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  #1  
Old August 14, 2018, 12:37 PM
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GordonJ GordonJ is offline
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Default For COPYWRITERS only. ENDED.

46,605 copywriters at Upwork.

YIKES.

THIS OFFER HAS ENDED, THANKS FOR LOOKING.

Last edited by GordonJ : August 22, 2018 at 02:00 PM.
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  #2  
Old August 15, 2018, 01:52 AM
Dien Rice Dien Rice is offline
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Default Re: For COPYWRITERS only.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordonJ View Post
46,605 copywriters at Upwork.

YIKES. Read this:

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/gjbiz/00write.pdf
Hi Gordon,

It's a great offer!

I think copywriting is one of the most valuable skills you can possess in today's world...

I remember, many years ago, I couldn't write to sell ice cold lemonades in the desert... Then I experimented. I started out as an affiliate, selling affiliate products online. I found out that asking a question in my text often got a response... Then I learned more...

While I'm perhaps not the "Prince of Print" or "King of the Clicks" - I can make a sale...

I think you're offering people an opening to independence...

Best wishes!

Dien
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  #3  
Old August 15, 2018, 11:05 AM
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GordonJ GordonJ is offline
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Default How is your memory?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dien Rice View Post
Hi Gordon,

It's a great offer!

I think copywriting is one of the most valuable skills you can possess in today's world...

I remember, many years ago, I couldn't write to sell ice cold lemonades in the desert... Then I experimented. I started out as an affiliate, selling affiliate products online. I found out that asking a question in my text often got a response... Then I learned more...

While I'm perhaps not the "Prince of Print" or "King of the Clicks" - I can make a sale...

I think you're offering people an opening to independence...

Best wishes!

Dien

Please get into my DeLorean, and we'll do a little time traveling. Back to Cuyahoga Falls, the Sheraton Suites, lunch with the Net Guerrilla, and Phyllis' house...

I showed you ads I had written, the full page ones which appeared in the USA TODAY, some Direct Response letters, and Self-Mailers I had done for a supplement company, several display ads...you and Rick were the only two people who saw my entire body of work, UP TO THAT POINT.

You also saw some of the catalog sheets, for jewelry, and the ad for the TITANIC, and the Egg from our artist friend in TX. Remember?

Well, in that box of memories, I had a little mailer about a piece of jewelry, a good luck charm, and also a piece about THE MONEY TREE.

The good luck charm was of an Astrological nature, and I've mentioned Annie Hershey here before, a most gifted astrologer.

And you know the history of Ben Suarez, eh? What with Gary Halbert telling Ben he should sell astrology stuff, much to Ben's chagrin and dismay, but having had 5 years of failure and almost as a last ditch effort, Ben DID get into astrology...

And the rest is history. Now, in my best Paul Harvey voice, the rest of the story.

Ben wasn't the only person Gary advised to get into astrology, and he knew I was already selling jewelry, and I was on a list receiving the stuff from the American Astrological Association (Society) at the time, he knew, because he had rented the list.

What I did, was to locate those little tiny one man/woman marketers, like Annie Hershey, and many were running ads in FATE and other arcane, and astrological magazines...and found if they were selling something.

Ben did BREAKTHROUGH work with Astrology Today, although he got to a point where it was almost a forbidden subject...he distanced himself from the whole astrology market (at least publicly) and evolved SCI into a giant marketing company.

Well, I've worked with some very small companies, writing, and even developing products and one of the greatest assets I acquired during my time at SCI/AMCH was the meeting of and learning from their BUYERS.

The buyers at both companies were amazing. Their offices full of trinkets, samples and catalogs of products from around the globe. As a Creative Marketing Professional, I was able to come up with ANY idea, and then run to the buyer to see if it was available or could be made.

From that, we'd get costs and using the whole 7 STEPS and NPGS process and running it through the software, I could determine if it was a worthwhile (profitable) project to pursue. In most cases, SCI was interested in six figure returns.

They were not interested in making a paltry 10 to 25k dollars. BUT I WAS.

Today, we might call it "moneyball", hitting the singles until they add up to get us into the big game.

In 7 STEPS TO FREEDOM II Ben relates the story of how, at that time the AAA (astrology group) was the 400 pound SLOW MOVING gorilla, and he, with nimble feet and quick decision making slew the Goliath, and then became one.

By the time he recruited me to come to work for him, he had grown into the 800 pound sluggish, too many chiefs, layers of layers of people (1200 employees at the time)...and with so many divisions competing to get into the 'pipeline' with their hundred thousand dollar projects, it was hard to miss the opportunity a small time operator had, if he assumed the early Ben role, one of a hungry Entrepreneur, looking for some base hits.

While most of SCI was focused on doubles, triples and HOME RUNS (TITANIC), I was looking to get on base.

As the liaison in the NPGS department, I was tasked with talking to scores of people who submitted ideas and even finished projects, inventions and books to SCI per their submission process. I spoke to dozens of these people. MOST were not appropriate for what SCI was doing, but if any sounded decent, I kicked it upstairs to my Executive Directors and let them make the call. I don't think any project from the public was picked up at that time.

But what I heard on the phone was this: people had invested time and money into their projects, and most were pie in the sky inventors who thought they had the next big thing EVERYONE would want. NO.

But a few had a decent idea, but bad product.

And I discovered many of the momma and poppa guys, like Annie Hershey and Fran Renner (hypnotist) had this knowledge and information which could be turned into products.

And MARKETED via Direct Response Advertisements, which I would write.

There was a lady in Winterville, Joe Hammer introduced me to her, a professional and one of the first DREAM ANALYSTS, with a degree in it, who I spoke to about bringing out a product. She passed, because as a professional, she didn't see it as being very professional. Well, the idea didn't go to waste, I found other people who WERE interested in selling a dream interpretation course, and others who wanted to develop their own product lines.

Then we started SowPub, and although we both have been transparent in our business dealings, neither one of us, thankfully, have ever shared ALL that we are doing. I've been in on some of what you were doing, much of it over my head as far as Physics consulting, and stocks and all that.

And you have known SOME of what I've done, with a focus on my small reports, and all that jazz.

I've been a voice opposed to the whole COPYWRITING as a Biz-Op for over two decades, now I may be sorry I didn't cash in when I could have, offering courses and training and all. Or have at least been a better affiliate.

To me, that would have involved too much time.

As a copywriter, although I really never have called myself one, for the off beat, little known, micro-niches I've never had any competition, BECAUSE, they (new copywriters) buy into the HYPE, all that sitting at the beach, scribbling on a yellow legal pad, and having someone pay you THOUSANDS of dollars for your work.

So, I was surprised to see the 46,695 listings for Copywriters (yesterday, maybe even more today???)...

Who have probably invested a combined millions of dollars into their Biz-Op Copywriting education and are making what?

Consider this, just at Upwork, I found a handful of copywriters who have made over 100k dollars, a few over 200k, and when you look at their timelines, these people have been at it since 2012, or at least 3-4 years. Hopefully that is only a small portion of their income from writing copy.

And I know of only a handful, very small hands (think POTUS), of writers who have been playing "moneyball" for years. Decades.

NONE of them advertise or solicit work on Upwork, Freelancer, Warrior, or anywhere else, almost all work they do today comes via referrals.

So, this whole concept may be more of a personal rant about writing copy as a Biz-Op, albeit, in reality I have very little interest in what other people do or want to do.

But, and THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE AT THIS FORUM, and you know who you are because you've talked to me...

Several people who are WASTING and Squandering their time and talent by NOT having something for sale...TODAY.

If I can sell people magic charms, money trees, good luck horseshoes (wonder if I could sell used and refurbished Whoreshoes??)...

then you can bring your ideas to the market and find success and freedom, or you can join in with 46,695 others in an overcrowded pool of drowning in competition when in reality, you don't have any.

But keep dreaming of hitting it over the fences, I'll be watching from first base, OK?

Oh Dien, Do you remember the downtown? As it was? Today a totally different town. Come visit again.

Gordon

Last edited by GordonJ : August 15, 2018 at 12:10 PM.
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  #4  
Old March 28, 2019, 01:42 PM
Danna Honey
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: For COPYWRITERS only.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dien Rice View Post
Hi Gordon,

It's a great offer!

I think copywriting is one of the most valuable skills you can possess in today's world...

I remember, many years ago, I couldn't write to sell ice cold lemonades in the desert... Then I experimented. I started out as an affiliate, selling affiliate products online. I found out that asking a question in my text often got a response... Then I learned more...

While I'm perhaps not the "Prince of Print" or "King of the Clicks" - I can make a sale...

I think you're offering people an opening to independence...

Best wishes!

Dien

I want to share with other copywriters my story.
I was working in IT-company and was responsible for the blog. But one day I feel my potential to find clients on my own and to make more money. Creating and publishing a portfolio on the website help me to find clients. Look at how other talented copywriters do in the copywriters portfolio examples. Very great approach to publishing their most successful works.
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  #5  
Old August 16, 2018, 11:10 AM
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GordonJ GordonJ is offline
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Default A post from the Warrior Forum.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordonJ View Post
46,605 copywriters at Upwork.

YIKES. Read this:

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/gjbiz/00write.pdf

I copied and pasted this response I just made to Marcia Yudkin at the Warrior Forum, it contains a step by step to see what I am talking about.

I was astonished to see that 46,695 number two days ago, now add 60 to it.

And after looking at scores of people I wouldn't hire, one guy stood out.

He, from the filtered down to 440 copywriters who had actually earned more than 10k at Upwork with their gigs.

Gigs are great, for short term income, and to build off of. OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL, beats gigs by a mile, anyhow, here is how to find those 46,755 so-called COPYWRITERS.

Originally Posted by marciayudkin View Post

Gordon, could you say more? Were you looking for something specialized?

Or did it seem everyone was touting the same brand of expertise?

Or what?

Marcia Yudkin
Thanks Marcia, great questions. Let me give some brief (hard for me) details.

Upwork was just one of the freelance sites we visited for my research into this so-called GIG ECONOMY, which is the focus of my research, and although I've done pretty, pretty, pretty dang well with some of the gigs I've had, my opinion is...there is a better way.

And YOU, know what that is with your books, courses and Intellectual Property which is working for you when you are doing a consulting gig.

Anyhow, here is what I did. Started with Google. Searched for Upwork. #1 result was their ad. I hit the BROWSE FREELANCE TALENT link.

Which took me to Top Upwork Freelancers. I then hit the FILTERS and left everything at the default and in lower left corner hit the link:
See All Catagories

Then the Writing and then the Copywriting, and today, I see 46,755 apparently added 60 in the last two days.

I tell all this so someone who is unfamilar with Uplance has a step by step process to see what I am talking about so we can work from the same page.

So, then I start browsing.Oh my. How do I find someone? Well, for me, hourly rate means nothing. Except, for research, I want to find the HIGHEST HOURLY rate I can find (500 an hour in first 10 pages).

At this point, I see a whole bunch of 35 to 95 an hour copywriters, an avg of about 55 dollars per hour.

And I see page after page of I'm here, I am, Trained by, If you want, and in this first 10 pages without filters, I don't see a single compelling PREOCCUPATIONAL INTERRUPTER.

As a shopper, OF COURSE I want blah, blah, blah. What can you do for ME? I don't care who trained you, YES, I expect error free writing (that's a sales point??)...and yada, yada, yada.

Where is the sizzlemanship, I'm shopping for something, and these people are sitting on the shelf begging me, "pick me, pick me, not the other one". I want the girl at the end of the isle selling a potato peeler convincing me it is the greatest must have tool ever invented. No one grabbed me by the throat, got NOR held my attention.

So, I thought maybe filter by higher priced, or most earned.

The filters I selected were 10k+ earned, and an hourly rate of 60 and above, their highest.

I got 440 results. Good, I thought, getting into REAL COPYWRITER territory.

Still NO sizzle. So, I looked for those who had earned the most.Some guy from Omaha had over $200,000.00 earned, and he charged 500 dollars per hour.

He JUMPED OFF THE PAGE to me. He actually has a "headline" not the I can, I will, If you want, etc. etc.

CONVERSION COPYWRITER WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD FOR SALES.

Doesn't that tell me more than all the I will, I can, "me, me, me" pitiful presentations?

It speaks directly to my reason for coming to Upwork, but it took too much digging, so, my point is, if you hang out a shingle which says you are a copywriter, then I expect you to use your skills to hook me as a client, because if you can't catch me, ready, willing and able to pay you...

how you gonna help me catch the prospects I'm after??

I actually use you as one of the examples of a Copywriter who has created an Information Empire. I don't think anyone has more books on the shelves (real books published by publishers) than you do.

You have a very clear voice, well targeted customers and a sterling reputation.

I went shopping. If Upwork is the TARGET, Freelancer the Amazon and Fiverr the Walmart of finding copywriting talent, I need to know where the ROBB Report is.

I just think copywriters should apply their skills they think they have, that's all.

GordonJ
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  #6  
Old August 19, 2018, 10:57 AM
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GordonJ GordonJ is offline
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Default Click-whirr.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordonJ View Post
46,605 copywriters at Upwork.

YIKES. Read this:

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/gjbiz/00write.pdf

At the Facebook Group, Cult of Copy, I recently posted this: (In regards to Blair Warren's FORBIDDEN KEYS TO PERSUASION

His one sentence "course": “People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions, and help them throw rocks at their enemies.” Sort of a summary of Forbidden Keys.

And a further reduction down, from me, "people are preoccupied with only two things; themselves, and what others think about them." Mundane preoccupations come and go, but these two follow them to the grave.


Direct Response copywriters try to evoke a positive response, that is, usually, an action of purchase. OR, further action.

The study of cults has been very illuminating as to human behavior and what makes cults tick. Colin Theriot has cashed in on the idea of cults being sort of like clubs (my definition, not his). With over 25 thousand members, his Facebook group is one of the larger copywriting groups...and he has, in my opinion,

CROSSED THE BRIDGE.

You SQ1 types know what that means, much different than jumping the shark, which I may have done.

But on the other side of the bridge is the destination, and one of the Holy Grails for persuaders, and those of influence is to get to the CLICK-WHIRR point. It is a concept put forth by Robert Cialdini and basically says:

it is an automatic, often from conditioning, RESPONSE to a STIMULI.

It isn't scrutinized, it is just acted upon.

For a Copywriter, the contents of the Grail would look something like:

BUY, this, NOW.

For a cult leader, it may be more of DO IT.

Since, I charge high five figures to train cult leaders, I'll focus on the Copywriters...

BUY now.

Ever get a promotion which said, BUY NOW, and not much else? Sure, some of you have if you've been on some of my older lists.

I've done it. Email: NEW REPORT. Contents. My report on ____ is done. Buy now. (link to PayPal).

And there have been people who just click on the buy button.

Anyone who has a list of buyers and has been around awhile has a % of people who AUTOMATICALLY buy from them, and in the case of some of us very small potatoes guys, who offer inexpensive little reports, we get a very high % of buyers. Because they know what to expect and in their minds, hopefully, have been CONDITIONED to think:

Well it is only ____ bux, and Gordon usually has some decent info, so, why not?

As long as I (or the we) don't make it too often a habit, the high % continue.

Which is why a very small list of only 2500 people sent an offer only 4 or 5 times a year, will yield a fairly decent income even if the unit of purchase is only 15 or 20 dollars. Even a 10 dollar product, with high % of buyers, gives one a nice helping of hash brown moolah.

A study of the Blair Warren ONE SENTENCE course": “People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions, and help them throw rocks at their enemies.”

Coupled with an understanding of PREOCCUPATIONS, will put you on a fast track to getting higher results with your copy.

The SQ1 crowd knows what those primary preoccupations are, and my further reduction, which I did at the Cult of Copy page,

1) Themselves
2) What others think of them.

is probably the most succinct copy formula you will find.

Consider the GIANT, and Yuuuuge markets: Diet/Weight loss, exercise/fitness, cosmetics/cosmetic surgery, fashion, self-improvement...and you will find the PREOCCUPATIONS people have.

Why is that important in copy? First thing you need to do is BREAK THEIR current preoccuaption, and enter into THEIR State of Mind (SOM).

I call this the intersection.

You will find a ton of information about this, and my FORMULA for creating effective Preoccupational Interrupters in our ARCHIVE. One good search term you might use is "copywriting formula".

Another one, "influence and persuasion", some of the same posts will come up, but with over 20 years of material here (including the 3 years before sowpub when I posted at other forums), you may find some gold, if you don't mind digging a little for it.

IF you are selling ANYTHING, I would think you might want to cross the bridge to the place where your buyers require very little stimuli to respond.

I know at the downtown events, the smell of 'elephant ears', almost always has me reaching for my wallet, the only stopping point would be a line, being crowd adverse and all.

But having products which people will buy almost automatically, isn't that a dream come true for most of us marketers?

Gordon

Last edited by GordonJ : August 19, 2018 at 01:22 PM.
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