Archive for October 2023

Fixers Toolkit for Better Copywriting

Copywriting Tools

“Can I help you?”

“Yes. Do you know anyone who fixes these?”

“As a matter of fact I do.”

But before I reveal the fixer, let me ask you this first…

What are YOU especially good at? And are you doing that?

Are you happy? Successful?

Making all the money you want to?

Are you wrestling with any vexing problems?

Perhaps you know someone who is?

Here’s a cool thing I discovered recently:

There are these career assessments that suggest you write down all the things you like to do. Then all the things you are good at. Then ask your friends and family for input about what they perceive your strengths to be. Finally, list related products or services that people are known to pay for.

At the intersection of all these you’ll likely find that thing you should be doing. That thing you should do your best work at.

Venn diagrams are often used to show the overlap more clearly.

The Japanese have an even more elaborate setup. With its own unique word.

“Ikigai”. The secret to living a long, happy, purpose-filled life.

Those who know me well, and many who know me not so well, will describe me as a “fixer”.

Rather on the nose, me thinks.

Perhaps you might agree upon hearing my tale…and then find a profitable use for my fixing abilities.

A Winding Path To Word Fixing

I tinkered as a kid. Fixing old clocks with gears. Radios with tubes. Popped a new engine into a ’67 Buick Riviera in my late teens. Loved that car. But I was in too deep. Blew that engine too.

1967 Buick Riviera Fixer
1967 Buick Riviera RS – Classic Styling Ahead of Its Time

Enjoyed a long and profitable career of fixing office equipment. Copiers, fax machines, shredders and such. Grew that service department 4 times larger and managed all aspects of it for decades.

Rehabbed houses on the side. Then flipped them. Folks would call upon me for odd jobs. Handyman stuff. Still do.

“Can you fix this?”

When I got into digital photography, I was more fascinated with Photoshop than cameras and gear. Probably because Photoshop is a tool for fixing photographs. (and my early photos sure needed that!) If I might be permitted a brag, those fixed photos went on to win many awards.

Did the same for many other photographers as well.

On Writing Books

When I wrote my first tutorial book to help folks learn Photoshop faster, perhaps I was helping them fix their problem of struggling with this powerful and complicated software.

Having gone through the process of self publishing that book, and many others, and selling tens of $1000’s of dollars worth of books through free ads, I started helping people write, publish, and profit from their writing and publishing their own books.

When they struggled with marketing those books, I helped them fix that too.

Even helped that girl from China when she asked me to help fix her strange marketing problem. Weird. Since at the time, I’d never helped a gemstone dealer before. $60K in sales, in just two weeks, certainly surprised me! Have you read that story?

Seems universal principles are just that. Universal. They always work.

Turns out a lot of things can be fixed with words too. I’ve helped myself and many others do just that.

Which works out well for me. Because the years have put this aging body long past the point of wrestling 700 lb V-8 engine blocks into big Buicks. Or hoisting 4×8 sheets of drywall all day.

The Fixer:

  • Sees a problem.
  • Determines the root cause.
  • Executes a plan, using the proper tools, to make things better. To make things work right or optimally.

I think the term “Fixer” then, given all of the above, suits me.

If you find yourself nodding YES to that, then…

“How can I help you?”

How is everything going with you?

Is your writing profitable?

How are your sales doing?

And your marketing?

If you might see a place where some fixing or repair in any of these areas is warranted…

There’s a tool kit I’ve developed which makes product creation and copywriting related things much easier. Better. Faster. More cost effective.

It’s called, the Copywriter’s Persuasion Toolkit.

You’re welcome to use this toolkit too, if you like. Many have found it useful.

It’s where I’d start there if I were hoping to fix any of the problems listed above.

Why not try it yourself?

Great potential upside. Zero risk whatsoever.

If it doesn’t reveal the fix you need (and I’d be very surprised at that) then I welcome you to ask…

“Hey Bob, think you can you fix this?”

Send your question right to: bob@writeforwealthclub.com

Bob “The Fixer” Schwarztrauber

P.S. One of my secret weapons is my history of being a fixer in so many varied fields. I draw upon a wealth of experience and breadth of possible solutions that’s second to none. I almost always develop a quick sense of what can and should be done to make things better. No matter how unique or daunting your problem might seem right now, there’s a good chance I’ve seen something like it. And fixed it.

P.P.S. I hope I never see it, but it would feel right if on my tombstone they engraved, “He helped make things better.”

These 10 Asks Yield Better Results

A better way to ask

You cried. Me too.

It’s everyone’s first ASK.

“Please feed me, I’m hungry.” This is what our parents heard.

No, wait. Got that wrong. Poopy pants this time.

Some still cry to get what they want. Most move on to using their words.

As copywriters, using the right words, is critical.

How we ASK is critical.

It’s how we feed ourselves now. And maybe our families.

But where, how and when did we learn to ask?

Most just figured it out through trial and error as we grew up.

“Can I take Karate lessons mom. I’m gonna teach my brother not to mess with me!”

“Can I take Karate lessons mom. I hear it helps with focus and discipline which will also help me do better in school.”

HOW you ask matters.

HOW often you ask matters.

We know this, as copywriters. (Even kids have a sense of it)

But how limited is our ASK vocabularity?

How many ways do we know to ASK.

Obviously, if we need to ASK to RECEIVE, the better we are at asking, the more we can receive. Yes?

Consider then this…

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

4 Mediums for Asking

1.Face to Face Sales is asking.
2. Marketing is asking.
3. Advertising is asking.
4. Education can be asking

My sense is, if you are not receiving enough, asking more may help.

3 Ways to Add More Asks:

– Ask more people generally. Make 100 cold calls verses 5 or 10
– Ask differently. Words matter. Iterate. Hit hot buttons. – The Copywriter’s Toolkit identifies buyer Hot Buttons. Words that pack an emotional punch. Tug at heartstrings.
– Ask Different People – Who you ask matters as much as how – Ask more rich folks!

Utilize 10 Ask Methods/Mediums

1. Telephone – make them aware of you. Offer value.
2.  Ads – Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Google, Newspaper, Direct Mail, Coupons, Pinterest, Youtube Ads
3.  Social Media Posts – Educate/Entertain/Be Useful or Share worthy
4.  Blog – pull marketing. Demonstrate expertise – attract by giving first
5.  Webinar – educate, inform, entertain
6.  Seminar – use mob mentality, give first to get
7.  Podcast – opportunity to know, like, and trust you
8.  Car/Bus Wrap – local marketing, interrupt/ grab attention
9.  Door To Door – literal knocking to promote awareness
10. Direct Mail Invitations – offer something free

Choose Your Prospects Wisely – Who You Ask Matters

Shotgun or rifle marketing.

Big blast out – bound to hit someone?

Or select shot, direct to the one best target?

5 Critical ASK Metrics

How you ask
Who you ask
When you ask
Where you ask
What you ask.

An excellent example of the importance of these was offered in this previous post: This Always Brings Greater Sales

Who else remembers this poem from high school…

“I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.

– Rudyard Kipling

The Copywriter’s Persuasion ToolKit is great because it works to identify all 5 critical metrics for you.

Copywriting Tool and Templates

 

Bottom line, if you are not receiving enough, why not consider asking more?

It’s An Exponential Matrix

Results are not linear – when you choose better whos, ask better questions of them, at better times – you will get more than a 3X linear, better result. Your results multiply exponenially.

Asking once is the kiss of death. Circumstances change. You could not sell me diapers today at any price. 20 years ago, when my daughter was born, I bought them every week. 10 years from now, I might buy them again for my grandkids. Or me!

Timing matters. Asking always keeps your company, your product, YOU front, center, and top of mind. “Do you know someone who sells diapers? As a matter of fact I do!”

In my 20’s I could see no value in purchasing life insurance. In my 40’s, 50’s and 60’s you should be asking me if you sell insurance.

I don’t need a new roof this year. When I do, I might request the very first quote from the guys who ring my doorbell every summer asking. They are top of mind.

You? Who are you? Never heard of you.

Keep Asking. Times, Situations Change.

Life is not a stationary thing. It is a parade. A moving thing. Situations and circumstances are always changing. In flow. Ebbs and cycles. Where and how you jump in matters.

No big deal if I have a pimple today. Two days before the prom – you bet I’m searching for an immediate remedy. Damn the cost! I need this now!

How do you know when I’ll have a pimple problem? You don’t.

So you keep showing up.

“Won’t they get offended, get angry, if I keep asking.”

Say I come to your home, and you offer me a cup of tea. I say no thank you.

Do you get offended? Embarassed? Feel pushy? NO! You’re just trying to improve my experience.

Do I get offended? No. Unless like a jerk you keep pushing. “Awe, c’mon. One cup. Just one cup. How about some Jasmine or black tea? Would you prefer Oolong? Do you take cream and sugar?”

Don’t ask like a pushy jerk and you’ll be fine. Remember, how you ask matters.

Now how is offering tea different than you offering me your fine, helpful product?

If you’re not offering a “fine helpful product” that may be your entire problem. You have to believe first and foremost that your product is good and helpful. Adds value in excess of the cost to purchase.

THE BEST OFFERS: Are so valuable, they make saying NO feel like the stupid choice.

Sell solutions not features. Talk about how things will be better – how MY LIFE will be better if I will only… Paint word pictures of the brighter future that’s possible for me.

Let’s wrap up now.

How will you ask more?
How will you ask better?

Your ask will not go forward without effort. Your effort.

Want more? It’s up to you. Get off your ask!

(Write out SPECIFICALLY the changes you will make and stick to them for 15 days. Make changes then based on results so far. Test again. Keep testing daily for 15 days (or 30 days) straight until you find a system that clicks for you.)

Use these three metrics to improve your asks:

1. A greater QUANTITY of asks. How many dials, posts, videos, ads will you commit to putting out? Ideally daily, or at least weekly.
2. A higher QUALITY of asks. How will you touch their emotions? Up their urgency? Paint a brighter future?
3. A tighter TARGETING of asks. Who are your best prospects and how best to reach them.

Work on these, improve these and watch as the biblical blessing promised flow unto you.

Ask and ye shall receive.
Seek and ye shall find.
Knock and it shall be opened unto you.

It’s just a true now as when written.

Billions and Billions of Sales Dollars have come from this over the past thousands of years.

Why do you resist it?

Get off your ASK!

Make some changes, to get some changes.

I’ll ASK you again to grab a copy of the Copywriter’s Persuasion Toolkit. It’s proven templates, diagrams, and examples will provide all the answers you need to craft promotions that deliver more sales, more profits, more cash in your pocket.

Today!

– Robert Schwarztrauber

P.S. Click here for direct access to the Copywriter’s Toolkit checkout

Copywriting Tool and Templates