This week, I have Karon Thackston, with me.

The audio recording of our interview is in this blog post. Just look for the “play” button and listen. It’s free! Also, be sure to check out all of the resources listed below.

If you’re not familiar with Karon yet, learn more here:

Karon Thackston is President of Marketing Words, a full-service copywriting agency specializing in conversion-oriented, search engine copywriting. Since 1999, she has authored several books/courses including the popular “Step-by-Step Copywriting Course” (6th Edition), “Writing With Keywords” (5th edition) and four ebooks for the Wordtracker Masterclass series including “Ecommerce Copywriting”, “Article Marketing,” “Easy Keyword Optimization” and “Profit-Pulling PPC Ads.”

She has contributed to the search engine and sales success of companies including Gorton's Seafood, American Boating Association, Entertainment.com and more.

Find Karon on the web at Marketing Words.

Step 1: Check out these Essential Tools and Resources for Online Business Success Mentioned in this Show:

All links will open in a new window and not interfere while you're listening to the audio.

Tools Mentioned:

• Paypal
• WordPress
• Hootsuite
• Aweber
• Go to Webinar
• Hostgator

In the interview, Karon also mentions.

• NAMS Workshop in Atlanta – come hang out with us
• The Frito Bandito – her childhood inspiration

Facebook:

• Follow Me on Facebook
• Follow Karon on Facebook

Step 2: Enjoy the Interview.

Be sure to listen to the entire interview.

I apologize in advance, as there was some feedback around minutes 6-11 only when I talked, but we fixed it for the rest of the call.

Prefer to Read?

If you prefer to read the interview, it is available on Kindle.

Step 3: Learn More from Karon.

Head over here to check out more from Karon: Step-by-Step Copywriting Course (use coupon “Nicole100” to save $100 on her copywriting course)

Step 4: Share the Love.

If you liked this interview, don't keep it to yourself. Share the link with some friends. (Pretty please.)

Step 5: Make Sure you Don't Miss a Thing.

Either sign up for my blog updates over there –>

Or grab my feed on iTunes so you can get lots more free interviews just like this one. (Please leave a glowing review while you're at it.)

Step 6: Get a free link on my blog

Please post your comments below after you listen to the interview. Show Kristen the love so I can continue to get great guests like her.

Plus, of course, you can include your URL and your Twitter ID in the appropriate fields when you comment, as always.

Reminder:

Head over here to check out more from Karon:
Step-by-Step Copywriting Course
(use coupon “Nicole100” to save $100 on her copywriting course)

Thanks again for being part of my business and my day. I'm looking forward to hearing what you learned and will apply from this interview.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Would you Like to Start a Podcast like Mine and Have Cool People on your Show? If you can make a telephone call, you can have a podcast, too: Click here -> How to Start a Podcast

These are some quotes from this interview:

Teacher OK after crashing into bear on a bicycle

Why did I giggle? Well, silly, I couldn't figure out why the bear was on the bicycle in the first place. Was it a trained circus bear? Had it escaped from a zoo?

This, my friends, is the reason why proofreaders and copywriters exist. To avoid miscommunications like those.

Of course, in this instance, it was funny — and thank God the Teacher is ok.

However, there have been many instances of really poor headlines — some of which are seen on Jay Leno.

In fact, I found a site that offers lots of “Headlines gone WRONG!”:

Here are a few of my favorites for your sick and twisted delight:

• Panda mating fails; Veterinarian takes over — I wouldn't want to be THAT Veterinarian!
• Enraged cow injures farmer with ax – How the Cow swung the ax without having thumbs is beyond me!
• Stolen painting found by tree – That's one smart (and scary) tree!
• Never withhold herpes infection from loved one – No comment.
• If strike isn't settled quickly, it may last a while – Duh?

Oh yeah, baby. That's why good copy is essential to your online business, too. Words matter. The order of the words, the specific words that are chosen can make an impact or make you look downright silly!

If you're looking for the perfect proofreader or copywriter, I invite you to check out Shelancers.com.

If you'd like to know what to DO once you've found that perfect copywriter — I recommend OutsourceWeekly.com

Have a great week!

Nicole

Kelly is dedicated to making sure that she provides exactly the information that work at home moms are looking for. So, she's set up a 30-second survey to get your thoughts. And, to make it worth her time, she is giving every person who takes the survey a FREE copy of her ebook “Mom’s Talk Biz Guide to Copywriting.” (A $16.97 value)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FREE EBOOK.

Enjoy!
Nicole

Here's the scoop I got in my inbox — (yes, it's a copy/paste, but I added my comments)

Begin Call Details…
You're an ethical business owner with a knockout product or service that could make people's lives so much better, right? So why they beating down your door to buy from YOU? (AMEN! Preach on, SISTER!)

Here's the problem. It isn't enough to just have a great product or service anymore. You have to CONNECT with each member of your target market…truly, madly, and deeply. (This sounds like a lot of work…)

To succeed in business today you must have:

=> Trust over hype
=> Integrity over “the fine print”
=> Attraction over revulsion

(She's making sense so far… I don't want to repulse people.)

Here are the criteria to get them to buy. First of all, your prospect must know, like and trust you. Secondly they have to believe you can make their lives DRAMATICALLY BETTER. Fact is, we buy based on emotion. And what moves us into the psychological buying state are the words or the “copy.” What you have to understand to get them to buy is this…

IF YOUR COPY IS WEAK SO ARE YOUR SALES! It doesn't have to be that way!

~~~~~ ANNOUNCING A FREE, CONTENT-RICH TELECLASS ~~~~~

My good friend (who I really respect a bunch), Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero of Red Hot Copy is giving away a copywriting teleclass for f*r*e*e! (By the way, Lorrie has the reputation of being one of most knowledgeable and best teachers of copywriting working today, teaching superstars like Michael Port and James Roche how to build their copywriting chops.)

If you're tired of beating your head against the wall to get your visitors to buy, now's your chance to turn it around!

This Monday, August 27 at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern Lorrie is giving back in a f*r*e*e promo teleclass –

*Introductory Teleseminar to Kick Start Your Copywriting Process* ($97 value),

Just Sign Up Here.

Here's some of what you'll hear on the call…

* What you MUST do before you write a single word of copy (or expect it will fail miserably);

* How to make your copy easier to consume by your target market (if they ain't reading, they ain't buying);

* Simple ways get them to see you as the go-to person over ANYBODY ELSE in your market;

* Psychological HOT BUTTONS that pull your prospect into your copy (don't worry – they are perfectly ethical);

* The one fail-proof technique to making your copy flow that even COPYWRITERS OFTEN OVERLOOK;

* And more!

Whatcha Waiting for? It's free! Geesh.

Be sure to call in early.

Nicole

Maybe you don't know where to start. Maybe you are a little insecure about your writing ability. Maybe you hate writing. Whatever the reason, you and I both know copywriting is critical to your marketing success. There is just no better way to clearly explain your value to a willing prospect than with copy.

If you recall, a few weeks ago, I posted about a bunch of free copywriting critique videos by Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero. They were awesome!

Well, Lorrie has just launched her flagship course — “Speed Copywriting Workshop”.

Never before has there been such a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to getting your copy out of your head, on to paper, and molded into the perfect model to reach YOUR TARGET MARKET!

And for a fraction of what it would cost to hire a copywriter. PLUS you get a blueprint for writing any type of copy super FAST. You'll use this formula over and over again — and, in business, you know that formulas and systems will get you more money than trying to reinvent the wheel or figure things out on your own.

It's time to get your sales copy out of your head and down on paper in record time. No more pushing it to the back burner. And best of all, no more losing money at an alarming rate.

Lorrie provided me with the following questions and answers.

*Who is this training designed for?*
The *Speed Copywriting Workshop* course is for any type of entrepreneur. If you are in a business and have creative control over your marketing this course is for YOU. So far people who have used this course span a broad range…

=> Graphic facilitator
=> Business storyteller
=> Attorney
=> Sales people
=> Marketing experts
=> Copywriters
=> Horse business owner
=> Life coach
=> Photographer
=> Spa owner
=> Speakers
=> Nutritional products distributor
=> Skin repair products distributor
=> Seminar promoter
=> Fighter pilot
=> Manufacturer
=> Fitness coach
=> Business coach
=> Spa owner
=> Real estate mogul
=> Massage therapist
=> Internet marketers
=> YOUR BUSINESS?

Click here for the details.

*I'm just going to hire a copywriter.*

A lot of people choose this route and it's a very valid solution. But if I may play Devil's Advocate for a moment…

You SHOULD hire a copywriter IF:
=> You have an extra $5,000-$15,000 lying around plus royalties. Copywriting is the MOST EXPENSIVE skill to outsource;
=> This is the last sales letter you ever plan to write.
You won't need to replicate this skill if you never plan to do it again;
=> You never plan to make future changes to your business.
You'll need to shell out more cash whenever you need an update;
Otherwise this course is a cheap investment in a lifelong skill you will always need. Whether you write copy yourself, pass it off to a member of your staff, or hire a copywriter, at the end of the day YOU as the business owner are the person responsible for the copy doing its job.

*What are the down and dirty details?*

You will not only get Lorrie's personalized system for writing winning copy FAST, plus these special bonuses:
=> Step-by-step, replicatable blueprint for any kind of copy
=> All the tools you need to turn out your own professional grade version of your first draft of sales copy
=> Laminated checklists
=> Deep target market questionnaire
=> Swipe files from top copywriters
=> Bonus DVDs
=> John Carlton's full day Hot Seat seminar (4 DVDs) – you can't get these anywhere else!
=> Your own RED HOT CHICKEN (while supplies last)

Click here for the details.

*Is there a guarantee?*

Absolutely. When you purchase Lorrie's products, she insists you leave a happy camper. You get a full 365 days to play with and evaluate this course. If you're not 100% satisfied, no big deal. Simply ship it back and you'll get your investment returned (less shipping). You'll part friends.

Click here for the details.

*Isn't this just like Lorrie's teleseminar Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp?*

Not really though the goals are similar. Both are about getting good at writing copy, but the *Speed Copywriting Workshop* course goes so much deeper. You get…

=> never before revealed tricks Lorrie has picked up in the past few months from other top copywriters like Dan Kennedy, Yanik Silver, John Carlton and Gary Halbert at THEIR live events – ways to write WAY faster and pull more money out of your copy (these have not been taught in the Bootcamp);
=> to look over Lorrie's shoulder on the DVDs and watch how she whips lame copy into amazing shape. It's as if you were in the same room, learning at her feet. Very powerful course;
=> cutting-edge, replicatable copywriting techniques so you get results MUCH faster (no one else has put together a formula quite as easy to follow as Lorrie);
=> the underground knowledge of how to use specific words to trigger a reliable chain reaction in your prospects (few people know how to overlay this translate neurolinguistic programming tricks into copy);
=> coaching in how to write follow up copy to support the rest of the sales cycle (not just the sales letter, but Lorrie also explains how to integrate other types of copy to drive traffic to your website and keep your customers in your funnel);
=> pull stories out of your head and onto paper to keep your readers intrigued and glued to your copy (storytelling is a surefire way to lower sales resistance and get into your prospect's head);
=> and so much more!
Click here for the details.

*What is all the buzz I hear about the Red Hot Chicken?*

The Red Hot Chicken is actually a timer and is becoming somewhat of a superstar. Copywriting legend Gene Schwartz used to break up his writing in chunks of 33 minutes using a timer. It's one of the secrets to writing quickly with laser-focus. So Lorrie created a promotion with a goofy (though effective) story around it.

Basically the story goes like this…a new breed was discovered off of Hawaii (between Niihau and Kauai off the Na Pali Coast) on a teeny tiny place called Quitsquawki'n Island. They were named *chickenus timerus* or Red Hot Chickens. They are an orderly, disciplined breed that thrive best in the homes of successful entrepreneurs. And Red Hot Copy was entrusted with finding suitable homes for the Red Hot Chickens.

The promo is proof-positive that interesting copy and good storytelling cuts through the clutter. She got requests for the Chicken from as far away as Singapore, South Africa and Belgium. One subscriber (who asked to remain anonymous actually did a search on Google to find the island location).

Only those who own the *Speed Copywriting Workshop* are all eligible to adopt a Chicken since they are entrepreneurs proven to invest in themselves and their success. There is no other way to get your claws on one of these Red Hot Chicken timers. So don't let your copy go to the birds! Sign up now!

Click here for the details.

No, this course is not cheap, but… there are some skills that are absolutely essential in business that must be learned or hired out. If your sales are not coming in, even though you have traffic to your website, then this really is the course for you.

Click here for the details.

Warmly,
Nicole

Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero has posted the last of her copywriting critiques on her site. You can view the video here for free:
CLICK HERE FOR FREE ACCESS
I work closely with her and I'll personally be removing this video from her site in a few days. So, go watch it while it's still there.

First of all, hiring a copywriters is darned expensive.
Secondly, it can be a really hard skill to learn.

Well, one of my clients happens to be one of the top copywriters in the WORLD. (See? Hanging around me has some benefits.)

Anyway, I found out that she had some copywriting critique videos and I asked her if she'd be willing to make them available so that more people could learn how awesome she is.

Being the generous person (and smart business woman) that she is… she agreed.

So, without further ado, here is copy critique #1.
FREE COPYWRITING VIDEOS

There will be a new video released each week for 5 weeks, so, if you don't want to miss any, be sure to get on her newsletter list.

Have a wonderful week.
Nicole

HBWM Ads , Direct Sales Ads , USA WAHM Ads

I received several questions and most of them were similar:

“Nicole, I've tried advertising and it doesn't work! How can I make my advertising more effective?”

There are several aspects in running a successful ad campaign.

The first thing is the ad, of course. It needs to make people want to click. Some people spend more time deciding what to eat for dinner than they do on writing an ad that they are paying money for…

Are you spending time writing a quality ad that shows the benefits of your product or service?

For example…
This ad stinks: “Buy Blue Widgets — on sale until Friday”.
This ad is better: “Sleep through the night and wake up refreshed. Blue Widgets will help you in 2 days guaranteed. On sale until Friday.”

Do you see the difference? The first one is about the product, the second one is more about the benefits. (It's still not great, though.)

Now, I'm not a professional copywriter, so I don't want to teach you too much about this.
If you'd like to learn more about copywriting, I recommend Alice Seba's free tips as a starting point –
FREE Copywriting Tips

Have a wonderful weekend!
Nicole