Posts by John Forde
How to Makes Sales Without Even Trying
A great piece of sales copy can show up where you’d least expect it. With an impact you might not expect either. At levels you never imagined. Take this letter, below, sent to a friend from a company called “Dove Construction.” This appeared in Penny Thomas’s mailbox, on the company’s official stationery..
Read MoreThe Look That Sells
Graphics and design are a vital part of any sales letter. But before you let your graphic designer take over, make sure you keep this in mind:
Read MoreThe World’s Toughest Girl Scout
Jennifer Sharpe can kick your butt.
Read MoreUnlocking the Hidden ” Horsepower ” in Your Copy
That’s where the “horsepower” technique comes in handy. It’s familiar in one way, mysterious in another. So the prospective customer can embrace it instantly. But they’re also intrigued to hear more.
Read MoreA Lazy Way to Get More Done
Aim, every day, to accomplish only three things. The real trick: You have to make sure you choose three things that count.
Read MoreHow to Walk Up a Mountain
“Whenever I feel the urge to exercise, I just lie down and it goes away.” – Mark Twain What does it really take to be “great”? In the movie Rocky, there’s that pivotal scene. You know the one. It’s cold. It’s early. And the Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa, is bounding up the steps of the…
Read MoreThe Risks of “Idea Addiction”
“If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.” – Carl Sagan Are you addicted to ideas? I am. I admit it. I love the creative process. No, it’s not just that I love it. It’s that I can’t escape it. Seriously. I carry an idea pad in…
Read MoreA Goal That’s Easier to Achieve Than Ignore
“Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.” – Confucius Quit smoking. Lose weight. Read more. Work harder. Get organized. Spend more time with family and friends. Every January, we make the same promises. By March, most of them are out the window. “A resolution,” somebody once said, “is a thing that goes in…
Read MoreHow to Pack Your Next Hour (With Progress)
Hey, I’m just like you. I get easily distracted. In fact, maybe more so than the average procrastinator.
Read MoreHow One Big Idea Trumps Lots of Small Ones
“What’s good writing? A single strong message, clearly expressed.” – Michael Masterson It happens every year. Michael Masterson, Bill Bonner, and I meet in a French country chateau. We drink wine. And we stay up late, playing guitars. During the day, we run an intensive, four-day, bootcamp for a small number of copywriters – some…
Read MoreHow Knowing What NOT to Say Boosts Results
“Too much zeal offends, where indirection works.” – Euripides Copywriters spend a lot of time staring at the blinking cursor… wondering what to say. This is especially true when they’re writing sales copy for the Internet. After all, the Internet is a fairly new advertising medium. So don’t Internet marketers have to find whole new…
Read MoreTips From a Centi-Millionaire Hedge Fund Trader
“I don’t know much about being a millionaire, but I’ll bet I’d be a darling at it.” – Dorothy Parker John Devaney’s personal net worth is about $250 million. Fifteen years ago, he was a flat-broke college kid. Today, he is the manager of a successful hedge fund. (And by “successful,” I mean his investors…
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