Copywriters Podcast

On the podcast Masters of Scale, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman interviewed Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb. Chesky tells of advice he got 10 years ago, when the company barely had any customers at all. He got the advice from one of the wisest men in Silicon Valley, Paul Graham of Y Combinator. The advice was simple, but powerful: “Get to know your customers by one.” Brian Chesky and his Airbnb co-founders followed the advice. He remembers, “I’d just spend time with them, and I’m like, What if I did this, what if I did this — and from those questions, a handcrafted experience is born.” He also said, “You literally start designing touchpoint by touchpoint, the creation of a peer review system, customer support, all those things came from us. We didn’t just meet our users, we lived with them. I used to joke that when you bought an iPhone, Steve Jobs didn’t come sit on your couch.” Well, good joke, but, Steve Jobs used to walk around the Apple Store on University Avenue in Palo Alto and ask people who were trying out Macs what they liked and what they didn’t like about the Mac. Anyway, that’s beside the point. I just wanted to give a shoutout to Steve Jobs. Meanwhile, Airbnb is slated to go public next year with a valuation of $35 billion. Not bad for 10 years work and starting out by going over to visit your customers at their homes. There’s a reason I told you this, and it’s not to suggest that you go live with your customers! I’m telling you because Brian Chesky of Airbnb made one of the four choices copywriters can make for empathy that we’ll talk about today. All four are important, and we cover them in the podcast. First though, we cover what “empathy” is. I’m using one of the best definitions I’ve ever come across, and naturally, it’s from a Hollywood screenwriting guru. I say “naturally” because screenwriters, just as much as copywriters, need to have strong empathy for the people involved in what they write, in order for it to connect with readers and viewers. Next, we go over the four choices you have for empathy each time you start a new project. You can only make one of them, and a couple of them are weak substitutes for the real thing. We’ll go into detail about all four. By the time you’ve finished listening to this show, you’ll have a much better idea of what empathy is; how to achieve it (and how not to); and why it’s important in the success of your copy.Download.

Adam Bensman, a successful copywriter with a background in direct-response and door-to-door sales, shares tips on discovering profitable niches and transitioning to a value-based retainer model in copywriting. He emphasizes the importance of aligning with high-ticket clients and providing ongoing value for consistent cash flow.

The famous investor Warren Buffett is famous for saying that when it comes to investing, he has two rules: 1) Never lose money. 2) See rule #1 To be sure, Warren Buffett hasn’t ALWAYS been able to follow these rules. Because, of course, he is an investor and some things are beyond his control. His insurance company General Re lost $2.4 billion after the attacks on 9-11. Even so, his overall company reported a profit for 2001, though much smaller than the profit from the year before. Now copywriting has rules, too. We’re going to focus on three of them. They’re not quite as clear-cut as Warren Buffett’s rules, but they’re just as important. And unlike Warren Buffett’s rules for investing, the three copywriting rules are all tempting to break. Everyone should know what these rules are and how to avoid temptation. Even more important than the rules themselves are the sneaky ways temptation tries to get you to break them. In your mind, each one seems perfectly reasonable and logical. On today’s show, we spend a little time on each rule and why it’s so important… and most of our time on the nine temptations that can lead you astray… hurt your sales… damage your customer relations… and even put your business at risk.Download.

Direct response copywriter Matt Rizvi has worked with famous people known for being strong independent thinkers who focus on the power of the individual. People like Dr. Ron Paul, the congressman from Texas; best-selling author and financial guru Pamela Yellen; and investment analyst Porter Stansberry. Matt’s sold millions with his copy. He’s the founder of DailyCopywriter.com and the DailyCopywriter podcast. Where I was a guest myself. While I was getting ready to be his show, I noticed on his website he mentioned he uses “a unique type of ethical copywriting.” That really intrigued me, because I’ve always believed in ethical copywriting but I think we don’t spend nearly enough time talking about it, whether it’s on this podcast or in the copywriting world at large. So I invited Matt to come on the Copywriters Podcast to talk about it, and here he is. It seemed like such a natural fit to me. We covered these questions: 1. Matt, what is your definition of ethical copywriting, and why is it important? 2. What events or experiences led you to focus on ethical copywriting? 3. A lot of copywriters might be less than ethical in the way they write. Just for our listeners who aren’t up to speed on this issue, what does less-than-ethical copywriting look like? 4. Could you walk us through a promo you did and share two or three decisions you made to stay on the right side of being ethical? 5. You have cubs you mentor. What are two or three tips or guidelines you share with them to stay ethical? An example of one of these ideas in action would be great. 6. In the short run, UNethical copy can bring in windfalls. But long-term, there are consequence. I recently heard about a guy who was a household name in direct marketing 20 years ago — got hit for a huge fine for his marketing — and has all but disappeared. What would you say about the short-term profitability vs. the long-term profitability of ethical copy, and the relative ease and/or difficulty of writing each kind of copy? Matt’s websites: DailyCopywriter, MattRizvi Download.

John Carlton, a legendary copywriter and teacher, returns to share profound insights into the advertising world. He reveals little-known wisdom from icons like Claude Hopkins and Rosser Reeves that can help copywriters stand out. Carlton discusses the concept of being a 'sales detective' to uncover client needs, emphasizing the importance of action over mere knowledge. His unique method for connecting with clients ensures the information needed to craft winning ads flows freely. This engaging conversation blends humor, empathy, and deep strategy in the world of copywriting.

Join John Carlton, a legendary copywriter and former partner of Gary Halbert, as he shares insights from decades in the industry. He reveals the one book that changed his career, emphasizing an unconventional approach to reading. Carlton argues that successful copywriting isn't just about intellectual knowledge; it's about taking action and practical experience. He also discusses the importance of understanding psychology in marketing and the ethical responsibilities that come with the craft. This episode is a goldmine for aspiring copywriters!

Learn how to become a subject matter expert in record time! The speaker shares strategies from their time covering technical fields, emphasizing rapid research and confidence. Discover the importance of understanding audience mindset and the delicate balance between emotional and factual elements in copywriting. Explore how recognizing client values and identifying external villains can empower your marketing strategies while reframing narratives for growth. Unlock the secrets to creating compelling headlines that resonate across various industries!

Our guest today, Adam Gilad, is a prolific entrepreneur, author, speaker, film producer and global teacher. He’s also a skilled copywriter, and that’s how he’s made a lot of his ventures grow. For example, The Higher Game and The Bold Life Brotherhood. He’s co-founder of this business-in-a-box curriculum of transformational games evenings and weekends that build visibility, revenue, community and customer bases. But wait, there’s more: Adam’s also a former Co-Founder and Programming Director of National Lampoon Radio and an Emmy- Nominated Executive Producer. His award-winning films have appeared on USA Networks, Lifetime and TNT, and has written for Disney, CBS, ABC and elsewhere. Over the last 10 years, he has built a dating, personal development and coaching business that has reached hundreds of thousands of people. And he’s used copywriting for that, too. Adam’s also got a strong background a creativity consultant for major companies. On the show, he gave us important, valuable details about his own double transformation. He went from screenwriter… to copywriter… and then, surprise, back to screenwriter, with some turbochargers attached to his brain and fingers.Download.

Copywriter Kyle Milligan discusses the four emotions of copywriting: new, easy, safe, and big. He shares valuable insights on the language of copywriting, his inspiration for the four emotions, and the significance of simplicity and novelty. Kyle also talks about his YouTube channel and his book 'Take Their Money' available on his website.

Kyle Milligan is a successful copywriter with a very unusual view of the world. Lucky for us, it’s a way of seeing things that lets him create copy that makes a lot of money. And let’s see if what you hear from him today can do the same thing for you. Kyle is on the staff of Agora financial and won a coveted award for the performance of his copy: What looks like a giant gold record. This is for bringing in 51,000 new names to the company in 2018. If you think that’s easy because Agora is a giant company, take it from me. It isn’t easy. It takes skill, perseverance, and a certain special something I haven’t been able to identify yet. Now Kyle, he has identified something unique and very valuable that I’ve never heard about from anyone else: The four emotions of copywriting. He’s agreed to talk about them today on the Copywriters Podcast, and for that, I thank you in advance, Kyle. Here are the questions we discussed: We had a wide-ranging discussion of valuable nuggets for copywriters and business builders. Here are some of the questions we discussed: What is the language of copywriting? Where did it come from? Can you tell me a little bit about your big 4 emotions? How did you come up with those? What made you decide to start a YouTube channel? What is your end goal? So you've put all this into a book- can you talk about that? Kyle's Website Download.