Copywriting Keys to Conquer the Social Media Kingdom

I met Allison Nazarian through Facebook a few months ago and I've enjoyed networking with her. She recently sent me an announcement about a free webinar I think may interest my readers.

As you know, I think copywriting is pretty important when it comes to selling. And I, like most of you, know that Social Media is the way of the future (and of the now for that matter) when it comes to marketing anything - yourself, your brand or your business.

So I am teaming up with Craig Cannings, a well-known very successful leader of social media, a trainer and e-learning expert (and many of you will also know him as Founder of VAClassroom.com) to present a free (as in NO CHARGE!) webinar event entitled:

"Discover the Copywriting Keys to Conquering the Social Media Kingdom."

There is tons (and tons and tons) of content that needs to be produced (by you or someone working on your behalf) regularly...articles, blog posts, press releases, twitter bios and tweets, other social media profiles, PDF e-books, Hubpages and Squidoo Lenses - and the list goes on.

Many businesses are seeing the great value in creating and mass distributing relevant web content to their target market(s) BUT they are lacking either copywriting skills or the social marketing savvy they must have to effectively bolster their business efforts.

In this webinar, we will discuss how you can use copywriting to leverage the power of social media and move your business exactly where you want it to be - in 2009 and beyond.

So, check out this five-minute video and sign up for the NO-CHARGE (as in free) webinar event: http://www.copywritingkingdom.com/.

Be sure to add your name and e-mail address to receive some great bonus content (you will also receive a Special Report entitled Five Copywriting Strategies Guaranteed To Successfully Bring You, Your Brand & Your Business Into The New Kingdom)

So take five minutes to visit and check out the video - and most importantly, to claim your spot for this webinar: http://www.copywritingkingdom.com/

(For quick reference, the free webinar "Discover the Copywriting Keys to Conquering the Social Media Kingdom" will take place on March 5, at 5 p.m. Eastern (2 p.m. PST)I look forward to connecting with you at the webinar in a couple weeks.

To Your Success,
Allison Nazarian

Copywriting Keys to Conquer the Social Media Kingdom

I just got word about a free (as in NO CHARGE!) webinar. Here are the details from Allison Nazarian.

As you know, I think copywriting is pretty important when it comes to selling. And I, like most of you, know that Social Media is the way of the future (and of the now for that matter) when it comes to marketing anything - yourself, your brand or your business.

So I am teaming up with Craig Cannings, a well-known very successful leader of social media, a trainer and e-learning expert (and many of you will also know him as Founder of VAClassroom.com) to present a free (as in NO CHARGE!) webinar event entitled:

"Discover the Copywriting Keys to Conquering the Social Media Kingdom."

There is tons (and tons and tons) of content that needs to be produced (by you or someone working on your behalf) regularly...articles, blog posts, press releases, twitter bios and tweets, other social media profiles, PDF e-books, Hubpages and Squidoo Lenses - and the list goes on.

Many businesses are seeing the great value in creating and mass distributing relevant web content to their target market(s) BUT they are lacking either copywriting skills or the social marketing savvy they must have to effectively bolster their business efforts.

In this webinar, we will discuss how you can use copywriting to leverage the power of social media and move your business exactly where you want it to be - in 2009 and beyond.

So, check out this five-minute video and sign up for the NO-CHARGE (as in free) webinar event: http://www.CopywritingKingdom.com.

Be sure to add your name and e-mail address to receive some great bonus content (you will also receive a Special Report entitled Five Copywriting Strategies Guaranteed To Successfully Bring You, Your Brand & Your Business Into The New Kingdom)

So take five minutes to visit and check out the video - and most importantly, to claim your spot for this webinar: http://www.CopywritingKingdom.com

(For quick reference, the free webinar "Discover the Copywriting Keys to Conquering the Social Media Kingdom" will take place on March 5, at 5 p.m. Eastern (2 p.m. PST)I look forward to connecting with you at the webinar in a couple weeks.

To Your Success,
Allison Nazarian

Tools for Budget-challenged Authors

Those on a budget who need help with writing to help promote a book will be interested in the helpful tips in the e-books below:



Do-it-Yourself Copywriting Guaranteed to Ignite Sales & Explode Your Business is a must-have guide for anyone writing their own copy.

This do-it-yourself book is just the tool to help authors learn how to write toward their target market and get a response. Click here to obtain Copywrting 101.




The Complete Guide to Writing a Press Kit That Gets Results by Allison Nazarian is a very useful tool for anyone who needs an electronic press kit to introduce themselves or their products.

This is especially needful for authors trying to get book reviews, interviews on radio shows or podcasts, or trying to get the media to run a press release. Order here.




The Complete Guide to Writing a Press Release That Gets Results–A step-by-step guide to writing a press release easily, painlessly and skillfully is an eBook that teaches the basics by defining what a press release is (and isn’t) and goes into how one should (and shouldn’t) read, look, and sound.

After demonstrating when one should be written, the author provides a template to be used as a model and explains each numbered step in the template. Purchase here.

Books to Help You Improve Your Writing

Each of these books contain valuable how-to information for writers who want to improve their skills, and especially for authors who want to do a better job of writing text to market their books.


Do-it-Yourself Copywriting Guaranteed to Ignite Sales & Explode Your Business is a must-have guide for anyone writing their own marketing copy. This do-it-yourself book is just the tool to help authors learn how to write toward their target market and get a response. Click here to obtain Copywrting 101.

The Complete Guide to Writing a Press Kit That Gets Results by Allison Nazarian is a very useful tool for anyone who needs an electronic press kit to introduce themselves or their products. This is especially needful for authors trying to get book reviews, interviews on radio shows or podcasts, or trying to get the media to run a press release. Order here.

Book Marketing in the Digital Age Online Promotion Made Easy by Yvonne Perry gives tips and how-to information include: creating an online media kit, blogging tips, getting traffic to your site, virtual book tours, social media and networking, using video for book promotion, getting author interviews, and the benefits of podcasting. Purchase here.

The Complete Guide to Writing a Press Release That Gets Results–A step-by-step guide to writing a press release easily, painlessly and skillfully is an eBook that teaches the basics by defining what a press release is (and isn’t) and goes into how one should (and shouldn’t) read, look, and sound. After demonstrating when one should be written, the author provides a template to be used as a model and explains each numbered step in the template. Purchase here.

Copywriting “Summit” Promises Writers Better Clients and Higher Profits

An October 2008 online copywriting conference targets current and aspiring commercial copywriters – those writing for businesses and for hourly rates of $50 to $125 and up. This first-ever conference of its type features industry experts, 10-plus sessions of “virtual learning” and a goal of boosting the income of existing practitioners while “fast-tracking” new copywriters.

SAN DIEGO, CA, September 18, 2008 – Say “writer” and many think, “starving.” But when Michael Stelzner thinks about writing, he’s envisioning a much more lucrative outcome. Stelzner, best-selling author of Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged and recognized authority on writing white papers, is the creator of Copywriting Summit 2008, a virtual online conference coming in October, featuring industry heavyweights and targeting current and aspiring commercial copywriters – freelancers who write for businesses large and small, and for hourly rates of $50 to $125 or more.

Stelzner says, “American businesses farm out an enormous amount of copywriting – brochures, direct mail, white papers, ads, web content, and more – and Copywriting Summit 2008 is the first online conference dedicated solely to its practitioners. The goal is to help take existing copywriting businesses to the next level of profitability while ‘fast-tracking’ those new to the field.”

In addition to Stelzner, presenters include commercial copywriting veterans and best-selling authors Bob Bly (Secrets of a Freelance Writer), arguably the Godfather of the field; Peter Bowerman (the Well-Fed Writer titles); and Steve Slaunwhite (Start and Run a Copywriting Business), along with several guest speakers.

The live conference will be held in webinar format, with attendees logging in from any computer for 12 sessions throughout October 2008 – all onscreen presentations with live audio. Tuition for all sessions is $497 (with a $200 early-bird discount until September 25) and includes recordings of all sessions. Notes Stelzner, “We wanted to make this an accessible opportunity for just about anyone looking to grab their share of this exceptionally profitable copywriting arena.”

Bowerman distinguishes this event from those focused on “direct response” copywriting, the ultra-promotional “long-letter” style often used to promote nutritional supplements, real estate investing opportunities and others. He says, “Many writers uncomfortable writing in that style are delighted to discover this ‘no-hype’ copywriting arena – the focus of the event – offering far greater opportunities and handsome pay. For those already in the field, the conference will help them attract higher-quality and higher-paying clients.”

Says Bly about commercial writing, “I know of no other field of writing so lucrative yet so easy to get started in.” Adds Slaunwhite: “This field is a goldmine for those with strong writing skills and the desire to make a solid living – while enjoying enviable work-at-home benefits.”

In discussing conference highlights, Stelzner says, “Attendees will learn the secrets of the top experts in the field, how to attract the right kinds of clients, how to turn prospects into clients, how to sidestep your competitors, pricing strategies to boost income, discovering the right niche, and a lot more. Plus, they’ll get to ask questions live and get answers on the spot. There’s never been an event like this before, demand is high, and we’re thrilled to be able to deliver it.”

For more information, see http://www.copywritingsummit.com

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Copywriters and Freelance Writers Online Seminar

The 2008 Copywriting Success Summit is for existing commercial copywriters who write for businesses and already have a few corporations as clients, but is actively pursuing new opportunities. The online seminar is also for full time freelance writers and those who write on the side.

Here are some of the sessions:

* How to Be a Highly Paid Copywriter as a One-Person Business
* Contact to Contract: Turning Prospects Into Clients!
* Your 60-Minute Marketing Plan
* Becoming the King (or Queen) of the Hill in Your Niche
* How to Gain Exposure Using Social Networking Sites
* Becoming a $125-per-Hour Writer and Beyond
* Making Top Dollar Writing White Papers
* Pricing Your Copywriting Services

The Summit combines the efforts of many thought leaders in the field of business copywriting to provide a unique professional development opportunity. The event will be delivered as a series of 12 virtual presentations over the course of a month in October 2008. The event will also include an exclusive online forum for all participants.

The Copywriting Success Summit 2008 offers professional development opportunity because it will:

• Teach "how to" sell and market copywriting services
• Provide sales and marketing tactics that work
• Offer the opportunity to participate in a live event with the leading business copywriters
• Allow the freelance copywriter to learn from the comfort of his or her home
• Create an opportunity to network with peers

The speakers are Bob Bly, Peter Bowerman, Steve Slaunwhite, Michael Stelzner, Brian Clark, Casey Hibbard, and Jon McCulloch.

For more information, see http://www.copywritingsummit.com

The cost and availability: Ticket prices will be discounted to $397 between Sept. 26th and Oct. 6th ($100 savings).

The Most Important Words on Your Web Site

By Penny C. Sansevieri

When I coach authors on what their Web site needs to look like, I spend a lot of time talking about the words on their Web site, i.e. their copywriting. But even more important than the collection of words are a few individual phrases no site can be without.

Sign-up: getting your visitor to sign up for something is important. Why? Because studies have shown that surfers don't often buy the first time they land on your site. Often they want to browse, shop, maybe bookmark you for later. If they bookmark you, you've lost a sale. Don't get me wrong, I love it when someone bookmarks the Author Marketing Experts site but when they do, the likelihood of my being able to sell to them is minimal. Instead, I get them into the AME funnel by encouraging prospective customers to sign up for something they want, i.e. our Book Marketing Expert Newsletter. And then to encourage them even further, we actually give them something for signing up: our Top 50 Media contact list. So if you're not asking for a sign-up, you might want to reconsider this. Then, give them an ethical bribe in return: give them something they want. Don't just throw a freebie at them and expect your visitor to jump for joy. Here's a clue: if you wouldn't want the freebie, it's likely they won't either.

Buy: most of us have been taught not to ask for what we want. I'm giving you permission to not only ask for it, but put it on your home page. So often I talk to authors who say their Web sites aren't selling. They're not selling because the author forgets to ask for the sale. The words Buy or Buy Now are a call to action that will greatly increase your chances of making a sale. If this isn't on your home page, have your Web master or Web designer add it ASAP.

Free: I know, now I'm getting confusing, right? I just told you that you needed to ask for the sale and now I'm telling you that you need to give it away. Well, yes and no. Let me explain. First, while you want to have a strong call to action and a "funnel" to get folks into your marketing message, you also want to give something away (besides the newsletter freebie). 

Consider this: people want information or they want to be entertained or they want to be educated. If you can do any of these things, go for it. A way you can do this might be through your blog, blogging is a fantastic way to disseminate information in a free format. The next might be through a game on your site, a resource or article page, or other information on your subject or area of expertise. We had a client once who wrote a book about working with difficult people and she had a game on her site that would let visitors launch a gnarly co-worker out of a cannon (while I love everyone I work with, I used this for other, eh, outside AME people). Things like that have a great pass-through factor, meaning that folks will pass along the site or link so others can share in the fun as well. Remember the "Elf yourself" that Office Depot did last holiday season? I must have gotten that link sent to me 25 times. No kidding. People love freebies. Make 'em laugh, educate them or give them something they can't get anywhere else and they'll beat a path to your door.

The point being that even the best Web site copy has a few elements that shouldn't be overlooked. By incorporating just a few simple steps, you can really begin to see your site go from a ho-hum author Web site to a rockin' selling tool!

Here's to your success both online and off!

Penny C. Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., is a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert. Her company is one of the leaders in the publishing industry and has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns. She is the author of five books, including Book to Bestseller which has been called the "road map to publishing success." To learn more about her books or her promotional services, you can visit her Web site at www.amarketingexpert.com. To subscribe to her free ezine, send a blank email to: mailto:subscribe@amarketingexpert.com
Copyright© 2008 Penny C. Sansevieri

Should I Copyright My Work?

By Carol Denbow

One of the most commonly asked questions of new authors is “Should I copyright my work?” Authors are concerned their work might be stolen by some smuck (sorry, couldn’t think of a better descriptive word) who reprints their work and claims authorship for it. Well, the truth is, it could be. But whether filing a legal copyright will make a difference; that’s uncertain.

Since the 1976 Copyright Act, the need to file a legal copyright has changed. The new copyright act states, “Copyright protection now subsists from the time the work is created in fixed form. The copyright in the work of authorship immediately becomes the property of the author who created the work. Only the author or those deriving their rights through the author can rightfully claim copyright.” (U.S. Copyright Office, “Copyright Office Basics,” Who Can Claim Copyright, www.copyright.gov, Washington, DC, 2006)

If you find that someone has reprinted your work under their name, the process of claiming copyright follows about the same path whether you have legally or assumedly copyrighted your work. The first step to take is to contact the U.S Copyright office and report the infringement. Also contact Writer Beware (http://www.sfwa.org/beware/).

For legitimate authors, a rule of thumb is never copy more than three words in sequence of another person’s work. If you want to use someone else’s work word-for-word as part of your book, such as a quote or research document, you will need written permission from that person (See Vol. 6).
If you lose sleep worrying that someone will steal your work, by all means, file a legal copyright. The journey to becoming a published author can be stressful enough without this additional concern.
If you’re concerned about the total protection of your work, or feel better with the guarantee of register copyright, visit the U.S. Copyright office online to learn more about the copyright process (see resources).
Copyright symbol © Wrapping the letter “c” will automatically create a copyright symbol on your word processor. Include the month and year, i.e., Copyright © April 2008 by “your name.”

Suggested Reading: U.S. Copyright www.copyright.gov

Carol Denbow is the author of Are You Ready to Be Your Own Boss? (2006 Plain & Simple Books, LLC), Stress Relief for the Working Stiff (summer 2008 Publish America) and A Book Inside, Writing, Publishing, and Selling Your Story (Summer 2008 Plain & Simple Books, LLC).

Copywriting Training: The Fundamentals You Need To Understand When Writing Copy

By Jo Han Mok

When you are trying to learn how to write an effective sales letter in any copywriting training course, you need to first recognize and understand the basics. The basics are crucial in order for the sales letter to flow nicely. I will briefly elaborate on them.

1. The Qualifier

A qualifier is a term to let the reader know to whom this sales letter is intended to. A pre-header if you will. If you did not apply a qualifier into the sales letter there could be a misinterpretation of information. For example, a man looking for ways on how to fish better would not want to read a sales letter on copywriting training. For example: Attention: All fishing enthusiasts who have always dreamed of finding the perfect lure! You may have seen this kind of qualifier before and this is what you call a qualifying statement. There is no doubt who this sales letter or web page is for.

2. The Headline

First, adding open and closed inverted commas or a quotation mark somehow appeals more to the eye when a headline is being read. It is almost like the eye-catching sensation when you read a fiction book, where you prefer to know what the character is going to say rather than what the narrator is trying to tell you.

"Think about the quotation mark is a sign of me trying to tell you something and you have no choice but to read it." When you're inventing a headline, create one that packs a hell of a punch. Make the reader stop to read your headline and be in awe of it. The choices of words you use are VERY important. Choose the words that arouse interest in the prospect. In turn, the reader moves on to the next line and eventually the whole sales letter, to see what you're up to, and that is, promoting the product.

3. The Opener or Lead-In

The opening of a sales letter is like the opening of a conversation with someone. You may start by telling a story to invoke curiosity to make them want to read on and know more. The story could be a fantasy or a problem someone had. Make sure it subtly leads to the product you're promoting or you might as well write a fairy tale right then and there.

4. The Body Copy

A BIG mistake among first-time copywriters and advertisers is their ability to sell a product's features but not its benefits. If you sell a product's features, the prospect will be thinking, "So what if the software is most updated in its technology? I want to know what it can do for me." Thus, subtly try to make your prospect understand what it is about this product and why they must have it in their life. Basically you want to answer the burning questions that your prospect has which are.

Who are you? Why should I listen to you? Whats in it for ME?

5. Sub-Headlines

Sub-headlines are a teaser for what's coming right up in the sales letter. It could be a quote or it could be much like a headline, but with a little less impact.

Adding a subhead can increase the readership in your sales letter and increase the likelihood of closing the sale. When a prospect is reading your copy, and gets to a section that is either boring to them or looks like it is too difficult to keep reading, a good subhead will grab them by the eyeballs and force them to keep reading.

So in essence a good subhead can be somewhat of a headline styled point that pulls your reader down into your copy.

6. Bullets

Bullets basically summarizes up the product's benefits. It tells the prospect what they will get and how their lives would change if they purchase the product to arouse deeper curiosity. Also, with bullets, it is much easier to read and understand rather than having to read the benefits of the product in a paragraph.

The key point with a bullet is to peak curiosity.

7. Testimonials

People respond easily to that product when they see that it has benefited others. It is human nature on our part, because our conscious mind does not allow us to put our trust in a certain product unless there's proof big enough for us to trust it.

The beauty of testimonials is that it plays on a powerful force in human consciousness that compels us to believe in or against a decision. That force is the power of social proof.

Further study into human influence and persuasion is required to understand that point further. A good book on this is "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Dr. Robert Cialdini.

8. Closing

This section of a sales letter is your last chance to prove to the prospect that the product is something worth having. You may state how different this product is, how rare it is on the market and how beneficial the product is to the prospect.

Another tactic to use in the close is the take-away or making the product or service scarce or limited availability. This tactic forces your prospect to think twice about leaving without ordering and a large percentage of them WILL end up buying.

Writing powerful copy is quite simple if only you understand your market and know what their needs, wants and wishes are. All too often people are quick to write a sales letter to close a sale yet never give concerted thought to WHO they are writing to and what they want and need. Research into your market is key but once you know who your market is and what they want, your sales will skyrocket as a result.

Copyright (c) 2007 Jo Han Mok

Jo Han Mok is a #1 bestselling author and one of the world's most powerful copywriters. Discover his copywriting training secrets that have generated millions of dollars! Visit his website at http://www.internetmillionairecode.com

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