Exactly What Legendary Copywriter Bob Bly Would Do If He Had To Start From Scratch Today

Bob Bly is a world-famous copywriter who’s written more than 85 books including The Copywriter’s Handbook and Secrets of a Freelance Writer. But he started out just like everybody else – with no connections, no experience, and no idea what he was doing. But he had a plan. And in this two-part audio, you’ll hear what that plan was, and what he would change if he had to put it into motion today.

It basically comes down to two key areas – niche and promotion. Find a hungry market and a go-to sales promotion that, if you dump in the mail, you’ll get consistent leads. But his formula for building a legendary copywriting business isn’t all you’ll hear in this q-and-a interview with Bob. He also takes the time to answer every single newbie question – from how to write a winning headline to how to test copy.

Part One: Starting Out Right

Like most newbie copywriters, when Bob first started out, he says he wasn’t getting many leads. So he was excited whenever his phone rang. He remembers for one prospect, he ended up renting a car and driving all the way out to a dinky ad agency in a crappy building. Not surprisingly, when Bob told the guy his fee for a sales letter was $500, the guy’s face dropped. He replied, “I was thinking more like $35.”

Bob learned (the hard way) the importance of qualifying leads. But this led him to develop a formula for doing it. And in Part One, you’ll hear all about Bob’s MADFU formula (Money, Authority, Desire, Fit, Urgency), and how to use it to qualify your leads so you don’t waste time and money.

 

You’ll Also Hear…

* The four critical things you need to ask a client before you write even one word of copy

* 12 hot-right-now niches to consider when looking for a hungry market to specialize in  -- and a quick guide for determining which specialty is right for you

*  The 4 “U’s” of a great headline – urgent, ultra-specific, useful, and unique – and examples of how to use them to grab your prospects’ attention and bring them into your copy

*  A step-by-step case study: walk through the process of how Bob lands a client, researches his copy, and makes sure he gets things right

*  How to create a “lead-generating machine” for your copywriting business using referrals and repeat business

*  A painless (almost sneaky) trick for knowing exactly what kinds of promotions are working for your competition, without asking them

*  The differences between copy that’s intellectual, emotional, and personal – which one gets the best results and examples of why it’s so powerful 

*  How to answer the question, “What’s your fee” so you make the most money possible – without scaring anyone off

 

Part Two: Finding Profitable Clients And Making Money

Bob says there’s a lot of bad advice out there when it comes to copywriting. But one of the worst is when experts tell newbies that if they’re good enough, clients will naturally come to them, and they won’t ever have to advertise.

Bob says that’s BS. People only find out about a mousetrap because they’ve heard about it. In other words, you’ve got to actively promote yourself if you want to see results. The good news is – that’s easier in today’s market, thanks to the internet.

And in Part Two of this interview, you’ll hear how Bob runs his promotions. You’ll also hear…

*  Why Bob says “Anyone who tries to make money on eLance is stupid” – and exactly what you should be doing instead

*  Insider techniques for adding value to a product just by breaking it apart in the marketing stage – and showing the value of each individual section

*  A little-known fact: you need about 5,000 hours practicing something before you become an expert at it. But Bob says that doesn’t mean you need to grab a 24-page magalog and write it out longhand in order to practice the craft of copywriting – here’s a better way – and it’s one you can immediately use with your next client

*  The four key areas you need to concentrate on when testing copy, and how to do it

*  Examples of how people naturally expand their copywriting practices – to include marketing consulting, creating products, and more

*  Analyzing the different kinds of headlines (problem-solution, testimonial, quotation, etc), which one Bob uses the most, and a look at some real-life examples of headlines that work and why

*  The real difference between online and offline copy, and strategies for writing each

*  A quick-start guide to rent-listing and why Bob recommends you always go with a broker

Bob says, when it comes to building a copywriting business from scratch, the first thing you need to do straight out of the gate is find your first three clients.

He says ask your family, beg your friends, work for free if you have to. But you need to have samples and testimonials before you run your first promotion.

And in this audio, you’ll hear all about that and the other steps you need to take to build a solid copywriting practice – from finding your first clients to developing and testing copy.