Make Stuff Sell: Direct Marketing And Emotional Copywriting Strategies That Work.

Whose Kool-Aid Are You Drinking?

by Scott Murdaugh- Follow Him On Twitter

There’s one skill that everybody wants…

And there’s no shortage of “guru’s” out there willing to sell you their take on how to do it.

What’s that skill?

Getting hip to the art and science of cash generation.

You REALLY have to be careful who you listen to when it comes to this. Your BS detector should be full throttle when ANYONE (myself included) tells you they’re going to teach you how to make a ton of the green stuff.

It’s a lot easier to buy the next “push-button system” or follow the latest “traffic loophole” than it is to actually give yourself a REAL education on the skills it takes to set yourself up financially for life.

We associate the word “learning” with “boring”, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Not if you have the right people to learn from.

When it comes to this kind of an education, you want to listen to people who’ve spent a lot more time “walking the walk” than “talking the talk”…

And that’s why I HIGHLY recommend checking out Brian McLeod and David Garfinkle’s “Fast Effective Copy“…

It’s MUCH more than a few copywriting templates and tips…

…It’s a REAL education on what the world’s smartest marketers do to generate wealth.

It’s fast paced, fun and it will teach you lessons that are capable of completely transforming the landscape of your financial future.

And it’s designed to be fun, fast and extremely effective.

You’ll be learning million dollar marketing lessons that you can start implementing before you go to bed tonight.

Brian’s not a “copywriter”, he’s one of the sharpest marketers on the planet, a guy who took his company from nothing in a spare bedroom to over NINE figures a year… And a guy who marketing legends like John Carlton turn to keep their marketing fine tuned and running at peak performance…

…And David is MUCH more than a successful copywriter. He’s been billed as “The World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach” and rightly so…

He has a way of taking the most complex subjects and breaking them down into plain English that anyone understands, he has a way of making you “get it” unlike anyone else on the planet…

There’s a very good reason some of the world’s most successful marketers give so much credit to David for shaping their careers… Finding someone who truly “gets it” AND knows how to teach others how to do it as well is rare. Believe me, I’ve had my fair share of teachers…

And until now, you’d have to pony up thousands of dollars for a chance to rub shoulders with these guys.

Now, for literally pennies a day, you can ask them ANYTHING you want to know inside of the members area…

Want to know where the green stuff is and how to put yourself in a position to take your fair share?

Want to know how to write world-class copy that turns traffic into cash, and be able to pump it out within hours?

Want to know how to create financial security for LIFE?

Ask, and ye shall receive…

It could be the most expensive financial education you never learned.

Peace,

-Scott Murdaugh

P.S. I have something VERY special for the next 20 people to order through my link. It’s an interview I did just over a week ago on how to make maximum money as a copywriter and marketer…

It’s all about the “business” side, very light on copywriting strategy.

I’ll show you…

How to get paid to build your portfolio, even if you’ve never written a sales letter in your life.

How to attract all of the premium, high paying clients you can handle (you’ll be turning most clients away, and you’ll NEVER worry about “hunting down” clients again)…

How I propelled myself from a $500 per sales letter “bargain bin” copywriter to a six-figure freelancer in less than a year…

And a whole lot more…

This has NEVER been released, and it will NEVER be released for free. If I do pull it back out of the vault it’s going to be part of a paid product, and it’s not going to be cheap.

If you want to be one of the lucky 20 who gets their hands on it simply click this link, sign up for a real education in the art of cash generation, and set yourself up for life.

Once you’ve signed up, if you make the cut, just shoot me an email, and I’ll send you a link to download the interview.

Here’s the link again…

http://www.MakeStuffSell.com/FEC

Hurry though, I’m not joking about limiting the bonus to the first 20 people, and there’s a chance those spots could fill up by tonight.

P.P.S. Whew. I think this is the longest email I’ve ever mailed out. I appreciate you bearing with me, but I’m dead serious about this, it truly is an opportunity to learn from some of the sharpest minds in the business for next to nothing.

And if you do join up I’ll see you in the members forum! Feel free to ask me anything you’d like.

McLeod And Garfinkle Trying To Put Me Out Of Business…

by Scott Murdaugh- Follow Him On Twitter

Do those two names ring a bell?

David Garfinkle is responsible for launching more millionaire copywriter careers than probably any other person on the planet… Not to mention being one of the most successful living marketers in the world.

…And Brian is one of the highest paid and most successful marketers and copywriters in the business (when John Carlton calls you in to help on projects, you know you’re doing something right).

So what’s up with the title of this email?

Okay,

They’re not really putting me out of business, I’ll be just fine.

But as a working copywriter, I have to be a little bit weary, because they’ve leveled the playing field and created a simple system that allows ANYONE to quickly and easily pump out world class copy…

See, years ago David created a set of copywriting templates that sold for $1,200 a pop, when they were still available…

… And since they’ve been pulled off of the market they’ve become the stuff of legend in the marketing world, impossible to get your hands on, until now…

Not only that, they’ve added a TON of training.

I’ve paid thousands of dollars for courses that can’t even touch this stuff, and for a very limited time you can get access for next to nothing…

Copywriting is hands down the most profitable skill you can master, and with this system you’ll be able to churn out world class copy just hours from now.

David is on a mission to “to eradicate copywriting illiteracy in the world” … And this does it.

I’m ALWAYS studying copywriting and marketing products, and I can honestly say without hesitation (I paid for this, no “free review copy” or anything) that this is some of the most valuable stuff I’ve ever seen…

Get the full scoop here…

Peace,

-Scott Murdaugh

P.S. I’m using one of David’s “P.S.” templates here… This is what Kevin Rogers (who isn’t associated with the product, and who routinely charges clients $30k+ to take on their projects) has to say about it…

“ Not only is David Garfinkel the world’s greatest copywriting coach (this is the guy who taught guys like Montello and Haddad, plus is a trusted copy expert to every “Big Dog” marketer you can think of)…

… not only is Brian McLeod among the brightest marketers of this “next generation” of great Internet marketers (trusted by Carlton, Deutsch, Spike Humer and other legends to keep their messages sharp, relevant and effective)…

… and not only is this new package the most comprehensive resource for fast, effective copy swipes I’ve ever seen…

HERE’S THE REAL MAGIC OF THIS PRODUCT:

You can log in, type EXACTLY what kind of copy you need into the website (say, “headline” or “guarantee” or “story” …

and it lists examples for you INSTANTLY.

It’s a marketers dream come true!”

This is the real deal. And it gets my highest recommendation…

http://www.makestuffsell.com/action

My Stupidly Simple Productivity Plan…

by Scott Murdaugh- Follow Him On Twitter

One of the biggest reasons people fail when they start a business…

Or why some guys make a few thousand a month when they could be making 5-6 figures a month, is a lack of motivation.

As a freelance marketing strategist/copywriter/marketer/whatever the hell I feel like calling myself, I have no boss barking orders at me…

Sure, I have deadlines, but I always allow myself plenty of time to procrastinate “just in case”, however, and in the last year specifically, my productivity has gone through the roof.

I’m more productive than ever before.

I make more money than ever before.

And my “system” really is so simple that it’s surprising it works so well. After talking with some friends, I’m not the only one it works so well for.

So here it is…

I simply write down 3 critical tasks. I write them down at the end of the work day, and start on them first thing in the morning.

Like for today I have…

1. Write daily email.

2. Voice over sales video.

3. Finish OTO for client.

All of that should take 3-6 hours.

But the more I keep a focused effort, the quicker I’ll get it done. For me staying on task means leaving the office early on Friday…

And procrastinating means I’ll be stuck in here working on a Friday night.

Here’s the critical part, I allot blocks of time for each task, set a timer, and do NOTHING but what I’m supposed to be working on while that timer is going.

It could be 15 minutes, it could be an hour, but whatever time I set I focus and work on nothing else during that time.

I use The Action Machine (and have for nearly 2 years) to stay on task. I load up my daily tasks, set the timers, and hit “go”.

When I’m racing a timer, for some subconscious reason I get things done a lot more efficiently.

A notepad and an egg timer can almost work just as well…

But with The Action Machine you can load up tasks days or even weeks in advance, it’s always right there in front of you, and it generates reports letting you know what you’ve accomplished over time….

…And those reports are probably my favorite thing about it. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing just how much you really can accomplish during a really productive week or month.

If you have problems with procrastination, maybe it’ll work for you too…

Have a good weekend!

Peace,

-Scott Murdaugh

P.S. Think about this, how much more money would you make if you could squeeze just 30-minutes of more PRODUCTIVE time into each day? That comes out to roughly 10 hours a month. If you make $20 an hour, that’s an extra $200 a month in your pocket, just for training yourself to accomplish a little more in the same amount of time…

This can help you get there…

The Only “Sure Things” Online Are Death, Taxes And…

by Scott Murdaugh- Follow Him On Twitter

There are only a few sure things in life.

Death, taxes and…

Well the fact that “life” happens.

You can almost bet money on the fact that no matter what your bread and butter is online, bat-shit crazy things are eventually going to happen to your business and you’ll just have to deal with it.

Like with Google’s recent “Panda” update, causing millions of websites to lose their rankings and thousands of marketers waving goodbye to their incomes literally overnight…

…Or the Adwords “Google Slap”, again, a couple of years ago the “Big G” shut off the traffic valves to thousands of websites, putting untold amounts of people out of business. And this kind of stuff happens every day.

Merchant accounts get frozen, hosting goes down, affiliate programs fail to pay and profitable traffic sources come and go.

So in the web 2.0 world of Facebook, Twitter and “the next big thing” what’s the one thing you can always count on?

Good old fashioned email.

It’s not new, it’s not “sexy”, but seriously, since the internet has become mainstream it’s the only reliable way to activate new customers and stay in touch with old ones that has stood the test of time…

RSS subscribers, Facebook fans, Twitter followers…

Yeah, they’re great to have, but I’d bet you money that in 10 years time you’ll look back and wish you could transform them into email subscribers.

And if you’re smart, you will.

Something to chew on over the weekend.

Peace,

-Scott Murdaugh

P.S. On a completely unrelated note, I just downloaded all of the marketing graphics I’ll ever need (and man, they’re slick looking), for less than dinner for two at KFC… Check ‘em out here before they’re gone… http://www.MakeStuffSell.com/graphics-pack

How To “Out-Con” A Con Man…

by Scott Murdaugh- Follow Him On Twitter

If you’re marketing anything online you’re up against some crazy competition…

In fact it’s downright unfair..

…Because honest marketers, those who really want to provide value, who want to help our customers without resorting to lies and deception…

We’re competing against an army of con-men. Guys who will say and do ANYTHING to make a quick buck.

And the truth is, when you don’t have to “play by the rules”, you can sell just about anything to anyone.

It’s sad, but lies do sell. People are gullible.

My buddy Kevin Rogers along with his partner Ben Johnson have strung together more #1 Clickbank launches than anyone in the game, and they’ve ALWAYS played by the rules… Here’s why they’re able to compete…

The really cool thing is they show you the psychology behind why the “deceptive” tactics work, and how to “spin” them so you can use them in your marketing not only ethically, but MUCH more effectively…

This is the best lesson in how to effectively “play by the rules” and still crush the competition that I’ve ever seen…

…I study A LOT of marketing products, and there are some deep psychological takeaways here that I’ve never seen taught anywhere else, and once you learn them your marketing will be much more effective for life.

A few things I learned…

How to ethically generate legitimate scarcity to get people to buy NOW without fake countdown timers, fake “limited copies” and other downright dishonest scarcity tactics…

The REAL definition of hype, and how to know EXACTLY how much you should be using in your product sales letters…

When being “boring” in your sales videos can dramatically jack up conversion rates…

A BIG reason why your prospects are ignoring your headlines, and a deadly effective way to approach writing world-class headlines that pull in record sales….

The truth is, there’s a fine line between “ethical” persuasion and “dirty” deception… But once you learn how to walk that line well, you can ethically sell anything to anyone. And this is exactly how to do it…

With the new Clickbank rules coming down, this is the sort of knowledge you need to swoop in, play by the rules, and crush it while the con-men go broke from being shut down and fighting lawsuits.

And just a peek into what goes through the heads of the best copywriters in the business, for less than $20, it’s an absolute no-brainer for me. I highly recommend that you check it out too…

Peace,

-Scott Murdaugh

P.S. There’s quite a few lessons worth ripping off in the sales letter itself, check out the lead after the headline and tell me it doesn’t suck you in, leave you nodding your head “yes” and hanging on every word…

http://www.makestuffsell.com/action

Overcoming Entrepreneurial ADD…

by Scott Murdaugh- Follow Him On Twitter

First of all THANK YOU to everyone who replied to my survey yesterday. The feedback was awesome.

One suggestion for an email subject was “how to find your place online”, and I think it’s a good subject. I suffer from “entrepreneurial ADD” as bad as anyone I know…

Over the past 5 years I’ve…

Worked as a ghostwriter creating products for big name Clickbank marketers…
Promoted dozens of affiliate offers, from CPA to information product.
Created and successfully marketed several of my own products.
Created, bought and flipped more websites than I can count.
Worked as a freelance copywriter and marketing consultant for some of the best people in this business.
Acted as lead copywriter and consultant to multi-million dollar businesses.

And a whole lot of other stuff.

Basically, if it’s online, I’ve been there and done it.

Right now I’m in a copywriting and consulting groove. I dig it because I’m always working on new projects, always working with new people and I don’t get bored with it.

I’m also working on several of my own products. I have PPC campaigns set up as an affiliate. I’m ALWAYS looking for innovative ways to grow my list (and doing my best to keep putting out content worth reading).

I’ve done almost everything online, and I’ll keep trying new stuff, because that’s just how I am.

My suggestion?

Work on whatever you happen to be passionate about at the time. When you’re passionate, you’re motivated, you’re having fun, you get things done and the money folllows.

Focus on one thing at a time. Go for the “fast money” projects first to keep you motivated over the long term, never get married to your ideas and be prepared to fail, and when you do fail, fail as fast as possible so you can get back on track.

Now go make some money

-Scott Murdaugh

P.S. For nearly 2 years I’ve been using a “secret weapon” to help plan my day, stay motivated, focused and to work at peak productivity. It’s had a DRAMATIC improvement on my productivity, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Version 3.0 is coming out this week (along with a price hike) but you can grab it now at the normal price and you’ll get the upgrade for free. It’s been a life changer for me, you can check it out here…

http://www.makestuffsell.com/action

How To Sell Snake Oil…

by Scott Murdaugh- Follow Him On Twitter

Wanna know a way to make a lot of coin really quick?

Here’s how…

1. Create BS rehashed product (you can find plenty of these scattered throughout the net).

2. Find enough gullible people to believe that they’ll make $10k tonight while they sleep for a one-time small payment of $37.

3. Set up 10 up-sells selling more rehashed junk at higher price points.

4. PROFIT!

The sad thing is, it’s a big business model. I see it every day.

It’s modern-day snake oil. And trust me, there’s a HUGE difference between “marketers” and “con-men”…

… And while it sounds like an easy way to make some quick cash, the truth is it’s actually A LOT easier to be an ethical marketer who provides REAL value…

Why is providing real value so much easier than fleecing the gullible masses?

Glad ya asked

1. It DOES take real effort to create a valuable product, but it’s worth it because…

2. Your customers will appreciate and respect you for it and that means…

3. You can sell to them over and over again, and they’ll be happy to buy!

4. You can sleep at night knowing you’re not a total douche who’d throw his Grandma under a train for her last $20.

5. It’s A LOT easier to sell to a customer who’s bought from you in the past than a total stranger.

Yeah, “providing value” should be common sense…

But common sense, especially these days, ain’t so common.

Peace,

-Scott Murdaugh

P.S. Are you a “newbie”? Or do you have a “newbies” on your list? If so you should check out this course (especially the MRR license), it’s a great intro to the world of IM, and you’re advanced you can make a lot of coin selling it (at 100% profit) to your list… http://www.makestuffsell.com/newbie

http://www.makestuffsell.com/Social

Speed Copy Overhaul: Round 1…

by Scott Murdaugh- Follow Him On Twitter

Hey guys,

Just posted this video on my blog.

It’s for the Lunch Box Diet by Simon Lovell…

And I’ll show you…

A common way people generate scarcity that completely destroys buyer confidence (and how to fix it)….

The BIGGEST mistake people make when using video online and how to increase viewership by over 300% by making a simple 2 minute change to your copy…

The secret to creating that “slippery slide” in your copy and commanding your prospects full attention from the very first second they hit your page until they hit the order button…

The second highest read part of your sales letter (and how to use it for maximum conversions)…

How a two minute “special request” email to Clickbank (that anyone can get approved for) can instantly multiply conversions by 10x or more…

And a whole lot more!

Check out the video here…

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Thanks!

-Scott Murdaugh

P.S. Let me know what you guys think. If you’re learning something from these I’ll make them a regular addition to the blog. Thanks!

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Some Interesting Test Results (I’m Not Your Friend)…

by Scott Murdaugh- Follow Him On Twitter

Dear Friend,

I have a confession to make…

You see “Dear Friend” as the greeting on so many sales letters. It’s almost like some unwritten copywriting law…

… And it’s something I’ve tested on probably ~20 different products all in different niches. These are client sites so I can’t really show you an example or get too specific…

But in many cases, no greeting at all can DRAMATICALLY improve readership and conversions.

Why?

I honestly can’t say for sure, but I do have my suspicions…

1. Your greeting is in prime real estate, usually after the headline and before the lead. Maybe it’s serving as a roadblock before you suck them into the lead copy.

2. It’s overplayed. Especially in the bizopp/make moniez niches. It just screams “I’m selling something”!

3. It’s insincere. Most of the time when you’re selling in print you’re not *really* friends with your customers. Sure, hopefully you have a good relationship with them. I’m happy to chat with some of my subscribers from time to time, and in the case of my clients, we genuinely are “friends”, but that’s after we’ve already established a working relationship.

When I hit a complete strangers sales message, and I see “Dear Friend”, I think “Yeah, I don’t know you, what are you trying to sell me?”

But I’m not my prospect…

Point being, there are no “rules” in copywriting that are set in stone.

I’m not saying never use “Dear Friend”, sometimes it pulls better, other times it doesn’t…

But the differences are substantial enough to test.

The BIG takeaway here is even the little stuff is worth testing, because overtime even the small changes can lead to serious profits.

Peace,

-Scott Murdaugh

P.S. While we’re on the subject of “breaking the rules”, check out how these guys are quadrupling opt-in rates by… Get this… Removing the opt-in form from their squeeze pages! It’s pretty crazy stuff, but what’s more impressive is that it’s producing some incredible results for people… http://www.makestuffsell.com/Social

(The recorded webinar is only like 5-10 minutes and definitely worth the watch)…