and business owner. Developing your rags-to-riches story. What’s the point of writing for ourselves? Is anyone actually paying attention? Is that a good thing? Why you need to get over yourself… Mike’s personal memoir book writing process. When it might be a good idea to get back to the foundations of your business. Are you neglecting your own business, dreams, story? How The Copywriter Accelerator and Think Tank have given Mike much needed validation and how they’ve helped grow his business. Everyone’s in a rush… baby steps are great. Tune into the episode below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Mike's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM     Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Great writers of all kinds have at least one thing in common. They tell stories in copy, in content, in books, in poetry, sometimes even on packaging and postcards. There's something magical about the way that stories hold our attention, and our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is copywriter Mike Garner, who just finished an entire book about stories, a book that includes many of his own. While we were talking with Mike, we took the opportunity to also ask him about his experience with the Copywriter Accelerator program, what he learned from it, and how it's informed what he's doing in this business today. There's a lot of good advice that you might be able to apply in your own business. Kira Hug:  Rob, you are really good at writing introductions. I just have to note that right here, that was well written, well done. Rob Marsh:  I don't know. I don't know about that. Kira Hug:  I cannot write an introduction for the life of me, so I'm impressed. Before we jump into the conversation, this episode is sponsored by the Copywriter Accelerator, which Rob just mentioned. It is our five-month mastermind/coaching program for copywriters who want to build a profitable, sustainable copywriting business and make 10K a month in their business consistently. If you have interest or want to learn more about the Copywriter Accelerator, especially as we talk about it today with Mike. Go to the copywriteraccelerator.com to learn more about it. Doors do close, so fair warning, doors close to the program today at midnight when this episode goes live. If you're on the fence, definitely move fast. Rob Marsh:  Yes. Kira Hug:  Okay, well let's jump into the interview with Mike. Mike Garner:  Where do I start? Well, I've been a freelancer for 25 odd years. I was living in France. I lived in France for 20 years. I was in about, it's about 10 years into my time in France perhaps, and I got to the end of the road in terms of employment. I've been a travel agent, but I lost that particular job. I trained to be a teacher, an English teacher in France. It's a competitive exam, so if they want to take 2000 candidates for example, sorry, and you come 2001st,

Tara Lassiter is our guest on the 326th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. After a 12-year career as a model and actress for QVC, Tara shifted into the copywriting space and became an email strategist. Whether you need to up your networking skills, need to make faster decisions, or you want to dabble into the world of TikTok, you’ll find yourself scribbling notes through the entire episode. Why Tara went from model and actress for QVC to email strategist. How is QVC similar to copywriting? Where she found her first copywriting clients. How The Copywriter Accelerator helped her propel her business forward. Do you brag about yourself? Here’s why you should. Dating vs marrying your decisions. How to hone in on what your audience wants to see from you. How to go from overthinking to taking action and accomplishing. Starting on TikTok – where do you begin? Create two versions of yourself… Here’s how. How to get more done with a limited amount of hours. Navigating the challenge of shifting from copywriter to strategist. Why you absolutely need to find a network and how it’ll change your business (and life). How to tap into your current network if you’ve never done it before. The added benefit of creating frameworks and how they help you AND your clients. Being realistic about your time and why setting realistic expectations is vital. How Tara balances being a homeschool mom, business owner, and wife. Is it really about being the breadwinner? The advice she would give to her past self. Listen to the episode below or read the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Accelerator waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Tara's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 157 Episode 269   Full Transcript:   Rob Marsh:  Imagine for a minute selling more than a million dollars worth of a product in about an hour's time. What should you get paid for something like that? What would you learn from that experience, and how could you repeat that with other clients? Our guest for today's episode of the Copywriter Club podcast did exactly that. Copywriter and customer journey strategist, Tara Lassiter, helped sell a million dollars of lotion on QVC and made $100 for her effort. She joined us to share how that experience, along with the Copywriter Accelerator and a great network that she has built around her, helped launch her career as a copywriter. We think you're going to like this episode. Kira Hug:  But first, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Accelerator. Shocking, right? Tara was a member, she's an Accelerator alumni member, so you'll hear a little bit more about the program in this conversation. Before that, it is a five-month coaching and Mastermind program for copywriters who want to build a profitable copywriting business and get closer to the 10K-a-month mark. If you feel like that could be you and you want the support and the systems and the blueprints to help you get there, along with coaching from the two of us and the support of a tight-knit community, we've bundled it all into the Copywriter Accelerator. We know it works because we've been doing it for five years now. So if you have any interest, you can jump onto the waitlist, and we will drop the link to that in the show notes. Tara Lassiter:  It started a long time ago, a little over a decade ago. In my past life, I was a model and an actress. My main client was QVC. There was one particular show, an hour-long show, where I had rubbed lotion all over my body for an hour. At the end of the hour everyone started to cheer. It was because we had sold a million dollars worth of body butter. I started to cheer and cheer and cheer.

Over 271 episodes later, we’ve FINALLY brought back Chanti Zak for the 325th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. From solo copywriter to agency owner, Chanti breaks down her journey over the last few years, and how she became known as THE quiz funnel expert. Her insights on growing a thriving business are ones you won’t want to miss. Here’s what we talk about: Why Chanti made the decision to hire a team and how it’s helped her grow her OWN business. Hitting a 50/50 revenue mark between clients and courses. What unique advantage do copywriters have over other business owners? How to use your energy for what you love and avoid burnout (especially when growing a family). Who was her first team member and what did they do? When to start saying “no” to client work and “yes” to your own business. How to set your team up for success and realizations that will save you time, money, and a headache. Why your business needs to be more like Mcdonald’s. The importance of having a system for everything in your business. How to break the people-pleasing pattern. Why you need to create boundaries and implement them. Where does Chanti’s copywriting energy go nowadays? Mindset shifts to go from copywriter to CEO. The challenges of writing for yourself vs. writing for clients. Should you become an e-commerce copywriter? The negative bias around shifting your content. How quizzes can work for YOUR business and why they’re still effective. Tools for building a growth mindset and handling tough conversations. How The Copywriter Accelerator helped establish foundations for her business. What’s possible in a short period of time? Press play to listen to the episode or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Chanti's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 54 Episode 141 Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  If you listen to last week's episode, you know that from time to time, we like to have previous guests come back and talk about the evolution of their businesses since the last time that we spoke. This week, we're doing it again. Our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is former Copywriter Accelerator member and former Copywriter Think Tank member, Chanti Zak. Chanti shared the details about the three phases of her business that she's gone through over the last couple of years since we last talked to her and when she first started out as a copywriter. And if you are just starting out or you're thinking about what your business could become in the future, you're going to find a lot of inspiration in what Chanti has to share today. Kira Hug:  But first, this podcast episode is sponsored by The Copywriter Accelerator, which is our five-month mastermind/coaching program for copywriters who want to build a profitable copywriting business and make roughly $10,000 a month in their business consistently. So if that grabbed your attention, if that's what you want to do in the New Year, then join the wait list for The Copywriter Accelerator, and you can do that by going to thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Rob Marsh:  Okay, let's get to our interview with Chanti. Kira Hug:  Let's just rewind a little bit. We don't have to cover everything that's happened since we last chatted, but can you share a highlight reel with one of your highlights from the last two years post-COVID? Chanti Zak:  Oh my gosh. From the last two years, probably one of the biggest things has been building a team and just working with a lot more brilliant humans and learning how to ask for help and support in my business, but also in life. Rob Marsh:  We'll link to the first interview.

Our guest on the 324th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Brian Kurtz. His 3rd appearance on the show is a good indicator that there’s no lack of what Brian is able to share with our audience. From gaining rights to one of the most notable books in advertising history to teaching copywriters how to be better marketers, this a conversation you won’t want to miss. Here’s what we cover: What Brian learned from having a near-fatal stroke at the same time as a book launch. Why he decided to launch a mastermind. Gaining rights to Breakthrough Advertising and selling over 10,000 copies. Is Brian a copywriter in secret? How he makes the principles inside Breakthrough Advertising doable. Can a book from the 60s still apply to today’s marketing arena? Creating upsells and bonuses for added value to customers. Is it a good idea to write a book? The reality of book launches. How to get better at relationship building. Why Brian hates the word “networking.” Giving more than you get – is it worth it? Press play or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Brian's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Kim's website Episode 22 Episode 219 Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  If you've been a copywriter for more than a few days, you've almost certainly been advised to read Eugene Schwartz's book, Breakthrough Advertising. It's listed on almost every list of the best copywriting books that I've ever seen, and it's true, this book is a must-read, but it's probably not the first book that you should read about copywriting, or marketing. It's a bit of a hard book to read, and the concepts are a little bit challenging. Our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is Brian Kurtz, who along with Eugene Schwartz's wife, makes that book, Breakthrough Advertising, available to the world. He has recently created a companion volume called Breakthrough Advertising Mastery, that makes Schwartz's book even more accessible for anyone who has struggled with the concepts that he lays out in the book. So, we talked to Brian about that book, what he's been up to since we last spoke about a year and a half ago, and it's always great to connect with him. We think you're going to like this interview. But, before we get to our interview with Brian, I want to introduce my co-host this week. She's our friend and A-list copywriter, Kim Krause Schwalm. Welcome back to the show, Kim. Kim Krause Schwalm:  Oh, it's great to be here. Rob Marsh:  Yeah, I'm excited for this. You've been on the show a couple of times. We'll share those episodes at the end, so we make sure everybody can come back and listen to it. You've also spoken at TCC IRL a couple of times. Kim Krause Schwalm:  Three or four times. Yeah. Rob Marsh:  Yeah. You've been an awesome friend to The Copywriter Club, and just getting your ideas and feedback on the show. I'm really looking forward to it. Kim Krause Schwalm:  I am too. Thanks. It's weird to be in this role on the podcast, but I am excited. As soon as you said, "Brian Kurtz." He is somebody that I have so much respect for. I've known him for many years, and so yeah, I'm happy to be here, and hopefully I can add some value as well. Rob Marsh:  Yeah. Knowing how close you and Brian are, it was just a no-brainer to have you come and share some ideas. So, thank you for that. So, before we jump into the interview, let me just take a moment to remind you that this episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Accelerator. It's not a course, it's a five month long mentoring program, where we follow the Acceleration Formula,

On the 323rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Sara Rosinsky joins the show. Sara’s initial career plan was to be a stand-up comedian, but ultimately she decided to focus on her very enjoyable day job in a Boston advertising agency, writing copy. Sara is also the author of Unflubbify Your Writing: Bite-Sized Lessons to Improve Your Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar, a book intended to help people avoid making common mistakes in English. Sara’s career spans from agency life, to in-house, and freelance copywriting, so you’re not going to want to miss all the insight she shares. Here’s how it all goes down: How Sara landed her first agency job that lasted over 10 years. The creative process at an agency and being able to learn everything on the job. How to become more confident in the words you write. Why you need to have passion for all of your ideas even when they don’t make it out. What’s the real story behind working in-house? Is it a good idea to go rogue and start freelancing? Which route is for you? How her two freelance endeavors are different. To niche or not to niche. Why she decided to get consistent on LinkedIn and how she built an audience who wanted to work with her. How to create a sales force for free. Packaging deliverables for out-of-state projects – what’s the best route? Her approach to LinkedIn and how she comes up with content ideas. Sara’s mantra for copywriters. How she makes many things work at one time. What can you make happen in 27 minutes? Her book writing process and why she decided to write a book. The most common mistakes people make when writing and speaking. How to channel creativity outside of work. Listen to the episode or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Sara's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 4 Episode 6 Episode 282 Gin's website  Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:   A few weeks ago, I wrote an email to all of the people on The Copywriter Club list that included some crazy math about skill compounding. Because I know a lot of copywriters say they don't like math, I added the phrase, "Bear with me," to my email as I explained how it worked. Only I wrote B-A-R-E instead of the correct form of the word, B-E-A-R. What's worse is that I realized my mistake and I meant to correct it, but before I could, I had to run out, pick up my daughter from school. By the time I got back, I forgot. I hit send with my mistake in place. Fortunately, dozens of you caught my mistake and wrote back to point it out, which I really do appreciate, by the way. One of those kind correctors was our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, copywriter and etymologist, Sara Rosinsky. When she responded to my mistake, she offered to come on the podcast and clarify this beastly language that we all speak and make it fun and memorable. We're thrilled to have Sara on the show today to talk about her business and some of the stickiest language problems that we all deal with as copywriters. But before we get to our interview, let me introduce my co-host for the week, copywriter Gin Walker, who writes for educators and online experts. She helps them connect with their audiences. Welcome back to the podcast, Gin. Gin Walker:   Hey, Rob, thank you so much. It's so awesome to be here. I'm especially pleased to be here for this episode actually thinking about Sara's fascination with grammar and punctuation and so on, because I spent a good two decades of my life as an editor. And so this is kind of my bag as well. I'm particularly pleased to be here. Rob Marsh:   Yeah, that's partly why I thought of you- Gin Walker:   Oh,

Martha Barnard-Rae joins the show for the 322nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Martha is a copywriter and TEDx speaker who opens up the conversation about how getting to know yourself makes you a better business owner. After an ADHD diagnosis, she’s learned to put a different lens on her business and lean into tools and resources that work for her, and let go of what doesn’t. This episode reframes what we understand about ADHD and self-discovery and it’s one you won’t want to miss. How she ended up an English teacher in the most isolated city in the world. Finding a mentor and providing equal value to each other. Why her business partnership ended and how she ended it. How she stumbled into a diagnosis of ADHD and how it’s affected her business. The importance of learning about yourself and tools you can utilize. Why you need to show yourself compassion. How she became a TEDx speaker and how she continues to seek opportunities. The time management struggle… How to manage your time. How taking a break when you need one can save you and your business. Why you need to have an honest conversation with yourself. How to stay in your lane and focus on things you love. Do you have the right systems in place when things go wrong? Smash that play button or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Martha's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Masha's website   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Building a successful copywriting business is a challenge even when everything is running smoothly. But that almost never happens as most listeners would know. Several of our guests on the podcast in the past year started their business during the pandemic and worked really hard to overcome the challenges that presented. But there are other challenges to face down things like difficult clients growing your skills and some copywriters even have challenges, like things like ADHD. Today's guest on The Copywriter Club Podcast is Martha Barnard-Rae and she opened up about what it's like to run and grow a copywriting business with ADHD. And if you struggled with focus or lack of attention, you may want to stick around for this one. And even if you haven't, there's a lot of really good advice that she offers that applies to all copywriter businesses. And now let me remind you that this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Accelerator. That's our program that helps copywriters, content creators, and other marketers lay a solid foundation for their business. If you are already a good writer, you're already good at the thing that you do, but you're still struggling to build a business that supports you, the Copywriter Accelerator is the program that can help you get over the hump from thinking about your business as a CEO instead of as a writer or a service provider to strategies for getting yourself out in front of the right clients, building a great brand, creating packages that people want to buy the Accelerator will help you set up your business for success in the coming year and beyond. Go to the copywriteraccelerator.com now to join the waitlist so that you get notified as soon as we open up and we will link to that in the show notes just in case you are driving or otherwise occupied and can't look that up right now. And before we get to our interview, let me introduce my co-host today. It's Masha Koyen. Masha is a copywriter and strategist for interior designers and builders. She's a member of the Copywriter Think Tank and a former Accelerator member. Masha, welcome. Thanks for being here. Masha Koyen:  Thanks so much for having me Rob. And thanks for the introduction and I'm so honored to be here.

Mariam Vossough is our guest on the 321st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Mariam is a copywriter and scriptwriter who is breaking into TikTok as a means to connect with her ideal client: Gen X women. The insights she shares will not only help you become a better writer but just might give you the courage to give TikTok a shot. Here’s what we talk about: Mariam’s start in the cutting room and how she became in charge of the entire story office. Her transition to children’s author after becoming a mother. Are children’s book writers cooler than copywriters? Self-publishing vs. finding an agent – which route should you take? Why copywriting is the best career for never-ending learners. How she stumbled across copywriting and why she joined The Copywriter Accelerator. What’s the process for turning a mediocre story into great content? How copy structure is an art form and why it can change the entire dynamic of the reader’s experience. Why your ego has no place in the editing room. How Mariam tears apart copy and creates a better end product. The day-to-day of being on a writing team and writing stories for episodes. How her scriptwriting career made her fearless and develop a thick skin. How to create better open loops and cliffhangers. When she knew she was ready to transition her career. What her business looks like today and why it took her longer to niche down. How she discovered her niche and what helped her get there. Why marketers need to pay more attention to gen X women and why they’re being ignored in the first place. Showing up on TikTok – what works and who should use it? 5 steps to getting started on TikTok TODAY. How she breaks down her content pillars on social media. Creating content on TikTok without dancing. Play this episode for immediate inspiration. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Connect with Mariam on TikTok and Linkedin  Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Jenn Prochaska's episode  Episode 75 Episode 177 Episode 276 Jenn's TikTok Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  Niching down, owning your personal brand and showing up as your wild self on social media often feels like a huge obstacle for copywriters like us. But as business owners, it's kind of unavoidable, especially early on in our business when we don't have a team. The good news is we control how we niche, how we brand ourselves, and how we show up in the world. And our guest on this week's podcast is the perfect example of a writer who's not only taken control over her brand identity, but who has also built a business that provides meaning to her. And she's done it in her own way with a brilliant sense of humor and grace. Mariam Vossough is a copywriter, screenwriter, and TikTok nerd. And after this episode, you just might rethink how you show up on social media and you just might find yourself creating a TikTok account. I know she's almost convinced me, like not quite, but almost, so close. And before we jump into the interview, I want to introduce my lovely co-host this week who is feeling a little under the weather, and I appreciate her being here. So welcome back to the show, Jenn Prochaska, who is a brand messaging strategist, writer, also a guest on episode 307, which is one of my favorite episodes where we talked about overcoming addiction, scaling a business, parenthood. We went deep and Jenn was so transparent and real throughout the entire conversation. If you haven't listened to it, you've got to listen to it. So Jenn, thanks for coming back, especially when you're not feeling so great. Jenn Prochaska:  Yeah, thanks Kira. Yeah, I'm keeping it real. I'm a little congested,

On the 320th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Rob and Kira sit down to debrief 2022. What worked? What didn’t? And what’s coming up in the month of December and into the new year? As you begin to reflect on the past year and plan for the next, you’ll find advice and book recommendations to guide you into a successful 2023. Here’s how the episode breaks down: Why you need to join the Strategic Growth Plan challenge TODAY. The difference between how Rob and Kira change their behavior. Trying out a different email style… Masterclasses and diary entries? Is Kira ready to move again? Early-bird for Accelerator is opening when?! CEO retreats – do you need them in your life? Why roles can change when your business grows. How stepping into a leadership role can help your business. Productivity and time management book recommendations for 2023. Check out the episode below or read the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join The Accelerator Waitlist  Join the 5-Day Challenge  The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM     Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Okay, so welcome everyone to the Copywriter Club Podcast. This is our 10th episode since the last time that Kira and I were together and just chatting about what's going on in our lives and our business and the things that we've got coming up that we're excited about. And so as we like to do, we're jumping back in to give you another update on what's happening so that you know what to look forward to from the Copywriter Club. Kira Hug:  Yeah. And we thought it would be fun to reflect, as many of us are reflecting at this time of year on what has happened over this past year, good and bad so that we can be more intentional as we move into the new year. Rob Marsh:  Every time we talk about what we've done, Kira, I feel like your list is always so long because you always move, you have a new kid, you do all these amazing things and I'm like, "Huh, I wonder what I did this year." I got to come up with something while you're talking. Kira Hug:  I think you've done many things you just didn't have quite as much time to prep as I did. So I had lots of time to think about everything that happened this past year. So we're going to share again, just like some wins and struggles, personal, and professional from the two of us. And then we are going to talk about what's happening this week in the Copywriter Club, what's happening next month, this month. So we'll try to stay on track and stay focused. I think focus might be the theme for today's... I was going to say today's interview, today's conversation - Rob Marsh:  Episode. Yeah. And if you are used to the longer episodes and you were looking forward to that, we hate to disappoint you. And if you think that other episodes are too long, this one might be right up your alley because it will probably be a bit shorter. Kira Hug:  Yeah, because let's be transparent, it's Friday; it's my end of day. Not quite your end of day, but it's Friday. So we're going to keep this short and sweet. Rob Marsh:  Yes. So Kira, why don't you kick us off. Let's talk about some of the stuff, the wins that you've had. And since we're really talking about end-of-year reflection, we'll go into that a bit more later. Yeah. What's happened this year that's been exciting for you? Kira Hug:  All right. So I do have my lengthy list in front of me. I'm going to try to just highlight a couple. Like you said, I move frequently. So yeah, moving was a big win. Moving is hard. I hope to never move again, ever. So that was a big deal. And it's also rewarding because I really like where I live now and I don't want to leave Maine anytime soon. So I think that's a win. Rob Marsh:  Yeah,

Sue Bowness is our guest on the 319th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Sue is a content writer and professor who helps her clients and students tell better stories through content. In this episode, she shares her insights on the content writing industry and how it’s changed over her two-decade long freelance career. Tune in to find out: The real difference between being a business owner vs being an employee. The mindset reframe you need to take on when you decide to start your own business. Copywriting vs content writing… Are they the same? What is the true value of content writing and how do you position it to clients? How much can you actually charge for ONE blog post? Are you stuck on finding a niche? Try this. How can you make a boring topic tolerable to read? What does it take to run a profitable business for two decades? How to navigate trends and changes to your industry. How to be more productive as a full-time business owner? Creating multiple income streams to fulfill different passions. How joining the Think Tank helped her business and the power of being surrounded by high-level ambition. Are you writing your business emails the wrong way? Do you need a college degree to be a content writer? The skills that crossover with degrees and other business experience. Check out the episode below or read the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Sue's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM James Turner's episode (79) Episode 227 Episode 244   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  We talk a lot about copy on this podcast. I mean, it's in the name, The Copywriter Club Podcast. So over the past few years, we've spent hours talking about persuasion, and sales, and calls to action, and dozens of other copywriting strategies and tactics. We don't often talk about content, although the last couple of episodes we have talked about content, but it is a really big part of the work that many copywriters do. So today's guest on the podcast is content writer and strategist Sue Bowness. We asked Sue why more copywriters should take on content projects. We also talked with her about the things that she's done that had the biggest impact on her business, how disciplined she is with her schedule, and a lot more. So stick around to hear what she had to share with us. Before we do all of that though, this episode is sponsored by the Copywriter Underground. We recently rebuilt the entire back end of the underground to make it easier to find the training and resources that members of the underground have access to. Everything from creating the perfect proposal, which is one of the trainings in the Underground, to running a successful sales call, which is another training that's in there, to more than 40 in-depth newsletters on topics like persuasion, overcoming objections, managing your time, getting more done. I'm barely scratching the surface here. There are monthly coaching calls, weekly copy critiques, and a fantastic group of supportive copywriters in our exclusive Facebook group. Check it all out at thecopywriterunderground.com. And one more thing before we get to our interview with Sue. I feel like I'm going on and on here, but I need to introduce my guest host for the day, James Turner. James is a conversion copywriter, marketing collaborator who's worked in SaaS, tech, and education and e-commerce and about, I don't know, 50 other niches. I'm going to ask him about that in just a second. Once more, James is a friend going back six or seven years. At parties, I've called him my wingman as he introduces me around. He's a bit of an extrovert, which is an exception around copywriters. Welcome back to the show, James.

Simon De Brito is our guest on the 318th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Simon is a Marketing Automation Specialist who creates inbound marketing strategies in order to turn prospects into customers. Not only does this episode give you the inside scoop on inbound marketing but just how different buyers are in different parts of the world. Tune into the episode to find out: What is inbound marketing and what does a Marketing Automation Specialist even do? How the different stages of awareness helps create conversion-worthy content. What’s the difference between B2B and B2C buyers? Why you can’t just throw content out for the sake of content. Scoring systems – what are they and what does it do for business? What mistakes are marketers making in their inbound marketing efforts? Which free tools translate for smaller businesses? SEO – does YOUR business need it? Why you need to STOP solving everyone’s problems. How to save time, stretch your content, and drive more eyes on your content. The future of inbound marketing. Marketing differences between Europe and the U.S. How understanding cultural differences will give you an edge in your marketing efforts. Check out the episode below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Simon's LinkedIn  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 183 Episode 242 Episode 256 Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Let's talk a little bit about marketing automation. So as copywriters, we have the opportunity to work with a lot of different tools. Often we simply take care of the copy and then we hand over a copy document and let the client worry about getting into the right tools, whether that's their email service provider or an automated social media content posting tool, or maybe even something more robust like Marketo or HubSpot. But other copywriters are taking the time to learn the ins and outs of these kinds of tools in order to bring greater expertise and strategic thinking to the table for their clients. They're solving even bigger problems, which can be a pretty compelling competitive advantage. Our guest for today's episode of the Copywriter Club podcast is marketing automation specialist Simon De Brito, and he shared a bit about how mastering these tools can make you a better marketer, whether you do it for your clients or for your own business. But before we get to the interview with Simon, let me first introduce my guest host for the day. He's been on the podcast as an interview guest himself several different times. He's been a guest host once before, and he's the person who introduced me to Goo Goo Clusters and started my summer downfall with sugar. It's Justin Blackman. Hey, Justin. Justin Blackman:  I will happily take the blame for the Goo Goo Clusters. They are amazing. That was my favorite part of the Nashville event. Literally, that was the first thing I thought of when you guys said that you were going there. Rob Marsh:  Yeah, Goo Goo Clusters, I ate three bags of them. I'm glad they don't sell them here. At least you have to really go looking for them. And yeah, it knocked me off of my no-sugar bandwagon, which I'm back on. No Goo Goo Clusters on the desk today. But yeah, they're either the very most delicious thing in the world or the most evil thing in the world, or maybe both. Justin Blackman:  I'm sure that there's a marketing lesson in there about scarcity and urgency of, "Oh, I'm going down the airplane. I need to get one more bag because I'm not going to be able to get it anywhere else." Yeah, it's amazing. Every now and again, I'm here in Georgia. Every now and again, I'll stumble on a gas station near the border by Tennessee that will have it in Georgia and it'll feel like contraband.

Tori Autumn is our guest for the 317th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Tori is an email strategist and copywriter who helps coaches and course creators grow their businesses through fervent messaging. In this episode, she spills how she's quickly grown her copywriting business and what she's had to shed to make it happen. Here's what you'll find: How Tori went from broadcast journalism to self-love coaching to copywriting. What to do when jobs don’t go the way you planned them to. The balance between nonprofit work and owning a copywriting business – practical tips for pursuing multiple passions. How she built her business to $20k months in a matter of a year. Why she invests her time in networking and the benefits it's given her business. The REAL benefits of 5-figure months. How The Accelerator and Think Tank helped her business grow and flourish. How to shift your mindset as you’re growing your business. Copywriting vs. strategy – what’s the difference and how will it help you position yourself as the expert? How she went from writing email sequences in a couple of weeks to a couple of days. Why you need to let go of toxic clients for yourself and for their benefit. Choices and decisions. Which one is more powerful? Should we have seasons for connection calls? Referral systems – are they a good idea? The mistakes marketers are making today and how to solve them. How to begin building extra streams of income. Tune into the episode by pressing play or reading the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Tori's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 184 Episode 261 Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  You know how most copywriters jump into copywriting as a side hustle while working their full-time job? And they can't wait to build up the business enough to ditch their 9 to 5 and focus 100% on their copywriting business. While today's guest for the 317th episode of the Copywriter Club Podcast isn't the type of copywriter to follow the traditional path. That's right. Tori Autumn, an email strategist and copywriter, has gone from zero to achieving the coveted 20K a month by shedding toxic clients, seasonal networking, launching new products, specifically templates, and balancing a full-time job with a growing copywriting business. And the best part, she's done it all over the last year. Here's Tori's story and all the lessons learned along the way. You don't want to miss this episode. But before we get into our interview, let me introduce my very, very special co-host this week. It's me. So you are stuck with me, just me. This week I decided to hijack the show and give Rob the boot. So here we are. Feels a little strange without a co-host, but we'll make do. So first up, today's episode is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank Mastermind. So why should you join this Mastermind this month? I mean, you could join any mastermind, and you could join any month, so why this one right now? Well, we have a team of coaches in this mastermind, so not only do you have access to Rob and me to provide feedback, strategic direction, private coaching as you move through your business and achieve your goals, but you also have access to a team of coaches. So you have access to a mindset coach, a systems and growth coach, and our newest coach that you have access to when you join the Think Tank is a visibility coach. Those are three core areas that we know copywriters struggle with the most, so we wanted to bring in coaches who have specialized in those areas to help the copywriters in our Mastermind. So again, you don't just have access to Rob, to me, although you'll get more of us than you probably even want in your business,

We’ve invited Kirsty Fanton back on the show for the 316th episode! Kirsty is an ex-psychotherapist turned launch copywriter and on top of running a thriving copywriting business, she’s also a new parent. Her expertise in the psychotherapy world makes her the best person to chat boundaries around not just navigating parenthood and business, but creating better boundaries for ourselves as a whole. Here’s what you’ll find in the conversation: How Kirsty’s business has changed since our first interview with her. How TCC programs helped her business reach 6-figures and introduced her to an incredible network. The shift her business made since having a baby. Preparing for maternity leave and how creating a passive stream of income helped her business. The process to create an evergreen funnel. How to step back and look at your business from a strategic perspective. How she built a business that worked around her life when her time was so out of her control. The tools she gained from being a licensed psychotherapist and how they can help you practice belief work. Are you holding on to this limiting mindset belief? The fine line of teetering two sides of business – how to avoid burnout. Why you don’t need to rely on having a large audience and how to make money from a small following. How to create an ecosystem of offers that supports your clients in all directions. What surprised her most about maternity leave and having a baby. Advice on how to implement boundaries from the expert and why they’re critical to your business (and life). Setting aside time for the big picture visions in business – where does it fit in? How to increase your reach and grow your email list. What to look out for when you’re trying to find a partner to collaborate with. The expectations vs. reality of parenthood. Check out the episode below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Kirsty's free workshop The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Kirsty's first episode 106 Episode 268 Brandon's podcast Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  If you are planning on taking a sabbatical for any period of time, whether it's for maternity leave, paternity leave, or any type of leave away from the business, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. I knew I had to talk to Kirsty Fanton, our guest for the 316th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast about her experience planning for and working through maternity leave after the arrival of her little one, Ollie. Kirsty and I had our babies roughly around the same time, give or take a few months. And it wasn't the easiest of times to bring a child into this world. I mean, is it ever an easy time? No. Kirsty evolved her business during this time, despite the harsh reality of caring for a baby during a strict lockdown in Sydney. This entire conversation is a candid one about what worked, what didn't work, and how we can all continue to grow our businesses in new ways as our lives dramatically change. You won't want to miss it. Okay, So today I have a special co-host. I am so excited to have Brandon Burton here. If you don't know Brandon already, Brandon's a part of our TCC team, has been in the community, growing the community over the past few years. You probably already know him, he's been on the podcast before, but in case you don't, he is a brand voice strategist for Introverted Experts, a podcaster, a new podcaster with a new podcast, which is very exciting, a father to a new baby, Zion. So part of the reason, Brandon, I'm so excited to have you here, is because we're going to talk a lot about babies and maternity leaves and adjusting to business and work after having a baby. And so I'm really glad that you can add to this conversation.

Rob Perry is our guest on the 315th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob Perry is a SaaS and B2B copywriter and consultant who has built a solid pipeline of clients without using a website, email list, or high-profile social media presence. In fact, he grew his business using a platform you may be familiar with: Upwork. How’d he do it? And could you do the same? Stick around and find out: How Rob went from President of sales to copywriter and how he leveraged his skills. The struggles of abruptly moving your family overseas. How he used Upwork to start copywriting and became a sought-after copywriter. Standing out on a platform like Upwork and becoming the go-to choice. Are 3 minutes of value worth your time? Upwork 101: Setting yourself up for success in 3 steps. Why you need to filter jobs on Upwork and cut out the noise and save time. How to avoid clients who have unrealistic expectations. Did Kira get kicked off Upwork? How to tailor your proposals to each job. The top reasons copywriters should use Upwork to fill their pipeline. Can you build and make connections OFF the platform? Finding the projects you actually want to work on. How to dig up the pain points of your ideal client and create a solution. Rob’s advice on closing sales calls and being a better salesperson. What mistakes are copywriters making in the sales process? How to step into different personas and voices as a copywriter. Why it’s crucial to practice confidence and adjust (and take care of) your mindset. What NOT to do when adding retainers to your client load. Avoiding bad habits and thinking strategically about your business. When to use Upwork and how to keep it from being your only lead source. Thinking about building a team? Do this first. How to get to where you want to go FASTER. Press play or check out the transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Rob Perry's Free Upwork Workshop  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 19 Episode 248 Episode 265 Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  In the past five years of interviewing successful copywriters on the podcast, I can only remember one who was running a successful business without a website or a social media presence, or an email list for that matter. And perhaps coincidentally, that person, I believe, is the highest-paid copywriter working in the world today. Now, I'm guessing at that assumption, but if he's not the highest-paid, he's definitely in the top five. And you might be thinking, "Well, sure, a copywriter with a good reputation and a steady flow of very high-paying clients can get away without a website or an email list or a social media presence. But what about an almost unknown copywriter working in places like Italy or Chile or Spain without any high-profile clients? In fact, a copywriter who might be getting the bulk of his clients in a place like Upwork?" Our guest on the Copywriter Club Podcast today is copywriter Rob Perry, and he says that it's not only possible to do that, but that he's been doing it successfully for years. You're going to want to stick around for this one and hear how he's done it. But before we get to our interview with Rob Perry, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank. That's our combination of coaching, training, and Mastermind for ambitious successful copywriters who are ready to take their businesses from where they are now, maybe somewhere around $5,000 a month and doubling, tripling, or doing even better with it. Or maybe they want to launch a new product or a podcast or create a course or membership or something different in their business, the Think Tank is the place that you can do it.

Liv Steigrad is our guest on the 314th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Liv is a copywriter and brand messaging strategist with a psychology and sociolinguistic background. She helps her clients create powerful brands through her B.R.A.V.E framework, and in this episode, she breaks down how copywriters can use it to build their own brands. Here’s how the conversation went: Does a psychology degree help in being a better copywriter? How to get better at voice of customer research. Making friends as an adult and applying the same techniques in networking. How to prepare and execute things that are terrifying. The one habit you need to build to gain momentum in your business and life. Do you have a definition of success? And is it really true to you? What is a brand story and why does it matter? How to envision big goals and create your ideal day. The balance between a full-time job and a full-time business. What you need to take advantage of while you’re working a full-time job. What is brand strategy and how in-depth does it get? How to make microcopy both functional and filled with brand personality. The B.R.A.V.E framework – How to apply it for your personal brand. Why brand strategy is essential and how to communicate its value to prospects. Where are most copywriters struggling with UX? BE BOTHERED – How this simple phrase will help boost your business. The two business lessons Liv learned from gymnastics. When your mindset wavers… Remember this. Hit play to listen to the episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Liv's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 118 Episode 187 Episode 215 Jenn's website Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  When's the last time you felt bothered by something? Doesn't matter if we're talking about client acquisition or friendship, which we actually talk about a good amount in this episode, because let's face it, friendship is hard as an adult. It pays in multiple ways to be bothered, to speak up, and to show you care for the clients and friends in your business and life. And today's guest knows a lot about not only being a great friend but also about how to be brave in business and life. This branding strategist isn't afraid to terrify herself on a regular basis. This could look like stepping on a stage to do spoken word poetry, or doing a backflip, or traveling in a foreign country alone, or even building a business that's different from everyone else's business. In today's episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, you are in for a treat with brand strategist, gymnast, and all-around brave copywriter Liv Steigrad. Rob and I have had the luck of getting to know Liv in our Think Tank Mastermind and every time I spend time with her, I feel inspired to be more brave in my own business and life. Stay tuned because you won't want to miss this conversation. All right, so today I have a special co-host. I'm really excited to chat through this episode with Jenn Jouhseik, a personality-driven copywriter, and brand storyteller, and an incredible email copywriter as well. I know we don't want to give you three titles Jenn, but I feel like I have to mention email because you are a prolific email writer as well. So Jenn, thanks for being with me to talk through this episode. I appreciate it. Jenn Jouhseik:  Of course. So happy to be here. Kira Hug:  All right, so before we start to talk and dissect this conversation, I just want to mention that, of course, the podcast is sponsored by The Think Tank, which is our Mastermind Program. And Jenn, you are a member of The Think Tank. So I'm just going to ask you a question about it. From your experience, what has been the biggest benefit to your business from being in a Ma...

On the 313th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Todd Brown makes an entrance on the show. Todd is an expert marketer with over 15 years of experience and in this episode, you’ll find out how he went from making $8.50 an hour as an overworked employee to creating a sought-after marketing approach other experts utilize in their own direct response marketing campaigns. The conversation goes a little like this: Where Todd got his start in the direct response marketing industry. What he learned about discipline as a bodybuilder and how he carries it into his everyday life and business. The importance of consistency and why it wins every time. His perspective on discipline and how anyone can add it to their toolkit. The double-edged sword of hiring a team. His shift from marketer to entrepreneur and how it changed the game for his business growth. What is marketing really? How to use Todd’s E-5 method for marketing campaigns and to grow a thriving copywriting business. Two ways to bulletproof your copywriting business and NOT become a commodity. The easy way to compete against AI software. Can you create a valuable USP in a saturated market? Why you should interrogate your own processes and how to justify it to your audience. How to be seen as the genius in the room by solving problems. An inside look at (THE) Todd Brown’s life + a handy book recommendation. Business and life lessons he’s taken from fatherhood with two daughters. The only swipe file you’ll need for the rest of your career. Do not hesitate to press play on this episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Get Todd's Swipe file Todd's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 24 with Roy Furr Our episode on Roy Furr's podcast Full Transcript:   Rob:  What does it take to become a truly great marketer? How do you learn the skills you need to serve your clients in a way that helps them grow? And when do you step beyond the role of copywriter and take on the title and role of entrepreneur? Our guest for today’s episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is expert marketer Todd Brown. Over the past decade and a half, Todd has become the go-to expert for creating flourishing direct-response businesses. Todd is one of our mentors and we’ve learned a ton from him and his team. And every time we talk, we walk away with ideas and insights to implement in our business. What he shared in this interview will do the same for you. It’s a little longer than our usual, but Todd shared so many good insights. Do not skip this episode. Kira Hug:  So let's kick it off. How did you end up as The Todd Brown? How did you get here? Todd Brown:  I mean, first of all, I don't know if I would say I'm "The" anything. Let me be crystal clear about that. But it’s so interesting. First of all, I knew nothing about marketing or selling. I never liked selling, I was never really good at selling. But I was working for a health club company in central New Jersey, and through good luck, I guess I was promoted in this company. This company, they owned health clubs in New Jersey, that were all about 40,000 square feet, these big facilities, really beautiful architecture. They did something really special back then.  The company was growing very quickly. Actually, an interesting little gem was the owner of the company, I like to say that he was like my Steve Jobs, he was brutal to work for but I learned so much. I don't believe that I would be where I am today, if it wasn't for the experience, seeing how this guy looked at the numbers and was relentless with production and all that. Anyway, what was interesting was that prior to the gym business, he was one of the first people to lease computers. 

Jennifer Spivak is our guest for the 312th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Jennifer is the CEO and founder of The AdGirls Agency, and she’s helped hundreds of businesses generate millions of dollars on Facebook and Instagram with the use of simple funnels. In this episode, she breaks down her funnel process and how copywriters can implement a low ad-spend approach to lead generation. Here’s how the conversation went: How Jennifer got into the entrepreneurial space and her mission behind her business. Getting out of an abusive relationship and how $1500 saved her life. How she grew her business through organic relationships and virtual door knocking. Why she set up one simple ad to book a call with her and how it turned out. Is it a good idea to turn your business into an agency? When this happens… It’s time to make a business pivot. Her team of 16 and how each position allows for her to step into her visionary role. What she would do differently if she was starting her business over. Her system and process for hiring and how to find out who would be a good fit for your team. Do you need a business partner? Split of equity – what’s that conversation like? Integrator role vs visionary role – what’s the difference and what are each responsible for? What NOT to do in your funnel and how to get chosen as the no-brainer choice. Her 4 messaging buckets to build relationships quickly and effectively. What if you don’t have a large budget for ads? The better follow-up method when someone books a call with you. The benefits of having a simple funnel in place… Call it the easy, lazy marketing approach. Switches and changes you might need to make to step into the visionary role in your business. Struggles of a 7-figure business owner and navigating new businesses. Why you should throw your timeline out the window and do this instead. Don’t wait to listen (or read) this episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join the P7 Client Attraction Pipeline The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Jennifer's Forbes article  Jennifer's website Join Million Dollar Agency and use code "copywriterclub" for 25% off. The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 54 Episode 64 Episode 203 Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  If you've been in the marketing world for more than a few days, you've probably heard the idea that you need a funnel. After all, a single funnel that reliably brings the right clients to your business is the difference between feast and famine and working with clients that you love versus working with those who tax your patience and drive you crazy. Our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is Jenn Spivak, the founder of The Ad Girls agency. Jenn's take on creating a great funnel that attracts ideal clients is different from the approach of almost every other expert that we know and, in the second half of this interview, she broke it all down so that you can borrow her approach for your business. Before we share that, Jenn also talked about building her agency, how she hires the various roles on her team and a lot more. We covered a lot of ground in this interview, so stick around because this one has dozens of insights that are going to help you in your own business. Kira Hug:  Before we jump into our interview with Jenn, this podcast is sponsored by the P7 Client Attraction Pipeline. If you haven't heard about it and you have no idea what's going on with P7, there's still one day to jump inside before we officially start this intensive on Thursday, and if you're like, "I don't know what this is. What's P7? What does this mean?" we'll give you an idea of what it's all about. After talking to hundreds of copywriters over the last five years,

On the 311th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Peta O’Brien-Day joins the show to discuss… Politics. But not in the way you’d imagine. Peta is a copywriter and messaging strategist who educates her audience on how to tread in delicate territory by leading with empathy in marketing their efforts. Here’s how the conversation goes: Her background in social work and learning how to empathize with teenagers by building relationships. What’s the secret? Working in mentally challenging conditions and the toll it can take. Becoming a widow and transitioning into many different careers. Starting a blog about starting over and getting hired by parent-based companies. Beginning on Upwork and optimizing her profile to appear first in the search bar. How to communicate empathy with skeptical audiences as a business owner. Never say these two things when someone is grieving — take notes. How she upleveled her skills before cold pitching and landing a company who needed email copy. How she went from $500/mo to consistent $4-$5k months. The importance of being strategic about being more visible and how to do it. How she found what truly lit her and began attracting more ideal clients. Why she has a large ecosystem of where she acquires leads. Her framework for writing values and molding them into your message (clear as day!) What tools we can use when having difficult conversations. Why it’s important to keep our perspectives open. Tune into the episode by hitting that play button or reading the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: P7 Workshop – get more clients The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Peta's website  Peta's politics membership waitlist  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 63  Episode 274 Full Transcript:    

On the 310th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Rob and Kira sit down and chat about what’s new in the world of The Copywriter Club. Catch up and tune into what needs to be on your radar for the last quarter of the year. Here’s what they talk about: The 2022-2023 Definitive Guide to Pricing for copywriters – and how you can apply it to your business. What’s the difference in salary between content writers and copywriters? Do you need a degree to be a copywriter? (new blog alert!) Do copywriters really need a niche? How you can get better at prospecting and scale your income. The number one problem copywriters are facing. What do habits have to do with gaining clients consistently? Are you ready for the Think Tank? What podcasts are Rob and Kira listening to lately? A podcast to improve your storytelling game. Tune into the episode below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: P7 Workshop – get more clients How much do copywriters get paid? Do you need a degree to be a copywriter? Do copywriters need a niche? The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM   Full Transcript:    

Melissa Harstine is our guest for the 309th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Melissa is a Customer Research Strategist who helps her clients pull out the best insights for her clients, so they can increase their reach and results. In this episode, Melissa gives us a breakdown of how we can all increase our customer research skills and why they matter in the first place. Check it out below: Melissa’s beginnings as a journalist at a small nonprofit for the elderly and how she was able to connect with her target audience. Writing for a demographic much different than your own – how’s it happen? Why she decided to hone in on a niche and how it worked out for her. How to connect with potential clients in your local business networking groups. Her advice on asking better questions during the research phase. Why you need to lead with empathy and how to respond to people’s demeanor and tone. The specific questions she asks clients to pull the best details and information for a project. How she packages research and presents it to prospective clients. The key to communicating value and knowing your target market. Working with well-known leaders in the industry through building relationships. Finding dream clients once you actually know what you’re looking for. How to turn research into strategy. Her process for pulling out the best pieces of customer research. Why it’s important to stop overbooking yourself and what to avoid. Questions you *probably* shouldn’t ask. How she presents the research report to her clients and helps them apply and implement in real time. Should you position yourself as a “thought partner?” Resources you can use to become a better researcher. How The Copywriter Accelerator helped her grow her business. How to add more value for your clients. Tune into the episode by hitting play or reading the transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Melissa's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 12 Episode 28 Episode 154 The TCC Shop  Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  Customer research is one of those things all copywriters need to do in order to truly connect with the audiences we write for, but not all of us like doing it, and some clients hate paying for it. Doing it well can be a bit of a challenge. Today's guest on the podcast is messaging strategist and copywriter, Melissa Harstine. She talked about how she went from a copywriter without a niche to specializing in customer research for a variety of clients, including other copywriters. As we talked, she shared her favorite interview questions, ideas for selling research to clients, and how she turns her research data into a strategy her clients can execute on. It's a great interview you won't want to miss. Rob Marsh:  But first, this episode is sponsored by the Copywriter Underground. That's the membership for ambitious and growing copywriters. As a member, you have access to copywriting and business training, group coaching calls, copy critiques, our bimonthly newsletter, and a lot more, all designed to help you grow your business. And if you join now, as in the week that we're releasing this podcast, you not only get your first month for just $17, which is a screaming deal, but you'll also get a hard copy of our 24-page Copywriter's Definitive Guide to Pricing, which includes data about what copywriters of all experience levels are charging for 22 different project types, as well as things like the six figure niches and so much more. So go to Thecopywriterunderground.com to join now. Kira Hug:  And if you want to get your first month for just $17, like Rob said, use the promo code, TRY IT, that's all caps, TRY IT, and that will get you in for $17 for your firs...

Our guest for the 308th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Kristin Lajeunesse. Kristin is an author and former digital nomad who has traveled to all 50 states in the U.S. and 21 countries on a mission to find delicious vegan food along the way. Her travels led her to copywriting and over the last couple of years, she’s built a thriving business. Here’s how her story goes: Kristin’s 3 lives and how they led her top copywriting. Starting a business on Fiverr before hiring a sales consultant. Landing large clients with employees vs solopreneur clients. What it’s like to work with a sales consultant – how does it fit into the budget? Are you doing the same amount of work for less money? The best tool you can use on a sales call. How to turn your sales call into an organic conversation rather than an interrogation. How much do we really need to do to ensure a high-quality customer experience? The two best investments Kristin has made in her business. How she manages her small team and hires subcontractors to support her business. How she pays her subcontractors. Her process for being the main point of contact and delegating to subcontractors. What it’s like to write for businesses that may take a toll on your mental state – what should you consider? Balancing being a highly sensitive entrepreneur and setting boundaries. Why she chose the van life? The best destination for digital nomads. What it’s like to write a book for a traditional publisher. Setting up a book tour and finding sponsors. Hit play or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Kristin's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 81  Episode 137 Episode 305 The TCC Shop  Full Transcript:    

Jenn Prochaska is our guest on the 307th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Jenn is a copywriter who specializes in message strategy and websites. This episode is truly an inspiring journey as we hear how Jenn has navigated her way through addiction, motherhood, and scaling a thriving business. This episode will leave you with wisdom, practical business advice, and even a email marketing strategy… Here’s how the episode goes: Jenn’s 25 year background in sales and marketing and why she went from LA back to Cleveland. The journey to getting sober and realizing the “cushy” job didn’t bring happiness. Going back to school to get a Masters in creative writing and rediscovering old passions. Making big changes in adulthood and investing in yourself. Working for agencies, being a lead copywriter, and diving into freelance copywriting. How tires helped her learn about educating an audience, urging them to care, and how to incorporate benefits. Why is addiction misunderstood? Doing better vs. doing different – is there a difference? Jenn’s systems and processes to make hard decisions and being a successful integrator. Being a good parent vs being a good business owner? The aha advice Jenn got from Rob about writing expectations. Getting permission to shut Shirley up (who the heck is Shirley?) Mapping out workflows and finding holes in your process. How Jenn created her unique framework and niched her business. How Jenn’s support, community, and mentors have helped silence her limiting beliefs and strengthened her mindset. Jenn’s morning routine as a parent and business owner. Communication and boundaries – and how it helps Jenn become a better entrepreneur. The power of the Think Tank community. Jenn’s FORTY-week drip sequence? How did she do it? Tune into the episode by hitting play or reading the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Jenn's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 82 Episode 270 Episode 301 Erin's website Juliet's website   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Life is messy. Sometimes life is really messy. And it can take a while, sometimes even years or decades to figure things out. And as we've interviewed copywriters on this podcast, many of them have described long winding, sometimes really messy pathways that they followed to get to where they are today. Today's guest on the Copywriter Club podcast has a path like that. Jenn Prochaska shared how she went from LA's music scene to a somewhat more sedate and fulfilling role as a mom copywriter and brand strategist, and how it took more than a decade to figure it all out. We talked about a lot of things in this episode. Everything from addiction to creating and scaling a business that fits the life you want to mindset and a lot more. We think you're going to like it. You're also going to hear a lot of voices in this episode. That's because Kira interviewed Jenn while I was on vacation. And invited copywriter, Erin Pennings, to join her to ask questions. So, you're going to hear Erin, you're going to hear Kira. And now as we're recording a few additional comments to go along with this interview, Kira's on vacation and I've invited copywriter, Juliet Peay, to join me to share her thoughts. Juliet, thanks for your help. Welcome to the podcast. Juliet Peay:  Thank you so much for having me. I'm glad to jump in and hope Kira is having a blast. She deserves it. Rob Marsh:  Yeah. She definitely deserves it. I mean, we should all take more vacation, I think. So, this is fun. Before we get to our interview with Jenn, we just want to make you aware of a new copywriting business training available from the Copywriter Club and Jamie Jensen.

On the 306th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Jamie Jensen makes her second appearance on the show. Jamie is a copywriter, screenwriter, creative coach and some-day showrunner. Jamie’s many lives have led her to her absolute passion of screenwriting and helping other multi-passionate creatives discover how to balance it all. Here’s how the conversation went: What’s the difference between hitting a wall and burnout? Walking away from something that’s going well? How to create a step by step process for what comes next. Why you need to give yourself permission to be messy. The balance between business person and artist. What goes into the screenwriting process? The importance of allowing yourself to be bad at your craft. The shift in the screenwriting industry – what have been the effects of streaming? What goes into Jamie’s writing process? Why you should treat your projects like relationships – projects as people? What are work retreats all about? What’s a pilot vs a screenplay? How to get into screenwriting. How to get a lot done in a short amount of time. What is it like to work with an editor? How does it help improve the writing process? Dabbling into new projects and passions… How do we balance it all.Read the transcript below or hit that play button. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join the Accelerator  Join the Flip the Switch Workshop The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Jamie's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 62   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  This is the 306th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. And if you've been here since the beginning, you've certainly noticed some themes that tend to recur as we've interviewed nearly 300 copywriters. Obviously, we like to ask about things like prospecting and sales calls teams, and all the things that copywriters do in their business so that you can borrow or steal an idea or two to use in your own businesses. So it's a little surprising when we stumble across a topic that we've never addressed before. And today's guest on the podcast is copywriter, screenwriter, creative coach, and someday showrunner, Jamie Jensen. When we invited Jamie to the show, we thought we'd be talking more about the changes that she's made in her business since we interviewed her a few years ago, but we discovered something that we've really never talked about before on the show. And so while today's episode does address Jamie's business and how it's evolved, it's also a primer on writing for TV and cinema. Kira Hug:  But before we get to Jamie's interview, we just want to share a final announcement that today is the last day to join the Copywriter Accelerator Program before we shut the doors and kick off this program this September. So if you have any interest in building your business, so you have consistent income processes that help you feel really confident about what you're doing. So it's easier to sell what you're doing. This is a great program. A lot of the conversation today with Jamie is about creative pursuits in writing. And I think most of us have some creative ideas that we're inspired to work on, but it's tricky to do that if we don't have a business that's running and providing consistent revenue. So we're not stressing over paying our bills and stressing about where our business is going to go. And so the Accelerator Program is actually a really nice fit for people who just need a workable business. That feels really good to them and is something they could depend on so that they can pursue those projects, whether it's writing or something else and shape their life around, or I guess, shape the business around their life rather than vice versa. So today's the last day we hope we can work with you. If you have any interests,

Our guest for the 305th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is sustainable and cruelty-free copywriter, Topaz Hooper. Topaz focuses on working with eco-friendly brands whose values align with her own. The slow fashion, environmentally conscious niche is growing rapidly, and Topaz spills all the details for those who are keen to join in on the movement to help the planet. Here’s how the conversation goes: How Topaz became a vegetarian and transitioned to veganism. Her beginning in the vegan coaching industry and how it was the catalyst for her copywriting career. What are the benefits of going vegan? Is Rob going to give it a go? How she tuned into her audience's needs and wants, so she could speak directly to them and shape their transformation. What mistakes copywriters are making in their sales copy – and how to fix it. How can you get paid to make mistakes? How she quickly became known as the cruelty free copywriter in 2022 and scaled her income to $10k months. Her method for working less hours, earning more, and achieving what she’s only heard about on podcasts. What mistakes do copywriters need to avoid to scale their businesses? The simplest way to go about getting testimonials – and something to absolutely avoid. Is there room for copywriters to enter the cruelty free industry? (you’re not going to believe how much it’s worth). How to find clients in the sustainable and cruelty-free industry. What is she doing differently as a strategist and how it helped her land a huge tech client. How The Copywriter Accelerator helped grow and scale her business. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Join the Accelerator  Join the Flip the Switch Workshop The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Topaz's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 253   Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  Could this be the TCC episode that turns Rob Marsh into a vegan? Possibly, or maybe this conversation simply highlights a gigantic opportunity for our community of copywriters and content writers and marketing strategists. We're talking about a fast-growing industry that is estimated to be worth $7 billion and growing. We're talking about the plant-based food space and cruelty-free products.   And today, we're talking with content strategist, cruelty-free copywriter, and our guest on The Copywriter Club podcast today, Topaz Hooper. Topaz chose her niche based on her morals and values. And she's built a six-figure business out of it. She's also managed to snag a huge client that we don't actually mention in this episode. We never actually name the client. But if you do a quick Google or a quick LinkedIn search of Topaz, you'll quickly figure out the client that we're talking about in this conversation. You won't want to miss everything Topaz is about to share with us. But first, I have a special guest as my co-host today. So I am so lucky to be here with my co-host, Mike Garner. Mike is an Accelerator alumni member, and a current member of the Think Tank Mastermind. Mike is finishing, about to finish a book, his first book, or did you just finish it, Mike? Mike Garner:  I'm just finishing the first draft. I'm editing. Kira Hug:  It's in editing mode. Mike is also an incredible email copywriter, and we just figured that out after working together on an email sequence recently, with so much talent and so much experience to share with us. So I feel grateful that you're here, Mike. Is there anything else you want to share that's really important to know about you before we continue? Mike Garner:  I feel slightly embarrassed at an introduction like that. I've been a copywriter for far too many years than I care to remember. I was a translator before that. And like you said, I fell out of the Accelerator into the think tank because I wan...

On the 304th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Rick Mulready jumps back on the show to talk about the changes and pivots he’s made over the last few years. Rick is a 7-figure business coach, online ads expert, and podcast host who has shifted to providing just one offer to his audience. This episode will walk through how he’s able to sustain his business with one offer while working just 25 hours a week. Here’s how the episode goes: Why he decided to pivot from FB ads to online business coaching. How he combined two offers into one signature offer for his business. What struggles he had along the way and how he overcame them (hint: mindset). Lost in identity and finding the direction you want your business to go. How to create profitable and optimized offers for your business – what’s needed to make them successful? How to effectively listen to the needs of your audience and finding out what they need and want. What does growth and success really look like? Are you subconsciously sabotaging your business and revenue? The effects of burnout and how to redefine how you approach your business vision. Getting stuck in the dark and coping with anxiety and depression. What does it take to work 25 hours a week? Building a sustainable team that aligns with your values and personality. What is the most valuable aspect of a business? How to scale a business with just one high-ticket offer? Do you need to launch forever? Niche vs broad – where should you start? Tune into the episode or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator Waitlist Join the Flip the Switch Workshop The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Rick's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 88  Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  You ever get tired of what you're doing? Maybe you've been working in a particular niche so long that it's not just easy, but almost boring, or maybe you've been working with a particular client and it has become so familiar that every time you sit down to write for them, you're seated solidly in the middle of your comfort zone and you're not really growing. Maybe you're feeling stuck. Our guest on The Copywriter Club podcast today is business coach and online ads expert, Rick Mulready. Rick has made a massive shift in his business since we last spoke to him and we wanted to find out why. And as we talked with Rick, we also got his advice on creating offers, mindset and how someone's starting out today could create a business a lot like Rick's. I think you're going to like this one. Kira Hug:  But before we jump into Rick's interview, we want to share a little bit about The Copywriter Accelerator program, which we are really excited to kick off this fall. So, Rob, I'm curious what you like the most about this program. Rob Marsh:  So I like a lot of things, especially the community. And that's one thing that we hear over and over, is people talk about the two or three copywriters that they connect with, that they stay connected with for years afterwards. But two things that we've done recently, we reconfigured all of the content, rewrote everything the last time we ran the Accelerator and this time we are adding the training program, the workshop series that we just did, the P-7 training. I know that's kind of a secret. It's going to be a bonus as part of it, but if you're a podcast listener, maybe we just let that out of the bag. There is so, so much good stuff here to help somebody build a business. If you're struggling at all, if you're trying to figure out a new niche, if you're trying to just figure out how to make this all work, this is a killer program to help you do it. Kira Hug:  Yes. And this is a program that we refer back to all the time.

Joel Bergeron is our guest on the 303rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Joel is a copywriter who specializes in blockchain technology and web3. His interview dives into the world of blockchain and how copywriters can learn more about this new technology and even pivot their careers into blockchain writing. Here’s how the interview goes: His transition from being a military policeman to international disaster services in Asia. Why he decided shift into marketing and how he found copywriting. How he infuses his past lives into his copywriting career. What the heck is blockchain? What’s the difference between blockchain and web 3.0? How to know when to pause and slow down vs. push and go harder? The thing that helps Joel take a step back and remember his why. Building a lifestyle business and realizing when you need to pivot and make changes. The benefits of blockchain – more than just money? What it means to be 100% in control of your money. The downsides of blockchain and decentralization. How blockchain can apply to copywriters. Breaking into the blockchain niche as a copywriter – what’s involved? Finding a niche that aligns with your values and finding the right business to work with. How to find out more information about blockchain. The philosophy behind blockchain technology and how it has the potential to change world. Tune into the episode or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Joel's Website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is a little different than usual in that our guest is Joel Bergeron, who is not only a copywriter but an expert in web 3.0 and blockchain technology, something that we have to admit we didn't know much about before our interview. And maybe we still don't know that much about it after the interview. We've spent a lot of time asking Joel about blockchain and the opportunities that are there for copywriters in this emerging industry. But how does a copywriter become an expert in blockchain? Joel's path is a bit serendipitous, going from the military to international development and disaster Services, ultimately ending up where he is today, but we'll let him tell you how he got there. Kira Hug:  Before we jump into the interview with Joel, we've got an announcement. We have something coming up for you soon. On August 23rd, we're hosting two different master classes, free master classes, and we are really excited to hopefully see you there. Rob, can you just kind of tease the subject matter that we're going to be diving into? Rob Marsh:  We call it Flip Switch, and it really is about finding leverage in your business. Anybody who's taken a physics class in high school or whatever, you know there's this idea that a lever can help you move really big weights. Well, we apply that to a few things in your business. And there are certain levers that you can use to make progress a lot faster. Of course, as a copywriter, you can try to figure out all of this stuff on your own. You can go through the process trying to figure out who your clients are, what kinds of things they need to buy or will buy, or how to price yourself so that they'll say yes. You can figure that out on your own, or we can show you how to use these levers to do that in your business too. So check out the master classes coming up. I think it's pretty good training. Kira Hug:  Yeah, it's great. So it's August 23rd. If you have any interest, you can jump into the link in our show notes and check out all the information and reserve your spot. So we hope to see you there. Rob Marsh:  All right, let's get to our interview with Joel.

Raven Douglas is our guest for the 302nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Raven is a Conversion Copywriter who focuses on the user experience for her clients’ businesses. In this episode, we walk through Raven’s beginning stages as a copywriter and the moves she made to go from $55 dollar projects to $37k. Here’s how the conversation goes: How Raven became the go-to writer for her peers and how it paved the way for her copywriting career. Her cold pitch method and why she took on free work. Educating business owners on copy and how it helps their business. First website prices… You gotta start somewhere. Getting a feel for different niches and playing around with different writing styles. How a 28 hour bus ride to TCCIRL in NYC was the pivotal moment that turned Raven’s dream into a reality. The sales script Raven uses to quote prices and close sales calls. How Raven negotiated a $37 project without diminishing her value. The guarantee Raven used in the beginning of her career and how it helped her close more clients and boost her confidence. The intake and vetting process Raven uses to find out the nitty gritty details of client results. Ethical selling – How Raven declines projects and shifts gears into consultation calls. How to set a consultation call and how to set expectations. Money mindset and pitching high-ticket services. Humanizing CEOs – Why we need to reframe our perception of CEOs. Living the digital nomad life – How’s it possible as a copywriter? Tune into the episode or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: How to Find Clients Workshop The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Raven's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM     Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  From time to time, on this podcast, we've interviewed copywriters who seem to have a golden touch. They connect with the right clients, they start out charging more than what beginners charge, their niche, their brand, their work, it all just seems to work out. And then there are copywriters who work really hard to make things come together. They take chances that may not pay off, they struggle with low-paying projects, knowing that it's just the first step on a long journey. Today's guest on The Copywriter Club Podcast has more in common with that second group of copywriters than she does with the first. Copywriter brand strategist and direct response expert Raven Douglas has put in the hours, made the sacrifices and grown a business that might make a lot of other copywriters drool in envy. We first met her five years ago in Manhattan. So, this excellent interview has been a long time in coming and we think you're not going to want to miss it. Kira Hug:  But before we get to our interview with Raven, we have an ask for you if you listen to the show regularly, or actually, if this is your first time listening and you enjoy this episode, we would love for you to leave a review for the show. If you do review the show, we will share your review in an upcoming episode. Rob Marsh:  Yeah. We like to share those reviews at the end of the show. Maybe you've stuck around long enough to hear a couple of them, but we'd love hearing what you think about the podcast and what our guests share. So, if you would just hop over to Apple Podcasts and click four or five stars, whatever you feel like it deserves, and then just leave a couple of words, your thoughts about your experience with the podcast, we would really appreciate it. Kira Hug:  Yeah. I like how you did not give them the option of giving us a three-star or below. Rob Marsh:  Yeah. Well, I mean, if they want to give us a one or two-star review, we could read those, too, but- Kira Hug:  No, I don't want to read those. Rob Marsh:  Yeah.

Tiffany A. Ingle is our guest on the 301st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Tiffany is a conversion copywriter and brand strategist who finds much of her creativity from the world of fantasy. In this episode, she walks through how copywriters can tap into their most creative energy and create strong, authentic-to-them brands. Here’s how the conversation goes: What is a brand and why do you need one? How Tiffany helps people with their big picture strategy. Tiffany’s process for networking and connecting with others as an introvert. How this one thing is inevitable through building relationships. A natural approach to get to know new people and actually maintain the relationship. Why fantasy can help you become a better business owner and copywriter – And how it will help you become more resilient. How to apply the CRAVE framework to your business and create a strong brand. The process of packaging deliverables as a brand strategist – What goes into it? How to sell something that doesn’t have a direct ROI but an opportunity cost. The importance of anchoring your brand story to your business. What mistakes are copywriters making when trying to create a brand? How to tap into fantasy (+ book examples). Therapy and boundaries and how they’re helpful in business. How to build your toolbox for mental health and negative events. Why you shouldn’t tie your goals to these factors. Running a business, home-schooling kids, and balancing life – How does Tiffany do it all? Tune in to the episode to find out. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: How to Find Clients Workshop The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Tiffany's Linktree The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM     Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  After working as a copywriter for a few years, a lot of copywriters find that the title copywriter doesn't really fit all of the work that they do. Yes, they use words to help their clients communicate the right messages, but often they do a lot more than that. The strategic problems that they solve are bigger than headlines, body copy, and calls to action. They may help with content strategy. They may help with offer creation or with brand strategy. That's what Tiffany Ingle, our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, does for her clients. In this interview, we asked about her process for discovering and telling better brand stories and what she shared will be useful for anyone who helps clients write and tell their own brand stories. Kira Hug:  But before we get to our interview with Tiffany, you may have seen an email or maybe a couple of emails from us about our new intensive designed to help you find clients consistently. Rob, I just want to share why we created this new intensive. We could have created many different new products, but why did you feel like this one was important? Rob Marsh:  Well, we actually surveyed our email list and we had about 150 people just respond really quickly with the thing that they would like to see us do, the number one question that they're struggling with, and more than half of the people who responded said they wanted help finding clients, help with leads and the process of going through how do they even pitch or land those clients. We've spent a lot of time putting together basically a workshop series that addresses that need and will give everybody who joins the tools, the training, and a system for habits that will make it a lot easier to implement this on a daily or a weekly basis in your business. Kira Hug:  Yeah, it's great if you know that you need a system that can help you find and then book clients consistently and you're struggling with this maybe because you just don't find the time to do it,

300 podcast episodes later and Rob and Kira STILL have things to talk about… That’s copywriters for you. On this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob sit down and answer questions from their listeners and reflect over the last 300 episodes while looking forward to the future of TCC. Here’s how the episode goes: The act of mentally preparing for big changes – and getting back to your old self AFTER big changes. Running a business as a parent of young children and going through the motions. Is The Copywriting Club a thing? Rediscovering passions and adding more fun What does the future of TCC look like? The worst business advice Kira and Rob have received in growing their business. If they were to start it all over – What would they do differently? Mistakes Rob and Kira have made along the way and how they’ve learned from them. Rob and Kira’s go-to podcasts – Do they have favorites? What was the tipping point for the podcast? The current books on Rob and Kira’s bookshelves. A new offer all about they key to finding clients. Listen to the podcast or check out the transcription below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: How to Find Clients Workshop Waitlist  The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM     Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Okay. So this is episode 300 of The Copywriter Club Podcast. And usually, we would start out with maybe some interesting teases about what our guest is going to share, but today it's just you and me Kira, and rather than tease the amazing content of this episode. And I'm saying that slightly facetiously, I mean, maybe it will be amazing. We haven't recorded it yet, but we're just going to jump right into the podcast and into episode 300, this is a celebration for us. Kira Hug:  Yeah. It's a big celebration. I don't think it's fully hit me that 300 episodes is incredible. So we should really celebrate somehow. We're not great at celebrating. Rob Marsh:  No, this is definitely a weakness. And I would love to send every listener a 300 pin, or something like that. Kira Hug:  That'll be fun. Rob Marsh:  But if you've been here since the very beginning, we actually would love to have a comment or hear from you, just your thoughts on the show, how it's changed over time, the impact that it's had in your business, just, maybe we start that conversation in the Facebook group and just let people respond. It's gratifying to hear that people find something amusing from it or helpful from it. And maybe you also have some criticism or something, send that directly to me, not to Kira necessarily, but yeah, we, this is a big deal and most people don't get to a hundred podcast episodes. And so hitting 300 feels like a pretty big win for us and for the people who've been on our show. Kira Hug:  Yeah. And I think that it feels like it's also been a while since you and I chatted on the show. Right? It feels like it's been forever. Rob Marsh:  Well, I mean, we've been trying to, we try to do it every 10 episodes or so, but I feel like we might have missed it last week. Kira Hug:  We missed one. Yes. So, I mean, let's just do a quick check-in because you and I haven't chatted on the podcast recently. I'm just curious, Rob, how is your summer going so far? It's mid-July, how are things for you? Rob Marsh:  Yeah. Summer actually has been enjoyable. We had a friend come over from England, so we've done some traveling, a lot of like, driving through the national parks here in Utah, which are amazing. It's surprisingly green in some of the desert areas, which is interesting because we're supposed to be in the middle of a drought, but yeah, it's been a really nice summer as far as personal stuff going on and having an opportunity to travel,

Belinda Ellsworth is our guest on the 299th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Belinda is a drummer turned direct sales expert who opens the conversation about mastering your craft. She is the author of a #1 international best seller, “Direct Selling for Dummies,” and successfully grew her podcast which is part of the iHeartRadio platform. Take a peek inside Belinda’s genius: Belinda’s journey from rock band to a side-hustle in direct sales. Becoming a sales and motivational speaker and transitioning into a consultant helping companies scale from $1-$20 million. Why Belinda decided to go all-in on a podcast – and her invitation to iHeartRadio. How being a drummer set her up for success in every other area of her career. The secret behind Belinda’s success in podcast growth and becoming a skilled interviewer. How mastering your craft will accelerate your growth, career, and lifestyle. The importance of vetting guests before letting them jump on the show. How to analyze data and make improvements when you want to grow anything. Sales conversations – What’s the deal with those? The 4 strategies Belinda offers to become a better salesperson (even if you're a beginner). What does it take to start consulting? How are you supposed to package your expertise? How can you become an expert at anything? Why you need to restructure your onboarding process and how it will take you to the next level. The real deal on client and customer retention. How to get more done through the 4 pillars of success. Structuring your power hour – How Belinda moves the needle in her business. Are you letting the day run you? The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Belinda's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 81 Episode 137   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is a little different from normal for a couple of reasons. First, our guest, Belinda Ellsworth, isn't a copywriter, she's a podcaster, a business consultant, and a productivity expert. And what she shares about getting started in business, having confidence, sales, and even thinking about the right metrics is going to give you a lot to think about. The second reason this podcast is a little different is that I am here alone today. Kira's on vacation. And usually when that happens, we ask a guest to join us, to talk about what we're learning from the episode. But, well, I took some time off earlier this week as well. So we just didn't have enough time to schedule a guest. I hope you don't miss the back and forth that we normally have, as I share some of the stuff that stands out to me most from this episode. And without Kira here, I'll also tell you that this episode is sponsored by The Copywriter Accelerator. That's our program that's designed to give you the blueprint, the structure, the coaching, the direction, and the community that you need to accelerate your business growth in about four months so that you can go from overwhelmed freelancer to fully booked business owner. We're going to be opening up The Copywriter Accelerator for new members next month. And if you'd like to get on the waitlist to make sure that you're the first person to hear the details, especially about the early bird pricing rate and information about the program. When it opens up in August, you'll want to go to thecopywriteraccelerator.com and join the waitlist. And we'll also link to that in the show notes in case you're not able to write that down. Okay. So let's jump into our interview with Belinda and learn how she became an expert in sales. Belinda Ellsworth:  Well, it goes way back to gosh, nearly 40 years ago, I just started doing in a direct sales business,

On the 298th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Avi Webb joins the show. Avi is a copywriter who specializes in naming businesses and offers (not an easy task). Is there a method to the madness? Avi spills his secrets to his research and creativity processes, and how you can tap into the naming market. Check out the goods: Avi’s transition from creative writing to persuasive writing. Why is there a lack of emphasis on copy? Are there any advantages to design vs copy first? How design and copy are two separate languages and how to navigate both. The better way to work with designers, so each vision can come to life. What kind of communication needs to happen between designers and copywriters? How Avi became the name guy. Do you have to love everything about copy? How to find your unique, comfy, copywriting chair. Is there a method to charging for taglines and names and how are you supposed to communicate the value? Avi’s naming process – What happens before the verdict is decided? What mistakes do people make in the naming process? When should you use your name vs a business name? How to stay creative and continue to tap into your creativity. The key to developing your own unique perspective. Avi’s lead generation process for his signature naming offer. Tune into the episode to learn how you can improve your own naming process. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Avi's website How Much Money Can an Author Expect to Make on Their Book? Blog The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 1 Episode 154 Don't Call It That by Eli Altman   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Have you ever been hired to name a product, or a service, or a business. Naming is one of the most fun kinds of projects that you can work on and also one of the most difficult, because so much depends on getting things right. Does the name you come up with describe the product or what it does? Is it desirable? Is it easy to say, or spell, or remember? Is the URL available? Is the trademark available? Is it too close to a name or a term that your competitor uses? Naming is hard. So we invited copywriter Avi Webb to join us for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast to talk about his process for naming and what we need to think about if we're going to make naming a part of our business services. Kira Hug:  This episode of the podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Accelerator. That is our program designed to give you the blueprint, structure, coaching, direction, and community you need to accelerate your business growth in four months. So you can go from feeling like an overwhelmed freelancer to a fully booked business owner. We're actually opening this program, The Copywriter Accelerator, for new members next month. And if you have any interest at all, just jump on the waitlist to be the first to hear all the information about the program when we open it up in August. So to do that, just go to the show notes and check out the link for the wait list. Rob Marsh:  Or you can go to thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Now let's jump into our interview with Avi and find out how he became a copywriter. Avi Webb:  How I ended up as a copywriter is, I don't know, that interesting. About when I left school a friend of mine was involved with a children's museum that was just rising in Brooklyn.  Kira maybe you know the area on Eastern Parkway, the Jewish Children's Museum in Crown Heights? And they were just opening then and looking for a creative team. He knew me from camp. I had been involved in writing plays and songs and sort of the creative writing kind of guy, and pulled me in to see if I could be helpful. "So, what do you do?" I said, "Writing." I don't know why exactly that time,

Our guest for the 297th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Mary Adkins. Mary is an author and writing coach who helps her clients start and publish a book. She walks through her process to writing her first book and how she’s gone on to publish three. This episode is the journey of getting permission to pursue the passion project that so often gets left on the backburner and to fully embrace where your creativity takes you. And it goes like… Mary’s journey from law to fiction author in the span of a few years. The affirmations Mary kept top of mind when there was too much rejection to count. Feedback – What’s the right way to get feedback without crushing your vision? What is your first draft meant to be? The reality of how we give feedback and why it’s all wrong. How to find the topic you are meant to write about and how to open it with curiosity. Building the skill of perseverance when you feel like your story belongs in the gutter. How to create something new to your project when things get a bit dull and how it can translate to the copywriting world. Where the best place to learn how to write, edit, and pitch a novel. How much money can you really make in the book writing world? Is there room to negotiate? What’s it like to work with a literary agent? Do enneagram types affect the book writing process? The struggles that may get in your way and how to avoid them. How to properly set writing goals based on your enneagram type. The reminders you need to keep in mind during the process of writing and publishing your book. Tune into the episode or read all about it in the transcription below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Mary's website How Much Money Can an Author Expect to Make on Their Book? Blog The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM     Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Do you want to write a book? We've interviewed a couple of book specialists on the podcast over the past couple of years, but in those interviews, we've focused on non-fiction books that you could use to grow your business. But a lot of copywriters want to write something a little more creative, something like a short story or a screenplay, or a novel. Today's guest for the Copywriter Club podcast is best-selling novelist Mary Adkins, who has published three novels and, in addition to writing, helps others figure out how to write and publish their own work. This is a pretty fun discussion that got us thinking about writing something that could be turned into a movie instead of a workshop. If you listen between the lines, there are a lot of good ideas and some good advice that applies to copywriting too. Kira Hug:  But first, this episode of the podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Accelerator. This is our program designed to give you everything you need to start your copywriting business, to pivot your copywriting business if you're changing it up, or to grow your copywriting business if you feel like you've hit a plateau. We have blueprints, we have structure so you know what to do, or we provide coaching and an incredible community so that you can work through and build your business with your peers and you don't have to do it alone. We're kicking it off in August and you can jump on the waitlist if you want to learn more about that program. Just click on the link in our show notes, and you'll hear more information about it soon. Let's get into our interview with Mary. Mary Adkins:  I always loved creative writing since I was in 7th grade actually is when my English teacher turned me on to creative writing. I loved it and I always wanted to be a writer, but at some point along the way, I don't know, I think I lost some confidence and felt like I needed to do something more practical and...

On the 296th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Grace Fortune joins the show. Grace a copywriter and course strategist for copywriters who are looking to launch a digital product. She uses the C.O.U.R.S.E framework to guide her clients through the launch process, and in this episode she gives our audience an inside look at how it works. Here’s how the episode breaks down: Grace’s transition from virtual assistant to copywriter to course strategist. How she overcame her fear of calling herself a copywriter. How she used her virtual assistant experience to carry over into the launch and marketing world. Why she decided to start controlling the narrative and how it’s helped her grow her referral network. Grace’s ‘why’ for helping copywriters create offers. The C.O.U.R.S.E framework and how you can use it for your own offers. When should we launch a course or digital product? Is it ever too soon to launch a product? The importance of collecting the right data and knowing your target audience. The mistakes copywriters are making when it comes to creating and launching a digital product. Why we shouldn’t let tech get in the way of launching and overcoming the perfectionistic tech mindset. What Disney does well and how we can implement it into our business. How to keep up with client relationships and keep people coming back. How to create a better client experience – Is it as difficult as we think? The secret to better client communication and avoiding scope creep and sticking with boundaries. How to overcome burnout as a copywriter. The process of growing a microteam and communicating with your contractors. Check out the episode by hitting the play button or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Grace's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 255 Episode 271   Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  A lot of copywriters help their clients sell courses. Some copywriters have created their own courses and still, others help their clients create courses to sell to their customers. If you do any of those activities in your business or want to do them in the future, you'll want to stick around for this episode. Our guest today is Copywriter Grace Fortune. Grace is a copywriter accelerator graduate, a Think Tank member, and an expert in course creation. In today's episode, she walks us through her process for creating a course and shares a ton of ideas you can use to build your own copywriting business. Rob Marsh:  There's some good stuff in this one, but first this episode is brought to you by the Copywriter Accelerator. That is our program that's designed to give you the blueprint, the structure, coaching, and some challenges and community that will help you put together the pieces of your business and really create something that will continue to grow in the future. If you've done programs like Copy School or RMBC, you've done copywriting training and you know what you are doing as a copywriter, but you need help building the business side of your business. This is the program for you. It will help you go from overwhelmed freelancer to a fully-booked business owner. And we're going to be launching it again, this coming August. If you want to be told about that program when we launch, make sure you get on the waitlist so that you're first to hear about the details. We'll link to the wait list in the show notes. Kira Hug:  Let's jump into our interview with Grace. Grace Fortune:  The way that I got started was actually a few years ago. I started out as a virtual assistant working for a friend of mine who owned her own virtual assistant business. So I went on as her executive assistant, and then I basically learned so much from her.

Ed Gandia joins The Copywriter Club Podcast for its 295th episode. Ed is a business building coach and strategist for business writers and copywriters. He helps his client by teaching them to build habits, strategies, and techniques that help them earn more in less time. In this episode, he debunks the “sales” status quo and gives valuable insight on how copywriters can become better salespeople. Here’s how the conversation went down: Ed’s background in software sales and how it was the catalyst for his copywriting career. How Ed went from 6-figures in software sales to a 6-figure copywriting business in 27 months. The play-by-play on how Ed acquired clients with no formal copywriting training. Why he niched down and how that helped him nail his messaging. The 4 questions to decide which niche is right for you. How to tap into your current network when it feels “awkward.” What if you’re a copywriter with no sales experience… How do you close leads? The reality of sales that will change your selling game. How to lead a discovery call from start to finish with the 30/70 rule. The 5 phases you need to start implementing in your discovery calls. Should you have an expiration date on a proposal? The biggest mistakes copywriters are making when approaching potential clients. Intentions vs habits – What’s the real difference? Using the James Clear approach to habit building, so you can optimize your time. How to add CEO time into your business and how Ed puts it into action in his business. The Freedom Triad – How it will help you make more in less time. Why Ed became a coach and his most common struggles running a high level business. If you want to improve your sales skills, this is the episode you want to listen to. Hit play or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Accelerator Waitlist The Copywriter Think Tank Copywriting Income Survey Kira’s website Rob’s website Ed's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 81 Episode 204 Episode 283 Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Today there are a bunch of podcasts about copyrighting, but when we started this show more than five years ago, that was not the case. Can you believe it's been five years by the way Kira? Seems like a long time. Kira Hug:  It seems like 25 years. Rob Marsh:  Yeah. At least. At least. Time flies when you're having fun. Back then, there were only a couple of people who recorded podcasts specifically to help copywriters get better at this thing that we all do and one of those people was copywriter and coach, Ed Gandia. Ed's been sharing what he's learned from being a copywriter for longer than we have. And like us, he's nearing almost 300 episodes of his show. Sometimes interviewing other successful writers and other times teaching important business skills. And today we thought we would invite him onto The Copywriter Club Podcast to talk about his business, how he got started as a copywriter, and what he does as a coach, and also to share his best advice for copywriters ready to build bigger, better businesses. Stick around because we think you're going to want to hear what he had to say. Kira Hug:  But first, this episode of the podcast is not sponsored by The Think Tank. Rob Marsh:  What? Kira Hug:  It's actually sponsored by the Copywriter Accelerator. A program designed to give you the blueprint, structure, coaching, challenges, and community you need to accelerate your business growth in four months so you can go from feeling like an overwhelmed freelancer to a fully booked business owner. If you have any interest in this program, you can jump on the waitlist to be the first to hear details about the program when it opens in August. We'll link to the wait list page in the show notes. Rob Marsh:  Yeah,

On the 294th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Nicole Morton joins the show to talk about her experience in product development and how it’s helped her build her copywriting career. From creating products to qualifying them in the current market to writing copy for them, Nicole laid out the whole process. Here’s how the conversation went: How Dollies helped Nicole get her start in the product development industry. From idea to store shelf – How to qualify a product to get into the market. How product development can translate to building a copywriting business. The current trends in the copywriting and marketing industry. How to look for trends in your industry. Creating ideas for a product – How do we actually start coming up with ideas? The practical application for brainstorming names for your products. How to uplevel and refine your current skills as you build new ones. Identifying which of your skills are transferable and how you can leverage your background. Client acquisition – How to create a referral system. How to package “ideas” and “strategy” for clients. When it’s a good idea to go back to working a full-time job – Is it a setback? How to reframe “failure” and turn it into a positive. The benefits of going back into the workforce and how it can help you become a better writer and business owner. How to balance working a full-time job, a business, and personal life. Gamification – Can we add it into our business and personal life? What Disney does well and how we can add it to our businesses. Why we shouldn’t underestimate the skills that comes naturally to us. Tune into the episode by hitting the play button or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Copywriting Income Survey Kira’s website Rob’s website Nicole's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 124 Episode 201   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  I'm pretty sure it was Eugene Schwartz, who first suggested that copy isn't written, it's assembled. And a lot of copywriters have jumped on that statement, believing that the work that we do really isn't all that creative. It's like playing with an erector set or a LEGO kit. You're just putting together a bunch of preexisting pieces to get the end product that will resonate with your customers. But that's just not true. Yeah, we need to draw on research and connect with the conversation already going on in our customer's heads, but creativity plays a really big part in creating the magic that makes that connection happen. Our guest for today's episode for The Copywriter Club Podcast is Copywriter Think Tank alumni member and master of ideas, Nicole Morton. And what she shares about brainstorming, product development, having better ideas will help any copywriter improve the work they do. Kira Hug:  A quick announcement. This episode is sponsored by The Copywriter Think Tank that- Rob Marsh:  Surprise. Kira Hug:  So surprising. That is our mastermind-slash-coaching program, where you could have access not only to the two of us, but also to our team of coaches so that you have all the support you need as you build your business and create new revenue streams, create new products, create new offers with our mindset coach, our systems and growth coach, me and Rob. We don't really have a name as far as the coaching that we do. But what would you say that the two of us specialize in? Rob Marsh:  Well, I think we are really good at helping people see the potential in their business and coming up with new ideas of how to grow in new ways. So whether it's building your authority and getting yourself in front of different, better ideal clients, or whether it's adding some new product or service to your business. We're just really good at helping people identify the par...

On the 293rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Marcella Allison comes back on the show. When she first joined the show, she was in the midst of building The Mentoress Collective, and now after 7 years, it’s time for her to pack it up and leave behind a legacy. In this episode, she talks about her decision to move on and the chance you have to get your hands on what she’s built for a steal. Here’s how the conversation breaks down: What was The Mentoress Collective all about? The difficult decision that entrepreneurs are faced with when growing their brands and businesses. What’s changed in the marketing space since the beginning of The Mentoress Collective? Step by step tips to find a mentor – The do’s and don’ts. Is it possible to have too many mentors? The real difference between a copy chief and a business mentor – Which do YOU need? How the most successful copywriters use these two things to create high-converting copy, and how you can use them too. The attitude you need to take on when editing your copy. The three types of entrepreneurs – Which one are you? How are we supposed to balance learning, success, failure, and accomplishment all at the same time? Are you ready for an agency? The difficulties that come with being a solopreneur and entrepreneur – Are they the same? How to embody someone that would demand the rates you want to ask for. Practical advice on supporting yourself during an extreme transition or pivot in your business and life. Why it’s important to allow a time period of business grief and choosing possibility. How you can change the vehicle in which you give rather than give up what you love. Be sure to tune into this episode all about change and rediscovering passions. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Copywriting Income Survey Kira’s website Rob’s website Marcella - Bundle 1 Copy breakdowns Marcella's Legacy of Success - Bundle 2  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM Episode 48 with Marcella    Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  We talk about success a lot on the podcast. We've interviewed lots of copywriters who have built thriving, six-figure businesses. We've even talked to a few people who have made more than seven and eight figures in their business. They've shared the habits and processes, and even the luck that they've had along the way, but we don't talk a lot about failure or quitting. So today's podcast is a little different. Our guest for this episode is our friend A-list copywriter, Marcella Allison. In addition to writing dozens of successful promotions in the financial industry over the past few years, Marcella has spent much of the last seven years building a community to help mentor and support women in marketing. Originally, it was called Titanides, and now it's called the Mentoress Collective, but recently Marcella made the decision to close the doors on that venture, and this episode focuses on that decision. We also talked about mentoring, pay gaps, and what comes next. There's a lot to learn from Marcella's story and her decision, and we hope that you'll stay to the end when Marcella makes an offer that we think is almost too good to be true. Kira Hug:  But it is true. It's too good to be true, but it is true. And this is actually the last day before the price increases for the Think Tank, our mastermind. If you listen to the podcast, you've heard us talk a lot about the mastermind over the last few months. If you have any interest in it, today would be the best day to reach out to our team and find out if it's a good fit for your business so that you can jump in there before our retreat, before our virtual retreat on June 9th and 10th, and before the price increases. You can find out more at the copywriterthinktank.com Rob Marsh:  And just a note about this episode,

Jocelyn Brady is our guest for the 292nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Jocelyn is a brain and story coach who helps her clients create more out of their lives. She is a former copywriter whose fascination with neuroscience led her down a new path. Here’s how the conversation goes: Pig brains – How the heck did they encourage Jocelyn to go down a path of neuroscience? How tragic events can change the direction of our lives and careers. How Jocelyn built her copywriting business and agency by accident and worked with big time clients like Nokia, SunTrust, and Prudential. How persistence is key to building a successful business and why you should think of your business as an experiment. Making a more interesting ‘about’ page and how to get people curious. Is everyone a natural storyteller? Jocelyn’s S.T.O.R.Y framework and how you can apply it to your own stories. Where do most copywriters mess up when telling stories? The key to driving the sale versus justifying a purchase. What are B.S., and how can we Making big pivots in business – How can we effectively make it happen? When it may be a good idea to pivot your business. The #1 struggle in pivoting. Books and resources Jocelyn recommends to start your own brain journey. How to incorporate more play into our lives, and why it’s so important for our livelihoods. Deathbed you – What does that mean and why is it important to Jocelyn’s messaging? How Jocelyn attracts people into her programs – Going from tangible deliverables to intangible results. Take an introspective look at your brain and check out this episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Copywriting Income Survey Kira’s website Rob’s website Jocelyn's website Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg Words Can Change Your Brain by Andrew Newberg The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge Huberman Lab Podcast  Play By Stuart Brown  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Free month of Brain.FM   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  It doesn't matter if you write copy or content or whether you work on marketing strategy or sales. Pretty much whatever we do as writers depends on understanding human behavior and the way people think. The more we know, the better we can communicate. And our guest for today's episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is a former copywriter and current brain coach Jocelyn Brady. She stopped by to help us understand how the brain works, what it takes to create curiosity to tell stories, and how you can keep your reader engaged long enough to deliver your message. Everyone who communicates as part of the work that they do will benefit from listening to what Jocelyn has to share in this episode. Kira Hug:  A quick PSA, The Copywriter Think Tank price tag will increase this June. So if you have any interest in joining us inside this mastermind, don't wait; apply today. We are so excited to introduce some of our newest members in the Think Tank to the entire crew this June during our two-day virtual retreat on June 9th and 10th. It's coming up fast, so again, if you've had any interest in the Think Tank, now is the time to apply. Head over to copywriterthinktank.com to learn more. Rob Marsh:  All right. Let's get to our interview with Jocelyn. Jocelyn Brady:  This is a long circuitous journey, I think. But I'll say that the first time I was really that my brain went, "Wow, what brains can do," was... Well, the first time I held a brain was in grade school when we were dissecting a fetal pig, and I really needed to see its brain. That was not part of the assignment. We were just looking at its organs. And I was like, "But that's crazy. We're not seeing the part that powers all the parts." So I was the sole student there with my hacksaw, just determined to see this thing's brain. That stuck with me. And then later,

Lander Sulser is our guest for the 291st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Lander is a marketing strategist and launch copywriter who helps her clients optimize their offer using her signature framework. Whether you’re trying to help your own clients with their offers or you’re creating your own, be sure to tune into the episode. Check out the conversation: Not knowing how the hell you get to your dreams, but you know you have them. The benefits of using mastermind to leverage your skills and business. How you could get the “in” with big names in the industry by knowing one person. The other benefits and value you can provide as a copywriter other than just the writing component. The process of creating the name for your offer. How to create an irresistible offer in 4 simple steps. What has changed in creating offers since the pandemic? How to hone in on your BIG promise, so your message isn’t diluted. The guarantee – How should we approach it? What we shouldn’t be doing when launching our products. How to create exclusivity around your VIP offer. The better way to craft your USP to stand out from the crowd. Creating purpose for every copy element you’re providing for your client. DFY vs DWY copy services – what’s best for YOUR business? Boundaries you should be setting as a consultant or mentor. You aren’t (always) the ideal client… create the separation. The secret to the end of research and learning during copy projects. Being nicer to ourselves – How do we rewrite the stories we’re telling? Implementing systems and processes will do w h a t for your business?! Why white space in your calendar will create a better business. How to build authority as a highly-sensitive person. This is a not-to-miss episode. Be sure to press play or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Copywriting Income Survey Kira’s website Rob’s website Lander's workshop  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Sign up for Typeform Episode 205 Episode 266   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  You've probably heard the marketing equation 40/40/20. More than one of our guests on past episodes has mentioned it. 40/40/20 represents which parts of promotion are responsible for the sales. 40% comes from your list or your audience, making sure that you're talking to the right people. Another 40% comes from the quality and value of your offer. And the final 20% comes from your copy, the message that you use to sell the offer to the right audience. And if you're talking to the right people with a great offer, you'll almost certainly succeed, even if the copy isn't that great. Conversely, if your offer is bad, even the best copy won't do much to salvage the promotion. All of that is a long way to introduce our guests for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Copywriter and marketing strategist and Think Tank member Lander Sulser. Lander's specialty is helping her clients dial in an irresistible offer that customers can't say no to. It's a superpower that every copywriter needs to have. So you'll definitely want to stick around for this episode. Kira Hug:  Before diving into the interview with Lander, this sponsor for this week's episode is the copywriter Think Tank. Rob Marsh:  Surprise. Kira Hug:  Shockingly, it's the Copywriter Think Tank. It's a part mastermind and part coaching program, and it's designed to help copywriters dive deeper into their businesses and explore new ideas that maybe they didn't even think were possible. With our two new coaches, Linda Perry and Jonnie Stellar, you'll get personalized focus on systems and mindset. In addition to strategic coaching and support from the two of us. If you're looking to create a new offer or program, scale your income, launch a book, or maybe even a podcast, the Think Tank could be your next step to making i...

In this special edition of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re joined by our three coaches inside our Think Tank Mastermind Program. Tamara Glick, Linda Perry, and Jonnie Stellar share their own experiences inside the Think Tank, and how they now support members inside the program through their expertise in mindset, systems, and community. Here’s the breakdown of the episode: How each coach grew their business with the support of The Copywriter Think Tank Mastermind. Gaining insight on what you don’t know through camaraderie. The permission being inside a mastermind can bring you. The specific stories copywriters tell themselves that’s holding them back from business growth and expansion. How not having these specific systems and processes in place are holding copywriters back. Delegation and burnout – how copywriters are self-sabotaging their success. The hand-off anxiety that can come with hiring a team and how to avoid it. How to avoid analysis-paralysis and information overload, so you can set up your business for optimal growth. The network of support you gain by joining a mastermind group (The Think Tank) ; ) What’s the difference between being a visible copywriter and one who hides behind their words? Gaining visibility in business and overcoming the fear of standing out. How even the most introverted copywriter can gain visibility in their niche and become an authority. Why courage has to come before confidence. Who would win at beer pong… Kira or Rob? The benefits of going to in-person retreats. Check out the episode or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Copywriting Income Survey Kira’s website Rob’s website Linda's website  Jonnie's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Sign up for Typeform   Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  Okay. So, we are going to kick this off with our special guests, all of you, and I want you to just introduce yourself by sharing of course, who you are, but your role in the Think Tank. What you're doing in the Think Tank to help the members and maybe share a credential or two. Just brag a little bit about why you're so incredible at what you do. So, let's kick that off with Linda. Linda Perry:  All right. Thank you for having me on. I am Linda Perry. I call myself a success strategist these days, and really what that means is that I combine the tools of mindset and some business strategy to help people bust through some of their blocks and take their business to the next level. I joined the Think Tank really to be that mindset coach to help people really bust through some of the stories they tell themselves so that they can actually achieve bigger goals and do the things that they set out to do. And so far it's been a pretty new role, but it has been a blast. And one of the things that I think makes me really good at what I do is I've worked with hundreds of business owners in different areas, but I have an ability to really see where those blocks are quickly and allow people to really implement the tools they need to move past them. I like to think of what I do as sort of this active learning lab, and part of what I love about being in Think Tank is that it is an active learning lab. They get to see in real-time how their blocks are standing in their way and really work toward taking steps. This isn't like therapy. This is really about taking actual steps that allow you to grow and become that person that you've always imagined in your head and achieve that kind of success you want. Rob Marsh:  And I should add, Linda, because you didn't say it, but you have worked as a copywriter. You've built a six-figure copywriting business in the past. You've been through all of the copywriting trainings. And so not only have you built a business like so many of the other people in the Think T...

Hollie Tkac joined The Copywriter Club Podcast for episode 289. Hollie is a copywriter for coaches in the online space who has built her multiple six-figure business on DFY copy. She shares her experience in creating sustainable income without the 50+ hour work weeks and how other copywriters can build a business that works for them. Here’s how the conversation breaks down: The importance of building your network and how it can translate into 50% of your income. How Hollie transitioned from coaching into copywriting for coaches. The benefits of hiring a coach and how to find the right one for you and your business. Transferring skill sets from coaching to copywriting. Steps to developing self trust and stepping into your sense of worthiness. Having 6 coaches at once and determining which coaches could help you get to where you want to go. How to get the most out of your coaching programs, so you see a return on your investment. Hitting six-figures in the first year of business – How did it happen? Should you add retainer clients to your business model? How to hire junior copywriters and how to effectively work with them. The wrong way to charge for your copywriting services. Creating a strong client relationship and building trust can lead to this. Where do most coaches struggle and how copywriters can help them. When are business owners ready for a copywriter? Systems and processes to use when working with a team and keeping things organized. Client work vs working on your own business – Where’s the balance? Creating financial projections and how to plan for the future of your business. If you’ve been thinking about adding retainers to your business or hiring a team to help scale your business, be sure to tune into this episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Copywriting Income Survey Kira’s website Rob’s website Hollie's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Sign up for Typeform Episode 253   Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  If you've ever questioned whether or not you could make six figures as a copywriter without creating and selling products, courses, or group programs on the side, this episode is for you. In this conversation, we'll speak with copywriter, Hollie Tkac, about how she niched down and grew her Done For You copywriting business with just that; copywriting. We talked about Hollie's approach to retainers, hiring, and working with junior copywriters, and a few best practices for running a successful copywriting business. Rob Marsh:  Before we jump into our interview with Hollie, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank. That's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to think outside the box, build new offers, and add revenue streams to their business. We've recently added a mindset coach and assistant coach to help members of the Think Tank make more progress than ever before, and it's not cheap, but given the results that Think Tank members experience after they join the program, it is absolutely worth it. If you are earning three, four, five thousand dollars or more consistently in your business, go to copywriterthinktank.com to learn more. Kira Hug:  Okay. Let's hear from Hollie about how she got her start as a copywriter. Hi, Hollie. Well, let's kick off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter for Coaches? Hollie Tkac:  Yeah. Really, it all came down to networking actually, and I still think to this day that's one of the main ways I've built my business. What happened was originally I wanted to be a coach myself, and this is in like 2015, so I joined a bunch of programs and things like that and just took that leap to invest in my business. From that, I ended up making connections and people were liking what I was putting out for my own coaching business I wanted to start at the t...

Allison Carpio is our guest for the 288th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Allison is a copywriter, analytics specialist, and food aficionado who breaks down what it means to overcome the headtrash that is holding us back from creating and doing what we truly want. In this episode, you’ll find out the importance of staying in alignment with your values, plus… Starting a freelance career while working a full time job. The mindset blocks and headtrash that stands in the way of pricing. The benefits of being in paid communities and high level masterminds. How to leverage your network and build your authority. Different support systems for your business – which ones do you need? The 3 steps to identify what is holding you back and how to overcome it. Building a “team” of supporters to work through perfectionism and fear of instability. Accelerating success and making business more fun and energetic. How Allison shifted the way she talks to her own audience and why that shift happened. Shifting your beliefs while shifting your business – How’s it done? How to build your email list with warm leads. Where to look for your collaboration opportunities. Crafting your welcome sequence like a private 1:1 dinner. Shaping your VIP day – How can you get more done in one day? The new challenges that entrepreneurs face as their business grows. Hit that play button below, you're not going to want to miss it. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Copywriting Income Survey Kira’s website Rob’s website Allison's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Sign up for Typeform Episode 234 Episode 258   Full Transcript:  

Keina Newell is our guest on the 287th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Keina is a financial coach who helps professionals and solopreneurs with their money. With over $75,000 in student loan debt on a teacher’s salary, Keina knew she had to make a big change if she was ever going to achieve financial freedom. Whether you want to pay off debt, save and invest money, or a bit of all three, this episode will give you practical tips on doing just that. Here’s how the conversation goes: A career that is passion aligned but also helps you accomplish financial goals… real or myth? What is the purpose of money in our lives? How to backwards plan where you want to be financially. The steps to getting granular with your financial goals. Why you should pay yourself as an employee. 3 types of budgets and how to break them down. When to start building a financial system. An emergency fund for business vs personal. Taking a leap vs safety first: which are you? How to plan for expenses that come with being self employed. Where should we be investing when we DO have money to invest? How to create a money hell YES and a hell NO list. Why this one thing will impact your investment style. What about debt? Where does it fit into our financial plan? How to reframe your mindset around debt and change the money stories we grew up with. What it really means to charge less for your skills and how it will affect your future. 3 questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to cut down vs earn more. How to decide where your financial gap is. What to think about before hiring contractors. Why you need to start dating your money. Budgets – what’s that all about anyways? How to actually reach your financial goals. Financial tips for beginners – what are the first steps? How to start up money conversations with business partners. This episode is full of actionable steps to further our financial journeys, be sure to hit play or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Copywriting Income Survey Kira’s website Rob’s website Keina's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Sign up for Typeform Episode 110 Full Transcript: Kira: All right. Keina, let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a financial coach? Keina: I, I think my, my go-to answer is that God has a sense of humor, uh, which has been the theme my entire life, but I ultimately got into financial coaching because I was really looking at what did I enjoy doing? And one of the things that I really enjoyed was budgeting, and in my own personal story, um, I graduated college and with a lot of student loan debt. And in addition to having student loan debt, I actually joined Teach for America, which anyone who knows anything about teachers teaching is not like the highest-paid position in the world. And at that time, I was making probably like $30,000 a year and trying to figure out how could I actually do something that felt very passion-aligned but also be able to work towards buying a home, saving money and paying down student loan debt. So it was like through my own personal journey of budgeting and figuring out how to buy a house, how to make more money. And that progress over, over a decade, got me into the financial coaching space. Rob:  So as you've been coaching Keina and working with people on their own finances, where do you see the biggest opportunities or the starting point where we need to be thinking more about our finances? Keina:  I would say really knowing the purpose of money in your life. I always encourage people to think about when you're 80 years old, like, what do you wanna have achieved? And I think sometimes people think it's like a silly question, but I don't think that we actually kind of press pause to think about why are we doin...

Carline Anglade-Cole is our guest on the 286th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. While Carline has joined the show before, in this episode she gives us the inside scoop of creating a Youtube channel, writing her second book, and lessons we can all use in our lives and business. Check it out: Why Carline decided to channel her content on Youtube. What it takes to get started on Youtube + how to use copy skills to grow your channel. How a thumbnail is like a lead. Why Carline is giving away free content vs paid content. Carline’s Youtube strategy for maximum views. How copywriting has radically changed her life and surprises along the way. The process of shifting gears and getting out of your own way. The difference between selling physical products vs digital products. Why it’s a good idea to rechannel yourself to find things that excite you. Carline’s inspiration for writing a second book about lessons, mindset, and advice. How this ONE tip could change the way you view your copy. The importance of finding a support system that encourages you – but what if it’s not your family? The #1 mistake Carline sees copywriters making and how to fix it. Kira and Rob’s favorite chapters of Carline’s book: Your Copy Sucks, You Don’t. How Carline organized all her ideas to create her second book. If you’re thinking of broadening your reach by writing a book or starting a Youtube channel, be sure to tune into the episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Carline's website  Carline's book The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Our first episode with Carline Episode 65 Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Back when I worked a real job and I'm putting air quotes around “real”, I used to dread Mondays. In fact, when Sunday afternoon would come along, I'd start getting that feeling of dread in my gut and just really wasn't looking forward to work. And I think that's a pretty common thing among people who work regular nine to five jobs. Maybe you felt it yourself in fact. But since switching to copywriting and starting my own business, I can't recall ever feeling that Sunday dread. And I think that goes away when you truly love what you do. That's something that we share with our guest for today's podcast, Carline Anglade-Cole, and as you listen to what she shares, you'd probably agree that Carline is very obvious that she loves what she does. She's excited about writing, about teaching and about sharing the lessons that she's learned over her career as a copywriter. I get excited every time I talk to Carline. And I think that you're going to want to stick around to hear all the great advice that she shares in this episode. Kira Hug:  Before diving into the interview with Carline, the sponsor for this week's episode is the Copywriter Think Tank, which is our mastermind and coaching program that helps copywriters dive deeper and really explore ideas they didn't think were possible, and act on them. And we're really excited to introduce new coaches inside this mastermind experience. We've welcomed a mindset coach and a systems coach into the program so not only do you have our support and our feedback, but these other brilliant coaches in there as well. Linda Perry is the mindset coach and Jonnie Stellar is a systems coach. And what I'm really excited about right now in the Think Tank is that we are planning our upcoming retreat in Washington, DC, this June. And there's nothing better than getting this mastermind together in person. We were just together in Nashville, Tennessee for TCCIRL for our retreat there. And I'm excited to host a party at my house in DC for the Think Tank members. So we're looking forward to that. And if you have any interest in being part of a mastermind, like the Think Tank, you can head over to copyrighterthinktank.

Tyler J. McCall guests on the 275th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Tyler is an Instagram Marketing Strategist and Coach for entrepreneurs who want to build and grow their business online. With social media being at the forefront of so many businesses, Tyler shares his experience dealing with burnout and how entrepreneurs can use social media more intentionally. Take a peek at our conversation: Why Tyler founded onlinebusinessowner.com. How his nonprofit careers kickstarted his entrepreneurial endeavors and how he became the go-to Instagram marketing expert. Should you leave the community you’ve become accustomed to? How to find the right coach and community for you, your business, and your values. The process of healing from a previous business and starting another. Why it’s a good idea to unlearn old beliefs before jumping into something new. How to deal with harassment online – actions and steps to take. Repairing your reputation online – is it possible? The double edged sword of social media. How do you know if you’re burned out + how to fix it. The future of social media and how to not lose yourself in it. The potential of podcasting and the forgotten blog… is it still a thing? A guide to unplugging from social media. The reality of starting a media company and how to monetize when your offer is free. The process of building your writer’s muscle. How to regain trust in yourself and your gut feeling. Building a small but mighty team for business growth. If you want to use social media with intention and avoid burnout, tune into the episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Tyler's website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Episode 177 Episode 191 Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  Social media. We've had a lot of people on the show to talk about their approach to Facebook and Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn. It's almost as if you can't build a copywriting business these days without spending serious time on social media. And while that may not be strictly true, you can, but it's becoming less and less common. Our guest for today's podcast is Tyler J. McCall. Tyler's gone through a bit of a transition when it comes to using social media for his business over the last few months. It used to be the main focus and now it's not. And if you struggle with social media as a business building tool, or you're interested in using it in a more sustainable way, you'll want to stick around for this interview. Tyler also shared how he's reinvented his entire business over the last year, how to deal with trolls and people that are harassing you online and overcoming burnout. Like we said, you're not going to want to miss this one. Kira Hug:  Before we dive into our interview with Tyler, the sponsor for this week's episode is the Copywriter Think Tank. It's our mastermind coaching program that helps copywriters dive deeper and explore ideas they didn't think were possible and act on them. We're introducing two new coaches inside the Think Tank who focus on systems and mindset, so members have the opportunity to ask for support from multiple coaches. If you are looking to create a new offer or program, product, scale your income, maybe launch a book, maybe launch a podcast, the Think Tank could be your next step to making it happen. If you want more information, head over to copywriterthinktank.com to learn more. All right, let's get into the interview and learn how Tyler ended up as the founder of onlinebusinessowner.com. Tyler J. McCall:  I'll give you the shortest version possible. I left my nonprofit career back in 2015 to start my own online business after having a bunch of side hustles before that. And the first business I started was a marketing agency with a really close friend. And that's where I really started learning abou...

Charlotte Davis is our guest for the 284th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Charlotte is a Dubsado Strategist and Business Operations Consultant, and in this episode she breaks down the best way copywriters can use systems in their businesses to create a high-level client experience and maximize their time and energy. Here’s how the episode goes down: How Charlotte transitioned from OBM to Dubsado wizard. The difference between OBM (Online Business Manager) and VA (Virtual Assistant), PLUS when you’re ready for each. Are you ready for a Systems Strategist? Why you need to pull your processes out of your head and into a system. What can be automated in Dubsado? The one thing business owners forget or feel awkward doing. Honeybook vs. Dubsado – what’s the dif? Should you set up your own Dubsado or hire an expert? The process of hiring a professional in your business. Best practices for client management while using automation – is it possible? The 3 system standards service providers need to implement into their business ASAP. How automation helps copywriters get out of their own way. The 5 part process to making high-converting proposals. Managing productivity and managing boundaries… Can the two coexist? The method to a better discovery call. How Charlotte manages her team and what she outsources in her business. The mindset that comes with being afraid to do something. Self care practices that keep Charlotte loving what she does and help her manage her energy. The future of the online marketing space means no more cowboys. How Harry Potter and business are the same. If you need clarity around creating systems and processes, be sure to hit the play button or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website Charlotte Isaac's website  The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Episode 44 Episode 207   Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  We've noticed a growing trend in the copywriting space. More and more copywriters are up-leveling their systems and creating automated client experiences that far surpass the somewhat sloppy back and forth that typically takes place in the inbox. Today's guest for The Copywriter Club podcast is system specialist, Charlotte Isaac, and she lets us look under the hood of her business. We nerd out on automations, Dubsado, and client management. So if you're trying to automate the processes in your business and maybe, just maybe you'd like to hear Charlotte's number one business lesson from Harry Potter, you won't want to miss this episode. Rob Marsh:  I'm feeling attacked Kira, based off that intro. I'm the guy with the sloppy back and forth in the inbox. If you're listening to this podcast on the day that it was released, that means that we are currently in Nashville at The Copywriter Club In Real Life, hanging out IRL with some of the best copywriters in the world. And we're sharing with them some of the changes that we're making to The Copywriter Think Tank here in the very near future to make it better than ever, like introducing two new coaches to the group. So that members don't just depend on us, but have access to specialists and things like systems and mindset. The Think Tank is our mastermind coaching program that helps copywriters take their business to the next level, whatever that means for you, that might be a larger income number, it could be creating a new program or a new offer for your clients, it could be launching a podcast or writing a book to grow your authority, whatever you are ready to accomplish next, we'll help you do it in The Copywriter Think Tank. Go to copywriterthinktank.com to learn more. And let's get to our interview with Charlotte Isaac. Kira Hug:  All right Charlotte, let's kick this off. How did you end up as a business operations consultant?

Angie Federico joins The Copywriter Club Podcast for its 283rd episode. Angie is a direct response copywriter who’s been in both the freelance and agency world of marketing. Her ability to craft open-worthy pitches and close sales calls are just a few qualities that make her a great copywriter and marketer. If you need a pick-me-up when it comes to your skills in selling yourself, tune into the episode. Here’s how the conversation goes: How Angie went from selling life insurance to her start in affiliate marketing. The difference between selling online vs in person. How copywriting became the key to virtual selling. Can you gain clients on Reddit? The key to being great at sales and how to improve your own skills. What even is affiliate marketing? The beginnings of getting good at copywriting… for free. Creating a referral system that sustains itself. How to write a sales pitch that gets read and responded to. Figuring out who you want to pitch and helping your prospect solve a problem. The difference between the acquisition and retention side of a funnel. Why you need to send bad pitches and get rejected. How to pitch with intent. Sales calls – how do you get your prospect to grab their credit card on the call? The benefits of getting upfront payments from your potential clients. The step by step breakdown of Angie’s sales call process. How to set expectations right off the bat with new clients and community effectively. Agency life vs freelance life. What’s it all about? How to manage your energy and keep yourself balanced while working in an agency. Kicking imposter syndrome and anxious feelings to the curb, so you can step into your confidence. Hit the play button or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Connect with Angie Episode 6 Episode 223   Full Transcript:  

Jason Pickar makes his second appearance on the 282nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Jason talks how the last few years have changed and his route to becoming a VP Creative Director. If you’re wondering what it would be like to work in an agency or need advice from a pro, be sure to check out the episode. Here’s what we cover: The changes in the agency space for both copywriters and creative directors. What’s involved in being the creative director for an agency. Teams that make-up an agency and the pace of working for one. The process of getting copy written, edited, cleared, and ready to go live. How to write for fans of a brand. The difference between various generations’ style of writing and crafting copy based on different perspectives. How quick service restaurants are pushing the app experience through a loyalty program and celeb advertisement. The psychology that brings people back into the app. The key to balancing brand voice and direct response language. How to create a narrative of friendship in your writing style. Jason’s biggest wins with Mcdonald’s rewards and the use of the app. The best way to get the attention of a creative director and HR in an agency. What makes a copywriter stand out on the team? The benefits of working for and with an agency. The future of copywriting – where is it headed? Hit the play button or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Jason's LinkedIn Episode 115 Episode 198 Episode 34 Connect with Jenn   Full Transcript:  

Rob and Kira take the mic for the 281st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. In this episode, they walk through what makes TCC… TCC. Through an introspection of beliefs and celebrating what the last 5 years have brought, they challenge everyone listening to do the same thing for their own business. Take a sneak peek: The core belief of The Copywriter Club. No one owns a niche, specialty, or title and why this is a good thing. How to use your x-factor to differentiate yourself from the sea of others in your niche. The golden rule of investing and how to effectively use it in your business. Paid mentors vs free mentors – is one better than the other? How to keep the momentum moving in your business. Outgrowing your title and shifting into a new one. How to find the best way for YOU to grow your authority. The importance of not comparing your goals to someone else’s. How masterminds are like buffets – yes, the food kind. The growth that comes with being the dumbest person in the room. Do you have a sales problem or a marketing problem? How you can do more good in the world and become a change agent. Why it’s good practice to treat your business like an experiment. How the red pen will increase your confidence. The value of stretching yourself beyond your comfort zone. How you can help TCC reach a million downloads. Hit the play button below or check out the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  This week's episode of the podcast is going to be a little bit different. Every 10 episodes or so, Kira and I, we get together and we just share stuff that's not interview based and we've been wanting to do this for quite a while. So we're going to talk about some of the things that we believe. That we believe around copywriting and around the importance of the work that we do and maybe some of the ideas that hold together The Copywriter Club. Does that sound about right to you Kira? Kira Hug:  Yeah, like you said, this is something we haven't done before, so I'm not sure how this is going to turn out, but I'm excited to see what happens. Rob Marsh:  We could easily find out that we totally disagree on what we both believe. Kira Hug:  That's true. Rob Marsh:  Yeah so, it'll be interesting to see, because we have not really talked through this at all before hopping on to record, we just came up with our own lists and now let's share them. Before we share them though, we should say, like always, our podcast is sponsored by something and this week it is TCC IRL The Copywriter Club, In Real Life, it's happening in Nashville in just a couple of weeks, March 28th through the 30th and it is an awesome event. If you don't have a ticket, there are a few tickets left and you can come and join us. Kira Hug:  Yes. And can I share the new excitement with what we just decided? Rob Marsh:  This is good. Kira Hug:  So, we just decided that we want to help the refugees in Ukraine. And so we are going to find an organization that we both feel like is legit it and doing great work. And 10% of the profit from TCC IRL will go towards a specific organization, which is TBD, but we will figure it out soon. It feels like a good way to do something when it feels like there aren't many things we can do, this is one thing we can do. So we're excited to do that. If you do purchase a ticket, at least that part of that is going towards an organization that's doing great work in Ukraine and supporting people. Rob Marsh:  Yep. That's maybe a small way that we can make a difference for a lot of people that are being very significantly impacted by the war. Kira Hug:  Yes. So let's kick off with some of your beliefs. And again, these are TCC beliefs, but it's fun because Rob,

For the 280th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re joined by Launch Copywriter Ash Chow. Ash helps her clients strategize for pre-launch and breaks down why it’s such an essential part of your overall launch strategy. Tune into the episode to tap into your next launch strategy. Tune into the conversation: Having a “is this really my life?” moment and completely shifting gears. How a quarterlife crisis can be a pivotal time in life. The pull to do something greater and make a big impact. The stigma around being a certain age before starting a business or pivoting your career. Navigating feelings of low self worth and shame. How copywriters are constantly scrutinized and how to not internalize feedback from clients. Why validation can be an important part of working through difficult situations. How to respect your boundaries when you’re a people pleaser. Using the comments by that mean girl in high school or an unencouraging teacher to ignite your creativity. Why you need to train your clients on how to communicate with you – you have to lead by example. How to write more empathetic copy even if you’re not going through the same situations. (Lean heavily on your VOC research) The shifts and pivots Ash has made in her career as a copywriter. How Ash has built her authority and visibility by leaning into pre-launch strategy. Ash’s framework to power up your pre-launch. How to address objections as part of your pre-launch strategy. Mistakes to avoid in your pre-launch strategy and what to do instead. How Ash helped with the Accelerator pre-launch. How to create your own stage to speak on. If you’ve been wondering how you can power up your launches with a pre-launch strategy, listen to the episode or check out the transcription below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Connect with Ash Episode 67 Episode 143   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  We've interviewed several recovering attorneys on this podcast. All of them got through law school only to realize that the law wouldn't be the fulfilling career that they once thought it would be. And the pull towards creativity and writing is just too strong for these folks. So they answered the call to be a copywriter. Our guest, for this episode of the Copywriter Club podcast is another recovering attorney and think tank member, Ash Chow. Since graduating from law school, she's thrown herself into writing everything from fanfiction to launch copy. And today she's known as the expert in pre-launch copy and strategy. All of the stuff that you need to do before a launch to make sure that it's a success. She knows so much about this, that we focused most of our discussion on the topic of prelaunch strategy. Kira Hug:  Before we dive into our conversation with Ash, this episode is sponsored by the Copywriter Club in Real Life. So that's her are in person event happening March 28th through 30th in Nashville, Tennessee. The room is filling up and it can only hold a certain number of people because it's a boutique hotel. So there are spots left if you want to join us. I am very excited to hang out with people in real life again, since it's been two. And I just, I miss it. I miss people. Rob Marsh:  We haven't even seen each other in two years. Kira Hug:  That's true. This is the first time Rob and I... I feel like I see you all the time, but you're right. We haven't touched each other. Rob Marsh:  Not that we do a whole lot of touching. Kira Hug:  We haven't hugged each other and just like high fived and all those more appropriate things. We haven't done that in two years. And so this is going to be so much fun. We have incredible speakers now that we've nearly finished the lineup speakers like Mike Kim, Raven Douglas, Brigitte Lyons, Ash Chow,

For the 279th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’ve got not one… but 4 guests jumping on the show. You’ll hear the familiar voices of Jude Charles, Justin Blackman, and Ash Chow as they chat about their experiences with both TCCIRL and (N)IRL. Thinking about joining the party? Here’s what it’s all about: The first impression of TCCIRL – are copywriters really weird? The experiences you can expect to have at your first or even second and third IRL event. Are A-listers real people? The importance of being able to build relationships outside of your computer screen. Being introverted and going to a social event… how does it work? First look at topics you’ll be tuning into at this year’s event. How to leverage TCCIRL in your life and business once the event is over. Dealing with burnout at different levels and how to maneuver it. How much can happen in a short period of time and not forgetting to sit in moments of accomplishment. Which guest nailed 57 podcasts because of TCCIRL? How TCCIRL gives you a boost of energy when you need it – even after it’s over. Can you be in the right and wrong room at the same time? Embracing our awkward quirks and being confident in our empathy. Where do you want to be in a year from now? How has the copywriting and marketing landscape changed over the last year? Why is 2022 the best time to be a small business owner in this space? The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Episode 216 with Justin Blackman Episode 217 with Jude Charles Connect with Ash Connect with Justin Connect with Jude   Full Transcript: Kira Hug:  The Copywriter Club in Real Life is coming up fast, in only five weeks. And in today's episode, our guests include this year's presenters and think tank members, Ash Chow and Justin Blackman and returning repeat presenter, Jude Charles. Rob is out of town this week, so my co-host today is one of our team members from The Copywriter Club, Rosie Bynum, our client relationship and event manager. Rosie, thanks for joining me as a co-host today. Rosie Bynum:  Thank you. I'm excited to be here and I'm excited to talk about the next event coming up, our big one for the year, TCCIRL, that is The Copywriter Club in Real Life. TCCIRL is taking over the in-person stage this year in Nashville, Tennessee, March 28 through 30th. And that is coming up pretty quickly. It is a two-and-a-half-day event where you'll hear from other copywriters and marketers about the best tools and strategies you can use to grow your business, skills, and mindset. Getting connected with some of the best minds in the space is the cherry on top. Space is limited, so be sure to grab your ticket as soon as possible. If you'd like more information, head over to thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl-2022. We'll link it in the show notes as well. Kira Hug:  And space is really limited as in we only have a certain number of tickets left because the venue can only hold 200 people. And so, when we say that we actually mean it, is not just marketing speak. So get your tickets if you do want to be there, we want to make sure you have a seat. And now let's jump into the conversation with Jude, Ash, and Justin. All right, today, we're going to kick this off with a very special episode with some special guests. Today we're going to talk about TCCIRL and also the way that the copywriting and marketing landscape has changed over the last few years. And so, I want to kick this off with my co-host and then we're going to go around the room and everyone will get a chance to introduce yourselves. So, Rosie, why don't you kick it off as my co-host today? Because we kicked Rob Marsh out, you are going to co-host. Why don't you introduce yourself? Rosie Bynum:  Hi, everybody. Yes, my name is Rosie.

Laura Sprinkle is our guest for the 278th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Laura is an affiliate partnerships strategist and has worked with people like Amy Porterfield, Selena Soo, and Todd Herman. Launching can be challenging, but adding an affiliate program could give your launch the eyes it deserves to increase sales and reach. Laura breaks it down like this: Laura’s fascination with the ability to sell what you create. Early beginnings as a health coach and how she transitioned to the marketing side of business. How she bumped into big names like Selena Soo and Todd Herman – you never know who you know. What’s working in the launch space vs what isn’t. How to elevate your VIP experience with clients to make deeper connections. Why it’s important to focus on prelaunch – and guidelines on how to make it work. The differences in each style of launch and knowing which is right for you. Deciding what you want to be known for. Navigating multiple offers and how to not dilute or confuse your audience. The importance of content and media repurposing. The benefits of being an affiliate for a program – and how to express that to affiliates. How to find good affiliate partners through the rings of recruitment. Are affiliate partnerships for first time launchers? How to build relationships and network without the aim of just getting something out of it using the 4 wins exercise. Affiliate program best practices… and what to avoid. How her team is set up to help her attain maximum productivity and function. Money mindset – being expensive but worth it. How to reframe failure to raise your rates. Tune into the episode and learn how to implement affiliate marketing into your business. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Laura’s starter kit Episode 124 Episode 239 Jonnie’s website    Full Transcript: Kira:  You know you've got a great offer to sell and it's been proven to do well and get your clients results. But now you're looking to expand your reach and help even more people. On this episode of The Copywriter Club, podcast, affiliate marketing expert, Laura Sprinkle, joins us to walk through what it takes to create a successful marketing strategy and how to utilize affiliate marketing to get your offer in the hands of other people's audiences. Joining me today is a very special guest, Jonnie Stellar. Jonnie is one of the most talented copywriters I have worked with. I've worked with Jonnie on many different projects over the years. Jonnie has written copy for TCC. And his most recently worked with a big marketing agency. So, thank you, Jonnie for joining me today and cohosting. I appreciate it. Jonnie:  Absolutely. I'm so excited to have dusted off my podcast mic that I never used. Yeah. It's such a pleasure to be here again with you, Kira, for the second time I've been on the podcast. Kira:  Yes. All right. So, before Jonnie, we jump in, I'm just going to share our sponsor, TCCIRL. This is not anything new. We have our big event coming up. It's coming up fast. So, we are traveling to Nashville, Tennessee on March 28th through 30th. We're going to host our event in person after a hiatus and last year going online. And we're really excited just to see so many writers in one room. We can't wait. And I could read the promotional blurb in front of me. But I'd rather just ask you, Jonnie, you've been to our event. Can you share what stood out the most to you? Why was it worth it for you to be at TCCIRL? Jonnie:  Yeah. I think I believe I've been to three TCCIRLs of two for sure. First one was in New York and then the second one was most recently last year in, I'm sorry, in 2021 in San Diego. Sorry, if I'm getting my years mixed up. Kira:  It's all a blur. It's all the years are a blur now.

Our guest on the 277th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Erin Pennings. Erin is a B2B storyteller and marketing strategist who has nailed a framework to help others write their own websites with ease. Creating a captivating website can be a daunting task (for copywriters and other business owners alike), and Erin reveals how to simplify the process. Here’s how the episode breaks down: The transition from the tourism sector to copywriter. The early days of Facebook and LinkedIn and how Erin used it to her advantage. How where you start may not be where you end up. – Writer beginnings. Steps to finding your x-factor. 2 things that you’ll discover in exploring your x-factor. How to create a framework and processes and how it will help your business. How Erin divides her business into DFY and DWY offers. The process Erin uses to get website copy written in a week. Are live review edits the next big thing? How they can speed up the writing and editing phases. Utilizing a checklist for evaluating website copy. The transition, the struggles, and the mindset blocks that come from starting up a group program. How Erin’s group program students get their website copy done in 21 days. Mistakes copywriters make on their own websites plus how to navigate them. Building your email list and ramping up your lead generation. How to build boundaries around your life while being a yes person. Using your CEO days to get the most out of your time. Building a sustainable business – taking time off and getting paid for it. Her experience inside The Accelerator and transitioning into the Think Tank. Tune into the episode by hitting the play button below or reading the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Erin’s website Grace’s website Episode 154 Episode 262  Full Transcript: Rob:  A lot of copywriters write web copy for their clients, which is pretty natural because so many of our clients need help with their websites. But what about writing copy for your own website? That's a bit trickier. In fact, we've talked with hundreds, and I'm not exaggerating that number, hundreds of copywriters who are perfectly comfortable writing web copy for their clients, but can't seem to get past the blank page when it comes to their own website. You might be able to relate. Our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Erin Pennings. Erin created a framework that makes the writing of web copy, that whole process a lot easier, even when working on copy for our own businesses. And she shares that framework, plus some ideas about frameworks, live edits and a whole lot more in our interview today. You'll want to stay tuned for this one, but before we get to Kira and me talking with Erin, my co-host here to add a few thoughts in today's episode is Grace Baldwin, and Grace is a B2B SaaS copywriter brand strategist who works to help B2B SaaS startups with niche solutions to big problems, helping them tell stories that connect with their audience. She's an awesome copywriter, has a great newsletter. Welcome, Grace. Grace:  Hi, Rob. I'm super excited to be here. Thanks for having me on. Rob:  I am thrilled to have you here. We haven't talked in a little while, so it's just good hanging out with you for a few minutes anyway. Grace:  Nice to catch up. Rob:  So, before we dig into the episode, we need to remind you this episode is sponsored by The Copywriter Club in Real Life. That's our in-person event that's happening later next month, March 28th through the 30th in Nashville, Tennessee. The room's really filling up. We only have about 200 seats in the room. It can't be expanded, and there are a lot of copywriters there that you are going to know. You may have heard of.

On the 276th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Esai Arasi hops on the show. Esai is a Social Media Manager and Strategist who helps copywriters with their content strategy to get the most out of their content. Social media has the potential to expand your reach and connect with more leads, and in this episode, Esai walks us through how you can use it to its greatest potential. Here’s how it goes down: Esai’s transition from psychological trainer to copywriter and social media strategist. How to guide someone to change their behavior *willingly*. Why belief is of utmost importance in creating changed behavior. Human psychology and the roots of how humans change and evolve over time. How Esai has transferred her skills into copywriting. The process for implementing change and making it fun (and easier). Being good at the skill but struggling with the business aspect of acquiring clients. How credentials and formal education can help you build foundational skills in your business. How to create a minimum viable product and implement it into your business. Does it need to be perfect? The benefits of having an insatiable curiosity for learning and mastering the craft of copywriting. How not to get stuck in the learning phase of your business and lean into the doing. Why you need to build stamina for failure and how to use it to your advantage. What copywriters can improve in marketing their business. The worst content strategy advice you could be listening to and what to do instead. Working in other countries and charging a premium price. How to train your team in mimicking your processes. Esai’s future business plans and how she intends to help women learn English and gain better job opportunities. From social media strategy to strengthening your behavioral psychology skills, this episode is a must-listen (or read). The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Connect with Esai  Esai’s episode on The Great Escape with Jacob Suckow PrimalBranding Principles of Marketing Organizational Behavior E-Myth Episode 54 Episode 106 Jared’s website Full Transcript: Kira:  For many copywriters, social media is a necessary evil. Many of us dread showing up on social media, I am one of those people. But we also realize visibility on social media can be a game changer for our business. For the 276th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we're joined by Esai Arasi. Esai is a member of our Think Tank Mastermind, a copywriter and a social media strategist who helps copywriters, oftentimes copywriters who dread social media, and helps them navigate social media so they can stand out to premium clients. And today I am so excited to sit here with my co-host Jared MacDonald. So Jared, thanks for being here. I appreciate it. Jared:  Thanks for having me, Kira. Always a pleasure. Kira:  It's been so long since we got to hang out. So, I'm glad you're here today. And why don't you just introduce yourself? Let us know who you are, what you do. Jared:  Sure, sounds good. Yeah. So, it's been a little while, but yeah, if we haven't met, my name is Jared MacDonald and I'm a growth coach for one person service-based businesses, helping with a lot of different perspectives from sales to tech and just overall, just some of the challenges that I've found that come easy to me, but are pretty headache conducing for my friends in the service-based business space. And then on the client side, I do a lot of UX strategy, user experience strategy. So, customer journey mapping and customer research kind of main specialties there. Kira:  And can you just share like the clients, the types of clients you typically work with? Jared:  Yeah, yeah. They've... It's ranged over the years, but largely enterprise.

On the 275th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re joined by Dan Clark. Dan is the CEO of Brain.FM, science-first functional music technology that supports focus, meditation, and sleep. In this episode, we uncover how neuroscience and music can work together to improve your productivity and trigger your flow state for maximum concentration. Having a moment of realization that makes you shift your focus to finding your purpose. Why it’s a good idea to try new (and impossible) things to build confidence and break through your comfort zone. How “no” will always be your answer if you never ask for what you want. How does functional music work to bring you to your flow state? The difference between functional music and Art music. The science behind getting into your flow state within 5 minutes. Can functional music help with ADHD and neurodiversity? Breaking down 3D sound and how it supports focus. Is it possible to train your brain to go from night owl to morning person? The differences in the focus, relaxation, and sleep modes of Brain.FM. Energy management as a business owner and CEO. How to make the most out of time with specific habits. Psychological triggers that help bring your brain into flow state. How to utilize your surroundings to enhance productivity. Creating a blueprint to help more people and driving your business forward by working backward. How to stay focused on one thing at a time when you have a multitude of visions. The importance of creating intentional space to move the needle toward specific goals. Why hiring support from experts, coaches, and consultants will save you time. If you’ve ever wondered how music (or sounds) has the power to help with concentration and how you can take it a step further, be sure to listen in on this episode or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Brain.FM 30 day free trial Episode 237 Episode 178 Episode 68 Chanti's episode Chanti's website  Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:   Discipline, focus, mindset, getting things done, these are the topics that Kira and I both find ourselves coming back to again and again, and they're the things that we're trying to practice from day to day, and we're not alone. Lately, it feels like we're hearing from a lot of copywriters who are struggling with their own focus. Some are even dealing with things like attention deficit disorder, and none of this is new. There have always been distractions in the workplace. It's just that now that so many of us are working from home, we're easily distracted by family members, virtual school, spouses, partners, pets, any number of things that keep us away from the work that we do. If that sounds familiar to you, you're going to like this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Our guest is Dan Clark, the CEO of Brain.fm. That's a music service that provides functional music designed to help you focus, sleep, and relax better. You might call it a Spotify for your brain. Dan talks about the science behind this unique music and how it relates to focus and flow state, neurodiversity, productivity, and managing your energy, but before we get to our interview with Dan, let me introduce my co-host for today's episode. It's Chanti Zak. Welcome back, Chanti. Chanti Zak:   Thank you so much. I am very excited to be here and talk about one of my favorite things. Rob Marsh:   Yeah. This is going to be fun. So longtime listeners are going to remember your name partly because it's been mentioned by so many people who've been on the podcast, but also because we interviewed you way back in episode 54, where we talked about building quiz funnels. Chanti, you're a growth strategist. You're known as the queen of quizzes.

On the 274th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Anna Rosa Parker joins the show. Anna is a brand alchemist and wordsmith who helps artists and creatives develop their brand personality using a holistic approach. In this episode, she uncovers how she uses her background and roots to get what she wants and how we can step into our own inner Viking. Here’s what we chat about: The shift from actor and screenwriter to copywriter. Feeling pulled in many directions and being multi-passionate. How knocking on doors can help you acquire new skills. Why Anna decided to leave acting and the mindset that led her in a different direction. How you can use the open-door policy to ask for what you want. Why you need to learn how to be fearless and how to step into your inner Viking. The equality in CEOs and janitors. The benefits of being in the marketing space, and how it can satisfy your ever growing desire to learn. Taking big chances when you don’t have a direction and how community can guide you when you feel lost. The difference in doing copy WITH vs FOR you. Is it a service you should offer? How you can utilize parts of your past into the present and future. The pros and cons of working with agencies. The key to writing holistic copy. Anna’s process in working with artists to find their brand identity. The underlying definition of creating a brand. Attracting clients by being 100% yourself and knowing exactly who you want to attract. Podcast creation and how it came about. Working with a partner who connects with your artist mindset. The struggles of being an artist and how to overcome them. The difference between building a business as an artist vs a marketer. Tune into the episode to find out how you can step into your inner Viking to ask for what you want. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Anna's website Justin's website Episode 33 Episode 202 Full Transcript: Rob:  There's a book that we've referenced on the podcast in the past a couple of times. It's called The Alter Ego Effect, and its author is Todd Herman. And the big idea from the book is that you can adopt a different identity to help you show up in new ways in the various roles of your life, kind of like Clark Kent and Superman. Superman can't just be a normal person, so he puts on a suit and glasses and he pretends to be a reporter, in order to show up in an important way in his life. Today's guest for The Copywriter Club Podcast is Anna Rosa Parker. She's adopted an alter ego that she describes as a viking in heels, and it helps her to accomplish big things in her business. Actually, it's not fair to say that she's adopted that alter ego because, like Clark Kent, Superman is the real person, and Anna is the real Viking showing up as a brand strategist most days in her business. We'll hear more about that in a minute, but first let me introduce my guest commentator to for today, Justin Blackman. Justin, welcome. Justin:  Man. It is fun to be here. I always love talking with you guys. Rob:  Yeah. For anybody who hasn't heard you, which if you've listened to the podcast more than a handful of times, they've probably heard you mentioned or be a guest. Justin's a copywriter, brand voice expert. He's been a guest on the podcast twice before, episode 59, where he talked about his 100 headline project, the thing that kind of put him in the map, and episode 216, when he came back and shared his approach to brand voice. And if I'm not mistaken, I don't have these episodes in front of me, Justin, you've come back and you've asked Kira and I questions on one or two episodes. Justin:  I did. Rob:  I feel like maybe it's your fifth time here. Justin:  I think this is the fourth, actually. Yeah. Rob:  Yeah, fourth appearance.

On the 273rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re joined by 3 guests. Peta O'Brien-Day, Tori Autumn, and Demetrius Williams join the show to talk about their experience inside The Copywriter Accelerator. The Accelerator Program is our signature program to help new-ish copywriters build the foundations they need to have a successful copywriting business. Whether you decide to join or not, this episode is filled with actionable advice no matter what stage of business you’re in. Here’s what we talk about: How The Copywriter Club Accelerator can help transform your business. Why people decide to join + how you may feel when you’ve hit a ceiling in your business. The key to fast-tracking your business. Hint: Systems and processes play a big role. How to go from order-taker to business owner (and stay that way). 3 books you may want to add to your bookshelf in 2022. The secret(s) to shifting your money and pricing mindset, so you can increase your prices. Why it’s important to dedicate time to your business AND business development. Balancing the different roles you play in your business and outsourcing what you can. The benefits of accountability, and how it will propel you forward faster. How branding yourself can be like therapy. Should you start before you’re ready? How to juggle life and business while going through an immersive program. Niching yourself based on your values. Creating packages that feel good and don’t overwhelm you. Why it’s a good thing to change your brand over time. The best time to invest in yourself. Hit play or check out the transcript, so you can jot down and implement the advice in this episode. Ready to hit accelerate on your business? Check out the Accelerator by hitting the link below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Underground Peta's website Tori's website Demetrius's website    Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:  If you're a regular listener to The Copywriter Club Podcast, you know that it's rare for us to have more than one guest on a single episode. But today we're going to do things a little differently. We've invited three different members of the current cohort of The Copywriter Accelerator to join us, to talk about their experience in this transformative program. Kira Hug:  We'll let these copywriters introduce themselves in a moment, but first, let me just say, if you're tempted to skip this episode, because you're not interested in this program, it could be worth giving it a quick listen because many of the takeaways they share about the changes they've made to their businesses apply to copywriting businesses at every single stage. And these writers are doing some pretty cool things in their businesses. You might be inspired by what they've done, and maybe even borrow an idea or two for your own business. Rob Marsh:  At this point in the program, we would usually say something like this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator. And then we would tell you all of the reasons why you should consider joining. We're not going to do that today. Other than to say that after listening to this episode, take a moment to visit thecopywriteraccelerator.com and see what this program is all about. And see for yourself whether or not it's something that you should consider for your business this year. Kira Hug:  So, let's jump in with our guests. We are so excited today to be here with some of our Accelerator members, members who are currently in the program, which we're about to wrap up this month. And so before we dive into this conversation and ask you all a bunch of questions, can you take a minute to introduce yourself, all three of you? Just share name, where you're located, your copywriting specialty, and then bonus points if you want to share a favorite movie or bo...

For the 272nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re joined by Kristin Macintyre. Kristin is a conversion copywriter who writes copy for launches with her signature VIP offer. If VIP offers are something you want to implement in the new year, then give this episode a listen. Here’s how the episode goes down: Kristin’s journey from college professor to launch copywriter. Starting and building a successful copywriting business in a short timespan. How copywriting and poetry have empathy in common. The open-ended questions that lead your clients to their true answer. How to teach and mentor with real-world examples. Pivoting your niche and offer for higher level success. Structuring a VIP offer. How does it break down? The difference between a VIP day and a VIP intensive. Elevating the client journey through different touchpoints. How to get more done by observing where your time is going. Adding a VIP intensive into your offer suite – is it possible for your business? How to set your VIP prices and when to increase them. The struggles of executing a VIP project and how to avoid burnout. What to add to your routine to keep up your energy during writing sprints. The power of knowing ‘why’ we use the formulas and frameworks we do. Diving into the digital product space and marketing your business. How copywriting is evolving into a new era of conversion. Looking to implement a new business model in 2022? Grab your headphones or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Accelerator Think Tank  The Copywriter Underground Kristin’s website Rachel’s website Episode 176 Episode 226   Full Transcript: Kira:  There's been a lot of buzz in the copywriting world around VIP offers, what should you include? What should you charge? How much is too much? How do you avoid burnout? The questions go on and on. Luckily, we're covering a ton of your question about VIP offers today with think tank member and our guest for the 272nd episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Kristin McIntyre. After shifting from a standard VIP day to a VIP intensive model, Kristin has figured out the best way to deliver a true VIP client experience. We'll dig into all the details in today's interview. But first, I have a very special co-host for this episode, think tank alumni member, Rachel Greiman. So, Rachel, thanks for co-hosting with me today. Can you introduce yourself and say hello? Rachel:  Yeah, thank you for having me. I'm Rachel Greiman, as Kira said. I am a website copywriter for photographers, it is the nichiest of niches, and I love it. I own Green Chair Stories and we are a small copywriting collective. We have four writers besides myself at this point and we write about 50 websites a year. We don't do anything else, and we like it that way. Kira:  All right, I love it. And we're going to definitely dive into your business today because there is some overlap with what Kristin's doing in her business. So we'll dig in deeper. But before we get into the interview, this week sponsor for the podcast is TCC IRL. That's the copywriter club in real life, our big annual event. Before I give the dates and all the information. Rachel, can you just share a little bit about your experience at TCC IRL because you've been before and you are attending in Nashville this March. So what was it like for you? Rachel:  The first one, I've been to two, I went in 2019 and 2020, and the first one was in New York. Kira:  Oh, that's right. Rachel:  And it was the first time I had ever invested in any type of copywriting education or networking. Even though I had been doing it for a long time, I always worked for other organizations and it was nonprofit. So I didn't know anybody that did it freelance or ran their own business, it was a completely new world to me.

Krystle Church joins us for the 271st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. A former Accelerator member, Krystle is a business mentor and runs a boutique copywriting studio. Krystle is a borderless entrepreneur who runs her business on the island of Mauritius. This episode is a must-listen if you’re curious about running a business abroad and balancing business endeavors all while keeping your mindset in check. We chat about: Transitioning from traveling elementary school teacher to borderless entrepreneur. Creating a healthy working atmosphere and getting to choose who you work with. Retiring your partner and defining freedom in your own terms. The illusion of choice and how it can impact business decisions. Utilizing the freedom you have to make CEO decisions. (because you are the boss, afterall.) How to unbox the narrative and stories we constantly tell ourselves. Overcoming cycles of burnout and soaking up the big milestones you reach before jumping into the next thing. Rewiring your mindset and figuring out what you want from your business. The biggest mindset blocks for copywriters and navigating them. How to work as a “workaholic.” Mindset and journaling practices for both business and personal growth. How to manage two aspects of business: mentorship + copy studio. Managing multiple team members who support the growth of your brand. How to train your team to provide the same white-glove experience you provide your DFY clients. Is it time to hire contractors or full time employees in your business? What processes need to be in place before making your first hire. How to raise your prices – Which marks should we be hitting? How to structure a high-ticket day rate. Copy chiefing and how to work with a junior copywriter. Hiring for your business from a financial perspective and stacking revenue. The secret to creating demand in your business. The struggles of a 6-figure business – Does it get easier? The impact of community and leaning on others for support. Grab your headphones or check out the transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Krystle's website Erin's website Aly's website Episode #207 Episode #245 Aly's episode    Full Transcript: Kira:  Mindset and pricing go hand in hand when you want to raise your prices. Getting over the fear of charging what we're worth is something so many copywriters struggle with in their businesses. In the 271st episode of the Copywriter Club Podcast, we're joined by Accelerator alumni member Krystle Church, who is an elementary school teacher turned business coach who also owns a boutique copywriting studio. Krystle walks us through how she's been able to raise her prices, build her team and increase her confidence over the last few years. Before we jump in, I have some introductions to make, because in this interview, I was actually joined by a co-host, I kicked Rob out of this show completely and Erin Pennings joined me. Erin is a Think Tank member and a B2B copywriter who focuses on brand messaging, website copy and visibility strategies. Erin also has an awesome program called Womp Womp to Wow, which is my favorite title for any program. And it's a 21-day web copy intensive. So Erin actually join me for the initial interview. You'll hear her asking questions. And I have another special guest today, Aly Goulet, who is also a Think Tank member. And Aly, thanks for being here with me today. Can you introduce yourself? Aly:  Yeah, absolutely. Thanks so much for having me. I'm Aly Goulet. I'm a B2B SaaS and IT copywriter, and I also create resource for freelancers, including Genius Portfolio for WordPress. Kira:  Very cool. And before we dive into this interview, you know we love to have some sponsor action. And our sponsor today is the Think Tank,

On the 270th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, we’re diving into the world of Kira Hug. Who is she really and does she even like to hug? She shares her experiences from the beginnings of her own copywriting career to where she is today and where she plans to go in the future. Tune in to find out: The rise of Kira Hug. What it was like to live in New York City and what her favorite experiences were. Raising kids in Brooklyn and moving to Washington, DC. Kira’s first writing experiences and learning about her love for interviewing. The struggles Kira faced most as she built her copywriting business. Navigating through the head trash that can be such a constant burden for copywriters. How to stop getting in your own way. Kira’s least favorite client project and how she said “see ya later!” Finding the confidence to know you have what it takes to move forward. Building The Copywriter Club, copywriting agency, and raising young children. Was it love at first sight for Kira and Ezra? Are we going to start training for a copywriter’s marathon? Why Kira uses a tiny paintbrush for big projects. The motivating factors that drive Kira to keep going. The push to continue to get better in life and never staying complacent. The biggest takeaways Kira has had from coaching hundreds of copywriters. How your business can have dramatic change by implementing this one thing. Why you can’t let yourself surrender to the head trash. How copywriters can think bigger for themselves. The legacy Kira wants to leave for the world and her kids. Listen to or read the inside scoop of everyone’s beloved copy mom. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Four Thousand Weeks    Full Transcript: Rob:  Welcome everyone. This is another episode of just Kira and Rob talking on the podcast, which means we don't have a written out introduction. I suppose we could talk about how this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator, which should be opening momentarily, within days of this episode going live, or within weeks anyway. Accelerator is our basic training, 16-week... It's not really a course and it's not really a membership, but it's a program where you go through with a cohort of other ambitious copywriters and basically set the foundations that you need to put in place for a successful copywriting business. The skillset that you need as a copywriter are different from those that you need as a business owner. And, if you want to succeed at both, you need to have both, and so that's where The Accelerator comes in. Okay, so now that we've dealt with that part, it's just you and me, Kira. Kira:  We've dealt with the whole selling our stuff part, let's get that out the way. Rob:  Exactly. So, 10 episodes ago you interviewed me. We do this every once and a while, where it's just you and me talking, but 10 episodes ago we did a little bit more of like, "Okay, we'll try to dive into a little bit more of behind the scenes Rob." And, of course, we want to turn the tables now and get the behind the scenes Kira, and find out who you really are when you're not necessarily doing The Copywriter Club thing. Kira:  I am the exact same person. Rob:  We're going to find out. Kira:  Shocker. Rob:  Yeah, we're going to find out. Kira:  Yeah, same person. Rob:  Okay, well let's start with a couple of easy questions, warm you up. You've lived in a whole bunch of places. You've been in Chicago, and Virginia, you went to school in Virginia, you lived in New York. I think when we met you even described yourself as, "A New Yorker," that was who you were. Kira:  Oh, yeah. Rob:  And now, you're living in Washington D.C., so I'm curious about the history of Kira traveling around and being in places. What's your favorite place that you've lived?

Our guest for the 269th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is Lindsey Walker. Lindsey is a public relations expert who owns Walker + Associates Media Group – a boutique public relations agency. Lindsey helps her clients position themselves for visibility and growth. If you want to increase your visibility and authority in the online space, tune into the episode to find actionable steps you can take to increase your impact and grow your brand. Lindsey’s journey into the public relations world and starting a freelance business. The roles that characterize a publicity firm and finding a team that will help you scale your business. How to shift from solopreneur to leader and CEO. – What do you need to have in place? Defining the type of CEO you want to become and how you can begin to look strategically at your business. The process of working with someone in public relations. – What happens first? How long it takes to expect results from PR. How copywriters need to think about their business from a PR standpoint. Are you the bottleneck in your business? The 3 elements to DIY public relations in your business. How to break through when you don’t have connections or people on the inside. How to successfully pitch yourself and the biggest mistakes you need to avoid. The different opportunities to pitch yourself depending on the season and time of year. How to break into the PR space as a writer. The difference between in-house and freelance PR writers. The impact that mindset plays in public relations and how to put yourself out there. When it’s a good idea to think about PR in your business. What is the future of public relations? What Lindsey learned from a life-threatening experience and how it applies to her business today. Advice for business owners who are going through difficult situations. How to handle rejection when sending pitches. Will Kira and Rob become influencers?! PR is an essential tool to grow your business and create a lasting impact. Be sure to grab your earbuds or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground The Copywriter Club Accelerator waitlist  Lindsey’s website Mai-kee’s website Episode 229 with Selena Soo Episode 151 with Patsy Kenney Episode 150 with Brigitte Lyons Episode 152 with Mai-kee    Full Transcript: Rob:  One of the most important activities that you do as a copywriting business owner is marketing, and that can take a lot of forms, everything from cold pitching to social media, and almost literally 100 other activities. Continually marketing yourself and your business is the thing that attracts clients to your door. If you want to succeed long term as a copywriter, you can't ignore this activity. Today's guest on The Copywriter Club Podcast is publicist and PR expert, Lindsey Walker. She knows a thing or two about attracting attention to your business. We met Lindsey when she reached out to pitch a guest for our podcast, and while that particular person wasn't a fit, when we heard Lindsey's story, we knew that she would be. Stick around to hear what she shared about getting people to pay attention to what you are doing in your business. But before we get to all of that, let me introduce my guest host for this episode, Mai-kee Tsang. Hey, Mai-kee. Mai-kee:  Hey, Rob. Lovely to be here. I'm not Kira, but she's here with us in spirit. Rob:  Nope. Kira was with us on the initial interview. Yeah, it's just you and me to talk about all of that. Mai-kee:  Exciting stuff. Rob:  Yeah. If you've been listening to the podcast for a while, you'll remember that Mai-kee shared how she pitched 101 podcast in 30 days way back on episode 152. It's a really good episode. I'll remind you again at the end to listen to it, but make a mental note because you're definitely going to ...

Geoff Kullman is our guest for the 268th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Geoff is a direct-response copywriter and brand strategist who helps online entrepreneurs and personal brands tell better stories and make more money. Geoff breaks down how he uses neuroscience and psychology to write impactful copy that converts. Here’s all the things we talk about: The common denominator for copywriters and other writers. Geoff’s journey from devout pastor to direct-response copywriter. The importance of showcasing your abilities and talents within your website and business. How to make niching your own and work for you. The framework that takes people from prospect to customer. How to break down the 6-step framework for strong emails and sales pages. The difference between prompt and pitch and why it matters. Trauma-informed marketing and how to write from a place of empathy. Why the marketing world is shifting and how we can adapt to the changes. How to be more intentional about your client avatar. Finding your brand voice and helping your clients find theirs. Where most copywriters go wrong when creating ideal client avatars. What to leave out of emails to make them more compelling and connect with your audience on a deeper level. The impact neuroscience has on the words we write and why they convert. The psychology of why social proof works so well. What chemicals need to be released during the conversion process and in what order. Can you network as an introvert? Dealing with a scarcity mindset and making the shift to an abundant mindset. If you want to learn more about the psychology behind copywriting, be sure to tune into this episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Geoff’s website Geoff’s podcast Gabby’s website Episode 89 Episode 232   Full Transcript: Kira:  When you first started copywriting, you probably learned about creating a client avatar and all about storytelling, but what if you could take it a step further and tell stories that could make an even stronger impact? Our guest for the 268th episode of the Copywriter Club is Geoff Kullman. Geoff uses the power of neuroscience and psychology to create a deeper, more meaningful connection with people, and today I am joined by my co-host Gabby Jackson. How's it going? Gabby? Gabby:  It's going well. How are you? Kira:  Doing really well, Gabby. So you are on our team, we have had so many people in our audience asked to hear more about our team members, and I want to introduce you today just so everyone can get to know you a little bit better. So why don't you just kick off with how you heard about the Copywriter Club and what you do on the team? Gabby:  So, yes, I am super excited to be here. I discovered the Copywriter Club by wanting to find out more information about copywriting in general, and I was all about podcasts, still am all about podcasts, and I just typed in copywriting. This podcast was the first one to pop up, and I started binging episode after episode, and I decided I have to be part of this community, this club, how do I get in? Kira:  No, wait, when was that, Gabby? Gabby:  That was probably last August or September, yeah, so it's been a little over a year. Kira:  Yeah. I remember when we first met you in the underground on our first ... our meet and greet call with you, and we met you, and you just had such great energy that Rob and I were texting each other, we're like, "We have to figure out a way to get Gabby on our team so we can work with her." We were lucky enough that you joined the team, and so what do you do today on the team? Gabby:  So, on the team I handle a lot of the social media aspects, whether that mean graphics or captions, some email writing, podcast show notes and introductions, and some Pinterest tasks as well.

Amy Collins is our guest for the 267th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Amy is a storyteller and copy strategist who unveils the mystery of creating stories out of everyday events. By taking your conversation skills to the next level, you can craft better stories not just for yourself but for your clients. Win-win, right? We break it down like this: Amy Collins journey from the art of writing to the art of copywriting. How to work on referrals, so you don’t have to overload the cold pitches. Is it possible to perfect the art of conversation? And is it even a thing? How to get your clients to disarm themselves and enhance the conversation. The different ways you can niche in your business. Reframing your perspective on being in your ideal client’s inbox. Behind the scenes of a storytelling master’s process. Why open loops take your emails to a whole new level. The common mistakes copywriters make when telling stories in their emails and how to fix them. How you can play with language to take your reader on a journey. Tools you can use to become a better storyteller. When to use VOC data and how to blend it into your story. Using your past lives to add value to your copy. Why “should” needs to disappear from the English Dictionary. How to become aware of your negative self-talk. The active choice to invest in yourself and your business. Going against the status-quo and ridding yourself of the need for validation. Thinking about starting an email list but have no idea what you should write to them? This is a good place to start. Hit that play button below or check out the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Amy’s website Nic’s website Full Transcript: Rob:  When it comes right down to it, copywriting is a lot like having a conversation with your customers, or the customers of your client. And like any good conversationalist, that means that you can't afford to be boring. You have to stand out, engage the person you're talking to, and be interesting and interested. Our guest for this episode of the Copywriter Club Podcast is copy strategist and storyteller, Amy Collins. Amy shares how she's been able to have genuine conversations with her clients, and she gives us a few ideas for how we could all do better at this important skill. You're going to want to stick around for this one, but before we jump into the episode, my co-host for today is copywriter, voice strategist, and I just learned this a few seconds ago, trained as a radio announcer, Nicola Moors. Nic, welcome. Nic:  Hi, thanks so much for having me. Rob:  Yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited to have this conversation and have you share some of your takeaways. And of course, if anybody's been listening to the podcast for a while, they'll recognize that you were a guest on the podcast maybe a little over a half a year ago. If I remember, that was episode 200 and, what, 53. Nic:  Thirty-six. Rob:  236, 236. Nic:  Thirty-six. Rob:  Okay. Nic:  Yeah. Rob:  So, check out what Nic shared, and you shared a ton of really good stuff, your research process, how you were a journalist, and some of the crazy stories that you had to track down as a journalist. It's really interesting episode, good listen, and lots of good advice about brand voice. So, let people check that out. Nic:  Thanks. Rob:  And of course, this episode of the podcast is sponsored by... right now, today, it's sponsored by the Copywriter Accelerator. We're getting ready to relaunch the accelerator in January, so keep your eyes open for that. The accelerator is our 16-week program that helps copywriters some of them starting out, some of them who have been in business for years re-establish or create the foundation for their business. We talk about things like mindset and goal setting.

Angie Colee is our guest for the 266th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Angie is a copywriter and copy chief turned business and confidence coach who took a while to find her way into the copywriting role she is the best fit for. No matter where you are in your copywriting journey, you’ll leave with notes filled front and back. Here’s what we talk about: How Angie went from working for the Oprah Winfrey network to underpaid copywriter. Do you have to have a degree to become a copywriter? Feeling stuck with projects and clients but using every project as a learning opportunity. How learning on the fly can make you a better writer. The power to walk away from toxic work environments and open the door to new opportunities. The different levels of copywriting. Where might you fit in? Shifting into a lead role and managing other copywriters. The difference between a full-time corporate copywriter and per project roles. Finding a team that respects your value, time, and expertise. How to deal with comparisonitis and feelings of not being where you think you should be. Why it’s a good idea to take on challenges before you think you’re ready. The importance of swallowing your pride as a writer and receiving criticism. Tips on being a better copy chief. How to look at what you can bring to big, successful businesses as a small business owner. Hint: Don’t assume you have nothing to bring to the table. Why you shouldn’t be intimidated by launching. Steps you can take to create stronger launch campaigns without exhausting yourself. How you can help others in copywriting communities even if you’re not an expert. The switch Angie made from copywriter to coach. Time management between clients, students, and your own business. How to get over writer’s block when the muse isn’t striking. The mindset blocks many face when they’re trying something new in their business. Hit the play button or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Angie's website The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman Mindset by Carol Dweck Episode 208 Full Transcript: Rob:  Becoming a great copywriter doesn't happen overnight. In fact, most of us have stumbled around a bit to get where we are. I spent time at a web startup and running my own SaaS business while Kira learned how to sell and clean cars at Enterprise Rental Service, she picked you up. So stumbling around a variety of jobs to find your way into copywriting is pretty common. But the good news? Through the missteps and the struggles, most of us finally arrive at something resembling a successful copywriting career, and our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Angie Colee. Angie is a copywriter and a copy chief turned business and confidence coach who took a while to find her way into the copywriting role that she's the best fit for, and the advice that she shared in our interview is fantastic. We think you're definitely going to want to stick around to hear what she had to share. Kira:  But before we dive into this episode, TCCIRL is the sponsor of this episode. TCCIRL, our big event, our big annual event, is going back to in-person stage in 2022 and we couldn't be more excited. It's a two and a half day event where you get to connect and hear from other copywriters and marketers about the best tools and strategies you can use to grow your copywriting business and to enhance your own skills and mindset, and one of the best parts is connecting in real life with other copywriters that maybe you've bumped into online and you finally can connect in-person over lunch, over dinner, over coffee, over drinks. Tickets are limited and this is not like a faux scarcity thing. We actually have a venue that can only hold a certain amount of people so if you do want to attend this...

Daniel Throssell takes the mic on the 265th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Daniel is a copywriter who has created something he likes to call, “The Parallel Welcome Sequence.” He teaches his students how to look at storytelling from a different lens, and now he’s going to give you a glimpse into how he makes it happen. Here’s how the conversation breaks down: His grand escape from being an electrical engineer on a remote island. Winning a coaching call based on a story he wrote with no experience at all. How he was able to go from no experience to charging $200 an hour on Upwork. The Facebook message that would change the game for Daniel. How he managed to become the most-copied Upwork profile and how he gained 5 star reviews. Why he is so passionate about writing soap-opera-slash-personality-driven emails. The importance of partnership in copywriting. The difference between one off projects and growing with a business over time. The advantages of building your own list vs writing for a client list. How to get on more podcasts with this simple tip. The benefits of having a financial cushion when going after your dream business. How to test out your own launch ideas and analyze the results. How Daniel grew his list from 0-5000 in 18 months: what’s the secret? Why you should think about creating a welcome sequence from a different angle. The importance of staying consistent even when you think no one is listening. Why copywriters have an edge against other marketers and business owners. How to maximize and connect with your superfans. Shifting your business from client-focused to self-focused. Who should do a parallel welcome sequence? Pop your earbuds in or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Daniel’s website Laura Belgray interview part 2 Brandi Mowles podcast interview Connect with Robbie King  Full Transcript: Kira:  If you've ever said to yourself, "I want to get paid to be me," this is the interview for you. Today's guest for the 265th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is Daniel Throssell. A copywriter who's not afraid to show his weird side and approach list growth and relationship building differently. But before we dive in, let me introduce you to my cohost for today, Robbie King. Robbie, welcome to the show. Thanks for doing this with me. Robbie:  Thanks very much for having me. It's lovely to be here. Kira:  I want you to just quickly introduce yourself, who are you, how do we even know each other? Robbie:  Yes. So, we met probably virtually about two and a half years ago, when I was just kind of scratching my head about copywriting. And remember, we had a bit of back and forth. And then pretty quickly I realized that signing up for The Underground, and then eventually The Think Tank was just going to be the best thing to get my business going and help stop me banging my head against the wall, I think. Kira:  And Robbie, what are you doing today? Robbie:  So today, I actually work in house for a tech marketing agency. That was after a good year and a bit of having my freelance business. I did that after a good few months of just learning the whole business side of running a copywriting business. I thought I'd balanced that out a bit by just, I guess learning on someone else's dime, there's a lot to be said for that. It's proven very useful. I've gone deeper into my skill set, into my niche, which is video and content consultancy. So, I've been doing a lot of that. And I'm still writing copy. So, it's been quite the journey. Kira:  I know you shared this with me earlier, but maybe you could just share that that idea came from Matt Hall at TCCIRL. Do you mind just sharing how you had that idea to go back in house? Robbie:  Yes. Shout out to Matt Hall. Great guy,

Ahfeeyah C. Thomas is our guest for the 264th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Ahfeeyah is a serial entrepreneur who teaches business owners how to grow their teams, so they can scale to 6 and 7 figure businesses. If you’ve been wondering how you can scale your business or become a better leader, tune into the episode. How a resume writer became a successful CEO. How to navigate entrepreneurship with a love for the corporate sector. The better way to write your resume to land the job. Why you need to improve your job descriptions to attract the right candidates. Lessons from Harvard you can use in your own business. How to build team productivity and why you need an organizational chart. The core system Ahfeeyah uses to help her clients scale their businesses. Is it ever too soon to hire? How a virtual assistant or social media manager will help your business. Mistakes business owners are making and how to fix them. The scalable CEO model: How does it work? How we can become better leaders through learning about ourselves and the people we hire. How to know when you’re becoming a bottleneck in your own business. The different types of leadership and why it’s always a good idea to lead with empathy. How to shift your mindset and step into your CEO role. Steps to take to knock the fear of growing a team. Combining a quality client experience with quality deliverables. How to ask for feedback and why you need to take the emotions out of it. Navigating perfectionism and procrastination… How do we get out of the cycle? Do creatives experience the fastest burnout? Debating about hiring your first contractor or want to implement better systems? Grab your headphones or check out the transcription below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Ahfeeyah’s website Hiring and Working with a VA with Hillary Weiss The Ins and Outs of Creating a Microagency with Jamie Jensen 21 laws of leadership by John C. Maxwell   Full Transcript: Kira:  Running your own business is hard enough. There are countless tasks you need to carry out. And sometimes it can just feel like way too much. What needs my attention first? Should I hire someone to help? And if so, who should I hire? Well, if you're growing your business, you're not alone. Ahfeeyah C. Thomas joins us to talk about how to hire a team and become a scalable CEO on the 264th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:  Before we dive into our interview with Ahfeeyah, this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Accelerator. And if you're listening, you might be thinking, "Well, wait a second, The Accelerator's not even open, why are you even talking about this?" And it's because we're making a few changes to The Accelerator the next time we do open. And if you've been thinking about joining this program, there's never been a better time to join the waitlist. So, you make sure that you get notified when it opens up for new members early next year. And when it comes to those changes, a couple of things that we're doing is going through all of the content. We're not necessarily saying that the old content was bad. We're just saying we're updating it with newer information. We're adding in better frameworks to make it more understandable and improving the blueprints that help you put all of the advice and ideas and strategies into action so that you come out of the other end of The Accelerator with a business that is just ready for rocket ship growth or whatever it is that your goal is for your copywriting business. So, if you want to be on the waitlist that you can hear about those changes and be notified of the new Copywriter Accelerator program or what it becomes, go to thecopywriteraccelerator.com and join the waitlist.

Rachel Ngom is our guest for the 263rd episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Rachel is a Pinterest Strategist and Expert who teaches her clients how to utilize Pinterest to build their pipeline of leads. She plans to retire by 40 and has made investments and an action plan to make it happen. Here’s how the conversation breaks down: How Africa changed Rachel’s life for the better. How Rachel built a 6-figure business with -$400 and a new baby. The reality of selling on social media and the pivots that come along the way. Getting 1.8 million people to find your blog by utilizing Pinterest. Growing your list to 20k and having to pivot again and again. Living the digital nomad lifestyle while running multiple successful businesses. How to make investments from a profitable business. Why you absolutely need to put yourself in uncomfortable positions repeatedly. Building the courage to do the basic things in life when you’re in a different country and culture. How to visualize your success and take action. Taking your life lessons and translating them into your current business and lifestyle. Consistency. Is it really necessary? The secret to building up personal discipline and the perfect morning routine. How to do with what you have. Why everyone can and should be using Pinterest as a lead generation tool and SEO platform. Mistakes you could be making on Pinterest and how to fix them. The systems and processes needed to run a multiple 6-figure business. Why you need to start teaching duplication with your team. How to shift your mindset around failure. The right time to invest in other businesses, so you can set yourself up to retire young. How to know an idea is worth pursuing. If you need inspiration around investments, retiring, or where your next lead is coming from, this is the episode to tune into. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Rachel’s website Ask by Ryan Levesque Pinterest Cheatsheet Annie's website Episode 87 Episode 21 Full Transcript: Kira:  Build the business, scale the business, run the business on autopilot, and retire by 40. No biggie. That's a dream for many business owners. But how does it actually happen? What steps or events need to take place to make it a reality? Well, we'll dive into all the steps in today's 263rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast with Rachel Ngom. Rachel is a Pinterest marketer and serial entrepreneur. During this interview, we talk about how to use Pinterest for lead generation, how to pivot your business, and how to get really uncomfortable in your life and business. I'm joined today by my co-host and Think Tank alumni member, Annie Bacher. Annie, thank you so much for co-hosting with me today. Can you just kick it off with just a quick intro, if anyone hasn't heard your interview on the podcast which is episode 218. So we can all check out, revisit your interview on the podcast. But can you just provide a quick intro? Who are you, Annie? Who are you? Annie:  Thanks, Kira. So I'm Annie. I am a B2B SaaS copywriter. And I am obsessed with using copy to help tech companies make the internet a friendlier and more human sounding place. Kira:  All right. Well, thanks for joining me today. And before we dive in, this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by the Think Tank. Annie as a former member of the Think Tank, can you share just what type of impact the mastermind had on your business and your life? Annie:  Oh, where to start? Well, I didn't call myself a B2B SaaS copywriter before I joined the Think Tank. I didn't have a lot of focus, and I honestly didn't even know it was possible for me. So since being in the Think Tank for a year, I hit six figures in my business, I started building a team, and I've been working with clients I never would have dreamed I...

On the 262nd episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, we’re joined by Jacob Suckow. Jacob is a Funnel and Launch Strategist who helps his clients sell their products on autopilot. From filling up your lead pipeline to creating products and services that sell, this episode is filled with useful advice you can implement into your business. Here’s what we talk about: How Jacob went from working with the Seattle Seahawks to working in cookie dough sales. The method Jacob used to grow cookie dough sales from 25k to 4 million in a matter of a few years. How a pivot landed him working with companies like McDonald's and Disney. The moment he realized he needed to be his own boss. Creating a pipeline to keep clients rolling in. Why building your network is your greatest funnel resource. Switching roles from freelancer to strategist. What’s the difference? How Jacob reverse-engineered how to make 100k a year without working 80 hours a week. Why letting go of clients will benefit your business and help it grow. The kind of clients that make for high-income months. Is there a mindset trick behind making six figures? How to fill your pipeline with ‘ready to go’ clients. What 15-minute connections can do for you and your business. The steps to building a solid network. Why you should build an audience even if you have nothing to sell. The key to being loud in your industry. How to create offers that people want to buy. What’s the method to the madness? Where do offers go wrong and how can they be fixed? The upside to being able to create your own offers. Tune into the episode by hitting the play button below or check out the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Jacob’s website Kickass Copywriting by Jacob Carlton Skip the Line by James Altucher   Full Transcript: Kira:  When you're still learning the ins and outs of your business, the last thing you want to worry about is where your next lead is coming from. We'd prefer a lengthy line, kind of like the line outside the Apple store when Apple released the new iPhone 13. That's the kind of line we want, filled with dream clients just waiting to work with you. Our guests for the 262nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast gives us the lowdown on lead generation so we can create a demand for our copywriting services and hopefully never stress over finding clients again. Our guest, Think Tank member Jacob Suckow, is a copywriter and launch strategist who skyrocketed his business within months by creating a full pipeline of leads. But before we jump in, I'd like to introduce my co-host for today's episode, TCCIRL speaker, "two-peat" speaker at TCCIRL and then a podcast guest from way back, Episode 13, long time ago, conversion copywriter, funnel optimizer and growth ecosystem designer, Sam Woods. Thanks for being here, Sam. Sam:  Thanks for having me, Kira. It's good to be speaking with you. Kira:  Yeah, I'm excited to co-host this with you. Before we jump in, though, can you just share a quick update of what you've been up to over the last few months in your business? Sam:  Yeah. It's a mixed bag of things. Over the past year or so, taking a step back and only worked on a handful of more in-depth projects. I think either you're a copywriter and you do a lot of smaller projects or you do a few big projects or maybe you have a mix. But for me, it's been only a few handful of deeper projects with various companies. It's still with copywriting, still optimizing different ways that they're acquiring customers and been working on some barge campaigns. So it's been nice. It's been a nice break from the smaller type projects, nice to set those aside and deep dive into a few things. I think I prefer the mix. It's nice to go back and forth. Kira:  Yeah.

We’re talking all things multi-passionate projects on the 261st episode of The Copywriter Club podcast with Annabel Landaverde. Annabel is a Launch Copywriter who doesn’t let big dreams scare her away from taking action. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I can't take on something new because I’m already doing so many things,” then this is the episode for you. Here’s how it breaks down: When your dream job doesn’t meet your expectations. How finding a group of like-minded people can spark new passions. Can sales and empathy go hand in hand? How to connect with your ideal client and meet them where they’re at. Is it all about sales? – How to be clear and ethical when someone isn’t a good fit. The ins and outs of internal branding and marketing for large companies. Maintaining a full-time job and building a freelancing business. How morning routines and monthly check-ins keep you on track. Do we only complete 10 projects in a lifetime?! What goes into creating a 7-figure launch. The first piece of copy needed when creating a launch plan. How you can go from copywriter to launch strategist. What copywriters can do to make their client launches more successful. Where you should start when e-commerce business is on your mind. How to deal with the little voice in the back of your head. Creating practices that will keep your big goals alive. When your ideas seem to be circling you, be sure to tune into this episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Influence by Robert Cialdini Start Finishing by Charlie Gilkey Annabel’s Instagram Annabel’s website Episode 234 with Linda Perry Episode 241 with Daniel Lamb Episode 70 with Joe Schriefer       Full Transcript: Kira:  The great thing about tapping into your entrepreneurial side as a copywriter is you can control your career and fate. You can grow and evolve personally and professionally over decades. You can chase any vision, as long as you don't lose sight of it. Today's guests for the 261st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Think Tank member, Annabel Landaverde. Annabel is a clear example of a multi passionate copywriter and entrepreneur who doesn't let big dreams or goals scare her away from building her dream eCommerce business. Rob:  Before we jump into our interview with Annabel, which is much better than last week's interview with our guest, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank. That's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to think outside the box and build new offers or revenue streams into their business. There's a couple of reasons that I like the Think Tank. Number one, you're surrounded by a bunch of other ambitious copywriters, doing copywriter E-things. Not just copywriters though, marketers and experts trying to grow businesses using copywriting as a superpower. Number two, it's built around your goals. A lot of times with masterminds you join, the person that's leading the mastermind has a specific way that they built their business and they teach everybody to do that same way. That's not how the Think Tank operates. We focus on your goals and what you want to achieve, and then figure out how best to get there. Number three, if you joined the Copywriter Think Tank you get everything included in the Copywriter Club, including free ticket to the event that we'll be talking about in the very near future next year in Nashville. If you want more information about the Copywriter Think Tank, go to copywriterthinktank.com Kira:  Okay, let's dive into the episode and find out how Annabel started her journey. Annabel Landaverde:  It was a windy road, I definitely didn't graduate college thinking, "Oh, direct response." In fact, I graduated college with a political science degree and thought that I was going to go gover...

Mentors. You look up to them and admire how they can help you, but have you ever wondered… “who are they in real life?” For the 260th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Rob Marsh is the interviewee, and he shares answers ranging from lessons in business to his go-to self-care routine. Ready to check out the inner workings of Rob Marsh? How to navigate when business moves slower. The skill of generating big ideas. Is it innate? Analyzing your time and productivity. Are you trying to do too much? Does Rob ever struggle with writing copy? – Or is he a copy magician? The inside scoop on Rob’s best and worst clients. Raising teens and knowing when to run. The lessons you can learn from your parents and how it applies to your business. Rob’s self-care routine. What Rob hopes to do better in the next year. What is Rob Marsh’s X-factor? Rob’s advice for the introverted copywriter. Why you need to send yourself a check for 1 million dollars. Money mindset and unlearning things from childhood. How did Rob become a reading fiend? Breaking news: Rob the romantic?! One of the best business books Rob has read. Listen to the episode with your favorite earbuds or read the transcript with your favorite eyes. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground The Road Less Stupid Ready, Fire, Aim Full Transcript: Kira:  Hi Rob. Rob:  This is uncomfortable, I have to admit, to have you interviewing me. Obviously, we've done, I don't know, 200 and almost 70 episodes of this podcast and got to admit, I don't love being interviewed on my own podcast for some reason. Kira:  Yeah, well, it's almost like you don't trust me. Rob:  Maybe that's what it is. That's probably what it is. Wow, 28 seconds in and we've nailed it. We know exactly what's the problem here. Kira:  I mean, we've had five years together in business and 270 episodes, but you still don't trust me. I don't know what else I have to do. Rob:  Yes, I'm going to have to think about that. That's a question I don't think I can answer right now. Kira:  All right, so today's going to be fun, fun for me, not fun for Rob. We decided to, well, we didn't decide, I think I decided that I was going to interview you. Rob:  No, you decided. This was not a mutual decision. Kira:  Yes, just like our underwater pool photoshoot a couple of years ago. So, today, we are going to get to know Rob better. And I'm asking questions based off what I would like to know about you, Rob. And so, you can share some of your wisdom with us, and also, just some personal tidbits here and there just so we can get to know the real Rob Marsh a little bit better. Rob:  And I think, if anybody's listening, they're like, "Wait a second, I think I'd rather get to know the real Kira Hug better 10 episodes," we'll be back and we're going to do this all the other way around. Kira:  I will be sick, sick that day. It'll be out sick. Rob:  Yeah. Kira:  No. Rob:  Trust who is the question now. Kira:  Let's kick it off with, okay, let's just start with some easy questions. We've been building TCC together over the last five years. So, I'm just curious, what are some of the big lessons you've learned from building this specific business? Rob:  Yeah, when you told me you're going to ask me this, I'm still kind of trying to figure out what are the biggest lessons. I think, I mean, there's so many. But I think number one is when you build a business like this, and The Copywriter Club is different from you building a copywriting business or me building my copywriting business. Obviously, we're doing a lot of things together. And we're doing a lot of things that we probably couldn't do on our own. And so, number one lesson, I think, is just having a partner allows you to do more because you can focus on different areas of the ...

Chris Orzechowski is back on the show for the 259th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Chris has shifted his business into an agency and he’s become known as an expert E-Commerce Email Strategist. Chris breaks down what it looks like to run an agency without diluting the client experience. If an agency business model has been on your mind, tune into this episode. Here’s how it all goes down: How Chris launched an agency at the beginning of a pandemic. The ins and outs of running an agency and who should run an agency. Why building an agency can come with a lot of relearning. The different types of agencies and which could be right for you. Solving agency problems. Is there a difference? Assessing the goals and milestones when running an agency. Do you have to dilute your work or client experience in an agency model? What does profit look like inside an agency? The different types of lead generation. What will work for you? How to hire and manage a team. Finding your strengths and weaknesses and executing an action plan. The 4 tools you need to start running a business today. The importance of SOPs and how it will create clear processes in your business. What does it take to write a book? Is it as difficult as you may think? How to get the upper hand in blogs and speaking gigs. The power of shifting your business when something isn’t working. Building authority and becoming known as the expert. How does it actually happen? How to make big vision goals less overwhelming and actionable. How to look at the big picture when you start to spiral into the unknown. Copywriters and email lists: Do you need one? The strategy you need to implement for email marketing. Are lead magnets still relevant? Advice for anyone who feels comparisonitis. – Hint: Patience is essential. Even if an agency isn’t on your radar, this episode will give you actionable tips on how to run and grow your business. Hit the play button or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Chris's website Full Transcript: Kira:  Long time listeners will know this about us already, but occasionally we like to bring back quests who we've interviewed before to see what's been going on in their businesses since the last time we chatted. Often business moves in ways they didn't predict when we spoke a couple of years ago. And we're doing it again this week. Chris Orzechowski is our guest for this episode of the Copywriter Club podcast, and as you'll see Chris has a very different business than the one he talked about when we interviewed him before. Rob:  But before we jump into this interview, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank, that's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to think outside the box. Wow, we're using a cliché to talk about thinking outside the box, that's so inside the box. But, if you want to build new offers and revenue streams in your business, then the Copywriter Think Tank is the kind of place that might just be for you. So Kira, you asked me this last week, I'm going to ask you, why do you think the think tank helps copywriters experience real results? Kira:  Yeah. What comes to my mind first is that we help copywriters go from feeling like a business owner and acting like a business owner and thinking like a business owner to feeling, thinking, acting like an entrepreneur. And we've talked about this frequently with our accelerator program where you can shift from a freelancer mindset to a business owner mindset. But once we're in the think tank, and we're working very closely with the copywriters in that room and they're surrounded by 25 other copywriters who are ambitious and building businesses and restructuring models and figuring out how to do it in a way that works for them,

Liz Wilcox will blow your email marketing mind on the 258th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Liz is a blogger turned email marketing expert who helps other bloggers become business owners. If you’ve been letting your list sit in the dust or you haven’t taken the plunge in creating an email list, this might be the episode to give you the push. Here’s how it all breaks down: Have you ever googled: How to make money from home? The overwhelm that comes with all the ways you could start a business and make money online. Why it’s a good idea to start your email list. (even with no audience) What you should do when you begin to grow your email list. Writing a book about poop? How it became the beginning of everything for Liz. The secrets behind a 100% conversion rate. Do you really need to go to the experts? Van life. Is it for you and can you start a business while living in the woods? How to think outside the box of what you see online. Going from idea to done and executed in one hour. How to get to a 47% email open rate. Steps to take to become a digital course creator. (do you need to give up client work?) When is it a good time to start pitching to podcasts? Creating an inclusive digital product based model and following through. How long email newsletters should really be taking you. Is storytelling a thing of the past? The difference between stories and updates on your life. Is Liz going to take over our newsletter? How to keep it fresh and exciting when writing to your list. Everything you don’t want to do when it comes to email marketing. Making your business your number 1 client and not apologizing for it. What every copywriter and business owner needs to be for themselves. How Will Smith will help you build your business. Need Will to help you build your business? Check out the episode below or read the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Liz’s website    Full Transcript: Rob:  You know how when you meet some people, they just seem to be stuck. They're not able to move forward, they're just not able to do anything. If they're in business, maybe they're stuck following everybody else's formulas, doing the same thing that everybody else is doing. And then there's some people that you meet who seem full of energy. They're free. They're definitely not stuck. It's almost like anything is possible for them in business, in life. Well, today's guest for the Copywriter Club podcast, is the type of copywriter and entrepreneur who broke out of that box a long time ago. She's the type of creative who sees the worldwide web as the Wild Wild West, and as an opportunity to build and connect with companies, ideas and people. That's copywriter Liz Wilcox. Kira:  Before we jump into Liz's interview, this podcast is sponsored by the Copywriter Think Tank. That's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to think outside the box and build new offers and revenue streams in their businesses. Rob, I'm going to interview you. Why do you think the think tank helps copywriters and marketers experience real results? Why does it work? Rob:  I've thought about this a lot recently, and I think one of the things that's really different about the think tank is that we don't have a single formula that we're trying to get everybody to buy into or to follow. Some courses, some masterminds you're working with, an expert who's done it their way. And so they teach their way and they expect you to do everything the way that they did it. That's not our approach. We start out by asking each member about their goals, about what they want to achieve, about the challenges that they're facing, about the impact they want to have in the world, the authority they want to build. And based on those goals,

On the 257th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Kim Krause Schwalm is back on the show. Kim is an A-list copywriter and copy mentor who got her start in the marketing world. Since her first episode, she’s narrowed her focus on mentoring other copywriters on how to write better copy and attract high-level clients. If you’re looking for advice on becoming an A-list copywriter, this is for you. Here’s what we talk about: Going from time for money to value for money. What it looks like to begin mentoring by creating courses. The 5 key steps to writing good copy. Is there a set timeline for completing copy? Fact or myth: Can anyone be a copywriter? Why people devalue copy and how we can position ourselves for highest value. How grammar can make or break the sale of your product or service. The benefits of hiring a copywriter for your business. Why you need to stop working IN your business. Are the classic copywriting books still worth the read? (Kim needs a word with you.) Black and white thinking and how to overcome it. The importance of learning and relearning and how it will make you an A-list copywriter. Unlearning what you think you know about being a good writer. How to use your background to become a better copywriter. Do you have to do all the things to be well known in your industry? Podcasts, coaching, Youtube? The most common mistakes new and established copywriters keep on making. How to create stronger boundaries in order to create a sustainable business. Kim’s advice on how to work with head-honcho companies. What you need to do to increase the respect your clients give you. Getting paid for royalties: where do you begin? Outlining your agreements and contracts for greatest success. How to build your authority and accelerate your business. How does it actually start? Why watching reality TV and reading People magazine can be a good thing. Listen to one of the best in the business by hitting the button below or by checking out the transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Kim’s website Kim’s first episode Matt’s website Scientific Advertising Full Transcript: Kira:  Just about everyone you meet on the street, thinks they're a writer. You sit across from your cousin at the table and he talks about the novel he's working on. Maybe you bump into an old classmate and they tell you they're working on their body of work. Sure, anyone can publish their writing today. We should actually celebrate that, but not just anyone can write copy. If you want to be an A-lister and build a career as a copywriter, it takes more than just a pulse and a pencil to do this thing so many of us do daily. Today's guests for The Copywriter Club Podcast has built her reputation around her impressive resume of copywriting accomplishments. That's why she's an A-lister we can all agree is actually on this phantom A-list. We're talking about Kim Krause Schwalm. You can catch our first podcast interview with Kim back in the day in episode 40, where we talk about how she went from successful marketing director to control beating copywriter in less than two years. But today, Kim's here to bust three copywriting myths. And before we jump into all of that, I want to introduce my co-host for this episode, Matt Hall. Matt Hall is a renaissance man. That's the best title for him because he can do all the things in the marketing space. Any time anyone has any type of problem, I send them to Matt Hall. But Matt, that is the worst possible title for you. What do you actually do? What do you call yourself? Matt:  What I really do is I solve problems. People come to me and they don't say, "Matt, I've got money for you. Just take it, do with it what you will." They come to me because there's something they want me to do and something they wa...

John Mulry (yes, you saw that right) joins us for the 256th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. John is a direct marketing expert who was trained by Dan Kennedy. He’s the creator of Email Academy Pro and Expert Authority Formula. Currently, John’s the Director of Marketing for Todd Brown Marketing*. If you want to be seen as an expert in your field, this is the episode for you. Here’s how it goes down: The process of writing a book at supersonic speed. Bringing direct response marketing to different countries. Going from fitness expert to marketing master. How helping people can look different for everyone. Bridging the gap to help business owners connect on a deeper level with their audience. The key to being seen as the expert. How unplanned events and experiences can change your life immensely. Should every copywriter write a book? Finding joy in finding your first clients. The acquisition of new skills and how to accelerate your business. Do you need to be great at sales to be great at marketing? What it’s like being the Director of Marketing for Todd Brown. How to acquire new customers in a crowded market. Best practices for building a 3 part acquisition funnel. How to engineer your offer to get repeated stripe notifications. What is AOV and why it’s important for your funnel. The real job of copywriters. (Hint: it isn’t to write words.) Want to uplevel your marketing skills? Listen to the episode or read the transcript below. *Since recording John has transitioned into taking over as COO of Todd Browns Sister Company E5 Agency The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground E5 Nation Facebook Group  Full Transcript: Rob:  One of the things we love about being copywriters is that we're not just hired to make our client's words sound good, we're hired to solve problems. But here's the thing, clients don't always understand that that's what they're asking us to do. They come to us with projects and ask things like, "Can you write my website or can you help with a case study or a sales page?" What they're really asking for is help solving a bigger problem, help me sound professional or help me prove that I can do what I say I can do, or help me sell more products and make more money. The more we sell ourselves as experts in solving complex marketing problems, the more we're able to work with great clients and earn more money. Today's guest for The Copywriter Club Podcast is John Mulry. John is the Director of Marketing for MFA, that's Todd Brown's company, and he is focused on solving very complex marketing problems for Todd and for Todd's clients. And what he's shared in this interview may give you some ideas on how to do that for your own clients and in your own business. But before we get to our interview with John, good news, Kira is back. Hey, Kira. Kira:  Hi. Hey, Rob. Good to be back. Rob:  Yes. How have you been? It's been a while. Kira:  I've enjoyed the podcast interviews while I was away where every intro, I feel like you were like, "And Kira's still on maternity leave." I feel like towards the end it sounded like maybe there was a little bit more frustration in that over the last few episodes, but I'm back. Rob:  I don't think I was frustrated. If it sounded that way, I'm sorry then. Kira:  Maybe it was just to me. But yeah, I'm happy to be back on the podcast. I've had a fun time listening to other copywriters speak on the podcast and add their commentary and their thoughts. I think it's strengthened the podcast. So I feel like you don't really need me here. I'm just going to leave right now. I don't think you need me here at all. Rob:  We definitely had more than one person offer to take your place in the future should you decide to make maternity leave permanent? So who knows? Kira:  Tell me who they are,

Jennifer Duann Fultz disrupts the status quo on the 255th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Jennifer is the founder and CEO of Chief Executive Auntie, a business aimed to teach WOC business owners how to make more money online through course creation. Interested in creating a better course experience for your students? Tune into the episode to find out how. It breaks down like this: The importance of promoting alternative and diverse voices. Money mindset and how it can affect your life (and business). The stories that are deeply rooted in us from the way we grow up. Why you don’t need to attract every single person into your course. (It’s okay to repel people.) How using your background can propel your business forward. The better way to create a course and guide students to an outcome. How to be the guide your students need and understand where they are coming from. Why you need to prime your students before they reach the next level. Customer research and the effect it has on your course creation. Increasing course completion rates and being selective on who joins your program. Building a lead magnet that will actually help your ideal prospects. Figuring out your strengths and not being tempted to try and do everything. The reality of passive income. (Is it even a thing?) Shifting from employee mindset to CEO mindset and knowing when it’s okay to step away. Being multi-passionate and creating structure to get things done. When it’s time to hire help in your business in order to avoid burnout. Become a better course creator by listening to the episode or checking out the transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Christy’s website Jennifer’s website   Full Transcript: Rob:  A lot of copywriters buy courses, or write for course creators, or have created their own courses as part of their work. And lately, there seems to be a sense that courses may not be as easy to create and sell as they once were. Some course creators have been criticized for low completion rates. We've heard numbers as low as 4% of people buying courses that actually finish the course. Or they're criticized for signing up students who shouldn't be in a course in the first place. Our guest for the 255th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Jennifer Duann Fultz. And she knows a thing or two about creating and selling courses because that's what she does in her business. So I asked her about these challenges and a lot more. But first, let me introduce my co-host for today, Christy Cegelski. Christy is a copywriter who specializes in copy that connects, captivates, and converts. She is a Think Tank member and host of her own podcast, The Captivate and Convert Podcast. I was lucky enough to be featured with Kira as a guest on that podcast. I think if I'm remembering right, it was Episode 29 right in there somewhere. Christy:  Somewhere around there, yeah. Rob:  Yeah, I think I'm like, one of two male guests that you've had in the runs of our site. I feel kind of lucky to be included amongst so many brilliant women. Christy:  Yeah. Rob:  But, yeah. Welcome, Christy. Thanks for joining. Christy:  Well, thanks for having me. This is exciting. I've never been a co-host. Rob:  Well, and now you are. So yeah, I mean, we can maybe make this permanent if it turns out well. Christy:  Check. Rob:  This is your audition. Christy:  Check. Rob:  I like it. If you want to know more about Christy, you can see her at christycegelski.com. Of course, subscribe to her podcast, The Captivate and Convert Podcast. She was actually a guest on our own podcast, Episode number 226. About what? That was probably five, six months ago now. Christy:  Yeah. Rob:  A really good interview about what you've done in your business and how your businesses has...

For the 254th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Amisha Shrimanker hops on to talk all about her journey from order taker to CEO. Amisha is the founder of The Copy Crew and their focus is copy for online business coaches. As business owners, we don’t always give ourselves the permission to get things wrong, but Amisha looks at this from a different perspective. Here’s what we talk about: Writing copy without knowing you’re writing copy. Finding the right community to propel your business and skillset forward. How to write pitches that land you the job. The reality of beginner pricing. Do you need to settle? Going from order taker to 20k months in 18 months. Sending people to junior copywriters when they want to haggle. The pros and cons of being the order taker. Note: Learn all you can. The better way to land big clients. Why you need to document your copywriting process. How to get extra validation from your clients. (even if it doesn’t pay.) The reality of hustle and the benefits it can bring you in the long run. Getting the best case studies to showcase your work and results. Hiring someone to ask your client questions about you. Win-Win? Being on the other side of the interview. The interviewer becomes the interviewee. Getting the most out of job boards and paying for connections. How to do more than just “done for you” work. Why you shouldn’t let inexperience hold you back. Shifting your mindset from scarcity to abundance. How surrounding yourself with high-achieving people will propel you 10 steps forward. Building trust with your clients and demonstrating your expertise. When is enough learning, enough? Is it time to say no to more courses? Leveling up from skillbuilding to strategy-building. Can audits be profitable in your business? Hit the play button to listen to Amisha’s genius or read the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Amisha’s website Nicole’s website   Full Transcript: Rob:  If you're a longtime listener to The Copywriter Club podcast, you've heard hundreds of copywriters share their stories over the last four years. And while we talk about the struggles that copywriters have from time to time, the big focus of our interviews is the success that so many copywriters are having in their businesses. Our guest today is Amisha Shrimanker. Amisha has a counter intuitive process for finding success. It's all about choosing lots of ways to fail each week or each month, and then going after those failures with serious intensity. But the result isn't failure, it's actually success. And we can't wait to share this interview with you in just a minute. But first, you're still on maternity leave, and I want to introduce my co host for today, Nicole Morton. Nicole, how are you? Nicole:  Good. Thank you so much for having me. This is such a treat. Rob:  Yeah, this is going to be fun. So Nicole, for those of you who don't know her, she's a copywriter, brand strategist, really a creative genius. I know she doesn't want to own that title. But it's true. She's a member of our think tank, and she's been a longtime member of the copywriter underground, and she is the CEO, chief writer at the creatively named Nicole Morton Agency, so you can check her out there. And before we get to our interview with Amisha, this is the last time that I'm going to mention this for a while. But the Copywriter accelerator is open for two more days. If you're listening as this episode drops, it will close tomorrow, midnight September 1st year 2021. And if you are looking for a program that will help you set your business on the right foundation moving forward so that you're ready in 2022 for the success that you want to create in your business, if you need help with things like mindset and creating packages and the cli...

On the 253rd episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Laura Briggs breaks down the foundational steps to catapulting your freelance business. Laura is a freelance writer and coach who helps aspiring and current entrepreneurs who are ready to live life on their own terms. Already have a successful business? You’ll hear concepts and ideas through a whole new lens. – Don’t miss this one. Here’s what we talk about: Humans biggest question: “What do I do with my life?” Balancing a full-time job and growing a side hustle business. The best way to use Upwork and break into the freelance writing world. Whether or not you need a website in the beginning. Pitching to clients on weekends through LinkedIn. Your first portfolio and what it needs to include. Landing a 50k ghostwriting book project through Upwork. The pros and cons of Upwork and using it to its fullest potential. Why you need to personalize your pitches. How to overcome the “new writer” syndrome. How retainer projects help you with income projections and how to position yourself to secure the deal. Building your dream work schedule. When you should raise your prices. (and when you shouldn’t.) Creating a writing process that works best for you and your creative genius. Setting boundaries and tuning into the red flags. How to make decisions as a CEO and become an empowered business owner. Sales calls and being okay with the silence. What most freelancers are doing wrong and how to fix it. When you know you’re ready to level up. Delegating to others and creating time and space in your business. Creating a nonprofit around your core values. Offering services that are in demand and match your personality. Check out the transcript below or hit that play button to listen in. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Betterbizacademy.com   Full Transcript: Rob:  Being a successful freelance copywriter is about a lot more than just writing the right words for our clients. There are so many things to think about to do beyond the writing, things like finding clients, or pricing yourself effectively, setting up the right packages, things that our clients actually want to buy, and raising our prices as needed, figuring out retainers, project scope, all of that kind of stuff. Our guest for this episode of the Copywriter Club Podcast is Laura Briggs. Laura is known as The Freelance Coach. And in her business, like we do, she helps freelancers deal with these kinds of challenges. In a moment, we're going to hear how she built her own successful business and then helping others to do the same thing. But first, let me introduce my co-host for today, since Kira is still on maternity leave, Jacob Suckow. Jacob is, I would call him an offer doctor. Jacob, I don't know if you've got a better title for that or not, but he helps his clients really figure out their offers. Jacob:  Awesome. Well, hey Rob, thanks for the introduction, I appreciate it. I don't know if I've ever called myself an offer doctor, but I might have to steal that after today. Excited to be here with you today, excited to hear what Laura has got to say. Rob:  Yeah. I'm looking forward to this conversation also. If you want to find out more about Jacob Suckow, you can find him at top-notchcopy.com, but don't forget the dash. And one of the things, Jacob, I'm going to mention this, even though it's not really live here, you're playing around with this idea of a paid newsletter that you're thinking about doing, talking about all the things about starting a successful solopreneur business. Maybe just give us like a one-liner for what that might turn into when it gets launched. Jacob:  Yeah, sure. So there's a big gap in content out there for people like us who are just building something on their own. And typically,

On the 252nd episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, we dive deep into courage with Heather Hubbard. After some unforeseen events and challenges, Heather shifted from powerful lawyer to powerful CEO of Simple Courage. Heather describes Simple Courage as more than a mantra but a mission and movement to both individual and collective change. Here’s how it all goes down: Why the drastic shift from lawyer to Simple Courage movement. What to do when we can’t get ideas out of our heads. Making major shifts and strides in the middle of a pandemic. Dealing with dysfunctional relationships and tragic life events and moving forward. Saving face and not being true to one’s self. The standards that are set by society and how to break them. Why being uncomfortable can be good and bad. How to choose or recreate your own stories. The 4 types of courage and changing between each. The difference between fearlessness and courage. Showing up brave because you have to rather than wanting to. How to figure out why we’re afraid of something in the first place. Why it’s important to stay curious and color your hair pink. Things we let slide because we think we’re being brave. Leaning into your values and taking a stand for what you believe. What we are actually afraid of happening when we have Simple Courage. How Simple Courage can work in your favor if you allow it to. The everyday effects of the different types of courage. Listen to the episode or read the podcast for inspiration on stepping into your own power.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Tamara’s website Simple Courage website Simple Courage podcast Heather's program The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman   Full Transcript: Rob:  What does being courageous mean to you? Is it being brave enough to run into a burning building to save someone? Is it standing up for what you believe in, or maybe standing up to protect others? Most of us grow up with the idea that courage is a good thing to have, but we're not always courageous in the things that we do. Our guests for the 252nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Heather Hubbard. She's the founder of Simple Courage of movement that is helping people embrace courage and change their lives, and we think that you're going to like what she has to share. But first, before we get to that, Kira is still on maternity leave. This is starting to feel to me like the never ending maternity leave. So I have my special guest hosts to help with some of the comments on this episode, Tamara Glick. Tamara is a copywriter, brand stylist, brand voice specialist, and so many things. She helps us with some of the stuff that we do in the think tank. Tamara, welcome to the show. Thanks for being here. Tamara:  Thank you so much, Rob. Man, oh man, I am so excited about this conversation. This is the deep meaty stuff that I love. Forget the small talk, tell me about your biggest fear and your deepest secret, I'm a vault. That's everything I want to know. So thank you so much for having me back for this one, Rob. Rob:  You're not getting my deepest secrets, but we'll be talking about some other things on the show. Tamara:  That's okay. Rob:  And also just as a reminder, Tamara has actually been on the show as a guest before, that's episode number 142 of The Copywriter Club Podcast. If you want to listen to what she shared there, all about like style, copy style, all of that stuff. It was really good interview, so check that out. Before we get into our interview with Heather though, I'm going to switch things up a little bit and instead of telling you about The Copywriter Think Tank, which of course is still available. If you're interested, go to copywriterthinktank.com, but next week we are opening up The Copywriter Accelerator,

On the 251st episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, we’re joined by none other than  Laura Belgray. Laura is the founder of Talking Shrimp and co-creator of The Copy Cure with Marie Forleo. It’s been a few years since she’s been on the show, and in which time she’s done everything she said she wasn’t going to do in her business. No matter where you are in your copywriting, you’ll hear countless insights you can apply to your own business. Ready to take notes? How to go from copywriter for clients to being a copywriter for yourself. What hiring team members can do for you and your business growth. (Hint: explode) The shift from being someone’s copywriter to stepping into your own voice and brand. Becoming the course creator and getting paid to write emails to your list. Igniting your brand so people know you exist. Why you need to start pitching yourself (yesterday). Envisioning what you truly want in your business and what it will take to get there. Laura’s website transformation and creating her own museum for people to take pictures with. (It’s the end of an era!) Hiring a coach to help with pivots and rebrands. Emailing your list 3x a week. Should you do it? How sharing your content and articles can prove to build your authority. — As long as it’s shareable. The fastest way to learn new information or processes. What you should be telling your list to create meaningful connections and to dig deeper into their wants and needs. The myths of managing a team. Why you need to be super clear and honest with your list about what your purpose is. How to boost your creativity when the wheels aren’t turning. The raw and real truth of writing a book. — You may need to quiet your ego. How many copywriters of today are becoming shadows and what you can do to ensure it doesn’t happen to you. The future of copywriting and what absolutely has got to go. What Laura does to make money by being herself (and while sitting on her couch.) There are many ways to create a successful copywriting business, and Laura’s method is one worth listening to. Press play or check out the transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Laura’s first episode Laura’s website Laura’s subject line resource Full Transcript: Rob:  A lot can change in three years. Heck, if the last year has taught us anything, it's that things can change quickly, and they change faster than we think. Our guest for this episode is Laura Belgray, and Laura was on our podcast a little over three years ago. That was episode 15, where she talked about the kind of business that she had, and she talked about a lot of things that she wasn't even interested in doing. Now, three years later, that's all changed. She's built the business that she said she didn't want, and she loves it. So we're going to get into the details of that change, and what Laura has done with her business. But first, let me introduce my co-host for today, copywriter and launch strategist, Brittany McBean. Welcome, Brittany. Brittany:  Thanks, thanks for having me. I've told you that my life goal is to be Kira when I grow up, so now I'm just one step closer. Rob:  Yeah, right, if Kira decides not to come back, you can just stay. Brittany:  I'm taking her spot, watch out. Rob:  Exactly. You've been warned Kira. I'm excited to have Brittany here to share her thoughts about what we chatted with Laura today. But before we get to that interview and to the things that we want to share, this is your weekly reminder that this episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank. That's our mastermind for copywriters and marketers who are doing some pretty big things in their business, becoming better copywriters, creating products, maybe creating things like video shows,

On the 250th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast (250 episodes?! Get out of here!), we’ve got a few things in store. Have you ever wondered what other copywriters are charging for their deliverables? Today, we’re giving you a breakdown. We’re also joined by a few special guests, so be sure to listen to what it’s all about. 250th episode breakdown: What other copywriters are charging for sales pages at different levels in their businesses. The median and averages of copywriter yearly incomes. Why experience doesn't have to be the only factor when you’re ready to up your prices. Can you actually charge 45k for a sales page? Kira and baby Homer’s guest appearance. (Homer’s first podcast interview.) How new additions to the home can create a new dynamic in the household. (Even Kira’s cat has been needy as of late.) Creating new boundaries with a new baby and how having a team can be beneficial. Kira and Rob’s strengths when it comes to The Copywriter Club business. What the Accelerator is and who it’s good for. Gaining clarity and confidence in your business journey. Navigating how you should find your ideal clients and getting super clear on your systems and processes. Finding a community that is supportive and will lend a hand when you need one. Why Kira is the best at finding what makes you weird. (She loves to use questions.) How to begin focusing on what you really love to write. Accountability groups and why they’re vital to leveling up your business. When you should raise your prices and not feel like an imposter. Building your business at your own pace and your own way. Ready to start charging your worth? Tune into the episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Think Tank The Copywriter Accelerator The Ultimate Copywriter Salary Guide  Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...

We interviewed Aly Goulet for the 249th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Aly is a SaaS copywriter and content strategist. She started her content writing business while still in college, and took it all the way when she graduated. By using her cold pitch method, she’s been able to book clients in her niche and she breaks down how she made it happen in this episode. Here’s the rundown: The scrappy method and when it may be time to start investing in your business and skill set growth. Skyrocketing and hitting goals in your business in 1 year. How many cold pitches you should send a day if you want to find clients fast. Why you should actually narrow in the type of clients you want to work with. What to include in your monthly retainers and how you should go about pricing them. When your cold pitches should be long or short and why. Perfecting your project management process, so you don’t get lost in all the moving pieces of retainer deliverables. How even copywriters need automations to keep up with their projects and save time. What you can start doing to get out of feast and famine mode. The science of connecting with people on LinkedIn. (Plus, your new cold pitch message.) The quickest, easiest way to become visible online. Why you shouldn’t put your own business on the backburner. (Hint: You won’t forget about your clients.) What happens after you start hitting your income goals. What’s next? Do’s and don’t of creating an epic portfolio. The newest WordPress plugin to make building out your portfolio easier. (You’re the best, Aly!) How the Think Tank has helped in reaching her goals in her business. How thinking of your business as an asset will propel you forward tenfold. If you’re tired of the merry-go-round of gaining clients, tune into this episode or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Think Tank Brandon’s episode Brandon’s website Aly’s website Aly’s premium portfolio plugin Full Transcript: Rob:  If you're a regular listener to this podcast, you no doubt have noticed the many differences in how copywriters make their living. Most of us earn money from writing content or copy, but still structure our businesses differently. Some charge by project, others work on retainers, and still others offer day rates and VIP days. But that's just the beginning in the differences that we have as copywriters. Some copywriters consult on funnels and offers that audit websites and campaigns. Some structure their work so that they earn royalties, when a promotion does well. And still others create their own products to sell. Today's guest on the podcast is Aly Goulet. She's tried several of these approaches, very successfully, and recently launched a WordPress plugin to help copywriters show off their best work. We'll talk more about that in a minute. But first I need to introduce my guest host for this episode, Brandon Burton. Brandon is a copywriter and a brand voice strategist, and he is also the community manager for the Copywriter Club, Facebook groups. Brandon, welcome to this episode. Brandon:  Thanks for having me, Rob. I really appreciate it. Rob:  Yeah, of course. So, before we get to all of this other stuff, just really quickly, not only do you manage our communities on Facebook, but you have your own community. Just take a second to tell us a little bit about that. Brandon:  Yeah. I started a community called Our Children's World, quite recently. And yeah, it's just helping parents tackle the reality in the next few years and helping us raise children who can survive in it and thrive in it. Rob:  Awesome. And you have a couple of young kids yourself, so you're like a man deep in it. Brandon:  Yeah. Yeah, like yourself. Yeah. I've got free. Yeah,

Dayana Mayfield joins The Copywriter Club podcast for the 248th episode. Dayana is a SaaS copywriter who focuses on SEO and conversions. After deciding to pursue writing as a career to inspire her daughter to follow her passions, she found copywriting. If you want to learn how to grow your business through networking and online platforms, this episode is for you. Here’s what we talk about: How copywriting and editing are completely different skill sets. Becoming the sole provider in a foreign country. What it takes to learn SEO copywriting and what the difference is. The pros of Upwork and going from $16 hr to $175 hr in 2 years. What you should do when you don’t have a copywriting portfolio. The better way to cold pitch and land new clients. How Dayana was able to save for 4 months of maternity leave in 1 year. Why you shouldn’t lower your standards when you need money fast. The future of copywriting. Is it still worth it? The benefits of verifying who you could potentially be working with. Misconceptions of the SaaS industry and why it could be the right niche for you. The proper way to vet your prospects. Why SEO is important and could keep your lead list hot and ready. Navigating manic bipolar disorder and having a successful business. How PR and SEO go hand in hand and why you need both in your business. Being multi-passionate and starting a second business. The difference between a vertical and horizontal niche. How you can find leads via podcasts and backlinks. What actually happens when you begin to niche down and position yourself as the expert. Whether you’re reading the transcript or listening in, you won’t want to miss this episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Think Tank Tiffany’s website Dayana’s website Full Transcript: Rob: There's more than one approach to choosing a niche, and the most common of course is choosing an industry to specialize in, but there are other approaches too like choosing a particular deliverable or a kind of project that you work on. That's generally called horizontal niching. We've even seen copywriters niche by the customer that they work with. Our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Dayana Mayfield, and she told us about how she's adding a second horizontal niche to her business. We're going to let her tell you all about it in just a minute, but first I want to introduce my guest host for this episode. That's Tiffany Ingle. Hey, Tiffany. Tiffany: Hi, Rob. Rob: How's it going? Tiffany: It's going pretty well. Thank you for having me here. I'm really happy to sit down and have this conversation with you today. Rob: Yeah, this is awesome. So Tiffany is a conversion copywriter. She's worked in the nonprofit sector I think for like seven years before starting her own business. She writes conversion copy and she has a newsletter called Authenticity is Addictive. If you want to be on that or receive that, go to Tiffany's website and sign up. Before we talk with Dayana, this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank. That's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to do more in their business and their work. Maybe you have dreamed about creating a product or a podcast, or maybe you've thought about maybe starting an agency or a product company. Maybe you want to become the best-known copywriter in your niche, the person that high paying clients are always looking out for. That's the kind of thing that we help copywriters do in the Think Tank. Tiffany is actually a member of the Think Tank, a new member. To learn more, visit copywriterthinktank.com, and maybe you can join this extraordinary group of business owners too. So let's jump into our interview with Dayana and find out more about her b...

Nicole Piper is our guest for the 247th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Nicole is a copywriter and direct response marketer. She started her career as a global brand development strategist working for companies such as Nickelodeon, MTV, and Pokemon. Now she focuses on writing for the health and wellness space. Here’s what we talk about: Going through a divorce and losing your 6-figure job. Falling upon copy courses and becoming energized with everything you’re consuming. When you might be ready to go all in and give it your best shot. How following your gut can open up the doors to 100’s of possibilities. Feeling unsure about your copy and it falling into the hands of Kevin Rogers. Becoming Parris Lampropoulos’ cub and gaining an incredible and surreal experience. Manifesting two clients in one week by getting out of your own way. How to get comfortable with not seeing the entire path ahead of you. The secret to the fastest growth and success. Hint: It’s not by doing it alone. What you can learn from Nickelodeon’s marketing angle. How to find the best humans in the world who are collaborative rather than competitive. When it may be the right time to hire a content strategist. The 4 P’s and how it can bring your message to life. Where most copywriters mess up when making big promises. Why you should have someone read your copy out loud to you. The better way to break into the health and wellness space. The challenge of finding the right people for the job. The truth about being an expert to your client. The difference between prevalence and intensity is the solution to finding your ideal client. Listen to the episode below or read it in the show notes. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Think Tank Piper’s website Piper’s health coaching website Grace’s website Full Transcript: Rob:  There's this idea made popular by the movie, The Secret, that you can manifest things into your life simply by thinking about them. Actually, that's a bit of a simplification of the idea of manifesting, but I think you get the idea. By focusing on things like money or say a nice home or great clients, you actually attract those kinds of things into your life. Now, we're not so sure that it's that simple. In fact, I think I'm on record as saying that it doesn't actually work that way, but we do think that when you work hard and you focus on the right things, good stuff generally happens to you and your business. Our guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is copywriter, Nicole Piper. Nicole is a great example of this manifesting process, attracting opportunity and clients by getting to work and focusing on what she really wanted to happen in a situation where many of us would probably do the opposite. We'll let Nicole share her story in a moment. But first, before we get to that, I want to just introduce the Copywriter Think Tank that's the sponsor for this episode, and that's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to do more in their business and their work. Maybe you've dreamed of creating a product or a podcast or building an agency, or a product company, or anything else beyond just simply writing for clients, billing by the penny or by the hour. If you want to become the best known copywriter in your niche, that's the kind of thing that we do in the Copywriter Think Tank. And because Kira is still on maternity leave, my guest host for today is Grace Baldwin. Grace is a member of the Think Tank. Grace, you can share a line or two about your experience, and just tell us what you think about that. Grace:  Sure. Hi everybody. Yeah, my name is Grace Baldwin, I am a B2B SaaS copywriter currently working in-house in the company. But yeah, I'm part of the Think Tank and it's been a pretty pheno...

On the 246th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, we’re joined by one of our newest Think Tank members, Hira Usama. Hira is a social media manager and content strategist. Hira began her freelance journey on Upwork writing e-books and immensely undercharging. She now takes clients’ social media platforms from ghost town to binge-worthy. Here’s what we talk about: Going from a content creator for an agency to freelance work. Writing 4 e-books in one month while being pregnant and finding The Copywriter Club. How she got hired at 17 years old and was published in a magazine. How to effectively use online social platforms to expand your reach. The benefits of outbound engagement and using hashtags to connect with the right people. Social media strategy for the person who just doesn’t have the time or energy for engagement. Starting the process of working with a new client and what it’s like to work with Kira Hug. How to create effective content pillars and even mix in aspects of your life on social media. (Is there a method to the madness?) The beauty and the struggle of the hustle game. The truth about what leads to conversions. Why we need to be social on social media. (Shocking, huh?) How Hira uses Gary Vee in her approach to natural social media strategy. Copywriters who have got a killer approach to socials and what we can learn from observing. Why you absolutely need to be using swipe files. Realizing that no one is going to be as excited about your posts are you. The challenges of working on the other side of the world as your clients. Tips on working with business owners when there may be a language barrier. Creating a community for women who don’t have the means to work a standard 9-5. The struggles of building your own brand when you’re focused on so many others. (the life of a service provider.) If you want to ramp up your social media strategy and build a stronger online presence, listen to the episode or check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Think Tank Hira’s website Tamara’s website Full Transcript: Rob:  For most copywriters and content writers, writing comes pretty naturally to us, and that's the one big reason that we all seem to choose this profession in the first place. There are a few exceptions who learn copywriting as a means to do something else, but for most of us, we're pretty good writers and that's why we are writers as a profession. But it takes a lot more than the ability to write to start a successful copywriting business. To do that, you have to hustle and add the skills to help you solve problems for your clients. Today's guests on The Copywriter Club Podcast is Hira Usama. That's exactly what she did from landing her first content gig at age 17, to doing work today as a social media strategist. She's always learning and trying new things, everything from SEO to social media. In this interview, Hira shares exactly what she did to grow a successful business while working from Asia as a new parent. But before we get to that, let me introduce my guest, I guess, kind of host. Since Kira asked some of the questions, she was here when we recorded. But Kira is on maternity leave spending some time with her new baby, and my guests interjector, commenter, whatever we want to call it, is Tamara Glick. Say hi, Tamara. Tamara:  Hello, Rob. How are you? Rob:  It's good. I'm thrilled to have you joining us. Those of you who maybe are longtime listeners to the podcast know that we interviewed Tamara on episode 142. Tamara is a fashion stylist and also a content and brand stylist. She also serves her clients as a fractional CMO, helping them figure out their customer journeys and how they can improve their offers and all kinds of different things.

Eman Ismail is our guest for the 245th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Eman is an email copywriter who has quickly become a go-to expert for all things email copy. Eman made the transition from feast or famine freelancer to CEO by implementing VIP days into her business. If you want to make the switch to VIP days and day rates, don’t miss this episode. Here is what else we cover: Going from charity worker to charity freelancer. The difficulties of being a mom and owning a business. How to let your network know what you do in a way that’s not uncomfortable. Shifting niches and how to attract your ideal customer. The fastest way to level up your freelance business. When being booked out doesn’t mean paying the bills. Hitting the first 5k month and shifting your mindset to get out of feast or famine mode. How niching down can be terrifying but bring in more clients than ever before. When to increase your prices and invest in yourself. The secret to making the most out of your investments. The number one way to maximize all of the coaching and courses you go through. How to shift from a project-based model to a VIP day model. The better way to structure VIP days to allow for maximum results. Why you should hire someone for the service you provide. Perfecting your systems and processes and learning from others. Finding your ideal work schedule and allowing enough time for research. Selecting an online platform where you can find your ideal clients. The importance of a marketing plan. Whether your a new copywriter or you've been in the copywriting space for awhile, you'll get actionable advice on building your business. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Think Tank Eman’s website Copywriting resource guide Full Transcript: Rob:  There's no doubt that you've heard the phrase overnight success, and usually when people talk about this you're saying that there's no such thing. Success takes time, and finding it overnight is incredibly rare, if it happens at all. Today's guest for The Copywriter Club Podcast is Eman Ismail, and Eman recently gave a talk at TCC(N)IRL, that's our event, about how she went from being completely unknown to being the name on everyone's lips in less than a year, and during a year when we had a pandemic. It wasn't overnight, but it happened incredibly fast, and she shared what she did to make that happen, partly in this interview and also in that presentation, available with the IRL recordings. But before we talk to Eman, let's talk to you just a little bit about the Copywriter Think Tank, that's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to do more in their business and their work, whether you want to build a more robust copywriting business with better clients and better projects, and of course better way, whether you want to add on something like a podcast, or a course, or something like that, or even if you want to build a mini agency or some other kind of business model that you've been thinking about. Those are the kinds of things that the people in the Copywriter Think Tank are doing all the time. If you're ready to surround yourself with people who are thinking bigger about their business, then you should visit copywriterthinktank.com. Sign up for a quick information session. There's no hard pitch, I promise, and maybe you can join this group of extraordinary business owners too. Now, before we jump into our conversation with Eman, you'll notice that Kira is not here, and that's because Kira is actually having a baby today. So, we unfortunately aren't going to have Kira for the next couple of weeks as we talk about the things on the podcast, but I am going to bring in other people on our team, other copywriters that we know and want to be able to share some of their th...

On the 244th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Sarah Greesonbach joins the show. After spending years in the classroom, she discovered the world of content marketing and e-commerce. Sarah is a prime example that you can be a highly paid and sought-after content writer when you position yourself as the expert and provide value time and time again. Here’s what we talk about: Writing an ebook all about life after teaching and jumping into the online business realm. Putting your all into your passion without boundaries. Creating an open door after getting laid off. Going from $20-30hr to $800 blog posts. How to make the shift in money and clientele. The reality of setting up your mindset for growth and success. Why you shouldn’t be shopping in your dream client’s wallet. The clear and cut process of writing white papers. What white papers are going for these days and how it can be your in with a potential client. How to showcase your authority right away and take the strategy lead. One simple skill that makes you more money. The shift from “perfect business” to realistic expectations of building a business. How to create buckets, so you can focus on the most important aspects of your business. Using LinkedIn to work with ongoing and steady clients. The difference between writing for B2B and B2C. The truth about being creative and understanding your capacity for scheduling it into your day. Want to create a profitable content writing business? Tune into the episode to learn how to make it happen. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Think Tank Sarah’s website Full Transcript: Rob:  Over the past three years, we've interviewed hundreds of copywriters about their approach to business, their writing processes, their stories, and their tips for writing better copy. The vast majority of them describe themselves as copywriters, but today's guest for the 244th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast Sarah Greesonbach calls herself a content writer. And I'll be honest, I don't see a lot of difference between copy and content. Both are designed to create and support a relationship between a company or brand and its customers. Both are part of the sales process, and both require a smart, strategic approach to make sure that they connect with the right people. We talked a lot about Sarah's approach to content in this episode. And if you write and sell content as part of your business, you're going to learn a lot from this interview. Kira:  Before we hear what Sarah has to say, this podcast episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank. The Think Tank is our private mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to challenge each other, create multiple new revenue streams in their businesses, receive coaching from the two of us, and ultimately grow to six figures or more. Up until last year, we only opened the Think Tank once a year, but today we invite a few new members each month. If you've been looking for a mastermind to help you grow, visit copywriterthinktank.com to find out more. Rob:  Okay, let's jump into our interview with Sarah and find out more about her path to content writing. Sarah:  Through that is Craigslist, it was pretty amazing. And this was a bit more popular back in the early 2010s when Craigslist was more of a thing. But my story actually starts, I got a master's in arts and teaching, and I taught ninth grade English. And they basically chewed me up and spit me out in about two and a half years. I had reached ultimate burnout as a workaholic because the classroom will take everything you can give it, so I gave it everything. And I had to make my escape. And at that point, I hit that wall a lot of writers hit where it's like, what else could I possibly do? I did the teaching,

On the 243rd episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Yara Golden (dare we say it) drops gems you need to take note of. Yara Golden fell into the world of copywriting unexpectedly and said goodbye to her relationship coaching days. Now, she runs an agency of copywriters on the basis of storytelling. Here’s what we covered: How our greatest strengths can become our biggest weaknesses. When things seem to be falling apart, how do you pick up the pieces? The art of not being able to screw up being yourself. Transitioning from relationship coach to email copywriting magician. 3 lessons to improve yourself and the relationships you have with others. Going against the grain and breaking the copy “rules.” The #1 thing business owners need. How to strategically take on multiple clients at a time while managing a team. Reaching the epiphany step in the story selling method. The secret to being the character that your ideal client or customer wants to be. The better way to be customer-centric and close sales. The truth about negative inspiration and why it works for entrepreneurs. The fine line of taking in knowledge and closing off what makes us unique. How to revive an inactive email list. - Hint: Don’t say sorry. Are copy blocks the new day rates? Mentorships and helping others sparkle as they grow their businesses. The mindset shift between self-employed and entrepreneur. How to step into the spotlight when you don’t feel you deserve it. Taking the feelings of discomfort and using them to your full advantage. Working through a bad relationship with money and coming up with a strategic plan. The merging of projects and companies: How can this be done? How to write copy without VOC. This episode is a must-listen. If not, a must-read. Check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Think Tank Yara’s website Full Transcript: Kira:  Maybe the best thing about having a podcast is the opportunity to talk to so many smart and accomplished copywriters and marketing experts. Even the writers we talked to who are just starting out have unique ideas and perspectives. I think we both can safely say we feel lucky to talk to such talented people and get to learn while we're doing it. And today's guest for the 243rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Yara Golden. And she shared some of her early struggles in her business, the way she packages and sells her services, the lessons she's learned about boundaries and so much more. There are a ton of great takeaways in this episode. Rob:  Before we talk to Yara, let's talk to you, our listeners, about the Copywriter Think Tank. That's our mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to do more in their business in their work. Maybe you've dreamed about creating a product, podcast, and you want to build a mini agency, like the one that Yara built, that she's going to tell us about here in just a minute, or a product company. Maybe you want to become just the best copywriter in your industry or in your niche, or the person that has the high-paying clients and have them know that you're the one that they should be calling. That's the kind of thing that we help copywriters in the Copywriter Think Tank do. To learn more, visit copywriterthinktank.com, and maybe you can join this group of extraordinary business owners too. Kira:  Before we get into the interview, we should note that after a couple of minutes, Rob's internet went down. So, if you're wondering why I hog the mic, and ask all the questions while Rob is quiet, while I didn't kick him off the show, it's just a little bit of trouble. Rob:  Not yet. Kira:  Not yet. So, let's jump into our conversation with Yara and find out about her path into copywriting. Yara:  Oh, my gosh,

Jared Macdonald is our guest for the 242nd episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Jared is a copywriter whose focus is on user experience and customer research. It’s more than just the words we write, it’s about getting inside the heads of our ideal clients, so we can provide a product or service they truly need and want. Jared has proved his expertise in the area of serving his clients because he works with his clients for an average of 2.5 years. Here’s what else we talked about: Combining copy research with user experience and creating magic. Taking a life-threatening situation and turning it into a positive. Being okay with not having everything figured out in your business journey. There is no tiering to struggles and understanding we don’t know what someone is battling. How doing tasks in your business that don’t scale can end up leading to immense growth. Why over-delivering and building lasting client relationships go hand in hand. The steps to create points of excitement through every phase of a funnel. How to lengthen client relationships while respecting your own boundaries. The secret to being seen as the consultant from the beginning. Voice of customer research questions you need to include in your interview process. How to elevate your customer journey and provide the highest of experiences for your clients. Tools that can help you streamline and save you time. Getting to a place where YOU selectively choose your clients and make sure they’re worthy of a sales call. The benefits of working with retainer clients as a new copywriter. Best practices for networking when it can feel awkward and overwhelming. Hit that play button below or read the transcript if you want to improve your client experience. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Think Tank Jared’s website Jared’s workshop  Full Transcript: Rob:  One of the big challenges of running a copywriting business is finding clients. And unless you have retainers, once you find a good client and do the work, you've got to go back out there and find another client and then another. But what if the great clients that you have could stick with you, offering project after project month after month so you don't have to spend your time prospecting and instead you can focus on problem solving. That's what Jared McDonald, our guest for the 242nd episode of the Copywriter Club podcast does. His average client relationship lasts almost two and a half years. And we asked him what he does that makes his clients so happy and he shared a few ideas that any copywriter can implement into their business. Kira:  Before we hear what Jared has to say, this podcast episode is brought to you by the Copywriter Think Tank mastermind, which Jared has participated in. The Think Tank is our private mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to challenge each other, create new revenue streams in their businesses, receive coaching from the two of us and ultimately grow to six figures or more. Up until last year, we only opened the Think Tank once a year, but today we invite a few new members each month. If you've been looking for a mastermind group to help you grow, visit copywriterthinktank.com to find out more. Rob:  Okay. Let's jump into our interview with Jared with this question about how he became a copywriter, a marketing consultant, and a UX strategist. Jared:  Yeah, it's a great question. I mean, from a story perspective, do you want the short version, long version? No. Rob:  I want a medium version. Sort of in the middle. Jared:  Medium, yeah? Medium details. Yeah. I mean, I started out in experiential marketing and doing sales as well. And then it really wasn't until I went to... Wanted to go to school to be a diplomat in foreign languages for some odd reason. And then,

On the 241st episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Daniel Lamb jumps on the show. Daniel Lamb is a copywriter who helps marketing agencies and B2B brands create conversions within their funnels. Throughout his time as a bartender and agency copywriter, he was able to take essential skills and blend them into his own agency.We also talked about:How to leverage opportunity when it’s sitting right in front of you.Connecting music and copywriting and how they both can evoke a response.The reality of creating your own luck. - Is it possible?What you gain when working with low-paying clients.Skills you gain while working for an agency.How to properly use data to get the best results for clients.Starting an agency “your way” after getting furloughed.The running cycle of looking for clients. - Feast and famine?Turning rubber bands and duck tape into smooth and clear systems.Tips on what to do when you’re fearful of diving into the stats.If you want to run an agency, then you need to be clear on one thing.How investing in relationships will propel you forward.Best practices for working with junior copywriters and the benefits of SOPs.The better way to manage a team and keep everything together.The simple practice that can really turn around procrastination.The secret to hacking your brain and mindset.The shift between taking care of your business and letting your business take care of you.The ins and out of hosting a podcast and surprises along the way.The first thing to consider when deciding on building a partnership.Thinking about starting an agency? Check out this episode or grab the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show:Kira’s websiteRob’s websiteThe Copywriter Club Facebook GroupThe Copywriter UndergroundThink TankLinchpin by Seth Godin Who not how by Dan Sullivan Daniel’s website Daniel Lamb podcast - Ritual Linda’s episode Full Transcript:Transcript is underway...    

Kira and Rob join each other as guests on the 240th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. After hosting the show and being business partners for almost 5 years, they discuss tips and tools others can use to create more growth and avoid pitfalls along the way. Here’s how it breaks down: The 6 Mistakes Rob and Kira have made during their copywriting careers. Why being part of a community will skyrocket your career and build your skillset. How to be a problem solver for your clients, so they don’t have to guess and search for a solution. What Rob was doing before The Copywriter Club. Why this simple word will give you more power and create higher quality work. The value of testimonials and why they’ll grow your business. Being unaligned and the results it can bring. How to overcome comparisonitis when it keeps knocking at your door. Unveiling your unique mechanism and x-factor, so you can tap into your full-potential. How to successfully pull off a virtual event and create real community online. Building a team and focusing on the buckets that propel the business forward. Motivation and getting things done with a positive attitude. Why it’s vital to make time for things you love outside of your business. A better way to look at your business that will make all the difference in your sustainability and impact. Trends and patterns in the copywriting space that you should avoid. Books and podcasts Listen in on the podcast below or check out the transcript and give it a read. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Books and things we're into right now: 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari   The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron Run to Win by Stephanie Schriock The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett You Get What You Pitch For by Anthony Sullivan The Catalyst by Jonah Berger A History of the World in 10 and a Half Chapters by Julian Barnes The Road Less Stupid by Keith J. Cunningham Frank Morgan Radio The Smartless podcast The Tim Ferriss Show Full Transcript: Kira:  Hi, Rob. Rob:  Hey, Kira. We were just saying that we should have written an intro for this episode, since we write those after we record. Now, our process is all changed and we're just recording now this interview to go live next week actually. So I don't know if we're going to have time to do an intro or not. Kira:  We don't. Yeah. We're anti shoulds, right? All the things you should do, let's just not do it. We don't... No more shoulds for us. So there is no intro. It's just us, the two of us today. This is episode 240, right? Rob:  Yeah. Episode 240 and every 10th episode or so we like to just jump on and just chat about different stuff, go guest free and this is all our stuff. If you don't like that, you can skip to the next episode or listen to last week's episode or stay tuned and you get a full dose of Kira and Rob. Kira:  Yes. This is just us wild and free. So we are going to ask each other questions and just kind of interview each other because even though we talk frequently, we don't always ask each other questions about business ideas, what else we're doing so I think Rob and I just need more quality time together. We have a lot of time together, maybe we need more quality time together. Rob:  There you go. Yeah. Finding out more. I mean, we've only been doing this for four years, right? So trying to understand who the other person is with I think- Kira:  Who are you? Who is this person? So let's kick it off with the first question. Rob, what are some mistakes that you've made in your copywriting business? I guess this could really be any mistake. It's all fair game. But I was just thinking, I think frequently about mistakes I've made with projects with clients previously. I don't know why they just kind of pop in to my mind at d...

Full Transcript: Kira:  Being a launch copywriter is not the easiest thing in the world. You've got to understand launch strategy, be able to write sales pages and emails, maybe even write webinar scripts, Facebook and Google or YouTube ads, and more, and often even just support your client through the launch experience, which can be a rollercoaster at times. It's the kind of work that can easily lead to burnout if you're not careful. Our guest for the 239th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is former Think Tank member, Kristina Shands. She joined us to talk all about the work involved with writing and strategizing for launches, and she talked about ways to make launches more enjoyable too. Rob:  So, before we get to our interview with Kristina, we want to tell you that this podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank. This is something we've been talking about quite a bit recently, and if you're tired of hearing us promote the Think Tank, maybe just visit the copywriterthinktank.com and find out what it's all about. It is our private mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to challenge each other, create new streams of revenue in their business, to receive coaching from the two of us, and ultimately grow your business to six figures or find more time for the things that you value, whatever your goals are, it's designed to help you reach them. If you've been looking for a mastermind to help you grow as a copywriter or as a business owner, again, visit copywriterthinktank.com to find out more. Kira:  Yeah, and we're not going to stop talking about it anytime soon. So, sorry. Okay, let's jump into our conversation with Kristina, as we usually do, with her story. Kristina:  The roundabout way is how I got here. I spent a lot of time in college just doing random stuff, and then I discovered this thing called public relations, and I figured out I could write pretty well. So, I got a degree in public relations and worked for nonprofits, and then one day, I came in, and my boss said, "Our grant isn't approved for next year, you're the only person that I can let go, and sorry." And so, I was like, "Oh, okay." So, I spent a year working with other fundraising coaches, worked as a grant writer. I've taught fundraising to local nonprofits, and then I worked with graphic designers. And I had some friends that owned a web company, and I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I could write. I'd still at this point didn't know what copywriting was, I just knew I could write scripts and I could write stuff. Had no direction whatsoever. And then ended up finding out what internet marketing was, and got into that world, studied with some of the first, Frank Kern, sort of those types of copier, those types of internet marketers. And then became a VA, discovered launching from a client, came into her company as a junior copywriter, and that was when I was like, "Oh, wait, there's a science behind copywriting. It's not just writing words randomly and asking someone to do something, there's actually a formula and science and metrics and things that I can actually study." And then from there, it became a really dive into what it takes to be a real copywriter, how to become a better copywriter, about storytelling. And because my client was doing a lots of launches, I just got to study with her and watch her team do launches. From there, I just went on and started working with other friends and coaches and found my way through the maze. I've just been really lucky to get really great referrals and learning as I go and studying, and then found my way here. Long story short, I happened into it, and I'm really glad I did. Rob:  So, Kristina, I'm curious, going back to PR days, fundraising days, when you started mentioning that, I'm like, "Okay, how do you fundraise? What are the secrets to fundraising?" Because when you're offering somebody a product to sell or to buy, obviously,

On the 239th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, we’re joined by Kristina Shands, Copywriter and Launch Strategist. Kristina took her background in nonprofit and Public Relations and has been able to transform her clients’ businesses through the launch of their products and services. If you’re somebody who’s been dabbling in the launch world, and you want to increase the experience you provide your clients, this episode is a must-listen. We also talked about: How launching has changed and how the “what” has stayed the same. Giving people what they need to make an empowered decision by listening to what they have to say. How to hold space for your clients during a launch when launching can be high-energy and demanding. The strategy you can provide for your clients, so they don’t feel they have to do it all. The better way to have a killer launch and not get burned out. The easiest way to set reasonable standards and expectations for clients. The benefit to asking specific future pacing questions to prospects. How to implement love languages and human design into your business. The #1 component of being a better business owner and entrepreneur. Why it’s important to honor your energy management and the effects it has on your day. The secret to adding self-care into your launch strategy and why it needs to be a must. The right way to go down a rabbit hole and make it a beneficial use of your time. How learning something new can be self-sabotaging and impractical. Jumping ahead in your personal and business growth, so you can be “lucky.” The element you need to be part of the persuasion process. How to get off the “hustle” cycle and learn to trust the journey and opportunities that will come with time. Launching can be exhausting, but it doesn’t have to be. Listen in on this episode or check out the transcript here.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Kristina’s website  Full Podcast Episode #239 Transcript

This week on The Copywriter Club podcast, Marietta Gentles Crawford drops the secrets to standing out on LinkedIn without changing who you are. Marietta is a Brand Strategist and LinkedIn expert whose focus is on growing a strong personal presence *like a real human.* Amp up your personal brand and LinkedIn profile by taking notes and following along. We also covered: The once upon a time of an about section. (Hint: It was called a summary section.) How to support the authority of your brand. Pulling quality traits from every experience you’ve had and why it’s highly-valuable to your clients. Why you should never have to chase your audience, and instead, keep them knocking at your door. What not to do on LinkedIn, so you can avoid being the pushy salesperson online. Why you shouldn’t change who you are from platform to platform. - Your voice should be the same everywhere you go. The secret to pitching to large businesses and landing the gig. LinkedIn for slackers 101 - Do more with less. How to turn your LinkedIn profile into a client lead magnet. Why LinkedIn is tried, tested, and true for growth and authority. The ins and outs of writing for yourself and why we tend to lose the clarity that we see in other people. The importance of visibility and becoming a highly sought-after copywriter. (People buy from who they know exists.) Why you shouldn’t chase squirrels and give yourself a break instead. How to structure your days for maximum productivity as a parent. The mistakes of underestimating how long a project will take and taking on projects just for the money. Defining what growth means for YOU, and why you need to run your business like a marathon. How to create more than just financial goals, plus the power of creating mistakes. Hit the play button and soak up the brilliance that is Marietta. Prefer to read? Check out the transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show:   Marietta’s Website Marietta’s LinkedIn guide Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Think Tank Bree’s Episode Dave’s Episode Selena’s Episode      Full Transcript: Rob:  Is running a business, feel like a race against your competition or a race against yourself. You find yourself setting bigger goals, or working harder, and doing more only to figure out that you need to slow down and choose, maybe, a different race. Sometimes we chase the wrong goals, stuff like 10K a month, or six figure years, maybe even wanting to be a million dollar copywriter and our guests for the 238 episode of the Copywriter Club Podcast is personal brand strategist, Marietta Gentles Crawford. She compared her own business to running a race as we talked to her and she shared a lot of, really, good ideas for using LinkedIn more effectively. Kira:  Before we hear what Marietta has to share with us, this podcast episode is brought to you by the Copywriter Think Tank. The Think Tank is a private mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to challenge each other, create new revenue streams in their businesses, receive coaching from the two of us and ultimately grow to six figures or more. Up until last year, we only opened a Think Tank once a year, but today we invite a few new members each quarter. If you've been looking for a mastermind to help you grow, go to copywriterthinktank.com to learn more. Rob:  Okay. So, let's jump into our interview with Marietta with a first question about how she became a brand strategist and a LinkedIn specialist. Kira:  Okay. So, Marietta, we'd love to start with your story. How did you end up as a personal brand strategist and LinkedIn expert? Marietta Gentles Crawford:  I really stumbled into it, to be honest. I was an entrepreneur as I call myself, I was working within different companies as a technical writer and trainer,

Dave Ruel joins us for the 237th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Dave is a serial entrepreneur and best-selling author of the book, “Done by Noon.” There’s an ongoing need to get more done in less time, and Dave paves the way to do just that. Whether it’s working fewer hours, finding a work-life balance, or you just need more direction when it comes to productivity, this episode is a must-listen. Here’s what we talked about: •  The plus side to bodybuilding and fitness and how it can be applied to business. •  How to manage discipline as a business owner, so you can achieve more in less time. •  The Effic method. What is it and how can you apply this to your life? •  Working hard leads to more success right? Not quite. It’s about working the right way. •  The better way to plan out goals and reach them. •  Why you need buckets in your business. •  How to look at your tasks from a different perspective and minimize urgency. •  The 4 types of tasks you need to implement into your life and business. •  What energy management can do for you. •  Narrowing down the most important things when everything seems top of the to do list. •  Creating the fine line between urgent and important. •  How small things compound over time to make the greatest success. •  5 elements to better habits and a better morning routine. •  The quickest, easiest way to get more done. •  Why you need to measure discipline over time and cut yourself some slack along the way. Habits, discipline, and energy management are key components to a successful business. Hit the play button or check out the transcript to absorb it all.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show:   Done By Noon by Dave Ruel Dave’s Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Think Tank   Full Transcript: Kira:  How often do you get to the end of your day and think, "I was busy, but did I really get anything done?" Do you ever look back over the last month or even the last quarter and wonder why you don't have time for the big things you want to do in your business or your life? Maybe the problem isn't our calendar or our to-do list. Maybe the problem has to do with our approach to managing our time and our energy levels. Today's guest for the 237th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Dave Ruel. Dave is a former bodybuilder who realized that his approach to exercise might be a good way to approach all the projects he wanted to get done each week. Rob:  Before we get to the interview with Dave, this podcast episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank. That's our private mastermind that we've been telling you about for the last couple of weeks. It's for copywriters and other marketers who want to challenge each other. They want to create new revenue streams in their business, create new products in their business, receive one-on-two coaching from Kira and myself, and ultimately grow your business to whatever your goal is. Rob:  We often say six figures or more. But if that's not your goal, we designed it to help you reach the goal that you have for your business. If you've been looking for a dynamic mastermind to help you grow as a copywriter and as a business owner, visit copywriterthinktank.com and set up a short information session with us to find out more. Kira:  Now, let's jump into our conversation with Dave. Dave:  I'm going to go back to my days as a fitness athlete. This is pretty much when it all started. So, in the early 2000s, I was an amateur competitive bodybuilder. So, I was very obsessed with everything fitness, bodybuilding, muscle building, you name it. In 2007, I met a guy named Lee Hayward. We were fellow competitors on the regional circuit. So, we've known of each other within the local circuit, but I've never met Lee in person. I was traveling to his hometown to compete that weekend. So,

Nicola Moors brought so much to the 236th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Nicola started her career as an investigative journalist who wrote about topics that are not easy for everyone to tell or to write. In her time as a journalist, she was able to gain essential skills that make her a great and sought-after copywriter today. Dive into this episode to uplevel your “interview” skills. We also talked about: How becoming a copywriter leads to more things you love. Creating a safe space for women to share stories that severely impacted their lives. The challenge of making stories unique and different from each other. Why you should never call an interview “an interview.” How to replicate someone’s voice without a brand guide and do it effectively. Mental and emotional stability when writing about mentally exhaustive topics. Why it’s vital to separate yourself from the story, so you can help people share their experiences in an impactful way. The best way to find captivating hooks that pique interest. The importance of letting people speak more than you do. The advantages of Facebook and finding your first few clients. Why backing yourself is the key to your own success. How to grow with a network of supportive copywriters in a lonely online world. How being cheeky and upfront will get you what you want and boost confidence. The truth about the stories you tell yourself and when it’s time to let them go. The back and forth of being both a procrastinator and a perfectionist. - Can they live in harmony? The better way to get testimonials and feedback. (Hint: It’s all about making it less work-like.) The plus side to being organized and putting together systems that streamline. Why it's important to celebrate your own wins as much as your clients. The secret to nailing Kira and Rob’s voice. Is it possible? The trick to making your previous clients feel special and remembered. Reversing into brick walls. - Ever done it? Be sure not to miss this episode whether it be by listening or reading the transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Nicola’s website Celeb Copywriter Brand Voice Buddy Think Tank   Full Transcript: Rob:  This probably doesn't come as a surprise, but a lot of copywriters get their start in the world of journalism, whether they earn a degree or actually work writing news stories. As reporters, they learn how to find a story that readers are interested in, how to research and find important details and how to find a hook and tell a story, all skills that we need as copywriters. This week's guest for the 236th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is think tank member, Nicola Moors. And as you might expect from my intro, Nic was a reporter before she made the leap into copywriting. We asked her about what she learned from that experience and what she's done to grow her copywriting business so quickly since going full-time early last year. Kira:  Before we hear what Nic has to say, this podcast episode is brought to you by the Copywriter Think Tank. The think tank is our private mastermind group for copywriters and other marketers who want to challenge each other, create new revenue streams in their businesses, receive coaching from the two of us and ultimately grow to six figures or more. Up until last year we only opened the think tank once a year, but today we invite a few new members each quarter. If you've been looking for a mastermind to help you grow, email help@thecopywriterclub.com to set up an interview. Rob:  Okay, so let's jump into our interview with Nic and find out why she left the world of journalism for life as a copywriter. Nic:  The truthful story is very on-brand for me. So I think you're going to like it. So basically I was working as a journalist and one of my colleag...

For the 235th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re joined by Jill Wise. Jill is a brand and marketing strategist, conversion copywriter, and business coach. As much as she’s dedicated to her craft and her clients, she’s also driven to create an authentic online presence. Pushing through the noise and the “rules'' of what she’s supposed to do online, she’s been able to showcase who she truly is and attract clients who align with her same brand values. Don’t miss this episode all about being more YOU in a crowded space while serving your clients at the maximum level. In this episode, we dive deep into: •  Going from a side-hustle to full-on copywriter. •  How to break the rules the RIGHT way and feel great about it. •  Creating a safe space for clients and allowing open communication right from the discovery call. •  The step-by-step process of a white-glove experience and making sure your clients are supported every step of the way. •  Why an automated system can be a great addition to your business and enhance your workflow and respect your boundaries. •  3 tips to enhance productivity and getting your ideal schedule defined. •  How to shift mindset from freelancer to business owner and what it will do for your business. •  The question: Should you give your client a to do list? •  The truth about showing up online and finding your true voice •  The secret to building discipline—no, it’s not a trait you're born with •  The ins and out of solving problems and finding real solutions for clients •  When something doesn’t work… how to reframe, reevaluate, and get back out there •  Why you should add other skills to your repertoire •  How to properly evaluate competitors—mimic or do better? •  When you get the advice to “dumb yourself down…” run! Whether you’re a new freelance copywriter or an established business owner, you’ll gain new insights and ideas on how to project your own business forward. Click the play button below to listen, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Jill’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:  Does this ring a bell for you? You see what everyone else in the copywriting world is doing. You hear what clients expect and you even get advice from a coach that you need to act just like everyone else to get the thing you want. The game's got rules and if you don't play by them, you'll stay on the bench. That's what Jill Wise, Think Tank mastermind member and our guest for the 235th episode of the Copywriter Club Podcast was told. Play nice, dumb things down, don't rock the boat, or you won't attract the clients you want. But something was off and recently, Jill decided to ignore that advice and be more true to who she is. And in this interview, she revealed her new brand transformation with us. Rob:  Before we share what Jill told us, this podcast episode is brought to you by the Copywriter Think Tank. That's our private mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to challenge each other, create new revenue streams in their business, receive one on two coaching from the two of us, and ultimately grow to six figures or more. If you've been looking for a dynamic mastermind to help you grow as a copywriter and as a business owner, visit copywriterthinktank.com to set up a short information session or email us at help@thecopywriterclub.com with questions. Kira:  The Copywriter Think Tank will help you figure out a lot of the same stuff we cover in this interview with Jill; things like client boundaries, creating better processes and figuring out what your brand stands for. Now, let's jump into our conversation with Jill Wise. Jill:  I graduated university and my husband is a few years older than me, we were dating at the time and he moved to Montreal and I did the thing,

Mindset coach and business strategist, Linda Perry, is back for the 234th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Linda is a recovering copywriter who sheds light on how to make mindset approachable in business. No matter what stage of business, everyone experiences struggles with mindset in one way or another. There's a ton of great advice in this episode. You’ll want to note all the ways you can make mindset practical in your own business. Here’s an inkling of what we talked about: •  The mindset around pivoting and the fear of not making money. •  The sneaky way low-hanging fruit can set you back if you’re not aware, and the better way to handle the low-hanging fruit. •  The truth about being afraid to say no to projects and the feeling of always saying yes to everything. •  The answer to the question: Are you telling yourself stories or facts? •  How to create vision in your business and why it’s the #1 thing to do. •  Why creating boundaries are key to setting yourself up to work the way YOU want to work. •  The reality of overwhelm and why it’s a trap. •  A clear vision is not a financial goal—here's what it really is. •  The 3 steps to let go of the “how” to let your vision thrive Linda’s website Linda’s 1st TCC Episode The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob: As a business owner, you get to decide how your business changes over time, whether it shrinks or grows, whether you add products or services, employees or not, it's all up to you. I was trying to think of a metaphor for how this works, but the regular metaphors that we use for transformation, like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, doesn't really feel like a fit to me here because the process isn't that straightforward and the results that you get, aren't always beautiful. So maybe a better metaphor is playing with LEGO bricks, building one thing and then breaking off pieces to expand it here or there and changing it into something completely different. And oftentimes the colors don't match and the shape isn't perfect. And maybe this thing that you've built, isn't even recognizable to anybody who didn't see you build it or who you haven't told the thing is. And our guest for the 234th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Think Tank alum, Linda Perry. She has dramatically reshaped and changed her copywriting business over the past year. A lot like playing with those LEGO bricks. And while the result is a better business, the process wasn't easy. And in a moment she's going to share exactly what that was like and where she's ended up. Kira: And clearly you have not played LEGO with me, Rob, because my colors do match. My shape is perfect. And the thing I build is always recognizable. Rob: You didn't grow up with the old sets where you only had... Kira: I did. Rob: ...like 15 bricks of blue and 15 bricks of red. Yeah. Kira: I did actually, and I feel like kids are missing out today because it's like, you have your blueprint and you have to make the thing that you purchased and you can just be more creative. So yeah, we can talk about LEGOs. I'm glad you're not talking about butterflies and caterpillars and LEGOs are way more fun. So thank you. And before we hear what Linda has to say, this podcast episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank. The Think Tank is our private mastermind for copywriters and other marketers who want to challenge each other, create new revenue streams in their businesses, receive coaching from the two of us and ultimately grow to six figures or more depending on your unique goal and vision. up until last year, we only opened the Think Tank once a year, but today we invite a few new members each quarter. So if you've been looking for a mastermind to help you grow email, help@thecopywriterclub.com to set up an interview. Rob: Okay,

For the 233rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Mariah Phillips shares the secret to building a copywriting business in the nonprofit sector. Mariah is a Digital Marketing Strategist and Copywriter based in Baltimore, Maryland. She teaches entrepreneurs how to market their businesses and tell their stories. If you’ve been looking for a way to make an impact in your copywriting career, give this episode a listen. (Or read.) Here's what we talked about in this interview: •  Mariah’s journey through brand story development and the secret to long standing brands. •  How to write for top nonprofits AND earn a living. •  The right way to build a local community event with the power of words. •  The brilliant way to pivot and share knowledge with others about your expertise. •  A day in the life of an agency writer: sampling 10’s of voices?! •  The truth about going down the rabbit whole. (Can it actually be a good thing?) •  What you need to know about working in fundraising. - and storytelling. •  The formula to learn when writing to people not directly receiving a benefit. •  The better way to navigate a conversation with agencies and their strategy. •  Why you should give more value than your client pays for. •  How to go from scrappy freelance mindset to empowered CEO mindset. •  The quickest, easiest way to NOT connect with your clients. •  Why it’s vital to connect with people where they’re at. •  5 ways you should use the same metaphor. - or shouldn’t. This is an interview you won't want to miss. To hear it, click the play button below. Or school down to read the full transcript below and while you’re reading… subscribe with your favorite podcast app and never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira: Time and time again, guests on our podcast have told us they started copywriting without actually knowing that what they were doing was writing copy. They were just figuring out how to market a product or service and copy was a natural part of the process. That's also true of today's guests for the 233rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Mariah Phillips. Mariah jumped from PR to fundraising to SEO before figuring out that the thing she did best in all of those roles was copywriting.  Rob: Before we share our interview with Mariah, this podcast episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank. The Think Tank is a private mastermind group for copywriters and other marketers who want to challenge each other, create new revenue streams in their business, receive one on two coaching from the two of us and ultimately grow their businesses to six figures or more. If you've been looking for a mastermind to help you grow, email us at help@thecopywriterclub.com to set up an interview or go to copywriterthinktank.com.  Kira: Now let's jump into our conversation with Mariah.  Mariah: Somehow I've always been a copywriter and didn't know it. So as I worked... I started in corporate America, I worked in a boutique PR firm in then New York Metro area. And so while there, we had to do a lot of brand story development for clients. Some of our clients were global and longstanding brands, and since some of them were brand new and sold quirky things like monocles, like this was their first time ever stepping out. And so my responsibility was to write their brand story, write copy, and even write pitches which isn't necessarily copy, but pitches to the media are making a sale. So, I did that and then I transitioned to working for an ed tech company called 2U, Inc. And in the process there, I started off as a placement specialist for a clinical social work program. And if you don't know anything about 2U, Inc basically they power the biggest universities in the country, they power their online master's programs. 

On the 232nd episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, we’ve got Marcus McNeill. Marcus is the co-founder and CEO of Magic based in Boulder, Colorado. He works with purpose-driven companies who seek global impact and change around both the country and world. He’s helped leaders such as Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra spread their missions and messages across the globe. You may want to grab a notepad right away because this episode is full of insights you won’t want to miss. In this episode, we discussed: •  How a conscious-based life can radically shift perspective. •  Why learning from Deepak Chopra became the greatest catalyst to vulnerability and openness. •  The secret to going from monkey mind to observing thoughts with confidence •  How an agency helped in decriminalizing magic mushrooms. - and the key marketing components needed to make such an impact. •  How to create multiple avatars for one campaign and nail their personal values to make an impact. •  The ingredients behind asking people to change their buyer behavior and trust a new brand. Is it possible? •  Where copywriters are getting their customer avatars wrong and why they should spend more time in the research. •  How copywriters have the power to truly make an impact and difference around the world. •  What you need to know before starting an agency and what should come first. •  The reality of growing a business - why it’s okay to take a step back, so you can take two steps forward. •  3 ways you can gain clients and close sales like it’s nothin’. •  How to maximize customer experience and become a partner with your client. •  The client comes first, right? Think again, when your team is connected and nurtured, great work follows. •  The truth about combining business and wellness. Can the two coexist? •  Why small impact matters and how it can be the first magic step. This episode might leave you thinking about impact and copywriting in a whole new light. To hear it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. And of course, you should subscribe with your favorite podcast app to ensure you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Our Event for Copywriters Marianne Williamson The E-myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Jonny Stellar Magic Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:  If you're a longtime fan of this podcast, or I guess any other podcast, you've probably had the experience of listening to a guest share their story and what they learned, and then had to reach for a pen and paper to capture the ideas that they're sharing, so that they don't get lost, or so that you don't forget them. Maybe you've even had to pull off the road as you were driving, or tell your kids to be quiet so that you don't miss something that you could use in your business.  That's exactly how we felt more than a handful of times in this interview. Our guest for the 232nd episode of the Copywriter Club Podcast is Marcus McNeill, the founder of Magic. And as we spoke to Marcus, we found ourselves taking more notes than usual, trying to capture the wisdom that he shared about building his business. Fair warning, you might want to grab a pen and a notebook, or pull off to the side of the road, as you listen to this episode.  Kira:  Before we share our interview with Marcus, this is the last week for a while that this podcast is brought to you by TCC, Not in Real Life, our event for copywriters and other smart marketers. And the reason for that? Well, it's just about the last week you can get a ticket for our event, which happens April 7th through the 9th. If you want to learn firsthand from experts like Joanna Wiebe, Todd Brown, Jereshia Hawk, Joel Klettke, Eman Ishmael, and so many more. You need to get your ticket today. To do that, visit thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl-1.

On the 231st episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, we’re joined by Sara Vartanian. Sara is a launch strategist and copywriter, but before that, she was a teacher and e-commerce business owner. She’s really done it all. After obtaining vast knowledge of the copywriting world through her e-commerce business, Sara has been able to grow her presence and establish herself as an authority in the online space. If you’re ready to create an effective lead magnet and begin building your email list, then you’ve come to the right place. Some of what we cover, includes: •   how to carry over skills from teaching into copywriting, plus two tips on being a better mentor. •   why giving less is more and how to charge for value rather than trying to give away your soul for pennies. •   when it may be time to let go of clients who are no longer serving you and open up space for new opportunities. •   how to create strong boundaries right from the sales call and how to stick with them. (No matter how hard it may be.) •   the secret to putting yourself in front of the right communities in order to build genuine relationships and establish authority. •   creating a lead magnet your ideal client wants AND needs •   the right and wrong ways of building an email list - are pop ups the way to go? •   why the “omg, you get me email” is crucial to building a relationship right away. •   4 emails that need to follow the first in your welcome sequence •   the truth about launching...do you need to have all the bells and whistles? •   3 ways to manage your energy during a launch. •   why it’s vital to set clear expectations about launch copy. •   the single most important component of driving sales to a launch. •   the sneaky way to get more people in the doors for your product. (or your client’s) •   a better way to handle burnout and sustain productivity and creativity. •   the secret to viewing comparisonitis in a positive light and where to find the best support in your copywriting business. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Best Copywriter Club event of the year! Sara's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

On the 230th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Rob and Kira are going guestless. They’re sitting back and answering some questions they get frequently among our community. They’re giving their best advice and tips for new and established copywriters who are looking to level up and sustain what they’re building. In this episode, we dive into: •   when you’ll get the chance to build the foundations of your business with us in just 3 months •   the truth about working for free - should you do it? •   how to hire a VA that will pay for themselves. •   9 books we’re reading right now - one genre? Never. •   the #1 question we get asked every. single. day. •   the 3 biggest levers when it comes to pricing your offers. •   how to choose the most profitable niches in copywriting. •   the good and the bad of Clubhouse. (Note: We will be on Clubhouse on Tuesdays at 5PM EST.) •   if you don’t have copywriting samples for a particular project, here’s what you should do. •   the secret to building trust with potential clients. •   what Rob & Kira would do differently if they were beginners. •   success as a copywriter - how we define success •   how to maintain your business as you’re helping scale others. Tune in and listen as we give candid advice on your most asked questions. Hit the play button below or check out the transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club Annual Event - Early Bird Sale Ends March 22nd Done by Noon by Dave Ruel Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson & Mark Ford Yes to Life by Viktor Frankl Man Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt Facing the Climate Emergency by Margaret Salamon Fair Play by Eve Rodsky The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells Lives of the Stoics by Ryan Holiday The Copywriter’s Ultimate Guide to Using Clubhouse Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh:   If you've been listening to the show for the last three plus years, you no doubt have heard us ask hundreds, maybe even thousands of questions to the amazing copywriters and experts who have been on the show. We've even asked a few people to join us and turn the tables to ask us questions. Today we're going guestless for the 230th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, and we're answering the questions that get asked the most often in our free Facebook group, as well as some questions that are asked in our paid programs, like The Copywriter Accelerator and The Copywriter Underground. Kira Hug:   When you say guestless, it makes it sound like we're naked. Rob Marsh:   Does it? Kira Hug:   Like we're missing something. Yeah, it sounds like we're shedding all the layers today and it's just us. Rob Marsh:   Nice. I would hate to think that people would think that we're not clothed here, but yeah, that's ... How embarrassing. Kira Hug:   It's just us today, naked and we're going to answer your questions. Before we do that, this podcast episode is brought to you by TCC(N)IRL, of course it's The Copywriter Club (Not) In Real Life, our event for copywriters and other smart marketers who want to learn from experts like Joanna Wiebe, Carline Anglade-Cole, Todd Brown, Jereshia Hawk, Joel Klettke, Eman Ismail and more than a dozen others. But this event is not just about great presentations, it's not just about sitting at your computer and staring at Zoom all day. It's really about connecting with other copywriters in intimate virtual spaces so you can build real relationships, even possibly friendships, partnerships, and also get a lot of work done while you're with us over the three days. So we're really focused on doing, not just learning, and we're focused on implementation through workshops. So you're not just sitting through a presentation and then going back to your work with nothing to show for it.

On the 229th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, Selena Soo shares it all when it comes to publicity. During a difficult period, Selena began seeking information but found inspiration. Selena became a publicity strategist after stepping into the power of connecting others and helping people share their message with the world. If publicity isn’t something on your mind, it will be after listening in on this episode. In this episode, we cover: •   how to get your ideal client to find you •   why investing in yourself can change the game for your business and life •   the impact of hustle culture and seeking a balance •   when you include publicity, more eyes are on your core message •   the secret to building a strong body of work •   how to use being an introvert to your advantage •   why you need to clear on what you want to be known for •   what kind of media you should be in front of, plus how to decide on mainstream topics •   two techniques you can use to pitch yourself •   when and how to join the right mastermind programs •   why your body of work matters no matter the size •   the quickest, easiest way to amplify your message •   5 things you need to realize when it comes to mindset and pitching •   the truth behind being vulnerable online •   why sharing what’s important to you matters online •   if you’re showing up in any form of media, Selena shares what you need to have prepared New to publicity or maybe you never thought it was THAT important? Think again. You’re about to learn a thing or two from an expert connector. Hit play below! The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: TCC(N)IRL Event 2021 Free Video Series - Impacting Millions Program Selena's blog post about abuse Selena's free calendar Elizabeth Gilbert: Eat Pray Love Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   Getting noticed by the right people is a talent. And while we've talked a lot about pitching on this podcast lately, I think we can all agree that life is so much easier when your ideal client finds you rather than the other way around. To get to that place in your business, it sure helps to have publicity, AKA other people sharing your thoughts and ideas on their platforms. That's something we can all use more of, right? Our guest for the 229th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is publicity strategist, Selena Soo. She didn't waste any time helping us figure out what we should be doing to get more publicity for our business. And we think you'll get a ton out of this interview too. Rob:   We'll get back to our interview with Selena in a moment. But first, this podcast episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club (Not) In Real Life, or TCC(N)IRL. That's our event for copywriters and other smart marketers who want to learn more from experts like Joanna Wiebe, Carline Anglade-Cole, Todd Brown, Jereshia Hawk, Joel Klettke, Eman Ismail, and more than a dozen others. But TCC(N)IRL is about more than just presentations, it's about connecting with other copywriters, helping you to form real relationships, true friendships, and maybe even a successful partnership with another copywriter. To learn more, visit TheCopywriterClub.com/TCCNIRL-2021. And if you don't remember that link, you can find it in the show notes of this episode on The Copywriter Club website. Kira:   Now, let's jump into our conversation with Selena. So why don't you kick off your story just, how did you end up as a publicity and marketing strategist? Salena Soo:   Absolutely. It actually started in my mid 20s when I had a quarter life crisis. I was clinically depressed, I was having trouble eating and getting out of that in the mornings. I reached such a low point that my mom flew from Vancouver, Canada to New York at the time, just to be by my side to help me get through life. And she would get on the subway and take me to wo...

On the 228th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re joined by Eddie Biroun. Eddie is a conversion copywriter for e-comm and education brands and a forever learner of his craft. After fumbling into copywriting, he knew it was something he wanted to commit to for the long run. He became intrigued with understanding branding and what truly makes a brand stand the test of time. During our conversation, we talked about going from professional student to professional copywriter and how you can make the same leap. We also talked about: •   why stages of awareness are important and why buzzwords don’t create a connection •   failing and how you can (and should) make it work to your advantage •   how expecting a perfect first draft is like looking for a unicorn •   going from obtaining knowledge and skills in copywriting to putting it into action •   Eddie’s process in downloading the voice of a new client and why it’s important to effective copy •   how your creative artist and managerial side have to be separate when writing the first draft •   why feedback (even negative feedback) is essential to becoming a better copywriter •   choosing projects and people who empower you and respect your craft •   how learning and improving will always be a part of copywriting and it doesn’t need to be something you learn in a day •   how having a mentor speeds up the process because direct feedback is readily available •   where to look for red flags and how using your gut can save you a lot of headaches •   why building a better relationship with your mind will help you tackle imposter syndrome when it comes up (because it does for all of us) •   why taking care of your life side of things is vital to take care of the work side of things •   how copywriters have the power to make other people’s dreams come true (we are wizards after all) •   copywriting isn’t just a flippant task, it’s the infrastructure for long-term success •   why having a morning routine will keep you focused when in the copy cave (did we mention this includes reading?) •   how to navigate through writer’s block when perfectionism or ideas need to be uncovered Need a dose of motivation to stop going into information overload and start applying what you’re learning? This episode with Eddie might do just the trick. Hit the play button below (or read the transcript below!) The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Almanack of Naval How to Create Your Copywriter Website (written by Eddie) Eddie's Instagram Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   Getting better at copywriting, this thing that we all do, isn't easy. And sometimes we get stuck in a project, we get stuck getting started or we get stuck struggling to find clients. Our guest for the 228th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Eddie Biroun. Eddie is the kind of copywriter who hates getting stuck and he's figured out what it takes to get moving again when he has gotten stuck. In fact, he's made dramatic improvements over the past year or two in how fast he writes, in the quality of his writing and the kinds of clients that he's working with. We think that you're going to get quite a bit from the experiences that Eddie shares in this interview. Kira:   Before we share our interview with Eddie, this podcast episode is brought to you by TCC (Not) In Real Life, our event for copywriters and other smart marketers who want to learn from experts like Joanna Wiebe, Todd Brown, Jereshia Hawk, Joel Klettke, Momo Price, and so many others like them. But it's not just about speakers and presentations and sitting through more Zoom calls because you don't need that. TCC IRL is really famous for connecting copywriters with each other and helping you to form real relationships, even friendships, potentially partnerships with other copywriters and marketers. To learn more,

On the 227th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re joined by content writer Jacob McMillen, who as you'll see towards the end of the episode is an SEO master. Jacob shares his insights on writing great copy and running a content business. Through actively listening and really wanting to help others in his door-to-door sales job, he decided to take the world of copywriting for a spin. Having scaled to 6 figures, we talked about the stages of business as a freelancer and what it really takes to make it. What's more... he’s the #1 search result for “copywriter” on Google. We break down: •   how copywriting can be the good of sales without the ick •   how Jacob went from accounting student (who didn't want to be an accountant) to copy expert •   Jacob’s natural talent for connecting a solution to a problem •   the perfect lucrative combination of marketing •   how batting 5% is crushing the pitching game •   how persistence is necessary in the beginning •   how to get your ideal customer to agitate their own problems •   the ropes of reeling in clients during the early stages •   why putting your eggs in one basket can leave you scrambled •   how Jacob went from 3k months to 20k •   how pitches can be the bread and butter when in need •   how flirting with SEO paid off & created 30+ monthly leads •   how to stand out in 2021 as a new copywriter •   why not to compare yourself to other copywriters •   building a copywriting agency and how it’s not for everyone •   if flipping websites could be the new real estate? •   how new technology cannot replace copywriting geniuses If you’re ready to go from side-hustle to business owner, this episode is worth checking out. Grab a cup of coffee, hit play & start taking notes. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Copywriter Think Tank Empire Flippers Jacob's Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This week we talked about the different stages of business as a freelancer with our guest, copywriter, and entrepreneur, Jacob McMillen. Jacob is currently the number one US search result for the search term copywriter, which means we should all team up and up our SEO game and challenge his number one spot. Rob:   We'll come back to Jacob's interview in just a moment, but first you should know that this interview is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. That's our incredibly valuable membership for copywriters who are done figuring out things by themselves and want to surround themselves with an awesome community of copywriters. It includes our perfect proposal training, our persuasion course, our new sales course, plus more than 20 templates and dozens of presentations all designed to help you make progress in your business. You can learn more about it at thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   Now let's get to our conversation with Jacob. Jacob, we would love to just start with your story, a very detailed story of how you got into copywriting. Do not leave anything out. Jacob McMillen:   Okay. I think it's a relatively fun story. I think you have to start back when I got into sales and unlike a normal person, my start in sales was door to door sales in college. I got roped into doing it one summer. I needed a lot of money. It sounded a little ridiculous, but the numbers made sense to me. So I was like, I'm just going to do it. And I made enough to pay for three years of school in 16 weeks... Not 16 weeks, yes, 12 weeks. And I really enjoyed the sales process. I enjoyed sitting down with someone talking to them, hearing about their needs, connecting what they needed to the solutions I was selling. There were also a lot of things about direct sales that I hated. So after college, I graduated with an accounting degree. Only thing I knew was I'm not going into accounting. So I was like, what's next?

Our guest for the 226th episode of The Copywriter Podcast is Christy Cegelski. Like many people who’ve become copywriters, Christy’s journey to becoming a copywriter was not a traditional one. She learned her marketing and copywriting skills after launching her own FOOD business. She gave us insights on how starting a business the “right” way isn’t the only way. Great results can be achieved by going off the beaten course and by following intuition. If you’re thinking about how your own background could prove useful in your copywriting career, make sure to give this episode a listen. This is how it all breaks down, we talked about: •   how Christy went from mommy blogger to food creator •   how margarita mix made Christy a copywriter •   the stigma of not being paid well as a writer was proving painfully true in the beginning •   her passion working behind the scenes with email funnels, website copy, social media •   the end of the food creation business but the beginning of a new one •   how she became the GO TO for all things websites & emails •   how she was able to grow her email list + social media organically •   how she proved email marketing was never “dead” •   the knowledge she brought into copywriting from her previous business endeavors •   when she knew copywriting was going to be a business •   how she used “the google method” in the beginning to price her offers •   why “figuring it out” in the beginning can be a positive and negative thing •   using feminine strategies rather than masculine & following intuition to do what feels fulfilling •   navigating burnout while learning a new skill •   why she outsourced before she was ready + the results •   how she’s scaled her prices overtime & works less •   Christy’s writing process + flow of creativity •   the struggles of going from storytelling to the point of the copy •   having a launch plan prior to starting a podcast + who should start one •   the benefits of having a podcast - reciprocal promotions •   how learning about something and taking action towards it are two different things Ready to elevate your mindset as a copywriter? Don’t miss this episode with Christy. Click the play button below, or subscribe using your favorite podcast app. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Christy's website Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   So many copywriters follow what we've called a winding path from one career or kind of experience to their role as a copywriter. And some even grow beyond that to help with things like branding or voice development and marketing strategy. Our guest for the 226th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Christy Cegelski. Christy started writing as a mommy blogger, but then she got really serious about selling when she and her husband launched a company to sell the margarita mix that they had created. What she learned from running that company came in handy when other business owners started reaching out and asking for help with their copy for their businesses. Kira:   Before we share our interview with Christy, this podcast episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. That's the membership for copywriters who are ready to start investing in their business, improve their sales calls, proposals, and build a network that supports them with ideas, leads, and more. To learn more, visit thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   Christy's experience ranges from mommy blogger to food product creator, to copywriter, to digital product maker and podcaster. But we started our interview with a question about how she became a copywriter. Christy Cegelski:   It's funny because listening to so many of your podcasts, I realized that none of us have a typical story where we dreamed one day we were going to become a copywriter, and here we are. I guess I kind of,

One of the things we love about The Copywriter Club Facebook group is that we have members all over the world… in just the last 60 days, members from 99 different countries on every continent except Antartica—places like Bulgaria, Colombia, Lithuania, Nigeria, India, and of course the UK, US, Australia, and Canada—have stopped in to read posts, ask questions, comment or just learn from the advice and wisdom shared in the group. Our guest for the 225th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is SEO copywriter and content strategist, Chima Mmeje, who like so many others, joined the group and used the information she found there to hone her business as she started looking for clients. And now, she’s paying it all forward. She talks about: •   studying LinkedIn for lead generation (then landing her first client with her very first post!) •   the reason we should focus on human content just as much as expert content •   articulating her process in order to raise her prices •   blogging to generate organic leads and answer frequently asked questions •   her initial struggle of finding her value — and building her authority as an African copywriter...and so much more •   Chima also spoke about The Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries — the initiative she started to pair experienced copywriters, marketers and creatives with their counterparts in developing countries. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. And if you haven't yet, subscribe with your favorite podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Chima's webpage Chima's LinkedIn Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   One of the things we love about The Copywriter Club Facebook group is that we have members all over the world. In just the last 60 days, members from 99 different countries on every continent except Antarctica... Places like Bulgaria, Columbia, Lithuania, Nigeria, India and of course, the UK, U.S., Australia and Canada, they've all stopped to repost, ask questions, show up in the group, comment or just learn from the advice and wisdom shared in the group. Our guest for the 225th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Chima Mmeje, who like so many others, joined the group and used the information she found there to hone her business as she started looking for clients. And now, she's paying it all forward. Rob:   We'll share Chima's story and how she's paying her experience forward in just a minute but first, this podcast episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, that's the incredibly valuable membership for copywriters who are ready to start investing in their business, improving their sales skills, their proposals and building a network that supports them with ideas, leads and more. As a member of the Underground, you have access to a full sales training course, our proposal training course, the persuasion training course plus dozens of other trainings to improve your copywriting, your mindset and marketing your own business. To learn more, visit the thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   As we like to do, we started off by asking Chima how she ended up as an SEO copywriter and content strategist. Chima Mmeje:   I used to work for a company that are based in the UK. I worked with them remotely from 2017 until April 2019 and while I was working with them, most of the content we're creating was for these big SEO agents in the UK, they were the biggest SEO agents in the UK at the time. And I realized that I always had the most fun when I was writing content for them, as against writing content for clients in other industries. And my boss used to have a background working with Google, so he was always very helpful in answering questions and my interest kept growing. So by the time I left, I played around with several industries,

Today’s guest for the 224th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is Bree Weber.  Bree has a somewhat different approach to cold pitching than some past guests we’ve had on the podcast.  One that takes a lot more time, but also seems to get better results.  We ask her not only to divulge all of the secrets to her process, but she also shares a pitch she used to land a big client. One we think will make you want to pause this episode and take note.  Scroll down to have a listen. A few other things we discussed were… •   how she became a copywriter through a process she calls business roulette •   what pet photography, video game streamer and Super Meat Boy all have in common •   what is ethical cold pitching and Bree’s process for making it effective •   how Bree created credibility and authority in her pitches when she had “no portfolio, no fancy names to drop or real stats…” •   how she reinvented herself after losing all of her retainer clients in 2020 •   Bree’s fears and anxieties she’s worked through when it comes to sales •   what she’s done to turn cold pitching on its head; taking it from stigmatized to impossible to ignore •   why Bree is getting responses from prospective clients within minutes instead of days or never •   how Bree creates space in her schedule for thinking intentionally about her business •   what to avoid in your call to action, so you don’t turn prospective clients off •   what advice she would give to herself 3 years ago to fast track her business growth •   breaking down how she uses video to follow up with clients instead of just another email •   tips for bypassing years of experience many need to work with major brands and dream clients •   why Bree stays open in all aspects of her business •   what persuasion techniques have worked for Bree in her pitches •   how to make clients say “thank you” for your pitch instead of just deleting it •   why Bree says to get comfortable with “trying on an identity” •   what has surprised Bree most about her time in the Copywriter Think Tank •   Kira and Rob’s advice on taking “imperfect action” and surrounding yourself with action takers The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Laura Lopuch Chris Collins Belinda Weaver Bree's Masterclass offer for our listeners Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

Copywriter and philosophy graduate, Chris Collins is our guest for the 223rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. He's a member of the Underground and the Copywriter Think Tank so we've seen first hand how cold pitching has transformed his copywriting career and helped him get the clients he wants.  We knew this is something we wanted to hear more about directly from Chris, so we asked him about... •   how being a mommy blogger launched his career •   how he saved himself hours of time streamlining his pitching process and scaling it •   how he got past his fear of cold pitching •   exactly how many emails should you send to your email list? •   the importance of building relationships versus up leveling yourself •   why just learning “stuff” isn’t enough •   what to do if you don’t have money to invest in yourself or your business •   why research is critical for a stand-out cold pitch •   Chris's highest converting subject line – averaging over a 90% open rate •   how he combines automating with personalization •   his not-so-secret shortcut for how he built his copywriting business from 0-10K per month in the same year •   his advice on pitching if you’ve never had a client •   what his graduate studies in philosophy taught him about strengthening his copy •   what he did right in the beginning of his business that you should too •   Rob and Kira’s advice on getting started and dealing with rejection To hear more of what Chris has to say, scroll down and hit the play button. Keep scrolling for a full transcript and, of course, you can subscribe with your favorite podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: reply.io The Copywriter Think Tank The Copywriter Accelerator Chris's LinkedIn christophercollins.co Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   There's an old cartoon that was published in the New Yorker Magazine of a dog in front of a computer, and the caption says, "On the internet, nobody knows you're a dog." That might ring true for a lot of copywriters who write for clients in voices that don't quite match their own, like our guest for the 223rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Chris Collins, whose first assignment was writing content for a mommy blogger. In real life, Chris is an academic, doesn't have kids and gravitates to philosophy, not family planning. We asked Chris how he transitioned from mommy blogger to SAS, and in the process, he revealed a ton of tips about the ins and outs of cold pitching. Rob:   But before we dive into Chris's story, this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator. That's our program for copywriters who want to build a solid business foundation for everything that they do. Members of The Accelerator work through eight different modules together, and those modules cover topics like branding, pricing, client management, getting yourself in front of the right clients, and a lot more. If you've struggled to get transaction in your business, or you're making a change in the kinds of clients that you want to work with, the kind of work that you want to do, or any other thing in your business, you simply want to get better at your processes and the services that you sell, you owe it to yourself to learn more at thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Kira:   Let's jump in with a question about how Chris got started as a copywriter/ mommy blogger. Chris Collins:   My first gig was being a mommy blogger, and that wasn't necessarily where I wanted to be as a writer or where I wanted to start out, but it was just honestly the first gig that I got. I had just been thinking, "Well, maybe I can try my hand at writing online. I'm a pretty good writer. Let's see how that'll go." And the first client I found, she ran a sleep consultancy to help new moms. And she was looking for a blog writer and I sent he...

What does it take to build a successful business from scratch? We're talking about going from nothing to 6 or even 7 figures as a freelancer.  Well as you know, it's not one simple thing, but a combination of a lot of things from choosing a niche and building your network to encouraging referrals and building multiple streams of income.  Our guest for the 222nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Brandi Mowles.  We talk to her about her step-by-step approach for creating a successful business that can work for you.  In this episode we discuss: •   why doing "what she's supposed to do" didn't work out for her •   why Brandi went to law school with zero intention of working as a lawyer afterwards •   why she chose to lean into network marketing and what that has to do with the "glass ceiling" •   how she took a leap of faith and went all in with her online businesses •   whether or not there is a grace period for niching down - her take on it •   her journey from VA to Social Media Ads Manager to Coach and Business Strategist •   what she did to stand out and market her services for free •   the biggest personal lesson Brandi learned in direct sales and how it changed her perspective on work, family and her identity •   what Brandi calls the GIF effect and why it’s so important to your business •   why you should only choose ONE thing to change every launch •   dealing with trolls •   why the first 24 hours after the first contact is so important for delighting your clients and how Brandi does just that •   creating your own referral program and getting leads from your best clients •   building a win-win ecosystem with other freelancers •   why she wants you to have 2-3 revenue streams and how she's done that for herself This episode is filled with tips you won’t want to miss. Scroll down and hit the play button, or scroll a little farther to read a full transcript. Or download the episode to your podcast player. Better still, subscribe and never miss an episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator Bonjoro Brandi’s website Beta to Biggie Accelerator Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...  

For a lot of us, being a copywriter is something we just stumble upon accidentally. And for most beginners, it’s getting harder and harder to know what to do when you’re starting out. Our guest for the 221st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Delesia Watson. If you’re a beginning copywriter, or you want a fresh approach on how to approach marketing and the world of copywriting, then this interview is for you. To hear everything that Delesia shared, scroll down and click the play button. Or download this episode to your favorite podcast app. You can also find a transcript below. We also talked about: •   how Delesia’s went from social media writer to copywriter •   Delesia’s start in Public Relations and how it helps her as a copywriter •   Delesia’s interview process that puts prospects and clients at ease •   A look into what her first year in business looked like •   Power of storytelling: Why it’s important •   Choosing the right words—what works and what doesn’t •   The importance of story and voice •   Underselling copy -- what makes the website fail •   Pitching -- how to get the right clients •   The kind of clients she works with •   Delesia’s secret to leveraging yourself without opening your wallet •   Her secret tip on how to market yourself •   A pet peeve—the one thing she hates doing the most in her business •   Can you succeed without knowing your niche yet? •   What Delesia wishes she knew in the beginning and what she knows now •   Rob and Kira’s advice to beginning (or struggling) copywriters The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator Women Don't Ask by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever Ask For It by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever Bencivenga’s Bullets The Gary Halberd Letter Free and Inexpensive Resources for Copywriters Delesia’s Youtube Channel: Life is Deleesh Delesia’s Website The Copywriter Club Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   Who grows up thinking “I want to be a copywriter”? Somehow we all seem to arrive at this point in our careers after working as teachers, marketers, even professions like nurses and attorneys. Our guest for the 221st episode of The copywriter podcast is Delesia Watson, who like the rest of us, found her way into copywriting accidentally. But her background in communications, teaching, pageants and PR prepared her perfectly to make the jump. Rob:   But before we dive into Delesia's story, this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator. That's our program for copywriters who want to build a solid business foundation for everything that they do. Members work through eight different modules all together, covering topics like branding, pricing, client management, getting yourself in front of the right clients. If you've struggled to get traction in your business, or if you're making a change in the kinds of clients that you want to work with, or the kinds of work you want to do, or you simply want to get better at processes and services that you sell, you owe it to yourself to learn more at thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Kira:   Let's jump in and find out how Delesia accidentally became a copywriter. All right, Delesia, we want to start off with your story as we always do. How did you end up as a copywriter? Delesia Watson:   That is hard to say, accidentally. I wasn't planning on becoming a copywriter or becoming a writer, I just knew that I was good at writing. And so my friends would ask for help writing papers and essays throughout my entire life. And then eventually I saw an opportunity to work with a smaller agency that was writing tweets. This is back in, I think 2015, they were writing tweets for thought influencers. So I was writing these people's tweets about technology or about business. And so that was something that I could add to my resume.

How did last year affect your business? 2020 was hard on a lot of copywriters, but somewhere in all the chaos, many of them found a way to not just survive, but thrive. In this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we invited Claire Pelletreau to interview us about the past year, our own struggles, the changes we’ve made to our businesses and a lot more. We think the next year is full of potential and can’t wait to get started. Here’s what we talked about: •   how Claire set up her business to take maternity leave •   the surprises that came as she took time away (and overcoming failure) •   the mindset shifts Claire dealt with during her leave •   the lessons we learned during 2020 (and Rob’s dream about COVID) •   how we learned to like having a team to support our business •   the pivots we had to make in our business this year •   why we didn’t change our marketing sooner… waiting for pain •   how the various programs at The Copywriter Club work together •   the shift from live to virtual and how things got better •   what we know about TCCIRL in 2021 so far… •   how the past year has impacted us personally •   our pep talk for what to expect in the next year •   our predictions for 2021—what we think is going to happen •   getting copywriters to use more Facebook ads If you want a little more insight into our businesses and what we did over the past 12 months, this is the episode to listen to. Scroll down and click the play button. Or subscribe with your favorite podcast app. You’ll find a full transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Get Paid Podcast with Claire Pelletreau The Courage and Clarity Show with Steph Crowder The Copywriter Accelerator Todd Brown Charlie Gilkey Jereshia Hawk Brian Kurtz Claire’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

We’ve been lucky to be mentored by several copywriters and marketers over the past few years. We met one of our mentors—Brian Kurtz—when we interviewed him way back in the beginning days of The Copywriter Club. He’s our guest, for the second time, on the 219th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We asked Brian about his stroke, how he’s changed his business this past year and a lot more, including: •   using excuses to NOT do what needs to be done •   how Brian predicted COVID with changes he made to his business •   retiring from all the things you don’t like to do •   Brian’s massive stroke and the impact it had on his business •   the legacy Brian wants to leave to future generations •   what he’s learned from the greatest copywriters ever •   why copywriters need to own their own media •   the different ways businesses have pivoted over the past year •   the different “clicks” on the dial that solve your client’s problems •   what he’s learned by starting a membership community •   his strategy for getting his members to renew each year •   what it would take to have a career like Brian’s today •   why Brian—the strategic schmoozer—hates networking •   the persuasive reminder that Brian keeps in his wallet •   how he implements reciprocation into everything he does—and why •   the “ask from nowhere” that doesn’t work and how to avoid it •   his advice to anyone going through a serious challenge right now •   givers and takers and where they land on the success ladder It was great to take a few minutes to catch up with Brian. To hear the interview, scroll down and hit the play button. Keep scrolling for a full transcript and links to the things we mentioned. And, of course, you can subscribe with your favorite podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Brian’s book: Overdeliver overdeliverbook.com CoCo Dan Kennedy Gordon Grossman Robin Robins Stefan Georgi’s RMBC Influence by Robert Cialdini Give and Take by Adam Grant Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

One of the things that keeps waaaay too many copywriters from achieving their goals is fear. Which is a little odd because it’s not like our work puts us in dangerous or risky situations. We’re not fighting fires or facing down bad guys. And we’re not standing on a trapeze platform high above the ground, mustering the courage to jump. But that’s a very real situation that Annie Bacher, our guest for the 218th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast has experienced. She told us about it—and the lesson it holds for copywriters everywhere—in this interview. We also talked about: •   how she went from writing about Argentinian circus artists to writing for clients •   the “fear-less” lesson Annie learned from her trapeze artist that changed her outlook •   the importance of the early career feedback Annie got from her first boss •   the “what not to do” lessons she learned in her first copywriting job •   the catalyst for leaving her job and going out on her own •   why doing your own thing doesn’t mean you’re working on your own •   the different ways Annie has grown (and changed her biz) over the last year •   how cutting down on what she does has made business more enjoyable •   when Kira and Rob feel the “fear” in their work •   lightning decision jams and how she’s made them part of her business •   a framework for brainstorming solutions to sticky problems •   how you can create a workshop offer for your own business •   the “big promise” for the client when they participate in an LDJ •   the kinds of clients who are best for a workshop like the LDJ •   Annie’s experience in the Copywriter Think Tank—what she likes most •   what she’s struggled with in her business •   the advice she would give to Annie from a few years ago •   what we thought about the LDJs that we experienced •   why it’s okay that nobody has it all figured out This is a great interview packed with ideas you can use in your business. To hear it, scroll down and click the play button. Keep scrolling for a transcript. Or download this episode to your favorite podcast player. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Annie's website Miro The Copywriter Underground Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

When it comes to creating the belief that you can deliver what your clients need, or that the products and services you write about will deliver a real transformation, nothing works better than a good demonstration. Our guest for episode 217 of The Copywriter Club Podcast is film maker and story teller, Jude Charles, who loves to talk about his formula for demonstrating proof. We covered a lot of ground in this interview, including… •   how Jude became a brand strategist and story teller •   why he wrote 11 “books" about his future life and whether he got it right •   using 10 year blocks to figure out where he is going •   the teacher who gave him a set of business cards and kicked off his career •   how he struggled to earn a few thousand dollars and the moment he almost gave up •   the difference between perspective and vision (and getting the right lens) •   figuring out the marketing and sales process to land better clients •   what copywriters should do to help clients understand what they can deliver •   what we all wanted to be when we “grew up” •   why sales and marketing doesn’t end when a client hires you •   what Jude covers in his roadmapping sessions—the stories he’s looking for •   how Jude uncovers the hidden stories his clients should be telling •   the differences between telling stories in copy and video •   coaching clients to understand that what they share is actually interesting •   why strategy is such an important part of what copywriters do •   why a film maker came to our event TCCIRL, then wore a cape the following year •   what it takes to raise your prices from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars •   the confidence folder—and how Jude uses it to boost his performance •   the moments in his life that led to big leaps in mindset and success As usual, this episode is definitely worth a listen. Scroll down to find the play button… and a little farther to find a full transcript of the interview. But what you really should do is subscribe on your favorite podcast player so you never miss an episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Stefan Georgi Ramit Sethi Ben Settle The Promo Jude Made for Us TCCIRL Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   David Ogilvy once wrote that visual demonstrations are effective because they help visualize your promise. They save time since you don't have to talk about what your product does, you can simply show it, and they are also memorable. But too many copywriters miss the chance to demonstrate the impact of their products and services, or their client's products. Our guest for the 217th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Jude Charles. Jude is a brand strategist, storyteller, and filmmaker who's passionate about the power of demonstrations and visual proof. Rob:   But before we dive into the demonstrations and proof, this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. That's the membership community designed to help you create a more successful copywriting business. As a member, you have access to more than 60 hours of insightful training, group coaching calls, copy teardowns and reviews, weekly creative exercises, and our exclusive print newsletter mailed directly to your home. Go to thecopywriterunderground.com to learn more. Kira:   This is actually our second interview with Jude, the first one was lost when we had a technical glitch. So, we're thankful that Jude came back at all to answer our questions all over again. And with that, let's jump in. All right, so, Jude, let's start with your story. How did you end up as a brand strategist, storyteller, and filmmaker? Jude Charles:   So, I have always been interested in storytelling. From a very young age, eight years old, I wasn't the kid that would be outside playing basketball or football, even inside the house,

Writing copy with personality is hard. So what does it take to do it? We invited copywriter and brand ventriloquist Justin Blackman to talk about how he does it for the 216th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast—and to give us an update on everything he’s done since our first interview with him way back in episode 59. If you’re looking for ways to write with more personality, this interview is for you. Here’s what we covered: •   a recap of what he’s done in his business for the past 4 years •   how he doubled his salary a year after leaving his full-time gig •   how important building his authority was—and the result •   when it’s time to move on to the next thing in your career •   recreating your job/career as new opportunities arise •   what it takes to build the confidence to move forward •   taking on big challenges as a way to grow your authority and business •   the investments Justin has made in mindset •   how Justin’s ego kept him from writing his best work •   Justin’s advice to anyone who feels like they aren’t as far along as they should be •   how to write with more personality—the formulas that work •   how to figure out your own unique voice •   why so many voice guides are useless and what to do instead •   Justin’s WTF framework and how it captures the 3 parts of brand voice •   the things we’ve done in our businesses to change our mindsets •   Kira’s brand strategy guides and what they include •   the program he’s created to help others write with personality •   how he gets everything done—it starts with working on his own stuff first •   how to have fun while working as a copywriter •   his tattoo story—this goes back to what he said about ego getting in the way As usual, this is a great episode you won’t want to miss. Scroll down and hit the play button, or scroll a little farther to read a full transcript. Or download the episode to your podcast player. Better still, subscribe and never miss an episode. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Episode 59 Never Lose a Customer Again The Go Giver TCCIRL Linda Perry Lianna Patch Abbey Woodcock The Codex Persona Ian Stanley Liz Painter Prerna Malik The Big Leap by Gay Hendrix Justin’s website The tattoo video Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   Writing is hard, but writing with personality or perfectly capturing the personality of your client is even harder, but that's what Justin Blackman does. Justin is our guest for the 216th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. He stopped by to share how his business has changed since the last time that we spoke in depth about the Headline Project way back on episode 59. Kira:   Before we do that, this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the membership for copywriters of all experience levels who want to invest in their businesses and grow. As a member, you get more than 60 hours of video training courses on marketing your business, improving your copywriting skills and fixing your mindset so you're set up for success. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   Okay. So let's jump into our interview with Justin. Kira:   Let's kick this off. My first question I even wrote down was, dude, what have you been up to the last year? Question mark. Question mark. Question mark. Because I feel like you've taken off. And I don't think it's just me because we talk about you and we say good things in our circles, and I feel like you just have, I don't know, like you just are doing the right things and it's paying off and you've put in a lot of hard work too that is worth acknowledging. But it just seems like you're doing really well. And so I am really excited to hear about what you've been doing, the changes you've made, and how it starting to pay off for you too. Justin:   See, I think that's the fun part because the last couple of mont...

What does it take to build and maintain a great community? We’re not sure we’ve got the answers, but we thought we should talk about it with The Copywriter Club’s Community Manager, Brandon Burton. For the past year, Brandon’s had an insider’s view of everything that happens in our free Facebook group as well as our private (paid community) Copywriter Underground group. Brandon’s influence in both groups has made these communities better. Here’s a bit about what we talked about… •   why he left a comfortable sales position to become a copywriter •   how he leveraged a multi-month parental leave to start his own business •   the blog he launched that turned into his first community •   what it takes to be a good sales person—and how to sell ourselves •   why he is re-branding his business (and the process he’s using to do it) •   the mistakes introverts are making in their businesses •   what he did early on to get his foot in the door and find clients •   what Brandon struggles with in his business •   Rob and Kira’s thoughts on being introverted and getting out there •   what he does as the community manager of The Copywriter Club •   the ingredients that make a strong community •   what you can learn in the right community—even if you’ve got a lot of experience •   where the opportunities in social media are right now •   the scary thing Kira’s doing outside of business right now •   the future of copywriting as Brandon sees it This is a solid episode you won’t want to miss. To hear it, click the play button below. Or scroll down for a full transcript. Don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club FB Group Brandon’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

Building a successful business isn’t easy… but it should be simple. That is, you don’t need to do “all the things” in order to make a living. In fact, a minimal approach may help you grow in ways you don’t expect. Our guest for the 214th episode of The Copywriter Club is marketing minimalist Ellen Yin. She shared her formula for running a simple, but profitable business and a whole lot more. Here’s a bit of what we covered: •   how Ellen became a marketing minimalist •   the basic systems you must have in order to succeed •   the purpose behind your social media use •   the problem with adopting someone else’s marketing strategy •   her simple marketing system that keeps her sales system going •   how she takes prospects through her sales process, step by step •   how she maintains a 70% close rate on six month contracts •   the differences between marketing services and products •   the mistakes you might be making using hashtags on instagram •   short term vs. long term marketing efforts and why you need both •   having help to support your “lazy” marketing efforts •   how to borrow someone else’s audience and connect authentically •   when to build your own audience and when to borrow •   the state of the union on Instagram—what’s working and not •   the basics of marketing on instagram—you don’t have to do all the things •   striking the right balance between products and services •   the steps to take to reach a big monthly income number like $10K •   the “hidden funnel” that takes less work for getting/retaining clients •   why she shared her quarterly income with her audience •   how she finds the gold in bad investments in courses and coaches •   batching and the impact it has on her days •   the options for investing… mindset, skillset or network •   Rob and Kira’s “one thing” that has helped them in their businesses This is a good one—especially if you look around at all the things other copywriters do and think, “how are they getting it all done?” To hear it, click the play button below. Or to read what Ellen shared, scroll down for a full transcript. And of course, you should subscribe and leave a review if you enjoy this interview. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Ellen’s Podcast Hashtag Hacks Hira Usama The One Thing by Gary Keller Linda Perry Ellen’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

Among the copywriters we’ve had the pleasure to meet, there are a lot of former teachers who have gone from helping students learn history, math, and English and now help teach customers about products and services that meet their needs. Our guest for the 213th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Francis Nayan, a former teacher, now conversion copywriter specializing in emails. Francis told us about how he made the switch and what he’s doing now. Here’s what we talked about: •   the first hit of dopamine that led him to believe he could make a living as a copywriter •   what he did to grow his business after landing his first client •   his wild-west approach to finding clients and why it didn’t work very well •   the first big client that turned into an intense marketing training opportunity •   why he looked forward 6 months to figure out what to do next •   how he focused on better habits to build the business he wanted •   the tangible benefits Francis has gotten from the investments in his biz •   our first gigs—how we got started as copywriters •   being intentional about the business you are building—and doing it early on •   the habits Francis has adopted to get ahead—cold showers, 5 AM, lemon water •   the kinds of email packages he works on and what he charges •   what’s involved in creating email strategy •   email deliverability—what you can do to make sure your emails make it to the inbox •   dealing with the psychology of trimming your list •   the best subject line for your emails <—this is great advice •   whether you should do the tech and automation or just the copy •   why he is anti-social media and what he does instead •   podcasting and why it is a great way to get your ideas into the world This is a great interview you won’t want to miss. To hear it, hit the play button below. Or read the transcript just under that. Best of all, subscribe so you never miss an episode (and leave a review on iTunes while you’re at it). The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Wim Hof The Alter Ego Effect Mai-kee Tsang Gary V Francis’ website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...  

Do you ever listen to what our podcast guests share and think, that’s not the kind of business I am building? Today’s guest for the 212th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Liz Painter. She has built a very “normal” copywriting business—one that probably looks a lot like your business. And there’s still a lot here that we can all learn from. Here’s what we asked her about: •   her path from journalist to email strategist and copywriter •   how copywriting and journalism are different and how to write better •   Liz’s writing process and formulas—and how it’s different from others we’ve seen •   the #1 thing she tries to accomplish in the email she writes •   3 different formulas for writing email sequences •   how Liz finds her clients and what she does to get referrals from clients •   what her business looks like today and how it all works day to day •   how Liz has networked herself into several agency relationships •   how she changes boundaries and processes when working with agencies •   her LinkedIn strategy and how it immediately to a new client and more connections •   the “comment first” strategy for finding connections •   going all in on one social media platform and not stretching yourself too thin •   Liz’s sales process—step by step—and how she makes sure to get a “yes” •   what Liz does differently from other clients—she definitely listens more •   the #1 lesson she learned from working with Copyhacker’s agency •   what Liz struggles with in her business—why it took so long to find success •   what she would do differently if she had to start over •   a list of books she recommends for personal improvement •   what she’s doing to save the bees with every project she works with This is a great interview with a copywriter who is doing a lot of things right. To hear it, click the button below. Or scroll down to read the transcript. Better still, subscribe with your favorite podcast app and never miss a show! The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Joanna Wiebe Amy Posner Better Proposals Philip Pullman novel Shinesty The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson Essentialism by Greg McKeon Personality Isn’t Permanent by Benjamin Hardy Life in Half a Second by Matthew Michalewicz The One Thing by Gary Keller The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks Liz's website & Instagram Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   You ever listen to the guests that we talk with on the podcast and think, "Their business is nothing like mine. What they're doing is so different from other copywriters and I'm not really sure that I can learn anything from they're saying."? Well, our guest for the 212th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Liz Painter. She has a business like most copywriters and yet there are plenty of things that she's doing that we can all learn from. Whether it's her approach to LinkedIn, how she's worked with agency clients, or her sales process, Liz is doing a lot of stuff very successfully. She stopped by to share all of the details in this excellent interview. Kira:   We'll share our discussion with Liz in a moment. But first this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank, our private mastermind group for copywriters and marketers who want to challenge each other, create new revenue streams in their business, receive one on two coaching from the two of us, and ultimately grow to 200K or more. The think tank is now open for a few select new members. If you're interested you can visit copywriterthinktank.com to learn more about this mastermind. Rob:   So let's get to our interview with Liz Painter. Kira:   Liz, before we hit record we were just remembering our time with you in San Diego way back in March when we got to stroll down the street leisurely with you and hang out with you in person and it just seems so long ago now.

Retainers or projects? That’s a question a lot of copywriters ask themselves when they determine what kind of business they want to build. But who says you have to choose? Our guest for the 211th episode of The Copywriter Club is Brian Speronello who’s “Barbell Strategy” takes advantage of both projects and retainers to make his business stronger and more resilient. We asked him about: •   how Brian used a course to specialize and launch his copywriting business •   the “try it before you buy it” approach to buying a course •   a random bar encounter and the importance of taking first steps toward success •   what Brian would have done differently if he had to do it all again •   the tripod framework for deciding to go full-time as a freelancer •   how Brian was able to test-drive working for himself while holding down a FT job •   what it takes to make the leap into freelancing •   what Brian’s business looks like today—it’s half of his barbell strategy •   the limits of retainers and how Brian makes them work in his business •   the “Landlord Retainer” model that makes sure you always get paid •   the big fail Brian had when he agreed to work for royalties •   the legal clause he includes in all agreements to protect himself today •   our thoughts on Brian’s business model •   his process for getting clients to refer additional clients to him •   the investments he’s made in his business to “fill the holes” in his skillset •   the part we played in getting Brian to get his program ready to launch •   why he treats his own project as his fourth business client •   what the Lindy Effect means for the future of copywriting This is a great interview, full of tips and lessons any copywriter can apply in their own business. To hear it, click the play button below. Or download this episode to your favorite podcast player. Better still, subscribe and never miss an episode. And if you prefer to read, scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Ramit Sethi’s Earn 1K Upwork Kim Schwalm Justin Goff Stefan Georgi Alvaro Barrios Brian's website The Script Brian Talked about Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

For the 210th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Rob and Kira are guest-less, which means it’s just us, talking about what’s going on in our lives and in the club. Here’s what we covered this week: what we’ve done to create a routine during the “shutdown” an update on the new podcast format—what we think about the extra work what else we’re working on as we update other parts of The Copywriter Club how we’re trying to make everything we do more helpful for copywriters what we’re doing differently with our email today trying to create a better separation between work and “life” how we spend our “CEO” time and what we’re doing differently what we’re reading right now why you should ask Kira to do something crazy right now how we’ve adjusted our mastermind to virtual—and the success we’ve seen To hear what we shared on this episode, click the play button below or download the episode to your favorite podcast app. There’s a full transcript below as well. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kirsty Fanton Liz Green Rosie Theresa Brandon Fina Perry Marshall The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks Ian Stanley Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes Alchemy by Rory Sutherland Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   Never a clever way to start when it's just you and me. Kira:   On a rainy Monday. It's raining here. I feel like I just want to curl up in bed, but instead we're going to start this podcast. And so, Rob, how are you? Rob:   I am doing great. Before we get into how we're actually doing, we should say, this is the 210th episode of the Copywriter Club Podcast, and if you're wondering why there wasn't a funny or story based intro, it's because we don't have a guest today. It's just you and me. And we just want to give a little bit of an update and maybe a review of what's been going on over the last couple of weeks. So then to answer your question, I'm doing great. How are you? Kira:   I'm good. I was just thinking it would be fun to do our new commentary that we've added to the last 10 episodes. If you all haven't noticed and add that to this episode, so we can add commentary on top of our commentary and just go really meta with it. Rob:   It could get a little meta. It also might get annoying. This is where we break in to say that was actually totally wrong, what you just said, Rob. Kira:   But we're jumping in here. It's been a while, I think, since we've really shared what we've been up to in our worlds and in the Copywriter Club and our copywriting businesses. So when you reflect back over the last few months, Rob, how are you dealing with world craziness, recession, all this stuff, COVID? How is your family doing? How are you doing? Rob:   At this point end of summer, middle of the fall, we're doing pretty good. I think we've figured out a routine. I was one of the lucky ones who, very early on, got the virus and I spent a whole week being kind of sick and very tired. Kira:   I forgot about that. Rob:   In fact, I was watching a video that we recorded back in April and I saw myself. I was like, oh my gosh, I look half dead. I look horrible. But yeah, we've gone through the school cancellations and summer, and then my kids are actually back in school at school. At least they've had one short break because the number of infections rose to whatever the level is that it hits and then they cancel school for a week or so. They've actually gone back now the second time and things are pretty good. Rob:   We do better with routine at my house, especially when it goes around school. My kids are older. I have teenagers. And so there's not a lot of supervision that needs to happen other than just sort of getting kids out of bed, which is a teenage challenge. I was that way,

When it comes to building a copywriting business, there are lots of options. You can sell services. You can sell products. You can even create a platform. How about all three? Our guest for the 209th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is Eman Zabi and we asked her all about her unique approach to her business—one that includes all three of these approaches to earning money. We talked about… •   an update on what she’s been doing the past 2+ years •   some of the “insane” ideas she’s pursued since our last interview •   why she made so many changes to her business •   the mistakes she made as she started building her team of 13 •   how one of her employees faked her father’s death to not get fired •   what it takes to manage a larger team (including how she pays her writers) •   what Eman’s copywriting projects look like today •   her advice to copywriters who are thinking about growing a team •   balancing business growth with mindset growth •   why Eman decided to create physical products (and the production process) •   the products Eman may create and offer in the future •   the “mom” test to prove the product would work •   embracing the hustle culture and seeing it for what it is •   the software platform she’s created and why she leaned into this •   the different approach Eman is taking with Terrain to set it apart •   what’s wrong with courses and why the industry is still growing •   the ingredients for a great course (and how Terrain helps make it better) •   how we’ve changed our own courses to help members finish them •   making sacrifices to accomplish more now •   feeling the pressure to do everything and how Eman dealt with it •   the reason Eman is willing to explore ideas most copywriters don’t think about •   why she wouldn’t change if she could do it all over again—except one thing This is the second time we’ve interviewed Eman and if you heard the first episode, you’ll be amazed at how far Eman has come. To hear what she shared, click the play button below. Or scroll down for a full transcript. You can also subscribe anywhere great podcasts are found. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Eman’s First TCC Interview Jereshia Hawk Linda Perry Jordan Gill Eman’s Card Deck Terrain Eman's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

Mindset is a topic we touch on quite a bit—because a healthy mindset is the foundation for everything we do well as copywriters and in life… and an unhealthy mindset? We’ll that won’t take you anywhere good. Our guest for the 208th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Ian Stanley. Ian doesn’t call himself a copywriter any more (we talk about why) but he knows a lot about copy and getting people to respond to his offers. We asked Ian about: •   how he became a copywriter—a story of height supremacy, MLMs and Clickbank •   what charging $5 an email taught him about templates and processes •   some of the early investments he made and what he learned from them •   hand copying sales letters—and what you might want to do instead •   how to grow taller—Ian spills the “scientific” details of an offer he wrote for •   what Ian’s done over the past couple of years to fix his broken mindset •   his daily mindset practice, the two wolves he feeds and his tattoo •   what you’re responsible for—and what you’re not •   his ayahuasca experience—this one gets a little wild •   Ian’s experience with the afterlife or whatever it was that he experienced •   the gift of being human that the gods can’t experience •   the program he created to uncover deeper mental and emotional blocks •   building passive income and leveraging your work •   the stupid stuff copywriters do to mess up projects and client relationships •   the conversation that leads to agreements that pay royalties •   Ian’s experiment with media and what he’s trying to accomplish •   doing what 95% of competitors aren’t willing to do—to stand out Another episode you won’t want to miss. To hear it, you can scroll down and press the play button or download this episode to your favorite podcast player. You’ll also find a full transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Clickbank CopyHour The Talent Code Brent Charlton The Surrender Experiment The Untethered Soul The Untethered Soul at Work Confessions of a Persuasion Hitman Ian's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

Getting things done—or getting MORE done—is a struggle for many copywriters including us. But systems and processes can help. Our guest for the 207th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast is systems expert, Jordan Gill. Jordan shared a ton of ideas for improving systems to help get things done and stop spending every minute on your business. It’s a message we definitely needed to hear—and maybe one you can relate to as well? Here’s what we talked about with Jordan… •   how she came to “love” systems even though she despised them •   the “launch-mageddon” that forced her to change her business for the better •   how systems give you more control and free you from anxiety •   whether people are born loving systems or whether they develop the skill over time •   how to use batching to get more done faster •   the role of discipline and creating structures that support your effort •   the “impossible” process of letting go and how to actually do it •   knowing your strengths and going all in on them •   how a team can help support your systems (and the systems you need before you hire) •   how she spends her time during a typical day and what her processes look like •   how her team spends their time to support Jordan each week •   the 4 Quadrants tool for determining what you should systemize or delegate •   our (Kira and Rob’s) own trust issues and how they impact getting stuff done •   how Jordan structures her VIP days—how she makes them work •   the importance of the right name for your VIP days—and other mistakes we make •   what Jordan does to balance work with real life •   the subscription boxes Kira—and maybe Rob—will be checking out If you struggle at all with systems and processes or getting things done, you’ll want to get this episode into your earbuds as soon as possible. Scroll down and click the play button to listen, or download this episode to your favorite podcast player. There’s also a full transcript below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Jordan's website Melanie Duncan Deep Work by Cal Newport The Social Dilemma Strengths Finder Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...

Facebook ads are one of those copywriting deliverables that neither of us focus on in our business. But we want to know more. So we invited copywriter and Facebook Ad Specialist Sarah Sal to share what she knows about the dark arts of Facebook ads. Here’s what we talked about: •   how Sarah went from math and IT to writing Facebook ads •   the connections between the disciplines of math and copywriting •   the basics you need to know about the algorithm to write Facebook ads •   what elements (tactics) you should include when writing an ad •   the resources she looks for before Sarah starts to write an ad •   why you might want to encourage comments on your FB ads •   some of the changes that have some to FB ads in the last couple of years •   how she looks for the different angles that might appeal to readers •   changing ads versus changing strategy •   what Sarah has seen is the most effective kind of ad on FB •   the investments she’s made in herself to make her more effective •   how she structures her packages and why she doesn’t sign on for the long term •   the mistakes she’s made along the way •   what she’s done to land big clients—and how you can do it too •   Sarah’s experience in The Copywriter Underground •   cats To hear what Sarah shared—or the extra thoughts Kira and Rob added—click the button below. Or subscribe using your favorite podcast app. For a full transcript, just scroll down. ..... The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sarah’s TCC Blog Post Sarah's website The Copywriter Accelerator Laura Belgray Perry Marshall Hootesuite AdEspresso Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   Facebook ads are one of those copyrighting deliverables that neither Rob nor I do. We've run ads, but it's not our specialty. That's why we invited Sarah Sal to be our guest for the 206th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Sarah is one of our founding members of the Copywriter Underground, and one of the most active members in that group, which is why she was also our Mole of the Month, which is one of our most active and engaged members. And we call her Mole of the Month because most of our members, not all of them, refer to themselves as moles, as in the rodent. Sarah's always entertaining in the group and talks frequently about her cats, and pizza, and entertains all of us, as you'll see in this episode. And this conversation with Sarah gave us plenty to think about when it comes to running our ads on Facebook. Rob:   We'll get to our interview in just a second, but first we want to tell you that this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank. That's our mastermind group for copywriters, content writers, brand strategists, anyone who is ready for the training, coaching and support that they need to grow their business to, say, $200,000 or more. This is the only place where Kira and I provide one-on-two strategy sessions and coaching designed to help you achieve more than ever. If you're interested in learning more about the Think Tank, drop us an email at rob@thecopywriterclub.com or kira@thecopywriterclub.com, and we'll tell you a little more. Kira:   Let's jump right into our interview with Sarah. Hey, Sarah. Let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a Facebook ads strategist and copywriter? Sarah Sal:   Curiosity, like a cat that is looking for trouble. Facebook marketing, copywriting have absolutely nothing to do with my background. I studied computer science in university and then I studied applied mathematics. And I really enjoyed research in math. I actually, for my thesis, wrote nearly 200 pages of math theorem, formula, proof, and so on. And at some point, I was. I'm going to do a PhD. I really enjoy math. It's really like meditation for me. But then, I realized once I started that I love math, I love research in math,

One of the “options” for copywriters who don’t want to limit themselves to solely writing for clients is creating and promoting their own products. And for many of the copywriters who take this path, it’s very lucrative. Our guest for the 205th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Justin Goff. Justin has created his own offers and in this interview he talks about how you can do the same thing. We also talked about: •   how a gambling debt he couldn’t pay led to his first online product •   his over-the-top reaction to his first ever online sale of $149 •   what he learned working in the gaming niche (as a student) that still helps him today •   the one thing you need to do to be a better copywriter •   how he landed his first few clients as he got into copywriting •   the terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-week that led to his first real success •   how he came up with the Big Idea that launched a 23 million dollar business •   reverse engineering a product to find your own Big Ideas •   the ins and outs of partnerships and how to make one work •   what he’s done to overcome his own money mindset issues •   the only thing that matters when it comes to dialing in a successful offer •   Justin’s advice for raising their prices—what he’s seen that almost always works •   why he believes in masterminds and what he gets from them •   the “have to apply” email trick that keeps his readers engaged and reading •   what he learned about knowing your audience from Tinder dates during quarantine •   how he guards his time to get more done •   why he bothers to dress up whenever he’s around potential partners and clients •   the future of copywriting and how to make sure you’re set up to take advantage We say this a lot, but this is another don’t-miss episode. To hear it, click the button below. Or subscribe wherever podcasts are available. Scroll down for links and a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Patriot Greens Stefan Georgi No B.S. Wealth Attraction by Dan Kennedy Adam Bensman Sam Woods Justin's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   There's this thing that tends to happen for a lot of copywriters, not all of us, but many, where they ultimately decide that they don't want to work with clients anymore. And at that point, they create their own products instead of helping other people sell their products. It sounds easy, right? But if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. Today's guest, on the 205th episode of The Copywriter Club podcast, is Justin Goff. Just after the worst week of his life, Justin created his first product and earned a little over 100,000 dollars in three months, and then he did it again, earning millions. If that sounds like something that you'd like to do in your own business, then this episode is for you. Kira:   We'll share Justin's story in just a minute but first, this episode is brought to you by the Copywriter Underground, a private membership and community designed to help you hit your business growth goals faster, whether your goal is hitting 10K a month or launching a new service or product, or even just finding your first few clients, the resources in Underground can help with accountability, support, coaching, and a path to help you get out of your own way and build momentum in your business. Find out more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   There are a lot of ways to succeed as a copywriter, working directly with clients is one and creating your own products is another. Let's jump into our interview with Justin and hear how he has used copywriting to create his million-dollar business. Justin Goff:   I initially got into kind of making websites when I was in college, as the result of I had a $1,200 gambling debt when I was in college, I was probably 20 at the time.

Too many copywriters have a limiting belief around how much they can charge for their services, so our guest for the 204th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Jereshia Hawk, a high-ticket sales coach who shared how we can overcome that mindset issue. But that’s not all we talked about. We also covered… •  how she became known for helping clients increase high-ticket sales •  how her “engineering” approach shifts her thinking about products, problems and failure •  overcoming objections—after the sale •  why she carves out an hour on Monday’s for “superthinking” •  her thoughts on building a team (and our role as an “employee” of your company) •  what a personal performance review should look like (questions you can ask) •  the zero sum budget approach to goal setting •  how copywriters can overcome the idea that they can’t make a lot of money •  the first steps toward building a high-ticket offer (like as much as $40K or more) •  the simplicity rule that can instantly help you sell more •  the POP method that helps you synthesize your offer and audience •  her “champagne closer method” that completely changes a sales call •  rethinking the free content you provide and what it has to do •  the one metric everyone with a business needs to know <— this is critical •  how she leverages one piece of content to show up everywhere •  a step-by-step breakdown of the Jereshia’s sales call process •  the mid-call check-in/pattern interrupt and why you steal this idea •  the “hidden” mindset shift that changed Jereshia’s path into the online world •  why your success isn’t reflected in your latest success or failure This is a great discussion you won’t want to miss. Be sure to do what Jereshia suggests at the end of the podcast and share your “one thing” on Instagram, Twitter, or elsewhere in social media. To listen, click the button below or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Jereshia’s question list: •  What expectations would I have of the CEO? •  How would I measure the performance and success of the CEO? •  Am I living up to those expectations now? How so? Why or why not? •  Would I hire myself again? Why or why not? •  What uncomfortable decision am I putting off right now that is preventing me from moving forward? Copywriter Think Tank Brook Castillo The Road Less Stupid Shape Up Perry Marshall’s Renaissance Time Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   Selling a product or service for $2,000 or even $10,000 takes a different approach, even a different skillset than selling something for $47 or maybe $500. Your high-end prospects have different needs, different problems, different beliefs, possibly even a different outlook on life. So naturally, reaching those prospects takes a very different approach. Today, on the 204th of The Copywriter Club podcast, we're speaking with high ticket sales coach, Jereshia Hawk. Jereshia started her career as an engineer, not an online business coach, so her entire approach to systems and processes and sales is different from anyone else we've spoken with on the podcast. Rob:   We'll jump in to our interview with Jereshia in a moment, but first, we need to tell you that this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank, our high level mastermind for copywriters, content writers and brand strategists who want to grow their business to the $200,000 mark. This is also where Kira and I both provide our one-on-two strategy sessions and coaching. It is designed to help you achieve more than ever. If you're interested in learning more about The Copywriter Think Tank, drop us an email at rob@thecopywriterclub.com, or kira@thecopywriterclub.com. Kira:   Jereshia shared so many great ideas in this interview. Both Rob and I were texting each other during the entire interview with the different ideas that ...

How do you attract clients to your business? That’s one of the subjects we covered with Jenn Robbins, the guest for the 203rd episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Jenn is an expert on funnel strategy and shared the three types of funnels every business owner should have—not right away, but eventually, if you’re going to grow. But that’s not all we covered, here’s a partial list of what we asked Jenn… •   going from 80 hour weeks in accounting to blogger to copywriter •   why freelancers often fail before things work the second time around •   feeling like a fraud and what they says about you •   overcoming the imposter complex—a recurring theme on the podcast •   how Jenn has mixed services with other offers in her business •   making a retainer work—really work—for 9 years •   Jenn’s process for making VIP days work—and her check in “trick" worth stealing •   the 3 basic funnels every business needs •   what she does to make sure her funnels engage her prospects •   her rates—what she charges her clients for the work she does •   the list building challenge she’s sharing with her audience •   the stuff she struggles with in her business •   the biggest changes she’s made to grow her business •   how collaboration has changed Jenn’s mindset as her business has grown •   what she does when things don’t get done as planned •   what we’re really doing as copywriters—it’s not writing words •   what to look for in a course or mastermind before you join Jenn is doing so many things right in her business, you’ll definitely want to hear what she shared about how to do it. To listen, click the button below. Or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher. And coming soon to Spotify (hopefully). Prefer to read? Scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Tanya Geisler Sage Polaris Joanna Wiebe TCCIRL Tarzan Kay JennRobbins.com WTFchallenge.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...

What kind of a business are you building? The guest for episode 202 of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Amy Posner. Amy’s the first person to be interviewed on the podcast three times—and no wonder—she’s got a lot to share. Amy’s currently rethinking the programs and services she offers her clients and we thought it might be worth talking to her about the process. We talked about all of the following: •   the agonizing journey she’s been on as she’s changing her own business model •   why the process has been so painful and pulling back on doing too much •   the three questions she’s used to figure out what to do next •   overcoming the desire to hide behind other brands •   the new products and services she’s working on creating as she pivots •   the missing career path for freelance copywriters (and how to find it) •  what it takes to be a great copywriter—we all take a stab at answering this •   the process of getting perspective on your own business •   the questions to ask as you think about niching •   what to add to your proposals so clients want to say “yes” •   3 questions to ask before you decide to raise your rates •   why having someone copy chief your writing makes you better •   how to up your client-finding game to land dream and anchor clients •   a strategy for pricing your work to capture the value you create •   some of the benefits that come from acting like a trusted partner •   what keeps Amy engaged and growing •   the third mind and how to get it in your business This conversation with Amy is perfect if you’re thinking about a pivot or change in your business. To hear her advice, click the button below. Or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher. And coming soon to Spotify (hopefully). Prefer to read? Scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Joanna Wiebe Kirsty Fanton Amy's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...

He’s one of the few copywriters who truly doesn’t need an introduction—Parris Lampropoulos is our guest for the 201st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Parris spoke at both of our TCCIRL events in New York City—and it was a discussion at our event that led to this interview. rather than interview Parris about his life, we talked to him about his mentors and what he learned from them. Here’s a sample of what we covered: •   his advice to “newbie” copywriters about who to learn from •   how a fist through a window led to a job as a real estate sales manager •   the “gun to the head” trick for making sure prospects want to get your marketing •   why you need to make theater part of everything you write •   Parris’ copywriting reading list—and why you should read each book 3X •   what he looks for when he’s doing research—his I didn’t know that list •   the mentor who was a former marine with a vulnerable side •   the way most people listen—and how to do it right for better writing •   taking notes on index cards to easily assemble and re-order your copy •   looking for hidden benefits—hot buttons—to share in your copy •   the best—most heartfelt—gifts we’ve ever received from anyone •   the baptism by fire Parris got when he started writing for Mark Ford •   the criticism sandwich that Mark Ford used to get Parris to write better •   the copywriting lesson Parris learned from watching Joel Silver thrillers •   why Parris prowls the stage like a predator when he speaks •   the comparison technique Parris used reading Clayton Makepeace’s copy •   the “you’re doing X anyway, why not get Y” technique that makes you tingle •   the people he spends time with and those he runs “like hell” away from •   how he uses the lessons he learned when he mentors is own copy cubs •   the 3 things you need as a copywriter to make sure you succeed •   the “Bruce Springsteen” process that guarantees you get a good idea As we mentioned in the intro, Parris may be the best copywriter working today. You do not want to miss this episode—even though it’s quite a bit longer than usual. To hear it, click the button below. Or subscribe where better podcasts are shared.  Or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: TCCIRL The Copywriter Underground Gary Halbert How to Make Maximum Money in Minimum Time The Amazing Direct Mail Secret from a Desperate Nerd in Ohio Influence by Robert Cialdini Gary Bencivenga Trust Me I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday My Life in Advertising by Claude Hopkins Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins John Carlton Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath Ted Nicolas Agora Bill Bonner Mark Ford Gene Schwartz Joel Silver Bo Eason Clayton Makepeace How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor Schwab Dan Kennedy Jay Abraham Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Accelerator Intro Outro   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...  

It’s time to celebrate… we’ve reached episode 200 of The Copywriter Club Podcast. This episode marks a tweak to our format and an update to the music we use. And to help us celebrate the changes—and our anniversary—we invited copywriter and marketing consultant Mike Kim to share his story and what he’s learned over the last several years of his career. Here’s a recap of what we covered: •   how he went from marketer to blogger to copywriter •   the importance of professional-grade production—spoiler: it’s not •   the #1 thing you need in your content to get traction •   simplifiers vs. multipliers (and where Mike, Rob and Kira fit in) •   what he did to find his first clients and what he did next •   the present-negative/future positive reason why he left a high-paying CMO role •   the impact copywriting had on sales (when he was a CMO) •   what Mike would do differently if he had to start over •   his personal “code” for investing in coaching, courses and contractors •   the big risks Mike has taken throughout his career (and the results) •   why confidence is a sucker’s game and what you need instead •   Mike’s “made it” moment where he realized things would be fine •   the role mindset has played in his success—particularly his thoughts about money •   Mike’s advice for raising your prices today—he calls it scope-creep insurance •   his experience at TCCIRL as a speaker and attendee •   the one thing he attributes his success to—this might not surprise you •   his prediction for what will happen in the marketing world in the future Mike is a phenomenal copywriter (and human) and this interview is one you won’t want to miss. To hear it, click the button below. Or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher… and soon on Spotify. And if you prefer reading, scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator Michael Hyatt AWAI Jeff Walker Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks Business Brilliant by Lewis Schiff Mike's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro Outro Full transcript: Kira:   What does it take to stand out like a snow lynx in a bowling alley and get noticed in today's crowded marketplace. Okay, assuming you're already a good writer and you can serve your clients well, which we can assume because you're listening to this show, how do you actually get people to see that you're extraordinary or extra, extraordinary? If you want it to be extraordinary, you can't do the things ordinary people do. We know this. So you need to take the type of risks others refuse to take. You need to think and act differently from everyone else. Today on the 200th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, which we're celebrating with lots of Coke Zero, barbecue chips, and peanut butter cheesecake. Rob:   So good. Kira:   We're speaking with one of my D.C. neighbors and new friends, Mike Kim. Mike is much more than a copywriter. He's a former CMO and current podcaster, coach, public speaker, and brand strategist. But maybe, most important of all, Mike is the kind of person who takes the type of risks that can launch an extraordinary career. Rob:   We'll get to all of that in a moment. But first we need to tell you that this episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator. The Accelerator is a 16-week business growth program designed to help copywriters figure out not only what makes them extraordinary, but also how to be the kind of business or how to run the kind of business that can scale and attract the right clients. This isn't a course, something that you buy and forget in your downloads folder. It's a program that you work through with other students as you master your business mindset, your X factor, your signature package as you price and create processes, work on client management,

This episode is completely different from anything we’ve done before. If you’re here for copywriting and business tips, you might want to skip this one. But, if you want to get a sense of the breadth of musical talent in The Copywriter Club, tune in, because this one is fun. When we announced we were updating the podcast for episode 200 (coming next week), we put out a call for the musicians in our group to let us know what they think the new intro should sound like. We’ve collected the submissions to share with you. What do you think? Did we make the right choice? The copywriters/musicians mentioned in this episode: Mario Bourzac / The Protected Left Jeff Herman / Mind Rock Robin Burke Neil Campbell Paul Hanna/Chad Reisliger Paola / Texxex Daniel Lamb Bill Kernodle Robin Burke Rachael Pilcher Alex Moon Steven Scott Jessica Marshall David Muntner Paul Conners Andre Johnson Addison Rice/The Love Sprockets I’m not sure if we’ve smiled more during a podcast than we did as we put this episode together. Maybe we should do more like this? To hear what these amazing copywriters/musicians had to share, click the play button below. Or subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher or iTunes and never miss another episode.   Other stuff you should check out: The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Because this episode is mostly music, there is no transcript. Please listen by clicking the link above.

Copywriter Allea Grummert is our guest for episode 199 of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Wait… are we really about to cross the 200 episode frontier? Yep, and Allea is the perfect guest to wrap up the last 100 episodes before we make a few changes to the format. We talked to Allea about her processes, her switch from blogging to copywriting, and how she’s made so much progress in the past year. Here’s the breakdown of what we covered: •  the long road from personal finance blogger to copywriter •  her best personal finance ideas for copywriters •  why she waited so long to call herself a copywriter •  how she finds clients today (a lot of them come from conferences) •  the take-aways from Allea’s work as an implementer •  her process for working with clients—the whole thing—start to finish •  what she charges for her audits (and what makes them valuable) •  the differences between the packages she offers to clients •  how she structures the email sequences she writes •  how she segments lists for her clients to be most effective •  the CEO check-in and how it helps her grow her business •  the hard stuff she’s dealt with as she’s grown •  the things and people she’s invested in to take her business to the next level •  her advice to “writers” who aren’t yet ready to call themselves “copywriters” •  the advice from a friend that caused a panic attack •  the mindset shifts she’s made over the past year to move forward •  getting paid in advance for work that doesn’t start for a month or more •  working with a VA and how to do it so the relationship works •  her advice for list building and creating content for your list •  her experience at TCCIRL in 2019 and 2020   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Notion Val Geisler TCCIRL Allea's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This episode is brought to you by the Copywriter Underground, the place to find more than 20 templates, dozens of presentations on topics like copywriting and marketing your business, a community of successful writers who share ideas and leads, and the Copywriter Club newsletter mailed directly to your home every month. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 199 as we chat with copywriter, Allea Grummert about email and why it's such a powerful platform, which email sequences are most important and what they need to accomplish, what she's done to invest in herself and grow her business, and her five-step framework for writing a welcome sequence. Kira:   Welcome, Allea. Allea:   Hello, thanks welcome to you. Kira:   Yeah. Allea:   Welcome to my living room. Kira:   Great to have you here, and let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Allea:   So, I started as a blogger. I was a personal finance blogger, and that's what everyone does on a Memorial Day weekend. Yeah, it was just a hobby of mine, and I also have a degree in advertising and public relations so blogging came for me as like a, I called it my digital playground, so I could learn and play. And not just about copywriting. In fact, I didn't call myself a copywriter until this January, but I learned about SEO and content marketing and how online businesses work. So over time though, people would come to me with questions about email marketing, and it was one of those things where it came easy to me and it didn't for others and became a service to them for them to have me do it versus them doing it themselves. Rob:   Before we get into article writing,

Copywriter and Creative Director Sam Pollen is our guest for the 198th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Sam works in-house at an agency focused entirely on copy—there are no designers—which might be a dream for a lot of copywriters. We asked Sam about the differences between the freelance world and the work his team does. Here’s an idea of what we covered during the interview: •   how Sam went from zoology student to copywriter and creative director •   why Sam prefers to work in-house and leaves the freelancing to others •   how he works with other writers in his role as a CD •   the creative process at agencies and how everyone works together •   how they work with designers and hand off copy to the design team •   this skills and training a copywriter might need to be a creative director •   Sam’s writing process and how he generates ideas for each assignment •   asking “stupid questions” to truly understand the products we sell •   how asking the questions that aren’t in the brief leads to a big idea •   what’s involved in the process of naming •   how Sam and his agency present work to their clients •   the challenges of working on brand voice and brand guides •   writing luxury copy and the different approaches to a variety of products •   why he wrote a book about a boy with anorexia Sam’s story and advice are worth a listen. To hear what he told us, scroll down and click the play button. Or read a transcript a little farther down the page. And if you never want to miss an episode subscribe to the podcast with your podcast app, then leave a review.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Reed Words Sam's Twitter Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the place to connect with hundreds of smart copywriters who share ideas and strategies to help you master marketing, mindset, and copywriting in your business. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join The Club for episode 198 as we chat with copywriter and creative director Sam Pollen about working at an agency that's focused on great copy, what it takes to build a verbal identity, his biggest struggle as a creative and as a copywriter, and why he wrote a book about anorexia. Kira:   Welcome, Sam. Rob:   Hey, Sam. Sam Pollen:   Thanks very much for having me, guys. Kira:   Yeah, we're excited to have you today and let's just start this conversation with how you ended up as a creative director. What was that story? Sam Pollen:   I think the story for me is probably the story similar for a lot of people in that position in that I just worked my way up, basically. I did a degree in natural sciences, so zoology and psychology, of all things, so not really related to what I do now at all. Then I worked in photography for a little bit, and then I worked in marketing and sort of fell into copywriting. So copywriting was not a deliberate choice for me, but it was something that I did some of in a marketing job and found out I was good at or good enough at. And then honed my skills and developed and found that that was something I found interesting and had some talent for, and so went from there. About five, six years ago, I had started working with my now boss, Mike Reed, who set up the agency I work for, it's called Reed Words. I was initially hired just to write a sort of, he was starting to build an agency and then we have grown from that point. We have a team of writers and I'm the deputy creative director.

Red hot copywriter Lorrie Morgan is our guest for the 197th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. As a stay-at-home mom she looked for a job that she could do from home. When a client asked for a 52-part auto responder, she knew she had to get serious about the craft. And she shared her decades of experience, as we asked about: •   her journey from actor to copywriter to direct response guru •   what she learned from her mentors (and who they are) •   what it takes to “write fearlessly” … Lorrie breaks down what she did •   the “pain-in-the-butt” writing exercise that makes you into a better writer •   what she did to attract clients when she was just starting out •   what she learned from moving 16 times before she graduated from high school •   how she uses an alter-ego to go beyond her limitations and write copy •   self-care and how Lorrie makes sure she feels good enough to write well •   the biggest mistakes her copywriter clients make •   the differences between writing for men and women •   the “tarket” trick for connecting on a deeper emotional level in copy •   the process of writing her book and why she wrote it •   what’s on Rob’s vision board (and why Kira might need one) •   why Lorrie wears a cowboy hat to events •   what is was like to work on Baywatch—the truth about David Hasslehoff Lorrie shares some great advice to copywriters who want to grow. To hear what she said, scroll down and click the play button. Or scroll a bit farther for a transcript. And if you’re really serious about getting better as a copywriter, subscribe to the podcast (so you don’t miss an episode) and leave a review.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Baywatch Gary Halbert John Carlton Kevin Rogers Pauline Longdon Todd Herman Ignite Your Moxie Ali Brown Andre The Giant Lorrie’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the place to find more than 20 templates, dozens of presentations and topics like copywriting, marketing, mindset. A community of successful writers who share ideas and leads and a copywriter club newsletter which is mailed directly to your home every single month. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   What if you can hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then instill an idea or two to inspire your own work, that's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 197 as we chat with Red Hot copywriter Lorrie Morgan about the differences between writing for men and women, why she wrote her book, Ignite Your Moxie and what it's about, what she's done to create a profitable copywriting business, and how she landed a job working on the set of Baywatch. Welcome, Lorrie. Rob:   Hey, Lorrie. Lorrie Morgan:   Hey, good to be here, you guys. Kira:   Great to have you here, Lorrie. So, let's start. As much as I want to ask you everything about Baywatch right away, I feel like we should wait to hear about that. But let's start with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Lorrie Morgan:   Oh yes, everyone has a story. Nobody wants to be a copywriter when they're a little girl, do they? So, I have a journalism degree. But I always wanted to be an actress. So, this is the rambling version, but I'll try to get to the point real quick. So, I moved to California, which is where I live now, to be an actress. We'll jump into the Baywatch a little bit later, too. But I'm a terrible actress, it turns out. I just really like the whole idea of it. So instead, I got married and I had children, which was wonderful. And then, I ended up going getting divorced and had to get a job. Oh, no.

Copywriter and persuasion expert Adil Amarsi is the guest for the 196th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Adil is working on a book on Persuasion and recently changed the title he prefers from Copywriter to Creative Director because he does so much more than copy. We covered quite a bit of ground during our discussion, including: •  how writing daily stories as a kid led to a gig as a copywriter (before he knew what copywriting was) •  his process for attracting his first clients •  what he did to learn copywriting and who he learned it from •  the “first week’s earnings” deal that netted him six figures •  what not to do when you get a windfall •  going from £300 to $30,000 + 4%—the secret of Adil’s success •  mental health issues and the impact on his business •  how much time he spends writing versus ideation •  breaking down what a $30K project looks like •  the clause that Adil adds to his contract that you’ll definitely want to borrow •  walking the line between manipulation and persuasion •  one of the words you should never use in your copy •  what it means to be a creative director and why he doesn’t call himself a copywriter •  what it takes to create a great offer •  the practical joke he played on one of his friends You won’t want to miss this one. Download it to your favorite podcast app or simple scroll down and press the play button. You’ll also find a full transcript and links below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: John Carlton Gary Halbert PsychoCybernetics Jay Abraham The Irresistible Offer Adil's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the place to connect with hundreds of smart copywriters who share ideas and strategies to help you master marketing, mindset and copywriting in your business. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 196 as we chat with copywriter, podcaster and alchemists of persuasion, Adil Amarsi, about telling better stories, what it takes to create a great offer, how to be more persuasive, and his approach to consulting with his clients on their marketing needs. Kira:   Welcome, Adil. Adil:   Hi. Thanks for having me, guys. Kira:   Yeah, and just shout out before we jump into Brennan Hopkins, who introduced us, so thank you, Brennan for making the introduction. And let's just kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter, consultant, podcaster, artists and we can go on and on, and on? Adil:   Yeah. So first of all, thank you, Brennan, because he did make this happen. So my story's kind of I used to think it was interesting until I actually sat down and wrote it out with a friend. So I moved from Africa, like East Africa to the UK when I was four years old. About a year into moving to the UK, in the mid-90s, my dad ended up having a herniated disk that affected his walking, so he was paralyzed from the waist down for about two years. And it's important to know that I have an older sister and the 90s were basically known as Nickelodeon versus Cartoon Network. You can pretty much guess which side I sided with and which side she went with. I was Cartoon Network, she was Nickelodeon. I found that the best way I could watch cartoons was to sit down and watch whatever my dad was watching at the time. In the UK my dad really loved watching four shows, in particular. Two quite important. The other two, somewhat. So the first one was the news. My dad loved watching the news.

Growth marketer and event co-founder, Stef Grieser, is the guest for the 195th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira met Stef and Shine Bootcamp late last year and immediately knew that she had a lot to share with our audience. But we didn’t just talk about speaking. We covered a lot of ground—and went a little longer than usual. Here’s a taste of what we talked about: •   Stef’s career path and how she came to co-found two big events •   how she used meet-ups to “test drive” CTA Conference •   how the first CTA Conference line up led her to focus on diverse voices at conferences •   the mix of speakers and why up-and-comers are just as important as stars •   what she did to turn herself into a conference speaker •   the difference between “growth” marketer and “regular” marketer •   how Stef scaled her team and community as she built CTA Conf •   what makes a good speaker pitch and how to get accepted as a speaker •   the cues that let conference organizers know you are a fit for them •   what she did to connect with sponsors and what makes a good sponsor •   the importance of being a subject matter expert •   the other skills you need on stage… in addition to content •   when you should reach out for help from a speaking coach •   Stef’s thoughts on the importance of copywriting as a business skill •   what Stef would like copywriters to do differently •   how she’s developed her leadership skills and built a team •   the stuff that hasn’t gone very well and how she fixed things •   her advice to anyone who wants to do what she’s done •   product founder fit and the importance of finding it •   Shine Bootcamp—what it is and how to find out more If you’ve ever thought about getting on stage (or presenting workshops or webinars) as a way to build your authority, you won’t want to miss this episode. To hear it, click the play button below or scroll down for links and a full transcript. Or subscribe using your favorite podcast app.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Shine Bootcamp CTA Conf Oli Gardner Lianna Patch Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the place to find more than 20 templates, dozens of presentations on topics like copywriting and marketing your business, a community of successful writers who share ideas and leads, and the Copywriter Club Newsletter mailed directly to your home every month. Learn more at TheCopywriterUnderground.com. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at the Copywriter Club podcast. Kira: You're invited to join the club for episode 195 as we chat with marketing specialist and public speaker, Stef Grieser, about growth marketing and what copywriters need to know to help their clients grow, Shine Bootcamp and what you need to know to land a speaking gig, the lessons she's learned after co-founding two big events, how she looks at and solves business problems, and her biggest career struggle. Kira:   Welcome, Stef. Rob:   Hey, Stef. Stef Grieser:   Hi. Kira:   Hello. It's great to have you here. Last time I saw you was at Shine Bootcamp in Toronto last September, so it's such a pleasure to have you here so we can dig into everything that you're doing. Stef Grieser:   I am so excited to be here and excited to dig in. Kira:   All right. Why don't we start with your story? How did you end up as a growth marketer, founder of Call-to-Action Conference and co-founder of Shine Bootcamp? How did you get into all of it? Stef Grieser:   Yeah, that's a really, really great question. I'll go way back when I was graduating university,

Copywriter Christina Torres is our guest for the 194th guest on The Copywriter Club Podcast. Christina is a member of The Underground and The Copywriter Think Tank so we’ve seen some of the changes she’s made to her business recently. We talked to Christina about her business and the kinds of things she does as a pocket CMO. Here’s most what we covered… •  her story—how she became a copywriter by mistake •  how she got permission to do the thing she really wanted to do •  what she does in her role as a CMO in your pocket •  how she’s worked with copywriters as a CMO to help them grow •  some examples of her work and how she helps people get out of their own way •  how she attracts and connects with her clients •  why she took the time to figure out what she doesn’t like to do •  how she found clients in the the programs she has joined •  the importance of taking a stand in her business and making change •  the idea of a culture and equity audit for the work she does •  how she balances all the things competing for her time •  the catalyst for the new program she’s launching •  what an anti-copy course copy course would look like •  launching even when there’s too much other stuff going on This is a good interview you won’t want to miss. To hear it, click the play button below or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher. Or scroll down to read a full transcript and see links to what we talked about.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Marie Forleo Laura Belgray Samar Owais Matt Hall Rachel Rogers Christina’s website Christina’s insta Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the place to connect with hundreds of smart copywriters who share ideas and strategies to help you master marketing, mindset and copywriting in your business. Learn more at TheCopywriterUnderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 194 as we chat with copywriter and CMO in your pocket, Christina Torres, about how her business has evolved to include much more than copywriting, what she's done to juggle working a job while pursuing a side hustle, how copywriters can speak up and create change, and what she's done to figure out what comes next. Kira:   Welcome, Christina. Christina Torres:   Hey. I'm so excited. Ah, this is like the nerdiest, surreal thing that's ever happened and I'm just pinching myself. I'm so excited to be with my copy uncle and my copy cousin. That's what I call Kira. You're not my copy dad. I feel like Rob is so much cooler. Rob:   I'm a really cool dad, I got to say. I'm not cool at all, actually. Just ask my daughters. They remind me of that, seriously, every single day; how uncool I am. Kira:   That's their job. Their job is to remind you of that every day. I'm glad I'm the cousin and not the mom. I feel like I can barely mom. Christina Torres:   We're too close in age. Kira:   I can barely mom, parent my own children. So, I'm happy to be the cousin. Christina Torres, we have had the pleasure of hanging out with you and working with you in The Underground. And then also, more recently, in The Think Tank over the last month. But we want to really start with your story and how you became a copywriter. And then, more recently, a Pocket CMO. Christina Torres:   Yeah, sure. I think ... I was just listening to your most recent podcast and I feel like everyone says this, but of course I became a copywriter by mistake. I feel like that's so cliché but it's kind of true. Not really.

Copywriter Brittany McBean is our guest for the 193rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We wanted to talk to Brittany after we heard about the success she had when she completed the “Find a Client in 3 Weeks or Less” Challenge we offered in The Copywriter Underground this past April. In addition to that, Brittany shared her path to copywriting and the nuts-and-bolts of creating a paid workshop for your list. Here’s what we covered in this interview: •  going from acting in musical theater to network marketing to copywriter •  the on-the-job training she gave herself when she landed her first project •  what she learned as a signer, dancer and actor that makes her a better copywriter •  how she approaches marketing for herself so it doesn’t feel spammy •  her advice for people who are using Facebook to go live with video •  Brittany’s experience with the Find a Client Challenge in The Copywriter Underground •  the three different kinds of clients you need in your business •  what surprised her most about the challenge… and why she did it anyway •  how you can replicate the momentum Brittany built during the challenge •  what it takes to create and run a masterclass and the supporting materials •  the financial results she got by finishing the Challenge and how she used the money •  what she’s going to do next with her workshops and business •  her adoption journey and how she worked through the difficulties of the process •  her struggle with anxiety and working and the results of dealing with it •  her approach to talking about hard things and helping our clients do it too •  what she’s excited about doing next in her business This is a great discussion about how much you can create in a short time—and a lot more. To hear what Brittany had to share, scroll down and click the play button. Or scroll a little farther to read a full transcript. Better yet, subscribe on your favorite podcast app and never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Brenda McGowan The Project Plan Trello Board Sara Heselin Woods Brittany's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the place to find more than 20 templates, dozens of presentations on topics like copywriting and marketing your business, a community of successful writers who share ideas and leads, and The Copywriter Club newsletter mailed directly to your home every month. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 193 as we chat with copywriter, Brittany McBean about why she became a copywriter, what her business looks like today, her experience with the find a client in three weeks challenge in The Copywriter Underground, and what she's done recently to think bigger about her business and clients. Welcome Brittany. Rob:   Hey Brittany. Brittany McBean:   Hi, thanks. I just had some free time and thought I'd help you guys out and just ... No, I'm just kidding. My palms are sweaty and I'm really honored and excited to be here. Rob:   This is really good. Kira:   Yeah. We're so excited to talk to you. And this initially started around a challenge that we offered in The Underground in April. And it was how to book a client in three weeks challenge, although it had like a snazzier name and it was the first challenge we ever did in the underground. And it was quite intense because I don't think I knew what I was doing when I was throwing out these challenges. And you were one of the few people,

Business coach and copywriter Ashley Gartland is our guest for the 192nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. No surprise, when it comes to helping other writers build a solid business, she knows her stuff. So we asked Ashley about a whole range of things, including: •  how she ended up as a writer and business coach •  what she does in her business today and the problems she helps solve •  what a “better not bigger” business looks like and how to create one •  a few of the business models that help copywriters grow a better business •  what Ashley does to help free up more time for clients •  her “marketing audit” and what it involves for her clients •  what copywriters starting out can do to build a “better not bigger” biz •  what happens when people hit their goals and what comes next •  growing a team and what you should think about as you scale and grow •  how to grow a business WITHOUT a team •  how Ashley deals with overwhelm and getting things done •  the tools that Ashley uses to get things done •  what her team looks like and how she spends her time today •  the packages she offers to her clients •  what you should do if you want to do more copy coaching •  the mistakes Ashley sees copywriters making and holding them back •  what she’s done to take her business to the next level •  the pitch that got Ashley on our podcast and why it worked •  the difference confidence makes in so many of her client’s businesses We also asked about the future of copywriting and what to do if you want a “bigger and better” business. This is a good one. To hear it all, the play button below. Or scroll down for a transcript. Better yet, subscribe and never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Ashley's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the place to connect with hundreds of smart copywriters who share your ideas and strategies to help you master marketing, mindset and copywriting in your business. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 192 as we chat with business coach Ashley Gartland about creating a business that is better not bigger, what business challenges copywriters struggle with the most, her advice on managing time projects and overwhelm and the pitch she sent us that made us want to have her on the show. Kira:   Welcome Ashley. Rob:   Hi Ashley. Ashley:   Hi guys. Thanks so much for having me. Kira:   Yeah. Great to have you and I am excited to talk about the pitch that you sent us because it did grab my attention at least, and you kind of played the long game too as far as building a relationship on Instagram first and I just felt like it was very an elegant approach to pitching podcast. So we'll talk about that, but first let's start with your story. How did you end up as a writer turned business coach? Ashley:   Yeah. So really I have to say that though the way I landed here and the way I got into business by myself in the first place, entrepreneurship, is because I had this really strong desire to have a career that served my life. And when I graduated from journalism school I didn't see a lot of options out there that matched what I envisioned for my life, which was a lot of autonomy, a lot of choice in terms of how my days looked and also where I wanted to live in the country and those things. And so I decided that I would just give it a go and I would see straight out of college how to be a freelance writer and it went really wel...

Copywriter Kaitlyn Parker is our guest for the 191st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We got to know Kaitlyn a bit better at this years IRL event where she took more than 35 pages of notes, recording the most important ideas and tactics that the speakers shared. We asked her why she did that as well as a lot of questions about how she's grown her business. Here's most of what we covered: •  how she turned a social media gig with LuluLemon into her current role as a copywriter •  what she does to make social media effective for her business •  how often she posts on instagram (and the size of her audience) •  how to make “copy” posts work on visual media like Instagram or Pinterest •  whether hiring a photographer for social images is worth it or not… ROI? •  how Kaitlyn comes up with the images for her brand •  her process for helping clients develop and dial in their brands •  the packages and deliverables she offers to her clients •  how her prices have evolved as her business has grown •  what her client relationships look like—retainers versus one-time projects •  how clients find her… it’s not all from social media •  the #1 thing she’s gotten from attending live events •  her biggest take away from TCCIRL and the speaker who made the most difference in her biz •  how she manages her time and projects (and the tools she uses) •  what she thinks the future of copywriting looks like If you've ever struggled to effectively capture your brand on social media, you won't want to miss this episode. To hear it, click the button below, or download it to your favorite podcast app. Readers scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: TCCIRL Sage Polaris Mike Kim Kaitlyn's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. The place to find more than 20 templates, dozens of presentations on topics like copywriting, and marketing your business. A community of successful writers, who share ideas and leads, and The Copywriter Club newsletter, mailed directly to your home every month. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts? Ask them about their success and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work, that's what Kira and I do every week, at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 191, as we chat with copywriter, Kaitlyn Parker about her career path, the importance of branding and social media in growing her business. Why she took 37 pages of notes at TCC in real life, and the process she uses to get crystal clear messaging for her clients. Kira:   Welcome Kaitlyn. Rob:   Hey Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn:   Hey, I'm so happy to be here. Thank you. Kira:   Yeah, we're excited that you're here. We met you at TCC in real life in San Diego. Kaitlyn:   The timing of that was just wild. I don't think any of us knew that it was going to turn into all of this. And here we are, barely have left our houses since then. Kira:   Yeah. Who knew? Craziness. Okay, so Kaitlyn, let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Kaitlyn:   Yeah, I feel like most copywriters, it was kind of accidental. I always loved writing and had a personal blog for years. And then after college I was an English major and then post-college, I had an outside sales job. Did that for a bit, but it was in recruiting and I just didn't love it. So I ended up actually working for Lululemon, and I was managing the social media, and marketing, and the community, divisions of the store as we were opening quite a few different stores in the area, and I really loved it. And people would be like, "Oh, that caption was so clever,

Copywriter Per Andreasen interviews Rob and Kira for the 190th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Per kicks off the interview with the Intro in Danish... which will probably confuse a few listeners expecting to hear our regular intro... then we talked about what's up with us and how the podcast will be changing in the near future. Here's most of what we talked about: •  what the intro sounds like in Danish… thanks to Per Andreasen •  how to thrive in a crisis—Rob’s advice for surviving a recession •  what has happened to our business since the virus became a “thing” •  the Copywriter Roundtable… and why we don’t promote it •  how The Copywriter Club evolved into what it is today •  how The Copywriter Club is a bit like a cult •  how we deal with imposter complex ourselves •  when the biggest leaps in our business have happened •  why we haven’t offered certifications for the training we provide •  our biggest program failure and what we did instead •  the changes we are making to the podcast in the future •  where we think copywriting is going in the future •  why some copywriters are busier than ever during the COVID crisis •  good example of advertising in response to the economic crisis •  what we are doing in our own businesses this year •  when to expect the very first Copywriter Club event in Europe •  a bit about Per’s business too If you're interested in what's going on in our businesses, and what's next for The Copywriter Club, you'll want to check out this episode. Scroll down to listen or for a full transcript. Or better yet, download it to your podcast player now.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank The tattoo video Gin Walker Elaine Wellman Brian Kurtz  The intro/outro competition details FB post Kim Krause Schwalm Per’s Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Per Andreasen:   [Speaking in Danish] Hvad nu hvis du kunne hænge ud med seriøst talentfulde copywritere og andre eksperter. Spørge dem om deres succeser og fiaskoer, deres processer og vaner for så at stjæle en idé eller to som kan inspirere dit eget arbejde? Det er hvad Rob og Kira gør hver eneste uge på…The Copywriter Club Podcast. Yes, this is still The Copywriter Club Podcast. You're invited to join them for Episode 190 as former journalist and now the world's strongest copywriter, Per Andreasen, lovingly grills them on this and that. Rob:   Our Danish audience is going to go through the roof with this episode. So, for this episode of the podcast, we've invited our friend and someone who has participated in The Copywriter Accelerator, The Copywriter Think Tank, has been to all three TCC IRLs, and is the only copywriter that we know in Denmark, I think, to interview us for the podcast and that is, Per Andreasen, the strongest copywriter in the world. Kira:   Yeah, 190, that's pretty crazy. Per Andreasen:   It's amazing. So, the last time I saw you two guys was at your amazing real life event in San Diego, and you've already gone through all your takeaways before, so I want to talk about the crisis that made everything about the event feel even more special than your previous events. Especially, Rob, your talk was about how to thrive in a crisis, can you repeat some of that advice and how that has stayed true? Rob:   I can definitely repeat a lot of the advice, it was kind of... I guess it was a timely talk. I wasn't assuming that it was going to be quite as timely as it was, as I was preparing it. I kind of thought we might be due for a recession in the next year or two, maybe in six months but wasn't thinking that it was going to come together the way that it quite did. And so, I just gave some tips for how to deal with working in a recession. And you can get all of those tips in the videos from the event that we have made available.

In the 189th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with A-lister Carline Anglade Cole on how supporting her firefighter husband led to a career as a copywriter, what she learned from her mentor Clayton Makepeace, how she connects with her prospects and more. Here's a bit of what we covered... •  her ballsy approach to scoring a 2-hour interview for a marketing position •  how she learned the craft of copywriting without courses or books •  how doing a great job on a promotion got her fired (and 6 months of severance) •  the WWCD question that helped her write a promotion that got a 5% response •  what she’s done to go deeper with copy than most copywriters •  her life as a 50 year old white man •  what she learned from working with Clayton Makepeace •  her approach to testing a lot emotions so the market comes to her •  how her income went up every time Clayton criticized her writing •  what it takes to write kick-butt copy that resonates with her audience •  the “mom test” she uses to make sure she believes in the product •  how she reworks her copy to make sure it’s as strong as possible •  her kids—three of four of whom have worked as copywriters This episode should not be missed. To hear it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or add it to your podcast player now.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Clayton Makepeace Gary Bencivenga Kim Schwalm Marcella Allison Carline's Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground. The place to find more than 20 templates, dozens of presentations on topics like copywriting, and marketing, and mindset. A community of successful writers, who share ideas and leads, and The Copywriter Club newsletter, which is mailed directly to your home every month. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   If you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their success and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work, that's what Kira and I do every week, at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 189, as we chat with A list health copywriter, Carline Anglade-Cole, about working with and learning from her mentor, Clayton Makepeace. Her life as a 50 year-old white man, hiring her kids to write copy for her, connecting emotionally with the buyers she writes for and what it takes to write kick butt copy. Welcome, Carline. Rob:   Hey, Carline. Carline:    Hey guys, how are you? Rob:   We're doing good. Carline:    I liked the intro, Kira. Kira:   That was all Rob, Rob wrote that one. Carline:    Oh, Rob, very nice, very nice. Kira:   So we're excited to have you back. We tried to record this, I don't know, was it a year ago, more than a year ago now and I had major tech issues and so we didn't know if this interview was ever going to happen, and I'm so glad that it will. So thanks, Carline for coming back. Carline:    Thanks for inviting me. Kira:   And let's kick it off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Carline:    Definitely, it was not a life plan. I had no idea what copywriting was. I had gone to school and got my degree in communications and journalism, so I always knew I wanted to be in the writing field somehow, but didn't quite know how. I just sort of stumbled across the whole copywriting thing when I got a job working at Phillips Publishing. At the time, I had a two and a half year-old and a one-year-old and I was just looking for a job that would complement my husband's schedule. He was a firefighter and he worked shift work. So we had these kids and we wanted to be home with our kids ourselves. So I had to find some kind of a job that would allow me ...

In the 188th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with Gin Walker on how her experience as a stage actor influences her writing process, her REACH framework, the misunderstanding that turned her into a copywriter, and what she does to manage the competing interests in her life.  Here’s the outline of what we covered during this interview: •  the airplane discussion that “mistakenly” turned her into a copywriter •  the podcast that helped her discover what copywriting is •  the difference between copy editing and copywriting •  how she landed her first few clients after she made her career switch •  what she did to build on her initial success and grow her business •  how attending TCCIRL changed her business •  how being an actor has helped Gin as a copywriter •  how she uses her R.E.A.C.H. framework as she works with clients •  what she does to manage all the competing interests in her life •  how her business has changed over the past year •  what her business looks like today •  the mindset issue she struggles with and how she deals with it •  her experience as the closing speaker at TCCIRL Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank The Copywriter Club In Real Life Joanna Wiebe Ry Schwartz Joel Klettke Hillary Weiss Tarzan Kay Rob Braddock Gin’s Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the place to be if you want to master marketing mindset and copywriting in your business and hit 10K a month without losing your mind. Learn more at TheCopywriterUnderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 188 as we chat with copywriter and TCCIRL closing speaker Gin Walker about her journey to copywriting, the advantages that she gets from being a stage actor that apply to copywriting, her reach framework, what she's done to grow her business this year, and what she would do differently if she had to start over today. Kira:   Welcome, Gin. Rob:   Hey, Gin. Gin:   Hello, guys. How are you doing? Kira:   Good. Great to have you here. We have known you for a while. You were in the Copywriter Accelerator program, and then the Copywriter Think Tank Mastermind, and most recently, you spoke on stage at The Copywriter Club in real life in San Diego. So, we've seen firsthand how you've grown in your business, and I'll be fun today to share a little bit more about what's been happening behind the scenes. So, why don't we start with your story and how you ended up as a copywriter? Gin:   Right. Sure, absolutely. Well, it's been relatively recent that I transitioned into copywriting in fact. I started out in educational publishing. I was a copyeditor for the longest time. Decades, in fact. So, yeah, I've been altering minds with word power for a little while. I was a copyeditor, as I say, and a commissioning editor. I was also a kids' science author within that educational field. I went into that basically straight from university, straight after I graduated way back, and I worked up from the bottom there. But then I went freelance, in fact. I worked in-house at a couple of large educational publishers in the UK, this was. But then went freelance way back in 1995. Well, I continued to work with various publishers that I had worked for in-house for a little while, but then it branched out and I was working for various educational publishers.

Conversion designer and sales page specialist Melissa Burkheimer is the guest for the 187th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We talked a bit about why copywriters and designers don't always see eye-to-eye and what we all can do about it. We also asked Melissa about why she niched to conversion design and sales pages and her design process. Here's what we covered: •  how Melissa became a “conversion designer” and started her own business •  what she learned from investing in several programs and courses •  how she connected with Amy Porterfield through a friend of a friend the “relationship” process she followed to keep adding clients to her roster •  her thoughts about “pay to play” and what we think about it too •  what she would do to get traction if she had to start over today •  why she niched to working only on sales pages and the impact on her biz •  how she prices her sales pages and the packages she offers •  what it takes for copywriters to work closely with a designer •  the difference between a regular designer and a conversion designer •  her design process and how she works on a project •  her thoughts on wireframes provided by copywriters •  what to do when the designer wants to cut your copy •  the things that copywriters do that bug designers •  what Melissa is working on today and the future of conversion design It's another great discussion that will give you plenty to think about. Ready to hear what Melissa has to say? Click the play button below. Or scroll down for a full transcript. Or subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Rick Mulready B-School Amy Porterfield Erica Lyremark Elizabeth Dialto Sage Polaris Gin Walker Melissa’s podcast Melissa’s website The Conversion Design School Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira Hug:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Underground, the place to be if you want to master marketing mindset and copywriting in your business and hit 10K a month in your business without losing your mind. Learn more at thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob Marsh:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira Hug:   You're invited to join the club for episode 187 as we chat with conversion designer Melissa Burkheimer about what copywriters need to know about the design process, how good design makes your copy way more effective, why she only works with seven clients a year and why she created the Conversion Design School. Welcome Melissa. Rob Marsh:   Hey Melissa. Melissa Burkheimer:   Hi, Kira and Rob, thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. Kira Hug:   We're excited to have you here. You and I met, I don't know, three or four years ago, maybe working on a sales page project for Rick Mulready, and that's when we first met. And it was such a positive experience to work with you on the design side because I know, we'll talk about this today, but oftentimes it feels like copywriters are battling designers and designers are battling copywriters on projects. But when we worked together, it was just really collaborative and we became friends too, which it was a great surprise too. So a lot of what we're going to talk about today is how we can work together more effectively. But before we dig into that, why don't we just start with you and your story? How did you end up as a designer? Melissa Burkheimer:   So it's a funny story. So I actually had a business, I was a professional paid singer as a kid when I was eight and I quit when I was 11. And by the time I quit,

In the 186th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with two ambitious copywriters who recently launched the first of many Women Led Summits. Their first summit included 45 different speakers, helped them grow their email list and actually made money. We wanted to know how they did it, so we invited Great Cate and Betsy Muse to the studio to chat. Here's what we covered: •  how Betsy and Greta became business partners •  the paths they both took to becoming copywriters •  the original vision for the women-led summit and how it came together •  what does it take to create a summit today •  all the moving pieces for producing a summit… time, editing, interviews, etc. •  how Betsy and Greta made it all work •  their favorite take aways from the 45 speakers who participated •  the impact the summit had on their list and bottom line •  the real goal of their summit (it wasn’t really about the money) •  how they promoted their summit—the promotion plan •  their advice to anyone considering creating their own summit •  how they make their partnership work—the benefit of partners •  what the future looks like for both Betsy and Greta •  how they’ve dealt with mindset issues (like introversion) as they’ve grown If you've ever considered creating a summit for your niche, you'll want to make sure to listen to this episode, which you can do when you click the play button below. Or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Joanna Wiebe App Sumo WomenLedSummits.com HeySummit The Copywriter Club In Real Life Betsy’s Website Greta’s Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator, 12-week program for copywriters who want to learn the business skills they need to succeed as copywriters. Learn more at thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 186 as we chat with two copywriters, Betsy Muse and Greta Cate, about forming a business partnership with another copywriter, running a summit and their advice for anyone who wants to do one, their biggest struggles in business and what comes next. Kira:   Betsy and Greta, welcome. Rob:   Hi guys. Betsy Muse:   Thank you. It's great being here. Thanks for having us. Kira:   We're excited to have both of you. It's a little party today with the four of us. We were both recently a part of your summit that you ran a couple months ago now, your first ever Women-Led Summit. So I know we're going to dig into that today and talk about summits which are quite popular right now in the COVID-19 landscape. Lots of summits are popping up. But why don't we start with your story. How did you two end up as business partners? Betsy Muse:   Well, it's a really a funny story. Greta and I met in Joanna Wiebe's 10x Freelance Copywriter and bonded over a shared love for AppSumo lifetime deals. Greta Cate:   Yeah. Betsy Muse:   Greta invited me for coffee. I thought, "Hey, great. She lives in North Carolina somewhere, and so we'll just meet halfway in between." Now, Greta lives in Corpus Christi, Texas. We weren't quite meeting in person. And then a week after our virtual coffee, we started an accountability group in 10x Freelance Copywriter. That group is still active today. Greta Cate:   Yeah. We had right off the bat realized that we had some shared values and were interested in making and having the same kind of impact. Back to AppSumo, they have this summit deal and we were talking about that and Betsy said,

Health copywriter, Darren Hanser, is our guest for the 185th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We recently met Darren at an event in Las Vegas, then again at The Copywriter Club In Real Life and after chatting, we knew we had to have him on the show. Darren has built a solid copy business and we got him to share how he did it. Here's what we talked about: •  why he may have been destined to become a copywriter even as a child •  the google search term that led him to a career as a copywriter •  how he made more than $98,000 in a weekend… to prove he could write •  how he learned to come up with lots of good ideas •  the importance of the mechanism and how Darren uses it in his copy •  his “double down” approach to finding more copy assignments •  his “leap frog” approach to investing in the next thing •  how he got a client to pay for his first copy coach •  what his business looks like today and where his income comes from •  his writing process from research to delivery •  depression, darkness and overwhelm and having to ask for help •  why he attends events and masterminds when his business is already doing well •  his take aways from The Copywriter Club In Real Life •  the three things you must do to succeed as a copywriter •  how Darren structures his fees—a lesson he learned in the insurance industry •  what it’s like to look like Seth Rogan •  what’s next for Darren in his business this year This is another good one. To hear it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. And consider subscribing on your favorite podcast app so you don't ever miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Ask by Ryan Levesque Dan Ferrari Justin Goff Stefan Georgi Dean Jackson's Naked Truth Letter Copy Chief Live Kim Krause Schwalm Kaitlyn Parker Darren's website darrenhanser.com 15minuteemails.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira Hug:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator, the 12-week program for copywriters who want to learn the business skills they need to succeed. Learn more at thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Rob Marsh:   What if you can hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira Hug:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 185, as we chat with health supplement copywriter Darren Hanser about writing for wellness and info products, how he commands high fees for the work he does, what he's done to grow his business, and what it's like to be Seth Rogan's doppelganger. Welcome, Darren. Rob Marsh:   Hey, Darren. Darren Hanser:   Had to throw that in there, right? Kira Hug:   You gave that piece of information to me. Darren Hanser:   It's great to be here. Rob Marsh:   That's probably where we should start. Kira Hug:   Yeah, exactly. Darren, we met you in Las Vegas not too long ago. We were fast friends and then we saw you again a couple weeks later at TCC in real life before the world shut down. Today, I'm excited to just dig more into your story and what you've done to grow. Why don't we kick it off with how you became a copywriter? What's your story? Darren Hanser:   What's your story? It's funny, because that's the question I ask people and it gets them talking. But when people ask me that I stumble sometimes. Kira Hug:   It gets you talking, it's going to get you talking, yeah. Darren Hanser:   It's gets me talking. The earliest I remember I was always in a sales mentality, just in my own mind. Even as a young child, I was always trying to persuade my parents to do things and I would come up with these arguments, I would come up with these very logical and emotional appeals...

Copywriter Rachel Greiman is our guest for the 184th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rachel has worked almost exclusively with photographers since she launched her copywriting business a few years ago. We talked about how the niche found her, her unique process and more. Here's most of what we covered: •  how she became a photographer and copywriter •  her work as a photo-journalist and the work she did •  the struggle she had in early days in her business as a copywriter •  how she charged $200 for entire websites—and why it was so low •  how clients found her as she launched her copywriting business •  why she works with associate writers and how she trained them •  what her business looks like today compared to those early days •  how she works with and pays her team and what she expects from them •  why she pays her team well and how it has helped her business •  how she trains her team to make sure they can deliver •  why she only takes one client at a time and her delivery schedule •  how she thinks about her “competitors” •  the “guide” she created to develop a second income stream •  what she learned from the process of launching a product •  the first time she ever met another copywriter and what happened after that •  what she’s done to take her business to the next level •  dealing with the virus and running a business in a time of disruption •  the reason to be optimistic about the future right now To hear all the great advice Rachel has to share, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or subscribe at iTunes or Stitcher so you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Rachel’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by the copywriter accelerator, the 12-week program for copywriters who want to learn the business skills they need to succeed as copywriters, learn more at thecopywriteraccelerator.com Kira:   What if you get to hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts? Ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits. Then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 184 as we chat with copywriter for photographers Rachel Greiman about the power of choosing a niche building and managing team, creating a completely different offer for her audience and what she's done to take the business to a new level this year. Kira:   Rachel, welcome. Rachel:   Hi. Thanks for having me. Thanks for dealing with the last 40 minutes of tech problems with us. I'm sure that 90% of it was my fault. So... Rob:   Everyone is working from home these days and so the internet does not want to cooperate. Kira:   The internet is full. That is true. Rachel:   It is full. Kira:   So Rachel, we have been working with you and been able to get to know you through the Think Tank over the last 12 months. And we're excited to share a bit more about your story and some of the wins and even some of the struggles. But why don't we start with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Rachel:   That is a really great question and probably one I should have mentally prepared for knowing this, coming here. I just feel like it's such a winding road and it always gets so long. I will try to condense it though. Kira:   Okay. Rachel:   So I studied photojournalism in college, so writing and photography always went hand in hand for me. Like I was always doing both. And then after college I worked in the nonprofit field for a long time, almost a decade actually. And I would always get hired for one skillset, either writing or photography. And then I always ended up doing both together because at nonprofits ...

SEO Consultant (and reformed web designer) Meg Casebolt is our guest for the 183rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Since this is an area that we don't have real deep knowledge in, we asked Meg all about what copywriters need to know about SEO and what they should be trying to rank for. And we spent a lot of time talking about the 3-week challenge she put together last year and how it helped grow her list. Here's a pretty good list of what we covered: •  how she went from graphic design to SEO—it’s about grabbing opportunity •  what she did to learn SEO in the first place •  what she did to work through the pivot from design to SEO •  Meg’s advice for anyone working through their own pivot (or choosing a niche) •  how she ramped up her client acquisition after the first few referrals •  the best thing she’s done to grow her authority since her pivot •  the surprising thing that scared Meg as she was running her challenge •  how she ran her challenge and how she engaged her affiliates •  why her challenge took off (and why people joined in the middle) •  how she structured her challenge from start to finish •  the results that participants got as they went through the program •  how Meg kept people engaged in the Challenge from start to finish •  why adding a deadline helped people finish their Challenge assignments •  why she no longer does PPC as part of her services •  what a copywriter needs to know about SEO and getting online traffic •  why you shouldn’t try to rank for a term like “copywriter” •  the importance of putting great content on your own website •  how she has dealt with mindset issues around working with clients •  the end-product she provides clients after a consulting session •  why she decided to rebrand her services as she grew her team •  what her team looks like today and where Meg spends her time We covered a lot of ground in this one. To hear it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher so you don't miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator Tanya Geisler SEOctober MemberVault Meg’s Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:  This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator, the 12-week program for copywriters who want to learn the business skills they need to succeed. Learn more at thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:  You're invited to join the club for Episode 183 as we chat with SEO strategist, Meg Casebolt about planning and writing search friendly content, why SEO needs to be a part of your marketing mix, what it takes to run a month-long challenge as well as the results she got and why has she rebranded and refocused her business solely on SEO. Welcome Meg. Rob:   Hey, Meg. Meg:  Hey, it's so nice to be here with you guys. Kira:  Yeah, it's great to have you here. I've been able to get to know you over the last nine months or so through Tanya Geisler and I'm excited to just dig into your business more and talk about a lot of the changes that you've made and challenges that you've taken on, so let's kick it off with your story. How did you get into SEO? Meg:  Okay, so my story is, I think a pretty common one, which is that I had been working in communications for many years. I worked in nonprofits. I worked at an architecture firm for a couple of years doing all of their marketing. I got married, I got pregnant, and I looked at the cost of childcare and I don't know if I can swear on this podcast, but I swore.

SaaS Copywriter Rachael Pilcher is our guest for the 182nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We've had a front row seat over the past year as Rachael has made dramatic changes to her business and stepped up as an expert in the SaaS space. So we wanted to ask her about: •  how she went from travel blogging to SaaS copywriting •  what she did to find her first clients—it started with job boards •  what she learned running a “little shop” and why she sold it •  why she niched into SaaS and the clients she works with today •  the process she went through to choose her niche •  what she did to transition from blogger to fully booked copywriter •  her processes from start to finish on a project •  what she looks for in clients she takes (and those she rejects) •  her new website and the process she went through to get where she is •  Rachael’s SNACKS framework and how she uses it •  the resources she’s used to improve her skills and grow her business •  value-based pricing and price anchoring •  the biggest mistake she made in her business •  why she hangs out where other copywriters DON’T hang out •  how she works and avoids the temptation of site seeing while traveling •  what Rachael is doing in 2020 This is a good one. To hear it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or subscribe with your favorite podcast app (don't forget to leave a review).   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Josh Garofalo Joel Klettke Joanna Wiebe Rachael's website Copywriter Think Tank Nigel Stevens Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator, the 12-week program for copywriters who want to learn the business skills they need to succeed. Learn more at thecopywriteraccelerator.com Kira:  What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 182 as we chat with SaaS copywriter Rachael Pilcher about working with software clients, the investments she's made in her business that have paid off, what she learned from her brick and mortar businesses, and what it's like to work and travel for months at a time. Kira:  Welcome, Rachael. Rob:   Hey, Rachael. Rachael:      Nice to be here. Thank you for having me on. Kira:  Great to have you here. It's great to have you in a time zone near me, selfishly. I just feel like you're near me finally because you're traveling all over the place, which I know we'll talk about. But yeah, we've just really enjoyed getting to know you through the Think Tank over the last year and I just feel like you're one of those people that is always, you're just cool. You're just always cool. When we're not around you at the Think Tank, we're all talking about just how you live a very cool life and you've done very well in your business and built this really interesting brand that stands out. I mean, you've done it in a short period of time. Kira:  We're going to talk about the cool factor today, but let's kick it off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Rachael:      Well, it was kind of accidentally, actually. I had sold my business and I'd sold my classic car as well, so I had quite a bit of money saved up and I just wanted to travel because I hadn't really done that. So travel, travel, travel, and then obviously started running out of money. So it's like, what can I do to keep traveling and also have some money coming in? I think I just Googled and Googled and I came across... It was actually Nomadic Matt's traveling blog course, embarrassingly enough.

In the 181st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk about what happened at TCCIRL—the best event we've held yet. Several speakers stepped up at the last minute, others brought their A-game and shared ideas and stories that have changed the businesses of the 130+ copywriters who were there. We talk about: •  the earthquake, the virus and the economic response to it •  why we can’t afford to operate from a place of fear no matter what is going on •  why TCCIRL felt “better” this year than in the past •  the speakers who had less than 48 hours to get stage ready •  a few of the speakers who really stood out to us •  what Jasmine Star taught us about scaling a business •  the hero’s journey and what marketers miss when they talk about it •  some of the advice that came out of the panel discussions •  how to think about branding from the standpoint of authenticity •  the power of constraints to make us more creative •  why its important to think about your role as a human asset, not just a copywriter •  what you should do differently during a recession •  why the Copywriter Think Tank is about and the transformation members see If you can't get enough of what happened at TCCIRL or you want more information about The Copywriter Think Tank, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank TCCIRL Mike Kim Dana Malstaff Marcella Allison Ray Edwards Jasmine Star Jamie Jensen Tanya Geisler Linda Perry Lindsay Hotmire Justin Blackman Matt Hall Gin Walker Bond Halbert Stefan Georgi Sam Woods Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   So, we do not have an intro for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast because it's just me and Kira chatting about what went down over the last week or so at The Copywriter Club In Real Life. And so yeah, we just wanted to jump in and share some of our biggest takeaways, what happened and express our gratitude for some things that happened. And reflect a little bit on the magic that we got to experience last week. Kira:  Well it's not just me and you, it's me and you and the earthquake. Rob:   So, we did have an earthquake here this morning, so hopefully- Kira:  No biggy. Rob:   The power will stay on long enough to make sure that everything here is good. But yeah, it's been kind of a crazy morning Kira while it's been not just the morning, right? With the virus, with everything that's going on it's a crazy, a lot of things. Kira:  And Rob is kind of downplaying the earthquake like, ‘Oh, it's just a little earthquake.’ It was a big one and with several follow-up tremors. I don't speak earthquake language because I live on the East Coast, we don't have earthquakes here typically. But can you just share, I mean these are big earthquakes that you experienced today. Rob:   Yeah, the first big one that we felt this morning was like a 5.7 on the Richter scale, which is- Kira:  It's a big deal. Rob:   It's big enough to knock down walls and there's definitely been a little bit of damage. They closed the airport because of some water main breakage, they had to evacuate I think the tower. I'm not sure if there was any damage there, but I'm far enough away from the epicenter that I've walked around my house, there's no damage to our house and there are no fatalities reported, no injuries. So while it could have certainly been worse and maybe someday a worse earthquake will happen here. We survived this one. But it is freaky when the ground starts moving, when everything in your house starts to shake and it's happened seven or eight times this morning of the ones that we could feel. And yeah. So, who knows? Like if you hear a rumble in the background while we're chatting here, it could be another aftershock going on and on and I'll just dive under my desk...

Copywriter and persuasion scientist Jimmy Parent is our guest for the 180th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We've been meaning to get Jimmy on the podcast for quite a while and were finally able to make it happen. Jimmy is a master storyteller and has spent a lot of time thinking about how to make messages more compelling. We asked him about: •  how Jimmy went from phone sales to copywriter, then what he did to grow his skills •  the importance of sales skills for copywriting •  Jimmy’s two favorite books and how they’ve influenced his career choices •  the training he took advantage of as he was just getting started •  the copy training he experienced at Agora—what worked for him, what didn’t •  how to be more persuasive in your own writing •  the PMP stack for developing big ideas and how to have more of them •  how to sell your idea once you have it •  the critical message that is missing from almost all sales messages—this hurts sales •  what Jimmy is doing today for his clients today—kicking ducks so to speak •  the worst dad joke ever told… seriously, the worst •  his current pricing model—draw against commissions •  his secret for attracting high-paying clients—Jimmy shares exactly where to find them •  the thing that sets the very best copywriters apart from the rest •  the biggest lesson he has learned from working with Oren Klaf… it’s a good one •  what Jimmy has struggled with over the past couple of years Like we said, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Better still subscribe on iTunes so you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kevin Rogers The Go-Giver by Bob Burg Mastery by Robert Greene Joe Schriefer John Carlton Contagious Extreme Ownership 15 Minute Copywriter with Jimmy John Caples The Copywriter Accelerator Pitch Anything by Oren Klaf Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...  

Copywriter and former cookie maker, Helen Tremethick, is our guest for the 179th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Helen has an interesting approach to working with her clients, so we asked her all about it... and we asked her about these things too: •  the path she followed from R&D director at a cookie company to copywriter •  the common thread running through the jobs she had before she became a writer •  her “complimentary relationship” tactic for finding clients •  the “platypus model” for working with branding and copy clients •  how to create, sell and deliver a workshop for clients (and the economics of it all) •  the mistakes you’ll want to avoid if you want to hold workshops •  what her Clarity Sessions include—getting the underlying brand values right •  the questions she asks her clients in her consulting work •  how she prices her introductory offers in order to attract clients •  the tactics she uses to “do brand voice” better—this is an idea worth stealing •  what she includes in her roadmapping sessions •  where things go off the rails with style and brand voice guides •  the other unique things she’s doing in her business that other copywriters aren’t •  her experience as a blocker in roller derby •  Helen’s and Kira’s copywriting lessons from roller derby •  where she thinks copywriting is going in the future To hear everything Helen shared, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or, even better, subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher so you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The price survey Tanya Geisler Helen’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:  This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Accelerator, the 12 week program for copywriters who want to learn the business skills they need to succeed. Learn more at thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:  You're invited to join the club for Episode 179 as we chat with copywriter and brand voice strategist, Helen Tremethick about how to position of business so you attract the right clients, creating more than one revenue stream in her business, how she creates balance and ignores the hustle and her experience in roller derby. Welcome, Helen. Helen:          Hi, thank you. Kira:  Kick this off and let us know how you ended up as a copywriter and brand voice strategist. What's your story? Helen:          Oh, yes, thanks. The short story is that I went to school for radio and television broadcasting. Then I went to school for International Development. Brand voice strategy is really about communicating who you are, and really understanding that deeper motivation. It's really hybrid of both of those educational channels that I took along the way in a very formal way. But the truth of the matter is, if you get a little bit deeper and uncover the story, there are a lot of hats that I wore along the way from being a research and development consultant for a cookie company, to being an executive director of a nonprofit, and even being a purple tea apprentice at a farm in central Ontario. All these experiences allowed me to really see business owners as they are, what works, what doesn't work, and really start formulating a way of communicating that connects to the people that we want to connect to, but still maintains this really genuine and authentic, not authentic TM, but this really authentic way of communicating who you are. Rob:   Did you just say you were an R&D specialist in a cookie company? Helen:          Yes, vegan cookie company in Toronto,

Productivity Expert and Coach, Charlie Gilkey, is our guest for the 178th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We've admitted our struggles with getting things done on the podcast before—and neither one of us is a fan of traditional time management tactics like setting SMART goals...  so it made sense to have Charlie on to talk through how we can start finishing and get more done. We asked Charlie about: •  how he accidentally became a speaker, author and coach •  exactly what he does as a coach and how he helps his clients •  why coaches ask so many questions (and don’t always share the answers) •  an example of how Charlie works with his clients to help them find the real issues •  why so many people shy away from the work that could help them level up •  why accountability helps anyone who wants achieve more •  why time management isn’t the answer (but you still need it) •  focus blocks and how to use them to get more done •  how to stop what you’re doing that’s keeping you from getting what you want •  how to figure out if you’re a lark, an owl, or an emu •  his advice for figuring out what you really want •  the hardest question Charlie asks people (and why) •  why he doesn’t believe anyone is inherently a procrastinator •  the tools we can use to create a better vision for our lives •  the difference between those who make it and those who give up •  what his book is about and what you’ll get out of it •  what he does to grow his skills and be a better coach for his clients If you struggle with getting things done, or finishing the thing you start... or you just want to quit and watch Netflix for a few weeks, you don't want to miss this episode. To hear it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Better still, subscribe on iTunes so you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Coaching Habit The Advice Trap Joanna Wiebe Val Geisler The Spice Girls Double Double Start Finishing (Charlie’s book) Deep Work by Cal Newport Finish by John Acuff Charlie’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club In Real Life, our live event in San Diego March 12th through 14th. Get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl. Kira:  What if you could hang with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 178 as we chat with author and business coach Charlie Gilkey about how to take an idea from start to finish, what it takes to level up your business, how to effectively use time to get more done, and what it takes to do your best work. Kira:  Charlie, welcome! Rob:   Hey, Charlie. Charlie:        Thanks so much for having me, guys. I'm pumped to be here. Kira:  Yeah. We're pumped! I have been looking forward to this for a while. So let's just start, Charlie, with your story. For anyone who doesn't know you as well, how did you end up as an executive coach, speaker, an author, and a philosopher? Charlie:        Well, when it comes to the executive coach, speaker, and author bit, all of that was super accidental. I fell into this backassward, in the sense where I had come back. So let's roll back to 2006, 2007. I had recently come back from being a deployed soldier for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and I still had my career as an Army officer. I was a logistics officer. And I was also pursuing my PhD in philosophy. So I'm a social philosopher and an ethicist. And it seems so sophomoric now, looking back as a 40-year-old, looking back at my 26-year-old self. But my 26-year-old self was like,

Social Media strategist, Andrea Jones is our guest for the 177th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We were interested in this topic because we are so bad at using social media in our own businesses and for The Copywriter Club. If you've struggled to find a way to maximize social media to help you find clients you'll want to listen to this. We asked Andrea about: •  how she became a social media strategist—she started doing posts for $5 •  what she did to meet her husband (he was annoying her on Youtube) •  what’s going on in social media today and the rise of video •  how to understand your audience so you serve them •  where you should start if you’re overwhelmed by social media •  the importance—or non-importance—of design and “the grid” •  the bare minimum you should be sharing on social media •  how to build your audience and get the attention of your best prospects •  how to turn social media into a lead generation tool for your biz •  the mistakes people make on social media that you don’t want to make •  the “right” approach to your brand voice on social media •  when you should be working with a team and when you shouldn’t •  what it costs to hire a social media consultant •  the #1 thing she’s done to take her business to the next level •  the future of social media… and how you can get ahead of it This episode is available wherever great podcasts are found (like iTunes and Stitcher). Or you can simply click the play button below. There's also a transcript for anyone who scrolls down.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Life Coach School Andrea’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:  This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club In Real Life, our live event in San Diego, March 12th through the 14th. Get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:  You're invited to join the club for episode 177 as we chat with social media strategist, Andrea Jones about creating impact and social media channels like Instagram and LinkedIn, creating sales funnels that start in social media, why copywriters need to spend more time in this important channel and the things she's done to up level her business. Welcome, Andrea. Rob:   Hey Andrea. Andrea:        Thank you so much for having me. I'm super excited to chat with you guys today. Kira:  I know we're excited to talk about social media because we've done well in certain areas in media, but there are other areas where we are lacking in The Copywriter Club. Rob:   It's so bad. Kira:  Super bad, because we've talked about it before, Andrea. So why don't we start this off with your story and talk about how you ended up as a social media strategist. Andrea:        Yes. I love this question because, I met my husband on YouTube. Rob:   Social media is a game changer is what you're saying. Andrea:        It literally has changed my life. But I am an early adapter to social media. I actually happen to like it and I started a blog back in 2004. I was making YouTube videos in 2007 way before it was cool and my friends thought I was insane. And so social media for me is just a really fun way for an introvert like myself to show up in a way that's still doesn't drain my energy. I started out on social media as fun, but it wasn't until I actually moved to live with my YouTube husband in 2014 when I started the business. So with that move, I needed something to do. I moved to a completely different country from Atlanta, Georgia to Toronto, Canada. And so that big move helped me launch my business.

We don't often have two guests join us in the studio, but this week is one of those exceptions. For this special "un-numbered' episode, we've invited Rob Braddock and Conor Lynch to share how they become copywriters, what they're doing differently in the financial niche, and how you can earn the opportunity for a paid gig ($7,500 plus royalties) to write a promo for WealthPress. You'll want to listen to get the details. We also talked about: •  how Rob Braddock accomplished his meteoric rise from prisoner to successful copywriter •  the resources he used to learn direct response copywriter •  Rob’s daily meditation practice •  how easy it is to get your foot in the door wherever you want to work •  how Conor Lynch got his first taste of copywriting at age 13 •  the boring narrative arc in the biz-op niche that drove him to finance •  how WealthPress became the fastest growing Financial publisher •  the writing and approval process that helped Conor get promotions done faster •  the importance of spectacle when it comes to getting attention •  the process of building a hot list (and how WealthPress does it differently) •  whether spectacle and video promotions will work in niches beside finance •  why WealthPress is sponsoring the cocktail party at TCCIRL •  how you can “win” an opportunity for a paid promotion with WealthPress Don't skip this one, especially if you've ever dreamed of writing in the financial niche. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or better yet, subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher so you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: WealthPress The Gary Halbert Letters Jake Hoffberg Joe Schriefer Evaldo Albuequeque Dan Kennedy Yanik Silver Russell Brunson Raging Bull Angel Publishing Trade Winds Bencivenga’s Marketing Bullets Joel Klettke Macallan M Contest Entries Go Here Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob M:         This is a different kind of interview than we usually do. We usually only talk to one person at a time. Today we have both Rob Braddock and Conor Lynch as our guests today. For a couple different reasons we're doing this a little bit differently. One, because we've got a contest that we're going to talk about here in just a minute. Two, you guys worked together to create some pretty interesting financial promotions, and you do it in a different way. Before we get into all of that, maybe Rob Braddock, we can start with your story. Then maybe we can hear a little bit from Conor about his story and how he got into this business. Rob B:         Right. Well, yeah. I guess it is a pretty crazy thing to think. You could probably go back not too far just two years or so ago and find the first post I made in The Copywriter Club. I didn't know anything about copywriting two years ago really, but I'd just discovered it. So, before I got into copywriting, I was in political fundraising. Got in a little bit of trouble. Bribery this, bribery that, yada, yada, yada, blah, blah, blah. Three years in federal prison. That essentially ended that career and all of the contacts I had built up over time. It's not something I could get back into. So, I had to start over again. After I stumbled around and bumbled around trying to figure out what I was going to do, I knew it was going to be something in the internet space or maybe I would SEO, sales or something. I wasn't really sure. I stumbled across copywriting, direct response copywriting and then financial direct response copywriting. Once I saw what it was, what it is and how much money can be made with it, I was like, ‘All right, I'm doing this, man. I'm going all in.’ So, I started studying and studying and studying relentlessly. It was essentially my primary focus of my life for six months at least. Then one thing led to another,

Special Midweek Bonus Episode. TCCIRL is just around the corner, so we invited Event Strategist, Elaine Wellman, to join us for the 176th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. When we first published the podcast, we regularly posted two episodes a week. Now that's a rarity... thanks to the behind the scenes info that Elaine shares about TCCIRL, we didn't want to wait to publish this on.  We talked to Elaine about: •  the path she followed from public relations to coaching to event management •  how she landed her first solo event project and launched her business •  the mindset shifts needed to recognize when business isn’t working •  when you need to “go with the flow” at events and when you shouldn’t •  the different ways you can approach events (it doesn’t have to be big) •  doing the things in your business that others won’t do because they’re hard •  the truth about The Copywriter Club In Real Life •  the extra things that are truly unique about TCCIRL •  the stuff Elaine thinks we should be doing differently •  the difference between a great event and one that underwhelms •  how to get the right people to attend an event •  how to handle the stress of hosting or attending an event •  when you need to consider getting an event coordinator to help •  how to know whether the event coordinator you’re considering is the right one •  the food that VIP ticket holders will get to “experience” This one is a fun behind-the-scenes discussion of the planning of TCCIRL and the importance of events—you won't want to miss it. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher so you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: TCCIRL Copywriting Event Prerna Malik Publicis Why Events are Rocket Fuel for Your Business The Event Planning PDF The Event Retreat Leaders Lounge Elaine’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club In Real Life, our live event in San Diego, March 12th through 14th. Get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl. Kira:  What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habit, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 176 as we chat with our Event Planner for TCCIRL, Elaine Wellman, about planning events of all sizes, why it can be a good idea to work with an event planner, why some events are life changing while others are kind of blah, and how events can deepen client connections. Kira:  Welcome Elaine. Rob:   Hey Elaine. Elaine:         Hey you guys, been so long since we talked yesterday or maybe... Rob:   All we do is talk to you lately. We are in the throes of planning a pretty big event with you. Kira:  Yes, we are a month away, as Elaine likes to remind us. It stresses me out a little bit to think about it, but Elaine, we met you three years ago before our first event in New York City. Prerna Malik had introduced us and I think we were, I remember we were halfway through the planning process when we were just like, ‘Oh, we need help.’ And luckily, we met you and you were able to swoop in and help us produce the event, the first event and make it a success. So, you've been integral to the process and you've also seen how the event has evolved. We're going to get into all of that. But let's just first start with your story. How did you get into this business? How did you end up as an event strategist and planner? Elaine:         It wasn't really by design. I guess I'll try to give you the short version here because we have a lot to talk about.

For the 175th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talked with copywriter Derek Hambrick about his path to freelance copywriter... including his first failed attempt and what made him successful the second time he gave it a go. We also talked about: •  the path he followed from communications to copywriting •  the surprising emotions Derek felt when he was laid off… panic and excitement •  how he relies on relationships to find clients for his business •  what he did to step up his copywriting game as he went out on his own •  the importance of giving and altruism to Derek’s ROI •  the process he follows as he works with his clients •  why he chose his niche and the impact its had on his business growth •  the pros and cons of working in the higher education niche •  how he moves from one client to the next and gets referrals •  the changes he’s made to his mindset in order to think bigger •  his experience in The Copywriter Underground and what he gets from it •  how to get the most from a course or community you belong to •  the mistakes he’s made as he moved from full time to freelance •  what comes next… how Derek keeps growing To hear what else we talked about, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or better yet, subscribe with your favorite podcast app and never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Ry Schwartz Joel Klettke The Copywriter Underground Cantilever Creative TCCIRL Copywriting Event Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club In Real Life, our live event in San Diego, March 12th through the 14th. Get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 175 as we chat with copywriter Derek Hambrick about moving from full time work to freelance, choosing his niche and what that did for his business, what he did to find his first clients and how he finds people to work with today, his experience in The Copywriter Underground and what he's doing differently in 2020. Welcome, Derek. Derek:            Hey guys, thanks for having me over. Kira:   Yeah, I feel like we have wanted to have this conversation with you for a while. We've been able to hang out with... Well, I was able to hang out with you in person not too long ago and chat with you then, but we really wanted to record this and find out more about you and your business and what you've done because it's worked well. So, why don't we kick it off with your story? How did you end up as a copywriter? Derek:            Yes. So, I always knew I wanted to work with words for a living, but didn't know exactly how. Long story really short, I found myself working at Delta Airlines, not really knowing what I wanted to do with my life, but I figured Delta was a big enough place that I'll probably find it there and get paid as well along the way as I figured that out. I remember working on the International Concourse, writing a few articles for newsletters, that kind of thing. Nothing big. But one evening the last flight pushed out to Santiago, Chile. That was done. Went back to the break room, working on an article, looked at the clock and an hour had gone by. And at that point I realized, ‘My God, I must really enjoy this.’ And that's when I realized I've got to find some role, some place capacity for me to write for a living. So I applied for a bunch of corp-comm jobs, marketing roles and that kind of thing. Nothing really panned out because I didn't have a degree is wha...

Copywriter, coach and expert marketer, Ray Edwards is our guest for the 174th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. In this wide ranging conversation, Kira and Rob asked Ray about his business, how he got started, the changes he's making in his business and life, and what he does to accomplish more than most other people... even things he thinks are impossible. Here are a few of the things we covered: •  how Ray went from radio host to copywriter •  the experiences he had working in radio that help him in his copywriting career •  his tattoos… what they are and why had has them •  what has happened in Ray’s life and business over the last few years •  what can happen when you remove the fear from your life •  why it’s important to let your hidden personal beliefs influence your work persona •  the power of impossible goals to set off a quantum leap in your life and business •  why worthy failures are critical for achieving your impossible goals •  Ray’s two-word counsel you need to hear—especially if you’re not operating at your best •  the unspoken part of the law of manifestation and how to manifest things into your life •  the things that have made the biggest difference in Ray’s business •  what he would do today if he had to start over with nothing •  drag racing rental cars when he travels •  what’s next for Ray and where you can reach out to him If you want to accomplish more than you ever thought possible, you'll want to listen to this episode. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or download the episode to your favorite podcast player.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Jack Canfield Frank Kern Tony Robbins Ray’s podcast Ray’s Instagram Ray’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club In Real Life, our live event in San Diego, March 12th through the 14th. Get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/TCCIRL. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 174 as we chat with master copywriter, coach and consultant, Ray Edwards about his rise from radio personality to A-list copywriter, the relationship between his struggles and his success, the business and mindset shifts he's made in the past year and how he creates so much content every single week. Welcome Ray. Rob:   Hey Ray. Ray:   Hi, thank you. Kira:   It's great to have you here, Ray, because you are one of my mentors and I was lucky enough to be in your mastermind group last year and went through a lot of different .. my own mindset shifts just by joining that group and spending time with you. So I'm glad that we're able to dig in and ask you a bunch of questions today. I'm also surrounded by all the books you gave me because you gave me so many books from our time together. I'm still working my way through them, but they're all surrounding me right now. So I've got some Ray vibes in my office right now. Ray:   That's what happen with anybody who hangs around me, I'll actually have a book for you. Kira:   I loved it. So let's kick it off. Many of our listeners know who you are, but let's just share your story, how you ended up as a copywriter. Ray:   Well, I started in the radio business when I was 14 and I loved being on the radio. I loved storytelling. I hung out at my grandparents house a lot during those days and I used to read the National Enquirer and I was fascinated by the ads. I actually thought they were articles, I was a bit younger when this was going on. I thought they were articles,

Accountant and business consultant, Erik Solbakken, is the guest for episode 173 of The Copywriter Club Podcast. If you saw that Erik is an accountant and thought, "maybe I'll skip this one" don't. Because we didn't really talk with Erik about the typical accounting stuff. Instead, Erik shared how he changed the pricing model for his service business and how copywriters can do the same thing. Now instead of trading time for money, a signifiant portion of Erik's income is completely independent of the time he spends working with clients. Instead, he makes more when he creates more value.  Kira and Rob asked Erik about: •  how he went from tax accountant to strategic consultant •  what he did to significantly change how he earns a living as an accountant •  the realization that how long a thing takes isn’t connected to its value •  the three lies business owners tell themselves about money •  a breakdown of why value can’t be attached to the time spent to create it •  why working with clients doesn’t have to suck •  the 4 step solution to solving any problem—and the most important step •  the 10-10-10 model for pricing coaching services •  why he insists his clients “never sell” •  the 3 Cs Erik covers on every sales call •  the mistakes that are all too easy to make when selling on value •  his total launch failures and the impact it had on his business This is an episode you won't want to miss. To hear it, click the play button below, or download the episode to your favorite podcast player. And if you're rather read, you can scroll down for a full transcript and links to some of the people and things we talked about.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Jeff Walker Erik’s website Accountant Success Formula Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

Allison Evelyn Gower is our guest for the 172nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We asked Allison about her experience creating her first program, what inspired her to move fast, and how she got scrappy to fill it. She offers plenty of learning and advice to anyone who is thinking of creating a program or course. Here's the outline of what we covered during this interview: •  what inspired her transition from film production to copywriting •  how she learned to be “scrappy” as a production assistant •  how Allison landed her first few clients •  what’s happened in her business since she launched—lots of changes •  the process she went through to find her niche •  the 3 things that have been the biggest game changers for her business •  how she pulls brand personality out of her clients •  the answers Rob and Kira gave to one of Allison’s on-boarding questions •  how to get feedback from clients on the words that describe you •  secrets for identifying the language that shows off your personality •  how you project your personality into the world •  what she did when she launched her day-rate package •  why she decided to launch a group program—and how Kira lit a fire under her •  how Allison mapped out her program and created her content •  what she did to fill her first program—an idea she stole from Tarzan Kay •  the things she’s doing differently as she relaunches the course •  how to run a business while moving across the country If your copywriting business could be scrappier or you're looking for some launch inspiration for your first product, you won't want to miss this interview. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Better still, subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher so you never miss an episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Joe Nefziger Tarzan Kay Laura Belgray The Copywriter Think Tank Allison's Website The Brand with Bite Podcast Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club In Real Life, our live event in San Diego, March 12th through the 14th. Get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 172 as we chat with copywriter and product creator Allison Gower about how she became a copywriter, her first big solo product launch. How she's changed the work she does over time, launching a podcast and running a business while moving across the country. Welcome Allison. Allison:          Hey mates. How's it going? Kira:   Good. It's always good with you. It's always good. So we're so excited to have you here to talk more about your story. Let's kick it off with how you became a copywriter. Allison:          Oh my life, in a summary. Yes, let's go. So the long story short, I was always making up ads and writing as a kid and doing all these things that had no idea what actually does something later in life. Right? Like I think a lot of us, copywriters and people in brand, we look back as kids and are like, ‘Oh yeah.’ Rob:   We don't normally interrupt you in the story. But ads as a kid, what were you writing ads of? Allison:          Me and my best friend, elementary school, we came up with this candy bar and we called it a nitwit bar and we created the packaging. We actually made a barn, created the design and then we created commercials for it. And then we had a school project where honestly, you didn't really have to do very much but we went real hard and then create a commercial and performed it.

It's a bit early to pick a best episode of 2020, but we predict this will be an early contender. Master copywriter, Stefan Georgi, joined us for the 171th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, to talk about how he became a copywriter who has helped his clients earn $700 million is sales. That is NOT a typo. Stefan is a terrific copywriter and this interview is practically a workshop on writing better sales letters. We talked about: •  the lucky poker game that turned Stefan into a copywriter •  how he landed his first two clients (and $300) 24 hours after calling himself a copywriter •  growing into clients and selling almost $700 million worth of products •  the crazy amount of work that earned Stefan $80K a month •  how he ended up writing 8 out of 10 of the top performing pages on click bank •  how he obsessed over the craft of copywriting (and what that involved) •  his favorite copywriting resource—we’ve included a link so you can get it too •  the RMBC method for writing a sales letters •  the genius way he breaks the “mechanism” into two parts that increases sales •  the different things you need to do with the lead of a sales page •  Stefan’s point-by-point script for a sales page that you can use when you write •  the most common mistakes copywriters make when writing a sales message •  the ROI escalation method and how Stefan uses it to justify his rates •  how his mindset has shifted as he’s grown in his business •  how he got his clients to recommend him to future clients •  how he balances his time writing for elite clients with time for his family You won't want to miss this one. To get it, download it to your favorite podcast app (or better yet, subscribe so you never miss an episode), click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: TCCIRL Warrior Forum ClickBank Software Projects The Fascinations Doc Stefan and Justin’s Mastermind Stefanpaulgeorgi.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club In Real Life, our live event in San Diego, this coming March 12th through 14th. You can get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the Club for Episode 171 as we chat with copywriter Stefan Georgi about his approach to writing long copy, the ROI escalation ladder and how we can use it in our businesses, what it takes to write copy that produces $700 million in revenue over six years, and how he gets his clients to sell his services for him. Kira:   Welcome Stefan. Rob:   Hey, Stefan. Stefan:           Hey, guys. Thank you. It's great to be here. Kira:   Yeah, we're excited to have you here. We met you through Brian Kurtz, through the Titans Masterclass, and so, glad we can hang out today. And also you're going to be speaking at our event in March, which is really exciting. Stefan:           Yeah, I'm thrilled for that. I really appreciate you guys inviting me to come speak, but I cannot wait for that. Kira:   All right, so why don't we start off with your story? How did you end up as a copywriter? Stefan:           Yeah, so it's definitely one of those sort of funny twists of fate or things that are, it's a bit unexpected, I suppose you'd say. In 2011, I was teaching at an outdoor school in Marble Falls, Texas, which is about an hour and a half outside of Austin. And I was at this place called The Outdoor School, which was like a summer camp during the summer and a outdoor Ed type facility during the spring and the fall,

For the 170th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob do something they haven't done in awhile and that's chat about what's going on in their lives and The Copywriter Club. Plus, they talk about the most popular episodes of the podcast this year—and of all time. Both of them listed a few of their favorites from the past 12 months... if you haven't listened to all the past year's episodes, this is a great way to find a few you don't want to miss. Here's what they covered: •  what’s happening in our lives right now •  the goals we have for the coming year •  the amazing speaker line-up at The Copywriter Club In Real Life  •  what makes TCCIRL different from other conferences •  what you’ll walk away with if you come to the event •  another great resource for reaching your goals—The Copywriter Underground •  the new Underground Case Studies •  a few specifics about the print newsletter that goes out to all members •  the top podcasts from 2019—these are the most listened to episodes •  our favorite podcasts from the past year—and a few of our take aways You won't want to miss this one. Click the play button below to hear it now, or download episode 170 to your podcast app. Want to read it? Scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event The Copywriter Underground Case Study Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club In Real Life. our live event in San Diego this March 12th through the 14th. You can get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl. Kira:   Hey, Rob. Rob:   Hey, Kira. Kira:   Happy 2020. Rob:   It's always a little awkward starting these when we don't write an intro for ourselves to read about ourselves. But this is an episode where we don't have a guest. We're just going to talk amongst ourselves. Yeah, let's do it. Happy 2020 to you, too. Kira:   Yeah, it's been a while since we've chatted and recorded it, even though we chat just about daily. So let's talk about some podcast episodes that were our favorites from 2019, some of the top most downloaded episodes, some of the ones that have resonated the most with us. But first, let's just catch up a bit. What's been new with you, Rob, since, I don't know, last time we recorded anything? I don't know what episode that was, but it's been a while. Rob:   It's definitely been a while since ... It's been even longer since just you and I talked. It's been a while since we had anything to talk- Kira:   It's been a year. Has it been a year? Rob:   Yeah, maybe. It's been a long time. So you would think that there would be some really big changes over the course of a year. I haven't done anything as exciting as, say, move, but this year is the first year that I am the only male person in my household. My oldest son is away to college and my youngest son is living in Phoenix on a mission. So the dynamic in my house has changed dramatically without any boys around. It's a lot quieter. Kira:   You're the only dude. Rob:   That's true. Kira:   How has it changed? How is it different at home? Rob:   It is a lot quieter. I miss my sons when they're not here. Obviously, my oldest son comes home from college quite a bit. And so, he's around. It's great having older children, but I definitely miss the rowdiness. I didn't ever think that I would, but I do. I miss the noise and the rowdiness. On the other hand, it's a lot quieter around here, and so I'm able to get more work done during the day. That is awesome. Kira:   Yeah, I'll send Henry. Henry can spend some time at your house if you need some extra rowdiness. He'll bring that. Rob:   I will take him any day. We can hang out and do Lego and whatever. So what big changes happened for you? Kira:   So the biggest change for me over the la...

Messaging expert Michelle Mazur joins Rob and Kira in the studio for the 169th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Michelle started her career as a speech consultant, then pivoted to talking about the 3 Word Rebellion and how a rallying cry can make your business more resilient. We talked about: •  how Michelle became a messaging coach and strategist •  what a “messaging strategist” actually does on a day-to-day basis •  how she lost her “why” and completely changed her business •  what a three-word rebellion is and why you need to start one •  a real world example how a “three-word rebellion” changes a business •  the process for creating your own rallying cry or •  the two things a good three-word rebellion (or positioning statement) does •  how to make a pivot in your business (and how to message it) •  how a three-word rebellion acts as a frame for speaking to your audience •  what Michelle has done to overcome the imposter complex •  her messaging advice to someone without her credentials •  what she would change about the marketing world •  how she met the perfect partner with a six minute discussion •  what’s next for Michelle in 2020 To hear Michelle's take on positioning your business in a way that attracts customers to your flag, click the play button below, or subscribe using your favorite podcast app. Or you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Three Word Rebellion Jennie Nash Profit Without Worry Podcast Tanya Geisler Michelle’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...    

NPR Podcaster and story teller, Glynn Washington, was generous enough with his time to visit our studio and share his thoughts about podcasting, storytelling and the hustle required to make something great for the 168th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We love this interview. Here's a few of the things we talked about with Glynn: •  how (and why) he built a career as a podcaster and radio producer •  the reaction he got when he announced his intention to be a podcaster •  what he did to help his podcasts gain traction—it took a lot of hustle •  the very “untechnical” process he used to create his first podcast •  how he came to understand the power of a good story •  what makes a great story that you can’t help but stop and listen to •  how to introduce an unbelievable story and get listeners to lean in •  the question every storyteller needs to ask before sharing their story •  the important reason Glynn never tells you what the story means •  the magician’s trick he uses to get people to talk about the supernatural •  the real impact of the stories/experiences shared on his podcasts •  the impossibility of choosing the one story he was born to tell •  the thing Glynn wishes more podcasters would do today •  3+ things to do if you want to create your own great podcast •  the power of a podcast to move markets and create best-selling products •  what’s coming next year from Snap Judgment If you want to improve your story-telling prowess, you'll want to get this episode ASAP. Click the play button below to listen online or download this episode to your podcast app. Even better subscribe so you never miss an episode. Readers can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Snap Judgment Spooked Podcast Heaven’s Gate Podcast GarageBand Mark Twain Have You Heard George’s Podcast Scott Sigler Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club In Real Life, our live event in San Diego March 12th through 14th, 2020. Get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/TCCIRL. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 168 as we chat with media personality and radio podcast producer, Glynn Washington, about what it takes to tell a great story, the power of podcasting to connect with an audience, what most podcasters including us should be doing differently, and what it means to be a fist-shaker, mountain hollerer, and foot stomper. Kira:   So, Glynn, welcome. Glynn:            Thank you for having me. Kira:   All right. So, Glynn knows, because I've already e-mailed him and said, ‘I'm a super fan.’ So I have listened to every episode of Spooked, all three seasons of Spooked. So this is just a delight, to be able to talk to you about what happens behind the scenes and get to know more about you. Rob:   And I want to add, I listened to all of the episodes of the Heaven’s Gate podcast, as well as several of the Spooked episodes. So- Kira:   So we're both super fans. Rob:   We're big fans of what you've done, Glynn. Glynn:            Well, I'm so glad you dug it. And I appreciate you having me on the show today. And I hope, I'm sorry, we had a bit of a flood, here, so I'm in a weird setting. So I'm hoping the sounds works for you right now. Rob:   Yeah, it's working great. It sounds really good. Kira:   All right, Glynn. So let's start with your story. How did you end up as a storyteller, podcaster, executive producer, and host of Snap Judgment and my favorite podcast, Spooked? Glynn:            Well,

Copywriter Andrea Littell is the guest for the 167th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. As we've gotten to know Andrea over the past year and learned more about her accomplishments and struggles, it was obvious we needed to have her join us to talk about her business. This discussion covers a lot of ground, including: •  her experience as the “go to” person for marketing and copywriting •  why she started a blog—Townies—and what it did for her business •  how she attracted attention without a plan or a press kit •  why she put her blog on pause and what she’s doing now •  how to prepare for personal difficulties when you’re the provider •  the place budgeting and knowing your numbers has in your business •  how Andrea manages the money in her business •  the power of consistency to earn grace from clients when you need it •  how to keep the right mindset when everything falls apart •  why more money isn’t always the goal for Andrea’s business •  working with an agency as a freelancer and the works she does •  the thing that matters more than talent when freelancing •  her advice to other freelancers who are starting out •  what her business looks like today and the kinds of projects she takes on now •  boundaries and how she makes space for her family and personal time •  the thing that has made the biggest difference in her success so far •  how to prepare your biz for a maternity (or paternity) leave To hear the wisdom that Andrea shared, click the play button below, or download this episode to your podcast app. And you can always scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Townies The Copywriter Think Tank Andrea’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Transcript is underway...  

Online Business Manager, Ashlee Berghoff, is our guest for the 166th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Ashlee has helped a bunch of copywriters we know and like figure out how to make their businesses more profitable... and just as importantly, helped them focus on the work they are best at (while shifting other work to a VA or OBM). That sounded like something we needed to hear more about. So we asked Ashee about ..... •  how she became an independent business manager/COO for copywriters •  the 10 months she spent working to prevent human trafficking at IJM •  when you should get help in your copywriting business •  the different kinds of VAs and other help you might consider hiring •  some examples of how she works with copywriters to grow •  the systems she helps her clients develop as they start working together •  the importance of discipline as you set up processes in your biz •  what it really costs to work with an integrator versus a VA (and what you get) •  the easiest systems to build that almost everyone needs right now •  the return on investment when you spend money on a VA or OBM •  the true cost of doing the work that others could be doing for less •  how to keep your VA relationship from falling apart •  some of the problems you should anticipate to keep the relationship working •  where to find the best VAs… the answer may surprise you •  what you need to put into a contract versus email •  how to deal with problems when thing inevitably go wrong •  the tools Ashlee uses in her business If you have a sneaky suspicion that your business could be doing better and that you need help to make that happen, you'll want to listen to this episode now. Click the play button below or subscribe using your favorite podcast app. Or scroll down to read a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: International Justice Mission Global Fund to End Modern Slavery Rocketfuel Angie Colie April Dykman Asana Jira Asquaredonline.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you're going to hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or  two  to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the Club for Episode 166 as we chat with business integrator Ashlee Berghoff about how to know when you're ready to bring in help for your business, the systems and processes copywriters need to grow, practical ways copywriters can expand their capacity and exactly what a VA or OBM can help you do in your business. Kira:   Welcome, Ashlee. Rob:   Hey Ashlee. Ashlee:          Thank you so much for inviting me. It's wonderful to be here. Kira:   Yes, we're excited to have you here because you worked with, I don't know- Rob:   Everybody. Kira:   ...six to eight, maybe even more copywriters. You don't have to name drop all the copywriters, but you've worked with a lot of well-known, successful copywriters that we've hung out with and we know really well too. So, we'll get a behind the scenes look at the type of work that you're doing with them. But before we dig into that, let's start with your story. How did you end up as an integrator, OBM? I know there are multiple titles for it. Yes, how did this all happen? Ashlee:          Yes, so I think as is the case for so many people, it was not a straight line at all. I actually graduated with an English degree and no idea what to do with my life. And in my first major job, I ended up in the Philippines actually working as kind of a de facto recruiter for an anti-trafficking field office there, did that for about 10 months, built out their recruiting program from scratch, which was really fun for me, but I didn't know why,

This one is wild. We invited Drayton Bird (who knew and worked with some of the original mad men) to join us for the 165th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Drayton has been around the world of advertising and direct marketing since the 1960s and he has the stories to prove it. As we talked, it occurred to us that if Drayton wasn't the inspiration for The Most Interesting Man in the World, he probably should have been. We asked Drayton about: •  what happened to him the last time he went to San Diego •  how he became a successful copywriter—it’s not about creativity •  how he spent his teen-age years and why he carried 2 library cards •  Why he couldn’t choose a niche when he started writing •  the one thing Drayton says you need to be a good copywriter •  the intriguing letter he sent to David Ogilvy that got an immediate reply •  the 7 big lessons he learned from David Ogilvy •  whether being interesting is something we are or something we become •  some of the questions he asks to get better creative work •  the legacy he has built and the story he shares in his latest book •  the bizarre thing his mother saw his father doing in their living room •  the time a stripper nearly killed him hitting him in the face with a plate •  the Maori princess who broke his heart when she ran off with a Swedish lawyer •  his parents’ crazy, loving and destructive relationship •  the advice he got from a Polish Count that saved Drayton’s life •  what you need to think about constantly if you really want to be really good at copy Like we said, this one is different from any other interview we've done. You won't want to miss it. Click the play button below to listen (or download the episode to your favorite podcast player), or scroll down to read a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The VW Snowplow Ad David Ogilvy Ogilvy on Advertising Drayton’s Biography (read this page) Drayton's Book Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club, In Real Life, our live event in San Diego, March 12th through 14th. Get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 165 as we chat with one of the original Mad Men, copywriter Drayton Bird about his place among the original Mad Men of advertising, what all copywriters need to master to make their writing better, getting stabbed three times and surviving, and the good advice he got from a Polish count many years ago. Rob:   Hey Drayton. Kira:   Welcome Drayton. Drayton:        Nice to talk to you. And I'll tell you something. I got involved in my most sad most expensive marriage to one of the ladies who did have a go at sticking a knife in me. Well, she didn't ever go, she didn't stick a knife in me,  because I was in San Diego. It was all your fault. I'd been doing a speech in Los Angeles and afterward, I went with some friends and we made our way down the coast staying somewhere terribly expensive. I can't remember. And then we went to San Diego Zoo and had one or two drinks and my friends said, ‘Let's go down to Mexico.’ And so we went down to the Mexican border to a dangerous town. I think, I believe one of the most dangerous places in Mexico. And that's where I got married as a result of being intoxicated. Kira:   That's a romantic, romantic story. Rob:   So are you telling us you're not going to come to San Diego for our event? Is that what you're saying here? Too dangerous? Drayton:        Can't afford to come twice. Tijuana,

Want to get better at copy? Copywriter and author, Glenn Fisher, joined us for the 164th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast to talk about how he became a copywriter and how he rapidly improved his skills. Today, Glenn teaches other how to start and get better at copywriting on his podcast, in speeches, and in his book. We asked Glenn about: •  how copywriting overtook his dream of becoming a bank manager •  pitching everyone in London before finding his first job •  what he learned from his early mentors that helped him most •  Glenn’s process for finding (and testing out) a great idea •  the difference between the UK and the USA when it comes to ideas •  the lessons he took away from his Tony Robbins experience •  whether or not copy and advertising can change a person’s beliefs •  the no-secret, “secrets” Glenn has used to grow his skill set •  what his business looks like and how he spends his time •  the catalyst for writing his book and the process he followed •  what he would do differently if he were rewriting his book again •  what the book has done to build his credibility and why that’s NOT enough •  what he struggles with in his business today •  what he would do if he lost everything and had to start over from scratch •  why other copywriters aren’t your competition We also asked Glenn about the future of copywriting and where marketing is headed right now. To hear this interview, click the play button below, or download the episode to your favorite podcast app. Or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Agora Tony Robbins The End of America Alex Mandossian AWAI Proust The Art of the Click Mary Ellen Tribby Kate Toon All Good Copy Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: This episode is brought to you by The Copywriter Club, In Real Life, our live event in San Diego, March 12th through 14th. Get your tickets now at thecopywriterclub.com/tccirl. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the Club for episode 164 as we chat with copywriter and podcaster Glenn Fisher about becoming a direct-response copywriter and writing a book about it, what it takes to write good copy, his writing processes, mistakes he's made, and what he thinks the future of copywriting looks like. Kira:   Welcome, Glenn. Rob:   Hi, Glenn. Glenn:            Hello. Thanks for having me. Kira:   So, let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter/author/speaker? Let's hear your story. Glenn:            Cool. So, yeah, we'll break it down into parts. As is the case with most copywriters, I got into it completely by mistake. I think I've spoken to you about one out of a thousand copywriters who went, ‘I'm going to be a copywriter.’ I started out as an accountant, which was an obvious mistake, but I did that for a few years and so I wanted to be a bank manager. I've never met anyone else who, as a 15-year-old kid, wanted to be a bank manager, but that's what I wanted to do. And I was going along on that path for a while until something snapped in my brain and went wrong, or maybe right, depending on which way you look at it, and I figured I wanted to do writing in some form. So, I ended up... I knew I couldn't just walk into a job and go, ‘Hey, I'm a writer now. Hope you might employ me,’ so I went back to uni. I was probably 22-ish, something around that mark. Went back to uni and did a creative writing course, a degree, here in England. I did that and then I come from a very small town in the Northeast of England where they barely can read, let alone write,

Email copywriter Sarah Henson is our guest for the 163rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We first met Sarah a couple of years ago (at a copywriter conference) and have seen her make big changes in her business in the past year as a member of The Copywriter Think Tank. We asked Sarah about her successes, her struggles and how she's pushed herself to accomplish more—even as she's faced some big challenges in her life and business. We talked about: •  Sarah's career path from actress to coach to email tech to copywriter •  her experience as an actress and how it helps her as a writer •  the “method actor” approach to understanding customers •  owning the title of copywriter and how she made the switch •  how she chose her niche (or how it chose her) •  some of the hurdles Sarah’s overcome on her way to the next level •  the big goals she’s set and what she wants to accomplish next •  what keeps her going especially when she struggles to make things work •  the mindset shift she’s experienced over the past 10 months •  a breakdown of the work she did to hit $11K in a single month •  comparison-itis and how Sarah has made sure it won’t hold her back •  struggles with balance and how to fit it all in •  the difference a community or mastermind can make in business •  what she’s building in her business right now To get this one in your ear holes, click the play button below. To make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe on your favorite podcast app. And to read a full transcript,  scroll down the page a bit.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert The Copywriter Think Tank Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts and ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 163 as we chat with email strategist and e-commerce copywriter, Sarah Henson, about the struggle of freelancing and having her biggest revenue month ever, building an effective email strategy, what she's done to take her business to the next level, and how her past life as an actor has made her a better copywriter. Welcome, Sarah. Sarah:            Hey. Rob:   Hi, Sarah. Sarah:            Hey there. Kira:   Great to have you here. Sarah. Let's just kick this off with your story. How did you end up in e-commerce and as an email strategist and a copywriter? Sarah:            Well, it's kind of a convoluted story, which I think pretty much everybody who's been on your podcast says it's been a bit of a weaving tale, but to me, yeah, you touched on it, that I was an actress for about 12 years. And when I say actress, it's not like I was super famous or anything like that. I was in the trenches, doing all of the auditions here, there and everywhere, getting gigs every now and again, but for 12 years, I was constantly going towards my goal and always getting little jobs here and there that just kept me going and kept me fueled all the time. But then, as I got into my 30s, things started to change, and my priorities changed. I met someone and we ended up getting married and having children and the life of an actor going for auditions all the time and being available for tours and gigs and things like that is not really conducive to life as a mother, so I decided that it was high time that I had to kind of switch gears. And I actually ended up starting my own actors’ agency, because I knew a lot of what goes on in the industry and how it works and everything. And I thought I could be really helpful to help other actors to get work. So, I started an agency. I ran that for about three years.

Leadership coach, Tanya Geisler, is our guest for the 162nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. It's been more than 2 years since we spoke to Tanya last (all about the Imposter Complex) and we thought it was time to check back in and see what other issues she could help us deal with. And we're glad we did. We asked Tanya about: •  what’s changed since we talked to her 2 years ago •  the behaviors that hold us back from accomplishing our mission •  the difference between anxiety, criticism and imposter complex—and why it matters •  how our deeply held values sometimes hold us back (and real world examples of how that works) •  the unshakeable confidence framework •  how to take ownership of what is holding us back so we can make progress •  overcoming the lies of the imposter complex (it’s not a linear process) •  how to find our own brand(s) of joy •  Tanya workshopped this a bit for Rob a bit while we talked •  what happens when we have the wrong perception of our brand of joy •  Tanya and Kira talked through her “word” and why Kira didn’t like it at first •  what you can do to figure this stuff out for yourself •  how to choose a coach who will help you become a better version of yourself •  how copywriters can take on the role of a leader We also asked Tanya about how someone can work with her and her thoughts about the future of copywriting and online marketing. To hear what she said about all of the above, click the play button below or download this episode to your favorite podcast player. Rather read what she said? Then scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Our first interview with Tanya (47) TanyaGeisler.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 162, as we chat for a second time with leadership coach Tanya Geisler, about what she's been doing since our last interview more than two years ago, the importance of embracing joy, building unshakable confidence, what to look for when you're hiring a coach and the thing that separates those who reach their full potential from those who don't. Kira:   Welcome, Tanya. Rob:   Hey Tanya. Tanya:           Hey. I'm so happy to be here, and honored. Thank you both so much. Kira:   Yeah, we're very excited to have you back for a second time. Your interview, number 47, is one of my favorite interviews on this entire show and I think just surprised both of us just with the impact it's had in the copywriter community after we talked about the impostor complex and dug into that. So we'll definitely link to that conversation, but we want to know really like what you've been up to since then over the last two years. So we can talk about a lot of what you're teaching and talking about today. Tanya:           Oh, what I've been doing in the last two years? I can tell you what I've been doing today, but the last two years, Oh my goodness. I've been doing a lot of speaking. I've been doing a lot of deepening into this body of work that I've been called to really understand. I've created a framework from which I'm really understanding the impostor complex, and I launched my own podcast called Ready Enough, which is really looking at all of the places perfectionism and gets up in our grill and insists that we do things perfectly right. But really it's also about taking the conversation about the impostor complex and getting under when it might not be the impostor complex, because I've spent so much time, I think I might've even said this in our interview two years ago,

Speaking coach and consultant, Lanie Presswood, is our guest for the 161st episode of The Copywriter Club podcast. Lanie coached both of us (Kira and Rob) as we scripted and delivered our presentations at our copywriting event, The Copywriter Club In Real Life. We asked Lanie to join us to talk about public speaking, what to do (and not do) on stage and this long list of other topics we covered: •  her journey to becoming a public speaker and speaking consultant •  some of Lanie's early successes •  the time Rob ruined Hillary Weiss’ presentation at TCCIRL •  how to deal with stage fright when getting up to speak •  the best ways to prepare a presentation that an audience wants to see •  how to “lay out” a presentation to get attention and persuade •  the 5 parts of a speech: definitions, scope, explanation, description, illustration •  the biggest mistake presenters make when giving a speech •  what a speaker can expect from the audience •  physicality—what to do with your hands and body as you speak •  things you should never do as a speaker •  whether you should play a “role” on stage (you don’t have to be Gary V) •  developing the “skill” of public speaking… no one is born an expert •  Lanie’s advice to anyone who thinks they don’t have anything to talk about •  whether or not you should write out your speech ahead of time •  the difference between video presentations and live presentations We also asked Lanie about the future of public speaking (a little twist on the question we usually end with). To learn more about how you can use public speaking to grow your authority, click the play button below, or download the episode to your favorite podcast player. Readers scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Hillary Weiss Presswood Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 161 as we chat with professor, communications expert, and public speaking consultant Lanie Presswood about speaking from the stage, what makes a good presentation, the simple things we can do to communicate more clearly, and how to avoid the worst mistakes speakers make. Welcome, Lanie. Lanie:            Hello. Thank you so much for having me here. Kira:   I feel like this was a long time coming. Especially considering you helped both of us with our presentations at TCC In Real Life this past year. So, we're excited to dig into that and talk more about you and your story. Let's kick it off with your story. How did you end up as a public speaking consultant and professor? Lanie:            So, I got into competitive speech and debate as a high schooler. And I was very bent on being a journalist at this point in time. I'm about 15, very, very opinionated, have lots of thoughts, and I think I'm going to storm down the doors of a newsroom somewhere in the nebulous future and right away they're going to hire me to just take on big names and bash in some skulls and change the world. This was my vision for myself. So, I knew that to do that I needed to get into a good college and therefore I needed a lot of extracurriculars. But unfortunately, I was really not particularly physically gifted and therefore I was really looking for a lot of things to do that didn't involve me having to go outside and run. I also wanted to get away from the legacy of my older brothers. Two years older than me, and he was very talented and very smart and extremely popular. So, I was really trying to find something to do at that point in my high school career that would just belong ...

Brand expert and one-woman SNL skit, Rachael Kay Albers is our guest for the 160th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Fitting all the characters Rachael plays on her YouTube channel into the TCC studio wasn't easy, but we managed. In addition to meeting several of the characters from her show (hey, Rachael's mom and Brad!), we also talked about: •  how she went from law school to business comedian and content writer •  how Rachael found her first clients (it has to do with cam shafts and pepper spray) •  going from small clients to internet sensation (wigs played a part) •  what she did to grow her authority and get attention •  how her internet show has helped her grow her business •  the time required to produce a high-quality video show •  the simplicity of her earlier shows and how she evolved as she got better •  the different characters who show up on Rachael’s show •  the truth about how comfortable Rachael is on every show •  how to use comparison, exaggeration and specifics to be funny •  brand strategy and what Rachael does for her clients •  how she helps clients discover a brand that reflects who they really are •  the questions to think through as you develop your own brand •  the tools she uses to help her clients develop really good content •  how she collaborates with the different people on her team •  the other tactics she’s used to grow her business (besides the web show) •  the mistakes copywriters are making when it comes to marketing We also talked about speaking on stage, the change she’s making to her business moving forward, and the future of copywriting. Want to hear it? Click the play button below or subscribe with your favorite podcast app. Prefer to read? Scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Upwork Awkward Marketing Laura Belgray Justin Blackman Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Basecamp Dubsado Amy Porterfield's Digital Course Academy Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 160 as we chat with content strategist and business comedian, Rachael Kay Albers about how she became the One-Woman Saturday Night live of business comedy, what it takes to build an unforgettable brand, the different kinds of humor that copywriters can tap into for themselves and their clients and creating content that people want to see. Kira:   Hey Rachael. Rob:   Hey Rachael. Rachael:       Well, hey there. How are you doing? Kira:   Welcome. I feel like I ever wrote the same for recorded that. I feel like I'm in the room with the celebrity, like an SNL celebrity. Rob:   Or 10 celebrities. 10 different celebrities. Rachael:       It's so mutual. Yeah, there's about 30 of us here. I got wigs and for every voice I do I'm putting on in different wigs. So just imagine that. Kira:   You've got great wigs and great costumes, which I definitely want to talk about. But let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a creative director / digital strategist / business comedian? Rachael:       Well, I kind of came at it backwards. Because, the whole thing these days is... The dream is to quit your day job and go live in a beautiful place and drink Margaritas in a hammock. But I actually did kind of the opposite way. I was in law school, 10 years ago and it wasn't working out. It was a bad move. It was the wrong choice. And I had done an internship in Southern Mexico, where I kind of learned about this type of theater that was being used as a tool for social change.

Copywriter Matt Hall joins us in the studio for the 159th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Matt is a member of The Copywriter Think Tank and has a ton of experience as a copywriter and agency owner. He's worked in-house, as an agency employee, and has started his own agency—twice. Here's what we talked about: •  the high school experience that made him want to know everything •  how he decides what he needs to learn next—without the stress of keeping up •  getting permission to be different and not live up to other’s expectations •  the system he uses to stay up-to-date on his favorite topics •  why he made the shift from eternal student to content writer and strategist •  working with a variety of clients •  why he likes to do a lot of different kinds of work •  the different roles a copywriter can choose (and why to do each one) •  his biggest struggle as a business owner •  his $30K month and the work he had to deliver •  the challenge and benefit of working with a spouse •  his system for managing all the house-hold stuff so work gets done •  the practice that keeps him from having a scarcity mindset •  how he attracts clients to his freelance business •  his thoughts about the trends in conversion copy and design This is a good discussion you definitely don't want to miss. To hear it, click the play button below or subscribe with your favorite podcast app. You'll find a full transcript below.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kajabi Rob Braddock The Dunning Krueger Effect Prerna Malik Linda Perry Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript:   Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 159 as we chat with copywriter and all-around renaissance man, Matt Hall, about how he became a copywriter, different roles copywriters can take on and how they all compare, conversion design, what it is and how copywriters should think about conversion, and what Matt has done to bring business in the door for his agency. Welcome, Matt. Matt:   Hi. Really happy to be here. Kira:   Yeah. Great to have you. I have this huge smile on my face and I don't know if it's the cold Chinese food I'm eating or if it's just ... I'm so excited to hang out with you. So let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a renaissance man/conversion, optimization socialist/copywriter/many other things? Matt:   All of the things. I'm hoping more of a jack of all trades rather than a master of none. But it started back in high school and I overheard a conversation when I was like, 14. And some of my classmates were talking about one of our friends saying, ‘She is so interesting. She can talk about literally anything, like your car's dashboard and she knows about it.’ And something about the idea of being able to engage with somebody over literally any topic at any given time and actually know what you're talking about really connected with me. And that stuck with me, even when I was an undergrad, I did a master's in English with the focus on professional writing, but I got ... I built my own minor. It was a combination of graph design and PR and building documents with tech and just combining a whole bunch of things. I ended up having something like 200 credits when they finally kicked me out school and said, ‘You got to graduate, dude. It's time to go.’ And then I went and got a Master's in American studies which is another field that's like combining a few different fields. American studies lives on the edge of English but also history and a little bit of psychology or whatever you want to do.

Samar Owais, content expert and email copywriter is our guest for the 158th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. This one has been a long time coming... this is our fourth attempt to make this interview happen and it is worth the wait. Kira and Rob ask Samar about a lot of stuff from email to being the only person at TCCIRL with a hijab. Here's the list of what we asked: •  how Samar built her content business and charged $1000 per blog post •  what content writers should be doing to build their business •  why she “transitioned” from content to conversion-oriented email copy •  what she does to find clients for her business right now •  what email sequences should use in their business •  the 4 phases of her process and what she accomplishes in each phase •  the things she struggles within her business •  how she storyboards emails to make sure the sequence does what it should •  how she tracks her success—and gets access to all of her client’s numbers •  why she offers to help implement the emails she writes •  how she packages her services and what she charges for an engagement •  her writing process and how she applies her strategy to each project •  the impact of the pivot—from content to email—on her business •  her experience attending TCCIRL last year (and why you should go this year) •  what she experienced as the only hijab-wearing Muslim woman at the event and why we need more people from all backgrounds at all copywriting events •  how she deals with self-sabotage and how we can stop doing that to ourselves •  who she relies on to help her get things done •  her advice for anyone who wants to specialize in email copy •  what’s next for Samar in her business Like we wrote above, this one is worth the wait. To hear all the advice Samar had to share, Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or download the episode to your favorite podcast app (and don't forget to subscribe so you won't miss future episodes).   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Paul Jarvis Copyblogger Copyhackers Val Geisler Prerna Malik Eman Zabi TCCIRL The Copywriter Underground Chanti Zak Samar's website Samar’s Twitter Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal and idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the Club for episode 158 as we chat with copywriter, Samar Owais about going from $5 blog posts to assignments that pay more than 50 times that much today. How she finds good clients, willing to pay her rates. What she did to write for clients like Copyblogger, Men with Pens, and Mercy, and how she stays productive while raising a young family. Hey, Samar. Kira:   Samar, welcome. Samar:           Hi, guys, how are you? Kira:   So good, so good to talk to you. This has been a long time in the making. I think this is our fourth attempt to make this interview happen, but I'm feeling, I think we're all feeling good. This is going to happen and we're really excited to talk to you today. So, let's just kick off with your story. How did you end up as an email copywriter? Samar:           Mostly through trial and error. So, before I was an email copywriter, I was a content writer. I spent about eight years building my business and authority. Wrote for clients like Paul Jarvis, and big brands like Marriott and Intercontinental. Got published in places like Copyblogger and Founder. My business as a content writer was at a pretty sweet spot, to be honest. But then, three things happened. One, I got more interested in pursuing the ROI of the content that I was writing, but my clients weren't. Two,

Copywriter and expert cold emailer, Laura Lopuch, is our guest for the 157th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. In this interview, Kira, Rob and Laura covered a lot of ground when it comes to what to say when you're cold pitching new prospects. Here's a pretty good list of what we covered: •  the path Laura took from paralegal to copywriter •  what made her decide it was time for a job change •  how she attracted her first clients when she went out on her own •  how to cold pitch effectively •  the difference between personalization and relevance and why it matters •  the thing that no one talks about when it comes to cold emails •  what Laura does BEFORE she starts to write a cold pitch •  why you might need to indulge your inner stalker when you cold pitch •  how to tell if a potential client is ready to invest in what you can offer •  the best way to phrase the call to action so you get results •  the subject lines that work well—Laura’s “backslash secret” •  the ways a cold pitch email differs from a regular email to your list •  how she figured out the niche to focus on in her business •  the basics of a good presentation and how it all comes together •  why she doesn’t focus her mentorship on learning •  how she became a travel hacker so she could travel for free •  where Laura thinks copywriting will go in the future •  the templates she used to land +$20K in business If that seems like a lot, it is. And it's good stuff. To hear this interview, click the play button below or subscribe to The Copywriter Club Podcast using your favorite podcast app. And if you prefer to read, you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Crystalknows Copyhackers Shine Bootcamp MicroConf Hayley Hopson Tarzan Kay thepointsguy.com Laura's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 157 as we chat with email copywriter, Laura Lopuch about why she loves writing emails, the worst mistakes we make when writing emails, the relevancy method and how to structure a cold pitch so potential clients become actual clients, and how she became a travel hacker. Kira:   Welcome Laura. Rob:   Hey Laura. Laura:            Thanks guys for having me. I'm very excited to be here. Kira:   Yeah, we're excited to chat and we want to kick this off with your story. So how did you end up as a copywriter? Laura:            I took a long detour through the legal field. I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. You can blame Jerry Maguire and all those awesome John Grisham novels and all that kind of stuff for it. I just thought, yeah, this would be cool. I like arguing. I could be a lawyer. So I did something smart and actually took a job at a law firm to see real world experience if A, I wanted to be a lawyer, before I spent B, all that money to get a fancy dancy law degree. Fast forward a couple of years and I figured out no, I didn't want to be a lawyer. But it was a really good job and I was learning a lot. I really liked the stories. We were a civil defense law firm. For example, if you get in a car accident, we were usually the insurance for the law firm that your insurance company would hire to defend you against the plaintiff, the person who's suing you. So I got to see some really interesting cases and stories. People do some crazy, crazy stuff, let me tell you. But I got seduced by a steady paycheck and a good job, until I just couldn't take it anymore and I quit. And so at that point I was like,

Sometimes we like to try a little something different with the podcast and today's interview is a bit different than our standard. Preacher, coach and copywriter Les Hughes is our guest for the 156th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We talked to Les about ..... •  how awesome, giving and kind Kira is •  the path from preacher to business coach •  what he did to build his platform as he pivoted his “business” •  having the right mindset before you make a shift •  trusting the process (and mentors and a higher power) •  what he would have done differently—and faster—if he did it again •  the tactics that helped him move forward quickly •  what he does today and the success he has found •  what copywriters can do to build their own authority to serve their own clients •  why you need to create a success path for your clients •  how to get your clients to help you serve them more effectively •  the importance of humility •  how he helps his own clients thing more strategically •  Les’ writing process and what helps him improve his writing •  how to prepare for adversity (but hope for the best) •  the place service to others plays in a successful business To hear it all, download this episode to your favorite podcast player or click the play button below. If you're a reader, scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Ray Edwards Mel Abraham Stu McLaren Tribe Jim Rohn Zig Ziglar Joni Eareckson Tada (athlete, painter) Les' website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you can hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 156 as we chat with preacher, business coach and strategist Les Hughes about his surprising career path, how we can think more strategically about our own businesses, what he does to help his clients transform their businesses and the power of volunteer work to change lives. Kira:   Welcome, Les. Rob:   Hey, Les. Les:    Thank you all both. Kira, great to talk with you again. Rob, great to talk with you as well. I really look forward to our conversation today. Kira:   It's so great to hear your voice. We met in Ray Edward's Mastermind last year and it was so great to meet you. I'm just happy to hang out with you for the next hour because it's been a while since we've chatted. Let's kick this off with your story, Les. How did you end up as a preacher, a pastor to pastors, a coach, a strategist to business leaders, a copywriter and many other things? Les:    I will do that and thank you for asking. Before I do, I'd like to share if I could take a point of peripheral privilege, so I'm going to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, okay? Kira, the people that know you are going to know what I'm going to say, but maybe new listeners or those that only listen to your podcast. Kira:   You're making me nervous. Les:    Well, don't be. It's going to be good. Listen, it's going to be a little uncomfortable for you, but that's all right. I want your audience to know what a giving and servant-hearted person you are genuinely. I think that doesn't come always across on your podcast because you're also very professional and objective and friendly and all of that. You're a very organized person, but I want the people that are listening this to know that you are one of the most giving, kind, empathetic people in this space that I've met. I just wanted to say that. I don't know if I've ever told you that, but I wanted you to know that. Les:    When we began our relationship in the mastermind group together, you were certainly further ahead than many of ...

Marketing OG, Nigel Stevens, is our guest for the 155th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Nigel is in the middle of a move from Asia to Spain and we caught him as he was packing his bags to talk about the business he's built, his experience in content marketing and SEO, and maybe most interesting... how to raise your prices and up level the clients you work with. Here's what we covered... •  how he turned an English degree into a position as the marketing OG •  why he left a cushy job in San Francisco to create his best job •  what it takes to build an agency from the ground up •  the early days… how he started finding clients and growing his leverage •  how he grew his confidence charging more money •  value based pricing and getting better referrals •  his discovery and proposal process and what he wants to learn •  how to build your portfolio of clients (most copywriters won’t do this) •  what’s working (and not working) right now in content marketing •  how he figures out what kind of content to create for clients •  what copywriters need to know about SEO (Nigel’s answer surprised us) •  how he helps clients understand the right approach to SEO content •  how he’s built his authority to engender trust with his clients •  the future of content marketing It's a good discussion that will get you thinking about the kind of business you're building and the next steps. To hear it, click the play button below, or download the episode to your favorite podcast player. Readers can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Nigel’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, the work processes, and their habits, then steal and idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 155 as we chat with marketing specialist, Nigel Stevens, about what it takes to build a marketing agency, what copywriters need to know about SEO, building authority, attracting, and working with really big clients, and what it's like to live and work in Barcelona. Kira:   Welcome, Nigel. Nigel: Thanks, great to be here. Kira:   Yeah, great to have you here, and we're going to see you in just a couple weeks in Barcelona because you will be presenting at our Think Tank retreat, so excited to meet you in person. Until then, we can get to hear all about your story today. So why don't you share your story and how you ended up as the marketing OG? Nigel: Yeah, so it's a little bit of a winding story as it tends to go. So, I got an English degree, got out of school, realized I had no idea what I wanted to do, somehow found my way into a job doing copywriting for this weird mattress startup that no longer exists anymore. And then, I got a job offer to be a SEO analyst, which I was exactly zero percent qualified to do. But I somehow got the job, and I went from being more of a kind of writer and qualitative marketer to then having to also pick up some quantitative skills, and then I had a couple more jobs, worked at BigCommerce for a while, e-commerce platform doing kind of a combination of SEO and content marketing. And then, after a little while there, I decided I kind of wanted to blow up my life. So, I left my job, moved to Thailand and then started taking on work. And it escalated quickly, one thing led to another. And now, I have a team, and we work with various SaaS clients and other companies. So that's the summary. Rob:   Yes, quick summary, but can we talk a little bit about at least this last section of your career, building an agency and what has taken to do that? I'm sure we can ask other questions about some of the stuff you've done earli...

Copywriter and expert researcher, Hannah Shamji, joins us in the ultra-plush Copywriter Club studio for our 154th episode. Hannah has been making a name for her self doing research for Copyhackers Agency and we wanted to learn more about how she does it. We asked Hannah about: •  how she went from boring public policy to copywriter and research specialist •  The catalyst  for making her career change •  how her previous experience helped her make the jump more quickly •  the first steps she took as a new copywriter (and started looking for clients) •  what it feels like to find clients when you don’t know everything yet •  Hannah’s research process… goals, questions, hypothesis •  how to define the goals for research so you know what’s most important •  the kinds of data she looks for as she does her research •  the one thing she always does when asking questions •  two things you can do immediately that will help you do research better •  the mistakes most copywriters make when conducting research •  the bad questions you probably shouldn’t ask •  how to get clients excited about research •  what you don’t know (that you should know) about interviews Want to improve your research chops. Then add this one to your favorite podcast app. Or click the play button below. If you prefer reading, scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The copywriter therapist post Hannah’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 154 as we chat with conversion copywriter Hannah Shamji about how she became a copywriter, the best way to get good voice of customer data, how to conduct a great interview, her role at Copy Hackers, and how psychology makes her a better copywriter. Kira:   Hey, Hannah. Welcome. Rob:   Hey, Hannah. Hannah:        Thank you. Hey, guys. Kira:   All right, Hannah. This conversation has been a long time coming. We've had to reschedule a couple times, but we're really excited to chat with you and really dig into some of your processes around research and experiences. But before we do that, let's kick it off with your story, how did you become a copywriter and researcher? Hannah:        Yeah, for sure. Well, I'm super excited to be here thanks for having me on. My story is kind of meandering as I feel a lot of folks are. I have a bachelor's in psychology, a master's in public health and jumped into public health policy and research. So pretty heavy in the academic side of research, and kind of government policy development, pretty boring words to most folks, myself included. And I think it was about like five-ish years ago that I... Maybe four years ago, and I just kind of pump the brakes, looked up the clock. It was 10:08, I remember the time exactly and decided I was just going to quit. So I handed in my resignation the next day and had zero idea of what I was going to do, and I didn't even really think about clearly planning that before. So it was a few hops before I found copywriting. I had my own jewelry business, I did affiliate marketing, a t-shirt business, and kind of just hopped around. And I started a counseling training program which was a three year program. I just graduated from that last year. And it was on that path that I've always liked writing, enjoyed writing, and came across one of Copy Hackers' blogs. I think it's written by Sam Woods, and it's talking about the theory of copywriters towards therapists, and that blend which was exactly the line I wa...

Conversion content writer, Doug Paton, is the guest for the 153rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We've known Doug since the beginning days of The Copywriter Club, so it's about time we had him on the show to talk about his approach to content writing. We asked Doug all about: •  his favorite place to fly fish (in British Columbia) •  how “not wanting to talk to people” led to his career choices •  why he chose content as his focus as a copywriter •  his stint writing books for kids—and how he landed it •  how he applies his experience writing for kids to his work today •  his process for writing content and how he grabs attention •  how he pitches new clients on content projects •  what he done to build his network and the result on his work load •  what Doug would do if he had to start all over •  his definition of “conversion content” and how its different from other content •  what he’s done to land amazing clients like National Geographic •  what he still struggles with in spite of his recent success •  how he balances work with being a dad and the other demands on his time •  what’s next in his business and what the future holds for copywriting To hear what Doug had to share, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. You can also subscribe and download this episode to your favorite podcast player (recommended). Don't miss this one.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Justin Blackman Shanelle Mullins Jessica Mehring Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Transcript delayed but on its way soon...    

Continuing what’s been a bit of a theme on the show lately, we invited copywriter Mai-kee Tsang to talk about how to pitch podcasts for the 152nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Mai-kee recently set a goal to pitch 101 podcasts in 30 days, and she joined Kira and Rob to talk about how she did it, what she learned, and the impact the project had on her business. During our discussion, we asked her: •  how Mai-kee finally listened to her heart and became a copywriter •  how she applies ideas from psychology and coaching to her copy •  overcoming fears and how she overcame her fear of acceptance •  developing a habit of trying things regardless of the expected result •  the importance of sales—and why copywriters can’t afford not to sell •  what she did to find her first clients •  how she announced her copywriting business to the world •  why hiding until you’re ready is the wrong approach to launching •  why she took on a “101 podcast pitches” project •  the biggest lessons she learned while pitching podcasts •  the terrible first pitch she sent and what she learned •  the elements of a successful pitch and how Mai-kee personalized each pitch •  how she finds elements to personalize her pitches •  the group program she launching to help others get on more podcasts •  overcoming the idea that you don’t have something to share •  the impact podcasts have had on Mai-kee’s own business If you’ve ever listened to a podcast and though you could do better than the person you heard on the show, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Combine it with our interview two weeks ago with Brigitte Lyons for best results. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or download the episode to your favorite podcast app and listen wherever you are.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank The Podcast Pitching Masterclass Mai-kee’s Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Transcript to come...    

Marketing strategist and event planner, Patsy Kenney, is our guest for the 151st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Patsy is wrapping up a couple of transitions in her business, including combining her event planning business into an agency with two of her best friends. We asked Patsy about all the changes in her life and... •  how Patsy became a brand and event specialist •  all the things someone needs to know to be an event planner •  how to think about the purpose of your event to magnify your ripple effect •  Patsy’s 4P process for event planning •  the power of being intentional about everything at an event •  how to foster more connection at an event (what we try to do at TCCIRL) •  the part that branding and marketing play in your event •  when copywriters should consider holding their own events •  why retreats and personal gatherings are such a great opportunity •  the mistakes she’s seen others make with their events •  why she decided to fold her business into an agency with friends •  navigating business and growing when life throws you a setback •  what comes next for Patsy and her business(es) To hear the brilliant things Patsy shared about events and dealing with change, click the play button below, or download this episode to your favorite podcast app. Or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Nikki Groom The Good Life Project Seth Godin Vidyard AndCelebrate.com TheBrandingEdit.com Patsy's Instagram Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 151 as we chat with branding and events strategist, Patsy Kenney, about celebrating something every day, what it's like to start an agency with your best friends, how to know if you should have your own event, and what it takes to make an event successful. Welcome, Patsy. Rob:   Hey, Patsy. Patsy:            Hey, thank you both so much for having me. I'm really excited about this conversation. Kira:   Yes, we are excited, and we met ... I was trying to trace it back, but we met via Nikki Groom, who is also on our show, and we met at the Good Life Project, which is such a nice place to meet you. Patsy:            We did. It was a lovely space, and I just adore that community because it is full of amazing people like yourself who are looking to really get the most out of this human experience that we're a part of. Kira:   All right, so, Patsy, let's kick us off with your story. I know you've gone through a lot of changes in your business and your life. Let's just start with how you ended up becoming a brand and event strategist. Patsy:            Awesome. Yeah, so my path has not been a linear one by any means. When I first graduated from high school, I grew up in a small town in Maine, and I knew I wanted to leave the state, at least for those four years of college. I found myself in Rhode Island. When I first started that college pathway, I really didn't know what I wanted to focus on, and I didn't really have a great sense of self. I knew that I loved learning about people, and I was a decent writer. Those two things as my filter, I eventually found myself pursuing a public relations degree, and quickly, after graduation, found myself in a corporate setting in a marketing department for very well-known brands, but in an industry and space that wasn't exactly what I would call interesting to me. While it was a great foundational place for me to land in terms of learning about how a business works and what it's like to be out in this sort of corporat...

For the 150th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we asked public relations and podcast expert, Brigitte Lyons, to talk about the best ways to build authority. Brigitte has presented to our Think Tank and The Underground, but we felt like what she has to share is too good to keep secret. In this interview, we asked her about: •  her early experiences as a PR specialist •  how she shifted her business from PR to specializing in Podcasts •  why podcasting is a powerful medium for building authority (and finding clients) •  how to get started pitching podcasts—what to think about before you pitch •  her advice to beginners and those who have “nothing” to say •  the elements of your podcast pitch—what you need to include •  what not to do when you pitch (the bad pitches she’s seen) •  what to do after the podcast goes live to maximize the impact •  how to make the interview successful—how to prep •  why you need a clear call to action to direct people to your website If you've thought of using podcasts to build your authority as a copywriter, you'll want to listen to this episode. To do that, just click the play button below or subscribe with your favorite podcast app. Readers can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Creative Live Entrepreneur on Fire Lacy Boggs Zencastr Sims CatQuest Brigitte’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits? Then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 150 as we chat with media strategist and podcast expert Brigitte Lyons about building a reputation, tactics copywriters can use to build authority and recognition, what to include in your podcast pitch so the host will say yes and a few details about her new business Podcast Ally. Kira:   Welcome Brigitte. Brigitte:         Hi. Thank you so much. Episode 150. I heard you saying in the intro. I feel like that's a milestone episode. Kira:   This is a big deal episode. Yes. Rob:   Definitely a big deal episode. And I probably just said the business name wrong too, it's Ally, right? Not Alley. Brigitte:         Yeah, it's Ally. The naming of the business, that mistake right there was actually my biggest kind of fear. And there's another company that has a pop-up ally and for years I thought it was Ali, so I'm like, it'll just, it'll be what it is. Rob:   Yeah. My apologies. Everybody check out Podcast Alli and yeah and learn more. Kira:   So we are so excited to have you here, Brigitte, because you have been in our community, you've already run a couple of workshops for our mastermind group and for our membership. And every time you run a workshop you teach, there's so much you bring to the table and you teach us about podcasting and PR. So we knew we had to bring you on the podcast and I'm personally working with you too. So I'm clearly a big fan. So let's just kick this off with your story. How did you end up in PR? Brigitte:         Yeah, well I got into PR really early in my career. When I was in college, I was a creative writing major and of course, like all creative writing majors, I thought I'm going to leave school. I want to do something really creative. I want to write. Of course, I want to write the great American novel, which I haven't done, but there's still time. And I stumbled into PR by accident, while I was still in school, I did an internship for actually a local sheriff's department. It's this crazy story where the sheriff ended up in the hospital. My mom was an ER nurse and they got to talking and she's like, ‘Hey,

This episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, is all about The Copywriter Accelerator—the 16-week program designed to help "newish" copywriters build the foundations of a healthy business. Kira and Rob talk about what it includes and who it's for in this short, informational episode. The Copywriter Accelerator opens up for new members on August 27 and launches for good the first week of September.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Since this is just a short discussion of The Copywriter Accelerator, there is no transcript for this episode.  

Copywriter Lindsay Hotmire is our guest for the 149th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We’ve gotten to know Lindsay over the past six months as she’s made some big changes to her business—including dialing in her niche and reaching out to a new kind of client. She told us all about the process she has followed as she’s made these changes (funny enough it’s the same process she walks her clients through). We asked Lindsay a bunch of stuff including: •  how Lindsay went from high school English teacher to anti-hog activist to copywriter •  how she found her first few clients so she could quit her full-time gig •  the resources she used to gain traction and reach six figures •  the “unbranding” transition she’s been going through over the last few months •  why she applied her three-part client framework to her own business •  her interest in phenomenology and how that affects her work •  how developing a framework has changed the way so works with clients •  the 5 steps of her framework and the questions she asks •  why pivots are good for your business and why you should trust the journey •  what she’s done to show up more for her audience—and where she does it •  what to do if you don’t have anything interesting to share •  the changes she’s making as she moves her business forward •  how she gets so much done as a busy mom of four teens •  what she would do differently if she had to start over Lindsay offers a calm, collected look at what it means to be a six-figure copywriter—including the struggles and successes. To hear this episode, click the play button below or subscribe and download it to your favorite podcast app. Rather read? Scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Start with Why by Simon Sinek Researching The Lived Experience by Max Van Manan To Kill a Mockingbird Lindsay’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 149 as we chat with copywriter, Lindsay Hotmire about her framework that helps clients understand how she helps them brand their businesses, her interest in phenomenology, and how that impacts her business, changing niches and focusing on the clients she loves, and the number one thing that's helped her push her business forward. Welcome, Lindsay. Lindsay:        Hey, I'm so excited to be here. Kira:   I know. We're excited too, and we're really grateful that we've been able to get to know you better through the Think Tank, and just chatting with you recently about all the changes you've made in your business and some of the frameworks you're developing. We've got to talk to you about this, and of course, hit record as we're chatting through some of this. Why don't we start with your story? How did you end up as a copywriter? Lindsay:        Yes, so my story. I always tell people I hate telling my own story. I like to collect people's stories better, but my story really starts, I guess professionally back in 1999. I graduated from college. That was a time where I guess the internet existed, but fairly. Napster was still a thing. Facebook and LinkedIn, they didn't even exist, and so I knew I loved to write, but I graduated from college with an education degree. I was going to teach high school English. I thought that that's what I wanted to do because I understood even then the power of language to kind of change lives, and I thought, ‘What better place to do that than in a classroom.’ I realized pretty quickly that that wasn't really the place for me. I just ...

Author, copywriter and member retention specialist, Robert Skrob, is our guest n the 148th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We recently invited Robert to present his unique business model to the members of The Copywriter Think Tank and wanted to share his unique approach to marketing his business with everyone who listens to the podcast. We asked Robert about: •  how he went from working as a book keeper to writing copy for subscription businesses and the advantages his accounting background give him •  how copywriters make our business more complex than it needs to be •  why your marketing should be all about the problem you solve •  Robert’s advice to copywriters choosing a niche •  how he promotes his business today •  the unique approach he used to attract his first big clients (this is worth stealing) •  how he uses his book to attract and qualify clients today •  the kinds of clients copywriters should be trying to attract (sail fish, not brim) •  how Robert pitches long-term projects to his clients •  the mindset issues that keep us from getting the paychecks we want •  what he learned from Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazier •  the ideas you can safely ignore when it comes to “the next new thing” •  positioning yourself as the wizard with the knowledge •  why there is no future in copywriting and what you need to be instead Here we go again, saying this is a great interview. But if you want to attract multiple, high-paying clients to your business,  you could do a lot worse than follow the blue print that Robert lays out in this episode. To hear it, click the play button below, or subscribe with your favorite podcast app. Or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy David Deutsch Parris Lampropoulos Retention Point by Robert Skrob Bill Glazier Perry Marshall Adam Witty Travis Miller The Bonanza King  Robert’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits? Then, steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 148 as we chat with author and copywriter, Robert Skrob, about adopting a unique copywriting niche and positioning himself as the industry expert in memberships and subscriptions, the sales formula to outline his recent book, Retention Point, why people join memberships and why they leave, and what it's like to write a book with Dan Kennedy. Hey Robert. Robert:          It's my honor to be here. It took, I guess I'm 148 on the list of the most interesting copywriters to talk to. Rob:   You're way above that. But, we just haven't been able to get with you. You're so busy. Kira:   That's true. Rob:   With a such a great business. It's amazing to have you here though. Thank you so much for being here. Robert:          I'm honored. I don't hang out at copywriting events or speak at those things, but I certainly see copywriters struggle and become very frustrated. So hopefully, we can share some ideas that can help simplify this whole business for everybody. Kira:   Sounds great. Well, let's start with your story first. How did you end up as a copywriter? Robert:          Actually, back in 1993, I was an accountant at a public accounting firm and hated it. I was there three months and left, took a job as a bookkeeper for a company that did consulting with non-profit associations, and I ended up buying that company about five years later. So, I had 20 associations that I was responsible for doing membership marketing, event marketing, sponsorship sales,

Copywriter Adam Bensman is our guest for the 147th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We've gotten to know Adam over the past few months and are very impressed with the business he's built. While so many copywriters struggle to find decent paying clients, Adam has built a great business working with a few, high-paying clients—and still has plenty of time at the end of the day for recreation and fun. We asked Adam about: •  how he went from door to door sales to copywriter (with a few stops in between) •  how he compensates for the “missing advantages” of face to face sales when you’re writing email (or sales pages) •  why you need to couple empathy with pain when you “agitate the pain” •  how to join the conversation in your prospect’s head •  the template he uses when he sits down to write for clients •  establishing boundaries and how it can change your business •  how Adam defines his niche (it’s not the regular way) •  the connection secret he used to find clients that fit in his niche •  the value he creates for his clients (and how he presents it) •  pricing… what Adam used to do and what he does today •  what a typical project looks like (and what Adam does to complete it) •  success fees and how it makes it work for his clients •  how to think bigger about your business We say this a lot, but this is a good one.  To hear everything Adam has to share, click the play button below or download this episode to your favorite podcast player. Rather read? Scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Joseph Sugarman Sales Email Formula Adam’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 147 as we chat with copywriter Adam Bensman about his approach to finding high-paying clients and building a business to support his lifestyle, making the time to value switch, how he finds the right clients and prices his projects, and what all copywriters can do to think bigger about their businesses. Kira:   Welcome, Adam. Adam:            Hey. Thank you, Kira and Rob. It's great to be here. Rob:   Yeah, it's good to have you here. Kira:   All right, Adam. So let's start with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Adam:            My original background was in psychology and natural medicine, and when I moved to Madison, Wisconsin to pursue that venture, I was making no money in that field. And I set out to put food on the table, literally. I mean, I was that broke. So, I fell into door-to-door sales selling roofing, and from there worked my way up to be the COO of a multi-state roofing and storm restoration company. And when I left that space from burnout, I started in the consulting world. And I was writing all of our direct mail at that company when I was COO, and then when I was doing consulting, I was providing some of those service for clients, not really even understanding that there was a copywriting profession in existence. And I went on to co-found kind of an email marketing-type SaaS for the niche that I came from. And we went six months with zero sales. It was me and one partner. And I was sending emails out to our list that I had built, to past clients. I was posting on LinkedIn, posting on Facebook and engaging all the Facebook groups. We literally went six months with zero sales. And when I kind of reached this breaking point, it was like, we needed to turn the ship around. So, I found an opportunity to joint venture with someone in our space,

A-list Copywriter and best-selling author, Richard Armstrong, is our guest for the 146th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Richard has been writing winning direct response copy for more than 30 years. And he just released his latest book, The Don Con. Kira and Rob invited Richard into the studio to talk about the book and a whole lot more. Stuff like... •  how Richard went from office boy to agency creative director •  the lessons he learned early on working on “junk” mail •  what’s changed in the world of direct response in 30 years—and what hasn’t •  his award-winning letter for Sea Turtle Rescue •  the go-to books he refers to again and again •  his favorite clients and the work he’s most proud of •  why he took long 3 martini lunches in his “Mad Men” days •  the one good copywriting habit he has •  the #1 thing that makes copywriters good at what they do •  what Richard learned while writing about con men •  the important difference between copywriters and confidence men •  his experience at Comic Con and FanCon •  what happened when he met Captain Kirk and The Fonz Don't miss your opportunity to get the free copywriting samples and download that Richard mentioned during the interview. And check out a few of the many resources he mentioned. This is a good one. To hear it all, click the play button below, or download this episode to your favorite podcast app. And if you prefer reading, you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: FreeSampleBook.com Claude Hopkins David Ogilvy Eugene Schwartz The Sea Turtle Letter The Responsive Chord by Tony Schwartz The Solid Gold Mailbox by Walter Wentz Being Direct by Lester Wunderman Boardroom Parris Lampropoulos Richard Viguerie Agora AWAI David Deutsch Clayton Makepeace Carline Anglade Cole Jim Rutz The Don Con Jonathan Frakes Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 146, as we chat with author and direct response copywriter Richard Armstrong about the persuasion techniques used by con artists that copywriters use as well, what he's learned from 40 years of writing junk mail and what he writes today, his new book The Don Con, and a very useful free bonus he's sharing with copywriters. Richard, welcome. Richard:        Thank you very much. It's great to be here. I am a big fan of the emails you guys send everyday. A lot of tremendous personality and voice in those emails and I read them avidly. Kira:   Thank you. Rob:   That's nice of you to say. I think all of the personality is Kira. I'm kind of the boring side, so she deserves the credit for that. Kira:   That is not true, but thank you for saying that. That's very nice and I was just saying before we started recording, Richard and I are officially neighbors because I just moved to Washington, D.C. So we're going to hang out all the time, right Richard? Richard:        Absolutely. The only problem with being a citizen of Washington is that the rest of the country hates you. So when you go anywhere else on vacation, tell them you're from Brooklyn, you'll get a much better response. Kira:   Okay, these are things I need to know that you need to teach me,

Copywriter Jay Pitkanen is our guest for the 145th  episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Jay has an interesting background, having worked as a taxi driver and relationship coach which has prepared him well for the work he does as a copywriter. Kira and Rob asked Jay about: •  how he went from poker player to blogger to copywriter to coach •  what his business looks like today and what he writes •  why we need to be “cool with being vulnerable” •  what the typical conversation with his coaching clients looks like •  what it takes to shift someone’s mindset and why it works •  improving the offer to create a better connection with the audience •  the value of personality in attracting the right clients •  why trusting yourself leads to more opportunity—don’t wait for permission •  the power of controversy and the effect on his business •  the mistakes copywriters make that hold them back We also asked Jay about the lessons he learned as a taxi driver—his #1 takeaway from that experience is don’t show fear... and maybe that's a good lesson for copywriters as well. To hear this one, click the play button below, download the episode to your favorite podcast app, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: John Morrow Luke Sullivan Jay’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 145 as we can chat with copywriter and relationship coach, Jay Pitkanen about marketing his business, what copywriting and relationship coaching have in common, owning your voice and viewpoints, and the business lessons he learned while driving a taxi. Kira:   Welcome, Jay. Rob:   Hey, hey. Glad to have you here. Jay:    Hi guys. Thanks for having me. Kira:   Yeah, great to have you here, Jay. I know we were just mentioning before we started recording that we had connected a couple of years ago, maybe three or four years ago. I'm not even sure how long ago now and so it's great to catch up with you now and hear about how your business has changed. So why don't we start with just how you got started as a copywriter and where you are today? Jay:    Oh, sure. So the thing is, I've always been interested in how people's minds work and how I can influence that. It's been like a curiosity of mine ever since ... as long as I can remember. I used to be a poker player for a while and then that got a bit too stressful to do as a living thing, but that always ... The reason I was interested in that was because I loved to see what's going on in people's minds, or at least I thought I could do that and that was so fascinating to me and ever since then, it's been expressing myself in a way to get other people interested in stuff and just hearing how people think and ways to get to influence that. That's always been such a huge fascination of mine and I wonder when the first time I really got into copywriting though was. It must've been like five or six years ago, when I started one of my first blogs and really got into writing. Kira:   Yeah, just when you got started with copywriting and then how that's changed too. Are you a copywriter today or has that morphed into something else over the last few years? Jay:    Out of my blog ...

Copywriter Jeff Kimes is our guest for the 144th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Jeff is a former scientist and musician (or rather, he's currently a musician making his living writing copy for clients). We asked Jeff about his path into copywriting and a bunch of other topics including... •  Jeff’s journey from scientist to copywriter •  the “copywriting” lessons he learned as a musician •  how he creates connection with his readers •  the importance of setting the stage to create a better experience •  what he’s doing today as a copywriter (and where he is living) •  the challenges of writing for a single client and learning their voice •  the benefits of working with a single client •  how we can optimize for learning throughout our careers •  what Jeff is doing to build his authority today Jeff also shared a few thoughts about the ethics of copywriting and why thinking about how your copy serves your customers matters. Click the play button below, find it on your favorite podcast app, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Jeff's music Joshua Bell in the Subway Video Brian Clark (Copyblogger) Brian Kurtz Scott Adams Jeff’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For information or to sign up go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode number 144 as we chat with copywriter Jeff Kimes about how science, music and travel combined to make him a more effective copywriter. His research and writing process, seeking out experiences that grow his career. And we might even talk a little bit about the ethics of copy. Kira:   All right, welcome Jeff. Rob:   Hey Jeff. Jeff:    Hello. Kira:   I want to say welcome back because we already did interview months ago, but we just lost the file. It just didn't work out. So welcome back. We never got to publish that conversation, but I know this one will be even more insightful. So Jeff why don't we start this off just with the basics of how you got into copywriting and then we'll go from there. Jeff:    So as far as my own journey into copywriting, I've lived a couple different phases of life, which I think is pretty normal at this point in society. I started out in science. I was working in a psychoneuroimmunology lab. After school I was doing, working in vaccine development. I worked in neuroscience labs and stuff like that. And after a while I got really sick of the lab life and was really hungering for more. And I always had a real big travel bug inside of me. And so went on a, found jobs that facilitated that lifestyle. I worked at sea a lot in marine biology and used that to fund eight years of world travel that was very musically inspired. I'm also a musician and I'd go to a lot of countries where I was really inspired by their musical traditions and learned to teach over there. And then I would take what I learned and incorporate it into music that I was making back here in the U.S. and used that to launch a music project that I played with for several years. It was really fun, enormously fun. Not terribly profitable, but just a really, really beautiful life experience. And in that process of growing a band and trying to make music my life and make that my living started to really come into contact with the necessity of marketing.

Copywriter Lauren Hazel is our guest for the 143rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Lauren is a hustler who has done a lot in her years as a copywriter. She thinks and writes about brand stories, marketing and email. Once we got her in the studio, we asked about... •  how Lauren accidentally became a copywriter •  how she stumbled onto copywriting when she tried to improve a flyer •  the programs she used to learn her skill set •  what she learned about pricing from her first freelance project •  her cold call pitch that failed and what she learned from the failure •  what she did to grow beyond her first couple of clients •  how changing her title brought her more copywriting and marketing work •  how she splits her time between her marketing agency, training and writing •  what she does in her workshops and how much she charges •  how she packages her strategy work •  the things she has done that have made the biggest difference in her business •  the kinds of clients she works with in her business today •  the mistakes she’s made that she won’t make again •  what it was like to work with 50Cent We also asked Lauren about her program for introverts. To hear what she had to share, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: CopyHour Lauren’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 143 as we chat with copywriter and brand strategist Lauren Hazel about building her business, what it means to hustle and how copywriters can do it better, why every copywriter should have an email list and what to send them, and what it's like to write for a celebrity like 50 Cent. Hey, Lauren, welcome. Lauren:         Hey, how are you all doing? What's up? Kira:   Great. Great to have you here and we want to kick this off, I feel like we should kick it off with 50 Cent and just give that away, but we're going to make people wait for that story. Lauren:         Ah… Kira:   So let's start with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Lauren:         By accident. Not intentional. It's like, ‘No, duh duh duh.’ No. So what happened ... Oh God, I'm thinking about my birthday is coming up in a couple of days by the time we're doing this, so. Kira:   Oh, happy birthday. Lauren:         Thank you. So it's nine years probably. Yeah, damn near nine year, almost 10 years here. So, what I, I live in New York City and I had a tutoring business. So, I was trying to find a way to get more tutoring clients. An at that point, I was using either referral system, so I would go to places that I had worked or knew where there were schools that I had volunteered at and asked for, ‘If anyone needs math tutoring, I'm available.’ And then I was doing fliers, because fliers actually still work for those who don't know. Fliers do work. And I was trying to make the flier better, so I was in a group and I was like, ‘Hey, here's my flier. I'm trying to, I'm planning on posting this out in Soho or whatever and see if I can get some clients.’ And folks were like, ‘Give me a hint.’ And then someone said, ‘Hey, why don't you, you should really look into copywriting because you'll then learn how to write a better fli...

What’s the big deal about style in copy anyway? We invited Style Consultant and copywriter Tamara Glick to join us for the 142nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast to get to the bottom of that question. We covered a lot of ground in this one, but unfortunately we forgot to ask Tamara about joining a biker gang—even though we teased it in the intro. However, we think this episode makes up for that mistake because it’s our first interview to include the word, “huge-mungous.” Here's what we covered with Tamara: •  how she went from working as a fashion consultant to writing copy •  what it means to be a style consultant •  the importance of a personal brand and showing that to the world •  what she learned working closely with other creative in an ad agency •  what it took to transition full time to copywriting •  what she did once she decided to quit a full time job and make a living writing copy •  what she did to line up projects and find clients •  the changes she made when she went through the Copywriter Accelerator •  the packages, prices and other things she offers in her business today •  how she’s investing in her business today •  mindset and how she gets out of her own way •  her advice to others who aren’t as outgoing and energetic as she is To hear this episode, you’ve got to click the play button below or download it to your favorite podcast app. Prefer to read? Scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Soho House Agnes Kowalski Tamara’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 142 as we chat with copywriter Tamara Glick about leaving the safety of a job and going freelance full-time, the role that fashion and style play in her business today, what she's doing today to invest in her business, and whether it's true that she's a member of a biker gang. Kira:   Biker gang, what? Rob:   Hey, Tamara. Kira:   I feel like we're teasing that, but I want to know right now. So welcome. I know you and I have chatted about this for a while and getting you on the show, because definitely you have been through a lot of transitions in your own business that we want to talk about. But before we do, let's just dig into how you ended up as a copywriter. Tamara:        Sure, hi guys. This is so exciting for me. How I ended up as a copywriter is kind of a twisted, checkered story. I actually started my career in advertising, but on the business side. Originally I would be the person who was going between the clients and the creative teams and briefing a creative team from what I'd been given from a client, and then allowing the creative team to do their magical work, and then coming back and working through that again with the client, and back and forth and back and forth. I would be that person who would sit with the creatives right beside them kind of hanging over their cubicles and saying, ‘What you doing? Can I help? What can I do?’ So I really learned a ton from hanging out with my creative teams and appreciating the processes that they would go through, but I was working more on the business side. Simultaneously,

Writing quizzes is pretty hot right now. So we asked entrepreneur and Quiz expert, Josh Haynam to join us to share everything he knows about quizzes for the 141st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. In this episode Kira and Rob asked all their questions about what copywriters need to know before creating great quizzes. Here’s what we covered: •  the story of how Josh and his partner built a business on quizzes •  some of the struggles he faced in starting his own company •  the moment Josh and others knew things were going to work •  why quizzes are such powerful tools for engaging your audience •  how quizzes can change the person who is taking it •  what the best quizzes have in common and why they work •  examples of people and companies that are doing quizzes right •  best practices for following up your quiz to engage your audience •  the tools Interact has created to help writers create a quiz •  the mistakes people make when creating quizzes •  what his ridiculous daily schedule looks like •  what he does to meditate for an hour and a half *really* We also asked Josh about how Interact got traction—the content strategy they followed as they grew, how he listens to customers to figure out what’s next, and what the future holds for Interact. To hear it all, click the play button below, download the episode to your podcast player, or scroll down read a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Interact  <-- sign up here Marie Forleo Jenna Kutcher The Copywriter Club Quiz Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Note: we’ve talked about quizzes before. Click here to hear our interview with Chanti Zak about how she’s built her business around quizzes. Also, that link to Interact is an affiliate link. If you sign up for a paid account, we will earn a dollar or two (at no cost to you).   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you can hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You are invited to join the club for Episode 141 as we chat with entrepreneur and quiz expert, Josh Haynam, about co-founding Interact, how copywriters are using quiz funnels for their clients and in their own businesses, why quizzes are such powerful marketing tools, and what separates a great quiz from the merely good quizzes. Welcome, Josh. Rob:   Hey, Josh. Josh: Yeah, thanks for having me. Kira:   Yeah, great to have you here. And as a sponsor at our conference for copywriters in Brooklyn this past March, which already feels like a long time ago, was not that long ago, but great to have you and meet you at the event. So, just to start, can you tell us a little bit about your story and how you ended up building Interact? Josh: Yeah, yeah. It's a long story. Interact itself is a long story. It's been in business for almost eight years, which is, like, an eternity in the software world. We're basically, like, grandparents at this point. Yeah, I got my start as an entrepreneur when I was 15, so I've been running companies for 11 years now. And Interact was born out of an agency that myself and my co-founder Matt used to run. We would build websites for people and run all of their digital marketing. And we'd charge them a lot of money, and the end of the day, really all they had any interest in was the size of their email list, so how many contacts were coming in,

Thinking about joining a membership community for copywriters? This episode may help you make the decision to jump. For the 140th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk about The Copywriter Underground—what it includes and what you can expect when you join. And so it just isn’t us talking about a thing we made, we asked six members to join us and share their experience. The result is an episode that is a bit longer than what we usually share, but it was interesting to hear some of the things Underground members shared about their experience. Here’s what we covered: •  what has surprised us the most since launching The Underground •  what The Copywriter Underground includes (there’s a lot) •  how The Underground is going to change this July 1st—important if you’ve been thinking of trying it out •  how The Underground has helped members like Amy Jones, Derek Hambrick, Mladden Stojanović, Renae Rockwell, Emily Zoscak, and Natalie Smithson Like we said, this one is different. It's not a full-on sales pitch, but it is all about this community that we love. To hear more about it, click the play button below, or download the episode to your podcast player. Or to read the transcript, simply scroll down.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: David Garfinkel Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership, designed for you, to help you attract more clients and hit 10k a month, consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   Hey Rob. Rob:   Hey Kira, how's it going? Kira:   It's great. It's great. Rob:   We do not have an intro prepared for this episode, because we don't have a guest today. Well, we actually have six guests today, but not, this is a different kind of episode. We've never really done this before, and I think we were talking the other day about The Underground and we thought, you know, a lot of people ask us about what's going on in The Underground or what it is and they have questions. And so we thought, let's just go really deep on what's in The Underground, what we do there, and ask some of our members of The Underground what their experience is like, just so that people have a really good idea of what it is and how it can help somebody in their copywriting journey. Kira:   Yeah. So this is fun, because you'll actually hear the voices of the members. And we lovingly call them our moles. I don't know who started that, we think it was Justin Blackman, who coined the term. But our members seem to be very happy being called moles. So we will hear their voices as they talk through their experience in The Underground, which we haven't really shared before. And then Rob and I will just talk through what we've learned from running The Underground since September, right? Is that when we launched it? Rob:   Yeah, we launched it in September and it's been going now for seven or eight months. It's grown to almost 200 people. And we're actually going to close the doors to new members here in the near future, we've got a few weeks before that happens. But we'll talk a little bit about that as well, and the change behind that. So Kira, you know, let's, what's your experience been in The Underground so far? Like what has surprised you, what were you expecting and how has it turned out maybe differently or even better than what you expected? Kira:   Yeah. So I think so far what has surprised me the most is that the community aspect is more important than anything else. Then the trainings we create, live trainings in there, there's a ton of great templates and resources and scripts. Especially like, we add stuff from our own businesses that we use, and that's all been great, and the members use that.

Thinking about writing a book? Author and book coach Jennie Nash is our guest for the 139th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Although we’ve talked about writing a book on the podcast before, Rob and Kira wanted to go even deeper on the topic, as well as learn what it means to be a book coach. We learned a lot from the discussion. Here’s what we covered: •  how she became a book coach and landed book deals for her first 3 clients •  the embarrassingly easy process of writing her own first book •  where creativity and book ideas come from •  when someone should consider working with a book coach •  where writers go wrong in the book writing process •  the three critical motivations that drive people to write books •  the she turned book coaching into a thriving business •  whether copywriters should have a book to support their businesses •  the place ego plays in writing a book •  how she prices her coaching packages and what they include •  the importance of structure and where you can find them If you've even considered writing a book, you should listen to what Jennie has to share. Click the play button below, download the episode to your favorite podcast app, or scroll down to read a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Creative Habit by Twila Tharp Jenny’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you, to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month, consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two, to inspire your own work. That's what Kira and I do, every week, at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 139, as we chat with book coach, Jennie Nash, about writing and publishing a book, working in the publishing industry, what her writing process looks like, and how we can avoid the mistakes authors usually make when sitting down to write a book. Welcome Jennie. Rob:   Hey, Jennie. Jennie:          Hey, thanks for having me. Kira:   Yeah, great to have you here. So, let's kick this off with your story, how did you end up as a book coach? Jennie:          Well, I guess we should start out by saying what a book coach is, because a lot of people have never heard that term. Rob:   That's the question, what is a book coach? Jennie:          And I may have made it up, I don't know. I mean, I'm not claiming to have started the internet kind of thing. But, lots of people have been using this term, but the way I distinguish it, is that, an editor usually works on a piece of writing after that piece of writing is finished, in order to move it forward and make it better. And a book coach helps a writer while they're writing. So, the way I describe it is, it's like a personal trainer for your writing life. And a book coach is focused on book writing. So, that's what a book coach is. And I stumbled into this career after a career as an author. I had published seven books in two genres, mostly with big five publishers. And I was teaching at the UCLA writers program, which is actually the largest adult focused writing program in the country. And what I realized when I began teaching, I taught there for 12 years, and I realized that I was teaching systems. And that, nobody else around me was teaching systems. And it began to be quite obvious that I was doing something different. And I didn't know I was doing that, it just was a thing that I naturally did. And as a result of that practice, I guess, I would call it,

Do you need better packages to offer your clients? Prerna and Mayank Malik join us for the 138th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast to share what they know about packages. This is something a lot of copywriters struggle with, so Kira and Rob asked Prerna and Mayank about the best ways to think about and structure packages. Here’s what we covered: •  what has changed in their business over the past two years •  their failure to reach a lofty revenue goal (and why it was still a success) •  the key team players they lean on for support •  how they create and refine the packages they offer their clients •  the IMAGE framework they use when they come up with a new product •  an example of how the use the framework to create packages •  why they’re so passionate about packages (and passion is definitely the right word) •  the mistakes copywriters make when creating a package •  why knowing your audience is the key to creating a good package •  how the packages fit together in their business •  how to get started creating a package for your business •  how to make your existing package more profitable •  their approach to launches and how they make sure the launch goes well •  the niches and businesses that packages won’t work for •  how they manage their days to finish work by 3:00 each day •  what to do before you decide to work with your spouse As usual, this is a good one. Click the play button below or download this episode to your podcast app. If you’d rather read, scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Prerna’s First TCC Interview The Copywriter Think Tank Profits on Tap Fully Loaded Launch Bushra Azhar Prerna’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Transcript to come...    

Copywriter and entrepreneur, Austin Mullins, is our guest for the 137th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We’ve known Austin for quite a while now and the more we heard him talk about his sales process, the more we knew we needed to have him share his process with the club. We covered a lot of ground—especially about sales processes—in this one, here’s a good list of most of what we talked about: •  how Austin became a copywriter in high school •  why he thinks it was a mistake (for him) to attend college •  what he did to find good clients beyond Upwork •  the #1 thing he did to grow his business—it has to do with sales •  why he chose the niche he is in and how it changed his business •  how he split his time between three “jobs” at the same time •  his “ideal” client acquisition process and selling on the phone •  what to do to encourage referrals or testimonials •  the mistakes copywriters make on sales calls (and how to fix them) •  what it means to be a growth strategist—and how to “do” strategy •  what his process for working with content clients looks like •  an in-depth review of what the sales process should look like •  how to teach yourself to “sell” To hear this one—and if you struggle with sales you definitely want to hear this one, click the play button below or download the episode to your podcast app. Readers scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Danny Marguiles Joel Klettke SPIN Selling Austin’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10k a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 137 as we chat with copywriter Austin Mullins about what he does as a growth strategist for B2B SaaS companies, how he attracts and closes leads, what it's like to build an agency, and the challenges of investing his time in more than one business at once. Welcome, Austin. Rob:   Hey, Austin. Austin:           Thanks for having me, guys. Longtime fan of the podcast, so excited to be here. Kira:   Great to have you here, Austin. As one of our former Accelerator members and now a Think Tank member. It's about time we had you on the show, so let's start with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter and growth strategist? Austin:           Yeah. I started a bit early, so I first started doing a little bit of copywriting work in high school, actually. Stumbled across Upwork, which I know is often a dirty word around these parts but stumbled upon there and was interested in this freelancing thing. I had always been good at academic writing but didn't particularly enjoy it, but stumbled across this term, copywriting and started to do some really low-level work like helping people write reviews and such at first, and then gradually worked my way up to being a generalist copywriter, who would write blog content for all sorts of businesses, brochures, a little bit of web copy in there but not web copy done the right way with lots of customer research. Then did that for a while. Made the mistake of letting my family convince me I should go to college, and so, business dropped off. Then when I tried to get back into it, things didn't pick up quite as quickly as I thought they would,

Nikita Morell is our guest for the 136th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We’ve known Nikita for a while now and given the success she’s had, it's a shame we haven’t had her on the podcast before now. Nikita has found a lot of success by niching her business and delivering exactly what her ideal clients need. We talked to her about: •  how she went from selling bread to selling ads to writing copy •  her accidental sales pitch that saved her sales job •  how a job in marketing taught her skills that she uses as a copywriter •  why she chose her niche—working only with architects and the impact on her biz •  how she changed her business to accommodate having a baby •  what she does to find clients—she’s a “prospecting nerd” •  what she did to raise her rates adding thousands of dollars to every project •  how she thinks about her brand and why she takes her brand seriously •  the marketing pieces she is using in her prospecting process •  how she makes her cold emails feel like warm emails •  this mistakes she’s made along the way—it hasn’t all been smooth sailing •  what she does to get a lot of “busy work” done and still avoid burnout •  the things she has done that have made the biggest difference in her business We also asked Nikita about working with subcontractors, creating a “pretty” framework to show how her process works and why she spends a lot of time with a Japanese floor loom. Nikita shares a lot of advice worth listening to in this episode. To hear it, click the play button below or find it on your favorite podcast app. Readers can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Seth Godin The Copywriter Think Tank Mel Abraham Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership, designed for you, to help you attract more clients, and hit 10k a month, consistently. Rob:   For more information, or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 136, as we chat with copywriter Nikita Morell about helping architects with copy and marketing strategy, her approach to choosing a niche and then narrowing it even further, why she created a framework for her process, and the role weaving plays in her life and business. Kira:   Welcome Nikita. Rob:   Hey Nikita. Nikita:            Thank you, hi. Kira:   Yeah, we're excited to have you here. You are one of our members of our Think Tank, so we've been able to witness your business growth, and we're really excited to share what's working, because so much is working for you in your business. So let's just kick this off with your story. Kira:   How did you end up as a copywriter? Nikita:            So, I started in corporate marketing for L'Oreal and George Weston Foods, which is Australia's biggest bread brand, and I quite quickly realized this corporate life just wasn't for me. I think it was just all the layers and I just wasn't that great at taking direction. And it was round about this time I was earning a full time salary, so I was frequenting lots of bars and different restaurants, and after a night out, my friends would come back and comment on the food, or the music, or the cute boy sitting on the bar stool, and I would be looking at the copper lights, or the timber joinery; and I think it was about this time I just became obsessed with everything design related. I signed up to an interior design diploma,

Copywriter Andrey Adison is our guest for the 135th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We recorded this one on Valentine’s Day and are just now getting it in your podcast feed—hopefully it is worth the wait. We asked Dre about his background, what he helps his clients do today, and what he thinks writers will be doing in the future. Here’s what we covered: •  how he went from affiliate marketer to copywriter •  what he learned from affiliate marketing that he applies to his work today •  why he feels like he has a duty to get serious about mindset •  how Dre helps his clients find the core truth they want to share •  his framework for helping his clients build their message and audience •  how he finds his clients and what he charges for his services •  what he’s done to take his business to the next level •  why specialization is important and how it has helped Dre in his business •  what’s not working in his business today •  where he thinks copywriting is headed in the future This is a good one. To hear what Dre has to share, click the play button below or download the episode to your podcast player. And if you like reading, you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Rob’s book The Copywriter Accelerator Andrey’s site Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts? Ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits. Then steal an idea, or two, to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You are invited to join the club for episode 135 as we chat with copywriter Dre Adison about growing his business. The one thing he has done to take his business to the next level, finding and working with clients and the deep dive question he asks his clients to help them get clear on their brand messaging. Kira:   This is a very special episode because it's Valentine's Day, even though when you listen to this, it might be more like Easter-time, but there's going to be a lot of love in this episode. Rob:   Tons of love. Kira:   So welcome Dre. Rob:   Welcome Dre. Dre:    Well thanks for having me. I feel the love already. Kira:   Before we start recording we basically shared our Valentine's Day experience thus far and Rob gives books to his children on Valentine's Day. Which is so ... Rob:   And my wife, not just my kids- Kira:   And your wife. Rob:   My wife and we give to each other. Love for everyone. Kira:   It's so on brand with who you are. I just give my kids a lot of sugar and cavities. Rob:   Which is also on brand. Kira:   Which is also on brand. Dre:    You gift them your own book? Your Brand Story book? Kira:   His autograph. Rob:   I don't think they would read it. I should do that. I should give everyone my own book. Kira:   It's a good way to get it out there. Rob:   Dre, what's your Valentine's tradition? Dre:    I usually go out the next day, my girlfriend she doesn't, she feels like Valentine's Day is so populated, all the restaurants and stuff like that. So normally the day after we go out to eat or we just spend time together. Rob:   So smart. Kira:   You can tell you live in New York City when ... I feel like all New Yorkers say that. It's like yeah we don't actually go out on Valentine’s Day. There's just no space for all these people. Dre:    Too many people. Kira:   Alright, so let's kick this off with your story Dre.

Grumpy Grammarian, Autumn Tompkins, is our guest for the 134th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Autumn has been a member of the club almost from the beginning. And she’s shared her editing and proofreading advice with anyone who asked. Now we took the chance to ask a few questions about her business. Here’s most of what we talked about: •  how she went from ink slinger to grumpy grammarian •  her business rules that keep her from being miserable •  the difference between copyediting (art) and copywriting (science) •  the impact of spending 7 months in the hospital and how she dealt with it •  how she uses music to inspire what she does—and her copywriting mix tape •  the resources—her personal master class—she’s used to learn copywriting •  living with muscular dystrophy and what she’s learned from it •  the fine line between grumpy and bitchy and the need for lightheartedness •  her editing process and tips for doing your own copy editing •  the 5 mistakes she sees copywriters make over and over •  a few tips for improving transitions in your copy •  her 3 favorite rhetorical devices and why they work in copy •  how she finds clients and what her packages and pricing look like We also asked Autumn about her copy edit school and the 5 components she teaches her students. To get hear everything that Autumn has to say, click the play button below, or download the episode to your favorite podcast app. Prefer reading? Scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Erika Lyremark Copy Edit School The Grumpy Grammarian's Guide to Copy Editing Autumn’s Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 134 as we chat with author, copy editor, and grumpy grammarian, Autumn Tompkins, about the ins and outs of copy editing, how it's different from copywriting, what she's done to find success in spite of serious life changes, and we'll ask, ‘Why is she so grumpy?’ Kira:   Autumn, welcome. Rob:   Hey, Autumn. Autumn:        Hi. Thank you so much for having me. Kira:   It's great to have you here, Autumn, because we've worked closely on many different projects. You've cleaned up my copy many, many times. You've worked with The Copywriter Club on our newsletter as well, cleaning that up and making Rob and I look a little bit smarter than we actually are. So, it's so wonderful to finally bring you onto the show. Autumn:        Well, I'm so happy to be here. It's a total honor. Kira:   Well, let's start with your story. So, how did you end up as The Grumpy Grammarian? Autumn:        So, I used to be a copywriter for hire. I would sling ink for the right price. I had good intentions, write copy for business owners, so their prospects would buy from them. As soon as I landed my first client, I put my head down, never came up for air. And fast forward five years later, and I burned out. Back then, my marketing plan was simple. Find clients, write copy, get money, but part of the reason why I burned out was because that I didn't put my business first, and the other part of that reason was because I didn't know what I stood for. Who was I as a business owner and copywriter, and what did I believe in? Right around that time,

Copywriter Doug Pew is our guest for the 133rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira and Rob talked to Doug about his transition from composer of melodies to composer of sales email sequences and a whole lot more. Although he’s only been at his copywriting business for about a year, he’s found traction by connecting with the right mentors and bringing his past experience into his approach towards marketing. We talked to Doug about: •  how he went from university professor to copywriter •  what Kira needs to do to become a music professor—it’s not easy •  the impact of losing the only job he ever wanted and the mindset adjustments he’s made •  the importance of mentors when you take on copywriting as a career •  how what he learned as a composer that apply to copywriting •  his MAESTRO framework for copywriting •  the importance of stories and what it takes to find them •  the challenges of getting started as a new copywriter •  why you should aspire to be in a category of one •  his favorite composer story and how it applies to what you’re doing today If you want to know how to make your copy more musical, get this episode in your earbuds. To do that, click the play button below, or download it to your favorite podcast app. Or you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Note: since we recorded this episode, Doug has changed his website from SymphoicCopywriting to RockStarCopywriting. Links have been updated but the audio file has not. David Garfinkel Ray Edwards Presence by Amy Cuddy Brian Kurtz MAESTRO formula Toscanini Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port Jason Resnick Jeff Walker’s Product Launch Formula Free chapters of doug’s book Doug’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Transcript and graphic coming soon...    

Former copywriter and Ad Contrarian, Bob Hoffman, is our guest for the 132nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. If you know anything about Bob and his special brand of commentary, you already know that you’re in for a treat. He’s been an outspoken critic of what’s wrong in the advertising world and he had a lot to say about privacy, ageism, and social media. Here’s what we talked about: •  Bob’s path from bad school teacher to contrarian copywriter •  the most important personal quality if you want to be a copywriter •  how to write in a way that attracts interest from your audience •  why he started his own ad agency—more than once! •  the dark side of running an agency and the difference when working alone •  the things about advertising that drive Bob crazy •  why privacy should be your #1 concern as a marketer and consumer •  what it will take to fix the privacy problem •  what ad agencies are doing well right now (spoiler: it’s not much) •  Bob’s complex love-hate relationship with social media •  the limits of brand building with social media •  the ultimate goal of the work that you do •  Bob’s process for selling better ideas to his clients •  the problem of ageism in advertising today—and why it matters We also asked Bob about what he’s focused on today, his book recommendations, and what’s next for him—no surprise, it’s another book—and his reluctance to tell us his predictions for the future.  To hear this one, click the play button below or download it to your favorite podcast app. Or you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Hoffman Lewis Bad Men by Bob Hoffman 10 Influencers Under 10 The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton Dave Trott Where Did It All Go Wrong? by Eaon Pritchard Eat Your Greens by Weimer Snijders Laughing at Advertising by Bob Hoffman Bob’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10k a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 132 as we chat with author, Ad Contrarian and chief aggravation officer, Bob Hoffman, about what's wrong and what's right in advertising today, what it's like to found two successful ad agencies, what copywriters need to know about marketing and copy right now and what it means to be a true contrarian in an industry where group think is rampant. Kira:   Welcome, Bob. Rob:   Hey, Bob. Bob:   Thank you, thank you. It's great to be here. Kira:   Bob, how did you end up as a contrarian copywriter? Bob:   I started as a contrarian person and then it led to me being a contrarian copywriter. Well, I started as a copywriter, I didn't really start as a copywriter. I started as a science teacher, believe it or not. Kira:   Oh, wow! Bob:   I was a science teacher for a couple of years in middle school and then I ran into a friend of mine who I hadn't seen since college, this was about three or four years after college and I asked him what he was doing and he said, ‘I'm a copywriter,’ and I said, ‘What's that?’ and he said, ‘I write ads,’ and he said, ‘And you would be really good at it.’ He said that to me because we had written some stuff together in college. He said, ‘You'd be really good at that,’ and at that time, I was fed up. I was a terrible teacher, and I always wanted to do writing,

Direct response designer, Lori Haller, talks all about design and how copywriters can work more effectively with designers in the 131st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Lori was also one of the speakers at our recent copywriting event in Brooklyn, TCCIRL (videos available soon). Kira and Rob asked Lori about her processes, how she built her design agency, and all of the following: •  how she got started as a designer •  where her first jobs came from—and how she chose direct response as her niche •  how branding design differs from direct response •  her 3-step read-through process before she designs anything •  how copywriters can improve their working relationships with designers •  what separates the best copywriters from the rest •  how she landed the big name clients she works with •  how copywriters can learn basic design principles •  how she makes sure she has the ideas an attitude she needs to do her best work •  her advice to anyone growing a team •  where she sees copywriting going in the future •  what she does to keep learning and growing If you’ve ever wanted to get more out of your relationship with your designer, this is a good one to add to your podcast play list. To hear it, click the play button below. Or if you like reading more than listening, scroll down for a full transcript.   Most of the people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Jim Rutz Gary Bencivenga Doug D’anna David Deutsch Clayton Makepeace Carline Cole Envisioning Information by Edward Tufte Latrice Eiseman Bonus link to an interview of Lori by John Carlton Lori’s list of design references 3 Step Copy Review and Checklist Lori's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 131 as we chat with direct response Art Director Lori Haller about working with copywriters, the relationship that design and copy share and why they need each other, why she chose direct response as her niche, and how knowing design basics will make you a better copywriter. Welcome, Lori. Rob:   Hey Lori. Lori:   Hey guys. How's it going? Kira:   It's great. Rob:   So good. Kira:   Yeah. Great to have you here, especially to have a designer in the house. Let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a designer? Lori:   I knew at an early age that I was in love with visualness, design, fonts. And so I went to training program for a couple years in high school where you had to be picked, it was like some type of tie in with the community college. Then I went to many years of a variety of trainings and college, at different colleges and sites in order to gain access to typography, communications, marketing, design, all that jazz. Then I went right from there into top agencies in Washington, DC. I tried to follow some of the lead art directors of that time and train under their wings for several years. The whole time I wanted my own agency at some point. And finally, about 20, 21 years ago, I decided to leave being a full-time employee and jumping in and starting my own agency. I had already ... I don't know, we might have talked about this Kira, but I'd already done nighttime work and weekend work on the side, all the whole while that I was employed, ramping up for hopefully one day building my client list and being able to go full-time just having my own agency. So luckily, it worked out. Rob:   Yeah, and it has worked out. When you were just starting to do the side projects, where did those projects come from?

We’ve flipped the microphones again and invited copywriter Kirsty Fanton back into the studio to interview us for the 130th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. This is the episode where we answer important questions like... What’s a furfie? What’s a ripsnorter? And has Rob ever cried in a movie? And what disgusting work habits does Kira have? Plus we talk about what the Copywriter Think Tank is like—it’s only open for new members once a year and we’re taking applications right now. Here are a few of the topics we covered: •  our favorite moments from TCCIRL and why this year was even better than last •  the speakers who stood out—the people you definitely want to watch when the videos are ready •  a short description of the “lost” panel discussion •  the new round of The Copywriter Think Tank •  the importance of balancing financial success with a personal life •  Kira’s favorite post from her blog about being tall in New York •  Rob reveals that he has cried in a movie and that he can’t even remember the right breed of dog in the movie •  the thing that Rob did that still bothers Kira •  what Rob and Kira’s childhood hobbies were We think this one is kind of fun. Make sure you stick around for the “lightning round” at the end to really get to know your hosts. It’s easy to listen, just click the play button below, or download the episode to your favorite podcast app. Readers can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Club In Real Life Event Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kirsty:            What if you could have a yarn with ridgy-didge copywriters and other experts, ask them about their ripsnorters and furphies, their work processes and habit-a-roos, then pitch an idea or two to inspire your own hard yakka. That's what Rob and Kira do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. And if you haven't already guessed, today's episode is coming to you from the land down under, where we drive on the left, celebrate Christmas in the sweaty peak of summer, and wear thongs on our feet. Given everything is upside down and inside out over here, it's only fair that I'm flipping the tables, and getting Robira to spill the beans on all things TCC. We'll get the down low on last months In Real Life event, a sneak peak at the new and improved Copywriter Think Tank, and the inside scoop on Rob's most woo woo moment, and Kira's grossest working from home habit. Hey guys. Kira:   That was the best intro ever. Rob:   I might have to leave. I'm a little weirded out right now. That was English, right? You were speaking English? Kirsty:            I was speaking English, Rob. Kira:   Yeah, but what is a furphie? Kirsty:            A furphie's like an error or a mistake. Kira:   Wow. Okay. Definitely using that one. Rob:   Nice. Kirsty:            It’s a good word. You can drop it in when you're over here next month, Rob. You'll sound like a local. Rob:   Yeah. I can't wait. I'm going to like just memorize this, ripsnorters and furphies. Got it. Ready to go. Kirsty:            You'll fit right in. Well, guys, it's so nice to be chatting with you again so soon. I feel like I'm getting maximum in Robira time this month because I was over with you guys in Brooklyn like what, two weeks ago? For the final- Kira:   Yeah. Kirsty:            ... Think Tank workshop and also for of course TCC IRL version 2.0. So, how are you both after what I imagine has been a huge month at your end? Kira:   How are you, Rob? Rob:   I am great. I am- Kira:   You're always great. Rob:   ... we've had some time to rest and start picking up the pieces. It felt like it was a success. You're right though, it was a hard work. It was tiring.

Copywriter Pete Michaels of Rock and Roll Copy fame is back for a second guest appearance—exactly 100 episodes after his first visit to our studio. A lot has changed in Pete’s business since we last talked, so we asked him about: •  what’s happened since we last talked •  why he moved from London to Berlin •  Pete’s questioning process for making the decision to move •  how moving away from your comfort zone leads to progress •  the role expectations play in what we do (and do well) •  how working with a mentor shines a light on his processes •  how Pete pulls his personality into his work and what that looks like •  the importance of professionalism—why it matters •  why (and how) he’s having more fun these days •  the “real” role a copywriter should play in their clients’ businesses •  his “selling unique” process and what it involves •  the spiritual journey that Pete has been on for the past 2 years • Pete’s take on the future of copywriting Worth a listen? Then click the play button below, or download the episode to your podcast player. Or if you prefer to read, scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Jason Leister Company of One Eric Bakey Pete’s website A book Pete didn't mention but wanted to Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Transcript coming soon...    

Copywriter Keli Chevalier was the final speaker at TCCIRL19 and she brought down the house with her chant about booty call brands (get the videos to see what we’re talking about). Now she’s our guest for the 128th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We had hoped to get this out last week before the event, so you could have a taste of what she was going to speak about, but it works as a follow up too. Here’s what we covered: •  how she unknowingly started writing copy while selling weapons for the Army •  what she did as an Army Major (she was a pretty big deal) •  how she developed her writing process—the BOMB method—while under fire in Iraq •  the “Sitcom Principles” that apply to sales pages and kick starter campaigns •  why she likes to work with frameworks and the impact on her business •  her thoughts on leadership and how it applies to copywriting •  what she did to attract her first clients and get traction •  what else she knows beyond copywriting •  how to rock a conference (even before you get there) •  what she’s done to uplevel her business over the past few years •  the people she has on her team—there are a few you might not expect •  the process she stole from the Army to get everyone on the same page •  the thing she’s done that has had the biggest impact on her business • how harsh feedback changed her approach to everything she does We also talked about the imposter complex and her big goal for the coming year (it’s a good one). Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or if you prefer, download this episode to your favorite podcast app.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Text: "LaunchMe" to 39492 TCCIRL 2020 Videos (link coming soon) Keli’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: On it's way....    

Direct response copywriter Pauline Longdon shares her thoughts about showing up in a bigger way in the 127th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. What does she mean by that? It’s not enough any more to just show up. You need to be strategic about how, where, when and with whom you show up. And that’s just one of the many things we discussed with Pauline, Here’s a short list of some of the other topics we covered... •  how she went from army nurse to up-and-coming copywriter •  the impact that depression had on her—and how she dealt with it •  how her experience as a nurse helped her develop the copywriter’s secret weapon •  why she writes “emotional” direct response copy •  why we should forget copy tricks and what to do instead to write more emotionally •  what she did to accelerate her copywriting business •  the worst thing a prospect can say to you (and why it doesn’t matter) •  how she makes time for her own business •  what she’s learned from her time in the world’s most exclusive copy training program •  the must read book that copywriter should read •  not just showing up but showing up strategically •  how she optimizes—not manages—her time to get so much done •  her unique—longer—take on the pomodoro technique •  why Pauline invests in more than one copywriting group at the same time •  what she’s focused on in the coming year Ready to listen? Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. And if you prefer to listen while doing other things, you can download this episode to your favorite podcast app. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss another episode.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Gary Bencivenga Think and Grow Rich Mal Emery Parris Lampropolous How to Win Friends and Influence People Victor Schwab Scientific Advertising Tested Advertising Methods 4thEdition Breakthrough Advertising Titans of Direct Response AWAI Carline Anglade Cole Pauline’s Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript:    

Copywriter Zafira Rajan is our guest for this un-numbered episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Zafira’s business has really taken off over the past year as she’s focused in on a niche and gotten herself in front of the right clients. We talked about that as well as how she has used events to connect with people in person. Here’s what we covered: •  her journey from Nairobi to Vancouver and journalist to copywriter •  the skills she learned as a journalist that make her a better copywriter •  the surprising interview question that often leads to a new idea •  why she doesn’t have a standard list of questions for interviews •  the little things she did to start her business the right way •  the systems she uses to make projects go more smoothly •  the changes she made to her business in the last year—and the impact it’s had •  how niching has *surprise*helped her business grow •  the packages she has created and what they include •  how she uses events to connect with clients •  her tips for doing well on instagram (and who to follow) •  how to think about brand messaging as a copywriter •  a few of the mistakes she’s made over the past year or two •  a few details about her women of color project •  why she’s excited for The Copywriter Club In Real Life Like we say, this is a good one. To hear it, click the play button below, or simply scroll down for a full transcript. If you prefer to listen while you work out or run errands, download it to your favorite podcast app.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Laura Belgray Zafira's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club podcast. Rob:  You’re invited to join The Club as we chat with copywriter Zafira Rajan about how her background as a designer has made her a better copywriter, what’s she done to gain traction in her business, building relationships, and her secret for networking, and what she’s doing to support other women of color. Kira:  Welcome, Zafira. Rob:  Hey, Zafira. Zafira:  Hi. Kira:  It’s great to have you here. We met you a year and a half ago in the Accelerator Program, and then you moved into the Think Tank Mastermind Group. And then you and I have worked on several projects now, so I feel like we know you really well, and the more we chat with you about your business and how you’ve grown over the last year or so. Rob and I are both like, “We need to bring you onto the show and share what you’re doing, what you’re learning, because it’s working, so we should share with the other copywriters as well.” So excited that you’re here, and let’s kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Zafira:  Yeah, well it’s not a long journey. I realized pretty early on that I wanted to have a business of my own. I’m originally from Nairobi, Kenya, and I moved here to Vancouver about nine years ago, when I started university. My path probably started just even by doing an English Literature degree, writing every day, and I really thought at the time I would be going down the path towards journalism. And I was writing for the student paper, I started a platform for college women to share their voices that’s still alive today, and then I started managing a lot of social media accounts during that time and when I graduated I was doing marketing for the university. But I was also penning columns for publications here about global news and word just started getting out that I could write and I could manage social media and I could do a bunch of d...

Okay, this one is more than a little different. We talked with bio-energetics therapist and self mastery coach, Ron Baker for the 126th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Let’s just say this upfront, this interview is way outside our experience as copywriters. But as human beings, maybe there’s something here that we can all learn from. Here’s what we covered with Ron: •  how he become a “bio-energetics therapist” and self mastery coach •  how to be present in the moment and get in touch with your “inner self” •  the place that breath plays in inspiration, intuition and passion •  an exercise or two to get in touch with your inner self •  how breath work and sound has changed Ron’s client’s life •  Ron’s experiences visiting sacred sites around the world •  what is possible for deeper personal potential and consciousness •  the one thing everyone should do when it comes to woo •  how woo applies to online marketing Want to hear it all? Click the play button below or download this episode to your favorite podcast app. Or, if you prefer, you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Ron’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 126 as we chat with self-mastery coach, Ron Baker about self-mastery and what we can do to get better at it. The levels of consciousness, creating a better life, and what it all has to do with copywriting. Kira:   Welcome, Ron. Ron:   Thank you for having me here. I have been enjoying your podcast a lot. I was actually just laughing my ass off at the interview that Ry did with the two of you. Kira:   Oh, you listened to that one. Ron:   I love ... Well, I listened to many, but I love the humanity and- Kira:   Oh boy. Ron:   Putting yourselves in the hot seat. I thought it was very courageous. I'm really- Rob:   Let's not do that again, shall we? Kira:   No I think we should do that more often. That was fun. So thanks for jumping in here with us. We were just saying before we started recording that this conversation is a little bit different than our normal copywriting focus conversations but I feel like this would be really helpful for us to branch out and stretch and for other copywriters to stretch, as well. So let's kick it off with your story, Ron. How did you end up as a bio-energetics therapist and self-mastery coach? Ron:   Well, the simple version of that is how did I end up as a nurturer and a guide for people to get to know themselves more fully? Because as I share just a brief version of my story, it will end up with how I went through 20 years of school as well as home and nobody taught me anything about myself, about my inner self, about how to truly trust myself and be fulfilled as a self. So, all of that started out way back when in North Carolina, and I grew up in a home that had some very typical challenges and some difficult challenges, and basically we were five separate people on five separate islands who didn't know how to communicate and nurture. Though everybody was inherently a really good person, nobody had the skills to create connection, intimacy and communication. We ended up with alcoholism and divorce and all kinds of things to navigate.

Conversion copywriter, Lisa Pierson, joins us for the 125th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We’ve known Lisa for a couple of years and have witnessed as she’s built a growing freelance business in a short time—creating demand for her copywriting and her presence on stage to talk about increasing conversions. This was a great conversation that covered: •  how Lisa went from journalism and PR to copywriter •  why she joined a mastermind when she wasn’t sure what a mastermind was •  how she landed her first clients •  how she managed to start a business in the middle of massive life changes •  why putting your self matters (and how it helps) •  when things started to “click” and how Lisa’s business has changed •  how joining Match.com and online dating led to her first speaking gig •  the impact that speaking has had on her business •  what else Lisa’s done to build her authority as a copywriter •  what it takes to be more competitive as a copywriter today •  what she’s done to make her retainer agreements work •  what it means to be a “conversion” copywriter—it’s all about process •  how she started “copy training” for companies This is a good one. You know the drill. To hear it, click the play button below or download the episode to your podcast app. And, as always, you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Copyhackers Inbound theconversioncopywriter.com Lisa’s Twitter Lisa on YouTube Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript:   Full transcript coming soon...

Launch manager, Shannon McCaffery, is our guest for the 124th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We’ve known Shannon for a little over a year and after talking with her about TCCIRL and several other launches she’s helped manage, we thought she’d be a great guest for the show. Here’s a sample of what we talked about: •  how she went from a corporate job to independent business owner •  the biggest lessons she learned from working with Dan Kennedy •  why she doesn’t ever take phone calls on the weekend •  how she earned the nickname, “the product launch chick” •  the three different ways Shannon helps her clients — an idea you can steal •  how she conducts her initial consulting call so she closes more business •  the 5 questions she asks of every potential clients •  what she does during her $8K strategic planning days •  the 3 Ms—message, market, media—and why you need to get all three right •  knowing which events are the right ones to attend •  why you should always take the VIP option (if there is one) at an event •  what’s working in launches today (and what isn’t) and how copywriters fall short when working on them •  how spirituality has impacted her life and business • what the future of online marketing looks like To hear it all, just click the play button below. Or download the episode to your favorite podcast app. And, if reading is your thing, you can scroll down for a full transcript. After we were done with the recording, we asked Shannon a couple of questions about what copywriters need to do to really stand out in their marketplace... we've shared her answer to that a one or two other copy-related questions in the Podcast Extras in The Copywriter Underground.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: No BS Insider Circle Ryan Deiss Perry Belcher Yanik Silver Jeff Walker No B.S. Time Management Don’t Make Me Think Brenden Burchard Frank Kern Rob Berkley Secret Prayer by Joe Vatale Wishes Fulfilled by Wayne Dyer The Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday SoulfulVisionMarketer Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 124 as we chat with product launch manager and direct marketer, Shannon McCaffery, about becoming an online marketer, running launches with experts like Jeff Walker and Lisa Sasevich, the role spirituality plays in her life and business, and what's not working in online marketing today. Kira:   Hey, Shannon. Welcome. Rob:   Great to have you here. Shannon:     Hey guys, awesome to be here. Thrilled. This is going to be fun. Kira:   Alright. So, we met you in a Titans master class. We're all members in there with Brian Kurtz, and you and I are actually in an accountability group, so we get to connect on a regular basis, but I don't think I know your entire story, so let's start with how you ended up as an online marketer. Shannon:     Yeah, sure. I actually was in corporate America for a good bit. After that stint, I got to say, I think it was in there 15, 16 years, I don't know, it all rolls together, I lost my job, or they laid me off in a layoff. And basically my mentor came to me, his name is Rob Berkeley, an amazing coach, and he said, ‘Hey, don't go back to corporate America.

For the 123rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob change things up a little bit and go “guest-less”. After a short discussion about what’s going on in our own copywriting businesses, we talk about we’re working on and what we’re most excited about—with special attention paid to our in-person event coming up next month. Here’s what we covered in our discussion: •  the pain of juggling two businesses •  getting back into things after taking a step back from client work •  what we might be testing on LinkedIn this year •  taking a Quantum Leap •  the genesis of The Copywriter Club In Real Life •  when it doesn’t make sense to make a Quantum Leap •  the people we’re seeing make Quantum Leaps right now •  why we’re “all in” on The Copywriter Club •  a few tips for making your own Quantum Leap • why you have to join us at TCCIRL this year To listen to this entire episode, click the play button below. You can also add it to your favorite podcast app. And if you’re a reader, you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank Michal Eisikowitz Kirsty Fanton Linda Perry Derek Hambrick Raven Douglas Robert Lucas Justin Blackman Sorcha MacKenzie TCCIRL19 Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership, designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10k a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. We do not have an intro for this episode. I guess we're just going to wing it. Kira:   Is that your intro? Rob:   I think that's our intro. Yeah, why not? Hey, everybody. Hey, Kira. It is Episode 123 of The Copywriter Club Podcast, and it's just you and me today. Kira:   Yeah, it's just us, just more quality time together. I love it. Rob:   That's right. Kira:   I just want more time with Rob, all the time. Rob:   Which is hard to do, because we live far away, and we both have separate families. Yeah, we squeeze in what we can. But I have a question for you, Kira. It's been a long time since it was just you and I on a podcast episode, last summer. What has been going on? What's changed in your business over the last few months? Kira:   That's such a big question. A lot. I think in that last episode I was talking about how painful it was at the time, and I think the pain is still kind of there. It's just changed. I've made a lot of improvements to my business, but I'm still juggling two businesses, so I think if you're juggling two businesses and a family, it's just going to be a bit painful. But I am transitioning towards The Copywriter Club and focusing more time and energy on The Copywriter Club. I'm just not fully there yet. My time is still very much split. I probably had the busiest fall ever with my copywriting business, which was probably silly, just taking on a lot, building out a team, doing all the things I kind of told myself I wasn't going to do, and then I just did it all and took on a lot. Now I'm trying to trim that and just focus on building this business and this community that we're both so excited about, but making that transition is very messy for me. That's it. Rob:   One of the things I love about you and your businesses is that you're just a doer. I mean, a lot of times you'll say you're not going to do stuff, and then you just go ahead and do it, but you have this vision of what you want to accomplish and the people that you want to work with, and you go out and you make it happen. I think that's really admirable, even though sometimes it squeezes you for time, and it's hard to accomplish everything sometimes. Kira:   Yeah. Well, that's a very positive way of looking at it, thank you. But no,

Copywriter and book strategist, Bryna Haynes is our guest for the 122nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Bryna helps “change makers” make their change with books that start movements. And she would know. She’s the author of The Art of Inspiration, a best-selling book about writing inspirational books. Here’s a look at we talk about in this interview: •  how she went from hair stylist to freelance copywriter •  how she found out that being a good writer isn’t enough to keep a business afloat •  her writing process and how she finished her book •  how to connect to influencers who can help boost your business •  how to know what ideas to pursue (and how guiding values help) •  what you need before you make a pivot •  all the different kinds of copy she worked on and how finding clarity helped her find a new niche •  what pivoting has looked like in her business and where she’s headed •  how we make quantum leaps in our businesses (and what that really means) •  using your “reticular activating system” to change your behavior •  the importance of “big” dreams and how to achieve them Ready to get this episode in your earbuds? Click the play button below or download it to your favorite podcast app. And, as always, you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Linda Joy Lisa Tener Bryna’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Club Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you, to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 122 as we chat with author and book strategist Bryna Haynes about writing books that start movements, making a big pivot in your career, what quantum physics has to do with goal achievement, and putting yourself out there. Kira:   Bryna, welcome. Rob:   Hey Bryna. Bryna:   So happy to be here. Hi Kira. Hi Rob. Kira:   Bryna and I are working together currently, and as we've sat down and talked through Bryna's past and what she's working on and events she's planning this spring, I was just like, ‘We have to get you on the show.’ Because everything that you're teaching and talking about and thinking would really help the copywriter community. I'm really excited to dive deeper into what you teach today. Let's start with your story. How did you end up where you're sitting today, and what are you focused on today? Bryna:   Well I'll give you the short version. When I was about 26 I was working as a hairdresser, master stylist, color expert in Providence. I loved that career because it taught me how to talk to people. Prior to that I was really, really shy, and not a very good communicator. I really learned a lot about relationships in that job. But I was also very bored. I felt like it was time to return to my dream of writing as a career. With no prior experience, I don't have an English degree, I didn't have any idea what I was doing, I quit my lucrative salon job and dove into the world of freelance writing. I quickly found that just being a good writer is not enough to keep a writing business afloat. I had to really do a lot of learning in a very short period of time. It was really the best move I could have made, because it was totally sink or swim. I didn't have any way to go back. I didn't have any way to make excuses for not doing the work and learning what I needed to...

Copywriter and entrepreneur Nikki Groom joins Rob and Kira for the 121st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Nikki is a high achiever who isn’t afraid of trying new things (like moving to America to start a business) so we asked her about her life as a copywriter and the new things she’s doing in her business. Here’s a look at what we covered in this fantastic interview: •  how she became an advisor, coach and marketing specialist •  why she moved to America to further her career •  what she does to prove her haters wrong •  what it took to get traction when she first started out on her own •  how she “forced” herself to quit by booking so much work she had to •  when she knew she had to double her rates (and how she did it) •  what she did to book herself out for three months at a time •  the mistake she made with her one-day package •  how Nikki has expanded her business beyond copywriting •  when you know you need to say “no” to an opportunity •  what she did to make a bigger impact (and get paid more) •  how we as copywriters can make a bigger impact with our brands •  why numbers are the wrong thing to focus on as you start to grow •  what she’s done to grow her own influence •  the difference between being a freelancer and a business owner •  what she does to develop great relationships • what the future of copywriting looks like to her Bonus... we asked Nikki a couple of questions about her podcast and what works when potential guests pitch her. These questions aren't included in this podcast, but you can find Nikki's answers in The Copywriter Underground. To hear all of this and more, click the play button below, or download it to your favorite podcast app (we like Overcast). You can also scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Marie Poulin Nikki's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you, to help you attract more clients, and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information, or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 121, as we chat with brand strategist, copywriter, and storytelling expert, Nikki Groom, about creating personal brands that create a big impact; how storytelling humanizes our business; what it means to lead with empathy; and how copywriters can increase their income and impact without sacrificing their relationships and lifestyle. Kira:   So, welcome Nikki, it's great to have you here. Nikki: Thank you! I am so excited and happy to be here. Rob:   We're glad to have you. Kira:   We met in your mastermind that we'll talk about. So let's kick this off with just this story about how you ended up as a brand messaging storytelling strategist, creative coach, leadership consultant, all the things. How did you get there? Nikki: Yes. Well first, I think it's worth mentioning that there have been many, many iterations when it comes to the many job titles that I could attach to my work. And that's chiefly because, over the course of several years now, I've just learned so much. And actually it's kind of been this ongoing battle like, am I this? Am I that? And I'm kind of ... even though I do have all of those labels on my website, I am kind of allergic to labels, cause I'm like, ‘Well, it doesn't quite fit in this box. It's like this thing, and a bit of this thing.’

Copywriter and Copy Coach, Amy Posner, returns to chat with Kira and Rob for the 120th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. (Yeah, it’s #120 even though the intro says “special un-numbered episode.”) Despite our numbering flub, this episode is loaded with great advice from an expert copywriter with serious coaching chops. We talked with Amy about all of the following and more: •  how her business has changed from big projects to coaching this year •  the differences between copywriting and copy coaching •  the mindset shifts she’s had to make as her business has changed •  what happens in copy clinic and how it makes copy better •  the value of getting a second set of eyes on a project •  the biggest mistakes Amy sees from the copywriters she coaches •  the problem with too many CTAs she reviews •  what’s changing in sales and landing pages from the desktop to mobile •  how to establish authority with a client and conduct the conversation •  what she does to attract clients to her business •  what happens in The Copy Clinic (everything members do) As usual, it's a good one. And if you've heard Amy talk before (like at TCCIRL last year), you know she always brings her A-game. To get this one in your ear buds, simply download it to your favorite podcast app. Or click the play button below. For a full transcript, scroll down.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copy Clinic Copyhackers Natalie Smithson Val Geisler Kevin Rogers Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join a club for a special unnumbered episode (UPDATE: episode #120) as we chat with direct response copywriter and copy coach, Amy Posner about her coaching program The Copy Clinic, how her business has changed since we spoke with her more than 100 episodes ago, how to build authority and what it takes to write great copy today. Kira:   Welcome back, Amy. Amy:  Hey, thanks for having me. Kira:   Yeah. It's great to have you back. It's about time. Why don't we start with what you've been up to since you were last on the show over a year ago? Amy:  It's sort of shocking that it was that long ago. Well, I think that's a lot. My copy business has morphed considerably. I stopped taking on super big projects. I guess the beginning of this year, the beginning of 2018, I still love these really big complex projects that were 20, $30,000, lots of moving parts, a long time to complete them, but I'd usually do a couple of them overlapping. It just got to be too involved for me. It was too complex and it was too long, and I wanted to do things that were a little bit shorter and a little bit more repeatable because all those kinds of things are usually custom one-off projects. I started doing streamlining, what I was doing in terms of client projects and in the meantime what happened last year I ended up coaching The Copy Hackers Mastermind, Copy Hackers Mastermind 3, over the summer when Joanna was away and that morphed into me coming on as the co-coach for her 10X freelancer course and then that morphed into me being the co-coach in The Copy Hackers Mastermind 4 which is, I guess, we're three months into it. It's a six-month program or four months, whatever, that ends at the end of this year. From all of that coaching has come … We're private...

Expert copywriter Clayton Makepeace is our guest for this special episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. If there were a list of the world’s most successful (and highly paid) copywriters, Clayton would have a place near or at the top. He’s the kind of expert worth listening to if you want to succeed as a copywriter (and especially if you want to write financial copy). Here’s what we covered in our discussion: •  how Clayton went from running a folding machine to his first copy assignment •  what he learned working in the film industry that applies to copywriting •  how he went from employee to starting his own copy agency •  the raw truth about why he became a copywriter •  what he did to improve his skills early on (and the mentors he found) •  how he went from unknown to the copywriter everyone wanted to work with •  what he did to succeed that copywriters can model today •  the storytelling secret he learned from an old coin •  where you get the best criticism for your copy (it’s not a copy chief) •  Clayton’s thoughts on how you get a prospect to read past page one •  the process he uses with his team today to create a package •  why you need a stick as well as a carrot in your copy •  why leading with a big benefit might not be the best option •  the two ways to overcome objections •  specifics versus abstractions and why one works better in copy •  when you should present the expert’s bio on a sales page •  the “bars on the beach” reason he starts working at 4 am •  the financial copywriting training he’s working on right now We knew this interview would be great the minute we booked it, but the advice Clayton shared was even better than we expected. To hear it, download it to your favorite podcast app. Or click the play button below. You can also scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Jim Rutz Gary Bencivenga Carline Anglade Cole Parris Lampropolous Dan Rosenthal Agora Paul Martinez The End of America Mike Ward MoneyMap Clayton’s Financial Intensive Jedd Canty Henry Bingaman Terry Weiss Marcella Allison Makepeace Total Package Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10k a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to the copywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts? Ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for a special unnumbered episode as we chat with copywriter and direct marketing consultant Clayton Makepeace about writing copy in the most competitive niches, his checklists for writing more powerful copy, what he's learned mentoring other copywriters, and how you can learn to write copy for the financial niche. Kira:   Welcome Clayton. Clayton:        Hey, thank you for having me. Kira:   It's great to have you here. It's an honor. You've been on our list. As I mentioned before we recorded, for a long time, so we were lucky to finally get you on the show. To kick this off, let's start with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Clayton:        Okay, well, let's see. I was running a folding machine in 1968 or 9 at a print shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the print shop printed appeal letters for a nonprofit organization. One day this guy came through, his name was Richard Viguerie. He was in his forties, and it was like the second coming of Christ, and we had to clean up the warehouse for this guy. It was like a real VIP.

Copywriter Jonnie Williams joins us for the 119th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira met Jonnie at Copy Chief Live and they hit it off. We continued their conversation from the conference on the podcast and asked Jonnie about her work. Here's a taste of what she shared: •  How she survived a bad situation and launched a solo career •  The first gigs she landed and what she did to get her business off the ground •  The crazy stuff that happened at the job she left—really crazy •  How to deal with a toxic work environment •  How her business has evolved recently and the work she does •  When to jump at a new opportunity and how to know if it’s right •  Her approach to retainers and how she makes it work •  How Jonnie stays creative — the non-copy stuff she does •  How a move to tornado alley has created stress and anxiety for her •  Creating a personal network while living in a small town •  What’s working (and what’s not) when it comes to creating funnels To get this one in your ear holes, click the play button below. You can also download it to your favorite podcast app, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Ry Schwartz The Copywriter Accelerator Copy School JustSellHomes Copy Chief Live The Copywriter Underground Start.me AirStory Justin Blackman Jonnie's website (and bonus for listeners) Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10k a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 119 as we chat with copywriter Jonnie Williams about how her business has evolved over time, what she's done to uplevel her career, giving up on projects that don't work, and writing conversion oriented content for the personal development space. So, welcome Jonnie, it's great to have you here. Rob:   Hi Jonnie. Kira:   As a copywriter I've worked with on many projects, I told you so many times I think you're so talented and we actually got to hang out last week at Copy Chief Live, which was a lot of fun. Jonnie:          Yeah. Hello Rob and Kira, I am so thrilled to be on the podcast. It's kind of crazy because this is really full circle for me, I started out writing for podcasts and I listened to your podcast for so long and here I am, so it's an honor to be here and Kira, loved being able to hang out with you and this is a lot more comfortable for me now that we've met face to face, and thank you for the kind words. Rob:   If there's any discomfort, it's because we haven't met face to face Jonnie, so I'm …… but just carry on, yeah, just carry on without me, it'll be fun. Jonnie:          I know you Rob, you're, everyone's homie and you have the best gifts ever. Rob:   Thank you. Kira:   He's making me feel uncomfortable, so that's just normal. Rob:   There you go, that would not be unusual. Kira:   Jonnie, let's just start with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Jonnie:          Over the course of, I'd say probably the last eight years, I worked in two extremely toxic environments and more recently I worked at a small family owned business where I experienced and observed some pretty rotten situations and it was stuff that was kind of so horrific that it felt surreal. It was everything from sexual harassment to extreme verbal abuse and even to the violent death of a coworker ...

Copywriter and brand specialist, Sorcha MacKenzie, is our guest for the 118th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We've admired Sorcha for quite awhile now, and have followed along as she's launched her own brand and website. We asked Sorcha about that process and this stuff too: •  her path from acting to branding to copywriting •  what her business looks like today •  what it’s like to work for big brands like Marvel and Disney •  how research impacts the creative process and brand development •  working with chronic pain so that clients still get what they need •  how Sorcha pads her timelines to give her extra time to get work done •  how she conducts the research for a brand audits and branding work •  the pitfalls of doing group research and focus groups •  how she applies the branding process to her own business •  what she’s done to develop her own brand as a branding expert •  her experience starting her own business •  how she came up with the products she offers for her clients •  her biggest struggles as a freelancer Want to hear what it's like to go from working on an Ant Man promotion to the daily grind of freelance life? Then click the play button below. You can also scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sorcha’s website The Copywriter Accelerator Copyhackers The Brand Gap The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding The Copywriter Club In Real Life Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript:   Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you, to help you attract more clients and hit $10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 118 as we chat with copywriter and brand specialist Sorcha MacKenzie about working for big clients like Disney and Marvel, understanding brand strategy, the struggles she's had leaving the agency world for freelance, and why puppies make the best and worst office mates. Kira:   Welcome, Sorcha. Rob:   Hey, Sorcha. Sorcha:   Thank you for having me. I'm thrilled to be here. Kira:   Yeah, we're excited to have you here. We know you well through both The Accelerator and The Think Tank program that you're participating in. But I feel like we're going to get to know you even better today, so let's start with your story and how you got started in copywriting and branding. Sorcha:   Sure, so I'm an accidental copywriter, probably like a lot of people. I was actually trained as an actress until I was about 20 years old. I was going to be a theater actress, and then I kind of bored of the stage world and went to film school. I got an MA in Film Studies. I wrote my dissertation on Grey's Anatomy like all good people do. I ended up interning for Disney afterwards. I did a year's internship and I just never left. I got a really good grounding there. I got to do the creative stuff and learn lots more about the marketing side and all that. So that's really how I got into things, just absolutely stumbled into it. Rob:   Okay, so I've got to know more about the dissertation on Grey's Anatomy. What was the topic? What did you do? What did you write? Sorcha:   So, it was the representations of gender and sexuality within the first season of Grey's Anatomy. So there was lots of like stuff about the gays, the female gays, and all of the kind of representations of different people and all that. It was kind of a groundbreaking show back in the day.

Copywriter Hannah Mang is our guest for the 117th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We both love to travel, so we naturally wanted to talk with Hannah about how she makes her business work while traveling to interesting places around the world. But that’s not all, we also asked Hannah about: •  the accidental path she took from lawyer to copywriter •  what she did to connect with her first clients (and how that led to more) •  how she avoids the mistakes that other copywriters are making •  how she pulls the personality out of her clients •  the structure she uses for About pages and why she sometimes ignores it •  why you have to be interesting before you do anything else •  why you might want to think twice about agitating pain with your copy •  making shifts in your business and how mindset contributes •  Hanna’s tips for journaling (Rob really needed this) •  How she makes work “work” while she’s traveling •  Why speaking more than one language can help with copywriting •  The best places around the world to live and work To listen to this episode, click the play button below, or if you prefer to read, scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: B school A-Fest Mindvalley Kirsty Fanton Hannah on Instagram Hannah on Facebook The Copywriter Underground Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 117 as we chat with copywriter Hannah Mang about how she became a copywriter, the importance of creating packages for clients to choose from, her career change from copywriter to business coach and mentor, and how speaking seven-and-a-half languages influences her copy. Welcome, Hannah. Hannah:        Hi, guys. Kira:   Great to have you here. I was telling you before we hit record that I wanted to get you on the show for a while because I watched you from afar and all your travels and stories through Instagram, so it's nice to finally have you here. Let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Hannah:        Oh. Yeah, that's actually quite a funny story. Kira:   That thing. Hannah:        I know, I know. Well, it was kind of random, looking back, but I feel it was really guided. In 2013, I joined B-School and for most people who know what that is, it's Marie Forleo's course on, basically, how to run an online business and I did that without even having a business idea. Back at that time, I was a law student. I was working part-time at a law firm and I just have this urge or feeling to start my own business. I wanted to be location-independent. I wanted to do my own thing, but I had no clue what I had to offer, so I joined B-School completely clueless. Actually, what happened was that I just felt, like, ‘Okay, I need to put myself out there and just offer something.’ I had gone through coach training when I was 19 and so when I did B-School I was about 24 at the time. I figured, ‘Okay, I'm just going to offer, basically, coaching sessions for people who are just starting out and don't know what to do.’ So, it was like we teach what we most need to learn, that type of thing. I had just put out a post in the B-School group in the community on Facebook and I'd gotten a few responses. The first person I ever talked to,

Our guest for the 116th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Nabeel Azeez. Kira and Rob talked with Nabeel about getting put in time out in the Facebook club, cultivating controversy as part of your branding strategy, being a “troll” and a lot more. Here are the specifics: •  how Nabeel became a copywriter and what he does today •  becoming “Dubai’s most expensive” copywriter •  why he was put on a “time out” from The Copywriter Club •  how copywriters can stop selling themselves short •  niching—should you do it or not? •  the “Troll Framework” and how it works •  why you might consider being more controversial and why you might not •  attraction versus repulsion marketing and which works better •  what you need to do as a newer copywriter (it’s not set up a website) •  the three reasons he’s writing a book •  what he’s struggling with most in his business •  selling on the phone (and why more copywriters should do it) • the biggest opportunities for copywriters today Want to hear it? Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Or you can download it to your favorite podcast app.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Ramit Sethi Alpha Muslim The Think Tank Mel Abraham Alaura Weaver Agora DragonEnergy.me Chanti Zak Paige Poutiainen Myrna Begnel Zero to Launch Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 116 as we chat with copywriter and entrepreneur Nabeel Azeez about his claim to be Dubai's most expensive copywriter, his Troll Framework, investing in himself and his business, what it feels like to get kicked out of The Copywriter Club Facebook group, and what it means to be an alpha Muslim. Welcome, Nabeel. Rob:   Hey, Nabeel. Nabeel:          Hello. What up? What up? What's up, Rob and Kira? This is a long time coming. Second time's a charm. We tried this one time earlier in the year, but I totally sucked, so obviously it wasn't published. Rob:   I think maybe it had more to do with a bad Internet connection to where you are, which isn't always easy to get a connection. Kira:   Yeah. Well, we're glad you're back, anyway. Nabeel:          Yeah. I'm coming at you from a cave in Dubai somewhere. Kira:   All right, Nabeel. Let's kick this off with your story. How did you get into copywriting? Nabeel:          Right. I fell into copywriting by accident. I used to volunteer at this community center, and out of the group I had the best command of written English, so generally it fell to me to write the email blasts and marketing collaterals. At the time, I didn't know that you called this copywriting. Along the way I got exposed, or introduced to Ramit Sethi, and he introduced me to this world of personal development and online business I never knew existed. And then I ended up getting my first paid gig, also by accident. The community center was organizing a conference. And my friend, who was also a volunteer, he had his own marketing agency, and they commissioned him to brand the event and create all of the marketing. Obviously, he needed a writer, so he sub-contracted that out to me. I ended up writing the entire website, all of the marketing collaterals, a bespoke invitation for VIPs, and even a script for a marketing video.

Luke Sullivan, author of Hey Whipple, Squeeze This! is our guest for the 115th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira and Rob were thrilled when Luke agreed to share his advice on the show—Rob is a proud owner of the first edition of Luke’s book purchased 20 years ago and headed for an expanded 6th edition soon—because he comes from the advertising agency world and has a slightly different perspective on copywriting than most of our other guests. We asked Luke about: •  how he got started in the advertising business •  the elements required to create “magic” at an advertising agency •  why you absolutely must work with people who are better than you •  how to surround yourself with geniuses when you work alone •  the power of curiosity and why copywriters need it •  Luke’s favorite campaign—surprisingly it’s radio •  the moment he knew he had made it •  how loving mentors can have an oversized impact on your success •  how you learn to write a decent headline and other skills •  what it takes to get hired at a big ad agency •  the “Alien” moment you need to build into your portfolio •  the things copywriters do wrong and why “idea guy” is dead •  How Luke recommends you come up with your own big ideas •  how to structure your day for maximum creativity •  how to get creative briefs that help you do your best work •  the advice he would give young Luke if he could go back in time As expected Luke dished out some amazing advice that you’re going to want to hear as soon as you can. So click the play button below or scroll down for a full transcript. You can also download it to your favorite podcast app.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Hey Whipple, Squeeze This! Tom McElligott (lots of great ads at this link) Ron Anderson Martin Agency Fallon GSD&M SCAD HeyWhipple.com Goodby DDB Lynda Edward Boches Mullen Thirty Rooms to Hide In Luke on Facebook Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information, or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, and then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 115 as we chat with award-winning copywriter, author and professor of advertising, Luke Sullivan, about his bestselling book, Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This!, what it takes to make great advertising, what copywriters can do to get better creative briefs, and what it takes to get hired by an elite advertising agency. Rob:   Hey, Luke. Luke: Hey, guys. Kira:   Welcome, Luke. Luke: Hello, thanks for having me. Rob:   We are thrilled to have you here because, for a lot of different reasons, but a lot of our guests in the past have focused on freelance copywriting and a lot of direct response copywriting, and you come from a different branch of advertising. Maybe, the more familiar one to most people. But we're thrilled to have you here and really interested in your story. How did you become a copywriter? Luke: Well, let's see. Number one, I'm older than both you guys, probably older than all your listeners put together. But old school is fun because of all kinds of reasons. I got into the business in the year of 1979, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, a long time ago. And back then it was all just, you know, print, outdoor, radio and TV. That was it, 1979, I was lucky enough to be hired by two Minneapolis greats, Tom McElligott, who's a hall of fame copywriter at the One Show,

Seth Godin is the guest on this special un-numbered episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Of course, Seth needs no introduction. He has inspired millions of entrepreneurs, marketers and freelancers to think bigger about the change they want to make in the world and to create products and services that aren’t mediocre, but rather aim to change the world—even if they fail. Rob and Kira asked Seth about: •  the two kinds of freelancers (and which one you want to be) •  the enemy inside that most freelancers have to work against •  the kind of work you need to do for yourself when you’re not working for clients •  the real meaning of art and why we need to do more of it •  the most important skills to develop as a freelancer •  the role of fear in our lives and how it impacts the work we do •  the importance of “smallest viable audience” •  being uncomfortable and creating tension •  why it’s always your turn •  the right time to ship (and why you’re already waiting too long) •  the difference between professionals and hacks •  genius and the imposter complex •  recognizing genius and getting it into the world •  what Seth has done “a lousy job” with •  what copywriters and others do that drive Seth crazy •  how to be a better student of the things we need to know •  why there isn’t just “one thing” that you need to do to make your business go This one is full of great advice and ideas for thinking about how you make a change in the world. We really loved Seth’s answer about learning and trying to get more important stuff on your plate. Want to hear it? Click the play button below, or download the episode to your favorite podcast app. You can also scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Jay Abraham Margo Aaron Permission Marketing St. Luke’s Akimbo Podcast This is Marketing (Seth’s new book) Kind of Blue AltMBA The Marketing Seminar Clayton Christensen Lester Wunderman Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and experts? Ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal and idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for a special unnumbered episode as we chat with author, entrepreneur, and influential business thinker, Seth Godin about freelancing and creating brilliant work, embracing genius, how to know when and what to ship, what permission marketing means today, and the impact of showing up online every single day for more than 20 years. Kira:   Seth, welcome. Rob:   Hey, Seth. Seth:  Thanks. Great to talk to you guys. Kira:   We're very excited and honored that you're a part of our show. Before we start recording, we just shared with you that you've been such a big influence in our careers and also in creating The Copywriter Club. So my palms are sweaty and I am thrilled that you're here. Seth:  All right. Well, I'll do my best. That's a pretty high expectation, but we'll see what happens. Rob:   You're going to deliver. We feel good about this, so. Kira:   So, to kick this off, you talk about becoming a category of one on your own podcast, and you mentioned doing quirky work. That really stood out to me. What does that mean and how can freelancers do that? Seth:  Well, there's two kinds of freelancers. There are freelancers who seek to have a job without a boss, that's most freelancers. And then there's freelancers who actually make a livin...

Attorney and contract expert, Christina Scalera is our guest for the 114th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We’re grateful Christina took some time to explain why we (copywriters outside of the EU) might not need to worry too much about stuff like GDPR and what we really should be worried about instead (if you write sales pages, you’ll want to hear what she says). Here’s what we talked about: •  how and why she started the Contract Shop •  the risks of working with generic legal websites or big law firms •  the #1 thing Christina did to grow her business quickly •  the contracts you absolutely need in your business •  what you need to know and what you can safely ignore about GDPR •  what can happen if you don’t have the right contracts in place •  the benefits (besides legal protection) you get from contracts •  the ins and outs of client privacy •  a few things to know about working with affiliates •  legal risks when it comes to sales pages and sharing results • working with subcontractors—what you need to know We covered a lot of tricky topics and Christina helped us understand where we need to spend time reducing our legal risks—and how to do it. Ready to listen? Click the play button below or download this episode to your podcast app. And if you prefer reading, you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Contract Shop Profit First Lianna Patch Chanti Zak Ashlyn Carter Shades of Gray Frank Kern Amy Porterfield Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you, to help you attract more clients and hit 10k a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, and steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 114 as we chat with attorney and founder of The Contract Shop, Christina Scalera, about the importance of contracts, GDPR and other privacy regulations, what we need to know about trademarks, building and growing more than one online business for creatives, and why she collects abstract art. Kira:   Welcome, Christina. Christina:      Hi, guys. Kira:   All right. Great to have you here. Let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up building The Contract Shop? Christina:      Sure, yeah. I got out of law school and I landed my dream job. It was perfect, and it was the job that everybody wanted to get, and I felt so lucky. But unfortunately, a lot of different things were happening at the same time, and I ended up with a couple different health complications and basically had a doctor tell me something had to give. The only thing that I could give was my job. I had to figure out a different way to make a living, and that was where I really stepped into the creative economy that ... Well, not as it exists today, but what we know of it. I decided my first foray into this economy would be as a private yoga teacher, because I had a friend in DC, and she was a former business attorney turned private yoga teacher in DC, and I was living in Atlanta at the time. I was like, ‘Great. I can do that.’ She kind of helped me out with that and everything. But long story short, I didn't make any money. Not a big shocker there. It's hard to make money as a yoga teacher. Not impossible, but difficult. To pay the bills, I kept doing legal work on the side. This yoga studio thing wasn't a total wash. I got a lot of clients that were yoga studios in the area that needed different contracts ...

Creative Director and copywriter, Daniel Harmon is one of the brains behind the popular ads for PooPouri, Purple mattresses, Chatbooks and more. In the 113th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with Daniel about The Harmon Bros. approach to creating advertising that’s calibrated to go viral, demonstrate the product, and sell enough to make a lot of money. Here’s what we covered: •  how growing up on a potato farm led to a career in advertising •  using YouTube to sell a tongue brush, air freshener and mattresses •  how a Huffington Post article gave the Harmon Bros. their name •  the creative process that led to working with Golidlocks •  why they hold “writing retreats” as part of the creative process •  how he (and the HB team) knows when something is truly funny •  how they cast talent for their videos and look for the “comedic X-factor” •  the two levels of hell and how to stay out of both (when it comes to casting) •  what ads need to do at the end of the day—even the funny ones •  how the HB formula works for both humor and serious ads •  what it takes to get hired by an agency like Harmon Brothers •  what it takes to turn “gross” into “gold” •  the course they built to share all of their how-to secrets There’s a ton of great advice, stories and ideas that anyone serious about creating compelling ads (especially those that work in environments like YouTube and Facebook). To hear it all, click the play button below, or download the episode to your favorite podcast app. Or scroll down to read a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Orabrush Devin Supertramp Austin Craig Poopouri Harmon Bros. The Goldilocks Ad Studio C The Abe Lincoln Ad Hey Whipple Squeeze This How to write ads that sell  (The HB Course) Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts? Ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habit, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 113 as we chat with the Chief Creative Officer at Harmon Brothers, Daniel Harmon, about storytelling and humor, what it takes to create viral videos that also sell products, building an agency, and what we need to do to create amazing work like the Harmon Brothers. Welcome, Daniel. Daniel:           Thank you. Thanks for having me on, guys. Kira:   All right. Well, why don't we start this off with your story, Daniel, about how you ended up as the Creative Director at Harmon Brothers. Daniel:           My story actually goes back to when I was born. No. Not exactly. I was born in Idaho, Burley, Idaho specifically, and grew up working on the potato farm. This seems tangential, but it's not. I learned to do sales face-to-face before I ever got into selling anything through video or through social media. What I mean by that is in order to earn money, my brothers and I, we would grab a truck that my uncle had and we would fill it full of 50-pound boxes of fresh Idaho potatoes and illegally, I'm sure, drive it down across the Utah border and go door-to-door or street side and sell boxes of potatoes. We would sell a 50-pound box for $20. Utah was a really good market because it wasn't Idaho where everyone already has potatoes and because there's a lot of families there. We figured out that we could make more money selling potatoes door-to-door and face-to-face than we could if we worked minimum wage job...

Copywriter Chris Orzechowski is our guest for the 112th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We met Chris through our friend Kim Schwalm after they got in a bit of a fight over the best kind of clients. Needless to say, we're all friends now, but it was touch and go there for a little while : ). Rob and Kira sat down with Chris to talk about: •  Chris’s path from school teacher and wrestling coach to copywriter •  how he “embraced the suck” to make things work as a marketer •  how his teaching and coaching skills make him a better copywriter •  landing his first “real” clients—what worked and what didn’t work •  the moment he knew things were going to work out •  why you need to treat copywriting like a business and outwork everyone •  the #1 thing copywriters need to do in order to truly succeed •  how to find good retainer clients—exactly what to look for •  how to manage the back and forth with a retainer client •  what Chris charges for retainers and how it’s changed <-- this is good to know •  why retainers are better than going from project to project •  how he started (and why he ended) a fight with Kim Schwalm •  his approach to writing emails <-- Kira calls this “sexy” advice This is a good one. As always, to listen simply click the play button below or download the episode to your favorite podcast app. If you’d rather read, scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Zach Evenesh Kim Schwalm Brian Kurtz theemailcopywriter.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership designed for you to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts? Ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits. Then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 112 as we chat with launch specialist and email copywriter, Chris Orzechowski about what it takes to land a retainer client, his closely held secrets for writing email that customers want to read, the lessons he's learned from creating high performing funnels and how copywriting is a bit like high school wrestling. Kira:   Hey Chris, welcome. Chris: Hey Kira, Rob. Thanks so much for having me. Kira:   We’re excited to have you here. So Chris, let's kick this off with your story. How did you get into copywriting? Chris: So I got into copywriting a little over five years ago. I went to college to become a teacher because I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I was a wrestler, so I figured I guess I'll go teach or coach wrestling and that'll be my life. And then I got done with my first day of school, my first day of work and I went home and I said, man, I had made a huge mistake. I do not want to do this at all, let alone for the rest of my life. So I started looking around. I said, you know, there's always people who use the internet and they make money. And I was like, I wonder how that works. And I wonder if I could figure out how to do the same thing too. And one of my mentors, this strength coach, his name was Zack Evenesh, he was one of the early strength conditioning publishers back from like 2003 is when he first started online. He was always like selling e-books and programs and doing all this online marketing stuff. I was always following along with what he did. And I was like, man, this is really cool, maybe I can do the same kind of thing. So I started going down that rabbit hole and studying everything. I started to see blogs and websites.

Erika Lyremark, known as the “business whipstress,” is our guest for the latest episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Like a few of our other guest experts, Erika doesn’t call herself a copywriter, but she has written her own copy (it’s good) in the past and knows a bit about the business struggle copywriters go through. So Kira and Rob asked her about: •  how she became the “business whipstress” •  her red carpet dream and how to find yours •  how to get clarity around “your thing” in your space •  the importance of clearing clutter (real and imaginary) •  the types of clients she works with and the problems she helps them solve •  the three things to focus on when developing products •  Erika’s creation process and how she goes from idea to glamorous products •  why it’s important to get outside of your bubble when creating your brand •  the biggest takeaways from each step of her career path •  how discipline and structure contribute to her success •  why she doesn’t call herself a copywriter even though she writes a lot of copy •  two things you need to do to establish your authority •  how to get better at selling (and why you should) •  boundaries and how to get comfortable with them Sounds pretty good, right? We think you’ll like this one. To hear it, click the play button below, or download it to your favorite podcast app. Readers scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Think Like a Stripper (Erika’s book) Mark’d Mastery (Erika’s business program) Autumn Thompkins Laura Belgray Sam Horn Cashvertising Hypnotic Writing Tony Robbins Paul Jarvis Erika on Instagram Srini Rao DailyWhip.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob:   This podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Underground. Kira:   It's our new membership, designed for you, to help you attract more clients and hit 10K a month consistently. Rob:   For more information or to sign up, go to thecopywriterunderground.com. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two, to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You are invited to join the club for episode 111, as we chat with author and business coach, Erika Lyremark about how she became a business whipstress, what it takes to truly stand out, writing great copy, even though she doesn't call herself a copywriter and what she has done to up level her business. Kira:   Welcome Erika. Rob:   Hey Erika. Erika: Hello. Kira:   I'm so happy to have you here. You have been a mentor to me for years before I even started my copywriting business so I feel like this is just such a great place to be with you right now. Erika: Well I am very thrilled to be here as well. Kira:   All right. Let's start with your story. How did you end up as a business whipstress? Erika: I don't think that was on my list of occupations when I was a young lady. I wanted to be a race car driver, I wanted to be a doctor, I wanted to be a fashion designer, but I always knew that I wanted to be in charge. Like no matter what I was doing, it's like if I'm not in charge, I actually don't do well. I'm a terrible employee, but if I know that I'm in charge, I actually excel at that. So, I mean, long story short, I'm super nerdy, I love learning. I'm hardcore Type A, I'm super driven. I've always been really really motivated in my life. I'm also highly creative. I've always been really creative. I'm very much left brain, right brain split, so there's one side or the other. It's constantly arguing with the other side. In the 1990s I was a stripper for nine years out in Seattle, Washington, where I live now and in 2001,

There’s a lot of talk lately about money mindset and “blocks” that keep you from achieving the success you want. In this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with the Queen of Passive Income, Colleen Arneil, about money mindset and how to discover the mind trash that is holding us back. We talked about: •  her path from psychology to money mindset coach •  why we don’t finish the majority of training programs we start •  why money mindset is important even if you think it’s woo-woo •  a few of the most common “money blocks” and why we get stuck in them •  some of the questions to ask to figure out your money blocks •  how to move past negative feelings from pressing financial needs •  how Colleen became the passive income queen •  how to build passive income into our businesses •  what she would say to people who think passive income is “easy” •  selling the transformation that a client gets •  how to you earn your authority (it helps to have a niche) •  the importance of “self care” and how Colleen approaches it Some pretty good advice in this one. To listen, click the play button below or download it to your favorite podcast app. Want to read it instead? Scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Colleen’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work process, and their habits? Then, steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 110 as we chat with course creation expert and money mindset coach, Colleen Arneil about how she became the passive income queen, why money mindset is so important, even if you think that it's a little woo-woo, building passive income into our businesses, and how copywriters can build their authority and expertise. Kira:   Colleen, welcome. Colleen:        Thank you so much for having me. Kira:   We’re glad you're here. It's a pleasure to have you here. We've worked together in the past. I know so many copywriters really are working on their money mindset. Even if they don't know they need it, we know that they need it based on the questions they're asking us on a regular basis. Let's just jump into your story. How did you end up as a money mindset coach? Colleen:        It's actually a roundabout way. When I was younger, I always thought I was going to be a psychologist, so I went to university, I did my undergrad, went onto grad school, did my Master’s in clinical. As I was almost done with my PhD, I had this awakening, at least in the traditional sense of being a psychologist, it wasn't the right path for me. I'd come so far, I just finished out my degree. Then, I launched an e-commerce program online and love customer service, passionate about it. That's where I started in the online field. What I noticed as I was taking courses to learn how to market and grow my e-commerce business was there was some people who could teach programs in an amazing way and other people who had so much knowledge, but they just didn't know how to share that information to actually get people results and help get them transformation. I had spent a lot of years at the university level lecturing and teaching. I just got really inspired to be like, ‘Okay, I need to help people better understand how they can create their curriculums and develop their programs and share their information so that it's a really positive experience and people get results.’ I transitioned out of my e-com business and that's how I first came online and was teaching a strategy part. What I noticed was happening was a lot of my students weren't getting to the end result.

Comedy writer Eric Cunningham talks about what it takes to be funny with Kira and Rob for the 109th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. A lot of writers dream of working for comedy shows like Saturday Night Live or one of the late night shows. But there’s a lot of competition and success isn’t guaranteed. What does that have to do with copywriting? It turns out, quite a lot. We talked to Eric about: •  the career path to become a comedy writer and what it takes to succeed •  how to deal with the up and down of project work •  what a day in the life of a comedy writer looks like •  how to stand out in a competitive space •  why you can’t wait to be chosen and what to do instead •  what sets the successful comedy writers apart from those who fail •  what does it take to be funny (and what we can do to be funnier) •  why he says “Yes” to lots of things (including condo board meetings) •  why copywriters should use more humor in their copy •  the one thing he has done to up-level his career •  where comedy is headed in the future We had some technical difficulties half way through the show but it doesn’t affect the excellent advice Eric shares about what it takes to succeed in the world of comedy—and copy. Listen by clicking the play button below. Or subscribe on your favorite podcast app (we like Overcast). Prefer to read? Scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Streaks Eric’s Twitter Upright Citizen Brigade Theater Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You are invited to join our club for Episode 109 as we chat with comedy writer Eric Cunningham about writing for TV outlets like Comedy Central and TruTV. What it takes to stay sharp as a comedy writer, his writing process and what we might borrow from it, and what it all has to do with copywriting. Welcome Eric. Rob:   Hey Eric. Eric:   Hello! Thanks for having me. Kira:   I'm so excited to have you here. I was just telling Rob, Eric is a good friend. He's close to home. He's a fellow New Yorker, and I've known him for a while and he's married to one of my best friends. So, this is a very special interview. I'm really excited that you're here. Rob:   Don't blow it Eric. Kira:   Yeah. No pressure! Eric:   What if this ruins a friendship? A long lasting .. Kira:   Right! Yeah, just to have you here as a comedy writer and someone's who's really outside of our space as copywriters and what we're doing, I feel like there's a lot we can learn from what you do day to day and just your experience so far. So, let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a comedy writer? Eric:   Sure, so I was not a funny child at all. I was like a big nerd and, you know, liked politics and all that stuff. And then, in college, I was kind of like looking for my thing and I couldn't find it because my whole thing growing up was being smart and then when you go to college, you're surrounded by all smart people, and then I was like oh, I don't have a thing anymore. So, I was just desperately looking for something that would differentiate myself a little bit, or just like find a home. And, they were taking columnists at the school newspaper and I was like, I don't have the attention span to write a full column, so I'll just write ... essentially this is ... I mean this is how old I am. It was basically Twitter before Twitter was there. It was just like short little one liner observational jokes that were not associated with anything else and just like here’s joke, here's a joke, here’s a joke. And,

Copywriter, coach and former defense attorney, Linda Perry is our guest for the 108th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Linda’s career hasn’t followed the typical marketing to copywriting track. She’s spent time in prisons and courtrooms around the country, honing her skills for empathy and persuasion. Add in serious training as a coach and she’s got plenty of copywriting advice to share. We talked with Linda about: •  how she went from defense attorney to copywriter •  how her legal background makes her a more persuasive copywriter •  her experiment with life coaching and the impact it had on her writing •  the “suitcase” exercise that helps with the next evolutionary leap •  the “one thing” that has helped her uplevel her career •  the run-down on the StoryBrand framework and how it’s 4x-ed her business •  what keeps her focused and on-message •  a deeper look at her on-boarding process •  what her kick-off calls look like and the information she gets there •  how she’s using Instagram and video to get in front of her clients •  the behind-the-scenes with her video creation process •  the questions she’s asking about where her business will go this year •  what’s working for Linda in social media •  the mindset mistakes copywriters are making today •  the “what-if” beliefs that are real and those that aren’t •  what she’s most excited about in her own business This is not an exhaustive list of all the stuff we covered, so you’re going to want to download this to your podcast player to hear it all. Or just click the play button below. If you prefer reading, scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Debbie Ford Marie Forleo Amy Porterfield StoryBrand Zoom The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson Tony Robbins Soul Genius Branding Linda on Instagram Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out was seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, the work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 108, as we chat with copywriter, brand strategist, and coach, Linda Perry, about why she made the jump from prosecutor to copywriter, the processes she uses to clarify her client's messaging as well as the importance of getting the right mindset and how hidden beliefs can sabotage your success. Kira:   Linda, welcome. Rob:   Hey, Linda. Linda:    Hey guys, thank you for having me. Kira:   I feel like, prosecutor to copywriter that sounds like a podcast. I feel like you should get that started. Rob:   That does sound like a podcast, more than just an interview. Linda:    Right. I hate to burst your bubble guys but I was defense attorney. Rob:   Oh no! We've ruined the intro. Linda:    It doesn't have the same ring to it, too. Kira:   Linda, let's start with your story and how you ended up as a copywriter. Linda:    I definitely don't have traditional path, but I feel like even though I was a defense attorney, the seeds of being a copywriter literally started when I was like six years old. I think I gave every stuffed animal, every Barbie, every car, a story. I was always really wrapped up in the storytelling part of life. I always wanted to be a copywriter but with immigrant parents that we're like, ‘No, no. You need a profession’, I went and became a lawyer. Part of what I loved about being a lawyer was really my paper walk through the door before I did. It was always about telling someone's stories. After 17 years of being a criminal defense attorney, you get tired, you get a little worn out. I really started to think about who is it that I want to be. With a little life coaching background,

Just a short introduction to The Copywriter Underground and an invitation to join our first-ever hot seat call for members of The Copywriter Club. To learn more, go to thecopywriterclub.com/tcu. Click the play button below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Underground Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Because this episode is simply an introduction to The Copywriter Underground and the special hot set webinar next Tuesday, there is no transcript for this one.    

Copywriter Joel Klettke shares his thoughts with Kira and Rob about how copywriters like to show off only the best parts of their business and how that affects other writers struggling to make things work. It’s a great discussion, but we covered a lot more than that. Here’s a look at what you'll hear in this 107th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast: •  what he’s doing and how his business (and life) has changed in the past year •  how audits and research have impacted his business •  what Joel does in an audit and how he prices them for his clients •  how he sells the audit and then hands it off to the client or another writer •  why he’s taking on fewer projects and the season of “no” •  the instagram-ification of some copywriter’s businesses—and why it hurts •  why we end up chasing the wrong goals (and maybe what to do instead) •  what to do if you aren’t performing as well as you think you should •  what is “enough” •  a few ideas for building confidence and the impact on your business •  the biggest mistakes copywriters make that ruin your conversion rates •  his advice to new dads and why you might need “guilt cancelling headphones” To get the low-down on how Joel’s business has changed since the first time we talked to him more than a year ago, click the play button below. Or if you’re the reading type (and lots of copywriters are) scroll down for a full transcript. And you should be able to find it on your favorite podcast app as well.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Joel’s first interview Joanna Wiebe Case Study Buddy Chantelle Zakarisian Val Geisler Laura Belgray Joels’ Conversion Killers Presentation Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join a club for Episode 107 as we chat for a second time with freelance copywriter and case study specialist Joel Klettke about what he's accomplished in the year since we last talked. What it really takes to grown and run a six figure business, balancing copywriting with building a second business and being a new dad, and the biggest conversion killing mistakes copywriters make. Kira:   Welcome Joel. Rob:   Hey Joel. Joel:   Hey guys, thanks so much for having me. Kira:   Yeah it's great to have you back. All right, so let's kick this off Joel with what you've been working on over the last year. What's changed for you? We know quite a bit has changed for you, but what's changed since the last time that we had you on the show? Joel:   I kind of started off the year, I made the promise to myself I said, ‘I'm going to step back from the copy projects, and I'm going to press into the case study business, and focus on growing that.’ And so, that was kind of my mental goal. I thought, ‘Yeah I need to see what I've got in that.’ And that went well for all of like 10 minutes, and then projects cross your desk, and it's difficult to say no. But, I have kind of stepped back a little bit from writing. I'm taking on fewer but bigger projects now, which was a big goal of mine. But I think obviously the most significant change is now I'm a dad, so I've got a little guy in the house, and learning to work, and live, and adjust my sleep schedules and life in general around this little person, which is pretty interesting. And then the other side of it on a totally different side of things, I looked up kind of midway through the year and realized outside of case studies, and outside of my writing projects I've actually made more money, and had more work on the audits and review side of things,

Copywriter Kirsty Fanton joins Kira and Rob to talk about psychology in copy in this episode off The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kirsty’s experience includes a degree in psychology and work as a counselor and what she learned in those roles has had a big impact on her work for her clients. She shares how you can use psychology to forge a better connection with your clients. We talked about: •  How a travel blog helped Kirsty discover copywriting and land her first clients •  The things she did to get started the right way •  How her work as a counselor makes her a better business owner •  The importance of reflective practice and her 3-pronged approach that she uses to improve •  How she conducts a debrief call •  The different lenses her psychology background gives her to find the “meaty” parts in her research •  How she uses “naming” to discover what prospects are really feeling •  How she builds rapport quickly with prospects when she’s interviewing •  Narrative therapy and how copywriters can use it effectively •  The one question everyone asks—knowing it will make your copy better •  The two kinds of persuasion techniques •  How she keeps it all together and gets things done •  The mistakes she sees other copywriters making (that she’s avoided) There are a lot of great ideas and “psychological tricks” you can borrow to improve your own interviewing and copywriting. And, if you haven’t read her post about indirect hints in copy, you should click here. To hear the interview, click the play button below, or visit iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app. And if you’re the type that likes to read, scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator Kirsty's website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira:     What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits. Then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:    You're invited to join the club for episode 106 as we chat with copywriter Kirsty Fenton about how her background in psychology helps her write great copy for her clients, the narrative therapy techniques she uses to get prospects to take action, and the one question people regularly ask and how you can use it to your advantage in just about everything you write. Hey, Kirsty. Kira:     Kirsty, welcome. Kirsty: Thanks guys. Great to be here. Kira:     Before we jumped in with Kirsty and started recording, we were telling her how we haven't interviewed someone in at least two months because we both had been on vacation, so I'm sweating over here like I feel really anxious, Kirsty. A good place to start is with our basic question. Let's start with your story and how did you end up as a copywriter? Kirsty: Yeah, sure. So I got into copywriting and quite a roundabout way. As you said, I have a background in psychology, so when I finished high school I went to Uni, did an undergrad in psych and a post grad in counseling and then worked as a counselor for five years, and also lectured a couple of psych subjects at university here in Sydney. Anyway, all was going well and then in 2014 my partner and I decided we wanted to take a belated gap year. We packed up our lives and moved over to France for 12 months, which was amazing. While we were over there I kept a blog of our adventures just as a way of keeping our friends and family in the loop on what we were actually getting up to. Anyway, by the time we got back to Australia at the end of 2015, a couple of my friends had started their own business and they liked the way I'd written about our travels on my blog and asked if I'd like to write their copy, so I said yes.

Copywriter Sarah Grear is back for a second appearance on The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira and Rob wanted to learn more about how she is shifting to offer more consulting in addition to copywriting, the tools she uses to land clients and how she structures her business so she gets paid even while on vacation. It this episode (#105 for those who are keeping score) we talked all about: •  how she made six figures last year (and took four months off) •  what Sarah’s accomplished since we last talked with her •  what she does to help her clients have massively successful launches •  the “gift” she gives her clients that closes the deal •  what it takes to create a launch map and feel confident about sharing with her clients •  the five phases of a launch plan •  the ins and outs of a successful “launch debrief” and how she sells the next project •  how she continues to get herself on stage (and what she teaches) •  why she publicly celebrates every win today •  the strategies Sarah uses to create more freedom in her personal life •  how you can leverage your strengths to add consulting to your copy business •  her “mindset” advice for copywriters who want to up-level to consultant There’s lots to love in this episode. To hear it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. You can also find it at iTunes, Stitcher and on your favorite podcast app. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The first Sarah episode (#32) MindMup for G Suite Abbey Woodcock Tarzan Val Geisler SarahGrear.com/copy Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the Club for Episode 105 as we chat for a second time with freelance copywriter, Sarah Grier, about what it takes to grow a copywriting business past six figures, her recipe for launch success, why she books two projects at a time and spreads payments over six months, and how to add consulting to the services you offer your clients. Hey, Sarah. Welcome back. Rob:   Hey Sarah. Sarah:  Hey, thanks for having me. It's so fun. I can't believe you guys have done 106 interviews. And you're still standing. Rob:   Barely. We're actually ... I think we're both sitting right now. Kira:   Sitting all day long. Which we need to work on. So why don't you just give us a quick update. What have you been working on and what's happened since last time you were on our show? Rob:   And that was Episode 32, for anybody who wants to check that out, because it was a really good one. So, yeah, check that out. Sarah:  I know. I became the take four months off in your business woman since then. But, yeah, I've done that. I took four months off last year, intermittently. If you listen to the old episode you can hear how. So, I'll leave that as a tease.  Since then, in 2017, I worked on 52 projects for 19 clients, and still managed to take all that time off. Kira:   What? Rob:   Wow. Sarah:   I know. Rob:   It's crazy. Kira:   That is crazy. Sarah:   When you have systems in place it makes a huge difference. But also I had this astronomical launch that stood out from all the other ones. We did seven figures in a single launch. Sarah:    And it was the first time we had worked together. Basically, that changed the way that I was showing up with my clients, because I realized when my clients grow to that level or grow that quickly, they don't always need a copywriter at that point because they usually hire an in-house production team. And so I started doing small percentage of consultant work alongside the copywriting work t...

Copywriter Colin Theriot joins Rob and Kira for the 104th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Colin is well known as the leader of the Cult of Copy (as well as four or five other related Facebook groups). He often jumps into the club to answer questions or comment on something, and we thought it was about time to talk shop with him. In our discussion, we covered: •  how Colin became a copywriter •  why he started The Cult of Copy •  the short cut to getting people to know who you are •  how beginning copywriters can create a copy learning experience •  the most important thing for beginners to learn (this skill is portable) •  his philosophy for running more than one Facebook group •  why he offers a “jobs” group and why you probably shouldn’t use it •  the five Vs of the Viking Velociraptor Formula <-- this is gold •  the “artist vs. cabinet maker” mistake copywriters tend to make •  the scalability secret for earning more by doing less •  why you need to treat your business like a business •  why he tells copywriters to read books that aren’t copywriting books Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Cult of Copy Understanding Comics by Scott McLoud Books by Elmore Leonard Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 104, as we chat with Copywriter and cult leader Colin Theriot about starting a cult and running a Facebook group with nearly 25,000 members. The 5 Vs of the Viking Velociraptor Formula, what most copywriters are doing wrong today and why, when asked about his favorite books about copywriting, he doesn't recommend books about copywriting. Kira:   Welcome Colin. Rob:   Hey Colin. Colin:  Hi guys. Thanks for having me. Kira:   Yeah, great to have you here. Colin:  Sweet. Kira:   So Colin, let's kick this off with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter? Colin:  I was working at an internet marketing company. It was an eCommerce company. I was working there as a graphic designer/SEO analyst/content writer. One of the owners of that eCommerce site and his other marketing partner in other ventures, they decided to launch this thing called StomperNet and I was working there making their web pages at the time, so I helped them, stayed up on launch night, making some HTML for that. And they launched it and it was a big record breaking launch. I think was like $24 million at the time. And so I got called over from the eCommerce site to go work on that. And then while we were wiring, my boss at the time, Andy Jenkins, his house for Wi-Fi so we could work there legally, while I was doing that, the writer we had on staff at the time, I can't remember to this day if she was sick or if we were just busy and had too much stuff going on, but it was sort of like a voluntary basis, ‘Hey, we need this sales letter rewritten, because we're about to relaunch with all these new features we've added.’ So I took a shot at it and Andy was like, ‘This is pretty good. Do you like doing it?’ And I'm like, ‘Yeah. It's easier than wiring your house for Wi-Fi.’ And he's like, ‘Well cool, because you're the chief marketing copywriter, so get good at it.’ Over the next, I think it was a little under two years, I worked with all the high end marketing faculty they had there that were all copywriters in their own ...

Copywriter, course creator, and coach, Belinda Weaver joins Kira and Rob for the 103rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Belinda's also the co-host of the popular Hot Copy podcast. We talked with Belinda about the variety of ways she's created income streams for her business. Note: links and a full list of what we discussed is coming soon. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 103 as we chat with freelance copywriter and coach Belinda Weaver about building an information business as a copywriter, what she's learned coaching other writers, creating courses, and running one of the most popular copywriting podcasts, and how tap dancing makes her a better copywriter. Welcome, Belinda. Rob:   Hey, Belinda. Belinda:   Hi, guys. It's really great to be here. Tap dancing, flashback. Oh my gosh. Rob:   Should we jump into tap dancing immediately, or do we want to save that to the end? Belinda:   It's completely up to you. I think it's a lovely hook we can leave people with. Kira:   Let’s save that for the end. Let's start with your story, Belinda, and how you got into copywriting. Belinda:   Well, like most people, had a day job I didn't really like, was looking for an opportunity to do something else. I was working in marketing in Melbourne. We lived just over an hour out of the city, so two plus hours of commuting every day, plus a job I didn't really like. My husband and I started talking about a family, and I started thinking, ‘Well, how is this going to work?’ So I was open to new opportunities, and then I got taken to this kind of sales day with the job. It's a lot of people standing up, giving presentations, doing their pitches. One of them was about copywriting. Now, I did copywriting every day, but I didn't know it was a thing you could actually do as a job on its own. So when, at the end of the presentation, this copywriter started talking about running your own business as a freelance copywriter, I didn't listen to the rest of the day, because that was the idea that I'd been waiting for. As soon as we got back to work, I quietly registered my business. Maybe not that day. I took a day or two to brainstorm a name, but I registered my business. Then, while I was pretending to work, I started marketing and figuring out how to run a business and developing service packages, and then being on social media, and I started getting work. So I did that for about six months. I did my day job. I worked, did copywriting at night and on the weekends. Then after about six months, I was confident enough in my marketing abilities to know that I could get more work. So I was getting regular leads coming in, and I thought, ‘Yeah, I can do this.’ Then on my last day, rather than walking through the office going, ‘Screw you all,’ I put together a presentation for the MD, and I said, ‘I can save you $20,000 on your marketing if you keep me on at my new freelance rate,’ and I just stopped doing all the time-wasting activities. I divided my job into value tasks and low-value tasks, and I had this whole little spiel, and he actually agreed before the presentation had finished. So I had my first client before the end of the day. Rob:   Wow. I mean, that's so smart. Love it.

Community manager Harmony Eichsteadt is the guest for the 102nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We chatted with Harmony about a wide range of topics related to connecting with clients to building communities for both customers and peers. Harmony knows a thing or two about building healthy communities—she’s done it with groups like The Good Life Project and NationBuilder. We asked Harmony about: •  how she became a community manager (with stops as a dating coach and cancer survivor along the way) •  the first steps to take to build a community around ourselves •  who is better for community building: introverts or extroverts •  the biggest misconceptions around building a community •  where you can build a community and how (it’s not just online) •  some of the benefits of building and belonging to a community of copywriters •  how to connect with others within communities you don’t own •  whether there’s a growing hunger for new communities today •  why everyone is already a community leader and how to get better •  the differences between online and offline community interaction •  how to connect with people in the real world •  how copywriters can build deeper connections with other writers We also asked Harmony for her advice about when you run an event (we’re starting to think about round two for TCC IRL) and what it takes to win a poetry slam. She let’s us in on the fact that we probably won’t win one. Maybe we’ll have Harmony to our next event to perform a bit of her award-winning poetry—yeah? To hear this one, simply click the play button below, or download it to your favorite podcast app. Want to read it instead? Scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Inward 2019 Event Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 102 as we chat with professional community builder, Harmony Eichsteadt about what it takes to create strong communities, how to work a room online and off, what she does to land and rock a speaking gig, and writing poetry good enough to win a poetry slam. Kira:   Welcome Harmony. Rob:   Hey Harmony. Harmony:     Thanks so much for having me. Kira:   We’re excited that you're here so we can talk about something that we really haven't covered on this podcast. All about community development, community engagement and relationships. So, why don't we kick it off with your story. How did you end up as a relationship and community expert? Harmony:     It's such a good question and I think for many of us we can start the story at a lot of different places. So, the more deeply I get into my work, the more I can see tendrils from even my childhood of like, ‘I've always been very fascinated about connecting people.’ So, I think there's some thread that was maybe there from a young age, but how it crystallized for me was actually I started out as a dating coach, which I think is, now I think is very funny. I spent a few years working with people on writing dating profiles, on how to flirt, and think about developing relationships. That morphed into this current career for a few different reasons. One is that I got diagnosed with thyroid cancer when I was 29 and that was not what I was planning to do with my 29th year on the planet. I had other items on my agenda, but it threw a monkey wrench in things.

We’re kicking off our second century of podcasts by flipping the tables and answering your questions for the 101st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Justin Blackman (of 100-Headline-Project fame) grabs the microphone to ask Kira and Rob all about: •  who Rob and Kira really are •  how Rob and Kira met and decided to start The Copywriter Club together •  where the idea for The Copywriter Accelerator came from •  the story behind the creation of the first Copywriter Club event •  why we shut down our second program and what we learned •  some of the other mistakes we’ve made over the past year or so •  how The Copywriter Club has changed our own businesses •  the progress we’ve made on the goals we shared in episode 50 •  how the podcast (and our guests) have helped us improve our writing and processes •  what we’ve learned going through The Copywriter Accelerator for the third time •  when we plan on taking a break from learning •  what’s coming up for The Copywriter Club in the coming months Plus Justin asked a long list of “lightning round” questions that we do our best to answer—but let’s face it, we’re not very good at the whole quick answer, lightning fast thing. So, if you want to know more about Rob and Kira and a bit of what’s going on behind the scenes at the club, download this one to your favorite podcast player. You can also hit the play button below or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Justin Blackman The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Club IRL Event (link coming soon) Brian Kurtz Kim Krause Schwalm Amy Posner The Copy Clinic Tarzan Kay Sam Woods Joe Schriefer Sarah Grear Sean D'Souza Bond Halbert Tanya Geisler The Copywriter Club book lists Dan Kennedy Wikipedia’s List of Lists Seth Godin Eman Zabi Mel Abraham Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Justin:   What if you could hang out with two moderately talented copywriters, who spend all day asking seriously talented copywriters, about their successes and failures, they're work processes and their habits, and steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what I'm going to do with Kira and Rob this week, at The Copywriter Club Podcast. You're invited to join the club for episode 101 as I turn the microphone on Rob Marsh and Kira Hug and dive into what it's like to run a gigantic Facebook group, interview copywriting royalty, develop a training program, and create a think tank, on top of managing their own work. Rob, Kira, welcome to your show. Rob:   Moderately talented, might give us more credit than what we deserve. Might be overstating things a little. Kira:   That's true, I'm flattered. Thank you. Justin:   Exactly. Rob:   Let's do this Justin, let's do it. Justin:   Let's do it. So, I'm going to turn the tables a little bit. We're going to get into what it's like to run The Copywriter Club and Facebook group, your Accelerator, The Think Tank, your own client work. So we're going to get into it a little bit about who are Rob and Kira? I know you guys, you're a bit of an unlikely pair. Rob you're a little more formal, a little buttoned up and corporate. Kira, a little wild child, dressing up like a pirate, you got your hair colored like a troll. But somehow you guys, you make it work. So I want to hear a little bit of rundown about how you guys met, and what's the history of the TCC. Kira:   Rob, I'll let you tell our Tinder story. Rob:   I think you tell it better than I do actually though. So, yeah, the short story is that, yeah, we met on Tinder and we both swiped right, and it just was meant to be. And then the longer version is that it had nothing to do with Tinder and we met in a mastermind group run by Copy Hackers. And it took us about maybe a year, but over that year we sort of got to know each other a little bit,

Former copywriter and current business advisor, Jay Abraham is the guest for the 100th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast with Kira Hug and Rob Marsh. Jay is the perfect guest for this milestone episode because Jay teaches the importance of pre-eminence—and what is more pre-eminent than appearing as the expert on the 100th episode of this podcast? And Jay delivered. Here’s a look at some of what we covered: •  how he went from copywriter to business advisor to thousands of companies •  the expert authors he learned from when he started out •  how he accidentally got into the seminar business •  the business ideas (USP, LTV, Risk Reversal, Allowable Cost) you should know •  how to deliver continuous breakthroughs for our clients •  copy versus concept and which one matters most •  why you shouldn’t offer stuff for free (and what you should do instead) •  the biggest challenge you have to overcome with your audiences •  why achieving pre-eminence is so important (and how you do it) •  the shortcuts to engineering a continuous stream of breakthroughs •  how to get mindshare for the clients you’re working for •  a few of the places copywriters should do research in order to be great •  what it takes to be an “original synthesizer” (versus a plagiarist). •  who the client you’re really working for is (it might not be your client) •  the thing that bugs Jay the most about list building Jay also shared a ton of bonuses for listeners to the podcast. Check out the links to those resources below. Then, click the play button to listen to the interview, or scroll down for a full transcript. And of course, you can find this episode on iTunes, Stitcher or in your favorite podcast app. Go get it! The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Dan Rosenthal Claude Hopkins George Hotchkiss Victor Schwab Robert Collier Entrepreneur Magazine International Living Scientific Advertising My Life in Advertising Albert Lasker Tony Robbins Steven Covey Brian Tracy Mary Lou Tyler The Deming Institute A Technique for Producing Ideas The Three Bonuses (The 100 Greatest Headlines, 37 Million Dollar Headlines, and Copywriting Formulas) 50 Shades of Jay Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits and steal an idea to inspire your own work. That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 100 as we chat with Jay Abraham, the founder and CEO of the Abraham Group about how he solved business problems for clients in more than 7,000 industries, thinking strategically about copywriting and what we offer our clients, the importance of preeminence and what we can do to find new breakthroughs in our own businesses. Hey, Jay. Kira:   Welcome, Jay. Jay:    Thank you very much. It's a distinction and an honor to be podcast number 100. Rob:   It is. In fact, we were talking to Sonny, who's on your team and she's in our group. She suggested, ‘Hey, you know, I don't know if you're doing anything interesting for your hundredth episode, but maybe we could connect with you.’ We thought, actually would make perfect sense to have you come on for number 100 because of how you talk about preeminence and to have a super special guest like you on episode 100. We're thrilled to have you here, so thank you so much. Jay:    It's my pleasure. As I told you, at a certain point in one's career, you become very focused on being privileged to impact people's thinking lives and the impact they can make on multitudes of others. It goes both ways. I am taking the gloves off. You guys have access to whatever you want. I don't know where you're going to take it but I like surprises. Rob:   Cool.

This is the last episode of the podcast before we hit triple digits—and it’s a good one. Health copywriter Jason Rutkowski joins us for the 99th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast and we covered a lot of ground, from Jason’s secrets for connecting with both mentors and clients to a look inside his copy mastery process (he sent us a screen capture of his file system so you can see what he’s talking about during the podcast). Here’s a look at what we covered: •  how Jason failed his way to copywriting as a career •  finding his first few clients and figured out his niche •  the “one thing” he tried that resulting in connecting with good clients •  the strategy Jason followed to get A-list copywriters to share their stories with him •  the single most important thing you can do at live marketing events •  what it’s like to be “cubbed” by an A-list copywriter •  why you absolutely need to reverse engineer great copy to get better •  the difference between a copywriter and a master copywriter •  the foundational copywriting reference everyone should study •  Jason’s research process (and how he reverse engineers A-list research) •  how to get started writing in the health industry •  the gmail hack for studying the market you want to write for •  the reason A-list copywriters work with copywriters (an opportunity?) If you’re interested in not just being a copywriter, but becoming a great copywriter, you’re going to want get this one. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. And of course, you can find it on iTunes, Stitcher or in your favorite podcast app.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Clayton Makepeace Parris Lampropolous Marcella Allison Paul Martinez John Carlton Gary Halbert Jim Rutz Carline Cole David Deutsch AWAI Barnaby Kalan The Single Best Way to Get Clients Parris’ book list On Writing Well by William Zinsser The Brilliance Breakthrough by Eugene Schwartz Brian Kurtz New Market Health Health Sense Media Dr. Gundry Advanced Bionutritionals Nature City Patriot Health Alliance The Agora JasonRutkowski.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 99 as we chat with freelance copywriter Jason Rutkowski about writing in the health and wellness niche, investing in himself and his expertise, his business and writing processes, and what it took to gain traction as a copywriter when he was just starting out. Rob:   Hey Jason. Kira:   Welcome Jason. Jason:    Hey Kira, hey Rob. Kira:   How's it going? Glad you're here. Jason:    Oh no, I'm excited. I haven't done one of these in a while, so I was excited to do it with you. Rob:   Definitely took a little time to get our schedules aligned. We've been trying to make this happen for a little while, because we know a little bit about you and where you write and we think it'll be a great conversation, so we're glad to have you here. Jason:     Yeah, definitely. Kira:   All right, so let's kick this off. Jason, how did you end up as a copywriter? Jason:     Okay, I'll give you the quick story about this. I was 19. I just finished my freshman year of college. I got an internship at a normal 9-to-5 job. And I realized I hated it. I was like, oh man. I saw all these people who worked in an office, you know, 30, 40 years; I'm like, is this really going to be my life? And also at the same exact time, I was on the internet one day and I found an internet marketing forum. And I was like, what's an internet marketing forum? I don't know.

For the 98th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob bring back one of the most popular guests from the first few weeks of 2017—Tarzan Kay. Tarzan’s been a great friend to us (and the club) so we were thrilled to have her back to talk about how her business has changed in the year since we last talked and how having a baby forced her to change how she worked. We talked about: •  how her business has changed since we talked more than a year ago •  why (and how) she has moved to day rates for most of her projects today •  how day rates work and why clients like them •  what day-rate clients can expect as far as deliverables go •  what the day rate process and schedule looks like •  the next step for clients after they book their first day •  the place mindset plays with day rates and asking for more money •  ideas for stepping out of your own thoughts to work on mindset •  how you can identify your mindset around money •  her approach to affiliate launches and what she does to succeed •  the #1 lesson she’s learned from working with affiliates •  how she found balance through a major life-change •  her advice to copywriters who want to take their business to the next level Tarzan has built a following among copywriters working on their mindsets and looking for new models for their business. If you’re like them, you’ll want to listen in on this discussion. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. And of course you can also find it at iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Tarzan’s first episode Denise Duffield Thomas Laura Belgray Julie Stoian B-School Copy School Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 98 as we chat with freelance copywriter, Tarzan Kay, for the second time about her business and what's changed over the past year. What it takes to do a successful affiliate promotion, getting over money issues and selling day rate intensive packages. Kira:   Welcome back Tarzan. Rob:   Hey Tarzan. Tarzan:   Thanks for having me back guys. Rob:   We are so excited to have you back. In fact, like you're one of the very rare few people that have come back to the show more than once. So thanks for doing that. Tarzan:    It's a real honor you know. I actually think you guys should do more episodes just the two of you, because I really like those ones. They're some of my favorites. Kira:   Awe, thank you for saying that. Rob:   Now, we'll let you go and Kira and I will talk ourselves. Kira:   And this interview is over, we are done. Rob:   Thanks, thanks for that. Hey let's start out by you catching us up on what's been going on in your business over the last year. Because, the last time we talked, and people can go back to that episode 9, 89 episodes ago, and check out what you said then. What's been going on for you over the past year? Tarzan:    Well, a lot has changed. So in August, I was surprised to learn that I was pregnant. Total surprise baby, which I wasn't planning for at all, and it threw a major monkey wrench into my plans, in the best way though. So, I had to adapt, and figure out how I was going to take time off and really change, kind of restructure a little bit. For one thing, I used way more hours with my VA and I've scaled that up since learning that I was pregnant. In January, and February since then, I've pretty much transitioned to day rate work almost exclusively. I have two clients who I just love the heck out of,

Copywriter Michal Eisikowitz joined Kira and Rob for the 97th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast and we go deep into her business. Michal has made some amazing changes to her business in the last year (including creating one of the best copywriter websites we’ve ever seen). You’re going to want to listen to this one. Here’s what we covered: •  how she turned a degree in speech pathology into a career as a copywriter •  the “experiment” that led solidified her career choice •  what she learned from her other jobs that made her a better copywriter •  how what she accomplished in the Accelerator helped her walk away from her previous job •  the evolution of her business, the kinds of work she does and what she charges today •  how long the exploratory phase should last before you choose your niche •  the work she does today and how she plans to evolve her business •  what her process looks like from start to finish •  why she has branded herself as a “perfectionist” •  how she balances her work with everything else in her life •  what she did to upgrade her website and how to know if you should upgrade yours •  what she has her VA do at the end of every project •  the packages she offers to her clients and how she came up with them •  how she uses LinkedIn to generate leads for her business (and the tool she uses) •  what she did to triple her income this year •  the mistakes she’s made along the way Finally, we asked Michal where she plans to take her business in the next year or two. Note: we lost Kira’s sound for the last few minutes, but it doesn’t detract from this fantastic episode. To hear this one, visit iTunes, Stitcher or use your favorite podcast app to download it. Or scroll down and click the play button or read the full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank 30 Day Social Michal’s website LinkedIn Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for episode 97, as we chat with freelance copywriter Michal Eisikowitz about how she became a copywriter, how she's transformed her business over the past year and her amazing new website, how she uses LinkedIn to connect with potential clients and what she's learned as she started mentoring other writers. Kira:   Welcome Michal. Rob:   Hi Michal. Michal:     Thank you. Great to be here, you know how much I love you guys, so the chance to spend another hour with the two of you. Rob:   The feeling is mutual, so this should be fun. Kira:   All right, let's kick this off with your story and how you got into copywriting. Michal:     I have a really winding path to copywriting. I actually am a licensed Speech Language Pathologist. I trained in Communication Sciences, I have a Masters. My mother is also a Speech Language Pathologist, I have a background in education, so I thought special education was going to be a great fit. Then while I was earning my Masters I wanted a job, side job and I interned at a publishing company as the marketing assistant. I interned there for about three months and then was hired full-time and I ended up working there for two and a half years. I just loved every minute. I did everything to do with book publicity, marketing and copywriting, book titles, press releases, back flaps, book descriptions, catalog descriptions. All kinds of as ad copy, you name it, I was doing their marketing work. This kind of work really gave me this broad foundation in marketing and copywriting and I realized, wow,

For the 96th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with copywriter Ridge Abraham. Ridge recently left full time employment with The Agora and now works freelance for financial clients and is taking on clients in other fields as well. You’ll want to listen to this one if only to get all of the books Ridge recommends as we talked. In this wide ranging interview we talked about: •  how Ridge went from Los Angeles DJ to financial copywriter •  how his very first mailed promotion pulled $7 million •  how he uses swipe copy without stealing ideas •  his writing process •  the projects he works on today—since he left Agora full time •  how he structures his compensation for the projects he takes •  what he does to connect to potential clients •  how he keeps his skills sharp today •  his thoughts about mentorship and why it is so important •  what he’s learned from his famous dad—Jay Abraham •  the “unbelievable” mistake he sees a lot of other copywriters make •  the failures he’s experienced and how to know when to give up •  several ideas to try if you want to write in the financial niche We also asked Ridge about what he thinks will happen to copywriting in the future and he turned the question back on us, so we shared our thoughts as well. To hear this one, visit iTunes, Stitcher, or download it on your favorite podcast app. Or you can simply click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show:   Agora Financial Great Leads Influence Made to Stick Money Map Stansbury Research The Oxford Club Cremes and Lotions Steal Like an Artist A Technique for Producing Ideas Joe Schriefer Abbey Woodcock Ian Stanley Gary Bencivenga Jay Abraham The Dip Chanti Zak Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript:   Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That's what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You're invited to join the club for episode 96 as we chat with copywriter Ridge Abraham about his path into financial copywriting, what he did to generate seven million dollars with the first campaign he ever wrote, why he's so hard to find online, and the most important lessons he learned from his famous dad. Kira:   Ridge, welcome. Ridge:   Thank you guys. Thanks for having me. Rob:   It's really good to have you. Kira:   We were joking before we started recording about how Ridge is the hardest person to find online. We had to scour the internet to find you. Ridge:   That way you guys can't ask me those trick questions. Kira:   I know. Ridge:  It's even been easier to find Paris Lampropolous online, than it is to find me, which is saying something because he hides. I think he's got a bigger body of work than me, I don't know. Kira:   So let's kick this off with your story and how you ended up as a financial copywriter. Ridge:   Okay. So it's actually a pretty funny story. So, like I was telling you guys, I went to school for music. I was really into music production, songwriting. I was DJing. I was living in LA, and I really want to play shows. I wanted to travel and do stuff like that, and it is tough right out of college. If you want to be like an entrepreneur in the music business, it's very difficult to make it and you're often times broke. So I was working this internship at ... It was like a subsidiary of Hans Zimmer Music for Film studio, and I hated it. I was the intern that every day I would just go and get people lunch. I was just like the gopher. Worst job ever, miserable. I was really like, okay, I need to figure something else out. So I was listening to a lot of entrepreneurial podcast an...

Copywriter Julia Reinisch is in the house for the 95th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Julia chatted with Kira and Rob about a variety of topics from how she came to join The Copywriter Think Tank to her favorite dive spots in Roatán. Long time listeners know that we like to talk with copywriters at all stages in their business, and while Julia is not a beginner, many listeners will relate to the effort Julia is going through to build a thriving freelance business. Here’s what we covered: •  how curiosity and a suggestion from her family led her from social work to copywriting •  where she found her very first client and the kind of work resonated with her •  how her background in social work makes her a better writer •  the kind of work she does as an in-house copywriter at a University •  how she learned to talk to customers and thicken her skin with a job in retail •  the unique steps she took to start her own copywriting business •  why Julia thinks every copywriter needs a great website •  what she’s done to take her business to the next level •  her thoughts about connecting with other writers in the Copywriter Think Tank •  what she’s done to pitch her employer on hiring her as a copywriter •  the advice she has for copywriters just starting out •  her thoughts about working with other writers •  what she’s doing with her business in the future •  her favorite dive spots in Roatán To get this episode in your earbuds, visit iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app. Or simply click the play button below. And if you don’t like listening, you can scroll down for a full transcript (there’s even an option to download it and read it later).   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Yeti MooseJaw REI Jax Asana The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Mary’s Crack The Blue Cave Julia on Twitter MomentumCopy.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You're invited to join the club for Episode 95, as we chat with in-house and freelance copywriter, Julia Reinish, about her move from social work to copywriting, what she did to pitch herself to a big client, the struggles of a full time writing job and the place adventure plays in her life. Welcome Julia. Julia:  Hey, Rob, Kira, thank you so much for having me. Kira:   Yeah, great to have you here as one of the members of our think tank, which I'm sure we'll talk about a little bit more. But, Julia, can you just start with your story? How did you end up as a copywriter? Julia:  Yeah. Personally, I've always been a really creative person. Growing up I guess, I was the child that probably kept my parents super entertained all the time because I was always finding something new to explore and something to really learn a lot about. I know at one point I got really interested in everything about Atlantis and Lost City type things and codes at one point. I thought that I was totally going to grow up and be a spy. So just all kinds of creative things like that. But one thing that's remained constant, I guess, is that I've always been really interested in writing. I won my first writing contest at nine years old I think. From there, did a lot of writing in school and everything as everyone else does, but I was always getting recognized for it. So you would think that when I'd get to college and everything, I'd want to actually pursue that as a career, but I didn't. I guess a part of me just really wanted to reach more of the sensitive part of myself. I would say I'm a very sensitive person and I'm always really keepin...

Email expert and sometime copywriter, Val Geisler, is our guest for the 94th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. In this episode, we go deep on the ins and outs of emails—especially on-boarding sequences which can make a huge difference to your client acquisition processes (and the one you create for your clients). We cover: •  how Val went from stage manager to copywriter and email marketing genius •  what she did to learn business skills then start her own business •  how managing stage productions has made her a better writer •  Val’s processes for designing and mapping email sequences •  why she added strategy to the services she provides (in addition to copy) •  Val’s secret for getting clients (that we’ve mentioned on the podcast before) •  the backdoor Val uses to get results from her clients •  the writing and testing tools Val uses as an email copywriter •  how she presents then delivers final copy to her clients •  how she sets up projects and charges for them •  her advice on welcome sequences to onboard new customers •  the mistakes everyone makes with their email marketing •  her favorite tips for working with VAs •  the new book she is writing about her experience as a woman in the tech industry •  how marketing is like a dinner party •  how to get her regular email tear-downs Val also shared how you can get her regular email tear-downs if you want to keep learning about email marketing. To get this excellent episode in your earbuds, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. It’s also available on iTunes, Stitcher and your favorite podcast app.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Lululemon LucidChart Litmus Intercom ActiveCampaign Drip Drift Airstory ValGeisler.com @lovevalgeisler Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:   You’re invited to join the club for episode 94 as we chat with copywriter and email strategist Val Geisler about email copywriting strategy and what it takes to convert casual visitors into happy customers, writing a book, and how thinking about your marketing is a lot like hosting a dinner party. Kira:   Welcome, Val. Rob:   Hey, Val. Val:    Hey, guys. Thanks for having me. Episode 94, that’s so huge. Kira:   It’s exciting. I realized before you jumped on here that you are the only guest we’ve had on this podcast that I have also interviewed on my previous podcast from a previous lifetime, the Bridal Rebellion Podcast in 2015. I was lucky enough to interview you about your wedding, and planning, and systems, so I feel like this is just coming full circle. Val:    Wow. Yeah. That’s like a blast from the past. It just kind of proves my theory that the journey you go on in your career is one that’s pretty unpredictable, and that if you would have told me in 2015 that I would be sitting here talking to you about copywriting and email marketing, I probably would have laughed at you, but here we are. I didn’t have this plan, but this is where the life has taken me as I’ve let plans unfold. Kira:   All right, so let’s start with your story. You didn’t expect to end up as a copywriter, so how did you end up as a copywriter? Val:    Sure. Well, I have a degree in theater, so I went to school for theater production. I was a stage manager and worked in theater for several years. Stage managers are the people behind the scenes who make everything happen. They tell everybody where to be and what they should be wearing, and props to be carrying, and when the lights go on, and all those things.

Copywriter Erica Strauss joins Kira and Rob for the 93rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Erica is doing something a little different in her business than what most copywriters are doing... working with a direct sales company to add another revenue stream to her personal business. So far it's working, and we wanted to know more. We also talked about: •  how Erica started her copywriting career at age 10 •  what she learned about copywriting from working as a gossip columnist •  why she decided NOT to finish her master’s degree •  how Erica makes retainers work for her andher clients •  what she typically charges for one of her projects •  how she started copy coaching •  the challenges of growing a copywriting business quickly •  what she did to overcome the burnout that comes with so much work •  how her business is shifting to include other income streams •  what to consider if you’re interested in network marketing •  how Erica connects with clients and gets to know their voice and stories •  what she’s doing on Facebook Live and her tips for doing it well •  why relationships are so important as copywriters •  where her business is going from here •  why she loves rap and EDM—and how it makes her a better write We also talked about her processes and tips for writing taglines and naming products—and why she offers this service to her clients. And as we often do, we asked her about the future of copywriting. To hear what Erica had to share, click the play button below or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Lisa Vanderpump Marie Forleo EricaLeeXO.com Erica on Facebook Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira:   The Copywriter Club Podcastis sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob:   What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira:   You’re invited to join the club for episode 93 as we chat with copywriter and communications strategists Erica Lee Strauss about her stint as a gossip columnist. Helping entrepreneurs communicate their stories, burning out and finding a purpose, copy coaching and her love of EDM. Welcome Erica. Rob:   Hey Erica. Erica:Hi guys. Thanks for having me. Rob:   We’re stocked to have you. Kira:   Yeah, so Erica, let’s start with your story, how did you end up as a copywriter? Erica:Oh my gosh you guys. Okay, so honestly I was one of those annoying little kids who always knew what they wanted to do. I was sending out manuscripts and God knows what they were like. I was sending out manuscripts at age 10. Actually started an online magazine back in the days of like AOL and CompuServe, and kind of had my first mailing list back then. Had a little mailing list of like, I guess it wasn’t so little, it was 2000 people. I had a little online magazine and just always knew that I wanted to write or like wanted to do something. I thought it would be with editorial basically, I thought I would do something in magazines. I actually wrote my first article for a magazine at age 10, because somebody at Girls Life Magazine got wind of the fact that I was this 10 year old having this, writing this online magazine. They contacted me to write an article for their reader’s issue, and as soon as I saw my name in print, I was completely hooked. I just knew that that was going to be the thing, like I definitely was going to go down the magazine journalism path. I did. I went to college for that, and it was kind of during that weird time where everyone wasn’t sure really w...

Copywriter and Marketing Consultant, Eric Bakey, steps into the studio with Kira and Rob for the 92nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We met Eric a few months ago and got to talking about his approach to his business. It’s different than a lot of other copywriters’, so we thought it would be interesting to talk about how he works with his clients. In this interview, we cover: •  how Eric went from the army to construction to writing a book to copywriting •  why he doesn’t call himself a copywriter (even though he writes copy) •  Eric’s onboarding process and the “found money” blueprint •  the “15 minutes -> hour -> day -> long term contract” roadmap •  how he connected with Dan Kennedy (and the results for his business) •  what you need to know about packaging your services like Eric •  how he uses sketches in his customer interactions •  what he does when clients buy the “found money” blueprint •  how to set up a retainer model so you don’t get burned •  why Eric treats his copy the same way an artist treats her work •  how he turned $80 of Facebook ads into $30,000 in sales •  Eric’s book recommendation for building a steady stream of sales •  why it’s important to create a list of your best 100 clients •  what Eric’s regular work day looks like And if that weren’t enough, we asked Eric how he uses cartoons in his business and why there are so many opportunities for copywriters today. We also sneaked in a question about his favorite tattoo (he has quite a few to choose from). Ready to hear it? Visit iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app. Or scroll down and click the play button below, where you’ll also find lots of links and a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Strength from Within by Eric Bakey Jocko Willink Dan Kennedy Renegade Millionaire Business Model Canvas Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes 93 Extraordinary Referral Systems by Jay Abraham Sean D’Souza Joe Schriefer Ray Edwards Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira:  What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:  You’re invited to join the club for episode 92 as we chat with author, copywriter, and combat vet, Eric Bakey, about his long and winding road to copywriting the “Found Money” Blueprint, cartooning, writing for his niche vet-preneurs, and which of his one or two tattoos is his favorite. Kira:  Welcome, Eric. Rob:  Welcome, Eric. Eric:  Thanks for having me. Rob:  Yeah, we’re thrilled. Kira:  Yeah, great to have you. So we met you through Brian Kurtz’s Titans Masterclass. We’re both excited to hear more about your story, which is a great place to start. How did you end up as a copywriter? Eric:  Well, I joined the Army after high school, and I learned how to blow stuff up and mop floors. Neither of them are very lucrative, so I had to start all over again into construction when I got out. I was sick of working and building someone else’s empire, so I decided to write a book as an escape from the corporate world. And then I learned that the publisher, after they make the initial push for your book, they do not care about whether you sell anymore. So I had to start writing copy if I wanted to sell any books, and you have to sell a lot of books if you want to make any money. That’s how I kind of how I got started in copywriting. Rob:  So tell us a little bit about your book. If that’s the doorway to get into copywriting, why did you decide to write it? What does it cover and when you started to promote it, what are some of the things that you learned in order to make that happen?

Persuasion expert and copywriter Bushra Azhar joins Kira and Rob for the 91st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. This is a fun one. We covered a lot of ground with Bushra, beginning with her meteoric rise and success (she worked hard for it) and the principles she teaches in her books and webinars. The stuff we covered includes: •  how Bushra went from corporate consultant to copywriter and landed her first client •  how her business shifted when she launched an online course •  why she worked around the clock—for pennies—for weeks and the massive impact it had on her business •  how she made $7500 by making a single presentation •  why it’s harder to get results from Facebook groups today vs. a few years age •  why you should never PM people with advice on Facebook—and what to do instead •  brand positioning—how to do it and what not to do •  the 8 persuasion triggers and how to use them •  what accountants use for birth control (it’s a joke, people) •  what Bushra’s business looks like today •  the mistakes she’s made on her way to making more than $1 million There’s a ton of value in this one—you won’t want to miss the discussion of the persuasion triggers which will help you improve your writing whether you write BoF copy or ToF content. To get this one in your ear buds, visit iTunes, Stitcher or click the play button below. You can read and download a full transcript by scrolling down. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Copyhackers article Laura Belgray Mass Persuasion Method by Bushra Ashar ThePersuasionRevolution.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 91, as we chat with copywriter and autoher of Mass Persuasion Method, Bushra Azhar, about her story; persuasion triggers and why you need to use them; and how she’s found success creating programs for entrepreneurs; what she wishes she had done differently; and her advice for copywriters who want to grow quickly. Kira:  Welcome, Bushra. Rob:  Hey, Bushra. Bushra:  Hey Kira; hey Rob! Thank you so much for having me; it is an utter honor. And yes, I just clapped my hands, so if you heard a blast in your ear, I am sorry! Rob:  I’m clapping too. Kira: Laughs. Let’s all clap! Bushra: So it doesn’t look awkward, so I don’t look like a two-year old. But, thank you so much for having me. It is an utter pleasure; I am very excited. Kira: No, we’re great. You’ve been at top of our list actually. We’ve wanted to have you on the podcast for a while. So glad you are finally here. And Bushra, a great place to start is just with your story, especially for anyone who has not heard of you before. How did you end up running your business, and copywriting, and persuasion? Bushra:  Oh, okay. So first off all, thank you so much. It’s a funny, funny note that I will tell, which I will think, it is probably... like I’m making a massive boo-boo in front of all the copywriters community, but I have to say this: you just introduced me, and you said “copywriter”, and the thing is, I don’t identify myself as a copywriter, because I have never taken any copywriter training. And, when I started my business, I wasn’t really sure which copywriting was which. So it the w-r-i-t-e, or is the r-i-g-h-t? Kira:  Laughs. Rob:  Laughs. Bushra:  And I said okay, which is which? I just knew that I’m good at using words to make a sales argument. That’s something that I’ve always done. That has always been my strength. But I never really thought there was a need for something like this,

Wow, ninety episodes. That was fast, right? For the 90th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk about some of the challenges of running a growing Facebook group and managing competing cultures, expectations, and conversations that cross the line. Some of the topics we covered in this rare guest-less episode include: •  what Rob has been doing with his business for the last two months •  a little bit about Kira’s experiment with a “mini micro agency” •  the program experiment that “failed” •  why we created the Facebook group and why we sometimes let things go farther than some people feel appropriate •  balancing trust and intent with censorship •  the place for scarcity in copywriting •  how scarcity impacts us as copywriters •  what Kira does when she finds herself in a scarcity mindset •  how to create scarcity the right way Plus we talked a bit about what’s coming up next for us and the club. We’ve got some great new (and returning) guests joining us in the next few weeks that we’re very excited about. To hear it all, visit iTunes, Stitcher or click the play button below. And as always you can scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank The Hidden Brain Scarcity Episode Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 90, as Kira and I talk about what’s been going on in the Copywriter Club lately, and in our own businesses; how we hope to monitor Facebook discussions moving forward; and why scarcity is such a powerful motivator for your clients, and something you need to watch out for in your own business. Rob: Hey, Kira. Kira: Hey Rob. How’s it going? Rob: It is going awesome. Before we started recording, we were just talking about how we’re both so happy that Spring is here, and spending some time outside. You were going for a run; I’m hoping to get out on my bike and...yeah, things are going good. Kira: Yeah, definitely. Getting outside has helped with the warm weather; I feel like I haven’t done much of that over the last two months, so yeah. This was a first job in a long time. Very slow; very slow pace! Rob: Yeah, I totally get that. So, my bike has been sitting in my garage for way too long, because the handlebar tape broke on my bike, and I fixed it with some packing tape, and that just bugged the heck out of me. So I had this tape sitting, ready to make a repair, and I finally got it done on Saturday, and got out for a ride, and oh my gosh. You know, like ten minutes in, I’m like, why haven’t I been doing this everyday? You know, I miss being on my bike. So, yeah; thank you Spring for getting here, and getting my out of my desk chair, and out into the world. Kira: Yeah. Well I feel like you and I have been hibernating a bit the past....year, maybe? Rob: Laugh. Yeah, a little bit. Kira: And just chugging along on the copywriter club, and putting it together. So what’s been happening in your business? Because we haven’t really talked about your business since episode 80 which was about two months ago, right? Rob: Yeah. So I think we talked right after the live even that we did. Kira: Right. Yeah. Rob: And you know, after the live event, I took on a lot of work, and so for the last two months, have been working really hard on balancing a couple of really large projects, along with what we were doing in The Copywriter Club, and i have to admit, for the last two months, while the work has been steady and the income has been good,

Frameworks specialist, Mel Abraham is our guest for the 89th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Mel’s got an interesting background that launched him as an expert is building expertise (kind of meta, right?), which means he is the perfect person to talk about client relationships and how to establish your expertise before you work with a client. We talked about: •  how he learned to leverage his experience to build a real business •  how to stop exchanging hours for dollars and sell your true value •  the risks and rewards of project pricing •  what you have to do to get clients past the “yellow light” •  how you can help clients see the value of what you do before they hire you •  what to cover in your first call with a potential client •  how to know if you’re an expert or a thought leader •  the “prolific power of positioning” and how to use it for your business •  all about frameworks and why you need one •  the steps to follow for creating a framework for your business •  how copywriters can build their own credibility As usual, there’s a lot of good stuff in this episode. To hear it, visit iTunes, Stitcher or open up your favorite podcast app and search for The Copywriter Club. Or just scroll down and click the play button below. Keep scrolling for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Thoughtpreneur Academy The Entrepreneur’s Solution by Mel Abraham Stephen Covey James Wedmore Mel’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 89, as we talk with entrepreneur and business advisor Mel Abraham about building a successful business from nothing, what you need to do to become an influencer and make a real impact, the importance of frameworks, and how to write a national bestseller. Kira: Welcome, Mel. Mel: How are you doing? Rob: Mel, it’s great to have you here. We’re thrilled to be talking to you. Mel: Yeah, it’s fun. Kira: All right Mel, so let’s just start with your story; how did you end up building your online building empire? Mel: Wow. I guess, you know, it’s a non-traditional thing. It wasn’t like I grew up with the internet; I grew up well before the internet, and I was the traditional CPA. I’m a  CPA by education, but I was building an expert business before I knew what an expert business was. And it was pre-internet; I needed to build a practice. I needed to get clients; I needed to get known; I needed to get myself out there, and the only way to do it back then was direct mail, you know; networking; speaking; and writing articles. And that’s what I did to do this. And as time went on, I started to realize that the game that I was sold—swapping hours for dollars—is the absolute worst business model I that could ever be sold to someone, and should be burned at the stake! And I tried to figure out, how do I leverage my expertise, and how do I leverage that stuff? And you know, we may get more into it, but what I was building at the time was as an expert witness, strategic consultant, or businesses. I was helping them build businesses, but I was doing a lot of testimony at trial in litigation, which was such a negative environment, that I got tired of it. And I said, well, where can my skills work and where can I leverage those skills better, and that’s when I started to look at the online space.

Our guest for the 88th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is Facebook Ads Expert Rick Mulready. Kira and Rob sat down with Rick to ask him about his story and how he became the go-to-guy for everything related to Facebook marketing. Here are a few of the things they talked about: •  the mistake he made when he started his business that held him back •  how he structures his days to get more done •  how he’s grown his team to handle the parts of the business he can’t handle •  the programs and products he’s built to sustain his business •  the Insta-story opportunity that’s open for the taking •  how to get started with Facebook (the first step will sound familiar) •  the kinds of ads that are working today •  what you can do with FB ads to increase engagement and make connections •  the images you should be using in your Facebook ads •  how we can use FB ads to market our own (copywriting) businesses and stand out •  what has changed with launches and how Rick is thinking differently about them •  how you can get started with FB ads even if you have no experience •  where you should do Facebook Lives (on the page or in a group) •  how Rick connects with authority figures (and how we can do the same thing) There’s a ton of great information here for anyone who wants to start advertising on Facebook as well as for any copywriter who works with clients who use Facebook to promote their products and services. You won’t want to miss it. To hear the entire interview, click the play button below, or for a full transcript, scroll down. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: RickMulready.com The Art of Paid Traffic The FB Ads Diagnosis Check List (mention troubleshoot) Ashlyn Carter Amy Porterfield Chanti Zak Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira:What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob:You’re invited to join the club for episode 88, as we chat with paid traffic expert Rick Mulready, about Facebook advertising and what copywriters need to learn about making it work; how he’s built his own business empire; what’s working and what’s not working in launches today; and the importance of teaming up with the right people to move your business forward. Kira:Welcome, Rick. Rob: Hey, Rick! Rick:I am so honored to be here; thanks for having me on! Rob:We’re excited. Kira:Yeah! Rick:You guys just said ‘episode number 88’; is that what you guys said? Rob:Yeah. Kira: Yeah!Laughs. Rob:88. Can you believe it? Rick: Laughs. No! I was like, I feel like you guys just started this, like it’s...I mean, I know it’s been going amazingly well, but are you doing like four a day or something like that? Rob:Laughs. Kira:Laughs. We’re pulling one everyday; yeah... Rick:Laughs. Congratulations! Amazing. Kira: Yeah! Thank you! And I know, Rick, we’ve worked together in the past, and we’ve talking about bringing you on the show for a while, so now it’s finally happening, and a good place to start is with your story, especially for people who aren’t familiar with you yet. How did you end up running your empire? Rick:Laughs. You use that word; I just laugh at that word. Kira:It’s an awful word! Laughs. Rick:And just for everybody listening, before we got going here, Kira said, ‘Is there anything that you don’t want to talk about,’ and I said, ‘Nah, I’m an open book,’ and the thing of it is, is Kira knows a lotabout me, because we’ve worked together with writing copy. And so I said that, and I’m like, ‘Ooh, wait; Kira knows a lotabout me’, and I’m saying nothing’s off the table here. So yeah. It’s been a very cool journey.

Our guest for the 87th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast is none other than A-list copywriter Paul Martinez. We covered a lot of ground in this one, including how Paul landed a place as Parris Lampropolous’ copy cub (for seven years) and his process for finding ideas that hook the reader so they’ll see his offers. The resources he shares are excellent. Here’s most of what we cover in this episode: •  how an English degree and a job in real estate helped him find copywriting •  what he did to recover from losing almost everything and how that still impacts how he spends his time today •  what he learned from real estate sales and how that’s made him a better writer •  what he did to find clients as a new copywriter and the #1 thing that reallymade a difference •  how you get yourself in the right room with the right people •  what he learned as a copy cub for one of the world’s best copywriters •  what you can do right now to be a better copywriter (you may not want to do this) •  how he keeps his copywriting skills sharp today •  how Paul finds big ideas playing around on the internet all day long •  how he structures his projects today (and his advice about retainers) •  how he deals with failures That’s a lot of hows and whats—and every one of them is worth the listen. There are also a whole lot of links. To hear this episode in its entirety, click the play button below. Or for a full transcript and links to the stuff Paul mentions, scroll down.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Google Adwords Parris Lampropolous Brian Kurtz Dan Kennedy John Carlton Barnaby Kaelin Alexi Neocleous Jim Rutz Raymond Carver Joe Sugarman Todd Brown Atlas Obscura How We Got to Now At Home by Bill Bryson History of the World in 100 Objects Now I Know More This is Your Brain on Parasites Clayton Makepeace Clayton’s Sales Page Template Agora NatureCity Soundview Weiss Research Mike Ward Money Map Press Jed Canty Paul on Facebook PaulMartinezCopywriting.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob:What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 87, as we talk with copywriter and business owner Paul Martinez about digging deep to turn things around after losing it all, the importance of sales skills in copywriting, emotional hot buttons and what really makes people buy, and what it takes to create successful promotions for companies like Motley Fool, Soundview, and Nature City. Kira:Welcome Paul. Rob: Hey, Paul. Paul:Hi; hi guys. Kira: How’s it going? Paul: It’s going great; great to be here. Rob:Yeah, we’re stoked to have you here. Kira:So Paul, a great place to start is with how you ended up as a copywriter. Paul:Yeah, sure, sure. So I began my journey actually in the real estate world. Well, going a little further back, my background is actually I went to school for fiction writing and ending up getting an English degree. I pretty quickly realized that, you know, that really wasn’t going to pay the bills. So I ended up in real estate, and actually discovered that I really liked sales. And I was pretty good at it, I studied it a lot. I got better and better but, there was a problem: that I didn’t know how to generate leads. And, you know, this was 2000, 2001. Real estate marketing at that point was, believe it or not, still really based around cold calling. Like, literally going through this thing called a “colds directory”, which was like a phone book, but it has a little diamond next to the people who owned a house. And my broken told me, just like,

Copywriter Rick Marion joins Kira Hug and Rob Marsh for the 86th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. This one gets personal as Rick talks about how he overcame his addictions and how that relates to copywriting. We also talked about... •  how he found copywriting and persuasion though a mentor •  what his first few clients were like (where the work came from) •  how he identifies a mentor to connect (and work) with •  how he finds clients today •  what he’s doing to build the channels where clients can find him •  the two reasons he continually invests in masterminds, books, and events •  the biggest take-aways from his membership in The Think Tank •  his struggle with addiction and how he reframed the way he looked at the world •  what he is experimenting with these days •  what copywriters can do to build their authority •  why he put together a copywriter book group •  what Rick is working on in his business today Rick is a current member of The Copywriter Think Tank and he shares a bit about his experience there. To get this one, visit iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app. Or click the play button below. For a full transcript, just keep scrolling.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Think Tank The New York Event: TCCIRL Proposify Better Proposals Ben Settle Jody Mayberry Ray Edwards Brian Kurtz Larry Winget Parris Lampropolous Parris’ book list (coming soon) How to Write a Good Advertisement by Vic Schwab Talent is Overrated by Geoffrey Colvin rickmarion.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 86, as we chat we freelance copywriter Rick Marion about his story; dealing with addiction; how he approached copywriting; what he’s learned from the influencers in his life, and the importance of constantly learning and improving as you build your career. Kira: Rick, welcome! Rob: Hey Rick! Rick: Hey; thank you guys! Kira: So Rick, we met you through The Copywriter Think Tank, and we’ve had the privilege of getting to know you overt the past six months or so. So why don’t we start with your story, and how you became a copywriter? Rick: Well, it was comforting; a couple of weeks ago at the New York event, someone asked how many people became copywriters by accident, and like, the whole room pretty much raised their hand. So, that was pretty comforting to know that I also kind of just fell into this. So, full-time job; like, i was working. This was about four years ago, five years ago, and I was working on my master’s degree. i was getting certifications going after my dream job. And I actually got the offer. It was more money than I asked for. Ton of vacation time...it was exactly what I was looking for in like cyber-security. And I had the start date, like, everything was lined up. And then i got a call saying they couldn’t give me the job because of foreign-national contacts that i had. Like... Kira: What? Rick: It was too sensitive. Yeah, it’s the industry. Rob: I want to know about these “foreign-national contacts”! Rick: Laughs. Kira: Yeah! Rob: Like, foreign national...spy? Or drug dealer? Kira: Are you a spy? Rob: Yeah, what’s up? Laughs. Rick: Laughs. No, you know what? It’s just people that travel all over the world and they travel to some countries that, you know, the U.S. doesn’t really want to get involved with. So it was enough to basically say they couldn’t offer me the job, and I was devastated. Kira: Wow. Rick: I mean this was, like I said,

Health and Fitness copywriter, Misty Mozejko joins Kira and Rob for the 85th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We asked her all kinds of questions about her fitness and copywriting business—and got a lot of great advice to apply to our own businesses. We even talked about nipple tassels, which is new ground for us (though not for Misty). Here’s what else we talked about: •  how she got started running her own businesses and how that led to copywriting •  how she found a mentor and why she continues to look for them •  what she did to lose 120 pounds (and how long it took) •  the business lessons she learned running her own fitness club •  her diet recommendations for copywriters who need to feed their brains •  the system she has developed in her business to help her succeed •  the moment she realized she was good at copywriting •  what she’s done to improve her own writing (this is a great tip) •  her advice on how to choose clients •  why she emails her list every day (and the impact it has) •  where the ideas for her emails come from •  how she captures the voice of her clients •  how she manages two businesses, being a mom, and staying healthy •  the mistakes she’s made (and why she tries to stay in her lane) •  what she’s learned about hiring people to help her •  how she communicates with her team (and the tool she uses) •  what she does to improve her writing and business skills •  the words she uses to push back on her clients Finally, Misty pulled out her crystal ball to tell us where she sees copywriting going in the future. She’s probably not wrong. To hear it all, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: The Copywriter Think Tank Brian Kurtz Paul Mort Ben Settle Email Players James Friel Autopilot Entrepreneur Evernote Trello Basecamp Bond Halbert Russell Brunson Sell Health Nipple Tassels The Go Giver Misty’s Facebook Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 85 as we talk with copywriter and business owner Misty Mozejko about succeeding as a copywriter while running a whole other business; how she stays sane balancing two businesses while being a mom; her best fitness and nutrition advice; and what she does to stand out as a copywriter in a crowded field. Rob: Hey Misty. Kira: Welcome, Misty. Misty: Well, thank you very much for having me; this is an honor! Kira: It’s great to have you hear. I think a great place to start is with your story, and how you ended up running multiple businesses. Misty: Uhhhm, yeah; you said ‘sane’? You mentioned something about my sanity in the intro, and I think we should address that, because there’s definitely none of that happened in the past. I’m not sane at all, so let’s just clear that up right now. But yeah, I think that, you know, I started out as an entrepreneur just after my son was born and he’s almost twelve, so it’s been over a decade now doing my own thing. And the fitness business arose because of my own personal... Well, I lost 120 pounds after my son was born, and I figured if I could do it, then everyone could do it; like seriously, everyone can do it. So, I grew a fitness business from that, and the copywriting kind of came out of the fitness business, because I was writing to my clients, and writing to my list everyday, unbeknownst to me what even copywriting was or even email marketing was. I had no idea. I was just doing it. And then, after a few years of thinking, “Huh,

Copywriter, author and copy coach Steve Roller stops by our studio for the 84th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Steve is the founder of The Copywriter Cafe Facebook group—a group that a lot of club members are also in. We asked Steve to share his thoughts about his book, the field of copywriting and a whole lot more. Here’s what this episode covers: •  how a 17-year career in sales (and an online course) led to his second life as a copywriter •  how he connected with his first client (it involved pancakes) •  the advice he gives copywriters who are struggling to gain traction •  the advantage copywriters with a sales background have over other writers •  what it takes to foster engagement in a Facebook community •  the importance of relationships for all (but especially new) copywriters •  the books he recommends to copywriters who are just starting out •  the skills you need to be good at on client calls •  why every copywriter needs to write their own book •  how writing a book has affected his business •  the dark side of freelancing (spoiler: you won’t make millions working at the beach) •  the lighter side of freelancing—it’s definitely not all bad •  what Steve sees happening with copywriting in the future This was a great conversation with someone who is doing a lot to support other copywriters and help them succeed. It’s no wonder we feel such a kinship with Steve. You can get this interview on iTunes, Stitcher or by scrolling down to click the play button. Or you can read the transcript if you scroll down the page a bit.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Café Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferazzi How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie The Freelancer Manifesto by Steve Roller Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Cafewriter.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: This podcast is brought to you by The Copywriter Think Tank, our mastermind group for writers who are serious about taking their businesses to the next level. In the Think Tank, you’ll learn from guest experts who share their business and copywriting expertise; you’ll have the opportunity to sit in the hot seat while the other members of the group brainstorm solutions to the challenges you’re facing; and, you’ll have exclusive access to a small, focus group of professional copywriters who are all working together to get better at what we do. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth the investment. If you’re interested in learning more, visit www.copywriterthinktank.com. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 84 as we chat with freelance copywriter, author, and community leader Steve Roller about the dark side of freelancing; the skills you need to make it as a consulting copywriter; why you must ride a book; and the impact a great community can have on your career. Kira: Welcome, Steve! Rob: Yeah, welcome Steve! Steve: Hey! Thank you very much for having me; I’m honored to be here, and excited to talk to you today and share some ideas with your readers. With your readers...I’m thinking ‘book’ already! With your lis— Kira: They’re going to be readers! Steve: Laughs Rob: Readers, listeners, yeah. Steve: With your listeners! No, I’m excited to be here. Thanks for having me. Rob: We’re really grateful that you are taking the time to talk to us. You’ve been on our list for a little while. We’ve sort of watched what you’ve done in your community and with your book and so, we’re just really excited to just kick off this conversation. Steve: Excellent, excellent.

In the direct response world everyone knows the name, Gary Halbert. He’s often called the best copywriter who ever lived. And if we could, we’d ask Gary to be on the show, but alas, that’s not possible, so we’ve done the next best thing. Bond Halbert is the guest for episode 83 of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira and Rob sat down with Bond to talk about his famous dad and the lessons he’s learned from a lifetime (literally) learning copy. We talked about: •  his path into the world of copywriting (it all starts with his dad) •  the story behind The Boron Letters and why Gary wrote them to Bond •  why Gary Halbert went to prison for a crime he didn’t commit (really) •  the 2-3 most important lessons he learned from Gary Halbert •  how he divides his work into thirds •  the four kinds of readers you’ll attract to your copy •  why copywriters are good at headlines but bad at closes •  what he does to nail the close •  the importance being persuasive in person (not just in copy) •  where good copy really comes from •  what Bond’s research process involves •  his hack for finding the problems your customers want to solve •  why expertise is relative (the differing levels of expertise) •  the formula he leans toward when he writes for his clients •  why you need to create a compelling sense of urgency in every sales message (and how to do it) •  why he wrote Part III of The Halbert Copywriting Method first •  how he talks differently about positive and negative ideas in his copy (we hadn’t heard this anywhere else before) •  how (and why) Bond’s relationship with money is different from his father’s This interview was so good that it went a little long, but we think you'll learn a lot from the extra time we spent talking about copywriting. To get this one, visit iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app. Or simply click the play button below. And of course, you can scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Boron Letters Parris Lampropolous How to Make Maximum Money in Minimal Time Glenn Gary Glen Ross Big Jason Henderson Sam Markowitz The Halbert Copywriting Writing Method, Part III BondHalbert.com TheGaryHalbertLetter.com Halbertising.com Email: bond@thegaryhalbertletter.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 83 as we talk with copywriter and marketer Bond Halbert about the most important lessons he learned from his father, the man many called the greatest copywriter ever lived; the story behind The Boron Letters; the formulas, tactics, and strategies he uses to make effective copy; and what he’s doing to carry on Gary’s legacy. Rob: Hey Bond! Kira: Welcome, Bond! Bond: Hi! Thank you for having me here! Rob: Yeah we’re thrilled to have you; when we made a list of all of the guests that we wanted to interview eventually on the podcast, your name was one of the first ones that we added, and so it’s taken us a little while to get to you, but we are glad that you’re finally here. Bond: Oh! I didn’t know that, I would have come sooner! Laughs. Kira: Laughs. This is perfect; perfect timing. Episode 83 is a good episode. So Bond, let’s start with your story, especially for people who are less familiar with you, you know; how—how did you get into this wonderful world of copywriting and marketing? Bond: I’m going to try to make this really short, because I know I’ve given this to people who’ve heard me on other podcasts, and I like to give people as much, like, new stuff as I can,

Copywriter Eman Zabi joined Kira and Rob for the 82nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast and we had a great conversation. She became a copywriter a little over a year ago, but in that time has accomplished more than many writers with several years of experience. We talked about her experience in The Copywriter Accelerator and Think Tank and what she’s done to grow her business to the point where she’s working with major outdoor consumer brands. Here are a few of the topics we covered: •  how she went from star engineering student to copywriter (with a stop at the UN along the way) •  what the early days of starting her own business •  what she’s learned from the copywriters she’s surrounded herself with •  what she’s done to stand out online (her SEO secrets) •  why she cut the number of projects she will work in half •  how she’s raised her prices and didn’t worry about “paying her dues” •  how she goes after the clients that she wants to work with •  what you have to know to write in the outdoor industry •  why she threw away her entire list (every single name) and started over •  her thoughts about creating a signature service •  how she deals with clients who think she’s too young •  why she adopted a penguin, two tigers, a great white shark and a llama last year •  how she built a beautiful website for just $47 (and some tears and caffeine) •  why she moved half way around the globe last year •  climbing Kilimanjaro and what she learned from the experience •  how branding can make a big difference for copywriters We also talked with Eman about her best advice to copywriters who are just starting out. And what she shared sounded good to us. To hear the whole discussion, simply click the play button below, or scroll down to read the full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Mount Kilimanjaro Ban Ki-moon The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Lessons from Kilimanjaro Wix MooseJaw Sean D’Souza Hillary Weiss Laura Belgray Eman’s Twitter The Outdoor Copywriter Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 82 as we chat with freelance copywriter Eman Zabi, about how she got into copywriting, dealing with clients who think she’s too young, choosing her niche to rebranding to reach her ideal clients, and what it’s like to stand on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Kira: Welcome, Eman! Rob: Hey, Eman. Eman: Hey, thank you! Kira: Great to have you here! So, we’ve been able to get to know you—we’ve had the privilege of getting to know you—over the past, well almost year, through the Accelerator Program, and then now through The Copywriter Think Tank. So we’re excited to kind of dig into your past, and your copywriting, and your business a bit more. A good place to start is with your story. So, how did you end up in copywriting? Eman: So that’s a funny story, actually. I kind of started off as like every brown parent’s dream, because as a kid, I was like making websites at eight; I was building radios and Morse Code oscillators; and I was going to be an engineer, and I was going to be a great engineer. And then like I started writing, and then I got something published by Bloomsbury at eleven, and then I ended up at the U.N. at fifteen, and then I’m like, “Oh my goodness. I don’t want to be an engineer anymore.” And my parents were devastated. And then I went into politics, and you can’t get a job in politics. I was unemployed; there was no way I was going to get a job with a degree in international politics. And,

For the 81st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with copywriter and marketing specialist, Mike Saul, about copywriting, sales, marketing, and a lot more. Kira first met Mike at a lunch-time gathering of copywriters in New York City and after talking for a little while, realized Mike had a lot of great advice to share with our listeners. In this podcast we talked about: •  how a 13-year-old’s newspaper route led to a career in sales and copywriting •  the book that he used to help a client go from a $500K monthly loss in $1 million in monthly revenue •  how his sales experience informs what he does today •  what he learned from selling burglar alarms—price is not the most important thing •  the relationship between sales and marketing in what copywriters do •  how to write an “air tight” argument for your solution •  how to overcome objections on your sales page •  the checklist he uses when he writes sales pages for his clients •  why sales people in California have to leave the house after •  the list of people he has learned sales and copywriting skills from •  credibility versus believability and which one really matters Lots of good stuff in this episode. To hear it all, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Staton Island Advance Mandolin Brothers NAM Show Todd Brown The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy Brian Tracy Zig Ziglar Gibson SG Fender Telecaster Glen Garry Glen Ross Chris Haddad Clayton Makepeace’s Checklist Joe Schriefer Bob Bly John Carlton Dr. Robert LaPenna Better Call Saul Email: tinymjs.gmail.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 81 as we talk with marketing strategist and copywriter Mike Saul about how a newspaper route launched his copywriting career, how preconceived notions affect your success, credibility vs. believability, what baby bottles, Santa Clause, and getting a first date have in common, and the learning resources he likes most. Kira: Hey Mike, welcome to the show! Rob: Mike, we’re glad to have you! Mike: Thank you for having me, guys. Kira: So, we want to start with your story, Mike. How did you end up in marketing and direct response copywriting? Mike: It probably goes back to when I was 12 or 13 years old. I grew up on Staten Island, which is one of the five boroughs of New York City, so about 13 I started playing guitar. And my parents decided that they weren’t going to buy me a really nice guitar so I had to get a job at thirteen and we perish the thought these days, with all these entitled children, including my three. So anyway, I started delivering the newspaper, The Staten Island Advance. And I actually split a route with two brothers. The two brothers each had a route each but they were too big, so the mother split each of their routes and made a third route. It was kind a rent deed route, it wasn’t officially recognized by the Staten Island Advance. So that route got cycled through the neighborhood kids; most of the kids couldn’t do it so I said alright, I’m going to give it a shot. I had twenty one stops on my route. And I started delivering the paper and anybody I wasn’t delivering to on my route, I would knock on the door, ask if they wanted it, and I started selling. So, I built the route up to 41 people from 21. Now, why 41? Because I was warned by my friend’s mom, that, if you add one more house, we’re going to split the route again, so I said okay, well, that’s great...

In the 80th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob share their take aways from the recent TCC In Real Life event in New York City, what’s going on in their businesses right now (and how they’re dealing with it) and what’s coming up in The Copywriter Club—the next Copywriter Think Tank and the new options we’re offering with The Copywriter Accelerator. We talked about: •  how some of the best parts of a conference aren’t at the conference •  a couple of highlights from the incredible presentations •  who won the scavenger hunt (and how well they did) •  what we’re working on and why we're suddenly feeling overwhelmed •  what mastermind groups have done for us and a few of the reasons you might want to consider one •  the changes we’ve made to The Copywriter Think Tank •  the new, more affordable, option for The Copywriter Accelerator To hear all about it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Hillary Weiss Parris Lampropolous Brian Kurtz Allison Comotto Katz’s Deli City Hunt The Copywriter Think Tank The Copywriter Accelerator Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits. Then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 80 as Kira and I talk about a couple of our favorite moments from our event, The Copywriter Club In Real Life, why masterminds have been an important part of our personal and business growth. What’s happening in our own businesses and what’s happening in the club in the next few weeks. Kira: Hey Rob! Rob: Kira, how’s it going? Kira: It’s great. I feel like we haven’t chatted about our businesses and the club in a while. It feels like a while. Rob: Yeah, it’s been a while since we shared anything publicly anyway. I mean obviously, we talk every once in a while about what’s going on but it has been awhile since we shared what’s going on so we should definitely catch people up. Kira: Yeah, so big event ... Rob: Huge event. Kira: ...recent event. So, what did you think about TCC In Real Life? Rob: When you organize an event there’s all kinds of things that are going on. We were so busy in the weeks running up to it. In addition to the stuff we’re doing on the side with our own clients just trying to make sure that this event was going to come off swimmingly and I was so afraid that we were going to drop the ball or something was going to go wrong and after it was all said and done I kind of walked away and said okay we did an okay job. It was fun. It was like so gratifying in the way that so many speakers came to support us. The things that they shared were incredible and even the stuff that happened outside of the room. We just had a total blast. It was so much fun and I wish that it was the kind of thing we could have had more people there. How about you? What’d you think? Kira: Yeah, I think I remember you saying something about before the event about how this even might break us up or something... Rob: Yeah. Kira: Or cause us to get divorced and I was like yeah this is definitely testing our relationship, but we ended up making it through. It wasn’t that bad. So, I felt like for me, it was exactly what I envisioned in my head especially stepping into Hotel 50 Bowery months beforehand and kind of picturing it all and it surpassed what I envisioned and so yeah, I was really excited about it. I know how people say oh events feel magical and I’m like that sounds really woo-woo, but that’s the only way I can describe is it did feel magical and a bit surreal. Yeah,

Copywriter James Turner is our guest for the 79th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We’ve known James for a few years now, so we’ve been saving up questions to ask him for a while. Here’s just a sample of what we covered... •  how James went from an English teacher in Japan to copywriter in Canada •  the jobs he took on as he started out in his career and what’s changed since •  his thoughts about retainers—the good and the bad •  his book ghostwriting experiment and what that involves •  why undercharging for work doesn’t serve you or your clients well •  how James gets more done with Pomodoros (and other tricks) •  “The power of asking” and how it got James a new business •  how automation can change your copywriting business •  why he started a podcast and the impact on his business •  how he networks (and his advice to copywriters who need to do more of it) James is the kind of copywriter we can all learn something from. Make sure you download this one to your favorite podcast app, or click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Hillary Weiss Laura Hanly Pomodoro Technique SNAP Copy Lianna Patch The Copy & Design Brew Podcast Oli Gardner (Unbounce) TCC IRL Business of Software ConversionXL CTAConf Turner Creative The other James Turner Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 79, as we talk with freelance copywriter James Turner about ghostwriting a book, running a micro-agency like SNAP Copy, why he started a podcast, and what’s he’s learned from it, and what he’s done to manage his done and get everything done. Rob: Hey James! Kira: Welcome! James: Hello! Thanks for having me. Rob: Yeah, we’re glad that you’re here, finally! I mean again, another person that we should’ve talked to months ago; you’ve been on our radar, been in our circle of friends forever, and it’s about time you got here. So, thanks. James: Yeah. It’s a pleasure. I’m glad we waited; I have more things to say. Kira: Laughs. James: If you asked me a week ago, it would’ve been a mistake. Kira: Laughs. Rob: Laughs. James: Life moves fast! Kira: James, let’s start with your story. How’d you end up as a copywriter? James: So, I’ve been thinking about how to tell that story quickly. Long story short, I went from having an English degree to teaching English in Japan to working in HR at an English school in Japan, to being instructional designer in Fredericton, New Brunswick—little Fredericton, New Brunswick—to becoming a copywriter. That’s the story arc. The reason I specifically want to talk about the HR thing is because that was the first time I really, truly used words to their full power, I suppose, like in a persuasive way. If I may go a little bit into the story of that...? Rob: Please do. James: So we worked for this big school in Japan, this sort of conversational English school. My wife and I, we moved there; we lived in Japan for three and a half years. And, I was brought into the, sort of, the personal coordinator role in my last year there. They were sort of shaking up the top level foreign part of the company. Everyone above us was Japanese, so it was like a big Japanese company with all kinds of different arms of business, and the English school we were sort of at the top of...our column, if you will, our business arm. And, the morale was really crappy because the people before us had not done a good job internal communications, essentially. Like,

Inhouse copywriter Jon Lamphier joins Kira and Rob for the 78th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We’ve known Jon for a few years now and really admire his ability to get readers to care about his writing. And he’s a lot of fun to hang out with. We talked with Jon about: •  how socializing at a trivia game led to a job as a copywriter •  what it’s like to work as at an agency and his terrifying first days •  when he first realized that copywriting was what he wanted to do (and that he was good at it) •  the kinds of work he took on as an agency copywriter •  how he developed the ability to throw out funny one-liners •  how he breaks down the creative process to get to the right idea •  what the day-to-day work looks like at an agency •  the dark side of agency life (the knife someone on the first day analogy) •  how he balances freelance and a regular copywriting day job •  how he gets himself into the mindset for coming up with good ideas •  the big career mistake he made on the way to an important pitch •  how a mastermind made him a better writer and agency employee •  what Jon is doing today as an in-house copywriter •  what he learned from moving his family to a new city for a new job •  his two-word advice to writers going through the job search process We also talked about why he doesn’t limit himself to a single niche, where he sees himself working in sixty years (okay, maybe not sixty years), the books and other resources he loves as a copywriter, and the #1 mistake he sees copywriters making (and the opportunity it presents to those who are ready for it). To hear it all, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: McDonald’s George Clooney Joanna Wiebe Copyhackers David Ogilvy Aaron Sorkin JRR Tolkien Neil Gaiman Lianna Patch Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 78, as we talk with in-house copywriter Jon Lamphier about how he became a copywriter; the ends and outs of agency life; what he does to stay creative; and how he got so good at writing great headlines. Kira: Jon, welcome! Jon: Hey guys. Rob: Jon. Kira: I can’t believe it’s taken us this long to get you on the show. Rob: Yeah, seriously. Jon: What? Why? You guys have had so many famous copywriters on the show, I am the opposite of that! Kira: Laughs. Rob: Maybe not famous, but every bit as talented, and certainly a better friend than most of them are to us. Jon: All right, I’ll take....I’ll take that. I’ll take that; I appreciate it. Kira: Laughs. So why don’t we start with your story, Jon? How did you end up as a copywriter? Jon: All right. Well, I had a past life in another career, but, when I went to a trivia night one night after my wife and I had moved to Greensboro, North Carolina... Showed up at that trivia night, and made a friend who was actually the host. Told him I thought he did a great job, and we got to talking over a couple of adult beverages, and you know, he started talking about how he was overloaded at work. One thing led to another, and I picked up a freelance gig working for the agency that he was working for; I knocked it out of the park, and sort of fell in and realized that this is what I should’ve been doing all along, so... Rob: So you’re not the kind of guy that grew up wishing to be a copywriter? You weren’t watching Darren Stevens on Bewitched, or you know, any.... Jon: No.... Rob: ....Thinking “copy’s for me”? Jon: No, I wasn’t. I mean,

For episode 77 of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with copywriter and marketing specialist Christine Laureano about her business, what it’s like to work with different niches that are completely different (makers and engineers), and a whole lot more. Here’s what we covered in our time together: •  how she went from the corporate world to maker to marketer to copywriter •  what she did to deal with a devastating personal tragedy •  the importance of carving focused creative time out of your day •  how she created systems to support her work and produce results •  the difference between working with big clients and small clients •  how she conducts her discovery process to uncover additional work (she gives a specific example) •  the process she went through to land a recent engineering client •  how she deals with working in more than one niche •  what she does to find clients who can pay within her niche •  why she is involved in more than one master mind group •  how she stays upbeat all the time (this is great advice) She also explains why e-commerce is such a rich opportunity for writers today—the growth in this sector makes it hard to ignore. To listen, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Copyblogger Angels by Silver Ravenwolf The Copywriter Accelerator Danny Iny Teach and Grow Rich The Copywriter Think Tank Joanna Wiebe The J Peterman Company Seinfeld Ba6marketing.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 77 as we chat with copywriter Christine Laureano about her path from business owner to copywriter, writing for engineers and other technical clients, how she uses her coaching experience as a copywriter, and how she stays so positive through the ups and downs of business. Kira: Welcome, Christine. Rob: Hey, Christine. Christine: Hey, guys! Excited to be here. Thanks for having me. Kira: Yeah, welcome! Rob: It’s great to have you here. Kira: All right, Christine, I know you have a really interesting path and story and we’d love to share it with our listeners. Christine: Oh, yeah, the winding path. Okay. Well, I am probably one of the oldest copywriters in The Copywriter Club. My path started back in the 80’s, way before the internet, when marketing was still done with maybe a computer, but pen and paper; rock and chisel. But I graduated college with a marketing degree and a minor in computer science. So not only was I into the marketing end of it, but I love the tech stuff. So I ended up getting a job at Xerox, and I did the corporate thing for several years. From there, I go down to a very, very technical job as a marketing exec, managing executive for accounts for an electronics distributor. I worked really closely with engineers, I worked with purchasing, I worked with production and manufacturing, and I did that for a really long time and that satisfied my technical need. And of course, the writing that I did for that was really that boring, dry copy. It was proposals, it was the stuff that I hate to think about when I look back on it. And then from there, I ended up having a family. And this is where everything kind of turned and the reason I talk about it like this is, I know everybody has life lessons and things and tragedies and things that happened in their life that forced them to pivot, and I had one of those. Our first daughter ended up passing in daycare. So my life completely, completely changed. I spent a month on the couch, literally,

Back by popular demand, Tepsii is in the house for the 76th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. If you’ve been following along at home you know that she was our guest once before (on our 27th episode), but Kira and Rob wanted to follow up and see how her business has changed in the past year. Here's what we talked about: •  how she got started as a copywriter, business coach, and entrepreneur •  how she makes money in her business today •  why she started working with her husband in her business and what he’s doing •  why she wouldn’t recommend that others follow her path and what she thinks you should do instead •  the systems (and tools) she uses to keep her business running smoothly •  why she uses a checklist to move her clients through all the processes in her business •  what she does with her membership community (and the mistakes she made) •  why you shouldn’t launch “cheap” products just because your clients ask for them •  the impact that depression had on her personally and in her business •  the first steps to take to build a compelling personal brand •  why she thinks the future of copywriting is offline, not online •  why she talks about money with the entrepreneurs she coaches Plus don’t miss the moment when Rob accidentally calls Tepsii out on her personal brand and how reframing her beliefs around “rights” helped her share her political beliefs with her clients in an authentic way. If you want to hear this one, you’ve got to click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Tepsii’s first TCC Podcast H&M’s tone-deaf ad DIY The Law Selena Soo Trello Streak CMS Born to Convert Ramit Sethi Jeff Bezos Fabiola Giodani Tepsii.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 76 as we talk for a second time with a copywriter who only needs one name—Tepsii, about what’s happened in her business over the past year; the importance of business systems; why she created a paid community for heart-centered entrepreneurs; and her no-brainer tips for creating a premium brand. Kira: Tepsii, welcome! Welcome back! Rob: Hey, Tepsii. Tepsii: Thank you so much for having me; I can’t believe it’s seventy-six episodes. Congratulations! I feel so honored to be number seventy-six! Kira: Laughs. Rob: Seventy-six and twenty-seven! You were one of the first people who dared to join us when we first started out to talking with copywriters, so we’re excited to hear what’s happened since we last talked. But I think we want to start maybe with just a brief introduction to your story, for those who maybe haven’t heard episode number twenty-seven yet. Tepsii: So my story—when I came here, we talked a lot about how I started my business largely by accident, and how for me, you know, starting this business, I knew I wanted to “freedom lifestyle”. I knew I wanted a sense of connection with, you know, people around me who were like-minded, and I didn’t know exactly what that was going to look like, so I had some stumbles and some hiccups on the way to starting this online business. I was able to start by really saying “yes” to someone who saw talent in me, that I did not see myself. So, they just has this sense, this feeling, that I could be a good writer, a good copywriter, and they took a chance on me and, based on that chance, I have grown a business that has sustained me and my family for the past almost three years in March. And, it’s kind of come full circle with so many different things and skills that I’ve ...

We’re sneaking in an episode between 75 and 76 this week, because copywriter Allison Comotto is speaking at the The Copywriter Club In Real Life event this week and we wanted to introduce her before she takes the stage. She’s given us a sneak preview of her presentation and let’s just say we’re really looking forward to it. In this interview, Rob and Kira ask her about: •  how she got hired as an in-house copywriter right out of college •  the rigorous interview process she went through •  what the day-to-day work is like as a new copywriter at Stansberry •  her advice about how to “get the gig” and what not to do •  the importance of having a mentor as you start your copy career •  the difference between the various Agora companies •  the biggest surprise she’s had since starting her job at Stansberry •  how she’s taken on new responsibilities over the past 8 months •  what her copywriting process looks like •  the place that formulas and frameworks play in the Stansberry writing process •  the big lesson about failure that she learned early on •  how she finds the “big ideas” for her copy •  the size of the opportunity for copywriters at Agora •  what compensation looks like at Stansberry (she shares the numbers) As we were wrapping up our interview, Allison “went off script” and told us what she really thinks about living and working in Baltimore. And she shared an assignment for any listeners who might want work for Stansberry Research. Ready for this one? Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Stansberry Copy Bootcamp Stansberry Research Mike Palmer End of America Patrick Bove Agora Joe Schriefer Agora’s Recruiter Email: talent@14west.us Allison’s LinkedIn Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for a special unnumbered episode, as we talk with in-house copywriter Allison Comotto about how she ended up working as a copywriter, landing a job at Stansberry Research, what she does on a daily basis, and whether the Agora companies really are the mecca of copywriting. Kira: Welcome Allison. Rob: Hey Allison! Allison: Hey, thanks for having me! Kira: It’s great to have you, Allison. So, let’s start with your story, and how you ended up as a copywriter. Allison: I mean, I know that a lot of people say that they kind of fall into a career, especially in something like copywriting, but I mean, there is really no other way to describe the way I kind of fell; it’s a very short, steep hill in me becoming a copywriter. I was a senior at Hopkins last spring, and I was in the thick of the senior-year job hunt, and I was a writing major. So my whole focus was in poetry, and professional writing, which definitely had more of a corporate feel. So I was writing everything from marketing plans to persuasive papers, that kind of thing. And then I did a minor in marketing communication, because I really like the creativity of marketing, how it is constantly evolving...it was really nice foil to all the liberal arts classes I was taking along with them. And as for general work experience, obviously it was limited because I was still in college, but it was all mostly in PR and communications, so I was a PR intern at a local ad agency. That was a very traditional PR, like, cold-calling small-newspapers across the country and getting hung up on. That kind of thing. And then I was a global communications intern for UnderArmor, which was kind of a fancy description of someone who packed up and sent dozens of pairs...

Copywriter Brit McGinnis steps out of the club's Facebook group to join Rob and Kira for the 75th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. (Don’t look now but we’re three quarters of the way to 100.) We cover a lot of ground in this wide ranging interview, including: •  how Brit went from journalism to virtual assistant to social media and copywriter •  what her business looks like today (typical clients, typical projects) •  why you might want to work as a virtual assistant •  what you need to know BEFORE you start working with a virtual assistant •  her thoughts on starting and growing a great online community •  how to get the most out of our Facebook group •  the rules of Facebook etiquette that she wishes everyone knew •  what copywriters should do to step up their social media game •  why we should be thinking about Pinterest more than we probably do •  what’s going on with Facebook ads (the ad glut) •  how her business has changed since joining The Copywriter Accelerator •  what copywriters who are struggling with boundaries could be doing differently •  why she stepped into her role as “the horror copywriter” •  her advice to copywriters who are thinking about their personal brands •  what we need to know about the cannabis market We also asked Brit about the mistakes she’s seen copywriters make in their careers—stuff you definitely don’t want to be doing. We say this a lot, but it’s yet another good one. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: BlackBow Communications Madmen The Copywriter Accelerator Twitter Kat Wells Brene Brown League of Legends Night Mind The ABCs of Cannibis Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 75 as we chat with copywriter Brit McGuiness about leaving journalism and embracing the strange; what she does for her social media clients; how to not suck at Pinterest; and why she owns two Texas Chainsaw Massacre t-shirts! Kira: Welcome Brit! Rob: Hey Brit! Brit: Hello; good morning. Welcome. Kira: Great to have you here as one of our team members, and the “face” in the Facebook community: the community manager! So we’re really excited, about to learn more about your strange life and Texas Chainsaw Massacre t-shirts! To start, Brit, can you just share your story? How did you end up creating Black Bow Communications? Brit: Absolutely, and first let me say I’m sorry for saying ‘welcome’ just now; I’m very excited to be here, so that just stumbled out! Kira: (Laughs). It’s okay! Rob: We’re so glad to be here on your podcast too, Brit. Kira: (Laughs.) Rob: That’s kind of awesome. Brit: (Laughs.) Well, I love working with podcasts and it’s always fun to see and hear the millions of different intros. In fact—segue—I ended up listening to podcasts all throughout college, and I actually started wanting to work in public radio. So, I took up a great internship there in my college, all the while working in journalism, and just wanting to learn and absorb everything I could about different kinds of media. The first copywriting-based thing I really took on was when I lived in Ireland for a little while in junior year of college. I worked with a media company that managed the content and social media for the Irish government, of all places. And I had this underlying conflict of, “Wow, I love creating content; I love being a journalist, but, I was also the person who would stay up late and play with HootSuite in my dorm room, so,

Copywriter and founder of The Content Bistro, Prerna Malik joins Kira and Rob for the 74th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. And we cover quite a bit of ground as we talk about... •  how she became a freelance content writer (thanks to a family illness) •  how she has grown her business despite living thousands of miles from her best clients •  why she’s only invests in training that delivers a real ROI •  the activities she spent time on to get her first several clients •  how she went from $21,000 in 2011 to $200,000+ this year •  how she thinks about the packages she offers (and how she prices them) •  how she splits duties with her business partner (and husband) •  what copywriters should be doing differently with social media •  how she schedules her week to get things done (the hacks and systems she uses) •  what she’ll be doing differently in 2018 •  the advice she would offer to a “just-starting-out” copywriter, and •  where she thinks copywriting will go in the future Note: Because Prerna lives in India, we weren’t able to use our usual recording software, so the sound has a few hiccups… we’re really sorry about that. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Content Bistro Art of Simple Launch Grow Joy Fearless Launching Mogul Mom AWAIhttp://www.awaionline.com/copywriting/p/ Mass Persuasion Method Copyhackers books 4-Hour Work Week Fully Loaded Launch Miers Briggs 7 Entrepreneurial Lessons Learned in Our 7th Year of Business Biz Bistro Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 74 as we talk with content specialist and copywriter Prerna Malik about creating high-performing content for clients like Amy Porterfield and Katrina Springer; what we need to know about social media copy; what she did to earn $200,000 in a single year; and what’s it like to work with your spouse every single day. Kira: Welcome, Prerna. Rob: Welcome, Prerna! Prerna: Hi! Thanks so much for having me here! Kira: It’s great to have you on the show, and a great place to start is with your story, and how did you end up running Content Bistro with your husband? Prerna: So, I blog; like a regular “mom” blog, it’s called The Mom Writes. And I started it in November of 2008 because I was a new mom. My daughter was nine months old, and while I love being with her, I also wanted something that was creatively stimulating and, you know, I used to read a lot of blogs when—you know—between feeding her and, you know, being with her and all that. So it just kind of started to so make sense to my sleep-deprived brain to, you know, start one! That blog...it started growing, and it led to me getting noticed by small businesses who then started reaching out and saying, you know, “Would you write for us?” That then led to things like social media gigs because, at that time I was super-active on Twitter. Now, I’m not so active, but yeah. I was super-active on Twitter, and then clients starting asking, “Okay, would you manage our social media for us”, you know? Especially Twitter. So I took a couple of courses to be sure that I knew what I was doing, and I started doing very part-time social media management and blogging for small businesses. And things were going okay, and I was you know, having a lot of fun; I was being able to stay at home with my daughter, and I had some creative work. And this was very part-time thing for me because my husband, Mayank, his full-time job was what was supporting us financially.

Wellness copywriter and online branding strategist Blair Badenhop recently made her way to our studio for episode 73 of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We were excited to talk to Blair because we’ve had a ring-side seat as she’s launched her new podcast and built her soon-to-launch course. In this interview, we asked her: •  how Blair went from ad sales to non-profits to health coaching to copywriting •  whether writing in the health and wellness space is really different from writing for other niches •  how she helps her clients get clear on their positioning and branding with her discovery process •  why Blair takes three hours to get to know her clients BEFORE she starts to work •  what she did to create a steady flow of clients from the very start of her business •  how she got herself to the top of Google for her main key word •  the difference between “getting clients” and “making friends” •  her thoughts about what copywriters should do to stand out online •  the place red lipstick plays in her personal brand •  her experiments with Pinterest and Instagram to grow her list •  how other copywriters can use Instagram more effectively •  how she gets it all done—social media, client work, her own course, a podcast and more •  why she launched a podcast and the effect it’s had on her business We also asked, as we often do, about where she sees copywriting going in the coming months and why more people will start investing in it. It’s another info-packed episode. Please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times... and have fun! Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: TCCinNYC Dress for Success Harper’s Bazaar Parsley Health Nitika Chopra Wellness Copywriter Blair on Instagram Blair on Pinterest Your Wellness Brand (coming soon) Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 73 as we chat with freelance copywriter Blair Badenhop about her path into copywriting, writing for clients in the health and wellness niche, creating a podcast and a course to reach her audience, and developing a brand that stands out from other copywriters. Kira: Welcome, Blair! Rob: Hey Blair. Blair: Hey, thank you guys so much for having me! Kira: It’s great to have you here. So, Blair, let’s start with your story: how did you end up running your own business? Blair: Oh man. It has been such a crazy, winding road to this point. It’s kind of funny to look back on. So, the reason I started was kind of by accident. I wound up losing my last full-time job and I got a severance package that kind of tided me over for four months and so I was like, okay! What do I want to do with my life? And I’d been working in the marketing department over at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition for three years and before that I worked for a non-profit called Dress for Success managing partnerships, and before that, I worked in magazines, most well-known would be Harper’s Bazaar as a sales assistant, learning all about sales and marketing. So I had this kind of like, marketing background and I had a lot of knowledge to leverage but I was really interested in utilizing my health coaching certification because I had gotten it from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition a few years before, so I was kind of like, you know, torn between these two things that I loved, so I started consulting as a way to make money and then I started to build my health coaching practice. And you know,

Got legal questions? We do! So we invited attorney and online legal expert Danielle Liss to join us for the 72nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. We’ve had this episode penciled in on our list for a long time—partly because we know so many copywriters have big questions about legal issues (and often don’t have the cash to ask an attorney for help). Hopefully this podcast answers a few of those questions. We talked to Danielle about: •  how she went from working in construction law to helping online entrepreneurs with legal needs •  the legal documents all copywriters need to have in place (her checklist) •  what you need to know about choosing a business entity (in the U.S.) •  the critical reason you want to choose an entity besides sole proprietor •  what you need to know about contracts and why you should ALWAYS use them •  what every contract you sign MUST have •  should you include your contract with your proposal or keep them separate? •  what could happen if you work without a contract (the nightmare scenario) •  what you should do contract-wise on a second or third project with a client (think MSA) •  why you probably don’t need to worry about changes to your contract •  the three things you need to include in your website terms and conditions We also talked about what you should expect to pay for legal help and Danielle gave us the lowdown on copyrights—yes, copyright, not copywrite ; ) . She also gives a bit of counsel about when you can use ™, ®, or a service mark, and how to handle conflicts and breaches of contracts. This episode is loaded with need-to-know information that will help you protect your copywriting business. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: TCC IRL Dubsado FitFluencial LegalZoom USPTO website Hashtag-legal.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira:What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the Club for episode 72 as we chat with attorney, marketing expert, and co-founder of Hashtag Legal, Danielle Liss, about what copywriters need to know when it comes to the law, choosing the right business entity, documents we need to protect ourselves, and avoiding the common mistakes online business owners make again and again. Kira: Welcome, Danielle! Rob: Hey Danielle. Danielle: Thank you so much for having me, I’m really excited to be here. Kira: Yeah, we’re excited to have you, and, we—we just need this conversation desperately! Even as I’m listening to the intro, I’m like, I need to know all of this! So, I’m really looking forward to it. Rob: It’s funny that it’s taken this long to get here too… Kira: I know! Rob: …because when we first started the podcast, we made a list of everybody we wanted to talk to, and one of the line items was an attorney. We wanted to talk to an attorney, and yeah. Now we’re seventy-two episodes in... Kira: Right! Rob: So it’s about time. Danielle: Well I am very glad to be the one to talk with everybody. Kira: Yes, great. So why don’t we start with your story, and I’m really curious how you ended up working in influencer marketing and ultimately creating Hashtag Legal. Danielle: Absolutely. When I graduated from law school, I went into litigation. And I live in Las Vegas, and I did a lot of construction law. Let’s just say that’s not exactly how my brain works. So, it was never a great fit because I just didn’t have the passion that I needed to spend all day fighting about drywall. And... Kira: Laughs. Danielle: And there are people who do; I love them for it,...

Copywriter and hypnotist Jesse Gernigin joins The Copywriter Club Podcast to talk with Kira and Rob about his freelance business, creating an online summit, and how knowing how to hypnotize people helps him know how to attract customers and sell more products. In this interview, we talk about: •  how Jesse went from magician to hypnotist to copywriter •  what it takes to bee a hypnotist •  the #1 thing he did that made him a successful hypnotist •  what he sent potential clients when he was cold contacting •  how often he succeeded (and failed) when he was cold emailing and how he increased his chances of success •  how Jesse works with clients to get them what they need (not just what they want) •  what he did on Upwork to succeed •  acting as a strategist in addition to working as a copywriter •  what it takes to assemble an online summit and what has surprised him the most from putting on a summit And while talking about his summit, Jesse let us in on the tools he used to get his summit online and we asked him about the two best speakers he included in his summit. Finally Jesse told us what he thinks will happen to copywriting in the future. To get this one... click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: The Copywriter Club In Real Life Geoff Ronning The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy Vander Meide Ramit Sethi Chase Jarvis Paige Poutiainen Danny Marguiles Joanna Wiebe Thrive Architect Rainmaker Wordpress ConvertKit Teachable Vimeo Natalie McGuire Lianna Patch Hillary Weiss Entrepreneur on Fire Live Gold Rich Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 71 as we chat with copywriter, marketing consultant, and hypnotist Jesse Gernigin about trading his magic act for high paying copywriting gigs, how he finds and lands freelance clients, what goes on behind the scenes of an online summit, and how hypnotism helps him become a better copywriter! Kira: Welcome, Jesse! Jesse: Thank you guys so much for having me! It’s great to be here. Rob: It’s great to have you. Jesse: Yeah, it’s cool to talk with you guys on this end after having you both on my summit, so this is great! Kira: Yeah! So we’re going to talk about your summit in a bit; you’re a first hypnotist on the show! Jesse: Okay! Yeah. Rob: Yeah, we’re waiting for you to say something like “look into my eyes”—follow the watch... Kira: (laughs) Jesse: (laughs) Kira: I’m actually a little nervous now! I feel like you might hypnotize us and make us say something ridiculous. I don’t know. Jesse: No, no, no. (laughs) Kira: All right, Jesse, a good place to start is just with your story. You know, who are you? How did you get into copywriting? Especially with the magic background? Tell us a little more about your story. Jesse: Oh, this is funny. So we’re going to go back to the days of copywriting books—Dan Kennedy’s, I think 1993 book—The Ultimate Sales Letter. So, I graduated college in 2007, so I came out right at the heart of the recession, and nobody was hiring for anything I had a degree in. And I’d been a magician and a hypnotist, and I’d work, you know, shows and make five or six thousand dollars a year just doing it on the side. And my buddy told me, you should just do this full time until a job opens up! So I went out, found an agent, and I was a really great performer. I don’t like to toot my own horn, because I wasn’t necessarily more talented than anybody else,

Agora Financial Copy Chief (and copywriter) Joe Schriefer is our guest for the 70th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira and Rob ask him all about what it’s like to work for Agora, how he landed his job there, how Agora’s writers are paid and a lot more. Specifically we cover: •  how he “lucked” into a job he didn’t want with Agora •  the best advice anyone ever gave him at Agora (and why he became a copywriter) •  his process for finding ideas for promotions •  how he knows when an idea is “big enough” to go with •  how much time he spends researching versus writing •  why he doesn’t ask his customers for ideas for his copy •  his 7 step-by-step system for creating a brilliant sales letter •  the most important question a copywriter should ask (but they never do) •  how Agora Financial compensates their copywriters (they can make millions) •  the three things he looks for when he hires a writer to work for Agora •  how often Agora’s best copywriters write a successful package—it’s less than 50% •  what his team does when a promotion underperforms •  how quickly Agora is growing and why Joe needs more copywriters There’s a lot of solid advice in this one. Do. Not. Miss. It. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: The Copywriter Club IRL Agora Financial Name Bank Bill Bonner Addison Wiggin Byron King Wayne Gretzky Block Chain Win Bigly by Scott Adams Top Gun Joe’s email: jschriefer@agorafinancial.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: Hey everybody. Before we get into today’s podcast, we just want to tell you about our event that’s being held in New York City on February 15th and 16th, and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to join us for this awesome, fun party. Kira, let’s talk a little bit about what’s going on at TCC In Real Life. Kira: So, we’re basically taking the podcast, and a lot of people that we interviewed on the podcast, and then we’re putting them all in a room—seventy-five people—and an amazing of line-up of top copywriters like Kim Krause Schwalm, Joanna Wiebe, Ry Schwartz, Laura Belgray, Brian Kurtz, Kevin Rogers, I can go on and on and on. You can find their names and the list of speakers on the event page, which Rob will give you. But I’ve never been in a room with all of these copywriters, online marketers before. And, beyond that, we’re covering these three pillars of copywriters: what it really takes from going from a copywriter who takes orders from clients, to going to a really great consultant who knows how to run a business. So the topics are diverse, but they’re covering basically the three pillars: the offer, the list, and the marketing strategy. Rob: Yeah, this is a copywriting conference, but it’s not the typical stuff that you read about copywriting, you know: “ten new ideas for headlines that pull”, those kinds of things. The people who are speaking have incredible information to share so, Kim Krause Schwalm, for instance is going to be talking about the way that she’s beat the controls that she’s run for companies like Agora and Boardroom; real-life lessons that going to be immediately applicable to the type of writing that we all do everyday. And Jason Henderson, who’s an expert at marketing acquisition and email, the topic of his speech is, three email copywriting secrets I discovered helping porn stars get tan in 1994. Like, you’re not going to find that kind of stuff anywhere else at any marketing conference, but the takeaways are real, it’s the stuff that we can use in our businesses everyday. And really, for me, it’s a huge part of why I’m excited to be there. Kira: And beyond the content, right—like new content our presenters are bringing in, new presentations they’ve never shared before—beyond that piece,

Copywriter, marketing strategist, and CMO-for-Hire, Myrna Begnel joins us for our second episode of the week (our 69th overall) to talk about her copywriting business and how she became known as “the client whisperer” among the members of The Copywriter Think Tank. In this episode we cover: •  how Myrna went from selling elevators to agency strategist to writing copy •  what she learned from her career in sales that applies to copywriting •  how you create a relationship with a client so your projects succeed •  how to recreate the “sales conversation” on your sales page •  the questions she asks to understand her client’s customer needs •  what a discovery call with her looks like •  how her processes help her repeat and scale her business •  the “grandma’s house” approach to setting boundaries with clients •  how to get started with processes, then how to improve them •  the lessons she has taken from working with agencies inside and out •  what it’s like to completely start over in business •  why it’s important to focus on mindset and not just skillset We also asked Myrna about what her projects look like as a “CMO for hire” and how she packages her services, and charges a high price for them. Say this next line in your best stadium music voice: “Are you ready for this?” Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: The Copywriter Club IRL Doberman Dan Amy Porterfield Artessa Marketing Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea to inspire your own work? That's what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 69 as we chat with copywriter and marketing consultant Myrna Begnel managing clients so they want to keep working with you, what we can learn from the agency world, how she has structured her business and her time to get more done, and what it’s like to start over after building a business with others. Kira: Welcome, Myrna! Rob: Hey, Myrna! Myrna: Hey, guys! Thanks for having me! Kira: Or should we call you Kitty? Myrna: Kitty! Yes. You can always call me Kitty. Rob: I'm not sure why I can't get over that. It's like, to me, you're Myrna, and to Kira, you're Kitty! I guess we're just going to have to live with that. Kira: You know what, though? It fell apart, so Myrna joined our think-tank and I was trying to stick with Kitty and now you have become Myrna and I can't go back to Kitty, so... I'm sticking with Myrna. Myrna: I know. You know, my high school friends all call me Myrna B. My maiden name was actually Beals, but... as if there are other Myrna's, you know... Myrna A, Myrna Z... Rob: (laughs) Yeah, we have to make sure we don't get you confused with Myrna D and Myrna J. Myrna: Yeah, exactly. When you have a unique name like mine, you know, you kind of got to overcome it. Rob: I love it. Kira: So, Myrna, let's start with your story! How did you end up here, and I'm pointing at the spot where you're sitting right now. Myrna: (laughs) Well, it's kind of a convoluted story because I come into copywriting, a lot of the people that I know, they've always known they wanted to be a copywriter, they've had a very direct path into owning their own business and being a copywriter, and I think I come from a very convoluted path just based on my history. Probably my third career. So I started off selling elevators and escalators right out of college and I did that for 6 years. I was the first female sales manager in the company's 150-year history. One of the things that—you know, I'm starting to date myself—we didn't have digital back then...

Copywriter and calligrapher Ashlyn Carter joins Kira and Rob for the In 68th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast and wow, does she deliver. In just a couple of years, she's built a six-figure business that is growing like crazy. In this interview, she shares: •  how she went from agency consultant to PR publicist to freelance writer •  what she learned from working with companies like Delta Airlines and Chick-Fil-A •  the difference between working with corporate brands and personal brands •  her struggle to do everything right, the repercussions, and how it led to the work she does today •  the process she used to break away from the negative behaviors that tied her down •  what happened when she chose a niche and had to fire some of her clients •  how she had to adapt new processes as a business owner (as opposed to being a freelancer) •  when she knew it was time to create a digital product •  the questions she asks to keep her team focused on getting things done •  how she organizes her time to get more done •  her onboarding “magazine” that sets boundaries and outlines processes And as we often do, we also asked about a couple of her non-copywriting hobbies. She sold us why she does calligraphy in addition to working as a copywriter, and the lessons she learned from dancing that have made her a better copywriter. To hear Ashlyn tell it, click the play button below. Or scroll down to read the transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Toggl PowerSheets Strengths Finder Rest by Alex Pang Jenna Kutcher James Wedmore Todd Herman's 90 Day Year HoneyBook Amy Porterfield Anne Lamott Chuck Close Malcolm Gladwell AshlynWrites.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join us episode 68 as we chat with copywriter Ashlyn Carter about what she learned managing crisis communications for brands like Delta and Chick-Fil-A, how choosing a niche has affected her business, the process she used to break her own negative behaviors, and how dancing has made her a better copywriter. Rob: Ashlyn, welcome! Ashlyn: Thank you so much! So excited to get to talk to y’all today. Rob: We’re excited to have you! Kira: I know, I know! All right, so, Ashlyn, I think a good place to start is with your story, of course, and how you ended up getting into copywriting! Ashlyn: Yes, so it turns out that if you chronologically file magazines under your bed growing up, you’re a shoe-in for a journalism major, so I went into college, like, no doubt what I wanted to be. I wanted to work in magazines. I wanted to do editorial stuff. So I was a print major in the journalism school in 2009, which, I’m sure all of us who work in this industry—that was a tough year for publications. So I promptly went back from my senior year, switched to the publications track, and knew that that’s what I wanted to do. Right out of college, I worked as a traveling consultant for a women’s organization. I worked the ultimate dream of working in—I grew up in Alabama so the big city of Atlanta is where I wanted to be—I wanted to work an agency life in Atlanta, so I did that! And was in agency for about four years all together and worked as a publicist as well for a chef and his slew of restaurants and then I moved on to working on my own! There are a lot of ups and downs and valleys but that, in a nutshell, is what happened.

For the 67th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob sit down with copywriter and content specialist, Emma Siemasko to talk about her business, working with clients, and the advice she would give to someone just starting out as a copywriter. During our conversation we covered: •  how a trip to South Korea launched her freelance writing career •  Emma’s and Rob’s favorite poets—yeah, this one is a little different •  what she learned working at a bad content marketing agency •  the things she learned from starting her own business •  what she did in those first few moments as a freelancer •  how she landed her first few clients after going out on her own •  her advice to copywriters who are just starting out •  the mistakes she made in her first year that cost her a lot of time and energy •  the boundaries she has set up to keep her client relationships working well •  how her clients have reacted to the boundaries she set This isn’t the first time we’ve talked with Emma about boundaries—she’s really got this down. We also talked about how she packages case studies and sells them to her clients and the opportunities she sees in the future for copywriters. To hear this one, just click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Mary Oliver Sharron Olds Mira Gonzalas Billy Collins Another Reason I Don’t Keep a Gun in the House On Turning Ten OKCupid Frog2Prince.net Grasshopper Joanna Wiebe Maggie Patterson Roy Furr Stories by Emma The Worst Company I Ever Worked For Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join us episode 67 as we chat with freelance copywriter and content creator Emma Siemasko about her decision to go out on her own, working with clients and setting clear boundaries, writing in the tech space and what she’ll be doing differently in the new year. Kira: Welcome, Emma! Rob: Hey Emma! Emma: Hi Rob and Kira, thanks for having me! Rob: We are thrilled to have you. Kira: (laughs) All right, Emma, a great place to start is, of course, with your story. So, how did you end up as a content writer and then business owner? Emma: Sure! So I have been writing in some capacity basically since I could read, so when I was in first grade, I was writing. Like, I wrote a story about how my grandmother died, which I got a lot of attention on because most six year olds weren’t writing about that... so I was doing some pretty heavy stuff as a little kid... but I went on to study creative writing in college where I specialized in poetry, and after I graduated I actually went and taught English in South Korea for one year. And the funny thing about that was, I was hired to teach, which I did a lot of, but the school where I worked also published their own English language textbooks and I quickly began doing most of the writing and virtually all of the editing for the textbooks because my boss recognized like, whoa, she’s like the best writer that we have, not to be totally braggy, but, so I actually kind of got my first taste of professional writing in South Korea, funnily enough. And when I came back, I worked for a content marketing agency for a little while. I started my own online dating consultancy and then I worked for about three years at a software as a service company and that’s how I got introduced to the tech space. And the company was acquired and I was like, I don’t really want to work for anybody else—I’d been hiring a lot of freelancers when I worked in-house, so I was like,

Copy Chief (and copywriter) Henry Bingaman is in the studio for the 66th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. And he showed up with plenty to share—including his formula for writing great sales copy. Kira and Rob took the opportunity to ask Henry about: •  his path from fiction writer and flight attendant to copywriter and copy chief •  not wanting to write for clients and creating his own product (and the lessons he learned) •  how he landed his first client (and learned to write his first proposal) •  the critical copywriting skill he learned as a flight attendant •  what he does to connect with people at conferences •  when you should feel like you’ve “made it” (hint: you’re probably not there yet) •  what he teaches the copywriters he works with (and his role as copy chief) •  how he writes leads that catch attention and shift a customer’s paradigm •  the various copy blocks he includes in his sales pages •  what he learned from breaking down Jedd Canty’s sales pages •  what it takes to create a winning control •  the collaboration process he goes through on every sales promotion •  what separates the great copywriters from the good •  learning from failure (and some of his biggest failures) Plus we talked about where Henry thinks copywriting is going in the future (it doesn’t look good for some freelancers), how his Cross Fit habit is related to copywriting, and what he is doing to improve his own writing. You won’t want to miss this one. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: AWAI Six Figure Copywriter Creative Writer’s Desk Wealthy Web Writer Rebecca Matter John Carlton Marcella Allison Boardroom Agora Parris Lampropolous David Deutch Mark Stockman Metabolic Living Jake Hoffberg Copy Chief Jedd Canty Clayton Makepeace Metabolic Renewal Scrivener Money Map Press Brian Kurtz Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 66 as we chat with creative director and copy chief Henry Bingaman on working and writing in direct response, how much effort it takes to get a winning control, persuasion architecture, and applying systems thinking to the feedback process and how Crossfit makes him a better writer. Kira: Welcome, Henry! Henry: Hey! Nice to be here. Rob: Hey, we’re glad to have you. Kira: Yeah, so Henry, a great place to start is with your path. I know you have a squiggly path, so where did you start? And where are you today? Henry: My kind of life path is just following the next interesting thing in front of me. (laughs) So, when I graduated in 2007 with a degree in fiction writing, which isn’t really a good degree for a job (laughs)... When I graduated, I went online and there was a job opening for flight attendants at United Airline. So I applied and started flying professionally for about a year. I was an international flight attendant, which was a lot of fun but it paid about $20,000 a year, and I was working up in First Class serving people that paid $20,000 for their seat, so I was a little jealous maybe? (laughs) But I had this writing ability. I’d been writing since I was early high school, just stories and whatnot. My dad actually owned a supplement company when I was growing up. He’d bought the AWAI six figure program at one point and he just gave it to me, he never really did anything with it, so he gave it to me and said, “Here, here’s a way you might be able to make money.” So that’s how I kind of discovered copywriting,

In this jam-packed 65th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with author and ghostwriter Laura Hanly about book writing and publishing. We met Laura a few months ago and after grilling her over breakfast, knew she’d be a great addition to the show. In this discussion we cover: •  how she became a book writer and publishing consultant •  what you need to think about before you write your book •  Laura’s thoughts on who exactly needs to have a book—if you are in a commodified service business, the answer is “yes” •  who needs to be on your book writing team and who should be your early readers •  what a realistic timeline for writing a book looks like •  price ranges and what she does to charge $40,000 per book project •  what you need to do to promote your book •  common mistakes writers make when they write their book •  the differences between self publishing and traditional publishing •  how to publish with Amazon Create Space and KDP •  the design options to consider when you’re ready to publish your book •  how to find clients as a ghost writer of books •  whether you should get a byline with the books you ghost write •  the mistakes she sees over and over on book projects We also asked about the rates she charged when she first started out (they were way too low), the mistakes businesses make when they “do” content marketing, who is doing content well today, and what to keep in mind when promoting your content. Ready for this? Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Telling Your Brand Story (Rob’s book) The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (Mark Manson’s rudely titled book) The Martian (Andy Weir’s book) Gary V Ramit Sethi Digital Marketer CreateSpace 99designs Laurahanly.com Content that Converts Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 65 as we chat with author and book consultant Laura Hanly about the process of writing a good book, how to choose between self-publishing and a formal publisher, what it takes to write a bestseller, and the tactics, strategies, and systems for promoting your content. Kira: Welcome, Laura! Rob: Welcome! Laura: Thank you so much! Very exciting to chat with you guys. Rob: I want to jump in and just say that we met at a mastermind event, and you and I, I think, had the opportunity to sit down at breakfast and for about 45 minutes or so, you sort of walked me through a lot of the process of writing a book and as we were chatting, it was one of those things where like, “Laura, we got to have you on the podcast!” Because there are a lot of people who listen to us that need to know the things that you know! So we are really excited to have you here. Laura: Yeah, I think it’s a big opportunity for a lot of people at the moment so I’m excited to talk about it. Rob: Cool! Well, why don’t we start with your story? Where did you come from; how did you start doing what you’re doing? Laura: So, I grew up in Sydney in Australia. I studied writing and publishing at university and worked at a big publishing house there in Australia for a few years. And I think about 2011, the industry really started downsizing and they weren’t kind of learning the lessons that we had all seen go down in the music industry in terms of, you know, adapting to the new technologies that were becoming available, and I thought, mmmm, I really need to get myself organized and become a bit more independent. So I moved online,

For the 64th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob bring copywriter Paige Poutiainen into the studio to talk about how she’s grown her business from Upwork to online funnel specialist. It’s a great conversation in which, Paige talks about: •  becoming a copywriter because she doesn’t speak Finnish well •  how she has succeeded working with clients found on Upwork •  why she shifted from content to conversion copy to funnel strategist •  what she’s doing to avoid funnel fatigue for her clients •  why creating a funnel is a bit like dating •  her basic process for creating a funnel for her clients •  what she does to make sure her funnels are set up to succeed from the beginning •  what had made the biggest difference in her business this year •   why she is using video more and more in her business And as we often do, we asked Paige what she thinks other copywriters are missing out on (her answer covers stuff like owning a niche). Plus we asked what she’s learned living in Finland for the past five years (while working with clients in the USA). It’s a great way to kick off your new year. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator The Copywriter Think Tank Danny Marguiles Freelance to Win Joanna Wiebe Hillary Wiess Funnel Fatigue article The Copywriter Club newsletter No BS Pricing Strategy by Dan Kennedy TheImpactCopywriter.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 64, as we chat with copywriter and funnel specialist Paige Poutiainen about finding success on Upwork, building effective marketing funnels using video to build a reputation, and what she’s done to accelerate her business over the past year. Kira: Paige, welcome! Paige: Hi, thanks for having me. Rob: Hey Paige! Kira: We’re so excited to have you! So we met Paige in the first beta round of our Accelerator program and now you’re in the think tank, so we get extra, extra time to get to know you, and also to see how you’ve grown your business over the last year. I think a good place is just with your story and how did you end up as a copywriter? Paige: Yeah, that’s a good question! I think I was writing copy or content you know, starting at age twelve. I started blogging. That’s what I would do—I was a nerdy child. And you know, other kids are outside playing or doing whatever and I was upstairs, like, blogging about boys that I liked and all this kind of stuff teenagers go through. And I’ve had several blogs over the years, just kind of as a hobbyist kind of thing. And then, when I was in grad school, I got a job as a content marketer, but my official title was CMO. I was NOT qualified to be a CMO, but you know how startups do those fancy titles and stuff. So I was doing like, blogs, general content there, and I actually had to do like landing pages and opt-in pages, so that’s where I first dipped my toes in copywriting. Then, you know, for several reasons, I didn’t enjoy that kind of working setup, it didn’t work for me, and because I was living in Finland—and I do not speak Finnish well—it is sometimes difficult to get a job, so that pressure to find work kind of pushed me into the freelancing. I had heard of Upwork, I had done some research, and you know, it was the meeting points—or, that was the catalyst.

This one is a bit of a holiday gift for you all... so many good ideas and a fantastic guest! For the 63rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with Margo Aaron, a copywriter and psychological researcher with an impressive range of experience and know-how. During our conversation, Margo shared: •  how she went from academic researcher to copywriter •  the importance of psychology in copywriting (and life) •  why you need to listen to people don’t say in addition to what they do say •  what to ask for to get good feedback •  how copywriters can use the skill of listening and use it to their advantage •  how she built a business that she hated—and stopped taking clients •  Product Founder Fit—what it is and why it’s important •  how to learn the stuff that isn’t written down •  why we are all so scarred of breaking the copywriting rules •  what copywriters do that drive her crazy •  where the money is in marketing (the answer isn’t your list) We also asked her about what goes on in the altMBA, but while most of the content and assignments are secret, she shares just enough to whet our appetites. She also talks a bit about how to write an email that people actually want to read, the future of copywriting—it will become more important than ever—and a few strategies for communicating more clearly with your clients. Want to hear it (or read it)? Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Margo’s website Honest Selling Secrets for a Dishonest Man The Arena Work Week Lunch Jeff Walker altMBA Hillary’s Post on What’s Not Working @margoarron Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode sixty three as we chat with psychological researcher, strategic planner and copywriter Margo Aaron, about changing the world and making a profit, what copywriter’s absolutely must know about psychology, what it’s like to hang out with Seth Godin in his altMBA program and how to learn the stuff that isn’t written down. Kira: Welcome, Margo! Rob: Welcome. Margo: Thanks you guys, happy to be here. Kira: Great to have you here! Rob: We are so excited! Kira: I secretly want to be friends with you, so by the end of this need to be friends. Margo: I’m in. I’m in. Kira: When are we getting coffee? Or tequila? Rob: Margo, you came to our attention because somebody posted your website in The Copywriter Club Facebook group and immediately there were like forty comments about how great your website was. And literally within a couple minutes people were saying we’ve got to have Margo on the podcast! Got to have Margo on the podcast! So we reached out and made it happen. Tell us how you got to the point where everybody wants to know about you! Where did you come from? Margo: (laughs) Honestly, when you find that out let me know. I have you all deceived! The short version is I sort of fell into marketing and copywriting by accident. I started my career as you said as a psychological researcher: I was working in a lab for depression-anxiety patients and you guys, had I known then what I know now the amount of people we could have helped—you can’t even imagine. I didn’t know it at the time but it was kind of my first introduction to funnels because I was the person on the phone... like, I was in charge of what’s called recruitment and screening so it’s effectively tofu and mofu, like I have to get people in the door and then I had to qualify them for different studies and around that time I realised how there ...

For the 62nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob brought former screenwriter, movie producer and copywriter Jamie Jensen into the studio to talk all about her copy business. She shares the good and the bad and why she decided to shut down her agency just as it was really taking off. We also talked about: •  how her dad unknowingly put her on the path to copywriting as a kid •  why she left Hollywood to make her own movie, then jumped to copywriting •  what she did early on to attract clients to her business (her no-strategy strategy) •  how she developed a unique brand voice (Hollywood helped) •  the systems and processes she used to connect with her customers •  the place honesty and enthusiasm plays in attracting clients to her •  why she decided to grow a micro-agency instead of staying a sole proprietor •  the challenges the come with running an agency—she shares the dark side We also asked Jamie about what she’s doing today, the course she just created and launched, and her one word tip for course creators. Lots of laughter in this one and some painful lessons. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Hannah Has a Ho Phase Uncage Your Business Heather Dominick Story School Your Hot Copy Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you can hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits. Then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 62 as we chat with copywriter, filmmaker, and storyteller Jamie Jensen, about going from Hollywood to hot copy, the importance of storytelling when it comes to writing copy with personality, working with a team of writers, the ins and outs of creating courses, and how making a movie made her a better copywriter. Kira: Jamie, welcome! Jamie: Thank you! Thank you so much for having me! Rob: It’s great to have you, yes! Kira: Yeah! You were on our list early on as someone that we wanted on the show and it’s nice to have a fellow New Yorker on the show, as well! So a great place to start is, you know, you went from Hollywood to hot copy. So we want to know, how did you even get into copywriting? Jamie: Sure! Well, what’s interesting is for me, for my story, is that my dad was an entrepreneur, so I actually grew up with a lot of like, copywriting things around me already, meaning, not just like, from the sales perspective of reading books about sales and marketing and all of that stuff, like, they were always around the house because my dad was marketing his own business, and doing things like buying domain names up and coming up with catchy things that he wanted to trademark for his business. And even like, direct mail was still a big thing then, so I would even help him like, review mailers that he was sending out to his physical mailing list, because that was a thing, you know? And so I actually grew up exposed to a lot of that to begin with, and the way that I made the transition from Hollywood to hot copy was I had made a film. So you know, I left Hollywood, I’d kind of had enough, came back to New York City where I’m from, and my producing partner and I decided at the time that we were going to just make our own film. So I had already written the script and she had been working on it as a producer and we decided like, you know what? Forget guys, by the way, because at this point we had both had a lot of negative experiences with men in the entertainmen...

Welcome to episode 61 of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Today Kira Hug and Rob Marsh talk with freelance copywriter Alaura Weaver about how she’s grown her business, often working at night to get things done. During our discussion, we covered: •  how she went from acting to sales to copywriting •  how theater and acting has made her a better copywriter •  what she did early on to get her first clients and her advice to new copywriters •  how she saw herself as a business owner, not a freelancer •  her thoughts about seeing customers as humans, not consumers and living your message •  how copywriters can live their own message and values •  how to develop buyer personas and why you should use them •  how she gets to know the customers she is profiling •  the trap of writing for everybody and reaching nobody •  how she sells her clients on creating Avatars as part of her projects Plus we also asked Alaura about how often you should create new customer profile, what she’s doing to share how you can define your own customer personas and how she juggles family, course creation, and business and makes it all work. Want this one in your ear buds? Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Textbroker Neil Patel Joanna Wiebe The storytelling post on CH Hillary’s coaching post Xtensio Alaura’s website @wordweaverfree Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you can hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits. Then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 61 as we chat with freelance copywriter and storyteller, Alaura Weaver, about how she became a copywriter, creating customer personas, and her course about them, juggling work and family, and various other products, and making business personal. Welcome Alaura. Rob: Welcome Alaura! Alaura: Hi! Thank you! Kira: Great to have you here, so I think a great place to start is with your story. As a storyteller, can you tell us your story? Alaura: So, it’s really ironic is that my verbal, like, speaking storytelling skills are a little bit off, which is why I like writing. But, I’ll tell you how I started. I’ve actually started in the theater. I was a child actress and, that’s what I thought I was going to do my entire life. I was on the stage, I literally grew up on the stage. Kira: Wow. Alaura: And I went to the Baltimore School for the Arts for high school. I majored in theater in undergrad and got my graduate degree in acting. So, it was kind of like, that was my path; I was going to be a professional actress. I focused on the creation of original works, so I did have that writing element in there. But, life is a lot harder—laugh—than your dreams, right? You know, the reality is most actors are unemployed for the majority of their careers, and I had to find a way to pay back those student loans and pay bills and be an adult. And so I got into sales. I got into business-to-business sales. One of my first jobs was actually on inside sales for a start-up, and I liked that environment a lot, of that small team, that kind of feisty, scrappy team, building and growing that business, and it felt like a good place to be. But then I got an offer to start selling, advertising for the Yellow Book.—Laughs—If you remember...do you remember the Yellow Book? Rob: Let your fingers do the walking, absolutely. Alaura: So you can guess how,

For the 60th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob opted not to invite a guest on the show and instead take your questions and give our off-the-cuff, no-preparation answers. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we did our best with what we have. We talked about: •  where we got our first clients (and where we get some of our clients today) •  why relationships are so critical especially for freelancers who never leave the house •  how copywriting has changed since we both got started and what that means to you •  what we expected The Copywriter Club to become when we first started out •  how we keep all the plates spinning (Rob has dropped a couple) •  what comes first the club or clients (don’t let our clients see this) Plus we also talked about where we find the most satisfaction in our work and our thoughts on LinkedIn and Medium and which one is best for sharing your work. We don’t have a guest to carry us on this one, but to hear everything we shared, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Hillary Weiss Laura Belgray The 50th episode Ry Schwartz The Copywriter Accelerator Joanna Wiebe Michal Eisikowitz Luke Traser Momo Price Serial CrimeTown Tim Ferriss Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you can hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits. Then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 60 as we answer your questions about copywriting, fitting it all in, choosing a niche, our processes and what we find most rewarding in our businesses. Hey, Kira. Kira: Hey, Rob. How’s it going? Rob: It is going awesome. Mostly awesome, how about yourself? Kira: Is it really awesome, Rob? Is it really? You just told me you woke up at 5 a.m. to workout and so… Rob: That’s correct. Kira: You’re feeling good? Rob: I am feeling good. I was up a little late doing client work where I think we’re going to talk about that here in a second when we ask, answer a couple of questions and you were doing the same. Kira: Yeah, we were both emailing each other at midnight while working in client work so that’s how I spin, but yeah. Rob: Exactly. Kira: I’m excited to answer some questions. For this special 60th episode, we asked the club members in the Facebook Group, what questions you have for us and we have a nice range of questions we can tackle here, but I feel like we should say that normally, we like to prep. We are preppers and think through our responses and even type them out. Today, we are not doing that. We are going to wing it. Rob: That’s right. Kira: I don’t wing things well so this will be interesting. Rob: It’s all of the cuffs so it’s not sugarcoated. We’re going to tell you the truth, but it may not be quite as well thought out as it might have been otherwise so. Kira: Right, this will not be poetic today. Okay, so why don’t we jump into the first question. Rob, you can choose. Rob: Yeah, so I’m actually going to choose Heath asked a couple questions and I think these area good questions that a lot of people in the club are thinking about. This is the first one. How did you get your first clients when you’re starting out? Kira: Okay, well, first I want to say shout out to Heath. I love Heath. He always makes me smile in the group. My first few clients, I was at Ace working at a startup, actionablebooks.

For the 59th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, in-house copywriter and creator of The Headline Project, Justin Blackman, is in the house to share how writing 100 headlines a day for 100 days changed his writing and his business. (We recorded this one a couple of months ago and are just getting around to publishing it now—apologies Justin.) In this episode Justin shares: •  his path from sports and field marketer to copywriter •  what his job as an in-house copywriter involves from one day to the next •  why he started a side gig as an outlet for his creativity •  how Shel Silverstein helped launch his first side gig—try, fly or walk away •  why more copywriters should consider in-house gigs instead of freelancing •  what in-house copywriters can expect to make (yep, we asked this question) •  what made Justin decide to write 100 headlines in 100 days •  some of the “tricks” he used for brainstorming to stay prolific •  how his “creativity muscle” grew as he did the work every day •  how he found motivation from the people he said he couldn’t do it •  how the Headline Project has helped him grow his business and list Plus we asked Justin how in the world he balances his work along with his side projects with his family duties, and we asked his advice on what copywriters should do to move their own businesses forward. To hear his answers, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator PT Barnum Bill Veeck Lianna Patch Copyhackers Shel Silverstein Hippo’s Hope The Headline Project Laura Belgray Tackle Your Tagline cheatsheet Joel Klettke PrettyFlyCopy.com Justin’s Twitter Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity   Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the Club for episode 59, as we talk with copywriter Justin Blackman about his journey from marketing manager for companies like Red Bull and Five Hour Energy to copywriter and content manager, what it’s like as an in-house copywriter, balancing in-house work with freelance work and a family, and what he’s learned from his 100 day headline project. Kira: Justin, welcome! Justin: Hi! Kira: Thanks for being here. We’ve had a chance to get to know you better in The Copywriter Club and The Copywriter Accelerator and I think it’d be really fun to just start with your story and maybe parts of your story that we don’t know, specifically how you went from sports marketing to content creator to copywriter. So, can you share that path with us? Justin: Yeah! It’s kinda one of these paths that seemed obvious to everyone but me. I went to U Mass for sports marketing, mostly because I wanted to work for the New York Rangers, which was pretty “high school” of me but I had a good time there and learned a lot. The biggest change was that I had one professor there that talked about P.T. Barnum and Bill Veeck, who was a baseball promoter—he owned the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Indians—and really, focused more on big-time promotion and making the game fun. And these guys didn’t sit in the skybox, they were down in the cheap seats with the bleacher creatures and just having fun and talking to the people. So, I realized pretty quickly that as much as I love sports marketing, it was more the marketing side that I liked, and that branched me into field marketing. And field marketing is essentially a fancy way of saying “consumer sampling”. So, anytime you go somewhere and they’re handing out different promotional items—could be drinks, or Chapstick,

For the 58th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira Hug and Rob Marsh sit down to talk with financial copywriter, Jake Hoffberg about all kinds of things related to writing copy in the financial niche, including: •  his first exposure to direct response and how he got into internet marketing •  how he was rejected by every division of Agora but one before he landed his first project •  the terrible cold email pitch template he used (we share it, don’t use it) •  his contrarian “I want to make money” path to copywriting •  the kinds of projects he willingly took on just to get started •  how he leveraged his new relationships into more jobs and more clients •  the real value that copywriters provide their clients (it’s not writing copy) •  the process for pitching new ideas and getting the next project, and •  how to double your income in 6 months Plus we also asked for his thoughts about getting royalties, which clients will pay them, and how to structure royalties the right way and he shared the advice he give other writers about how to get into financial copywriting... hint: don’t think you should start at the top. All that and more is in this money-packed episode (not literally). To hear it all, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Eban Pagan Jeff Walker Agora Financial Motley Fool Dent Research Sale of a Lifetime Freelance Financial Copywriter Group JakeHoffberg.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal and idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the Club for episode 58, as we chat with financial copywriter Jake Hoffberg about his path to becoming a copywriter and choosing the financial niche, writing long-form sales pages and VSLs, what a new writer should do today to break into financial copywriting, and advertising to the affluent. -- Rob: Welcome, Jake! Jake: Thank you for having me! Kira: Yeah, it’s great to have you here. Rob: We’re excited to learn a little bit more about you and your niche and how it all came about, which is probably a good place to start. Let’s talk about your story and how you became a copywriter. Jake: Sure. So, I guess the story probably actually starts in 2008... 2009... and I had a copy of Eban Pagan’s Get Altitude Training—I forget how I got it, but I did—and that was really my first exposure to direct response. This whole world of people that were making money on the internet and running these virtual businesses and putting boards together and getting paid and I just—I thought that was fascinating. I was in direct sales at the time and I was knocking on doors and doing it the hard way and man, it was just so awesome sounding. So I probably spent the next five, six, seven years on and off trying to get into internet marketing and figure out how to run an info-product business and kinda went down that rabbit hole for a long time and tried a lot of things that did not work over the years. This is all while I was doing sales, and switched sales jobs a couple times, and think it was two years ago—something like that—it was July of 2015—I was running a consulting business and I had that moment that everyone has at some point in their life where they’re just like, F it! I’m done with this! I’m tired of this crap! And I had a not so friendly conversation with my boss,

In the 57th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with Heather Dominick who coined the term, highly sensitive entrepreneur—a name for business owners who are more sensitive to the demands of start-up and freelance work. During our conversation, we asked her: •  what a “highly sensitive entrepreneur is” and whether it’s a weakness we need to overcome •  how to know if you were born highly sensitive—20% of us are •  whether there’s something wrong with Rob who is highly insensitive •  what being highly sensitive means (and the superpowers HSEs have) •  a few questions you can ask yourself to find out if you’re an HSE •  how to work (or live) with someone who is highly sensitive •  how to approach work (and life) as a highly sensitive entrepreneur •  the importance of processes and systems to support your work as a HSE, and •  how to network as an HSE. We also asked Heather about the similarities between HSEs and introverts (they’re not the same thing) and how her business has changed since she started approaching things as an HSE. This discussion is a little different from our typical episode but shines a light on a personality type that many copywriters deal with regularly. To listen, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Ali Brown’s Glambition Radio Quiet by Susan Cane HSE Quiz Heather’s Website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the Club for episode 57, as we chat with business coach and founder of the highly sensitive entrepreneur movement, Heather Dominick, about how personality traits affect business success, what it means to be highly sensitive, how to deal with the sensitive people in our lives, and what this all means for copywriters. Kira: Heather, welcome! Rob: Welcome Heather. Heather: Thank you so much. So happy to be here. So happy to be here with both of you! Kira: Well, when I first heard of you, it was on Ali Brown’s Glambition Radio interview with you. I was on vacation and somehow randomly stumbled upon that particular interview and I remember being like, oh my goodness! This is me! I had no idea that this was a thing and it was kind of like finding out from Susan Cane that I was an introvert a couple of years back when I was like, oh this makes sense! This all makes sense! And then I forced my husband to listen to the interview again so that he would understand why I am the way I am and so ever since then, I knew that we needed you on this show to really help communicate what this is all about to highly sensitive copywriters and copywriters that maybe aren’t as highly sensitive as well. Heather: Fantastic! I love that so much. Did your husband listen to the interview that I did with Ali Brown? Did that help? Kira: It did help. I feel like this is already a couple of months ago, I feel like it’s something that maybe we need to revisit every once in awhile just to be like okay, remember why - this is why I’m doing this this way? So it doesn’t fade away. And I think a great place to start is with your story - just, how you discovered that you’re a highly sensitive person and entrepreneur? Heather: Sure! Absolutely. I’m so happy to share. Well, I would say first that I’m in my 14th year of being self-employed and in the first half of my self-employment career,

Personal branding expert and talented designer, Sarah Ancalmo Ashman is the guest for the 56th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. She shared with Kira and Rob (and you) how she became a brand expert—she started out as an ad agency designer working with personalities like Madonna, Jimmy Fallon and the rock group, RadioHead. In the podcast she talks about: •  how she developed her unique design style and why she chose branding as her discipline •  the first steps she took when she started her own agency •  what branding is and why it is so important to have a strong brand •  some of the more important elements that make up your brand •  how to identify what make you (and your brand) unique •  what you need to know or work on before you engage a designer •  why copywriters shouldn’t shape their brand around their clients •  her contrarian advice on which formulas you should use for your brand •  how to create a brand for yourself when you don’t have the budget to work with a designer (hint: don’t use fiverr) Rob and Kira also ask Sarah about the things that smart copywriters are starting to do with their brands, where copywriters who want to work in branding can get started and the the text books she recommends you should read if you want to learn branding. To hear it all, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Sarah Ashman, Public Persona Sarah’s Pinterest MirrorBrand B School Bluffworks Lacy Boggs Ash Ambirge Building a Story Brand The Brand Gap Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal and idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the Club for episode 56, as we chat with branding expert and designer Sarah Ancalmo Ashman about working with entrepreneurs and creatives to create jaw-dropping brands, developing a brand strategy, how copywriters should approach their own brand development, and whether having a nice logo is enough. Kira: Hi Sarah! Rob: Hey Sarah. Sarah: Hello, thanks for having me! Kira: Thanks for being here. I think - I have such a big crush on you because you’ve worked with me on my website and my brand and that’s been one of the best investments I’ve made in my business so I’m glad we can finally have you on the show you can share your knowledge and expertise with everyone at large. I think a great place to start though, is with your story! How did you end up running your creative studio? Sarah: As always, a meandering path, right? My background is actually in, you know, big brand advertising and you know, design studios in New York. And I worked doing that for about ten years and realized that the projects that resonated with me actually the most, were the ones that involved an individual. Clients that were sort of an individual that we were centering a brand around. I found that there were a lot of opportunities to bring out stories and you know, just really focus on their personality and what differentiates them as an individual. And so what I ended up doing was starting to kind of put my feelers out... and started to work with individuals, primarily entrepreneurs, who were either starting their business or wanting to uplevel, and applying some of the same techniques that I used to develop brands for the Fortune 500 for these private clients. And that ended up being viable enough for me to be able to kind of jump ship from the corp...

Paid search expert (and copywriter club member) Amy Hebdon joins Kira and Rob for the 55th episode of the podcast to talk about search marketing, the tools and skills you need to do it right, best practices for testing and messaging, and whether copywriters can drive quality leads for their own businesses with paid search. Here’s what we cover: •  how Amy went from inexperienced copywriter to web designer to paid search consultant •  what paid search is and the various places you can participate in it •  why copywriters need to know about paid search, keywords, ads and landing pages •  how writing for search is different from typical ad writing •  when you should write for Google and when you should write for people (you can do both) •  why you should work backwards from your landing page before writing your ads •  why traffic and clicks are a terrible metric in paid search •  best practices for testing ads so you get better insights, and •  the tools Amy uses to monitor her accounts and ads We also talked about what copywriters can do to attract clients who understand search (and want to work with a paid search specialist), how copywriters might use paid search to drive traffic to their own sites, and where the opportunities are for paid search today. Don’t miss Amy’s straight-forward perspective on the future of paid search and why there needs to be more collaboration than ever in this area in 2018. To hear hear it all, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Amy Hebdon, Paid Search Magic Find Amy on Twitter AdWords Adsense Joanna Wiebe Unbounce Leadpages Supermetrics DuckDuckGo Indeed Upwork Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal and idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the Club for episode 55 as we talk with paid search expert Amy Hebdon about search marketing, the tools and skills you need to do it right, best practices for testing and messaging, and whether copywriters can drive quality leads for their own businesses with paid search. Kira: Amy, welcome. Amy: Hi! Good to be on here. Kira: Yeah, thanks for hanging out with us today. I think a great place for us to start is with your story and how you got into paid search. Amy: Sure! So, I am one of those people who always wanted to work in advertising. It’s been my dream career, basically, since I was seven, and I majored in marketing communications in school and I spent the next several years temping, trying to find jobs. At the time, I was living in the Bay area and it was right around the time of the dot com bust, so I wasn’t able to find anyone who wanted to hire a brand new copywriter with no experience. I ended up a few years later... I got a job in New York as a web designer, so I was going to work every day basically hoping that wasn’t the day that I got fired because really, my web design skills were not that great. I was not that good at coding and I had all these design challenges that I had no idea how to solve. Looking back, I don’t think they actually would’ve fired me, like I think it was fine for what their clients needed, but it was really stressful for me to not know what I was doing and not really know how to do a good job with that. Working in this little design agency... it was a really cramped office space and the woman who sat behind me - there was no space between o...

Copywriter Chanti Zak (aka Chantelle Zakariasen aka the Queen of Quiz Funnels) joins us for the 54th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Chanti started her career as a food blogger, racking up more than 50,000 regular visitors and a big email list before transitioning to copywriting for coaches and other wellness-based businesses. During our interview, she tells us about: •  how she went from moderately successful food blogger to in-demand copywriter •  the biggest differences between blogging and copywriting •  quiz funnels—what they are and what they do •  how a quiz can segment an audience—and they don’t even realize it’s happening •  how she’s packaged her services to be appealing to different kinds of clients •  how she pitches and cold emails clients successfully •  what she does to make her emails stand out and get a response •  how she batches her pitches to use her time more effectively •  website shame and what she did to overcome it, and •  the three things she invested in to upgrade her web presence We also asked her what she would do differently if she had to start over and where she thinks copywriting is headed (hint: interactivity seems to be a big thing these days). Plus we wanted to hear more about her stay in India before she started writing and how that experience has impacted the way she approaches her business today. To hear what she told us, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: The Copywriter Accelerator Chanti’s food blog Cosmopolitan Buzzfeed Pinterest Ryan LeVesque ChantelleZakariasen.com Wordpress ChantiZak.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by The Copywriter Accelerator a three-month program with six core business components designed to help new copywriters lay their foundation for a successful business. Rob: Participants receive in-depth training, coaching, and feedback from us, which means you get access to us in a private community. Registration is now open and the early bird rate ends on October 27th. Learn more at TheCopywriterAccelerator.com. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for Episode 54 as we talk with copywriter and quiz funnel expert, Chanti Zak, about creating quizzes that hook potential customers, and to make them want to share going from in-house writer to freelance and finding clients fast, pitching podcasts, and how studying yoga in India has made her a better copywriter. Kira: Chanti, welcome. Chanti: Thank you for having me. I feel so honored. Rob: It’s awesome to have you here. Kira: Yes-yes, so I think a great place to start is with your story. How did you end up becoming a copywriter? Chanti: Well, I started a food blog randomly enough. I had this paleo food blog when my son was a newborn baby, and I really quickly grew it to like 50,000 unique visitors per month, and I was getting featured on like Cosmopolitan and BuzzFeed and all of these really big publications, so from there this whole online world opened up to me and I started getting writing work as a direct result of my food blog, so what I did is I used it as a portfolio of sorts, and that’s sort of how I started freelance writing and copywriting. Rob: I’m really curious you started a blog and grew to like 50,000 people. Kira: That’s a big deal. Rob: Yeah, that’s a dream that a lot of bloggers have been working for years to do. How did you do that? What did you do to grow? Chanti: Well, I think it’s easier with food than it is with a l...

Ryan Johnson, Head Copywriter at IWT (short for I Will Teach, Ramit Sethi’s company) steps up to the microphone with Kira and Rob for the 53rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. This interview covers a lot of ground, including: •  how after a grueling interview in his car, Ryan failed to get a job with IWT only to get hired a few months later (never give up) •  how to get inside the head of your client so you can speak with his or her voice •  his process for laying out all the moving pieces of a launch, and •  how he maps emotions to his launch plans so customers can’t wait to respond •  the 7 deadly email funnel sins •  two reasons to use long-form sales pages •  the “leap stacking” technique he uses to help his writers uplevel their skill (and what doesn’t work when trying to improve) Plus Ryan shares the “copy levers” that Gary Bencivenga used to get better at his craft, how he avoids writer’s block, and the one thing he would do if he had to start his career all over. Lots of good stuff packed into this episode. To hear it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Ramit Sethi The Briefcase Technique Jay Abraham IWT AIDA Gary Bencivenga Abbey Woodcock Justin Blackman The Headline Project Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, and then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 53 as we chat with in house copywriter, Ryan Johnson, about he became a copywriter and landed a job writing for Ramit Sethi, how he tackles a massive launch, capturing the voice of your client, and how long it takes him to write a 50 plus page sales letter. Ryan, welcome. Rob: Yes, welcome Ryan. Ryan: Thank you for having me. Glad to be here. Kira: Yeah, it’s great to have your here, and I think a great place to start is just with your story of how did you end up becoming a copywriter? Ryan: It was kind of a circular process to copywriting. I didn’t even know what copywriting was at the very beginning. My original interests were in film and creative writing, which led me into a delightful career waiting tables. After a few years of that, my first real job was in instructional design, and I was editing textbooks, and building training programs. I actually ended up designing an associates degree in business. I packaged and edited textbooks on business, and economics, and entrepreneurship before I realized that doing that was with no experience was totally crazy. But it was a good baseline. But while I was doing this, I can still remember. I was in the middle of editing this 500 page textbook on economics, which is about as exciting as it sounds, and my wife was working as a creative copywriter, and she was getting paid much, much more than me to edit this glossy one page ad. It looked like so much fun and so much easier than what I was doing. I’m like, “I’m doing something wrong, ‘cause there’s clearly a cap on where I am, and there’s no clap over here.” So shortly after I figured out how I could transition into marketing, into copywriting. It’s been a race every since. Rob: You’re working as an in house copywriter, but what does that look like today? What is the day to day ... How do you spend your time? What are you working on? Those kinds of things. Ryan: Yeah, so with Ramit at IWT / Growth Lab, I am the head of the sales team and the editorial tea...

When we launched The Copywriter Club Podcast, we made a list of copywriters we wanted to interview and the guest for episode 51, David Garfinkel, was at the top. Known as the World's Greatest Copywriting Coach, David is a world-class copywriter who regularly consults with clients like Agora Financial and GKIC along with several high-level copywriters to help improve the performance of their copy. During our interview, David talked about: •  how he got his start as a copywriter •  a “this will only work for me” method for finding your first project •  the story behind his $40 million dollar sales letter •  the mistakes he made as he was just starting his business •  how he made the shift to coaching and what he does as a coach •  the three things to look for in a copy coach •  how to overcome objections with your copy •  what mistakes he sees over and over again that you will want to avoid •  the importance of “relevant credentials” when making any sale •  when you should start coaching other writers •  the two or three things to go from good to great as a writer Plus David talked about what his business looks like today and he shared details about the breakout hit song he wrote for the urology department at the University of California’s Centennial celebration. (This is stuff he hasn't even shared on his own podcast.) To hear it, you need to click the play button below, or scroll down to read a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory McGraw Hill World News Gary Halbert’s Newsletter Aaron Sorkin Barbara (Bloch) Stanny Jay Conrad Levinson Jim Camp KOLBE Copy Chief Breakthrough Copywriting Garfinkelcoaching.com Kevin Rogers Scientific Advertising The Billion Dollar Copywriter Peak by Anders Erickson Agora Financial Fast, Effective Copy Homespun.com David’s Facebook Page The Copywriters Podcast Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 52 as we chat with the man who has been called the world’s greatest copywriting coach, David Garfinkel, about the lessons he’s learned coaching and working with so many copywriters, what it takes to be truly great as a copywriter, how his life away from copywriting makes him a better writer, and how to do an effective copy critique. Kira: David, welcome. David: Thank you. I’m glad to be here. Rob: Yeah, we’re excited to have you. Kira: It’s an honor to have you. Yeah, this is the highlight of my day. David: I know I’ve been looking forward to this for a while now. Kira: I feel like every time I think of you, David, I think of the beach because I listen to episode 13, Why Customers Buy, while I was running on the beach on vacation last month. I’m just happy anytime I hear your voice because it takes me back. David: Yeah. I think you mentioned that in an email to me. Which beach? Because I’m about six blocks from the Pacific Beach in San Francisco. Kira: Oh, this was Myrtle Beach. David: Oh. Yeah, I went there when I was in high school. I grew up in Maryland. We went there in the spring break or something. It was a very nice beach. Kira: Yeah, it was great. Rob: A great place to do some running, some copywriting learning. Kira: Exactly, yeah. David: Well, everyone has their own use for the beach. I think that’s a good one, frankly. Rob: Yeah, exactly. David,

Direct response copywriter and video sales letter expert, Valentina Volcinschi, is in the house for episode 51 of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira and Rob ask her about how she became a direct response copywriter and how she developed her skills—she’s written a ton of successful promotions including one that pulled in $7 million in 5 months and saved a company that was headed toward bankruptcy. She also talks about... •  how musician Jack White landed her a job in direct response •  the “secret” 1000-page book that helped launch her career •  how she injects emotion into her copy •  her “puzzle structure” for sales pages •  how to get started working in the survival niche •  the biggest differences between sales pages and VSLs •  the EPW writing process that you probably use but don’t know it •  how she researches for her assignments Plus Valentina goes deep on how feeling your customer’s pain can make all the difference in a sales message and how she entertains with her copy (she looks for wacky characters). We also asked her what she charges for sales pages, emails and VSLS and her advice for new direct response copywriters. As usual, lots of good ideas and advice.  Click the play button below to listen, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Jack White Madonna The Ultimate Desktop Copy Coach (no longer available) Ry Schwartz Daniel Sanchez Copy School Ben Settle Valentina’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 51 as we chat with copywriter Valentina Volcinschi about entertaining your customers with your copy, writing with emotion, video sales letters, and what it takes to break through in hypercompetitive markets like survival, health, and sass. Rob: Hey, Kira. Hey, Valentina. Valentina: Hi, guys. How you doing? Kira: Welcome. Thanks for joining us. Valentina: Thank you for inviting me. Kira: A good place to start, Valentina, is just with your story, how you ended up as a direct response copywriter working on VSLs and even in the survival market. How did you get there? Valentina: Well, it’s quite a funny story because I actually owe my debut in direct response copywriting to Jack White from The White Stripes and The Dead Weather. Rob: Okay. This sounds like a good story. Valentina: Yeah, kind of. I started as an agency copywriter. I worked at a local agency for a couple of years, but then I had to switch cities. I moved to another city, so I had to look for a job. I found an internship as a direct response copywriter and I was like, “What is that? I had never heard about that before.” I read about it. I found it very interesting and I thought that is a very good opportunity to learn something new. What I did was apply to that copywriting internship. What I didn’t know was that the person in charge of the applications was the secretary of the company. What she did was check every single person who applied on Facebook to see if they have the same taste in music as her because she had no girls on the team. There are only guys and no one there to, I don’t know, share a common interest with her. She looked at my Facebook page and she saw that I had liked Jack White’s page. She was like, “This girl, I want this girl on my team.” Yes. She went to her boss and she oversold me on the whole thing.

For our 50th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, we’re doing things a little differently. Actually, quite a bit differently. We’ve flipped the microphone and invited Ry Schwartz back for another visit—but this time to ask questions of copywriters Kira Hug and Rob Marsh (your humble hosts for all the other episodes). Ry does his best to get the goods from us. In the process we cover... •  Rob’s advice on how to have a happy marriage (obviously he hasn’t had to give it a lot of thought) •  how copywriting applies to marriage •  the nicest thing anyone has ever said to Kira •  what Rob and Kira would look for if they were hiring a “copy cub” •  what they do to learn new things every day •  the music they listen to (or don’t) when they write—you may be surprised •  what Kira and Rob would do right now if they had to rebuild their businesses from scratch •  what they’ve learned as they created a coaching program •  what they would do if they couldn’t be copywriters any more Plus what they think is the most important thing for copywriters to do today, Ry’s better-than-expected-but-still-bad Irish accent, a few music clips and more. If you like 80s hip hop, Disney mermaids and great copywriting advice, you’ll want to click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Narcos Chuck Taylors James Wedmore The Voice Hillary Weiss It’s Tricky (Run DMC) I Love You (Climax Blue’s Band) The Things You Never Remember (Dave Brubeck ) Genie in a Bottle (Christina Aguilera) Hips Don’t Lie (Shakira) Ry’s announcement episode Rob’s book The Copywriter Think Tank Tanya Geisler on the Imposter Complex The Copywriter Accelerator Rick Steeves Under Pressure (David Bowie and Queen) The Little Mermaid Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Ry: Hi, all right. I’m interviewing you guys today, that’s fun. Kira: I’m a little nervous. Ry: A little nervous? I have some good questions here, I watched Narcos all weekend, so I have a lot of drug-related questions. Kira: Oh, my god. Ry: Yeah, it’s just where my brain is going. This almost blends perfectly well with my first question, but we haven’t done the actual intro yet. I’m going to do it in a British accent. What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then stealing an idea or two to inspire your own work, that’s what I get to do today at The Copywriter Club Podcast. I also get to put on a terrible Irish accent and I’m doing it because we are flipping the microphone, that’s an awkward thing to say; but we’re turning the microphone on the other side of the virtual table. I get to ask Rob and Kira the awkward questions about life, business, copywriting, and all the amazing things in between. Thanks for letting me do this and thanks for being on your own show, guys. Rob: Yeah, you haven’t even told us who you are yet. Kira: We’re just supposed to know after that brilliant accent. Ry: I’m a ghost, I think we should only reveal it at the end, to see if people could guess who this has been the entire team. Kira: That’s a good taste. Ry: Hint, it is Rob’s younger self coming back. Rob: Much better looking, much smarter, younger self. Yes. Ry: Yes, who initially turned older Rob on to wearing Chuck Taylors, so it’s is not old Rob, yet. Yes, thanks for being here. That’s an awkward transition. I don’t know how you guys do segues so much better than I just did. But, we will start off by talking about Kira’s wedding anniversary because that is currently happening. So,

For the 49th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Sean D'Souza is here to talk about about the psychological tactics that get people to respond to your sales message. Kira and Rob go deep with Sean asking about how he started his business and what he wants from it today. Sean talks about: •  how he got into copywriting, then out, then back in. •  how a short presentation inspired by Jay Abraham inspired The Brain Audit •  the seven “red bags” of The Brain Audit and how they work together •  the questions he asks when creating a sales page •  the “x-ray vision” problem that books and courses suffer from •  why teaching is the best kind of selling •  how to establish yourself as an expert •  what kind of testimonials you should have on your sales pages (would you believe they should be 1500 words?) • and more... Perhaps most importantly for overworked copywriters, we asked Sean how he manages to take three months of vacation every year and how his morning routine helps him maintain his energy and effectiveness. These are ideas we need to try. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Leo Burnett Psychotactics Good to Great by Jim Collins Jay Abraham The Brain Audit 5000 BC Superman Article Writing Course Six questions for testimonials Mixergy interview Michael Phelps Bob Bowman The Three Month Vacation Podcast Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hangout with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for Episode 49 as we chat with author, speaker, cartoonist, and copywriter Sean D’Souza about psychological triggers that get customers to say yes, creating brand fanatics, how to become an expert in any field, and why he takes so much time off to recharge. Welcome, Sean. Thanks for joining us. Rob: Hey, Sean. Sean: It’s a pleasure to speak to both of you. Kira: Well, we’ve love to start with your story. How did you end up as a copywriter and a business owner? Sean: I always wanted to be a copywriter. When I was in university, that’s what I wanted to do. I had this goal, when I was going to be 30, I was going to be in this agency. I was going to be creative director of that agency. So it was very clear to me, which is why in university when I was studying accounting and stuff, my grades started to go down for the first time in my life. As soon as I left university, I went to Leo Burnett, which is the … I lived in Mumbai, India, and the kind of branch of Leo Burnett that was there. I went and spoke to the creative director, and she said, “You know you’re just a cartoonist. You’re not a copywriter.” I said, “Yes, I know that, but here’s what I’ll do. I’ll work with you a month and at the end of the month, you decide whether you want me to stay, and then you pay me. Or you know if I don’t like you after a month, then I’ll leave.” So it was pretty brash, but they took me on and that was the start of working with several advertising agencies. We’re going back now to 1995, I think, so it’s a long time ago. So I worked in a couple of agencies, and then, at some point, I started thinking, “Well, this is not what I want to do,” and I went back to cartooning. At that point, I was drawing cartoons for these magazines, but also for these organizations. What I found was their copy was really bad, and that my cartoons were getting kind of mutilated or defaced or ...

Copywriter Marcella Allison is the only person who has “cubbed” for the biggest names in copywriting including Parris Lampropolous, Clayton Makepeace, David Deutch and Mark Ford. And she’s learned a lot along the way. Marcella stopped by our virtual studio to chat with Rob and Kira about: •  how she got started as a copywriter (twice) •  whether copywriters can develop a talent for writing about complex things •  how an unexpected kiss from Marty Edelston transformed her career •  the importance of mentorship in building your career in copywriting •  the top lessons she learned from two of her mentors •  how to effectively use the feedback you get from a mentor, and •  the lesson David Deutch accidentally taught her about ego. Plus, Marcella shares the “beginning painter” learning trick she recommends if you want to break into a copywriting niche. This episode is another good one you won’t want to miss. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Most of the people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Ry Schwartz Brian Kurtz F&W Publications Schaeffer’s Investment Research Money Map Press David Deutch Parris Lampropolous Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain AWAI Agora Financial Kevin Addington Bottomline Lori Haller Marty Edelston Mark Ford Clayton Makepeace Stansbury Research Chris Alsop Advanced Bionutritionals John Carlton’s Simple Copywriting System Kevin Rogers Ask Method Product Launch Formula Early to Rise Hay House Natural Health Sherpa Titanides.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 48 as we chat with freelance copywriter Marcella Allison about how she became a copywriter working with A list mentors like Parris Lampropoulos and David Deutsch and her secret for landing a steady stream of clients without a website. Kira: Marcella, welcome. Marcella: Hi, guys. I’m going to be notorious for that now. Like everyone’s going to be like, “I can’t believe she doesn’t have her own website.” You guys are going to hear about that. Rob: You’re actually not our first guest that didn’t have a website. Marcella: Oh good. Rob: At least until they got on the podcast. Ry Schwartz is a copywriter in the internet space, didn’t have a website last year when we talked to him. He does now finally so maybe this will be the spark that gets you a website, Marcella. Kira: Or maybe you just don’t need it because you’re that good. Marcella: I don’t know about that. Kira: Marcella, I think a good place to start is we had met at our titans masterclass, Brian Kurtz’s group and you were my advocate during the hot seat session and I think you were the best. I forget if we called it an advocate. Basically, you were representing my needs and you were the best one there. So I oh you big time and I’m excited to dig more into how you got into copywriting and hear more about your experiences so far. So I think a good place to start is with just your story. How did you end getting into copywriting? Marcella: Well, one thing, I have to I’ve a big shout out to Brian Kurtz because I have to say the reason I was a good advocate was I had trial by fire at his titans event being an advocate for 30 people that day. Kira: That makes sense. Marcella: I did have a bit of practice. I did have a bit of practice. Kira: I did not know that.

Do you struggle with impostor syndrome (or more accurately impostor complex)? Then you’re going to love this episode. Tanya Geisler stops by The Copywriter Club Podcast to talk with Rob and Kira all about why we struggle to believe in ourselves and our work. It’s an evolutionary behavior that’s designed to protect us, but in today’s modern world, often keeps us from doing our best and most important work. In this interview Tanya shares: •  the background on the “discovery” of impostor complex •  how it affects both men and women •  the three primary reasons we have impostor complex •  the 12 lies of the impostor complex •  the six behavioral traits we default to when we experience impostor complex Plus Tanya shares a simple “hack” for dealing with the impostor complex when it rears its ugly head. You’re going to want to listen to this one. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Tanya’s TED Talk Pauline Clance Suzanne Imes Secret Thoughts of Successful Women Neil Gaimon Amanda Palmer Meryl Streep Maya Angelou John Lennon Brene Brown Dunning Kruger Effect Liz Gilbert Chumba Wumba OpenSource.com Mean Girls Amy Cuddy Malcom Gladwell Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for Episode 47 as we chat with leadership coach Tanya Geisler about the Imposter Syndrome and owning your authority, working with a coach, amplifying your voice, and how copywriters can deal with the comparison trap. Rob: Hey, Tanya. Hey, Kira. Kira: You’re welcome. Tanya: That’s so much for having me. Real excited to be here. Rob: We’re excited to have you here. Kira: Yeah. Tanya, you were recommended from one of our club members, Helen, who said that all the conversations in our club right now are ... Well, not all of them, but a lot of them are around feeling like an imposter, a lot of self-doubt, especially because we have a lot of new copywriters in our club. This is what you talk about day in and day out. So we’re really grateful that you’re here to kind of just address this challenge that we all are facing head on, and hopefully we can help some copywriters along the way. Tanya: May it be so. Kira: A good place to start is with your story. You know what, especially as I’ve heard you, I’ve heard your name in the past, watched your TED video, checked out your website, and you’ve stepped into your starring role, but I always wonder, when did you do that, and was it easy for you? Were you always in a starring role? Could you tell us your story? Tanya: I want to laugh. The first thing I want to do is laugh. Yeah, it was so easy. No, not much about this has been easy at all. It’s been tons of self-doubt, tons of, “What do I know? Who am I?” I talk about there are 12 lies that the Imposter Complex wants us to believe. And I believed them for probably the first ... Even if I put a name, a number on this, I worry that it’s going to trigger people, but really and truly for probably the first four to five years of my work as a leadership coach I was really coming up against the Imposter Complex, like huge. And what I started to recognize was this through line that was inhibiting me from stepping into my starring role. That wasn’t the language that I would’ve had back then, but the through line that was inhibiting me from being ...

Because this is a short informational episode all about our upcoming mastermind group that we’re calling The Copywriter Think Tank, we’re not doing a transcript for this one. However, to find out more about The Think Tank and what we have planned you can go to www.copywriterthinktank.com and get on the notification list. Click to listen...

For the 46th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, our friend, copywriter and comedian, Lianna Patch stops by to tell her story (she starts at the very beginning) about making copywriting her career. During the next 40ish minutes share also shares: •  Why she chose humor as her “hook” for copywriting clients •  her snarky answer to the dumbest question Rob has ever asked •  the enormously helpful life hack that would freak out AA •  how the rules of comedy can improve your copywriting •  how to be funny without being nasty •  what she did to land her first (and second and third) speaking engagements •  how she deals with projects that scare her And we cover a whole lot of other ground too. Like what brands are doing a good job with humorous copy and the advice she has for new copywriters. Plus, Lianna is the first guest to tell a joke on the podcast. As you’ve come to expect, this is another solid episode packed with ideas you can put to use in your business. To hear it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory The Copywriter Mastermind Boxed Wine CTA Conference Lianna’s Sustainable E-Commerce Post Aaron Orendorf Unbounce New Orleans Entrepreneur Week Conversion World DeepDyve Amy Harrison Boomerang for Gmail Snapcopy.co James Turner Foot Cardigan Jennifer Havice Wistia Dropps PunchlineCopy 5 Ways to Be Funnier in Your Copy Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failure, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 46, as we chat with freelance copywriter, Lianna Patch about the challenges of leaving an agency job to strike out on her own, getting attention at conferences, her copy optimization service called Snap, and whether there’s a place for rubber chickens and whoopee cushions in copywriting. Kira: Hi, Liana. Hi, Rob. Rob: Hey, guys. Lianna: Hey. Kira: How’s it going? Lianna: Good. Thanks for having me. Kira: You’re welcome. I think a good place to start is just finding out if you were funny as a kid, and what you wanted to be when you grew up. I feel like that’s the question I want to know. Lianna: Oh, okay. Rob: Did you always have a buzzer in your hand for handshakes? And rattlesnake eggs to hand the kids at school? Lianna: I think I was the unintentionally funny kid. I still have this expression, like I still have serious resting bitch face. My parents used to call me Little Miss Thundercloud because my resting face. I would say things that I thought were very serious and they would laugh at me, and then I would go, “Don’t laugh.” So, it’s kind of like a 180 from there. Rob: Tell us your story. Lianna: My story? Well, my dad loved my mom very much and so after they had my brother they were like, “This one’s a dud. We should probably try again,” and then I was born. Fast forwarding to now, I’ve worked in a couple agency settings, it didn’t seem to stick. I was doing my own stuff on the side throughout, and then everything kind of gelled when I took the first Copywriter Mastermind with Joanna Wiebe and I started to figure out that I should pinpoint humor, and that I should focus just on copywriting because I had noticed that I was getting way too deep into editing, especially publications editing, and I hated it so much. But, then I looked at my work schedule and it was like,

This is the 45th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast and we're joined by online business expert Zach Spuckler. As you listen, you’ll see that Zach’s energy and enthusiasm is contagious—and it quickly becomes clear why we booked him for the show. Zach shares how he started his first business at age 12, started a food blog and a few other businesses before deciding he needed to work in a business that he loved. In the interview Zach talks about: •  how he knew it was time to do “something new” in his business •  how he built his “authority” as an expert (and what you should do to build yours) •  his process to ensure he focuses on the most important things first •  his approach to discipline and showing up every day •  what his idea of great copy is (we think it’s spot on), and •  how he uses funnels in his business Zach also shares his thoughts about what beginning copywriters can do to get their businesses off the ground and the massive difference a team and systems can make for your business. To hear it all, simply click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Heart Soul Hustle Amy Porterfield James Wedmore Jeff Bezos (Amazon) Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 45 as we chat with online business strategist Zach Spuckler about starting a business from scratch with no list and no prospects, how to create Facebook ads and funnels that work, the critical part discipline plays in a successful business and how we can think bigger about our businesses. Rob: Hey Zach, Kira! Kira: How’s it going? Welcome Zach. Zach: Thanks for having me. Rob: Yeah, it’s great to have you here. Zach: I am excited to be here. Kira: Zach, I think a great place to start is with your story especially for people or copywriters who don’t know who you are and what you’re all about. Zach: Absolutely. So my story interestingly enough starts about 10 years ago when I was about 12 years old. The only reason I remember that it starts when I was 12 is I made my first dollar online and I had to use my dad’s social security number because I wasn’t actually old enough to get paid yet. So really he made my first dollar online. I just cashed the check and did the work so to speak. Over the last 10 years, I started and I’ve done everything online that you can imagine in terms of dabbling. I don’t have extensive knowledge of everything, but if you can make a buck doing it online, there’s a good chance I’ve tried it. Whether it’s website flipping. I did some affiliate marketing through Amazon for a while. I used to run some niche sites. I was in a direct sales company that I still get a tiny almost not worth mentioning commission check for most weeks. I’ve done food blogging and digital courses in the marketing space and out of the marketing space. I’ll fast forward to save time a little bit, but about a year and a half, two years ago, I was running a food blog. I kind of hit this wall where I loved my food blog so much. It was starting to generate revenue. People were coming to me asking me about how to get more reach on their blog. We’ve got Pinterest pins now that are up to 10,000, 20,000 re-pins. We were getting featured in some major publications in the food blogging space. It was all really fine and dandy but I started to kin...

Copywriter Abbey Woodcock stops by The Copywriter Club Podcast studio to share how she went from being a single mom and journalist struggling to make ends meet to a highly paid copywriter specializing in complex launch sequences. And she shares a few of the hard-won lessons along the way. Things like: •  when you should absolutely NOT buy that course or coaching program •  the #1 thing she learned working for Ramit Sethi •  how she writes sales pages that make customers think she is reading their minds •  the “table stakes” principle for delivering solid copy •  what she does to make sure she’s not the smartest person in the room (even if she is) •  the surprising thought Abbey has on every single project she works on •  why and how she set up systems for her business •  how you can get to the point where you can work on large launch projects, and •  the worst things she sees going on in the copywriting world today As we were wrapping up the interview, Abbey saved the best for last, sharing the story of how Ramit Sethi was willing to test her ideas—even though his gut said she was wrong and it would cost him thousands of dollars. You’ll want to hear this, and the rest of the interview. To do it, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Brian Kurtz Ramit Sethi Narnia The controversial article PLF InfusionSoft Thebusinessofcopy.com Onlifeandwriting.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could you hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for Episode 44, as we chat with copywriter Abbey Woodcock about her journey from struggling single mom to her place on the A-List. Creating systems for your copywriting business, finding the right voice for your clients, and what she thinks of the gurus who say you should sacrifice everything to invest in your business. Kira: Hi, Abbey. Hey, Rob. How’s it going? Abbey: Awesome. Rob: Hey, guys. Abbey: Super excited to be here. Kira: Welcome. Well, before we start recording, I think Rob mentioned that he’s been stalking you and aware of you for the past year. I really started paying attention to you when I met you in March at Bryan Kurtz’s Titans Master Class. You gave a presentation to the group about helping creatives build systems. Abbey: Right. Kira: Which was spoke to me as a creative who just sucks at systems. With your business partner, you’ve figured out how to make it work. I know we’re going to dive into that and a lot of other things, our topics today. To start, Abbey, let’s start with your story. I know you mentioned that it’s not a rags to riches story. But let’s dive into how you got into copywriting. Abbey: Yeah. Sure. I always say that my copywriting journey started in seventh grade because I wrote a 30-page letter to a boy in seventh grade to ask him to the school dance. That was my first long-form fields letter. Rob: Did it convert? Abbey: No. No, zero convert on that one. Kira: 30 pages? Abbey: Yeah, 30 pages. Kira: 30 pages were necessary, okay. Got it. Rob: That gives a little bit of context for what we’re going to ask about Ramit and what you’ve done for him, because 30 pages is short for some of the stuff he does. Abbey: Yeah. Absolutely, I was prepping many years ago for that job. Then I graduated high school, which was exciting.

Former professional basketball player and current email copywriter, Big Jason Henderson, joins Rob and Kira for the 43rd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Jason shares how he went from Australian basketball star to highly paid email copywriter and in the process talks about: •  the too-easy-to-believe advice for writing great emails •  how he keeps his emails personal by writing to “one” person •  the recommended number of links that should go in every email (jk) • the tools he uses to track clicks and revenue •  his go-to writing formula for emails •  what it means to sell the click vs. sell the product •  which is the better motivator—the carrot or the stick •  why there’s no such thing as an email expert, and •  how he manages stress and overwork (when he doesn’t sleep for two days) Another eye-opening episode packed with lots of lessons, tactics and strategies you can use in your own copywriting business. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory MECLabs Marketing Sherpa Email Summit Gary Halbert Caleb O Dowd Scott Haines Revolution Golf Clicky Email Response Warrior Course Clayton Makepeace Dr. Flint McGlaughlin Tepsii Arman Morin Seminar GKIC (Dan Kennedy’s events) Ryan Deiss Russel Brunson Tony Flores John Carlton’s Simple Writing System Samuel Markowitz Amit Suneja UFC Parris Lampropolous David Deutsch Shortcutcopywritingsecrets.com Tim Ferris Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you can hang out with seriously talented copy writers and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work, that’s what Kira and I do every week and The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 43 as we chat with email copywriter big Jason Henderson about what he has learned about sending more than a billion emails, creating high performance email funnels, the things you should do with email that the experts tell you not to do, and why your value proposition is the most important element for increasing conversation. Rob: Hi Kira. Hi Jason. Jason: Hi, good to be here. Kira: Great to have you Jason. Jason: Thanks for having me. Rob: Jason, I think we really want to start with your story, but before we get into that, I got to know how big are you? Jason: I’m only about 6'11". Rob: Okay, so not that big then. Kira: Not that big. That’s nothing. Rob: Yeah, why don’t we start with your story. You’re famous for email, tell us how you got started as an email copywriter? Jason: In 1996, I was playing professional basketball in Australia, and it was really laid back so I had plenty of free time and the local universities let me go into their computer labs, so I was just going around and I started with Acl and local businesses, and I started doing email and e-commerce back then. Little did I know, that e-commerce was going to be huge, I should have stuck with it. Yeah, I just started with that and I became ... Have you heard of the about.com brand? Rob: Yes. Jason: So back then, they were the mining company and I was the exercise guy. So they basically worked with us to drive as much traffic as possible, so they were teaching us about building email lists, writing articles, attracting free traffic, and for email all they said was, “You know it’s like having a one on one conversation, so if you can do that, then you can write an email.” And that’s basically all I knew. I was like, “Yeah, I can do that.” I think that’s an advantage for me starting way back then ...

In the 42nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with Casey Slaughter Stanton about his career path and how he found his way into marketing by pushing a lawn mower. Today he runs his own marketing and tech business, and focuses on what he calls “functional marketing”. During our conversation, we asked Casey about his approach to business and working with customers. He shared: •  How you can sell more by selling to only one person •  How empathetic guessing can help you connect better with your customers •  The DOS formula and how it helps him understand his client’s business •  His approach to creating proposal clients can’t say “no” to •  How to qualify potential clients so you only work with the right ones •  What he learned working with Gary Bencivenga and Ted Nicolas (he didn’t know who they were at the time), and •  The “head, heart, and home” questions he asks about each of his clients This one is less about copywriting and more about selling your client on your services and expertise. If you struggle to land more than half of the clients who you talk to about a project, this is a must-listen episode. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Tony Robbins Tech Guys Who Get Marketing Dr. Marshall Rosenburg Genius Network Joe Polish KOLBE Dan Sullivan StrengthsFinder Gary Bencivenga Ted Nicholas Peter Diamandis Abundance: The Future is Better than You Think Bold: How to Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World 10X Talks Strategic Coach Titans of Direct Response Brian Kurtz Parris Lampropolous CaseyStanton.com The Proposal Template Casey shared at Titans Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you can hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts? Ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 42 as we chat with Casey Slaughter Stanton about how single proprietors like copywriters can better market themselves, improving the sales process, creating client proposals that clients say yes to, and what he calls city dating. Kira: Hey, Casey. Hey, Rob. How is it going? Rob: Guys. Casey: Hey, great. Great, great to be on, you all. Kira: Casey, a really great place to start would be with your story and since most of our audience has not heard of you before so let’s start there. Casey: Sure. Back in 2008 I graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy. When I say graduated, I just did the air quotes because I had to plead to my native American music professor to actually give me a D minus in the class and I think he gave me a D. He even threw me a bone there so I graduated somehow. I was pretty shocked and I hit the workforce and I was looking for jobs immediately after school thinking that I could get into a sales role. What I found was that unemployment was a real big issue and I watch the unemployment stats go from 5% to 6 to 7 to 8 to 9. While I was still looking for a job, they topped out at 10.5% and I was screwed because I had no real experience in anything and environment policy. It kind of meant I could only work in lancing and I just couldn’t survive there. What I was forced to do was move back home with my parents and I took the basement over and picked up a job mowing lawns and spent a whole summer on the back of a lawn mower trying to figure out what I was going to do.

Copy Chief Kevin Rogers is in the club for a special inbetween-isode. This is a rare, second episode this week and it’s a good one. Kevin shares his journey from high school drop out with ambitions of stocking shelves at the grocery store to highly paid copywriter, then chief of his own community for copywriters and other business owners. Here’s a sample of what we covered: •  How Kevin landed his first job (and had to create writing samples first) •  His “go with your gut” principle for writing good copy •  How relationships propelled his career forward and the “mentee mindset” •  His four-part joke formula for creating stellar sales hooks •  The three rules Kevin follows when he gives a speech (and the results) •  What it takes to be an expert in something (and why most writers should have a “bat signal” talent) •  John Carlton’s Pro Code, and •  What really makes Kevin angry Plus we got the details on Kevin’s upcoming event in St. Petersburg called Copy Chief Live. It sounds like an amazing event that anyone who writes copy that gets conversions might want to check out. One more thing: it looks like Kevin may have set a new record for links on his show notes page. And it’s easily the funniest list we’ve ever published (at least until we get to Carrot Top. That guy’s not funny). Check them all out. And don’t forget to click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. Most of the people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory George Carlin Rodney Dangerfield Jerry Seinfeld Sam Kinison Bill Hicks Jim Breuer Billy Gardell Star Search Ed McMahon Carrot Top John Carlton Gary Halbert Gary Bencivenga CA Magazine Nothing in Common Vin Montelo Copy Chief Clayton Makepeace Daniel Levis Carline Anglade Cole Rachel Rofé Ryan Lee Dean Jackson Nicole Piper Todd Brown Ryan Levesque James Schramko Ben Johnson Ross O’Lochlainn Jody Raynsford Wardee Harmon Parris Lampropolous Joe Schriefer Marcella Allison Henry Bingaman Copy Chief Live PI4MM.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for this special in-between-i-sode as we chat with copywriter and copy chief, Kevin Rogers, about his journey from standup comedian to highly sought after copywriter. The joke formula that became his secret for writing great hooks, mentoring other copywriters, and a special event he is putting together this Fall. Kira: Hey Kevin. Hey Rob. How’s it going? Rob: Hey guys. Kevin: Hey. Rob: Kevin, it’s great to have you here. Kevin: Man, it’s great to be here with you guys. Appreciate you having me. This will be a lot of fun. Rob: Yeah, we’ve actually had you on our list for a while, Kevin. Wanted to talk to you. You’ve got a lot of stuff going on, but let’s jump in maybe and start with your story, where you came from and how you got into copywriting? Kevin: It felt like a miracle when I found copywriting. It was like lightning striking twice in the best way in your life because I spent 10 years as a standup comedian and that was such a miracle thing to experience. A high school dropout, just had no direction. I was restless and I really hated, at one point, showing up to school every day. It just felt stupid. I don’t know what ... This isn’t for me. I wasn’t going to pursue college, and I just thought it was so much cooler to work at my job stocking shelves at grocery...

Author, coach and career change expert, Jenny Blake, joins Rob and Kira in The Copywriter Club Podcast studio this week to talk about why she organizes her book shelf by color : ). We also talk about her book, Pivot: The Only Move that Matters is Your Next One. But this isn’t just a pitch for Jenny’s book. She walked us through the process but also talked about: •  How to figure out your strengths then determine where you want to be a year from now •  How to scan the horizon for opportunities, people, and skills that might take you to the next level •  How to experiment with your pivots to eliminate risk and find things that work •  How to deal with your inner CFO who says, “you’re out of your mind” to try something new or different •  The “Do, Drop or Delegate” formula for staying engaged in your work •  Why you should create scalable streams of income as part of your business, and •  How to build a platform so you get noticed If you’re thinking about changing careers to become a copywriter, or want to explore a new niche, or simply want to make sure you’re on the right career track, this episode is a must listen. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Life After College Pivot Pivot Method Tool Kit Momentum Actionable Communications SquareSpace She Can Coterie Powerbars Stand Out by Dorie Clark Harvard Business Review Fast Company Forbes Huffington Post Medium Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port David Moldawer Ramit Sethi Marie Forleo Daily Rituals by Mason Currey Delegation Ninja (use the code TCC to save $100 or just click here) Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the Club for episode 41, as we chat with author and career strategist Jenny Blake about her Pivot Method and what it means for copywriters and others who might be wondering what’s next, leaving Google to start her own business, dealing with burnout, and whether she really organizes the books on her shelf by color, not subject. Rob: Hey, Kira. Hey, Jenny. Kira: Hello. Jenny: Hey, thank you so much for having me. Yes, indeed, I organize by color, but I will tell you, I know where every book is because the color imprint stays in my mind. It’s really easy to zoom in, like, “Oh, yeah, that was a red book, it’s over here.” It’s not as confusing as you might think. Rob: I think a lot of writers, if they go to your website, they’re going to see the video or the pictures that you’ve got of your bookshelf. That’s one of the first things, I’m like, “Oh my gosh, all of the white books are together.” Kira: I know. I love it. Rob: “All of the green books are together.” Jenny: Oh, yeah. Rob: It makes me laugh. Jenny: The funny thing is I’ve honed this thing over three or four years of living in the same apartment, so I’ll be watching TV and I’m like, “Oh, that book needs to move one slot to the left.” What you see, it’s like my bonsai tree. I just get to prune at it every single day. What you don’t see is the back of this Ikea shelf is all the reject books that don’t have a pretty color. Rob: That is too funny. Jenny, I think a lot of our listeners may not know who you are, have seen your work. You’ve got a fantastic book that we definitely want to talk about, but maybe you could start by just telling us a little bit about your story....

Kim Krause Schwalm joins Rob and Kira to share her thoughts and advice about copywriting. She also talks about how she went from successful marketing director to control-beating copywriter in less than two years. It’s a great story. Along the way she shared her thoughts about: •  climbing the copywriter ladder (and why it’s so lucrative) •  how to stay in control of your writing process •  the copywriting lessons she (re)learned from Parris Lampropolous and Clayton Makepeace • the one thing all A-list copywriters have in common • and why you might not want Kim to make your next lasagna It’s another great interview and look into how a fantastic copywriter runs her business. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Clayton Makepeace interview with Kim Boardroom Gary Bencivenga Jim Rutz Healthy Directions Ted Nicholas Kim’s L.A. Bootcamp David Deutsch Brian Kurtz Clayton Makepeace Parris Lampropolous Advanced Bionutritionals The Girls Club KimSchwalm.com TheMarketingSuperPower.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 40 as we chat with A-list copywriter Kim Krause Schwalm about writing effective direct response controls, what steps other writers can take now to get a control beater, writing in the health and finance niches, and her ongoing efforts to help other women succeed in the business. Kira: Hi, Kim. Hi, Rob. Welcome. Rob: Kira, Kim. It’s good to talk to you guys. Kim: Hey, it’s great to be here. Rob: Kim, we are so excited to have you here, partly because I’ve known about you for several years. I think I remember reading an interview that Clayton Makepeace did with you a number of years ago, and I’ve followed your career and I know Kira and you have connected recently as well. We’re thrilled to be able to talk with you, but I think where we’d really like to get started is just your story, how you got into copywriting. Kim: I didn’t know copywriting existed as a profession until I was working in marketing for a major publishing company called Philips Publishing. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but for many years it was considered one of the powerhouse direct response marketing companies. In fact, it was bigger than Agora at the time. It was up there with Boardroom and Rodale and other major companies in terms of working with the very top-level copywriters, the ones that we all consider legends like Gary Bencivenga, Jim Rutz, Clayton Makepeace, et cetera. I went to work for them back in 1992, which seems like an eternity ago. I actually had had marketing management and brand management experiences with other companies. I had an MBA in marketing and I was just full-bore marketing, but I always could write copy. It was always one of the many hats I wore in different jobs. It was the same story at Philips, but at Philips it was one of these things that was really valued because so much of their business was built on strong copy. A lot of my different roles, I would write copy as well as direct marketing efforts. I ended up, after being there just a short while, I was asked to help them launch their supplement business, to promote supplements formulated by Dr. Julian Whitaker. I helped launch and run that company, which is called Healthy Directions,

Copywriter and cold emailing specialist, Jorden Roper, joins Kira and Rob in The Copywriter Club Podcast studio for the 39th episode. Jorden is a three time college dropout who lost her job (the same day her husband lost his job at the same company) and managed to find several freelance clients within a month. She shares how she did it, and how she used cold emailing to find clients plus: •  How you can do cold emailing that lands clients on day one •  The cold emailing formula she used to grow her business •  How she used Pinterest to brainstorm her brand •  How to be fearless as you “put yourself out there” •  How she uses Youtube to attract a different audience to her blog •  How much work she put into creating and launching her course •  The biggest mistake she sees new writers making today This one is packed with useful information and ideas any writer, beginner or expert, can use to grow and improve their business. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Craig’s List Problogger Job Board Limeleads Pinterest Jorden’s video about haters on Youtube Writing Revolt Blog Cold Emailing Course Mariah Coz’s Launch Your Signature Course Maggie Patterson Jorden’s FB Community Jorden on Twitter Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters, and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That’s what Kira and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 39 as we chat with copywriter Jorden Roper about getting fired from bad jobs, and finding copywriting to pay the bills, using YouTube for brand building and outreach, what she has done differently from other copywriters to get an edge, and how copywriters can find great clients with cold emailing. Rob: Hey, Kira. Hey, Jorden. Jorden: Hey, guys. Kira: Hello. Welcome, Jorden. Jorden: Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. Rob: Yeah. It’s about time. We’ve been trying to get you on the podcast for a little while. It’s time you got here. Jorden: Yes, I’m so excited to be here. Thank you so much. Rob: Jorden, I think maybe we should start with your story. I know you’ve shared this a lot with your list, but a lot of our listeners probably haven’t heard it. You went through a time in your life when you were going through different jobs and landed where you are. Tell us about that. Jorden: Well, before I started my freelance writing business, pretty much right before, I had been working at this full-time job at a marketing agency. I was doing some writing there. It was very stressful. It was a super toxic work environment. I know a lot of people who are probably trying to break into freelance writing can relate to that, like just going to work every day, sitting in your car in the morning, and just wanting to scream or cry or whatever before you walk up to the office. That’s kind of the situation that I was in. I ended up getting fired from that job. Just a few months before that actually, my husband started working at the same job. When his contract ended, they decided to just let me go, too. Kira: What? Jorden: Yeah, we’re both out of work on the same day. Kira: Oh, no. Jorden: We walk out of the office together like, “Oh my God. What are we going to do? This is insane.” It was very stressful. Actually, I had some other stuff going on at the time, too, just within ... I think within the same week before this happened,

Copywriter Jessica Manuszak joins Kira and Rob to talk all things copy for the 38th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Jessica specializes in capturing the unique voice of her clients. In this interview, Jessica opens up and shares the details of how she’s grown her business over the past couple of years, including... (we added the ellipsis for her benefit—you’ll see why). •  How she became the top-performing salesperson with absurd scripts •  The “mixtape” secret for writing in her client’s voice •  Her process for naming products and services •  How she “justifies her copy” cuts down on edits by using Google Docs •  A step-by-step rundown of her process working with clients •  How she really landed several “big name” clients—she says it was luck : ( •  The thing she hates most that other copywriters keep doing Lots of good ideas and information from a successful copywriter who hasn’t been in the game for decades, but is doing well nonetheless. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Ash Ambirge The Middle Finger Project The Little Mermaid Spotify Scrabble Dictionary Saved by the Bell Acuity Typeform World’s Best Boss Mug Neil Gaiman AAA Dove The Copywriter Club Email Lianna Patch Marian Schembari VerveandVigour.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 38, as we chat with copywriter Jessica Manuszak about her career journey, from working in government to growing her own agency, landing and working with big name clients, finding confidence, and what she sees as the biggest opportunities for copywriters today. Kira: Hi, Jess. Hi, Rob. How’s it going? Rob: Hey guys. Jessica: Oh, hi. I’m good, thanks. Kira: Welcome to the show, Jess. We’ve been waiting. We’ve been waiting for you. Jessica: Oh man. I’m so ready. Kira: So, I think a good place to start, Jess, is just how you ended up in copywriting, especially from government finance. Jessica: It’s funny because it was a completely natural and completely unnatural transition. Right out of college, I went into telemarketing, selling like skeezy online degrees to people who didn’t need them. I was talking to like 74-year-old women, being like, “No, but engineering would really help you with your goals.” It was not good news. But that was the first time … Rob: I can think of a couple of degrees I might want to get, actually. Kira: I know. Jessica: Right, I think we can do that. Kira: Are you still selling? Jessica: Yeah, I’ll hook you up … underwater basket weaving. But that was actually the first time I ever realized how powerful personality can be when you’re selling something. Because everyone else was like, “Oh hello, Jane. Would you like to purchase this degree program?” I was leaving them voicemails, it was like, “Jane, this is Jane from the future and I’m so glad you got that degree,” just like … Kira: Did you really? Jessica: Well, yeah. Kira: Did you really leave those messages? Jessica: Mm-hmm (affirmative), 100 percent. Kira: Wow. Jessica: I actually was the top performing salesperson on my floor while I worked there because of those like just off-the-wall, absurd scripts. So I left that, went to work for a school district, where I was managing a multi-million dollar bond project.

Copywriter and business strategist, Maggie Patterson joins The Copywriter Club Podcast to talk about growing a sustainable consulting business. This is actually the second time Maggie has joined us to chat, but sadly, the first recordings are lost to history. In this second go-round (which just might be better than the lost episode), Kira and Rob get the low down on: •  Exactly what it takes to grow a sustainable copywriting business •  The three things you need before you can teach a skill or build a course •  How to find undiscovered opportunities in your business today •  What it takes to move your business to the next level •  How to build a platform and position yourself the right way •  How to get more done (especially when you’re busy) •  How to deal with clients (the good and the bad) •  The one thing copywriters can do to improve their businesses today •  The secret to getting referrals from your clients Maggie lets loose and shares it all in this episode. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Maggie’s website The Service Business Success Show Brittany Becher Scoop Industries The conflict resolution resource Maggie mentioned but didn’t talk about Basecamp CXL article on process posted by Rob Joanna Wiebe Jamba Juice Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at the Copywriter Club podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 37 as we chat with copywriter and entrepreneur Maggie Patterson about getting referrals, building a business and merging it with her partner’s business, productize services, why you shouldn’t create a course, and how we can up our game as copywriters. Kira: Hey, Rob. Hey, Maggie. Maggie: Hey, guys. Kira: How’s it going? Rob: Kira, Maggie. Maggie: I’m excited to be here. Kira: Welcome back. We did record an episode with Maggie, and it was incredible, and it was lost. Lost somewhere in a hole, so this is going to be even better, because Maggie is even more fired up this time, right? Maggie: I don’t know if that’s possible, but we’ll see what I can do. Kira: I think a great place to start, Maggie, is you recently put out a show on your podcast, the Service Business Success Show, and I believe it was episode 53 of your show. You were talking about why being a practitioner matters. That was one of my favorite shows that you put out, and I know you were fired up. I want to hear what was the catalyst for even creating that show, and maybe you can just give some backstory for people who didn’t listen to that show. Maggie: Essentially, the premise of that show was ... I love this question, by the way, because this is one of my most favorite topics. The premise of it was really that so many times, we want to cut ahead, and we just want this seven bajillion dollar business, and we don’t actually want to do the work. The reality is for us to build a sustainable business, we need to have mastery. We have to have real skills. For us to be relevant and to be able to grow to those next stages of potentially, one day, maybe in the future of having an online course, you need to be really, really good at what you do to be in touch with it. I think I see so many people teaching that aren’t doing anymore, and they’re disconnected. They’re giving advice that is not relevant, or you know what, one even worse,

Ken McCarthy, also known as the “World’s Most Secretive Copywriter” and “Mr. Internet,” is the guest for this episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, jammed full of great advice for any copywriter who wants to grow beyond simply writing for clients. Ken may be the only guy who can talk about speed reading, the origins of the internet, Johnny Rotten, making soup, Tested Advertising Methods, and of course, copywriting—and have it all make sense in the end. Listen and learn: •  how Ken become the “world’s most secretive copywriter” •  what you have to do to “get good” at copywriting •  Ken's recommendation about how to grow your business beyond copy •  the “stone soup” method for creating a product •  how to avoid the “me too” trap—perhaps the biggest mistake people make online today •  the marketing secret Ken learned from a punk rock drummer •  the books he recommends to give you an unfair advantage over the other copywriters Told you it was jam packed with good stuff. It's all here in episode 36. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Ben Settle Eugene Schwartz Tim Ferriss AIDA Mark Graham Mark Andreessen Jim Clark Ted Nicholas The link to Ken’s interviews (updated) System Secrets Martin Atkins Nine Inch Nails Johnny Rotten Scientific Advertising Tested Advertising Methods The Robert Collier Letter Book Gary Halbert Ken’s Copy Clinic My Life in Advertising Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you can hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 36 as we chat with Ken McCarthy, who’s been called the world’s most secretive seven-figure copywriter, about how he has built his business from internet pioneer to where he is today, the most common mistakes writers and other business owners are making online, the books and courses he says will give our listeners a competitive advantage over other writers, and whatever else comes up as we talk. Kira: Hey, Rob. Hey, Ken, how’s it going? Ken: Hey, good. Rob: Ken, welcome to the podcast. Ken: Thank you very much, glad to be here. Rob: We’re excited to talk with you. You’ve got a wide range of experience, and I think we could probably go on for hours and hours, but since our time’s a little bit limited, let’s start with your story, where you came from and how you became the most secretive copywriter in the world. Ken: That’s a really interesting headline or tagline. That was written actually by Ben Settle. He wrote it for me, and he’s a great copywriter, and it was written to actually promote a copywriting info marketing course that I have. He wrote it based on having taken the course. Rather than me write the letter, one of my students wrote the sales letter based on what he learned from me. Now that being said, Ben was already a really good copywriter when I met him. I didn’t teach him everything he knows. He was already really good, but the letter that he wrote was based on the learnings that he got from the course. Anyway, that’s how I became the most secretive seven-figure copywriter. It’s fairly accurate. In fact, it’s exactly accurate. Very few people think of me as a copywriter, which shows how good my copy is. They just think I’m this guy who does things, but it’s all driven by copy. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish anything without my ability to write copy, I mean, nothing.

Copywriter (and photographer) Misha Hettie is in the Copywriter Club studio to talk copy and Facebook Live this week. Kira and Rob asked Misha about her business and she shared a ton of great advice, including her thoughts on: •  the importance of branding yourself as a copywriter (and not looking like everyone else) •  how she became a “brand story evangelist” •  what beginners should do to get started on Facebook Live •  what is the biggest mistake people make on Facebook Live •  her “big rock method” for creating content for Facebook •  her “don’t-miss-it” advice to everyone seeking balance in their lives As usual, there’s a ton of great information in this episode. If you’ve ever thought about using video in your business, this is don’t miss advice. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Misha’s website Misha’s about page Silicone Valley Title Generator Joanna Wiebe Todd Herman 13 Reasons Why Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about the successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s was Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the Club for Episode 35, as we chat with copywriter Misha Heady about using social media in her copywriting business, and what other writers could be doing better there. Juggling her time as a parent, writer, photographer and coach, how Facebook Live has impacted her business and spending an afternoon taking photos of Rob and me in San Antonio. Rob: Hey Misha. Kira: Hello Misha. Misha: Hey guys, how are you? Rob: We’re great, how are you? Kira: Thanks. Misha: Yeah, I’m okay. I’m having a bit of a morning here, and I don’t know if you can her my dog in the background, but I apologize if you could. Rob: We did hear a little bit but I think was might be able with cut most of that out. Misha: Okay, I’m sorry. I swear to God. She’s like, “Oh, you’re on a call, let me go freak out about something. Kira: It’s okay. I think it’s been one of those days for all three of us, which means this is going to be a great conversation. Rob: Exactly. Misha: Yeah. Kira: So, Misha, let’s start with, you know, where you come from. Because you are this multi-talented, creative, big personality, you’ve played a really big role in the copywriter club, so where did you come from. What were you doing before you were in the club as a copywriter? Misha: Well, Kira, when a man and a woman love each other very, very much ... okay, JK, terrible, terrible joke. So, where do I come from? I used to be a nine-to-fiver, like most people, and one day I lost my job, and I was like, I got to figure this out. It’s actually a longer story than that, but that’s, you know, the gist of it. And in that last position, I had been using a lot of social media tools to kind of grow people’s knowledge of our gallery. It was a tile gallery. This is like way back in the day when Flicker was like the hottest thing around. To grow people’s knowledge of our gallery, and at the same time I was studying photography more, so that is basically the short story of how I became and entrepreneur, because it’s not a very poetic story, but it’s the truth. Rob: Walk us this step-by-step. So, you lost your job, and then suddenly you weren’t a writer/photographer, whatever. As for as setting up your business, tell us more about that process. Misha: Oh, no. It was literally that next day. No, just kidding.

LA copywriter, actor, rapper, and comedian, Jason Pickar, is in the club for the 34th episode of the podcast. This episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast comes with a warning label (for mentions of a controlled substances that are still illegal in most states). Jason's an energetic writer with a portfolio full of engaging (and award-winning) work for his clients. In addition to his career path, Rob and Kira asked him about: • How to get on the stage at The Price is Right (and meet Drew Carey) • How Jason landed his first job (then another and another) in the ad agency world • His creative process—an idea he stole from improv • His “machine gun approach” to making sure his ideas get picked by the client • Writing 100 headlines in an hour • Why companies do “branding” • How he stays creative, and • How comedy and improv strengthen his copywriting Jason’s agency experience is different from most of the copywriters we've interviewed for the show. So load up your iPod (or other listening device) and pull out your notebook. This one's a good one. You can also click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory The Price is Right Jason on the Price is Right Deutch Drew Carey McCann Erickson MRM TribalDDB ShaveEverywhere.com BodyGroom Monologues Break Media (now Defy Media) Weber Shandwick BrandCenter The Creative Circus Miami Ad School Bookshop LA AdHouse AgencySpy Gilmore Girls Jason’s Twitter Jason’s Instagram Jason’s Facebook Freewordsfree.com Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That’s what Rob and I do every week at the Copywriter Club podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for Episode 34, as a chat with copywriter Jason Pickar about writing for television, working on brands like Dr. Pepper with Madison Avenue ad agencies, how acting and comedy inform his writing, and how to get on the game show The Price Is Right. Kira: Hey Rob, hey Jason, how’s it going? Rob: Hey guys. Jason: Hey. It’s going great. Good intro. I’m down with that intro. Rob: Yeah, let’s get to it. Jason: Yeah. Kira: Okay. All right. So I think, Jason, a great place to start is with The Price Is Right. First of all, everyone needs to watch the video of you on that show. I just watched it before jumping on here. It’s ridiculous, and Jason’s ridiculous, and it’s hilarious. How did you get on the show, and what was the catalyst for even jumping into that arena? Jason: You know what? That is a very appropriate question, because I appeared on The Price Is Right on the same day that I picked up my severance check from an old agency I worked at, Deutsch. The catalyst was, quite literally, that whole thing had kind of fallen apart. The creative directors, I’d gone through four of them. Finally, we landed on one. My art director had left. It wasn’t the right fit, so we parted ways after two and a half, three years or so. Then I was at home, just watching TV. I was like, “Oh, man, I’ve always loved The Price Is Right. I’m living in Los Angeles, there’s no reason I can’t go on The Price Is Right.” So I went online, I got a ticket. You go to the studio at, like, 5:00 a.m. Hours and hours and hours before you’re even supposed to be there. I was, like, the second one in line. The key is to just have extremely high energy, be extremely friendly. In the line, they put a couple ringers in there. They’re like,

Our first guest to make an encore appearance on the club podcast is Canadian copywriter, Ry Schwartz, who just flew in from Costa Rica in time to talk with Rob and Kira about: • the new “product” Ry is launching soon with his girlfriend • using masterminds to meet potential clients • how he deals with “freak out” • how he vets clients (sometimes he asks them to sing with him) • how he conducts his R&D (and what client work has to do with it) • what he does to get people to take “uncomfortable action” • how he invoices for “giving a damn” • what he would do today if he had to start over from scratch There’s so much good stuff in this episode that we’ve already listened to it three times before we released it. Don’t miss all the great advice Ry has to share. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Copy School Joanna Wiebe Marc Angelo Capalla Superhero Academy The Wonder Twins The Babysitters Club Futurism High Existence The other Ry Schwartz podcast Marian Schembari Carpool Karoke Sam Woods TGIFridays Amy Porterfield Tarzan Kay Gabby Bernstein Jeff Walker Ryan Levesque Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for Episode 33 as we chat with copywriter Ry Schwartz about what he would do if he had to start over from scratch, how he thinks through email sequences, how to focus when you’re freaking out, and vetting new clients. Joins conversation in progress... Kira: Well, maybe we can start there. We’re not doing an official intro, I don’t think. I want to hear more about your travels and where you’ve been and why you’ve been traveling and what you’ve been doing off the radar. Ry: Yes. Yes, so I’ve been really on the road since mid-February. I’ve been location-independent for three or four years right now. I never really took advantage. I get very romantic about the idea of travel, but in practical terms, I can’t leave my house without packing for Cliff Bars, just because I have this intense fear of starvation. It really took a lot to pull the trigger on that, but it’s something that my girlfriend, Sue, and I were talking about for two years, just even considering relocating to Costa Rica for the winter, because who wants to be in Montreal in the winter? Then yeah, I finally pulled the trigger. I surprised her with this three-week trip, part of it at this mastermind. A few of the things are already taken care of for us and we don’t have to pack too many Cliff Bars. Yeah, we ventured down there in mid-February. It was initially supposed to be on the backend, at the end of the launch I was doing with the Copy Hackers. We were going to launch Copy School. I was going to create my new program within in, and then we were just going to celebrate with this three-week cathartic release in the jungle. As luck would have it, our launch dates got pushed back. I was actually in the jungle trying to get any kind of Wi-Fi possible in any location possible in order to write emails for the launch and just work with that pivot. God bless Joanna for being patient with that. I’m like, “I literally am in the middle of the jungle. There is no Wi-Fi present. The only Wi-Fi providers are three hours away and they really don’t give a crap about my product launch right now.” Yeah,

This is a special "in-between-isode" with details about our new program for new(ish) copywriters called The Copywriter Accelerator. It's all here: who it's for (and who it's not for), what we're going to cover, the bonuses you'll get, how much it costs and details about the 90-day money-back guarantee. For more details, check out www.thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Click the play button below. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Copywriter Accelerator Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Sorry, no transcript for this show.  

Copywriter Sarah Grear stops by the clubhouse to share how she’s built a successful copywriting business over the past five years. Sarah’s clients include course creators and entrepreneurs about to launch their products. As usual, Rob and Kira ask questions to pull back the curtain and reveal the tactics and ideas that have made her successful, including: •  The two-year process she used to identify her niche •  How she slowly priced herself out of doing websites (and what she charges now) •  Why she does “live edits” with her clients •  How she creates a copywriting experience for the people she works with •  What she did to land a speaking gig at Rick Mulready’s event and Social Media Week •  How she used networking to get 80% of her clients when she was just getting started •  Why she created a $1000 course and lowered the price since it launched •  How she takes four months off a year (and doesn't lose clients or revenue). We say this a lot, but this is another must-listen episode for anyone who wants to grow a successful writing business. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory The Copywriter Accelerator The Well-fed Writer The Law of Attraction Rick Mulready Pat Flynn Amy Porterfield James Wedmore Social Media Week Copy Camp Maggie Patterson Streak Sarah’s Giving Page 826LA Sarah’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob:Before we get to this week’s interview, we want to tell you about The Copywriter Accelerator, a new 12-week program designed to help newish copywriters get serious about their business. This isn’t a copywriting clinic. Instead, we’ll work with you to improve the business side of your business, things like your onboarding process, choosing a niche, building a brand, and being a smarter business owner. This isn’t a video course. It’s hands-on training with personal access to both Kira and me. To learn more, go to thecopywriteraccelerator.com. Now, on to the show. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 32 as we chat with freelance copywriter, Sarah Grear about writing for healers and creative souls, how she landed a speaking gig at Social Media Week, working with her coach and a team, and taking branding vacations. Kira: Hey, Rob. Hey, Sarah. Sarah: Hey, guys. I love it. Rob: Hey, Sarah. Sarah: I’m so excited. Rob: We’re excited to have you. Kira: I think Sarah, a great place to start, and this what I’m actually really curious to know, where did you come from? What were you doing before you started your copywriting venture? Sarah: Cool. Yeah. I totally want to share my story with you. Before I do that, I just really quickly want to acknowledge both you and Rob for putting together this amazing podcasting group. I just want to say when I first started getting my copywriting business going, I actually, the number one referral source for my business was other copywriters, and I don’t think that gets talked about enough, so part of the way I build my business is what you guys are creating, so I’m just so grateful for communities like this, and I just wanted to say thank you for that. Rob: Thank you. That’s nice of you to say. Sarah: Yeah. Totally. The way I got started in copywriting and where I came from, I actually went to art school.

Kate Toon joins The Copywriter Club Podcast for episode 31—all the way from Australia. She co-hosts Hot Copy, which we’ve jokingly referred to as “the second best copywriter” podcast. She casually throws out words like “scuppered” and “rubbish” and “bloomin’” as she talks with Rob and Kira about: • the backdoor she opened to land a copywriter job at Ogilvy • the “agency” skills she learned that she applies in her freelance work every day • why freelancing is so much harder than working at an agency • why creating products isn’t the path to easy street you might think it is • how she created products and courses—all while working for her clients • why she’s taking a year off from reading blog posts and articles And there’s much more in this episode to tickle your ears. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Ogilvy Mad Men The Clever Copywriting School Kate’s SEO Course Rand Fishkin Mustache wax Hootsuite Zencastr Moz Neil Patel QuickSprout Oprah Winfrey Netflix Crazy Ex-Girlfriend This American Life Ira Glass The Sydney Morning Herald The Misfit Entrepreneur (Kate’s Book) Kate’s website Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at the Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the Club for Episode 31 as we chat with copywriter SEO expert and misfit entrepreneur, Kate Tune about creating three successful businesses without a plan, SEO copywriting, running a podcast and writing conference and how to rock a hula hoop. Rob: Hey Kira, hey Kate. Kate: Hello. Kira: Hey Rob, hey Kate, thanks for being here. Kate: Thank you for that lovely intro. Rob: We try to change it up with every guest and you’ve called yourself the misfit entrepreneur so we thought, yeah it was appropriate. Kate: Thanks, yeah. And you managed to drop the hula hooping in, as well which is awesome. Rob: Exactly. Kira: Well Kate, I think a great place to start is with how you became an SEO copywriter consultant and then we can talk about your job as a chatline operator later. Kate: Yeah, so I probably went a fairly traditional route. I’m not sure everybody’s route to copywriting is so different, isn’t it? So, I went to university and did an utterly pointless degree in history, Roman history or something like, can’t remember. And then I left and I desperately wanted to be a magazine journalist but I had racked up so much debt at university that I had to get a real job as a, pretty much a secretary. Then I worked in various jobs, in events, in publishing and eventually got hired by this weird agency that was building something called websites, way back. I’m showing my age, now. I worked there for a few years and then I moved over to Australia and managed to get a job at Ogilvy, which is a big advertising agency in America and also it’s over here in Australia, as well. From there I transitioned into being a copywriter and worked on lots of big brands, global brands and kind of hated it, kind of didn’t like the agency life and as I got older, it got harder. Then eventually I got with child and could no longer be an agency copywriter because you have to work like 70 hours a day. So I gave it all up and became a freelance copywriter. Whoo hoo! That was a potted history. Rob: Let’s unpack that jus a little bit. We talk quite a bit with copywriters who are doing freelance stuff but...

Kira Hug and Rob Marsh are back with another “guestless” episode where they talk about what they’re doing right in their own businesses and what challenges they are struggling with. Plus they recap a few of the things they’ve learned from the previous 10 episodes—like the importance of process, being willing to share and teach others without expecting to get something in return, taking time for yourself, balance and much more. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Rob’s book Rob’s newsletter The Copywriter Club Marian Schembari Pete Michaels Joel Klettke Case Study Buddy Roy Furr Tepsii Brian Kurtz Mariano Rivera James Wedmore The Copywriter Accelerator (link coming) Ry Schwartz Kate Toon The Hot Copy Podcast Sarah Grear Misha Hettie Ken McCarthy Leave a review on iTunes Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 30, as Kira and I talk about our favorite advice from the last 10 episodes of the podcast, plus what we’re doing right now in our own businesses, what we’re struggling with, and what’s next for The Copywriter Club.  Hey, Kira. Kira: Hey, Rob. How are you doing? Rob: I’m good. How are you? That’s kind of a loaded question knowing what you’ve just been through that last day or so. Kira: But how are you doing? Rob: Yeah. I’m doing great. Things are good, and I’m actually excited to chat a little bit about what we’re doing here today. Kira: Yeah. Before we jumped into this conversation and started recording I shared with Rob that I’ve been freaking out over the last 24 hours because my MacBook died on me unexpectedly. I guess you never really expect it to die. Rob: It is the nightmare scenario for ... I just can’t even believe it how bad that is. Kira: Yeah, because you do realize it’s your everything. It is your business. It’s like your brick and mortar. I was thinking, I was like, “This is almost as if my brick and mortar was just broken into and I had to shut down the business for a day.” I think just timing is never good for something like that, but especially this week. It’s two of my clients’ big launches and I’m working on another sales page, so I was like, “It definitely is not the vest week,” but that’s just how it happens, right? Rob: There’s never a good week for that kind of stuff, but yeah, this is a good reminder to everybody to back up your hard drives right now. Push pause on the podcast and go back everything up, because you will lose it if you don’t eventually. Kira: Yeah. This is really just a public service announcement instead of an episode. Back up your stuff now. Rob: Yeah, sponsored by all of the backup software out there. Kira: Seriously, all of the laptop rental companies must make out pretty well, but anyway here we are. I am excited to talk to you about what’s been happening in your business and also what we have brewing. Rob: Yeah, this is going to be I think a little bit different from most of the other podcasts that we do. We did something similar in episode 20 when we reviewed a lot of our favorite episodes from the first 20 episodes. I think we want to do some of the same today, but we wanted to start out just talking about what’s going on in our business, and what we’re doing right and maybe what we’re not doing so well. Maybe we should start with you, Kira, with what’s going right in your business. Kira: Okay. Lots of things are actually going right, although you wouldn’t know it if you talked to me.

Rock and roll copywriter Pete Michaels joins Rob and Kira in The Copywriter Club Podcast studio to talk about his personal journey into direct response writing. He shares his thoughts about: • how to conduct “deep dive” surveys and asking the MSIQ • how he learned from mentors early in his writing career (and who his mentors are) • adding consulting to his copywriting business (and how he packages it) • the “Snap Shot” he stole from Stephen King Plus Pete mentions the book that convinced him that he didn’t have time for Facebook. But you’ll have to listen to learn what it is. There’s a ton of good advice packed into this episode. So click the play button below, check out the transcript, or download it to your mobile device and get it in your ear buds now.   The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Vin Montello Joanna Wiebe Kevin Rogers John Carlton Jason Leister Ben Settle Ryan Leveque Ask Method Book Dan Kennedy Copy Chief Stephen King’s It Stephen King’s On Writing Essentialism Rock and Roll Copy One Good Idea (Rob’s newsletter) Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 29 as we chat with direct response copywriter Pete Michaels about his journey to becoming a copywriter, conducting deep dive surveys, adding consulting to a writer’s tool kit and what he calls snapshot copy. Rob: Hey Kira and Pete. Kira: Hey Rob. Hey Pete. How’s it going? Pete: Hey, great. Great to be here. Thanks for having me. Kira: Yeah, well thanks. Thanks for joining us and I think Pete a good place to start is your road into copywriting because I feel like you’re kind of behind the scenes. You’re not on Facebook so we don’t get to see you in the club, but you’re doing these really cool things that we’re going to dive into today. So let’s start with how you got into copywriting. Pete: Yeah, it’s a weird road. I wouldn’t even call it a road. If it was on Google Maps, if you could trace it, it’ll look like your drunkest uncle weaving around all over the place. It was a strange road into copywriting and I didn’t really get into it until I guess reasonably late. In my 30’s. Before, like immediately prior to that I was working in marketing for arts organizations and non-profits here in London where I’ve lived for a while. I’ve always written. I’ve never had a problem writing. I’ve always loved writing since I was a kid, but I think for a while I was always looking for a way to make that a craft, you know. Find a craft that could involve writing and actually, you know, giving something. Doing something of value that you could actually do rather than, you know, when you’re a kid everybody dreams of being a writer of some kind, and you’re not quite sure what that’s going to involve. I kind of almost stumbled into copywriting through a friend of mine who’s a very good direct response copywriter who was doing it a few years before me and I was kind of looking for a new change in career. Another one. I used to do photography. I used to do a lot of music photography, and events photography, and a little bit of kind of like local news and stuff like that. I was kind of combining that with a part time job working in marketing with this kind of arts organization. Yeah, I was looking for a new way to involve writing in my day-to-day and to work with people. Obviously I kind of started to learn a little about how that might work with involving copywriting through, you know, working in a marketing environment. Then kind of got talking to this, you know,

Copywriter Marian Schembari joins Rob and Kira on The Copywriter Club Podcast to share her thoughts on a long list of topics, including: • How she landed a job using social media (and why she doesn’t like SM now) • How she convinces clients to focus on the “one” reader • Her process for creating awesome About Pages • Why all copywriters should work with an editor • Dealing with depression when you work alone • How she raised her rates, an • Why storytelling is so important in copywriting This is a good one! To hear it all, click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: The Unmistakable Creative Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters CouchSurfing 10X Emails Copyhackers Book Passage Where Stellar Messages Come From XO Jane The Great Value Proposition Test X-Files Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Marian Schembari on how to create an awesome about page, dealing with depression and much more... Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their success and failures, their work process, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 28 as we chat with freelance copywriter Marian Schembari about landing her first job using social media, and why she doesn’t like it very much, the secret writers need to know to create compelling about pages, running a business when you have depression, and how stories are the only reason customers buy anything. Kira: Hey, Rob. Hey, Marian. How are you? Marian: Hi. Rob: Hey, Kira. Welcome, Marian. Marian: It’s super weird to hear you talking about me like that. Your voices have been in my ears like every morning as I walk my dogs, so it’s really weird to hear you responding to me as I talk. Rob: Imagine how weird it’s going to be when you’re listening to yourself as you walk your dog. Marian: Here’s the thing, though. I love listening to myself. Is that weird? I’ve been on podcasts, and I definitely listen to them, and my husband will come home and be like, “Why are you listening to an interview with yourself?” Like, “Because I sound really smart, okay?” Rob: I love it. Kira: And you’re probably learning from yourself, as well. Marian: Totally. Kira: I feel like even with this podcast, I told Rob for awhile, I was not listening, because I did not want to hear my voice. I do like listening to Rob, but I don’t like listening to myself. Recently, I did listen to episode 20, and I was like, “You know what? I’m actually learning something.” In the interview, I miss a lot of details that I catch listening the second time around, I think just because I’m trying to get ahead. It does help. That’s a great segue into the conversation with you, because I originally heard you on a different podcast. It was an interview on The Unmistakable Creative. It was around the time when your name kept popping into my world, into my feed over and over again, until I think I finally reached out to you, and was just like, “Hey, we should be friends, right?” Marian: “We should be friends. Let’s hang out.” I was like, “Yes, please.” Kira: Yes. Now you’re here, I think a great place to start would be how you got into copywriting, especially if you could speak to just landing those first few gigs or getting that first bout of confidence. I know that’s what new copywriters are really interested in. Marian: It’s a weird roundabout story, but many years ago, I guess a decade ago, when I had just graduated from college, it was really, really hard for me to find a job. I was convinced I wanted to work in publishing, and I applied to every job under the sun, and nobody was getting back to me.

In the 27th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, Kira and Rob talk with a copywriter known by one name—yep, just like Cher, Prince, and Madonna—Tepsii. She shares her secret for getting referrals before she starts working with her clients, how she landed 10 clients at a conference by asking a few questions and how she organizes her projects and communicates with clients using Trello. And that’s just the first 20 minues. Don’t miss this great interview. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Jen Scalia Man Bun Ry Schwartz Hattie Brazely Trello Google Drive Sold Out and Booked Solid Psycho-Cybernetics Melanie Duncan Marie Forleo Danielle Laporte Hillary Weiss Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Tepsii dishes on how she went from a nobody to a superstar copywriter in a single month... Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work. That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for Episode 27 as we chat with a copywriter and business coach known by her first name only, Tepsii, about quitting her job and earning enough within four months to retire her husband, getting the right mindset, as well as getting rid of limiting beliefs, and writing with personality. Rob: Hey, Kira. Hey, Tepsii. Tepsii: Hey. How’s it going? Kira: Hello. Tepsii, we’re excited to have you here today. Tepsii: I’m super excited to be here because if I was a brand-new copywriter, this would’ve helped me so much. I’m really always excited to help the next generation of people. Rob: We hope that we’re helping out a few experienced copywriters as well, and maybe you can help us with that in sharing some seriously great wisdom today. Kira: Tepsii, I was just going to share, I first heard about at a ... This is going to sound so posh, which is not my life ... but at a rooftop party in Manhattan, with a pool nearby. I was at Jen Scalia's membership party. I just randomly got an email from her. I like Jen, so I showed up just to mingle. I remember at this party chatting with different women and everyone was talking about you. Here I am, a copywriter. I’m like not pitching myself, but I’m chatting and trying to network. Everyone was like, “Yeah, there’s this other copywriter, Tepsii. She’s going to be here tonight.” Everyone was so excited to meet you. That was the first time I heard about you. I was like, “Who is this woman? I need to meet her. I need to know who she is.” Ever since then, I’ve kind of just like kept you on my radar and just knew that we wanted to chat with you about your almost like overnight success in copywriting. I know there’s a lot more to it that we can unpack in this show. We can start with just how did you become Tepsii, no last name, like Tepsii the copywriter? Tepsii: I’m all about just one name to make it easier. My domain name is super easy. I just introduce myself. We don’t have to confuse me with any other Tepsii’s out there. My business anniversary was two years ago. I was a digital nobody. Nobody knew my name. I never got any shout outs. It still feels weird to hear you say you went somewhere and people were talking about me. I think that’s kind of rude that you’re introducing yourself and somebody wants to talk about a whole different person. Like, who they heck are you- Kira: I know. I was like, “What about me? I’m a copywriter, too.” No, no, no. They didn’t care. They didn’t care. Tepsii: I apologize on their behalf for that. I care about who you are. My story is that I started out Digital Nobody. I was really interested in life coaching and how to go about making my life more...

Freelance copywriter Josh Garofalo joins Rob and Kira for the 26th episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast to talk about the importance of choosing a niche (and to go deep into it), what resources he uses to stay sharp, how to get noticed at conferences and working with other copywriters on big projects. He also shares the story of how he got into copywriting and his process for working with customers (this episode is worth listening to just for the way Josh talks about process). Check it out... Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Inbound The Pit Joanna Wiebe Copyhackers MicroConf Josh’s Site HubSpot Joel Klettke Gary V Momoko Price ConversionXL Tested Advertising Methods Scientific Advertising Influence You Should Test That Gene Schwartz David Ogilvy Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 26 as we chat with conversion copywriter, Josh Garofalo about finding a niche and breaking into the SaaS market, the mistakes he’s made as he’s built his business, how he networks with potential clients at conferences and what it’s like to partner with other writers on big projects. Kira: Hey, Josh. Hey, Rob. Rob: Hey, Josh. Josh: Hey, thanks for having me. I was actually shocked that you do that intro every single time because it sounds the same every time you do that every single of the episode. That’s pretty incredible. Rob: I think if you go back and listen, you’ll hear us actually flub a couple of the words here and there. Kira: Yeah. Josh: Okay. Rob: It’s not always perfect. Kira: That’s funny. As we were reading that, I feel like we got to switch it up, Rob. I feel like we have to just change the copy … Rob: Should we do something different? Kira: … or read it differently. I don’t know. This is the first time I’m feeling that push to just like surprise people a bit. Rob: Maybe we need to hire a writer, see what they can come up with. Josh: Yeah, I think it’s a good idea. Kira: Yeah. Josh, what are you doing for the next hour? Josh: Talking to you. Kira: I think a really good place to start is you kind of did our job for us and you posted in the Facebook group and asked the group what they want to know and what questions they’d like to ask you, so thank you for kind of giving us a head start but what I was really interested in is the way that you positioned the post in that group. You said that you’re still newish but somehow, you’ve managed to have as much success, perhaps more than some oldish copywriters despite doing a lot of things wrong (or differently). Let’s start … I mean there’s a lot packed into that. I want to hear about, let’s just start with what you’ve done wrong and differently. Josh: Yeah. I think if you were to sort of take a look at my website especially when I first started, and it probably lasted for the first six months, it was a $100 template from Genesis that looked absolutely horrible. I had, I think, two blog posts on there. I think I’m only up to like three or four blog posts now. I think most people would say that’s not the way to start a business and yet, through that terrible website and two blog posts, I landed two clients and had them on retainer for a year plus. One ended maybe six months ago and the other one, I’m still working with today. Thousands of dollars generated from two blog posts in a Genesis website. I don’t think that really tells the whole story because I think what I was doing differently is I was hanging out in co...

Business guru and YouTube expert James Wedmore stops by the podcast to share his thoughts about creating a tiered business that brings in income at various levels and price points, how copywriters could be using YouTube to grow their audiences, what he would do if he were a copywriter wanting to create a course, and using the formula “Be, Do, Have” to build a life around the things that matter most. If you struggle to balance work with the rest of your life, this is a must listen episode. Check it out: Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Think and Grow Rich James’ Podcast Stu McLaren Tribe Wishlist Member Inner Circle Mastermind Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 25 as we chat we online marketing strategist, James Wedmore, about the power of creating courses, the value of masterminding with your peers, scaling up, and his ascension model. Rob: Kira, James. Kira: How’s it going? James: Hello. Kira: James, thanks for being here. James: Yes. Thank you so much for having me. As soon as I found out about your podcast, I was like, “Please have me on.” I feel like I have to impose, like, “Please have me over for dinner.” Kira: That was the only time I actually posted a promotion on Instagram for our show because I’ve been such a poor promoter on Instagram and I was so happy that you commented and wanted to be on the show. Here we are and I’ve worked with you. I’ve learned about how incredible you are and how you also attract this really amazing group of entrepreneurs and I know I’ve been able to think larger and think bigger about what I’m doing as a business owner through you and what you’re creating in the online marketing space. I think this episode particularly will help copywriters think a little bit differently about how they’re running their business or the direction it could go. James: Yeah and thank you. I do feel like, to be a little braggadocious for a second, that I do attract really great people into my life, which is how I found you. I mean by the way, I do have a love hate relationship with Kira Hug. Kira: What? James: We’ll get to that in a minute. We’ll start with the love, we’ll end with the hate. I mean, we were like, “Hey, we need a copywriter.” It was first try and it was a home-run. Normally, when you’re looking for people to attract on your team and people to work with, you know, it’s a little trial and error but it was just a home-run and it’s been such a great experience to get to know you as a human being, as a copywriter, and man, I hope we can get into this episode just what my experience inside of has been working with you. Here’s the hate side ... Rob: There’s wait ... I’m taking notes. James: Yeah, get your pens ready. I’m going into my 10th year of an online business. When I started, I was the stubborn, cocky, I can do it all myself, I got this kind of person. Copywriting was the last thing to really outsource, delegate, and let go of. I’d been doing it for myself for nine years. I think that was the first thing that you even commented on like, “Wow, you’ve been doing your own copy for this long?” The reason I did my own copy was because I thought I was good at it and I think your first draft of what you put together for us made me see just how much I suck at writing copy. Now, I secretly resent you for that. I really ... I was like, “Are you kidding me? This is ridiculous. My own stuff, my own stories, and someone else can come in,

Direct response copywriter, Roy Furr, stops by The Copywriter Club Podcast to talk about writing control-beating direct mail and how he raised his rates from just $2000 per project to $20,000 plus royalties on everything he writes. We also talk about how he writes and sends an email with over 1,000 words to his list every day, what his typical day looks like, and a whole lot more. One word of caution, as we were getting started, a fire alarm went off in Roy’s office. Everyone is okay, but the sudden shriek of the alarm is a bit jolting. If you listen to the podcast while trying to fall asleep, you may want to fast forward a bit. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: Want to sponsor the podcast? Drop us a line. The Well-fed Writer Perry Marshall Ken McCarthy’s System Seminar AWAI FoamWingCutting.com Clayton Makepeace Workflowy Clayton’s 20 Point Outline Great Leads by Michael Masterson Milton Erikson Story Selling Master Class Breakthrough Marketing Secrets The Copywriter’s Guide to Getting Paid Trello Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes, and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 24 as we chat with direct response copywriter Roy Furr about his process for writing control beating sales pages, writing for royalties, sending long emails to his list every weekday, and other breakthrough marketing secrets. Kira: Hey, Rob. Hey, Roy. Welcome to the show. Roy: Hello, hello. Rob: Hey, guys. It’s great to have you with us, Roy. Roy: Absolutely. It’s great to be here. I love doing interviews like this, and as soon as I heard about everything that’s happened on your podcast up until now, it was clearly a place that I wanted to find myself too. Rob: Great. We’re especially glad to have you because you do a different kind of writing than most of our guests have done so far and you’re sort of in a different industry, and so we’re excited to hear a little bit about that and to understand how you got there. But before we get into all of that, I think it’s probably appropriate that we back up just a little bit and start with your story. Did you want to grow up to become a control beating financial copywriter? Is that the kind of thing you dreamed about while the rest of us wanted to be firemen? Kira: Of course. Rob: How did it happen? Roy: Absolutely. I discovered copywriting when I was two and ... No, I was in college and when I was enrolling in college my mom said, “Oh, I think you’d really like advertising and marketing.” At the time I knew that like Superbowl commercials were advertising. I didn’t think it was a great idea, but she really encouraged me to get a major, so I enrolled as a marketing major. Then when they were trying to teach me Microsoft Word, which I had been using for four or five years at the time, I quit my marketing major and said psychology was way more interesting. I didn’t think about marketing much until about five years later. I had a degree in psychology with a minor in English, and my biggest financial success as a copywriter was when my grandma bought my self-published poetry book for herself and nine of her 10 kids, because my dad already had a copy. I don’t think I ever actually made my initial publish- Kira: Oh my gosh. Is there a fire? Roy: No. Kira: I thought it was in my apartment. Roy: Sorry. I have a super sensitive... We should just leave this in, you know? Kira: No, we should leave it in. Roy: Yeah, we’ll say we can edit it out, but we won’t do that actually.

Shanelle Mullin, copywriter and content curator for ConversionXL joins The Copywriter Club Podcast with Kira and Rob talk to talk about what copywriters really need to know about testing, how she picked her career path at the age of 15, what writers can do to network more effectively at conferences like CXL Live (where Shanelle plays a big role) and how she has connected with so many “big names” online. After the last marathon episode, this one is a more reasonable length. Lots to learn here... Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Life Lessons Learned from 10 Years of Marketing Habbo Hotel Rene Warren OnBoardly Klout Joanna Wiebe Gary V Tim Ferris Peep Laja Talia Wolf ConversionXL Live ConversionXL Institute A/B Testing Mastery Psychological Backfiring Buying Modalities Oli Gardner Sean Ellis Jared Spool Krista Seiden Joel Klettke Shanelle’s twitter Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Kira: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Rob: What if you could hang out with the seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Kira and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Kira: You’re invited to join the club for episode 23 as we chat with copywriter and content creator Shanelle Mullin about choosing a career at the ripe old age of 15, taking risks, conversion optimization, analytics, and curating content for fast-growing startups like Onboardly and ConversionXL. Rob: Hey, Kira, Shanelle. Shanelle: Hey guys. Kira: Hi. Thanks for joining us, Shanelle. Shanelle: Yeah, thanks for having me. Kira: Great place for us to start is with an article you recently published, I believe you recently published it, on Medium entitled Life Lessons Learned from 10 Years of Marketing. It was a great read and I know you mention that you really got into marketing at the age of 15. I would love to start there and find out what compelled you to jump into this world of marketing at such a young age? Rob: Yeah, what kind of a kid thinks, “Hey, I know what I’m ready to do already”? Shanelle: Yeah, I mean, it’s kind of a weird story. I was probably 13 at the time and I was playing a game called Habbo Hotel, which if you’re not familiar ... Kira: What is that game? Shanelle: You create like a little pixel avatar of yourself and then you walk around this hotel and you can chat with people from around the world and you can collect furniture and play games and it was really fun when I was 13 and I was obsessed with it. Kira: Wait, it sounds fun right now. I kind of want to play. Rob: Check into that. Shanelle: Yeah. I decided to look into other people who were making these mini-Habbo Hotels and they were basically just teenagers like me and they were all hanging out on this forum. I joined this forum and I just ended up talking to them and getting to know some of the marketing people and I had no idea what marketing was of course because I was 13. They just explained it to me like simple price, product, placement, and promotion terms and I was like, “That sounds amazing,” for some reason. I started reading about it and by the time I was 15 I had gotten my first marketing gig, which was exciting. Rob: Where do you go to from there? You know, you’re 15, you’ve basically started your career. Tell us the rest of the story. What happens? How does it unfold over the next few years? Shanelle: Yeah, so I actually started working for the guy who ran this forum that I was part of.

Direct response guru Brian Kurtz joins The Copywriter Club Podcast to talk copy. But interviewing Brian isn't like interviewing most people. He's a bit like a jazz musician who takes your question and riffs on it—sharing all kinds of great stories and advice in the process. You just let him go. In this episode, Kira and Rob asked Brian about his article, The Next Million Dollar Copywriter, in addition to questions about mastermind groups and what baseball can teach us about copywriting (listen to the end of this admittedly long interview for his fantastic answer). This is one of our favorites and once you listen, you'll understand why. Special bonus: Brian broke our record for the most people and stuff mentioned in a single episode. Check them all out. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript. The people and stuff we mentioned on the show: Sponsor: AirStory Mel Martin Gene Schwartz Parris Lamprolous How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor Schwab Breakthrough Advertising Bencivenga Bullets Boardroom Marty Edelston Jim Rutz David Deutch Clayton Makepeace Jim Punkre Judy Weiss Joan Throkmorton Kim Krause Schwalm Carline Cole Bill Jayme Dick Benson Gordon Grossman Titans of Direct Response Dan Kennedy Eric Beteul Arthur Johnson Ken McCarthy Perry Marshall Jay Abraham Joe Sugarman Greg Renker Fred Catona The Advertising Solution Jeff Walker The next million dollar copywriter John Carlton’s course You may not know it when you see it Genius Network National Enquirer Dan Sullivan’s Strategic Coach Mariano Rivera TheLegendsBook.com BrianKurtz.me Kira’s website Rob’s website The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Intro: Content (for now) Outro: Gravity Full Transcript: Rob: The Copywriter Club Podcast is sponsored by Airstory, the writing platform for professional writers who want to get more done in half the time. Learn more at Airstory.co/club. Kira: What if you could hang out with seriously talented copywriters and other experts, ask them about their successes and failures, their work processes and their habits, then steal an idea or two to inspire your own work? That’s what Rob and I do every week at The Copywriter Club Podcast. Rob: You’re invited to join the club for episode 22, as we chat with marketing titan and direct response expert, Brian Kurtz, about working with A-list copywriters like Gary Bencivenga and Gene Schwartz, what the next million dollar copywriter will be doing, what copywriters need to know today about lists and direct mail, and what baseball can teach us about marketing. Kira: Hey, Brian. Hey, Rob. How are you? Rob: Kira, Brian, we’re thrilled to have you. Brian: I like those fascinations, you know? Gene Schwarz and Mel Martin and a host of other copywriters would be proud of your teaser bullets. Rob: It might not be quite the level of something Parris would write but we sure try. Brian: At Boardroom, we call those fascinations and it’s something that ... and you mention Parris Lampropoulos, who’s one of my close friends and a copywriter who we made millions together at Boardroom and he has copy cubs that he works with and I believe he still ... One of the first things he does, he makes them read Victor Schwab’s book and makes them copy the first three chapters of Breakthrough Advertising by Gene Schwartz, hand write copy. One of the things Parris does, I think for the first big chunk of time that he trains his copywriters is teaching them how to write bullets, teaching them how to write fascinations. Kira: Interesting. Brian: Don’t worry about the body copy. Don’t worry about the narrative. Don’t worry about the storytelling. Get the copy, get the bullets down. Gary Bencivenga called his newsletter Bencivenga Bullets. It’s sort of like getting the technique down in a way so that you start really thinking like your prospect, what’s going to get under their skin,