There’s a famous line from one of my favorite movies, “The Graduate”… when Mr. Robinson says to Benjamin Braddock (played by a young Dustin Hoffman), during Benjamin’s graduation party… “Ben, I have one word for you… “Plastics.”

Do you remember that scene?

Well even if you don’t, or in case you haven’t seen that movie, one thing’s for sure… Mr. Robinson was right on track, even today, 37 years later: Because this year alone, over 50 Million tons of plastics will be produced!

And here’s something else you’ll be surprised to hear: You know the “hot chocolate” and candy bar company, Nestle’s?

Oddly enough, less than 3% of Nestle’s gross sales are actually related to chocolate!

It?s true!

Most of their income comes from baby foods… dairy products (like Carnation instant milk powder)… breakfast cereals… bottled water (like Deer Park, Perrier and Zephyrhills)… and a whole host of other products, sold world-wide.

And still another “global” piece of information you should be storing in your mental “inbox” is this:

You share your birthday with
at least 9 million other people around the world!

And that’s important for you to realize, because most people have a very hard time understanding “where” all the people are, who want to buy your product.

You see, just because you can’t visualize them… and just because they don’t live around the corner from you… and just because you won’t be bumping into them at the mall this weekend, doesn’t mean they’re not out there!

Remember, you’re not selling your products to you!

You Are NOT Your Customer!

So where am I going with all this… and what’t the “bottom line” in this week’s tip?

Simple:

You Must Know Your Numbers!

For example, I was having a conversation with a client yesterday and he suggested using direct mail to promote one of his products.

After all, he’s got a very good product… he’s in a marketplace that’s excited and passionate… he’s sold to them before (rather easily)… and, he’s well-known in his sector.

So on the surface, you’d think direct mail sounds like a pretty good way to go, no?

But it’s not.

See, the problem is, even at the high-end of his price range, after we’ve added in a bunch of bonuses and done a few other things to increase the perceived value of his product, this particular product doesn’t sell for enough money to make a direct-mail promotion worth-while, unless you’re assuming a very high response rate.

And in my books, that’s a risky assumption to make.

It’s much better to know ahead of time , you’ve got a promotion that’s going to make you some cold hard cash, even using conservative numbers. This way, there’s no downside.

As opposed to running your promotion, and then “hoping” you’re going to make a bundle, assuming some kind of aggressive, but perhaps far-fetched response rate.

This way, you’re only got upside (and more money) to look forward to, instead of a downside filled with painful surprises and unrealistic expectations that end up getting blown away, like leaves during a gust of autumn wind.

The bottom line is, before you do anything… and before you roll out any project… you’ve got to evaluate your numbers… test your pricing models… and figure out what kind of response you need, to make your promotion work.

“Knowing your numbers” will often be the difference between overwhelming success and the trappings of wealth that come with it, and… dismal (but predictable in advance) failure.

Gosh, I knew that CPA certificate I earned way back when, would come in handy some day!

And right now I’m going to help you out with all of this, by giving you an instant “edge”.

I’ve developed an excel spreadsheet you’re going to find invaluable when trying to figure out how to price any of your projects you may be selling online.

You can download this spreadsheet, by placing your mouse on the picture of it right below, and then clicking on it.

It’s yours for FREE, but you’ll have to figure out how to save it on your computer, and how to use it, by yourself.

Here’s the file, along with a brief explanation of how it works. Once you click on it, it’ll automatically download itself straight onto your PC, inside a zipped file.

O.K., so let me walk you through this thing.

Let’s take a good hard look at the 4 moving parts to this spreadsheet:

A – As you can see, the title of this spreadsheet reads “To break even, you must sell 1 item in “#” of clicks at a price point of”… and so let me tell you what this means:

Basically, this spreadsheet’s designed to help you figure out how many sales of your product you must make, in order to break even… giving consideration to the selling price of your product, and… how much you’re spending on pay-per-click advertising.

If you’re not familiar with pay-per-click advertising, then this isn’t going to make much sense to you, so either skip this information, or try and follow along, and maybe things’ll fall into place for you.

Also, if you’re selling anything other than information, these numbers aren’t so cut-and-dried, because you’re going to have to consider the hard costs of your products as well.

B – Column A shows how much you’re paying for online advertising, which is usually expressed in terms of your “cost per click.”

On your spreadsheet, you can change these amounts and enter whatever amount you want.

C – This number represents the price of your item. In this example, I’m using a price of $24.95.

You can change this price to whatever you want, and as you can see, the spreadsheet is designed to compare 4 independent sets of pricing and pay-per-click costs, across the board.

If you’re good with Microsoft Excel, you should have no problem copying these formulas across, horizontally (and vertically as well, for that matter), so you can compare as many independent sets of data as you want.

Underneath the price, is data that’s automatically calculated for you. These numbers represent the total number of clicks you can afford to get, and only make ONE sale, yet still break even with your project.

Why is this number useful?

Simple. Let’s look at row 11 for example.

In row 11, it assumes you’re paying 30 cents a click on Google… or on Overture… or on any other pay-per-click system.

At a $24.95 price point, it says you need to make one sale out of every 83 clicks, for you to break even.

Looking at the next column in row 11, this translates into a response rate of 1.2% (1 divided by 83), as shown in the column marked ?D?.

If you keep on moving across the row to your right, you’ll see, raising your price by $5 dollars, to $29.95… lowers the response rate you need to break even, from 1 response every 83 clicks, to 1 response every 100 clicks, or from 1.2% to 1%.

And, if you go completely across to the very end of the spreadsheet, you’ll see… at a price point of $37 dollars, you only need to sell 1 unit every 123 clicks, a 0.81% response rate, for you to break even.

It’s important you start using this spreadsheet as soon as possible. This way, you can make well thought-out and educated “guesses” about how successful your project is going to be, before you start rolling it out, and also, so you have some kind of method of determining how much you should be charging for your products.

Obviously, you can use this spreadsheet for larger projects — all you need to do is plug in your pricing numbers as you see fit. I just used the smaller numbers here, for illustration purposes, and so you could get a “sense” of how this thing works and what you can use it for.

P.S. I hope you had as much fun over Thanksgiving as I did, and that you got to spend some free time with the people you love. Here’s a little picture of just some of what I was doing over my holiday:

I caught this bass (a 3-pounder, “plus”) over in Tampa, while visiting a friend of mine, who also happens to be a client.

In fact, I’ll be telling you more about this client soon, because if my “gut feelings” are right… the 72-page sales letter I just finished writing for him may easily be…

The deadliest sales letter… ever… written!

I’ll let you know either way, soon!

P.P.S. Next week, I’ll show you how you can build an “instant” swipe file… how you can legally and ethically “cheat” in your marketing, regardless of what industry you’re in, and… a quick, easy, and proven way to put your hands on literally hundreds of marketing pieces you can start using in your own business, almost immediately.

Send them to me by scooting over to the contact form on my “Here’s How To Contact Craig” page, and maybe I’ll publish them next time. I appreciate your feedback!

And if you haven ‘t already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week – it’s the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

?Craig Garber is America’s Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You’ll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright ? Craig Garber. All rights reserved.?

I actually finished in about the time I thought I would — 31 minutes and 58 seconds.

Not bad for a 40 year-old guy running in 90 degree heat, and on 2 knees that are about as stable as a few decks of playing cards stacked up a foot-and-a-half high.

And especially since I didn’t even start running until a few months ago.

One thing about running though, or any physical conditioning for that matter — you can’t overtrain or else your body starts feeling the effects of…

?The Law Of Diminishing Returns?

The Law of Diminishing Returns is actually an econimic theory that was developed in 1798 by Thomas Malthus, a political economist concerned about what he believed, was the decline of living conditions in nineteenth century England.

Basically, this theory says if one factor of production keeps being increased while all the others are being held constant… your overall returns will go up at first… but ultimately, will decrease after a certain point.

The law was originally developed in response to studying agricultural production, so let me show you what I mean.

Let’s say you keep adding more and more laborers to harvest your wheat field.

Now of course, growing up in the Bronx, as you’d imagine… I know squat about harvesting wheat. In fact, I don’t even know if I’ve ever seen wheat (outside of my cereal box that is). But… even I know this:

In the beginning, you’re obviously going to get better production:

2 workers can harvest more than 1 worker…

3 workers can harvest more than 2 workers…

And 4 workers can harvest more than 3 workers.
At some point in time though, each additional worker is going to add relatively less to your outcome, than his predecessor did… simply because he has less and less of the fixed amount of land to work with.

Make sense?

This law, first thought to apply only to agriculture, was later accepted as an economic theory that applies to all kinds of productive enterprises…

Including writing your sales copy.

Listen, writing good copy isn’t easy — for anyone — regardless of what level you’re at.

But I’m going to let you in on a little secret to making your copy as fresh and compelling as possible, and… it’s also a sure-fire way for you to completely avoid letting “The Law Of Diminishing Returns” screw up your sales pitch.

Here’s the secret to getting all you can out of all you’ve got:

Sometimes, it’s good… to NOT finish your project!

Why?

Simple. Because just like a fresh cup of coffee needs time to brew… and time to percolate until it’s “just right”, without “forcing” it…

Your Copy Needs Time To Brew
And Then Settle As Well…
Without Forcing It Either!

And one of the best ways to let your copy settle, is just that: Let your copy settle.

?Do Nothing?

After a hard day or two (or more) of writing furiously on-and-off, you’ve got to take a “breather” for a day or so.

Lay off, and leave it alone.

Going at it over-and-over again without stopping for a day or so, puts you too close to your writing… it removes your objectivity… and trust me on this one, you’re definitely going to subject your copy to “The Law Of Diminishing Returns”.

So once you’ve “had it” with writing and you’re completely shot…

Give It A Break!

Continuing to hammer away at it, is only going to make you less effective.

This way… once you come back to your copy, you’re filled with a new energy and a fresh outlook and perspective you didn’t have before.

And this lets you attack whatever’s on your plate with an intense passion and a laser-sharp precision you’d never have had without your break.

So relax after you’ve done your fair share of work. Take some “me” time.

Your mind will enjoy it… your body will appreciate it… and if you’re on top of your game, you’ll make loads more money because your sales pitch will end up being a lot stronger… more specific… and more compelling.

Till next week.

P.S. Next week I’d like to ask you for some help with a little project I’ve been invited to participate in. It’s important, and I’d really appreciate your contribution.

Do you find taking a break is good for the quality of your work or the quality of your life? Let me know.

Send them to me by scooting over to the contact form on my “Here’s How To Contact Craig” page, and maybe I’ll publish them next time. I appreciate your feedback!

And if you haven ‘t already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week – it’s the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

?Craig Garber is America’s Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You’ll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright ? Craig Garber. All rights reserved.?

We’re going to begin with a simple but very powerful story about 2 young brothers… the bond between them… and the power it wields. Maybe they’re like my sons, and maybe they’re like yours too.

The story is called…

?Whisper, Or A Brick??

And it goes something like this:

A young and very successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar.

As his car passed by a street corner, from out of nowhere… a brick smashed right into the side door of his Jag.

The executive slammed down on his brakes, spinning the Jag around, and immediately raced back to the spot where the brick had been thrown from.

He jumped out of his car, and then grabbed a hold of the young kid that was standing by the side of the road, pushing him up against another parked car, and began shouting, “What do you think you’re doing, boy?”

Building on an already explosive head of steam, he then went on:
“That’s a brand new car and that brick you threw is going to cost me a TON of money in repairs. Why’d you do that?”

The boy, now shaking with fear, timidly said “Please sir, please. I’m sorry… I didn’t know what else to do,” he pleaded. “I threw the brick because no one else would stop.”

As the boy confessed to the executive, tears were dripping down both sides of his face. He pointed around the parked Jaguar and said “You see… it’s my brother sir. He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up.”

Then, he continued sobbing and began hugging the executive — half out of fear and half out of mercy.

“Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair, sir? He’s hurt… and… he’s ever too heavy for me.”

Moved beyond mere words could express, the busy executive tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump inside his throat. Then, he lifted the young man back into his wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and began dabbing the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be O.K.

“Thank you and may God bless you sir,” the grateful little child said to him. The man then watched the little boy push his brother down the sidewalk towards their home.

For the overachieving executive, however, it was a long walk back to his Jaguar. A very… l-o-n-g… slow… walk.

Although this happened some time ago, to date, the busy executive never did repair that side door of his. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

God whispers into your soul and he speaks to your heart. And sometimes, if you’re not listening — he has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

In the end, it’s your choice:

Listen to the whisper, or… wait for the brick.

***

I found this story very powerful on many levels.

For starters, don’t wait too long to start enjoying your life and bathing in the things that are really important to you.

No one is promised tomorrow, and sadly, there are no exceptions to that rule.

You don’t need permission to start living out your fantasies… or waiting until “the time is right”.

After all, what are you waiting for?

Do you think you’ll be better able to enjoy things when you’re 10 years older?

Will you be “more ready” then? Or perhaps more deserving?

Why not enjoy them today?

Do yourself a favor: write yourself out a permanent “permission slip” to start living your life to its fullest — right now.

Second, there’s a very important copywriting message here. And it’s this: Use stories to sell your items.

Always Tell ‘Em A Story.

Listen, didn’t you feel compelled to get through that story I just told you, once you already started listening to it?

You’re not alone, because everyone loves a good story.

And using a story to make your sales pitch, cuts right through the heart of all the B.S. that people normally get when they’re being sold on something… and actually captures your prospects attention.

And do you know how difficult that is to do?

It’s damn near impossible when it comes down to it!

Look, like I’ve said before, sending someone a sales message is like crashing their party. And if you can’t give them an REALLY GOOD excuse to let you stay, within about 5 seconds… you’re getting tossed out the door on your rear end.

And what better way to get someone to listen to you, than by telling them a good old fashioned, heart-to-heart story.

So use stories in your sales messages, whenever you can.

That’s the very best way to teach someone something and it’s surely the absolute best way to sell them something too.

Lastly, don’t ignore whispers — in fact, be on the lookout for them. If you’re closed to hearing them, you’re only going to listen (and learn) by getting hit on the head with those heavy bricks.

And if you ask me, that’s a difficult way to be learning things.

Because usually when those bricks come, and believe me, we’ve ALL felt them… they come very hard… very furiously… and typically, with a very loud THUD!

And the last thing you need when those bricks do come, is a pile of regrets to mop up. You usually won’t be able to at that point.

Sometimes, when you’re pushing too hard to get something done, and you constantly find you’re up against resistance, each-and-every step of the way…

You need to stop what you’re doing and listen closely, because that resistance you’re getting, may in fact be your…

Lucky Little Whisper.

I say lucky, because if the messages you’re getting are telling you to stop — then most of the time, you should listen to those messages and do exactly that.

And as I’ll explain in a minute, sometimes failing is actually good.

Here in America, we often mistake “giving up” for “giving in”, and that’s just NOT the same thing.

“Giving up” when everything around you is telling you you’re moving in the wrong direction — in spite of what you originally expected — is a very wise decision. It doesn’t mean you’re not persistent… it doesn’t mean you can’t handle adversity… and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re a failure.

It just means that particular project, wasn’t meant for you. At least, not at that particular time.

“Giving in” on the other hand, is different. “Giving in” means jumping ship without even giving yourself a fair chance. And that’s not the same thing at all, is it?

Never give in.

Instead, be optimistic and hopeful, but try and have realistic expectations about things.

For example, here are a few that’ve helped me keep my sanity:

Remember, it?s very unlikely things will go exactly as you planned, straight out of the starting gate.
Why?

Simple, you have no way of knowing what’s ahead of you, especially when you’re traveling down a new road for the first time.

So expect to hit a few bumps along the way. This way when they come, you’ll be prepared and your expectations won’t get shot down.

Be open to hearing those gentle whispers blowing in your ear. If you’re not open in the first place, then expect to get hit with a lot of bricks.
And Which Of Them Would You Prefer?

Think you’re having a tough time? Feeling down? Frustrated because your life’s not in order?
Here’s a GUARANTEED way to fix that, and I mean it. It sounds absolutely ridiculous, but keep an open mind and try it.

Seriously though, don’t just listen to me and take my word for it — you must actually DO this, for it to really work.

Go to tvguide.com, and find out the next time your local television station is running the Jerry Springer show.

Then mark it down on your calendar to remind you when it’s going to be on.

Set your alarm, or record it on your VCR or your TiVo or whatever you use.

Then, sit down and watch it.

I know sometimes things seem bleak and you’re feeling low and everything around you seems to look muddy, but…

Those people… the one’s on Jerry’s show… are the ones with problems.

THEY are truly going nowhere.

YOU, on the other hand, are just in the middle of a very temporary (albeit painful… frustrating… and deep) rut.

THEY, however, will be scraping along the bottom rung of life’s murky ladder, for a very… very… l-o-n-g… l-o-n-g time.

But YOU, will be back to full speed in a little while.

Make sense?

Good.

Do Something!
In spite of all the difficulties you’ll encounter, whenever you’re actually taking action, 5 times out-of 10… new things will pop up that you never expected to happen, and many of them will open bright new doors for you to walk through, filled with fresh ideas and incredible new opportunities!

Things happen when you’re in motion, not when you’re sitting around in front of your computer “thinking” about being in motion.

So Get Moving, NOW!

And lastly, always assume you’re destined to succeed — whatever your definition of success is.
Then, just look at obstacles you encounter, as “redirects”, keeping you on the path to success. This way, it’s always a win for you, regardless.

Here’s an example of what I mean: Remember before when I said sometimes it’s “good” to fail?

Here’s where I was going with that.

The truth is, if not for a very unusual series of events that subsequently happened, I wouldn’t be one of the top freelance copywriters around, if I hadn’t have failed on something else I was working on way back when.

The entire course of my life would have been different.

And while I have no idea where I’d have been or what my life would be like if this particular task had succeeded, I know one thing for sure:

I’m literally happier than I’ve ever been in my entire lifetime, and I wouldn’t trade what
or who I am now, for anything.

I hope some of these ideas at least give you some food for thought.

And if you liked that story, “Whisper – Or A Brick”, you can find it in a book, a friend of mine wrote.

His name is Dr. Mani, and if you occasionally get stressed about things — even a little — I’d encourage you to order his book right now.

Dr. Mani is a cardiac surgeon in the beautiful beach-side town of Chennai, India.

He works with newborn children who are experiencing critical heart problems, and so he deals with life-or-death, daily.

Imagine how powerless you’d be feeling, holding tiny lives in the balance, and they slip right through your hands, only days… weeks… or months old.

Mani’s come up with a pinpoint system for effectively eliminating stress and anxiety.

And since you probably don’t encounter anything nearly as traumatic as this in your life, his system will work even easier for you.

Mani’s book is called “The Emotion Prism.”

It shows you 3, simple and proven ways of looking at things you’re coming up against, and explains how to handle them so your outcome is both natural and acceptable to you.

And in some ways, more controllable and a helluva lot less frustrating.

If you want to order Mani’s book, it’s dirt cheap, especially considering the life-lessons you’re going to discover in it. These are answers to questions some people spend a lifetime looking for and never find, and you can order your copy right here:

Grab Your Copy Of The Emotion Prism, Right Now!

Thanks for listening. See you next week.

P.S. If you’ve ever listened to a whisper and found yourself benefitting from it, or… if you’ve ever ignored a whisper, and instead got slammed by a brick, do me a favor and drop me a line. I’d love to hear about it and I promise to keep it just between us — confidential.

And here?s how you can do that:

Send them to me by scooting over to the contact form on my “Here’s How To Contact Craig” page, and maybe I’ll publish them next time. I appreciate your feedback!

And if you haven ‘t already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week – it’s the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

?Craig Garber is America’s Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You’ll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright ? Craig Garber. All rights reserved.?

True?

You probably subscribe to a handful of newsletters like mine… you’ve read a few of the classic copywriting books by Claude Hopkins… John Caples… or Victor Schwab, and… you may have even read some “modern-day” books by guys like Dan Kennedy… Gary Halbert… and Joe Sugarman.

And this is good — you’re definitely going down the right track here.

Keep doing this, because knowledge applied in the right direction, really is powerful.

And in case you missed it…

The key word here, is… “applied”!

Anyway, what I want you to do right now, is to…

Completely Stop Reading These Books!

At least for a while anyway.

You see, you may not know it, but you could learn just as much — if not more — about writing effective sales copy, by reading fun stuff too, like fiction.

No, I’m not kidding, and let’s face it, you also get a lot more involved and emotionally attached to the characters in a good novel, then in a good “How To” book, any day.

Right?

See, I just finished up a few AWESOME novels, and I’d like to show you what to look for when you’re reading a good novel, and how to use this information to easily learn how to improve your sales copy.

Ready?

O.K. then.

The first book I want to tell you about is called “Motherless Brooklyn”, by an author named Jonathan Lethem, who’s actually from Brooklyn.

If you like a good old-fashioned murder / mystery / adventure and suspense book, only one that takes place in modern times, then grab yourself a copy of this book — you won’t be sorry.

It’s like a spy thriller, only there’s no spies in this one — just petty thugs and slick Brooklyn street hustlers.

Anyway, here’s why I loved this book: Check out how well this guy writes, from page 155:

?The four of them wore identical blue suits with black piping on the legs, and identical black sunglasses. They looked like a band that plays at weddings. Four white guys, assortedly chunky, pitched in the face, with pimples, and indistinct. Their car was a rental. Chunky sat in the backseat waiting and when the two who’d picked me up crushed me into the back beside him, he immediately put his arm around my neck in a sort of brotherly choke hold. The two who’d picked me off the street — Pimples and Indistinct — jammed in beside me, to make four of us on the backseat. It was a bit crowded.?

WOW!

I mean, how much cooler do you get than that?

Notice how Lethem’s writing:

Short, stacco sentences!
Lethem’s writing exactly the same way he’d be talking, if he was telling you this story in a conversation, instead of writing it.

Descriptive as all get out!
He tells you what the guys looked like… he gives you a visual and psychological anchor, by telling you they also resembled a band that plays at weddings… and… he also gives you an overview of their physical characteristics.

And the thing is, the physical attributes he’s describing, are vivid and stereotypical enough, that you can start picturing other visual, physical, and personality characteristics typically associated with people who share these same “trademarks”.

This guy’s simply brilliant!

He?s specific!
They’re not just “blue suits”, they’re “identical blue suits with black piping on the legs, and identical black sunglasses”.

Being specific makes the entire scenario much more believable and life-like. (Just the same way it does when you’re writing your sales copy.)

Do you see what my point is, about all this?

If you don’t, then you’re really missing out on a very valuable lesson here.

See, each of these techniques Lethem’s using in his fiction writing, are the same techniques you should be using in your sales copy.

They get your prospects more involved with the message you’re trying to deliver. And, if your prospects are actually taking time out of their lives to devote some mental “shelf-space” to you and your message… it brings them closer to you, and… closer to…

Buying From You!

Another book I just finished reading, is “Holes” by Louis Sachar.

My older son had been after me to read this book, and the truth is, I’m sorry I waited so long.

This was an easy book to digest… a fast read (maybe 2 hours of your time)… and boy-oh-boy, what a joy it was.

The sense of empathy (using very plain-and-simple English), Sachar was able to stir inside you, over the main characters plight, was heartfelt and simply wonderful.

If you can stir up emotions like that in your sales copy…

You’ve got a rock-solid
money-making machine on your hand!

And when you can show a “struggle to success” story the way he did, taking you by the hand and letting you walk alongside his characters as they overcome obstacle after unjust obstacle, your outcome’s going to be fantastic!

Can you do the same thing in your sales copy?

Of Course You Can!

For example, whatever you’re selling, has got to be the solution to some kind of problem… so tell your prospects stories about how you developed your product… or, how your product or service has changed someone’s life.

Either of those stories can be made into “rags to riches” or “struggle to success” stories, no?

I definitely shed a few tears after I finished reading the uplifting and pretty ironic conclusion of “Holes”, and… if you can move your prospects the same way, believe me you’ll make more than your fair share of ducats.

So read as much good fiction as you can get your hands on.

Start thinking about how your authors are painting their characters and bringing them to life for you.

And begin figuring out how the dynamics of the characters relationships are handled, and how YOU can use these same dynamics in your sales copy, to make your sales pitches compelling and “real”.

The bottom line here is, if you do the following three things, you’ll be able to use your fiction readings, to leverage your creative juices so they start flowing like the roaring rapids of the Snake River in Colorado, and not the Black Muddy River of folklore.

Here are these three simple things you must do:

Read!
Read voraciously and read like your life’s depending on it. Pretend each book you read is like a juicy thick sirloin steak, and then imagine…

You’re Freakin Starving!

And start devouring those books!

Think!
As you’re reading, s-l-o-w-l-y digest every single morsel you’re taking in. Discover what’s making your characters tick, and… even more important, figure out what it is about what’s making them tick…

That’s Going To Make Your Prospects TickToo!

Do Something!
You know, last week I saw this bit on one of those prime time television news expos?s, about some poor gal who was just so desperate to lose weight.

The only problem was… she was eating enough food in a day…

To feed a small farming country in the mid-east!

Now what’s up with that?

Do you need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that’s NOT the road to losing weight?

I’m not saying it’s easy for someone in her position — NOTHING good is easy.

Anything worth while, is usually worth fighting for, and… it’s also usually incredibly difficult to achieve.

Period.

Sorry, but there’s just no getting around that one.

So if you think simply “reading” and “understanding” everything you must know about “how to write”, is going to make you even one thin dime, then you’re sorely mistaken.

To do this, you’ve actually got to go out and…

Write something!

Be, as Teddy Roosevelt said, the “man in the arena”. Feel the sweat pouring down the sides of your head… bounce back from your mistakes… and then… emerge victorious, baby!

Before I go, check out what Rod Argent said, back in 1968. (Do you know who he is?)

“Really, music is a very personal thing. It’s the product of a person’s experiences. Since no two people have been exactly alike, each writer has something unique to say. That makes anything which is not just a copy of something else, worth listening to.”

So listen to music that moves your soul… read good books that quench your thirst for becoming whole, emotionally… and enjoy creating and basking in the “non-real” things life’s imagination is offering you.

And then, use these gifts to go out and create the very best damn sales letters you can, and… start…

Enjoying… Your Results!

Take care.

P.S. No tip next week, I’ll be on the road — but I’ll see you in two weeks for sure.

Any comments?

Send them to me by scooting over to the contact form on my “Here’s How To Contact Craig” page, and maybe I’ll publish them next time. I appreciate your feedback!

And if you haven ‘t already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week – it’s the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

?Craig Garber is America’s Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You’ll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright ? Craig Garber. All rights reserved.?

For starters, if you haven’t taken advantage of last week’s FREE offer that comes with ?How To Build An ?Instant? Swipe File… How To Legally And Ethically ?Cheat? In Your Marketing, Regardless Of What Industry You?re In, And… A Quick, Easy, And Proven Way To Put Your Hands On Literally Hundreds Of Marketing Pieces You Can Start Using In Your Own Business (Without Worrying About Copyright Infringement)… Almost… Immediately!?, remember that this FREE offer will ONLY be available for 7 more days.

If you want to see what I’m talking about…

Click Here For More
Information About This FREE Offer

And second, if you’ve been thinking about having me go over your sales copy, but you’ve been busy… or you’ve been sitting on the edge of the fence for whatever reason, know this:

As of January 1st, 2005, you?re going to have to pay
$100 Dollars more to have your sales copy reviewed…
than you’ll have to pay to have it reviewed right now!

Why?

Simple: Supply and demand.

The demand for this service has been seriously increasing… and at least as far as I can tell, unless one of my kids comes up with a way to clone me or something, the supply of “me” that’s available, is decreasing.

Bottom line is this: I’m absolutely swamped with work, so it’s going to cost more for me to give you my time… and 100% of my attention along with it.

Oh, and by the way, this sales copy review is 100% GUARANTEED — in fact, I’ll even pay you $50 bucks if you’re not happy with it — no kidding!

So if you want to save yourself a fast and easy $100 bucks, make sure you order your ?7-Step Meticulous (And Brutally Candid) Sales Copy Overhaul? right now by going here:

How To Dramatically ?Boost? The Results Of
Your Sales Copy! Here?s A 7-Step Meticulous
(And Brutally Candid) Sales Copy Overhaul
GUARANTEED To Do This!

Even if you don’t book your actual review until after January 1st, as long as you order before December 31st of this year, you’ll get to save yourself the $100 Dollars.

In fact, if you’ve spoken to me about any kind of work at all, this is your official notice that any prices I’ve given you, are going up as of January 1st (that’s in 18 more days).

So I urge you to get your payments in NOW, before the end of the year, or it’s going to cost you.

Anyway, that’s it for housekeeping, and now let’s dive right into this weeks tip!

Last week, we started talking about “involvement devices” and how important they are to getting your customer “engaged” in your sales copy.

Drawing your prospects into your sales message… bonding with them… and making them become part of the message you’re pitching to them, increases their desire to have your products and services.

And remember, you’re NEVER EVER going to get someone “involved” with your product, or your sales pitch, who’s DOESN’T want to buy what you’re selling, so don’t worry about them.

Using direct-response means you’ve given up the “convincing” business and traded it off to be in the “attracting” business instead — and that’s a good thing.

So here are 3 ways you can get people involved in your sales copy, regardless of what you’re selling.

Are You Experienced?

That’s not just the title of Jimi Hendrix’ first album he released, in 1967.

See, giving your prospects and customers an “experience” they can remember, is one sure-fire way of getting them involved in your product or service.

For example, here’s something taken from a recent sales letter I wrote:

?Order either of these systems. Once they arrive, lift the 18 pounds of information up onto your desk. Then, rip open the boxes and start pouring through all your manuals and listening to all your audio CD?s… and then start checking out all the winning sample ads in your system (there are literally hundreds of them stuffed in there and organized for you).?

At another place in the sales letter (later on, once we’ve gone over the ordring instructions), it says:

?Be prepared, because when you get your PCO Multi-Millionaire?s System delivered straight to your home or office, here?s what you?ll be treated to, once you finish heaving your packages up onto your table, and start tearing them open.

First, make sure you?ve eaten your Wheaties for breakfast, because there?s a LOT of information here. (After all, it takes more than a few simple tips to become a PCO Multi-Millionaire!)

Weighing in at a hefty 18.34 pounds, give or take an ounce, here?s what you?ll find inside… the whole kit-and-kaboodle:?

See how you start visualizing the packages… and how they’re becoming more and more real to you, as they start getting inside your mind, almost “forcing” you to picture them?

This is what I mean by getting your prospects “involved” with your product. Using words, you’re giving them the experience of owning your product, so they can start feeling what it’s like, before they order.

And getting what you have, as deep into their mind as possible… in as many ways as possible… and using as many senses as possible… makes them want to buy, even more.

And remember the cardinal rule of selling:

Your Prospects Buy What They
WANT… Not What They Need!

And all your “wants” come from feelings you’re having, not “practical and rational” thoughts you may be thinking, right?

Exactly, so let your prospects “experience” owning or using your product, before they buy it, and you’ll move them closer to buying it.

Next, let’s talk about…

Questions… Questions… And More Questions!

Don’t you love getting asked questions about a subject you’re interested in, and maybe even a bit of an expert in?

And isn’t it exciting to be able to “qualify” for something because you’ve “passed” a quiz by answering the right amount of questions?

Well, another way you can get your buyers involved with your product, is by doing just that: Asking them questions.

For example, here’s something I wrote for a weight-loss product. I’m not going to show you the entire list — there were originally 20 items to review — but you’ll get the gist of what I’m saying using these examples here, anyway.

Again, you can use something like this for virtually anything you’re selling, and in any kind of media — either online or offline:

?Print this page out and review it. Then mark the items that apply to you. If you check off more than 5 out of the following 20 items (and please be as honest with yourself as you possibly can), then you qualify as someone who’d benefit tremendously by ordering this package.

And remember, with your 90 day better-than-risk-FREE money-back GUARANTEE, you have literally absolutely nothing to lose — except your anxiety… your fears… and your sense of powerlessness!

Here Are Your Choices:

Do you find yourself constantly preoccupied with your weight problem, or are you possibly even “depressed” about it?

Do you feel, if you felt better about your weight, you’d be more successful in other areas of your life, like work or parenting, for example? In other words, is your weight problem holding you back from really “living” and “seizing the day”?

Do you have other medical problems that have been caused by your excess weight? Things like diabetes… high blood pressure… high cholesterol… high triglycerides, or sleep apnea?

Do you find yourself using humor as your self-defense mechanism to overcome your feelings about your weight problem?

Are you at the point where you don’t think anything will work (and so far… nothing else has), and now you’re considering doing something that’s a little more “involved” than just taking a pill… skipping a meal… exercising… or eating less?

Are you sick and tired of wearing sweat pants, baggy t-shirts, elastic waist band pants and other “fat person” clothing? And, do you feel you never just look “normal”?

Have you often tried, and then given up on diet after diet?

Do you overeat just for the sake of it? For example, do you eat “extra-sized” meals instead of ordering “regulars” or 2 slices of cake when you know darned well, 1 would do?

If most of all, you never truly feel “comfortable”… if you feel life “stinks”, and you don’t really know why… but deep down inside you just “know” in your heart of hearts, it has to do with the shame you’re feeling over your weight and your physical appearance… then you definitely should order…?

See where I’m going with all this?

If you’re overweight, you’re going to be carefully scanning each-and-every one of these items to see if this is describing “you”.

Because if you’ve read this far into the ad — believe me — you’re going to want to qualify.

And when you’re putting something like this together — using questions to get your prospects to “qualify” before buying — here’s a sneaky little trick you should be using:

Make Sure Nearly ALL Your Prospects Will Be Able
To Check Off ?Yes? For Nearly ALL Your
Involvement Checklist ?Questions?!

Otherwise, there’s no point in even doing this in the first place.

Right?

Lastly, I want you to think about this:

How To Make Your Prospects Feel
You?ve Got Something In Common With Them!

One way you can do this, is by asking a certain type of question. Joe Sugarman calls these… “Head-Nodding Tags”.

“Head-Nodding Tags” are rhetorical questions you ask your prospects, that cause them to “nod” their heads in agreement with you.

For example, go back through today’s Tip and find each of these “Head-Nodding Tags” I’ve used:

See how you start visualizing the packages… and how they’re becoming more and more real to you, as they start getting inside your mind, almost “forcing” you to picture them?

And all your “wants” come from feelings you’re having, not “practical and rational” thoughts you may be thinking, right?

Don’t you love getting asked questions about a subject you’re interested in, and maybe even a bit of an expert in?
See where I’m going with all this?

Right?
The purpose of each of these questions, is to get you and me in “sync” — to show we’re both in agreement on each of these points, bonding us closer together along these unified lines.

Don’t be afraid to use these kinds of questions in your sales copy, but again… make sure the answer to each of them will be “Yes.”

Also, in case you didn’t realize it, asking you to go back over this Tip and start looking for these questions (and yes, there were more), is another great involvement device.

P.S. Next week, we’ll finish up with involvement devices. I?ll show you some more outstanding ways a few companies out there are going out of their way to get their prospects involved with them.

P.P.S. And don?t forget – after the 21st, the opportunity for you to get your FREE bonus with your Magnetic Marketing Kit, will disappear like… a snowman in the Florida sunshine!

Any comments?

Send them to me by scooting over to the contact form on my “Here’s How To Contact Craig” page, and maybe I’ll publish them next time. I appreciate your feedback!

And if you haven ‘t already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week – it’s the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

?Craig Garber is America’s Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You’ll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright ? Craig Garber. All rights reserved.?

Craig’s probably one of the most grounded and humble guys, you’ll ever speak to.
You would be hard-pressed to find someone with a stronger work-ethic, or more committed to your success, than Craig. He really knows what the important things are in life. He has the ability to connect with those who read his copy that is a rare gift.

Craig has an uncanny “sixth sense” about making a positive difference in his family life and the world today.
He has the unique ability to get “under the hood” of what’s really important in life. His advice about how to raise young people with heroic potential is very inspiring.

Craig was raised literally on the mean streets of the Bronx, in New York City.
His early experiences quickly honed his street-wise survival skills. He was forced to understand human nature and anticipate human behavior, to successfully escape the death-grip of grinding poverty and extreme hopelessness.

No one’s 100% certain where his “magic” comes from.
I believe it is a combination of his winning and energetic charisma, combined with his zest for living life to the fullest. His love for his wife Ann and three children provides an insight into family life that is invaluable. Their love for him is his rock and strong foundation.

Craig is also a genius in his own right.
He has an uncanny intuitive perception. When this is combined with a 157 genius I.Q. and his “school of hard knocks experiences,” this guarantees a perspective that is unique and definitely worth listening to.

Craig’s family, clients and the world benefits from his integrity, hard work and desire to give back to the community.
He has volunteered to be the initial copywriter to create a sales letter for the first “In Search Of Heroes Program” inspirational and educational book, “How Everyday Heroes Think and Grow Rich.” This incredibly valuable book will teach everyone the secret wisdom that comes from the life experiences of all the inernet and health heroes.

You will learn the secrets of how each hero changed their though processes to overcome fear and doubt, to achieve physical and emotional health and financial wealth beyond their wildest dreams.
You will discover who were the heroes in their lives that helped them become incredibly successful in their chosen fields. You will be amazed at the astounding emotional, physical and financial obstables they had to overcome to achieve the life of their dreams.

Knowing the secrets of the heroes recognized by the “In Search Of Heroes Program” will help young people be successful in all areas of life at an early age.
Once they learn the closely guarded secrets and techniques for copywriting, marketing, asset protection, public relations and health, the sky is the limit. Armed with this knowledge and the correct internet tools, be ready for miracles that will blow everyone’s minds.

These secrets are worth their weight in gold.
Happiness is a choice. Health, wealth and great friendships are the elements that can make life even more enjoyable.

It has taken me 55 years to learn these secrets.
If only I had known them when I was a teenager…I would not have had to suffer form all the health problems and experience so many financial disasters! I would now be living the life of my dreams.

Well, the simple truth is… they’re all… “Baby Boomers”!

The “Baby Boomer” generation accounts for all of us born between January 1, 1946 and December 31, 1963.

Here’s a few interesting facts about the baby boomers in general:

First, they control 70% of the entire net worth of the United States!
Second… they represent 27.5% of the population according to the last census, taken in 2000.
And third… once they start hitting 40… many of them…
Start Having Problems With Their Eyesight!

It’s true!

According to the National Eye Institute’s 2002 Report called “Vision Problems In The U.S.”, there are 3,406,280 people over age 40, who have some kind of visual impairment!

And generally, for many folks… the older you get, the worse your eyesight gets.

So here’s a little tip if you’re selling goods or services to older folks: Since you’re likely to have a higher percentage of them who do have vision problems…

Make Sure Your Ads Are Easy To Read!

So, here’s what you should do: Studies have shown, using a font called “Courier 10 BT” produces a larger ad response than other fonts.

Now be careful, Courier 10 BT, is NOT the same as the “Courier New” font, you may already have on your computer.

Not at all!

See, the Courier 10 BT font, is a little darker. And this darker font, is easier to read… and this lifts the response to your ads.

Here’s an example of the Courier 10 BT Font in action:

“If you can read this,
you’re still doing fine sonny boy!”

It’s sure not the prettiest font in the world — it’s more like the old-style fonts you used to have on your typewriters (Remember those?) — but, it works like a charm… and you won’t ever get in trouble for making your ads easier to read, right?

Anyhow, if you want to guarantee your ads are easy to read, and you’re working in a marketplace that may be visually challenged, use the Courier 10 BT font.

And if you don’t already have this font installed on your computer, feel free to download it here from me — my gift to you for being a subscriber of mine.

Download Your Courier
10 BT Font By Clicking Here

This is a great font to use, especially in you Direct Mail sales letters, and… I’ve even seen it used effectively online.

Don’t, however, use it in your newspaper or magazine display ads, unless it happens to be the same font, articles are printed in.

When you run display ads, you must use an editorial-style format using a font that matches the font “normal” articles are printed in (which for many papers is Times New Roman — this font).

P.S. Want to hear a few more facts about the Baby Boomers?

They have an estimated annual spending power of $1 Trillion Dollars!
They have a higher divorce rate, and a higher rate of “staying single” than prior generations…
And… over 50% of them are living in the following 9 states: California, Texas, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and New Jersey.
And… according to the latest stats… it looks like they’ll be living to 79.5 years of age. Which is…

Not Long Enough, If You Ask Me!

Later.

Did you like this tip? Let me know. Send your comments to me by scooting over to the contact form on my “Here’s How To Contact Craig” page. I appreciate your feedback!

If you’ve never had to do this before, you really just “can’t”
imagine what it’s like to put your old pet dog down to sleep
for good. Trust me, it’s one of the saddest things you’ll
ever have to do.

And if you’re heterosexual, you just “can’t” imagine what
it’s like being gay.

But one thing you can imagine, is… if you do enough leg-
work, that is… you really CAN imagine what it’s like to
stand in your prospect’s shoes.

And if you’re selling something, I hope you’re trying
to imagine this, harder than anything else.

Because therein lies the key to your future.

That’s why 40 to 50% of my time and “energy” goes towards
“researching” whatever project it is I’m working on.

Another 40 to 50% is spent on the actual writing… and 10%
is spent on… “whatever”.

And in case you’re not too good with math, this means a HUGE
part of my life is spent learning.

Thank goodness I like to read and learn new things that are
going on out there in the world today.

So make SURE you know every single detail about who you’re
selling to… and “what” you’re really selling — it’s
where all your money is buried.

Imagine that.

And if you haven ‘t already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week – it’s the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

?Craig Garber is America’s Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You’ll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright ? Craig Garber. All rights reserved

A man is walking down 7th Avenue in Manhattan and he asks a
stranger ‘How do you get to Carnegie Hall?’

The stranger tips his hat and politely says, ‘Practice…
Practice… Practice.’

Now there are a couple of things I know about:

First of all, I do, in fact, know exactly what it takes to
get to Carnegie Hall, because I played there in 1976, at
the tender age of 13.

Back then I played lead tenor saxophone in the Bronx
Borough-Wide Band, and believe you me, we practiced our
butts off!

The cool thing about Carnegie Hall, is that everything you’ve
ever heard about the acoustics there, is 100% true.

For instance, a bunch of us kids stood on the stage, speaking
to some other kids who were standing W-A-A-Y back up in the last
row of the highest balcony, and in a voice just slightly louder than
your normal speaking voice, we were able to hear one
another just fine.

It was almost unbelievable!

The other cool thing was, you got to sign your name into a
‘history book’ when you played there.

I guess they keep records of every performer who entertains
on their stage, and that made you feel pretty special –
especially when you’re 13 years old.

Anyway, the other thing I know about, is how to write
winning sales copy.

And what you need to know, is that writing winning sales
copy is a learnable skill you get better at, by
repetition.

The simple truth is, the same way you become a better foul
shooter in basketball, and the same way you become a better
musician, is the exact same way you become a better
marketer, and… a better copywriter.

Practice… practice… practice.

And if you haven ‘t already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week – it’s the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

?Craig Garber is America’s Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You’ll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright ? Craig Garber. All rights reserved.?