Be Careful With Questions. Very Careful.

Lots of people send me copy to review with questions in the headlines or sub-headlines, and frankly this is a very dangerous thing to do.

For starters, in social settings and in courtrooms, questions are often used to “trap” someone into saying something or putting themselves in a position they really didn’t mean to. By using reverse logic, and starting at the end result of where you want to to, it’s really not that hard to back someone into a corner.

I’ll assume if you’re a reader of this e-zine that you’re smarter than the average bear, so I can safely assume you’ve probably been able to use this kind of logic to get to an “A-ha!” moment yourself, either in a personal or business relationship, more than once.

True?

Good, so you understand the first thing you need to be wary of when using questions: Like cars and baseballs, they are weapons when in the wrong hands.

Now let’s talk about the second thing you need to watch out for.

The second thing has to do with asking the WRONG question. And the wrong question is any question that has even the slightest possibility of getting the wrong answer from the right prospect.

But before we talk about the wrong answers from the right people, appreciate that the ONLY two answers to your headline question can be either “yes” or “no.” “What’s your favorite flavor ice cream?” isn’t a question you want to ask. Do You Love Chocolate?, on the other hand, is an excellent question to ask, because if you’re selling chocolate, ALL your prospects will say yes.

And if you’re asking a question, you ALWAYS want their answer to be “Yes.” You want to start your prospect down the “yes highway”, right from the get-go.

So basically, for the most part, the wrong answer is going to be any answer other than Yes.

The big problem is, most questions I see eliminate prospects, instead of attracting them to you. For instance, asking someone “Can you see yourself on stage, getting paid top-dollar as a world-class lead guitarist?” will ultimately elicit a number of “No” responses from people who either don’t see themselves really being that talented... or who just don’t want to get paid to play guitar... or who have insecurities and hang-ups, and for any number of other reasons.

On the other hand, “Would you like to be able to shred and play guitar as well as ANY world-class lead guitarist?” will ONLY elicit “Yes” responses from every prospect who wants to learn how to play guitar.

So be mindful of this second trap, which is NOT taking your prospect down the “Yes” highway.

And lastly, be specific and provoke curiosity whenever possible, and here’s a simple way of doing this. There’s an old famous headline written by Maxwell Sackheim for an English course, that supposedly ran for 40 years.

The headline said “Do You Make These Mistakes In English?”

This prompted tremendous curiosity over the more bland “Do You Make Mistakes In English?”, which is simply very vague, comparatively. And as you know, curiosity is one of THE most important emotional buy-buttons to push when it comes to selling (see http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive for more information on pushing buy-buttons).

So there you have it, that’s the cat’s meow on questions, and if you didn’t learn something from this, then feel your wrist because you are dead and have no pulse.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Remember, if you do not already subscribe to my Offline Newsletter, today is the LAST day you can get this month’s issue. Inside you’ll find:

• At LEAST one-dozen different online web page testing results, and how you can use them to improve your response rates in your own business! (Including testing of fonts, audio, photos, drop-caps, colors, scroll bars, home page, long versus short copy, and... much much more!)
• The three words I added to my home page that almost DOUBLED my response from 21.5% to 40.3%! (And no, “Free” wasn’t one of them!)
• Find out when a watch-winder is NOT a watch-winder, and how to “make” yourself or your product appear totally different to what you really are! This allows you to COMPLETELY separate yourself from the rest of your competition so there is no possible comparison between you and them! (on pages 5 and 7)
• The right way... and the wrong way... to research a product, including LIVE examples!
• How to use scarcity for a REALLY boring product, and what kinds of bonuses to give with the product to make it really dynamic!
• The fine slice of wisdom Mark Twain served up that shows you the power of FEAR and how to conquer it! (on page 8)
• Topical press release ideas for the completely oblivious! (So simple, even my ex-wife could figure them out!)
• How being Seldom Right But Never In Doubt helped create a $2.7 Billion Dollar empire!
• And much much more!

Test-drive it FREE here, and get FREE interviews, prior issues, and even free copy and marketing strategy critiques, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Black, White, Yellow? It’s all Greek to me.

So I spent the past 4 days in England -- sick with a cold from not sleeping on the plane flight over -- but enjoying myself none the less, and on my road to recovery.

England is a huge melting pot, culturally -- as much as New York City, for sure.

And while it’s not unusual seeing different shapes, sizes, and colors of people speaking different languages, it is VERY unusual HEARING all these folks from completely different cultures -- all speaking English, and all speaking with British accents.

For example, yesterday I sat on the plane with a black man who looked like former NBA Basketballer Charles Barkley. The man had such a thick Scottish accent I had to pay very close attention to what he was saying to understand him.

The day before, I was eating lunch in a town called Harpenden (at a place called The Slug And Lettuce) and I overheard an Asian man talking on his cell phone -- he had a strong London Cockney accent.

When you hear people who look a certain way, speaking with very strong accents you’ve never seen them use before, there’s a bit of a disconnect in your ability to digest what’s going on. It’s like the words and music don’t match, and there’s a delay in your processing of it all.

Of course, no matter where you are, people are people, and so if you can relate to them, and especially if you can make them laugh using clever wit and self-deprecating humor, it takes no time at all to establish rapport.

This is universal the world over -- even in places where people can’t speak English. Yesterday I arrived in Portugal, where almost no one speaks English outside of the big cities. In Portugal you hear French, Portuguese, Spanish and lots of other languages I couldn’t begin to identify.

Portugal is unusual in that it is so well-designed and modern as far as their roads, buildings, architecture and infrastructure goes, you may as well be in Miami or New York -- but then you’ll be driving around a small town and you’ll have to pull your car over and sit and wait until the local shepherd gets his flock of sheep across the road. I actually got some great pictures of this, including a picture of a newborn sheep, just moments after it was delivered. I may even be able to replace the picture on the back of my offline newsletter, in the “Tales From The Back End” column, with one of these snapshots I took yesterday.

The world’s a pretty interesting place -- all you need to do is get out and kick the tires around a bit.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. This month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter was mailed out last week - get your copy TODAY and receive two free sales copy and marketing critiques, TOTALLY risk-free: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Who said: oderint dum metuant

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was assassinated on January 24th, 41. Not 1941, but 41. You see, Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus -- also known as Caligula, the third Roman Emperor, was also one of the most hated and despised men to ever walk the face of the earth.

Caligula had a saying -- it was “oderint dum metuant”, which means “let them hate, so long as they fear.”

Fear is a dangerous button to push, and there are many ways to direct fear -- whether you’re guiding prospects or even family members.

For example, you can make your children somewhat fearful of strangers, because in today’s crazy world, it’s probably better that they are NOT overly friendly with people they don’t know. That’s actually using fear for their own good, and not at anyone’s expense.

Then there’s the kind of fear where you put the fear of God into people by acknowledging a common enemy and creating paranoia. And you see, the natural reaction of this is that the people in fear will rally around the messenger.

After all, if you are the one pointing out the evils of “whoever,” then you must be the one to listen to, right?

Some folks say the Bush administration has used some tactics like this in our positioning with the “evil-doers.” Meaning, if we are afraid of the evil-doers, then we have no choice to rally around our own government, because in reality, who else is left?

I don’t put stuff like this past any government -- especially our government. If Caligula and a silly marketer like myself can understand these concepts, then surely W and his crew can figure it out too, no?

Other people say Michael Moore is doing this with his movies, making us all afraid of our own government. Funny how this all works, isn’t it?

Yet others say I’m doing the same thing making you afraid to even think about Michael Moore or George Bush -- or even Eva Longoria and Tony Parker’s wedding.

Weird, huh?

How can you use fear in your marketing? Can you rally your prospects and clients around you? And do you want to?

Let me know.

Now listen closely, tomorrow I’m going on a nice little business vacation. I’m going over to the beautiful UK, where it’s been raining for 30 days and 30 nights so I hear, but it’s going to get nice and bright once I get there.

Then from London, I’m going to hop on over to Portugal to see my friend Christian Godefroy -- one of THE sharpest men around. In fact, if I’m lucky, I’ll be able to persuade Christian to do an interview with me, and next month I’ll release it as my Audio Success CD to my newsletter subscribers in August.

And if I’m not lucky enough to do that, then you will get nothing.

So what I’m saying is that you won’t be hearing from me much next week -- time to have some fun. This also means you won’t have many opportunities to test-drive my newsletter and get this month’s Audio Success CD interview with Rod Underhill -- the founder of mp3.com and by far THE wisest person I’ve ever spoken to about intellectual property.

If you want to hear what Rod has to say, and if you want to uncover the results of over a dozen different online tests I’ve run online, using a wide variety of marketing variables, then test-drive Seductive Selling Free, right now: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

I will also send you TWO free copywriting and marketing critiques along with your newsletter as well.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. If you want to raise your game, and kick it up several notches, then apply for membership in my newest coaching group, right here. : http://www.kingofcopy.com/mavericks

Sometimes You Deserve To Get Swindled -- Maybe

A quote falsely attributed to P.T. Barnum (founder of the famous Barnum and Bailey Circus), but actually coined by famous con-man Joseph ("Paper Collar Joe") Bessimer, said “There’s a sucker born every minute... and two to take ‘em.”

Here’s a blatant example of this: Recently, here in Tampa actually, the FTC nailed a business for making false and deceptive claims. A company was selling a product called “Height Max” and they were claiming this supplement increased height in users between ages 12-25 years old.

In fact, specifically, they said Height Max would make you grow an extra 2 to 3 inches in 6 months, while also increasing lean body mass at the same time.

Obviously, anyone who’s got common sense would understand this simply isn’t possible, without doing some serious genetic altering, or without using growth hormones that would radically impact the internal workings of your body.

It’s just common sense here. Caveat Emptor.

The thing is though -- and you will see this pretty much consistently throughout any kind of fraudulent activity -- what scammers play on is feelings of frustration and humiliation. They are in the “pain relief” business, but they are not really able to relieve the pain they say they can.

The good news is, if you look at yourself as also being in the “pain relief” business, and you focus on the emotional triggers you will be relieving, you will be able to sell into those triggers just as easily, while being honest.

For instance, if you’re a computer geek, you can sell into the elimination of “lack of progress”, “down time.”

If you’re a landscaper, you’re selling into the pain relief of “not enough time”, “not enough skills”, and “not looking as good as your neighbors.”

And if you’re a back doctor, you sell into “pain relief” -- not “I’ve been in business for 13 years.”

Make sense?

Keep this in mind and let me know how it works for you next time.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. If you want to raise your game, and kick it up several notches, without using any kind of steroids, except the kind of steroids that are truly the MOST powerful enhancers -- “unconventional ideas and thinking” then apply for membership in my newest coaching group, right here. Our next monthly coaching call is tonight!: http://www.kingofcopy.com/mavericks

P.P.S. Seductive Selling Newsletter -- this month’s issue will be mailed out soon. Get your copy, and two free sales copy and marketing critiques, TOTALLY risk-free right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

When Deception Works Effectively In Your Marketing

I get stuff like this a lot, “Craig, why can’t I just run an ad with a headline that says “Free Sex” and then try and sell them life insurance.

Here’s why this doesn’t work, and frankly, why deception doesn’t work in general. I will give you an example that I think will make things perfectly clear:

Let’s say you are a guy. You come home from a hard days work. In fact, your day absolutely SUCKED. Your biggest customer got VERY pissed off at you... your personal assistant -- who wasn’t too swift to start with -- quit without any notice... and your biggest supplier just gave you a 30-day notice about how their prices are going to double.

On top of that, your back is KILLING you and your Chiropractor is out of town.

But... things are about to get IMMENSELY better. See, as you walk through your front door, your wife is standing there in just about the most erotic piece of lingerie you can imagine (and you’ve got a VERY vivid imagination). Her hair is all done up, her makeup is on perfectly... her lips are pouty red... and she’s got a glass of wine in her hands and another one poured on the counter for you.

She says, “Get over here -- NOW!” as she slowly saunters into the bedroom, walking slowly in her FMP’s. She pulls you close to her, sticks her tongue in your mouth, and then continues walking towards the bed -- you following her like a ravenous mountain lion stalks a bloody wounded gazelle -- absolutely mesmerized.

She lays down on the bed, you follow, and then suddenly, she whips out a stack of pamphlets and papers with illustrations and price quotes about the new kitchen counter she’s been dying to get, that you haven’t wanted to talk about.

Sickening, isn’t it?

What’s your feeling at this point?

Disgusted? Disappointed? Frustrated? Annoyed?

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, and more.

But you see, THIS is the exact same reaction -- the same sense of disappointment you provoke in your clients -- when you tell them “Free Sex” in the headline, and then you want to sell them life insurance... or golf balls... or toiletries... or anything else other than what the headline says.

Get it?

Look, the truth is, if you can’t be CREATIVE enough to tell a good story about the truth... then you’re probably not going to be able to lie and do it either. And if you can be creative and lie, then why not just be creative and tell the truth?

O.K.?

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. In this month’s issue of Seductive Selling, I’ll reveal the results of a dozen different online web page variables you can test -- and how the results will impact your response rates. Test-drive it now, FREE at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl -- no deception involved, that’s for sure.

Kowabunga: Spice Girl Get Spicy!

Wow, it’s July already. I let the end of the last month slip right out from under me.

I took Anne out of town for a nice long weekend as a well-deserved surprise and now I’m feeling pretty well rested.

I got a chance to watch some television over the past few days, and is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that Posh Spice’s Boobs are like THREE times the size they used to be?

Talk about a non-subtle adjustment -- what’s inside there, two soccer balls? Yikes!

Lordy, give that surgeon an Amstel Light. Homina-homina.

Anyway, since I wasn’t around last week, and since this was a landmark issue, I’m going to give you one last chance to get your hands on last month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, and test-drive it for free.

Here’s what you’ll be missing if you ignore this:

• A VERY revealing piece (5 pages) from some actual journal pages of mine, literally just DAYS before my career broke WIDE open! This has been VERY insightful for several of my subscribers, including Cris Chico from Hollywood, Florida, who had this to say, amongst many other comments: “You took a step back to do what you love and in the end things worked out rather well… it was nice to hear that story… I am going thru a similar dilemma now... You also let us know how much and hard you work .. so often the gurus make us feel guilty because they pitch the lifestyle business.. sitting on the beach ..just collecting your coins…and yet we have too many beautiful days that we make the conscious decision to stay inside and work because we are committed to our goals… (especially in florida) kudos to you for letting us know that there are others fighting the same battles…”

• Find out how to research and create a niche information product with little to NO competition, for less than a $50 Dollar investment! (ANYONE can do this!)

• See part of a sales letter I wrote for the late Gary Halbert and how the same strategy is being used in another VERY similar product, today!

• Discover how to sell a product... that doesn’t even exist! Secrets so rare I doubt they have EVER been shared!

• On page 7 you’ll hear, first-hand, why Bob Parsons -- CEO of godaddy.com -- is full of crap! (He won’t put this on the next go-daddy television commercial, that’s for sure!)

• In Example 3 you’ll see how to position even the most mundane product (cat food) like the gold that’s inside the treasure chest -- use strategies like this and you will attract more business than you want! (And yes, this IS possible!)

• How to get your mail envelope opened! Simple, VERY simple strategies that work! (Example 1A)

• Uncover easily accessible sources of LOADS of very well-done direct-response ads, for less money than a bad latte will coast you at Starbucks!

• Specific examples of common (and critical) mistakes typically made that prevent your marketplace from “matching” with your message! (Page 3)

Allright -- enough already! If your business can’t benefit from any of this information, then unsubscribe from this list, because the info in June’s Newsletter simply doesn’t get any better than this, and today is THE last day you can get your hands on it, AND test-drive it for Free, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Tomorrow I’ll reveal something astonishing... probably.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. FINAL DAY to get your hands on this month’s test-drive and get TWO free copywriting critiques just for trying: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Q & A - A Fools Paradise

Here are a couple of questions that have recently crossed my desk.

Q:

Craig, why would anyone in his right mind use direct mail when you can use the internet to get business? Plus, sending out e-mails and using Google adwords is a lot cheaper than postage, printing, envelopes, etc.

A:

Most of the people who ask me questions like this have either never mailed a sales letter or a postcard in their entire life, or they’ve mailed “one” and it didn’t work, or... they foolishly believe the internet is like a casino that only pays out.

I’ve got news for you -- casinos that only pay out don’t exist in reality, and they don’t exist online either.

Here’s how business works: The amount of money you make, is generally directly proportional to the amount of effort you invest, and the amount of money you invest as well.

Often times you look at what you have, instead of what you’re missing -- after all, this is easy to do -- and sometimes painful, so why would you want to do this?

Well, the answer is, because usually, it what you don’t know that’s killing you -- and what you don’t know that can make you or break you.

For instance, MOST businesses will find better quality buyers offline. And when I say businesses, I mean entrepreneurs who aren’t looking to do a hit and run on you. I mean entrepreneurs who are concerned with growing a full-fledged business with CONSTANT ebbs and flows, (hopefully more of the ins than the outs, of course), that produce long-term customers with long-term value.

Why?

Because a HUGE percentage of the population online are dreamers searching for something that doesn’t exist. They think getting “Fre.e” information will somehow give them inside secrets that make them a bundle of cash, and they mistake the time they spend “reading” information, for time spent actually “taking action” on the information they read.

And if you think about it -- when’s the last time you got anything for fre.e that did something for you?

“Never” is the unilateral answer, across the board.

Even Napoleon Hill once said “information isn’t power” -- only information used WISELY is power.

And in fact, I’ll go one step further. Information not used at all, is more a waste of your time than anything else.

Now don’t get me wrong -- there are just as many people who are dreamers offline, as there are online. However, offline, you can get access to lists and run space ads for people who are buyers, whereas online, you have a harder time getting access to this information, unless you are doing some sort of joint venture -- and the results of these are NEVER promised either.

Not to mention, but some people simply aren’t searching for information online, or some industries have a difficult time finding buyers online. For instance, if you sell to small, independent excavation companies, I’m not sure you will do ANY business at all online.

So, the bottom line here is, don’t look at your marketing as an expense -- look at it as an investment, and measure your Return On this Investment, the same way you’d measure your return on any investment.

Q:

Craig, how come you are always pitching your Seductive Selling Newsletter and your Seductive Selling Marketing system? Don’t you have any other products to offer?

A:

That’s actually a very good question. First, I do have other products, and you can find them here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/products

But the truth is, the newsletter is the bedrock of ANY business, and my newsletter -- along with the audio Success CD Interview you get -- is by FAR, the strongest, most incisive and most entertaining (who else has headlines like “Now At Last, Anal Bleaching”... and this month’s headline, “What Is Peter North’s Secret?”) direct marketing newsletter out there. We get few cancellations and many many e-mails each week FILLED with praise.

Here -- take this one for instance. This just came in the other day: “Craig, no need to reply ..this is just an fyi to you. In the process of going thru your newsletter and reading a bit of your story and the financial hardships you went thru .. specifically a lightbulb went off inside my head when you commented on doing well with financial planning but your heart not being into it ..

You took a step back to do what you love and in the end things worked out rather well… it was nice to hear that story… I am going thru a similar dilemma now

You also let us know how much and hard you work .. so often the gurus make us feel guilty because they pitch the lifestyle business.. sitting on the beach ..just collecting your coins…and yet we have too many beautiful days that we make the conscious decision to stay inside and work because we are committed to our goals… (especially in florida)

Also dealing with so called friends and family that make fun of you (indirectly) cause they just don’t understand that level of commitment and intention…most of them have a better chance of understanding the theory of relativity..

most of us know the fallacy of the lifestyle pitch .. sometimes it’s good to know that there are others in the trenches with bullets barely missing the scalp ….. mud in their faces… who fight each day to get one step close to our own nirvana… despite everyone elses lack of understanding

so kudos to you for letting us know that there are others fighting the same battles…

now go sell something!” Chris Chico - Hollywood, Florida

Here’s another one: “Just finished your interview with The Loan Officer King Brian Sacks, and I have to say Kudos man. Fantastic, No B.S. information that will pay for the cost of your monthly newsletter many - many- many times over. Pure gold if you listen and extract the gems from this one. Thanks again and keep them coming...” Terry Wygal - Houston, Texas

And this one came in a few weeks ago. Greg’s in Poland right now making his next movie: “We just signed a distribution agreement for worldwide TV, DVD, and internet rights with a company who I think will do a really good job for us. Our last distributor was awful.

At least indirectly, I can thank you for this new deal, as ideas on marketing have been circulating in my head nonstop since signing up for your newsletter, and I am sure it helped my thought process during contract negotiation. Thought you'd like to know. Hope all is well with you.” Greg Bennick - Seattle, Washington

The bottom line is, my newsletter takes a fair amount of my time and I also happen to be one busy dude.

But... here’s some good news: After I get back from my trip to Europe at the end of July, I will be releasing two more products. One about headlines and one about marketing and copywriting. I will have teleseminars or webinars for each of them and as usual, they will be up to my typical ass-kicking standards.

That’s enough for today and hopefully I’ve answered one of your questions.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. only TWO DAYS LEFT! To get your hands on this month’s newsletter where I reveal the financial desperation I was going through just before things broke WIDE open for me. Chances are outstanding you have either been there, or are there now -- test-drive it fre.e and get TWO fre.e copywriting critiques just for trying: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Men are from mars, and women are from...

Men are from mars, and women are from... apparently a place less valuable than Mars. Here, check this out:

According to the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, college educated women earn 19% less than college educated men, 1 year after graduation. This, in spite of the fact that these women typically have higher GPA’s (3.16 versus 3.06) than these same men.

But it gets even worse -- ten years down the road, the pay gap widens. At this point, women are earning 31% less than men, and even the women who never take time off to have children, are STILL earning 23% less than men.

But here’s where you really need to look into things and see who’s doing the talking here. I’m not sure the AAUWEF are telling you the whole story -- and frankly, I’m not sure any of this even matters, since no one’s holding a gun to anyone’s head, and we are all completely free to choose who we want to work for... how much we’ll accept... and what we want to do.

Nevertheless... now check THIS out:

Men are more likely than women to be supervisors, and obviously a supervisor presumably earns more than the people he or she supervises.

Men also tend to work more hours per week, and this will usually earn you a few shekels more.

And the industry with the most amounts of women in CEO positions is not-for-profit, and as anyone knows, not-for-profit is also synonymous with “not a lot of money.” Healthcare comes in next, followed by legal services. Both of these professions, too, don’t pay their administrative positions as much as other sectors.

The point of this is NOT to belabor any kind of gender differences that exist, or to figure out the moral implications of the story. The point is to show you the research you need, to present whatever argument you need to make -- on an objective level -- to sell whatever it is you are trying to sell, is most likely out there somewhere. All you need to do is do a little digging and you will no doubt, find it.

Just ask the pharmaceutical companies. I do believe they know quite a bit about this kind of stuff.

If you want to see a real-life example of what I mean by research being able to support your market -- even if what you are selling doesn’t even EXIST -- then make SURE you take a look at pages 4 and 5 (and Examples 4A and 4B) in this month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter. I’ll show you an example of a sales letter I wrote back in 2003 for the late Gary Halbert, and the crazy but REAL research I did to find the sales “hook” in it. It’s NOT for conservative people to look at, since it deals with a product of an adult nature, but the marketing lessons you will discover will be VERY insightful. If you don’t already subscribe to Seductive Selling, then test-drive it for fre.e and get $1,391 worth of bonus gifts -- including FRE.E copywriting and TWO fre.e marketing critiques -- right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. It was Bullwinkle who said, “I think the blood is rushing to my antlers.”

No one knew.

14 Common Mistakes: Which One Of Them Are You Making Right NOW?

On yesterday’s Seductive Selling Coaching Call, we talked about how to use offline newsletters to make a bundle, and in many many cases, launch an entire empire. (You need to look no further than the example I make of myself, in this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter - http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl )

One of the HUGE mistakes people make in NOT publishing a newsletter, is that they wait to do it. And the reason they are waiting is because they feel they aren’t “something” enough.

You may feel you aren’t experienced enough... wealthy enough... smart enough... wise enough... have paid enough dues... or if you’re writing in a hobbyist or fitness arena, perhaps you think you’re not the most recognized... not strong enough... not big enough... not the fastest cyclist... whatever.

The point is, it doesn’t matter. No one really cares about that stuff, and no one’s even going to ask you about that, any more than the bank is going to ask or even cares how much your net worth is, before they deposit your check.

See where I’m going with this?

You see, only YOU have the power to make the decision (or not) about when and how you should do things. There is no “expert fairy” who is going to come waltzing through the front doors of your office and anoint you as the expert, letting you know you are “ready” to move forward with a new venture.

The wand is in your hands baby, and it’s up to you to use it or not.

If your standard of measurement is to be “the best,” and you are waiting for this to happen, then you will also never move forward, because reality is, there will ALWAYS be someone stronger than you in the gym... someone wealthier... someone better looking... more experienced... and so on.

Setting the bar unrealistically high ISN’T something that you shoot for. Doing the best you can -- NOW -- is a more realistic goal. Otherwise, you just will not move forward, because reality is, even 6 months from now, you’re going to be better at whatever you do, than you are now.

So by this standard, you can’t ever DO anything.

Make sense?

Here are a few of the other things we discussed on the “How To Use A Monthly Newsletter To Make A Bundle” call:

• Why your Newsletter Is The ULTIMATE Communication Tool, and the strongest sales force you can have!
• 7 Reasons why most people don’t write newsletters! (Now THIS is a hard dose of reality!)
• How to figure out who you are writing your newsletter to, and why this is so important. (Do NOT screw this one up!)
• 6 ways to use your newsletter to make a bundle of cash, and how to leverage each of them -- Yikes!
• How to figure out what to write about -- whether you have an existing group of people to sell to now... or not!
• The most CRITICAL component of your topic selection that allows you to charge more for your newsletter, and separates you from the rest of the pack!
• The 14 Most Common Mistakes People Make When It Comes To Writing Newsletters: Which One Of Them Are You Making Right NOW?
• How To Know If Your Newsletter Will Sell... Or Not? (Pretty important, no?)
• And lastly... How To Actually WRITE Your Newsletter, And How To Get A Years Worth Of Content For Your Newsletter, Assembled In The Next 60 Days!

You can get your copy of this call, along with the transcript of the call, when you order The Seductive Selling System, but only if you order before the month is up. After this, all bets are off and this goes “up in smoke” if you will.

Get your hands on the system NOW at http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive

And like everything else in life, YOU get to decide what to do with it... and how far... it will take you!

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. The Seductive Selling System comes with more risk-free guarantees than Paris Hilton apparently has, so hop on this thing... NOW: http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive

The Second Selling Lesson At The Sponge Docks

Yesterday I told you a little story about what happened when I was over in Tarpon Springs this past weekend. Just in case you missed it, let me review a little bit here. First I’ll tell you what happened in quotes, and then I’ll answer the actual question afterwards, O.K.?:

“We were in this store called 5 Fish, chatting with the owner, a man named David Gauchman. David’s a very nice fellow, and owns 3 retail stores in the area. We didn’t talk too much personal stuff, but I got the idea that he was nobody’s fool, and he was also a hard worker. (If you’re in the area, stop in and tell him I say “Hey” -- he really is a hell of a nice guy.)

This store sells primarily “Life Is Good” merchandise -- and he had QUITE a selection. And seeing as how I was there with my wife and two of our kids -- I didn’t get out cheap.

Something happened there, that was VERY instructional about selling. A woman was having a hard time deciding between two shirts. David overheard her conversation, and promptly pointed out to this woman that ONE of the shirts she was holding in her hands, was his most popular seller.

I can tell you now, I’d been listening to this woman, and she was no dummy either, and yet -- she IMMEDIATELY grabbed that “most popular” shirt -- and added that one to the top of her “buy” pile.

Why did she do that?

The answer is simple: It just goes to show you the power of using a few VERY compelling buy-buttons: Testimonials, Conformity, And Acceptance. And see, there was no big long sales pitch here, and frankly, I don’t even think David Gauchman was doing this intentionally to “sell” the shirt. He was just helping her decide which shirt to buy. It was clear she was going to buy one, regardless.

Each of these buy-buttons is discussed in DETAIL in my Seductive Selling System, which you can get right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive -- and you’ll find specific examples of HOW and WHEN to use these buy-buttons, so you can best figure out how to apply them to your own business.

And now here’s something else I want you to think about -- and send in your comments about this one too: What else could David have told this woman (just as simply) that would have made her buy this shirt just as instantly as she did when he told her it was his best-selling shirt?

Let me know and I’ll answer this question tomorrow.”

First off, let me just tell you that pushing all these emotional buy-buttons works on ANYONE, regardless of how much they know about marketing -- myself included. I’m just AWARE of what’s going on -- not immune to it, by any means.

Anyway, the woman in the story was my wife, Anne, and even though she’s FULLY aware of all of these selling tricks -- just like me... and just like everyone else -- this doesn’t make her immune to their effects.

We received a few interesting answers to yesterday’s question:

Offline Newsletter Subscriber Dustin Matthews said, “I would have liked David to entice her into buying both shirts. Buy one and get 25% or 50% off the next one. She was going to buy at least one and wouldn't have jeopardized the sale by giving her an irresistible up sale. He lost out on additional revenue!”

This is a good answer, but it has a few downsides to it. If he makes an offer like this that’s not a “stated” offer posted in the store, for example, for everyone to see... then he’s showing neediness. He then exposes himself to further negotiations.

Plus, and this is something you didn’t know -- I already had a boatload of stuff sitting in front of his register.

Remember, in business, and in life in general, whenever you permit something in ANY relationship, it’s assumed you have made this conduct permissive forever, and that it applies across the board.

Also, the answer I was looking for was more of an emotional trigger here, but this is not a bad suggestion at all.

Ryan Harris sent this in: “He could have told her that people who buy one of the two shirts report that the shirt makes them look 10 pounds slimmer/lighter, 10 years younger, etc. -Not the answer you are looking for though.”

Nope. Good try, but that’s not it, either.

So let me tell you exactly what he could have said. He also could have pointed to one of the shirts and said, “This is the last one of those we have, and I do not know if we’ll be getting any more of them in.”

Had he said this, BAM! Same thing would have happened -- just like lightening striking a tree, the demand for that particular shirt automatically shoots sky-high.

Why?

Because “only one left,” is the ULTIMATE scarcity, and as you hopefully know, scarcity -- limiting whatever it is you’re selling, is a VERY important way of attracting business.

Again, all these buy-buttons are covered in my Seductive Selling System, and you can get your hands on it right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive

And “HEY!” -- it ain’t called “Seductive” for nothing.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. This month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter is SO hot, it may very well be damn-near illegal! Do NOT check it out if you are sensitive or if you are offended by the adult industry! Otherwise, test-drive it for free at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

The Selling Lesson At The Sponge Docks

About 25 miles due west of where I live, there’s a small gulf-side town called Tarpon Springs. There are a few things you’ll notice when you first enter this sleepy laid-back town, which is literally right on the gulf -- besides the balmy sea breezes blowing across you -- even when the temperature is in the high 90’s, and the humidity is so thick you can cut it with a knife.

For starters, most of the people walking around this tourist town do NOT speak English. They are either tourists speaking French, Japanese, Tennessee, or something else I don’t understand or recognize, or... they are residents speaking Greek.

Tarpon Springs has the largest population of Greeks in America -- even more than Astoria, Queens.

In fact, nearly all the restaurants there serve Greek food as well (We ate at Plaka’s and had Gyro’s and Greek salads -- absolutely fabulous.), and all the tourist stores sell sea sponges of all shapes and sizes, and for all uses. Years ago, Greek divers used to dive for sponges right offshore, but Red Tide wiped out most of the sponge industry there, back in the 1940’s.

Now, the town just celebrates the history of the sponge industry, and is a LOVELY place to visit on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Anyway, we were in this store called 5 Fish, chatting with the owner, a man named David Gauchman. David’s a very nice fellow, and owns 3 retail stores in the area. We didn’t talk too much personal stuff, but I got the idea that he was nobody’s fool, and he was also a hard worker. (If you’re in the area, stop in and tell him I say “Hey” -- he really is a hell of a nice guy.)

This store sells primarily “Life Is Good” merchandise -- and he had QUITE a selection. And seeing as how I was there with my wife and two of our kids -- I didn’t get out cheap.

Something happened there, that was VERY instructional about selling. A woman was having a hard time deciding between two shirts. David overheard her conversation, and promptly pointed out to this woman that ONE of the shirts she was holding in her hands, was his most popular seller.

I can tell you now, I’d been listening to this woman, and she was no dummy either, and yet -- she IMMEDIATELY grabbed that “most popular” shirt -- and added that one to the top of her “buy” pile.

Why did she do that?

The answer is simple: It just goes to show you the power of using a few VERY compelling buy-buttons: Testimonials, Conformity, And Acceptance. And see, there was no big long sales pitch here, and frankly, I don’t even think David Gauchman was doing this intentionally to “sell” the shirt. He was just helping her decide which shirt to buy. It was clear she was going to buy one, regardless.

Each of these buy-buttons is discussed in DETAIL in my Seductive Selling System, which you can get right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive -- and you’ll find specific examples of HOW and WHEN to use these buy-buttons, so you can best figure out how to apply them to your own business.

And now here’s something else I want you to think about -- and send in your comments about this one too: What else could David have told this woman (just as simply) that would have made her buy this shirt just as instantly as she did when he told her it was his best-selling shirt?

Let me know and I’ll answer this question tomorrow.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. This month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter is SO hot, it may very well be damn-near illegal! Check it out and test-drive it for fre.e at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Forgiveness is on every street corner.

You know, a lot of people feel I’m a hardass about some things. And frankly, when it comes to business, I am. The truth is, you need to be a hardass in business, because in business, “soft” and “successful”... don’t necessarily mix together to create something good, any more than chocolate and mustard mix well together, to create a tasty dessert.

On the other hand, I get a lot of feedback from offline newsletter subscribers of mine (test-drive my offline newsletter here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl ) about how this is an interesting dichotomy, because they get to see another side of me -- the one with my family, and... obviously, I’m not such a hardass with them.

That’s because “hardass” and “family” also doesn’t mix well together, either.

Now what I’m going to tell you today is something that may throw you off, so sit tight. I’m going to tell you about something I feel VERY badly about, and hopefully, in the process, I’ll be able to forgive myself a little bit.

Monday, my younger son Casey (he’s 15) and I went to the gym. We were about halfway through our workout when there was a loud commotion over by the treadmills. Apparently, a man had fallen off the treadmill, and he was now lying on the floor, shaking in convulsion-like twitches.

This isn’t something you typically see, and as a result, there’s no “norm” for it registered in your head, experientially -- so it feels very weird witnessing this. It’s one of those moments when things seem to “slow down” right in front of you.

The man was around my age, somewhat overweight but not gigantic or anything like that, and he was just lying there on the ground.

First thing you do in a situation like that is, of course, you grab your kid and hold on to him. When mortality is flashed so closely in front of you, it’s only natural to hold on to your own, and... to hold on to it as tightly as you can.

Now when I was a kid, I studied sociology for one year, back in high school. If I recall, sociology is the study of group dynamics, and one of the founding principles of sociology is that individual responsibility is surrendered to a group when you are part of this group.

So for example, this is the reason why it’s easier for a group of people to ignore a homeless person, en masse -- or to NOT stop and help someone in need on a busy street. Everyone in the group has surrendered their personal responsibility to the group as a whole.

And here’s where I screwed up.

You see, I KNOW this principle, and I’ve always prided myself on my ability to “rise above” it, ignoring it and doing what’s best, even when most others march in silent compliance, unaware why.

Now back to the gym.

Shortly after that man had, what some folks feel was a fatal heart attack, they swiftly closed the gym and asked all the members to leave. And en masse, on the way out... I saw two young children -- an older sister, perhaps 12 or 13, and her younger brother, perhaps 9 or 10 -- sitting down and sobbing near the front exit of the gym.

I wanted to go over to them and see if they were O.K., but... I didn’t. A million things flashed through my mind at the moment. I thought, “Surely they aren’t children of the man who was lying on the floor inside -- they’d be by his side, right?”... and then I thought, “Where’s Casey?”... and then, “If these were my kids I’d want someone there for them.”... then, “I need to help those kids and make them feel safe so they will stop crying.”

But in the end, I did nothing.

And, I have felt sick about this, ever since. In the end, I surrendered my responsibility to the rest of the group, just like every other nimrod in there, and I can’t go back and fix it now.

When I saw those kids crying, I thought of my own children crying... and then I thought of myself crying as a little kid... and then... I simply froze.

I don’t have all the answers, that’s for sure. And sometimes... I don’t have any.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Only 2 Days LEFT to get your hands on this month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter & Audio Success CD Of The Month! Discover how I TRIPLED a client’s business on page 3, and get $1,391 worth free gifts when you test-drive it here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

An Open Letter To Isaac Larian...

If you are the parent of a girl under age 10, then you have no doubt, heard of “Bratz.” They are little dolls -- typically they are girls dressed in skimpy clothing, with exaggerated feminine features (lips, hips, etc.), who are wearing a TON of makeup.

In fact, truth be told, they look like little adult action figures, only they are fully (although scantily) clothed.

Apparently, my daughter Samantha got some of these, and yesterday she brought them over to me, and asked me to open them up for her. She was having a hard time with the packaging.

Lord knows it wasn’t any easier for me.

Now I’m not the strongest guy in the world, but for 43, I’m no slouch either. I work out in the gym, usually 4 days a week, and yesterday I benched 215 for 2 sets of 6. So while I’m not winning any awards for my strength, I’m clearly above average for my age group, and probably for men in general.

However, it took me no less than twenty minutes using a pocket-knife, a scissors, and mustering up all the strength I have left in me, to open one of those packages of Bratz dolls. You had to go through turtle-shell hard plastic... dozens of pieces of scotch tape and rubber bands... and cardboard thick enough to support a Thanksgiving turkey.

And so, here is a letter I have composed to CEO Isaac Larian of MGA Entertainment, the makers of these Bratz dolls.

Dear Isaac,

As you can see, I have enclosed one complete package containing a “Here Comes The Bride And Her Kickin’ Groom” set of Bratz dolls... two sets of pliers (needle nose and standard)... and a sharpened pair of Titanium Nitride Number 8 Fiskars Scissors -- one of the top retail scissors out there.

Why have I sent you this package?

There are two reasons:

First, with all the junk you get in your mailbox, I had to make sure to get your attention...

And second, I want to know what you guys are thinking about when you design your packaging for the Bratz dolls, and to this, I am presenting you with a little challenge I do not think you will be able to conquer.

Sound good?

O.K., here’s the deal: Bratz dolls are designed for little girls -- probably somewhere between ages 6 and 12, right?

Well, then here’s my challenge: I challenge you to open this set, and take out each of the individual dolls and accessories -- without breaking any of them -- in less than 15 minutes. Presumably you are SERIOUSLY stronger than even the strongest 12 year old girl in the world, so what I want you to do first, is try and do this using NONE of the utensils and tools included.

After 15 minutes, if you haven’t gotten anywhere (Be careful - the ONLY way to get through the shell-hard plastic, OR the thick cardboard, is to use your teeth!), you may then use the scissors and either pliers I have sent you -- but... you will need to get all this done in the remaining 5 minutes.

Now I do not know if you are going to be able to “meet” my challenge, but I do know one thing for sure:

There isn’t a twelve-year-old girl ANYWHERE on this big ball of mud called God’s green earth, who can open up this package without getting maimed or tragically hurt.

What are you guys thinking about when you decide to package these little brats? Is this some kind of theft-deterrent? Or perhaps this is some kind of punishment -- like if the kids are misbehaving, we can “give” them a doll, without actually giving them anything, since they will never be able to get the dolls out of the packaging, any more than a prisoner can get out of solitary confinement?

I make no claim to be the best parent in the world... and I’m probably not the smartest man around either. But... I do know this: If you think I’m EVER going to buy another one of these dolls, you are out of your mind.

Because while I love my daughter, I shouldn’t have to darn-near slice off my fingers, and scar up my hands, just so she can play with Bratz.

Perhaps I’m missing something, and if I am, let me know.

In any case, thank you for reading this message.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Only 2 Days LEFT to get your hands on this month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter & Audio Success CD Of The Month! Discover why “Homie Don’t Play That” on page 12, and get a TON of free gifts when you test-drive it here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

... But stuff people want, does.

Caught ANOTHER bass last night -- just a little peanut -- but my daughter liked it anyway. (Doesn’t take much to be a hero to your 7-year old.)

Yesterday we talked about how great ideas don’t sell, and that the ONLY thing that sells is stuff people want to buy, and how these two things really are mutually exclusive.

We also talked about how since you’re going to have to work just as hard to sell a $500 dollar item, as you are to sell something for $997, why not structure your offer, or tweak what you’re selling enough to get that extra cash, since... you only have to put ONE sales letter together for it anyway?

Makes sense, right?

Today I promised you I’d tell you HOW to tweak your offers, to boost your prices, and since I’m admittedly, many things... but a liar isn’t one of them, let’s kick it:

For starters, limiting the special offer to only “X” products, or territories, automatically allows you to increase the value. When there’s less of something available, it’s automatically worth more. The entire antique industry is built on this, as is high-end jewelry, fountain pens, custom homes... and almost custom anything.

So limiting what you have to sell makes it worth a lot more.

Another thing you can do is pile on LOADS of other valuable components to increase the value. In fact, sometimes, you can get related stuff other people use to generate leads, and have them give it to you for nothing, or for a very low price, as incentive for them to get exposed to new customers.

That’s a pretty good idea, right?

And lastly, you can make people qualify before they buy from you, in some way or another. Doesn’t matter what way, but you can figure that one out. The last 3 copywriting projects I’ve worked on I made the prospects qualify before they buy. I’ll leave it up to you to guess whether or not this works.

Have a nice Holiday weekend, and you’ll probably be hearing from me sometime over the weekend with an announcement.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Only 6 Days LEFT! Discover who the Rock ‘n Roll Marketer Of The Year is on page 4 of this month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter, why he earned the title, and how YOU can replicate the same success in your business. Check it out and get a TON of free gifts when you test-drive it here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Great ideas don’t sell.

I’m back -- been literally buried up to my eyeballs in work, but last night I went fishing after having a client in for a full-day of consulting, and the fish were REALLY hitting.

After only a few minutes fishing off my dock, I pulled in 2 bass, and lost two more that wriggled off the hook after I’d hoisted them out of the water. Definitely brought me back to life after a long day, and a longer night before that.

You know, in the last two months, I’ve seen the exact same situation in two completely different industries, when people have come to see me for full day consults - (find out more at http://www.kingofcopy.com/consultingday ) People come in my office with a ton of integrity and a slew of great ideas, but... great ideas don’t necessarily sell.

What sells is what people want to buy, and this is often forgotten when you’re in the middle of something. Good ideas don’t sell -- what people want, sells.

I hate to be the bearer of this kind of news -- there’s nothing worse than relaying a message that lets the air out of someone’s sails, but... I’d rather be the bearer of temporary short-term news, and then sit and figure out how to “re-make” the idea into a winner -- than flat-out lie about something I KNOW (or at least VERY strongly suspect) just won’t work.

Another thing to remember is that if you are going to sell something, sell it BIG. Meaning, you’re going to have to work as hard to sell a $500 dollar item, as you are to sell something for $997, so why not structure your offer, or tweak what you’re selling, just enough, to get that extra cash, since... you only have to put ONE sales letter together for it anyway?

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you HOW to tweak your offers, to boost your prices.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. On page 2 of this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, I’ll show you an actual ad I wrote that TRIPLED a client’s business -- in the most economically depressed part of the state where he lives. Test-drive my newsletter for free and get $1,391 Dollars worth of bonus gifts, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Here’s the very best way to get somebody to pay attention to you.

Marketing is all about communications, and getting your prospects to pay attention to you. It’s about being able to cut through all the clutter in your prospects life, and get them to stop what they’re doing and listen to what YOU have to say.

Here’s the thing though -- most people are far too concerned about “how” to cut through the clutter -- meaning, getting “in” the door. But then when it comes to “keeping the door opened,” they completely drop the ball.

You see, the BEST way to get somebody to pay attention to you is to simply say something worth their attention. Cutting through the clutter and then standing there with your thumb up your ass, a smile on your face, and that’s it -- is nothing but a big waste of time.

That’s like a halfback breaking through the line and having nothing but green between himself and the end zone, but he fumbles the ball, so what does it matter.

And so how do you make sure once you “get through,” you ARE saying something worthwhile? Simple. You say the things they need to hear.

You pour your heart out about how to satisfy their problems... you empathize with all the frustration and pain they’ve been going through. You recognize that what they’re dealing with isn’t fair, and then you acknowledge that the best solution to their problem is what you have to offer, and then you tell them why.

And that’s it.

That’s not too hard, is it?

Good, because on page 4 of this month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter, I’ll show you a little-known resource that costs next to nothing ($4.50 to be exact), that has more sources of killer direct-response ads in it, than ANY other resource I’ve ever seen. I mean, you will find WELL over three dozen GOOD ads in it. To find out what this resource is, and how to get it, take a free test-drive of Seductive Selling, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Want to know Claude C. Hopkins secrets to success? Then check THIS out: http://www.kingofcopy.com/hopkins

How Do Those Euro Guys Do It?

How do those European men do it?

They always manage to look so graceful and slick, regardless of what they’re doing. I mean, I’m about as graceful as an elephant in an elevator, so perhaps my standard of comparison here isn’t really fair, but you see this all the time.

Here’s what made me think of this: Last week when I was in New York City, the weather was beautiful, and so one day we all headed over to Central Park, just to lie in the grass and relax. There were families all over the place -- The Great Lawn and Sheep’s Meadow was PACKED! You’d have thought there was a concert going on out there -- or else maybe someone was passing out loose joints at no charge!

But no, it was just the sunny warm weather, which is a rarity in the Big Apple, especially lately.

Anyway, I saw a dad playing soccer out there with his children. Now if this was me, I’d have had gym shorts and a t-shirt on, probably with a sweat-stained baseball cap.

But this guy -- who was from Europe -- looked like a fashion model or something. Expensive pressed jeans, wrapped in neatly with a designer belt... collared shirt -- with the collar up behind his ears, of course... and pair of brown loafers.

And he wasn’t putting it on or anything, either. He was just in his natural state.

How do those Euro guys do it?

If that was me playing in his clothes, I’d have felt like I was in a straight jacket.

Is there a “fashion-plate” gene that’s carried over on the other side of the ocean, that’s missing here? Or is this “normal” and I’m the luddite who can’t get it together?

Are we American guys destined to wear baseball caps forever?

These are questions that are simply beyond my meager ability to figure out answers to.

Aw, what the hell -- it’s Friday -- all I should be thinking about is fishing and cigars anyway, right? And besides, I wrote the ad I’m talking about in today’s P.S. -- the one that TRIPLED my clients business -- I wrote that ad while sitting around the house in my underwear, so maybe... “looking good”... doesn’t really matter... after all?

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. On page 2 of this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, I’ll show you an ad I wrote that TRIPLED a client’s business -- in the most economically depressed part of the state where he lives. In fact, you can listen to him tell you about it himself, at the top of this page: http://kingofcopy.com/testimonials.html - then go and test-drive my newsletter for free and get $1,391 Dollars worth of bonus gifts, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Got Milk? Get Curiosity.

So yesterday we talked about the benefits of conventional conversation, and how sometimes, saying things like “This too, shall pass”... and “”Every dog has his day”... and “You know, it really is always darkest before the dawn, right?” isn’t necessarily bad -- in fact, saying tried and true clichés like this is often exactly what you need to make that much-needed connection with your prospects.

Today I want to talk about how you can “twist” these same conventional clichés to create discomfort and use this to get attention as well.

For example, you can turn the phrase “Often A Bridesmaid... But Never A Bride” into... “Often A Bridesmaid... But Never A Sex Kitten.”

That would get your attention, right?

Or how about this one: “Got Milk?” I’m pretty sure I saw something that said “Got Milk? Get Heart Disease!”

And you can take the old standby “Where There's Smoke, There's Fire”... and turn it into... “Where There’s Smoke, There’s FireGuard!”

By doing this, you’re causing enough of an interruption from what’s conventionally “expected,” to make people stop what they’re doing so they can satisfy their curiosity. And since creating curiosity is one of the smartest things you can do in marketing, in general -- this is a good thing.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. On page 8 of this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, I’ll show you exactly why, as Jim Rohn says, success ISN’T something you “chase down.” This is diametrically opposed to what we’ve all been taught, but I’ll show you specifically how success really IS something you attract, by the person you become -- or not. Take a free test drive and get $1,391 Dollars worth of bonus gifts, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Diversify Your Bonds, Homie.

Well I just got back from New York City last night -- had a great time with my family, saw LOADS of sights and ate like... a KING!

Anyway, here’s something you’ve probably seen a thousand times, yet never even given it a second thought: Ever go into your hotel room and take a look at the small square 7-inch by 9-inch plaque that has the room’s rack rates listed on it?

It’s usually either on the inside of your room door, or the inside of the bathroom door.

On that plaque, you’ll also find some verbiage from an old statute from The Laws Of Innkeepers, which goes something like this:

“A Safe is Provided in the Office for the Safekeeping of Money, Jewels, Ornaments, Bank Notes, Bonds, Negotiable Securities and Precious Stones Belonging to Guests”

Now you wonder why the Laws of Innkeepers hasn’t been updated? Why something like this hasn’t been modernized to reflect current colloquial lingo -- or at least current customs?

After all, no one travels with bank notes, bonds, or negotiable securities any more -- and if they were traveling with these things, it simply wouldn’t be such a big deal, right?

You see, this kind of statement is nothing more than “comfort food” to make you feel good. Because there are times when you should be saying conventional things to your prospects, simply because you know darn well they’ll have NO problem understanding what you’re trying to say.

See, even though you want to THINK unconventionally, you want to be heard, and you need to be trusted, and sometimes the best way to make a connection is simply to be, well... “average.”

That’s why saying things like “This too, shall pass”... and “”Every dog has his day”... and “You know, it really is always darkest before the dawn, right?” isn’t necessarily bad -- in fact, saying tried and true clichés like this is often exactly what you need to make that much-needed connection.

And that... is what... it’s all... about.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. On page 8 of this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, I’ll show you exactly why, as Jim Rohn says, success ISN’T something you “chase down.” This is diametrically opposed to what we’ve all been taught, but I’ll show you specifically how success really IS something you attract, by the person you become -- or not. Take a free test drive and get $1,391 Dollars worth of bonus gifts, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

How to handle all the idiots you’re going to meet along the way.

I’ve been having an absolute BLAST up here in New York, visiting some friends and mostly spending a ton of quality time with my family, which is as refreshing as a tall cold glass of ice-water after an intense workout.

You know, a lot of times, being an entrepreneur is a lonely life. You don’t get a chance to get out much, and frankly... when you do, there really aren’t many people you probably want to hang out with anyway, right?

I just wanted you to know, you’re not alone. It’s a lonely life, especially for the business warriors of the world. Here, just check out some of the nonsense and criticism, many of the greatest entrepreneurs in the world had to suffer through (this comes from ThoughtMechanics.com):

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” - Tom Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

“I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won’t last out the year.” - Editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957

“But what … is it good for?” - Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” - Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” - Western Union internal memo, 1876

“The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?” - David Sarnoff’s associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.

“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” - H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.

“A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make.” - Response to Debbi Fields’ idea of starting Mrs. Fields’ Cookies.

“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” - Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962

“So we went to Atari and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we’ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we’ll come work for you.’ And they said, ‘No.’ So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, ‘Hey, we don’t need you. You haven’t got through college yet.’” - Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak’s personal computer.

“The bomb will never go off. I speak as an expert in explosives.” - Admiral William Leahy, US Atomic Bomb Project.

“Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.” - Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929

“Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.” - Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre

“The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon.” - Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Queen Victoria, 1873

See, lots of great people had to deal with LOTS of stupid people while they (the great people) were busy getting stuff done.

Ignore the morons -- even when it seems like you’re surrounded by them. Kick FEAR straight on its ass, and show ‘em what you got: http://www.kingofcopy.com/science

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. On page 4 of this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, I’ll reveal a very sneaky problem you need to be aware of, when you’re using involvement devices with your prospects. Take a free test drive and get $1,391 Dollars worth of bonus gifts, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Again... it’s the market that makes this thing appealing.

If I’ve said it once... I’ve said it a thousand times -- targeting your services to individual slices of your marketplace, is far more effective than targeting everyone and just “hoping” for the best.

Here, listen to this:

A Dutch escort agency has just started a special “de-flowering” service, targeted to computer geeks. The owner -- a sociology student -- accurately identified there’s a preponderance of socially misfit computer geeks who need help in this area, and... most important -- they’re willing to pay for it.

At this point, testimonials about the services are “glowing” to say the least.

Remember, HOPE... is NOT a good business strategy. Marketing to segments of your customers, is.

Now listen, I’m off to New York City for a much-needed vacation for a few days, and while I’m gone I want you to behave. And one of the things I simply HAD to finish before I left, was the May Seductive Selling Newsletter. If you don’t subscribe to this newsletter, honestly -- you’re literally missing out on the best “behind the scenes” inside marketing secrets for entrepreneurs.

This month, for example, I reveal an ad I wrote that TRIPLED a clients business -- and... he’s just getting started!

And here’s a note I received just the other day, from a long-time subscriber of mine, Darryl DeLong, from Nashua, New Hampshire: “"Been reading every issue of the Seductive Selling Newsletter religiously. I get it in the mail, rip it open and don’t put it down until I've read it thru completely. It's that GOOD. The copy examples you review and pick apart are extremely informative. It's an opportunity every month to learn from one of the best minds in copywriting and improve on the copy I write for my clients."

You can test-drive the newsletter for free, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Check out The Big Scramble, LIVE!!! This month’s Audio Success CD interview is with Chris Pizzo, and he reveals how he created a 7-figure continuity program by back-selling his existing customers into it! This guy’s got more things going than an octopus has fingers. Check it out with this month’s Newsletter, and get $1,391 Dollars worth of bonus gifts, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Dignity Versus Deadlines Versus Parkinson’s Law...

HOLY Cow! I was up late last night polishing off this month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter, and lemme tell you this -- you’re gonna EXPLODE when you read it, because I darn-near exploded putting it together. It absolutely ROCKS!

Anyway, if you want to check it out go to http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Like I said last week, I’m in the middle of about 15 different things right now, and off to New York City for a little R & R later on this week, so needless to say I’ve got SEVERAL deadlines to beat the clock on, before I go.

But today I want to discuss something curious I know you’ve experienced for yourself. It’s called “Parkinson’s Law,” and here’s the deal: Parkinson ‘s Law is a psychological theory that says tasks are like air and water.

What I mean is, you know how air and water will take the shape of its container, regardless of how big or small that space is? Well, my main man Parkinson said that it will take you as long to do a task, as you have time to do it. So basically, the amount of work you have will expand to fit the available time you have, or the available time you give it.

This is why deadlines are so very important. You see, without deadlines and time pressure, you rationalize your task into Parkinson’s Law parameters. Also, short-term deadlines are far better and more tangible than long-term deadlines (or goals). Long-term goals are just too distant to be real.

Not that you shouldn’t set them -- Lord knows I do -- but a series of short-term goals is very likely to be THE thing you need, to slap old Parkinson right on the hiney.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Check out The Big Scramble, LIVE!!! This month’s Audio Success CD interview is with Chris Pizzo, and he reveals how he created a 7-figure continuity program by back-selling his existing customers into it! This guy’s got more things going than an octopus has fingers. Check it out with this month’s Newsletter, and get $1,391 Dollars worth of bonus gifts, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Today Is The LAST Day This Will Be Available

Today is the absolute LAST day you can get your hands on the April issue of my Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, AND this month’s Audio Success CD of the month interview with Brian Sacks -- who recently sold his last information business for over 7 figures, and who’s currently got another SEVEN businesses he’s working on. And, if you think I’m blunt, this guy gives me a run for my money and THEN some!

Here's just a small sampling of what you're missing inside this issue:

• On page 6, you’ll finally discover the history and origins of my information business, including my newsletter itself! And in reality... the story is TOO simple, if you want to know the truth!

• In Example 4A, you’ll see the right way... and the wrong way... to use tearsheets, and why!

• On page 12, you’ll uncover the REAL truth about “when”... you get results -- and most people aren’t going to like the answer, including YOU!

• If you’re going to cover the outside of your direct mail envelopes, you’ll discover the single MOST important item you need to put on there (besides name and address, of course), and the cornerstone concept to why it’s so effective!

• You’ll see the WORST ad I’ve ever read and how to never EVER treat your prospects!

• Why Lead Generation Rules, and why it’s so often misused and NOT used! (on page 2!)

• The incredible strength of Nightingale-Conant Mailers, and what they can do to sell even more self-help stuff!

• How to live an extra 690 days!... Who ELSE Wants A Kick In The Nuts! And...

• Much much more!

Not only that, but you’ll also get $1,391 Dollars worth of FREE gifts, just for taking a FREE test-drive of the newsletter at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl - including a fast wealth-producing CD of a former volleyball coach/bartender, who went from ZERO to over $3.5 Million in sales in just 3 and a half years. Again, test-drive it at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Again, that’s http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl - hit it Gomer!

Potential New Product Announcement

The next two days I will be in full-day meetings with my Mentoring and Mastermind Group, here in Tampa, so I won’t be sending out any e-mails. Today I’ll be busy preparing a summary of what’s going on in my own business, to go over with them when the meeting ends.

It’s a HUGE benefit to know what’s working and what’s not working in someone else’s business, this way you get to make adjustments to your own marketing based on the information others share with you. Our next meeting is scheduled for late July, and if you want info on it, just go to: http://www.kingofcopy.com/maverickmarketer

I’ve also got a new coaching program I’m rolling out, but my Newsletter Subscribers will get first crack at this program -- watch your mailboxes if you’re a subscriber.

And, I’m toying with the idea of releasing a new monthly DVD product with sales critiques on it. Every month, I’d go through a different piece of sales copy and pick it apart, highlighting what’s right... and what’s wrong, and how to make it better. Subscribers to this program can even send in their own copy. It’d be as if you were sitting here right next to me at my desk, and we were looking at my computer monitor together.

If this is something you’d want, let me know.

Anyway, have a great weekend and I’ll speak to you later.

FIVE DAYS LEFT! You only have FIVE days left to get your hands on this month’s Seductive Selling Offline Newsletter. Take a free 30-day test drive and get $1,391 Dollars worth of Free bonus gifts, and discover:

• The WORST Ad I’ve ever seen!
• Why I’ve found the perfect guy for my ex-wife!
• The self-help junkies lament, and WHY it’s so effective! (And how to make it even MORE powerful!)
• Example of a “tearsheet!”
• Why “D” really IS for “dysfunctional!”
• Why Lead Generation rules!
• An example of how you win a LOT more with honey than vinegar!
• And... much much more!

Check it out here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Listen to my radio show on Thursdays at 1pm eastern time, or download prior episodes, here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

P.P.S. To learn more about consulting: http://www.kingofcopy.com/consultingday

That’s A Sucker’s Game

Today we’ll continue taking a look at some of the 19 qualities that lead you to success, as mentioned in the new bestselling book, “Succeed On Your Own Terms” by Herb Greenberg and Patrick Sweeney.

Empathy -

Greenberg and Sweeney talk about being able to put yourself in your prospect’s shoes, and they are right -- this is EXTREMELY important, but not in the context they talk about it in.

In your MARKETING, being empathetic is BY FAR, the most important emotional buy-button you can push, and in fact, I spend a tremendous amount of time showing you how to do this and explaining why it’s CRITICAL to your marketing, in The Seductive Selling System which you can find at http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive

Remember, your prospects don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care, and being able to effectively show them how much you care is one of the bedrock principles explained in the Seductive Selling System.

Competitiveness -

While Greenberg and Sweeney proffer that wanting to do better than your opponent gives you an extra dimension, I disagree.

See, I believe there really IS no competition. I subscribe to the principles found in The Science Of Getting Rich, which says the world is an abundant place and has enough goods and resources in it, to keep EVERYONE fat, dumb and happy, if they so choose. In my world, there is no competition.

The other thing is that most successful entrepreneurs I know, myself included -- are FAR more competitive with themselves, than with anyone else. We measure numbers regularly, and usually have several benchmarks of comparison to constantly check our performance against. We are harder on ourselves than anyone else, and THAT is how you bring home the bacon, bubba.

Oh, and if you want to check out The Science Of Getting Rich, rest assured it’ll be the best 10 bucks you’ve ever spent: http://www.kingofcopy.com/science

Patience -

Again, here the authors say you need to be patient because “Good things come to those who wait.”

Personally, I think that’s a sucker’s game. I say you need to be IMPATIENT. People who are impatient don’t sit around “waiting” for something to happen, they’re consistently in motion MAKING things happen. And if they have to sit and wait, they’re usually onto the next thing that’s getting them closer to where ever they’re trying to go, or creating something new that will bring them in business from somewhere else.

In business, if you snooze you lose, and waiting isn’t something ANY of the folks I know, are good at or are comfortable with.

SIX DAYS LEFT! You only have SIX days left to get your hands on this month’s Seductive Selling Offline Newsletter. Take a free 30-day test drive and get $1,391 Dollars worth of Free bonus gifts, and discover:

• The WORST Ad I’ve ever seen!
• Why I’ve found the perfect guy for my ex-wife!
• The self-help junkies lament, and WHY it’s so effective! (And how to make it even MORE powerful!)
• Example of a “tearsheet!”
• Why “D” really IS for “dysfunctional!”
• And... much much more!

Check it out here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Listen to my radio show on Thursdays at 1pm eastern time, or download prior episodes, here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

P.P.S. To learn more about consulting: http://www.kingofcopy.com/consultingday

At a crossroads -- or looking over the cliff?

There are many roadblocks and obstacles to overcome in life. If you’re the kind of person who looks at each of these obstacles, losses, or failures as “crossroads,” then you’re going to stop and pause, change direction and regroup, and then start moving forward once again on the road to your next success.

On the other hand, quitters and losers look at these hiccups as if they were on the edge of the cliff -- and when they fail, it’s as if they’ve fallen off.

Game over.

There’s a new bestselling book out called Succeed On Your Own Terms by Herb Greenberg and Patrick Sweeney (Of course, I would have added a “How To” to the title, but what do I know?) that covers 19 qualities that can lead you to success.

Over the next few days I’m going to cover some of them and give you my take on things, so lets get started:

Perseverance -

In my opinion, this is the MOST misunderstood “success characteristic” of them all. We’re all so conditioned to perseverance that you’ll often find many business owners and entrepreneurs who fall flat on their face or wind up dead broke, even though they were some of the MOST persistent little buggers.

Here’s the problem: planned persistence towards a defined goal, using systematic proven steps, makes a TON of sense. But BLIND persistence, which is what most people are doing, is futile. Here’s what I mean by that: Most business-owners are afraid of investing money in their education to learn something they don’t ALREADY know (like how to market themselves properly), but they will continue POUNDING cash into things they are comfortable with, even though they really aren’t getting any results from them.

This is stupid. It’s like wearing bad cologne and assuming that if you wear it more often, it’ll start smelling better.

I don’t think so.

Willingness To Take Risk -

This is critical. If you’re the kind of person who thrives on constants and predictability, it’s going to be tough -- at least in the beginning -- to get anywhere. In my mind’s eye -- the term “risk-taker” is inherent in the definition of “entrepreneur,” and while I’ll admit over time, you may become less willing to take as large a risk as before (because you now have more to lose), and at some point after you’re up-and-running you CAN create predictability... whenever you’re looking to grow and get to the next level, you’re going to HAVE to take a risk - in fact, you’re probably going to have to take several.

In fact, to some extent, uncertainty is the mantra of the wealthy.

Thriving On Pressure -

The most successful people I know, myself included, ALL seem to thrive on pressure. It’s not that we intentionally put ourselves into tight spots, it’s just that we can’t be at peace with only ONE thing going on. It’s like the more we have going on, the greater the rush, the faster the trip.

And the funny thing is, we never see it in ourselves. The only time we even think of it is when other people point it out to us.

It’s kind of like an adrenaline rush, as if we were junkies or something.

The other thing that’s common amongst people who thrive on this “high” is that when we come down and pause -- we collapse and do nothing. You can’t run on “10” forever, so when we turn off -- we turn COMPLETELY off.

That’s one of the reasons why I love my lake-house so much. Yesterday, I spent a good portion of the day just sitting there swinging out in my hammock, overlooking the lake... with a good book and a cigar.

For me, THAT is truly heaven.

Now talk about thriving on pressure -- check this guy out, because you only have 7 Days Left To do so!:

Only 7 Days Left!... to get your hands on this month’s Audio Success CD Interview with Brian Sacks, who runs SEVEN different businesses, and just sold his last business for over 7 figures. This guy’s FAR from subtle though, so unless you’re REALLY turned on by reality, and you’re not afraid to get a cold slap in the keister once-in-a-while, don’t even THINK about subscribing. Brian explains how he drives people online, from offline lead generation material... how he reduces risk with his customers... and, how he did all this without spending even one thin DIME on advertising! Get it NOW, when you take your FREE test-drive of Seductive Selling, the hottest Offline newsletter around, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. To learn more about my offline newsletter, and get $1,391 worth of free gifts: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

P.P.S. To learn more about a consulting day with me: http://www.kingofcopy.com/consultingday

What The Market Wants - Proof

Yesterday was, BY FAR, the most popular radio show I’ve ever done. We literally had callers back to back, stacked up and waiting to get on the line with me.

Now here’s what’s interesting about this: The lion’s share -- in fact, the ENTIRE show yesterday -- was devoted NOT to marketing, but to discussing the ramifications and general impact of the Virginia Tech shootings earlier this week.

People were upbeat and involved, and I couldn’t even take all the calls that came in, not to mention discussing all the e-mails that were received. (And by-the-way, if you were one of the folks who called in, thanks for your participation and enthusiasm.)

Here’s what I found interesting about all this:

We mock and “make fun of” those of us -- the lesser mortals, of course -- who are so addicted to pop culture, that they turn Anna Nicole and the Virginia Tech shooting, into three-month ordeals discussing each picayune meaningless detail of the cast of characters, ad infinitum.

Many people blame “the media” for all this exposure. If it weren’t for “the media”... and all the “yellow journalism” we wouldn’t be watching all this.

I disagree. That’s like putting the cart before the horse.

You see, “the media” knows what gets people fired up... and what makes YOU pay very close attention, isn’t the things that “are important”, but the things that get you emotionally engaged, enraged, and excited. Right, wrong, or indifferent, THAT is reality -- yours and mine both.

And there’s also a good marketing lesson in there as well. See, your prospects don’t care about what’s important either -- they only care about what’s important to THEM. The kinds of experiences that get them excited and enthusiastic.

Whether it’s a new cigar or a new boat -- presenting it in a compelling fashion is what counts, not presenting it in a factual boring drone.

I mean, let’s call a spade a spade here -- people pay me $50,000 Dollars plus royalties to create and write sales campaigns for them... I get $6,500 bucks a day from folks for consulting fees, and generally when you leave my office your head is absolutely SPINNING!

Common sense would tell you then, I’m probably someone you should listen to -- at least when it comes to marketing your business and leveraging it to create any kind of lifestyle you want. And yet... week after week on my radio show, we only get a few callers here and there, who actually want to call in and get their ONE SHOT at asking me a FREE question. But... when it comes to talking about pop culture and national scandals -- Lordy Lordy, the verbal floodgates BURST open!

And just so you know I practice what I preach -- far be it for me to dictate what you should need, because CLEARLY, you WANT pop-culture kitsch, and a safe place to piss and moan, more than marketing information.

So... here’s what I’m going to do moving forward. From now on in, I’m going to use my radio show as an open forum to discuss whatever the hell you want. If you’re having relationship problems, or if you’re going through a divorce, call in and let me know. After all, I’ve been married twice... I’ve been with my current wife almost 14 years, and in spite of all our ups and downs, I think we’ve got about the best relationship a man and woman could have, and I’ll look anyone in the eye and swear on a stack of bibles when I say that.

If you’re mother-in-law’s a pain in the ass -- tell the King Of Copy and we’ll get that all sorted out too. Sometimes you just need a shoulder to cry on and a place to blow off some steam, and from now on the first place you should think of to do that, is my radio show on Thursday’s at 1pm Eastern time.

Oh, and speaking of mother-in-law’s, my current mother-in-law isn’t so bad (of course, the fact she lives in another country isn’t so bad either), but my ex-mother in law was a royal bitch! So I can help you out there too.

If your kids are driving you crazy, call me and let’s talk bubba. I’ve got three and heaven help me to deal with them sometimes.

Now I don’t pretend to know everything, but I CAN offer you a common sense practical approach to MOST things you’re going to be struggling with, and at least if I don’t know something, you’re not going to get some corn-ball “Dr. Phil” kind of an answer about the subjects.

Oh, and by-the-way, I want to thank “Paul” (I think that was his name.) who called in from Colorado. Paul really nailed it, as to why things like Blacksburg happen, and the thing is, the reason he identified is probably the ONLY one that’s fixable. Check it out for yourself -- you can listen to the show or download it at http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

In fact, you can even download it on iTunes as an iPod podcast if you want. Just enter “Seductive Selling” on your iTunes podcast directory.

Now I’m going to wrap this whole thing up with one more item that’s interesting. See, I find situations like this very curious -- they intrigue me... and that’s probably what makes me so effective at persuasion. But here’s my theory. I believe it’s easier for people to get on the phone and talk about pop culture, instead of their marketing, for THREE reasons, and I’ll be as blunt about this as I’ll be about anything else you might call in and ask me about:

One, it’s easier. If you ask me something about your marketing, presumably you’re going to have to fix what you’re doing now after I answer it, and since that takes work, no one wants to do that. WORK... is a four-letter word to most folks.

Two, most people are W-A-A-Y too uncomfortable to really be wealthy and successful. Even though I can fix your business and give you more wisdom to change your life in one phone call than if you went out and read five different books this month, in reality... you don’t want to change. See, change requires getting out of your comfort zone and most folks are just too “uncomfortable” doing this. So, if it means they’ll need to stay broke to avoid getting out of that comfort zone, they will.

Doesn’t make sense to me, but there again, I’m FAR more uncomfortable with stagnation than with progress. Maybe I’m just weird.

And lastly, I genuinely think most people don’t know where to start. They have so little knowledge about what’s even the “right” question to be asking me, they just figure they’ll never move forward anyway, so what the hell.

And I’m going to tell you a little secret about this last one on my next radio show that will make all this stuff crystal clear, so don’t miss out!

In the meanwhile, if you’re one of the folks who DESPERATELY want to change your business, and if you have a BURNING DESIRE to get out of your comfort zone, and if you don’t already subscribe to my Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, then by all means, take the free 30-day test-drive of it NOW. This month’s issue is at the printer as we’re speaking, and you absolutely DON’T want to miss it. Get it here, before it’s GONE!: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. To learn more about my offline newsletter, and get $1,391 worth of free gifts: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

P.P.S. To learn more about my mentoring group: http://www.kingofcopy.com/maverickmarketer

For those about to rock -- we salute you.

I received several dozen replies to my comments yesterday regarding the terrible tragedy that happened at Virginia Tech.

Some of them were -- frankly, ridiculous... and others were a little overboard.

But most of them were very sincere heartfelt comments sent in by men and women of varying ages, from all over the world, and all of them VERY passionate about what they had to say.

Everyone’s feelings are clearly hurt over this issue.

Yeah, yeah, it’d be a great segue way for me to tell you “Friends, now’s the time for healing and moving forward,” but since I’m just an aggravated humble marketer and not a political speech writer, I’m not going to say something so canned as that.

I DO have a lot to say though, and I’ll be revealing some of the comments sent into my office later today when you join me on today’s Seductive Selling Marketing Hour For Entrepreneurs radio show, at 1pm Eastern.

In fact, I’ll be saying it LOUD and freakin’ CLEAR, exactly how I feel.

Listen in LIVE at http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio and call me up personally with your comments -- OR your marketing questions -- at 1-866-613-1612, or you can e-mail your questions into me at radio@kingofcopy.com

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. To learn more about my offline newsletter, and try it for fre.e: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

P.P.S. To learn more about my mentoring group: http://www.kingofcopy.com/maverickmarketer

It’s not supposed to go down like this.

I’m outraged and disgusted about what happened at Virginia Tech earlier this week.

Young men are not supposed to die before their fathers, and beautiful young women shouldn’t leave their mother’s sides when they’re still in college. That’s just not the natural order of things.

You’re supposed to leave your kids behind, not the other way around.

Did you know, in the last 5 years over 100 people have been murdered on college campuses and universities across America?

That’s a very sad but true statistic.

When I was in school, all you had to worry about was getting caught smoking dope in your dorm rooms... or not being able to buy beer on Sundays... or working up enough courage to ask a woman out on a date.

How do you even start fixing this problem? Is it even fixable?

How do you eliminate violent anger and finger-pointing?
You can’t FORCE better parenting any more than you can FORCE better tooth-brushing.

I know I’m not smart enough to figure out any of these answers, and I know it’d be fitting and well-deserved right now to say something like, “enjoy your time while you’re here because life most definitely is NOT forever...” or “Hug your children and tell them how much you love them and what they mean to you.”

And while both of these things are true, they simply won’t solve the problem or eliminate all the bad guys. It won’t prevent the next psychotic violent moron from snuffing out yet another innocent life.

If you have some insight here, let me know and I will share it with my subscribers, because for a change... I really am at a loss for words.

Hoping for better tomorrows, Craig Garber

P.S. Listen to my radio show tomorrow at 1PM Eastern time at: http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

P.P.S. To learn more about my offline newsletter: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

I know EXACTLY how you feel -- probably.

A long time ago -- in fact, far too long to remember now, I was listening to my friend’s father give him a lecture. The man said something like this, “A wealthy man doesn’t need to tell you how wealthy he is... a smart man doesn’t need to tell you how smart he is... and a funny man doesn’t need to TELL you how funny he is.”

And, to a great extent -- at least in person -- this makes sense. I’m not sure I’d agree with this in print, but... that’s really not what I want to talk about with you today.

However, there are a few things you most definitely should NOT be saying in print -- at least... not to a new prospect or to someone you don’t already have an existing relationship with.

For instance, you shouldn’t say “believe me” in the wrong context. “Believe me, you’ll love this new doo-hickey,” isn’t cool, for example. It sounds VERY canned and frankly, if your prospect doesn’t even know you, why on God’s green earth SHOULD they believe you at all?

On the other hand, you can say “Believe me, I know EXACTLY how you feel -- I’ve been in that EXACT same situation before myself, and it IS awkward.”

In this case, you’re not really “commanding” your prospect to “believe you” -- you’re just using the expression as a colloquial segue way to express empathy, and this is good. In fact, this is good to say in person too, no?

Another thing you shouldn’t say in print, is “Let me be honest with you.” That’s a tough one to pull off in person because it implies a lot of different things, and each one of them puts the individual you’re talking to on the defensive. But in print, don’t even THINK about saying something like this, because you’re going to shoot yourself right in the foot if you do.

The bottom line is, think before you speak -- and think even harder before you write -- because it’s the only time you get a do-over, AFTER the words come out of your mouth.

In this month’s edition of the Seductive Selling Offline Newsletter, I show you a few HUGE problems you’re going to run into when you say things to your prospects you shouldn’t say -- take a free test-drive and get your hands on it NOW, along with a TON of gifts, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Tomorrow’s Seductive Selling Coaching Call will be the conclusion of the second part of our “Lead Generation” series, where I’ll be showing you EXACTLY how I write lead generation free reports. You get to participate on this call if you own my Seductive Selling System, and you can get your hands on that right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive

Don’t listen to my radio show today.

About 6 months ago I was at a meeting speaking about lead generation. Most of the people spent the entire hour sitting there scribbling down notes. At the end of the meeting, a number of people asked how they could “get” more of me, and so I gave them two options:

One, if they were serious about their business and wanted to nourish themselves with a steady diet of eye-opening marketing information, I told them at a minimum they should subscribe to my offline newsletter - http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Two... if they wanted to get a crash-course in marketing and attraction, and if they wanted to never again worry about “chasing” business down, I told them to get their hands on my Seductive Selling System: http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive

Now there was this one fellow sitting on the edge of the fence about my system. He was hemming and hawing and just not sure whether or not it was for him.

I told him NOT to buy the system.

I told him the last thing he needed was to get something that might disappoint him, and that my staff didn’t need the headache of packaging things up and fulfilling an order, only to get it back. Not good all around.

As soon as I said this, it was like pulling a nude woman away from a teenaged boy -- you could see the “trigger” flip to “on” and the questionable demand for The Seductive Selling System went from “uncertain” to... “Must Have NOW!”

Why is this?

Why did that happen?

It’s simply human nature and psychology that says, “The value of what you can’t have is FAR greater than what you can easily obtain.” And when you make something more difficult to get, people want it more.

Today, 6 months later, the man who originally was “on the edge of the fence” about my system, is one of my biggest fans and credits me for helping him immensely.

Along those same lines I’m going to advise you NOT to listen my live Radio Show this afternoon at 1pm Eastern time at http://www.kingofcopycom/radio

Don’t e-mail in questions to me at radio@kingofcopy.com and don’t call me live with your questions either at 1-866-613-1612

A show this outstanding simply isn’t for you.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Discover another half-dozen selling strategies AT LEAST, and get $1,391 Dollars in FREE Gifts in this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter! Test-drive it FREE, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

P.P.S. To learn more about consulting days: http://www.kingofcopy.com/consultingday

Why get five, when you have to work just as hard to get 25?

Most people don’t think about this, but they ought to. You see, marketing is a numbers game, first, before anything else.

For example, last week I had a client here for a full day of consulting and they were asking me if the cost of advertising they were going to incur using direct mail, would support the price of their product.

But I say, go the other way. Figure out the cost of your direct mail, then make a VERY conservative assumption about what kind of response you’re going to get -- and THAT should let you back into how much you need to be charging for whatever it is you’re selling.

Now most folks will look at this and go “WOW! I need to be charging a LOT more for my products here.” And the truth is, you’re probably right! That is... unless you enjoy starving.

See, what you need to realize is that it takes as MUCH effort to sell something for $597, for example... as it does to sell something for $197. So, why not put forth the same amount of effort and make three times as much?

That’s a no-brainer, right?

In fact, it’s SO simple, you’re probably wondering why you never looked at things this way before, aren’t you?

Well, let me tell you something. I didn’t come up with this myself. It was taught to me by a man who was probably THE smartest guy I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. A man named Gary Halbert. If you don’t know who Gary Halbert is, he is one of, if not THE greatest copywriter who’s ever lived...

And now he’s gone.

Gary died peacefully in his sleep last weekend. In the 6 months or so I worked with Gary, back in 2003, I learned LOADS of things I never would have otherwise had exposure to, and I watched how one of the sharpest minds who ever lived, thought, slept, and ran his life.

Props to Gary and may he rest in peace.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Get $1,391 Dollars in FREE Gifts and discover why “D is for DYSFUNCTIONAL!” on the front page of this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter! Test-drive it FREE, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

P.P.S. To learn more about consulting days: http://www.kingofcopy.com/consultingday

Woke up this morning, got myself a gun.

If you recognize the subject line of today’s tip then you’re probably a fan of the Sopranos television show, which ran the first episode of this season (its final season) last night.

The Sopranos is one of the few TV shows I watch. The story lines are excellent, as is the character development, which of course is what hooks you and gets you sucked into the show.

There are only 8 episodes left this year and that’s it, after 9 years of success.

People who never become successful, actually think success is something you “know” you’re actually going to achieve. And while in a “global” sense you might know you’re going to be successful, no one actually knows -- or really, I should say it’s RARE you know any individual project is going to be a success.

It’s not like once you start something, there’s some kind of measurable “finish” line you’re going to reach, that you can see from “X” number of yards out. In fact, for the most part, you RARELY see the finish line, and when you do, often the race keeps getting longer and longer, anyway, and the finish line keeps moving further and further away from you, even though you’re much further from the starting line.

That’s why it’s usually best to evaluate yourself from a relative perspective, looking at where you are now versus how far you’ve come -- and not an absolute standpoint, on a fixed line.

See, unlike most things in life, like school... “conventional” jobs... and even marshal arts -- “success” has no fixed levels where you can stand back and say “Great -- now that I’m a yellow belt, I’ll be a green belt next,” or something like that.

With, of course, the exception of your earnings. If you’re making more money, you’re generally doing better than you were.

So the best thing to do, to stay on track, is to think about the next “couple” of things you need to get done, and focus on those. Because reality is, you’re really not going to know what’s coming next after that.

And neither does Tony Soprano.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. “D is for DYSFUNCTIONAL!” Discover why and get $1,391 Dollars in FREE Gifts when you test-drive this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

P.P.S. To learn more about consulting days: http://www.kingofcopy.com/consultingday

Join Me -- LIVE Without A Net At 1pm!

Just a quick note to remind you to listen to today’s Seductive Selling Marketing Hour For Entrepreneurs Radio Show, LIVE at 1pm Eastern time on http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

We’ll be going over news, current marketing issues, and taking your marketing and copywriting questions here in the studio, so call in at 1-866-613-1612, or e-mail your questions into me at radio@kingofcopy.com

I MAY have a special guest call in, if we can coordinate our schedules.

Speak to you in a couple of hours!

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. $1,391 Dollars in FREE Gifts awaits you when you test-drive my Offline Newsletter, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

P.P.S. To learn more about consulting days: http://www.kingofcopy.com/consultingday

Feels so good, feels so right -- why stop?

Last week I had a couple of clients in my office for a day of consulting, and something very interesting came up. They told me they sent out a mailing piece that did well, and they pulled in somewhere north of $250,000 dollars in real estate commissions from it.

My first response to this was, “Great, what happened the next time you sent the piece out.”

Dead silence...

You see, there never was a second mailing.

The problem is, sometimes people are so wrapped up in the “process” of what you’re doing, especially when you’re always chasing “freshly killed meat”... you don’t stop to ever consider the RESULTS of what you’re doing. So basically, you could be sitting on, as Russell Cronwell once said, “Acres Of Diamonds” -- and not even know it, simply because you didn’t take a step back and evaluate or measure your results.

This just goes to show you how deeply ingrained habits and behaviors are, in spite of any outcomes or results you may be getting.

Here’s a light-hearted story showing you EXACTLY how habits work -- and you’ll see, even I’m not immune to them, I’m just more aware of them: Yesterday the weather was absolutely GORGEOUS here in Tampa, and the cool breeze blowing across my lake was even better.

At 5 o’clock, my good friend Chet Rowland came over and we spent a couple of hours enjoying the weather, fishing out on my boat. Besides the ass-whipping I put on Chet, beating him 4 to 1, something else happened that got us talking about marketing.

We’d been working each dock around the lake, for around 10 to 12 minutes, with no luck at all -- not even a bite. Fishing like this isn’t fun at all, believe me.

Suddenly, I caught a decent-sized bass just as we were leaving one of these docks to move on to the next one -- probably around 2 and a half pounds or so. After bringing the fish in and letting him off the hook and back into the lake, I was just about to continue onward as we’d been doing -- moving on to the next dock.

Suddenly, in mid-motion, I stopped myself and said “Wait a minute. If there’s one fish here, there’s likely to be more of them, so why am I moving on?” I knew it was habitforce and nothing more.

Just like the ad that worked for my client, I knew that finding a receptive marketplace means you need to stay there until you’ve worked every single piece of business out of it. Only in this case, I was prospecting for bass and not clients.

And sure enough, not 5 minutes later, I pulled another nice one out of the very same spot.

Be aware of your habits and make sure you’re not operating on “autopilot.” Because while “autopilot” may work if you’re flying a plane, it’s NOT a good “business” strategy to rely on.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. $1,391 Dollars in FREE Gifts awaits you when you test-drive my Offline Newsletter, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

P.P.S. To learn more about consulting days: http://www.kingofcopy.com/consultingday

P.P.P.S. Mark your calendars for my radio show this week when I have a VERY special guest -- a man who’s been the “secret weapon” behind LOADS of direct-response marketing mailers for the last 20 years. The show airs live at 1pm Eastern time on Thursdays, and you can listen in at http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

A fool short the next day, too.

Yesterday I posted a few different April Fool’s stories and I asked you to tell me which one of them was true and which wasn’t. Here again, was that first story:

One: In 1998 Burger King published a full-page advertisement in USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu, called the "Left-Handed Whopper," which was specifically designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the ad, the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper (lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty, etc.), but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. The following day Burger King issued a follow-up release, which admitted, even though the Left-Handed Whopper was a hoax, thousands of customers had gone into restaurants requesting this new sandwich. Also according to the press release, many other people requested their own 'right handed' version.

Perry Blouin believed this one was true. Here’s what he said: “Well Craig. I'd have to go with the Burger King story ads the true one. I'd hate to think our Gov is that stupid with the shark story or that British TV execs are so gullible. ATB! Perry”

Jim Symcox from the U.K. also thought this was the true story: “I reckon the Whopper was a whopper of a tall tale and the one that really happened. The other two stories were unbelievable because great white sharks are not freshwater sharks and fire alarm wires would not be allowed to create static electricity for the obvious reason they could start their own fire. Best wishes Jim”

And Dennis Tracy also believed the Burger King Story was true: “The Burger King Hoax is real. Give people something they want (just for them) and they will flock to it.”

The story is true. Burger King did run this press release and full-page advertisement and got LOADS of publicity from it.

Two: In 1982 the U.K. paper The Daily Mail reported that a local manufacturer had sold 10,000 "rogue bras" that were causing a unique problem, not to the wearers but to the public at large. Apparently the support wire in these bras had been made out of a kind of copper originally designed for use in fire alarms. When this copper came into contact with nylon and body heat, it produced static electricity, which was now interfering with local television and radio broadcasts. The chief engineer of British Telecom, upon reading the article, immediately ordered that all his female laboratory employees disclose what type of bra they were wearing. (Boing!)

This story actually happened, but it was a hoax. The paper was having some April Fools fun and it worked.

Three: This one’s for my friend and Thursday’s radio guest, Dave Brady: In 1981 the Herald-News in Roscommon, Michigan reported that 3 lakes in northern Michigan had been selected to host "an in-depth study into the breeding and habits of several species of fresh-water sharks." Two thousand sharks were to be released into the lakes including blue sharks, hammerheads, and a few great whites. The experiment was designed to determine whether the sharks could survive in the cold climate of Michigan. The federal government was said to be spending $1.3 million to determine this, and a representative from the National Biological Foundation was quoted as saying that there would probably be a noticeable decline in the populations of other fish in the lake because "the sharks will eat about 20 pounds of fish each per day, more as they get older." County officials were said to have protested the experiment, afraid of the hazard it would pose to fishermen and swimmers, but their complaints had been ignored by the federal government. Furthermore, fishermen had been forbidden from catching the sharks. The Herald-News received a flurry of letters in response to the announcement.

This story is also true. Similar to the last story, the paper ran this story as a hoax to have some fun.

The reason why EACH of these stories are so believable are because of the details and the specifics of each story. For example, in the shark story, they didn’t say “a study of fresh-water sharks”, they said "an in-depth study into the breeding and habits of several species of fresh-water sharks." Giving specific details like this creates vivid imagery and gets your readers involved on a different level, both emotionally and experientially.

Giving a logical step-by-step explanation of how these wires conduct electricity is a LOT more believable than simply saying, “they’ll blow up,” isn’t it?

Being specific in your sales communication is one of THE best things you can do to gain credibility, build trust, and create “expert status.”

Again, the bulk of this info was provided by www.museumofhoaxes.com. And speaking of fools, remember... a fool and his money are soon parted.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. $1,391 Dollars in FREE Gifts awaits you when you test-drive my Offline Newsletter, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

P.P.S. Mark your calendars for my radio show this week when I have a VERY special guest -- a man who’s been the “secret weapon” behind LOADS of direct-response marketing mailers for the last 20 years. The show airs live at 1pm Eastern time on Thursdays, and you can listen in at http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

Today Is The LAST Day This Will Be Available

Today is the absolute LAST day you can get your hands on the March issue of my Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, AND this month’s Audio Success CD of the month interview with Mike Miget -- who took his success in the mortgage business and leveraged it into a coaching program for other loan officers, and went from zero to over $1 Million in annual sales, in less than 5 months!

Here's just a small sampling of what you're missing inside this issue:

1. In Example 5, you’ll see a press release that received 103,289 page views... in just 24 hours! (Along with proof of this, or course.)

2. Oddly enough, I’ll also reveal the flawed strategy about this same press release, you should know about!

3. On page 2, you’ll also understand the strategy I used to hire my assistant, and how you can use this same strategy in your own business. (You’ll also see the VERY unconventional lead-generation display ad I used to find her.)

4. In Example 3, I’ll show you 11 different VERY simple marketing strategies you can use to create “magic”... literally out of thin air. (There are at LEAST two or three of them you’ve never used.)

5. How to sell a $23,225 Dollar bicycle! (Again, it has to do with making “something”... out of “nothing!”)

6. “Behind the scenes” secrets of a mad retailer! Discover how one man leveraged the same information all my other subscribers get... into MASSIVE success using his business card!

7. I reveal some VERY personal information about a brother of mine, few people knew I even had! (on page 8)

8. And... much much more.

Not only that, but you’ll also get $1,391 Dollars worth of FREE gifts, just for taking a FREE test-drive of the newsletter at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl - including a fast wealth-producing CD of a former volleyball coach/bartender, who went from ZERO to over $3.5 Million in sales in just 3 and a half years. Again, test-drive it at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Check out what else the King has for sale at http://www.kingofcopy.com/products

Anal Retentives Will Love This One (Ouch!)

Today I’m going to reveal something that’s going to be able to increase your sales almost instantly, and the more organized and anal retentive you are, the more you’ll love this technique.

In fact, if you’re anal and have OCD, you might be working on this one for the next several weeks until you get it right (which is never if you’re anal and have OCD, right?)

Anyway, here’s the deal: I first got exposed to this many years ago when I was living in New York City, and before CD’s came out, I used to go to a record store in the West Village, just a few blocks away from the NYU campus, called Tower Records.

This was one of Tower’s flagship stores on West 4th street and Broadway. It was open almost all night long, and had a COLOSSAL record collection that was unmatched, and selling at really competitive prices.

(Sadly, Tower has recently gone into bankruptcy, a victim of the web and not-so-competitive pricing nowadays.)

Tower had a magazine you could get for free at their stores, called Pulse! And in the magazine (which you could also get a paid mail subscription to), they had a column called “DID”. “DID” stood for Desert Island Discs, and what the column consisted of, was people would send in lists of the 10 albums (and later CD’s) they would want with them if they were stranded on a desert island.

What would happen is, you’d go through some of these lists, and if you saw someone who liked the same music you did, but there were some records in the list you didn’t own or some groups you weren’t familiar with, you’d go out and buy some of those records on the list.

This was a good way of finding new music you would like, based on an affinity for certain music you already liked.

And therein lies your selling tip -- the power of a list.

You see, most of your prospects either don’t know what to buy... or they want some guidance about what to buy. And most sales people are FAR too timid to take that responsibility to show it to them, but for those who aren’t afraid, using a list is a slam-dunk way of doing this.

For instance, let’s say you’re selling soccer uniforms and accessories, like Jeff Pettitt who’s in my Mastermind and Mentoring Group, and who recently acquired world-wide distribution rights to the largest soccer equipment company in the world, Umbro.

Jeff has several different packages for his customers, based on what each one would need. So perhaps in the starter package it would say something like:

Referee Handbook
Shirt
Shoes -- entry level
Trousers (they don’t call them “pants” over there in the U.K.)
2 Whistles
Membership To Renegade Referee Magazine

And then he would have different, or more advanced items in the next level up, and so on and so on.

Make sense?

(Oh, and as a side note, the next Mastermind Meeting is taking place on April 26th and 27th -- see http://www.kingofcopy.com/maverickmarketer for more info.)

See, lists are a GREAT way of firmly soft-selling your prospects, and a great way to let them know you care about them enough to give them guidance on the things they need to know about.

Also, similar to the list is the “Mother Of All Offers” or the “bundle” of products -- which we can talk about some other time, but you get the gist of what I’m saying here, right?

Good, so hop to it and get busy making your lists bubba.

Only FOUR Days left to get your hands on this month’s OFFLINE Newsletter, which includes:

* Some VERY personal info about me -- and about the brother I have few people know about! (on page 8)
* Secrets of selling a $23,225 Dollar bicycle... (page 3)
* Discover what people with money REALLY want to spend it on!...
* And much much more!

Test-drive it for free and get $1,391 Dollars worth of instant money-making bonuses at: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Downloads of my radio show are now available on iTunes broadcasts, (enter Seductive Selling), and at http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

P.P.S. Check out “22 Ways” at http://www.kingofcopy.com/22ways

Lonely? Nerd? Clown? Jock?

It’s not easy being a successful entrepreneur. The workload is frankly sometimes overwhelming. Keeping track of umpteen different projects going on all at once -- each one in a different stage... preparing for a weekly radio show - http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio - preparing for and delivering in-person presentations... writing daily tips... writing for clients... finishing up books... consulting... the list is virtually endless.

Oh, and of course I left out marketing, which is an endless open loop that never gets checked off your to-do list.

So what kind of a person signs up for this?

Are there some common traits amongst entrepreneurs, or is it a random free-for-all where anyone and everyone’s chances of success are equal?

Well, in fact, it’s not.

QuickBooks, the accounting company, recently did a survey of (presumably their customers) entrepreneurs, and here’s what they found: 43% of entrepreneurs are loners. This isn’t surprising because you don’t have tons of time left over after working, to hang out and socialize during happy-hour or any other time. Maybe you have time for the gym or an hour-or-so to pursue a hobby or passion of yours, but even that’s a push for most of us.

Also, having an independent spirit, is mutually exclusive from “hanging with the crowd”, so being a loner is basically inherent in the definition of entrepreneur.

25% would be described as “nerds” -- I suspect these folks are also loners, and I’m not sure of how much overlap these two categories had, as they didn’t reveal their testing methods.

20% of the people said they were seen as “clowns” when they were younger, and 11% were described as “jocks” (see, even as adults the nerds beat the jocks).

Oh, and here’s something that’s interesting, but again... not particularly surprising -- 43% of entrepreneurs are also the oldest sibling in their family. This too, is an early leadership role. On the other hand, that means 57% of entrepreneurs are NOT the oldest sibling, so clearly, your pecking order in the pack of your brothers and sisters, is irrelevant to your success.

And by-the-way, you always need to read into statistics, because the truth is, you can make almost anything be interpreted the way you want it to be, depending on your desired outcome.

Thanks to Chris Hurn, from Orlando, Florida, for the information behind today’s tip.

From ZERO to $1 Million - only 5 days left!: There are only 5 days left to get your hands on this month’s Audio Success CD, that features Mike Miget -- a man who went from ZERO to over $1 Million in annualized revenue, in just five months. Mike also discussed hard-core information about attitude, investing in your business (and investing in yourself), and the role good copy and “positioning” has had in his growth. To get your hands on this interview, you need to be a subscriber to my Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, and you can now take a FREE test-drive of it, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Downloads of my radio show are now available on iTunes broadcasts, (enter Seductive Selling), and at http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

P.P.S. Check out “22 Ways” at http://www.kingofcopy.com/22ways

Silent night... Silent Life.

Yesterday I got a TON of work done.

After waking up early, I worked on some client projects of mine, and then one of the members of my Mastermind Group, Brian Deacon, came down for a full day of consulting, and Brian was also nice enough to be my guest on my radio show. (If you didn't get to listen to it, then go to http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio and download the show -- Brian had some FANTASTIC insights to offer, and was clearly the star of yesterday's show -- not me.)

Anyway, Brian was EXTREMELY well-prepared for our meeting, to the point where I was actually tired when he left, and that takes a LOT to do. He sucked a hell of a lot of info out of this big brain of mine, believe me.

So a couple of hours later, Anne and I went out to grab a bite to eat at a local Italian restaurant she likes called Benedettos. Now being from New York City, it's pretty hard to get me to enjoy Italian food here locally in small-town Florida, but in all honestly, this very unlikely-looking restaurant, is an awesome find. The food there is outstanding.

While we were there though, I saw something pretty disturbing. There was a young couple a few tables over, and they had a small child with them -- a boy, perhaps 3 or 4 years old. Now I'm not going to win any father of the year awards or anything, but when my kids were younger, I always tried to keep them involved with things, even when it was difficult.

For instance, our sons are only 20 months apart, and so needless to say, taking 2 toddler boys out to dinner at a restaurant was always a challenge, but at least the kids learned to behave and interact around the table, and they learned what was expected of them.

And yes it was difficult and frustrating, but frankly, parenthood is often difficult and frustrating, just like anything else you do in life on a regular basis.

So it was very disturbing to me to see how this young couple was handling their ONE child. The kid was sitting there at the dinner table with headphones on, completely mesmerized by the DVD that was playing in front of him, on their portable DVD player.

The child was very well behaved and quiet as a church-mouse, deeply engaged and involved with his DVD, which... although I didn't get a chance to look at, I'd be willing to bet my house wasn't "Discovery Channel" or "Animal Planet" or anything else that's going to give him a leg up in the world.

Here's the problem when you do this -- this kid is going to get used to "disconnecting" from things, from people and from life, and instead... retreating into his world of fantasy and imagination. The other problem here is that instead of disciplining this little boy's behavior, his parents are removing discipline from his life, and this is going to give him a false sense of security about what it takes to accomplish anything.

Removing a challenge is easier, yet FAR less valuable than OVERCOMING a challenge, as any successful person knows. We all have challenges to face -- and the truth is, without fear, there is no courage.

In this month's Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, I reveal a VERY personal incident that alienated me as a young child, and I spill the beans about how it impacted me long-term. If you're not already as subscriber, then chop-chop, get on board now and take a FREE test-drive right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Next Tuesday is when this month's Seductive Selling Coaching Call takes place -- and it's a real hum-dinger, teaching you exactly HOW to write a long-form lead generation Free Report. You get to participate on the call when you order my Seductive Selling System, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive

LIVE: Less Than 1-Hour Left!

Join me on my radio show, the Seductive Selling Marketing Hour For Entrepreneurs, LIVE at 1 pm Eastern time! Listen in at http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

I'll have a special guest with me in the studio: Brian Deacon, who runs a Homeowners Maintenance Program for upscale homeowners here in the Tampa / St. Petersburg area, and who's an astute student of direct-response marketing and a member of my Mastermind Program.

We'll be answering your questions, so call us LIVE at 1-866-613-1612, or International 001-858-268-3068, or else you can e-mail your questions into me at radio@kingofcopy.com

We'll also be talking about:

Why wine is fine, but whiskey's quicker...

The best part of breaking up...

And why you should THINK before you believe everything you read!

Join us today, LIVE at 1pm on http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. If you've ever struggled to find or hire good employees (and who hasn't?), in this month's OFFLINE Seductive Selling Newsletter, you'll get an IDIOT-PROOF proven way to permanently fix this. Test-drive the newsletter, FREE at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

LIVE In The Studio Today!

Join me on my radio show, the Seductive Selling Marketing Hour For Entrepreneurs, LIVE at 1 pm Eastern time! Listen in at http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

I'll have a special guest with me in the studio: Brian Deacon, who runs a Homeowners Maintenance Program for upscale homeowners here in the Tampa / St. Petersburg area, and who's an astute student of direct-response marketing and a member of my Mastermind Program.

We'll be answering your questions, so call us LIVE at 1-866-613-1612, or International 001-858-268-3068, or else you can e-mail your questions into me at radio@kingofcopy.com

We'll also be talking about:

Why wine is fine, but whiskey's quicker...

The best part of breaking up...

And why you should THINK before you believe everything you read!

Join us today, LIVE at 1pm on http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. If you've ever struggled to find or hire good employees (and who hasn't?), in this month's OFFLINE Seductive Selling Newsletter, you'll get an IDIOT-PROOF proven way to permanently fix this. Test-drive the newsletter, FREE at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Loyal to the brand, or loyal to the Bribe?

One of the things we talked about on my radio show yesterday - you can now download the show here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio or you can actually subscribe to the ipod podcast at itpc://www.kingofcopy.com/koc_podcast.xml - was, selling things at a low price.

I’d been going through “Blade” Magazine, which is about knives, and the lion’s share of all the space ads in there mentioned two things: The name of the company, and “lowest prices.”

Neither of these things are very compelling, and in fact, I’d bet simply by saying you’re the “highest priced knife on the marketplace” and then telling why, you’d get business.

Anyway, here’s the thing with respect to “low low prices!” When you train your customers to buy based on price, they become loyal to the bribe, and not loyal to you. As an example, if a new retailer came out on the marketplace today, and their whole sales pitch was “We promise to be THE lowest-priced store in town -- we’ll even beat WAL-MART hands-down, on every single item in stock.”

What do you think would happen here? Do you think everyone would stay put and stay faithful to Wal-Mart? I think not. Sure you’d have a few die-hards, but for the most part, Wal-Mart’s customers would RUN as fast as they can to this other place.

But remember this, while being loyal to you is far more important, and makes pricing FAR less important, if you want that kind of loyalty, you’re going... to have to... earn it!

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Check out all the King’s products at http://www.kingofcopy.com/products

P.P.S. This month’s newsletter is almost finished and ready to ship to the printer. Inside you’re going to find a press release I wrote that was viewed over 100,000 times in TWO days, along with proof of this claim. Test-drive it FREE now at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Nothing like a good rags-to-riches story, hey?

There really is nothing like a good story. And in fact, if you’ve got a story somewhere in your profile -- and I know you do, because everyone does -- you’d better be using it, because as Mike Miget, this month’s Audio Success Interview CD of the month says, sometimes all you need to do to differentiate yourself from everyone else, is tell your story.

Here, listen to these:

In 1985, William Shultz (who’s now 80), spearheaded an LBO (leveraged buyout) of the Fender Guitar company -- long recognized (along with Gibson guitars), as THE guitar to play. The company was floundering, but by emphasizing research and quality, he rescued the company. The Fender Stratocaster was made popular by musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Oh, Schultz never learned to play the guitar.

And how about Robert Hoffman? Hoffman, along with two goofball friends of his from college, turned college humor into a totally out-of-control magazine, National Lampoon. From the magazine came records, a radio show, and movies -- including John Belushi’s Animal House. Then, after Hoffman sold his ownership in Lampoon, he grew the country’s 5th largest bottler of Coca-Cola, and eventually wound up donating more than $150 Million dollars worth of art to The Dallas Museum or Art.

Where did Hoffman go to college?

No, not Goofball U, but Harvard!

As you can see, these stories aren’t fancy, or filled with drama, but WOW, don’t they leave a memorable impression?

To get your copy of this month’s eye-opening, and frankly, fun interview with Mike Miget (who went from ZERO to $1 Million in sales, in fifteen months -- really FIVE months, as you’ll see), you get it when you test-drive The Seductive Selling Offline Newsletter, for FREE, at: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Check out all the King’s products at http://www.kingofcopy.com/products

P.P.S Stay tuned for my radio show this Thursday at 1pm Eastern time, LIVE at http://www.kingofcopy.com/radio