I mentioned at the closing of year-end that I was setting up a number of new features, and today I’m going to start rolling some of them out.

Over the next few weeks there will be more, including a completely new blog design.

O.K., here goes:

For starters, my sign up process is completely new.

When you sign into my website at kingofcopy.com, or from anywhere else inside the site, or from my blog, the series of e-mails you get is brand spanking new.

In these new e-mails you will also get access to a couple of really cool interviews I did, in print, that I’ve never revealed before. There is some compelling personal and business information in there I know you’ll find interesting.

To get these interviews, just re-sign into my site at http://www.kingofcopy.com and you’ll receive them all over the next few days, and you’ll be privy to the new signup e-mails also.

Second, another new features is called “Ask Me, Baby!” I will now be answering e-zine subscriber questions by video, probably once a week or so. I enjoy making videos and they’re becoming easier to create and produce, so I think this will be a great benefit to you as well.

Plus, I can get away with saying things in person that I probably can’t get away with in print.

So “YES” I will be using the f-word and other things real grown-ups say in REAL life, not in internet-world.

Now let me warn you. I anticipate getting loads of stupid questions to answer as well, and if it’s a stupid question, I’m going to very bluntly and candidly let you know on these videos, just how stupid you or your question may be.

But don’t worry, I won’t reveal any of your personal details or the fact that you are stupid, so you can still submit these questions knowing your dumbness is safe between us, and probably your immediate family. (you can only hide so much from so many people)

Anyway, you can ask me any questions you want, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/askmebaby

Alright, that’s enough giving from me, for today.

So if you have a question, go ask me, and sign back in to my site for all the cool interviews I did.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. More personal stories, and the fastest (and cheapest) way to clear out all the clutter, procrastination, or self-doubt that’s “stuck” in your mind: http://www.kingofcopy.com/science

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Questions? Just ask me, baby! http://www.kingofcopy.com/askmebaby

Check out ALL the King’s products at http://www.kingofcopy.com/products

Friend me on Facebook at: http://www.kingofcopy.com/facebook

Comments? Leave them here on my blog — let me know what you’re thinking:

Today is the last day to get your hands on this month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter.

Here’s just a few of the many things you can look forward to inside this month’s issue, which is called “The Nostalgia Issue,” because all the ads and examples in it are from the late 1960′s and early 1970′s:

* 16 (yep, count ‘em) live marketing examples! Products, services, one-step selling… two step lead generation — you got ‘em all!

* Biggest copywriting mistake people make when trying to impress buyers about how “advanced” their product is. (Example 3)

* Another critical mistake commonly made in 2-step lead generation marketing (Example 5)

* When to use guarantees in your headlines!

* The best way to get people to understand and ultimately agree with your explanation of things (used in a very uncommon setting!)

* Everyone knows analogies are the life-blood of anyone trying to write good sales copy, right? Well, you’ll get an idiot-proof and fail-safe formula to create analogies so everyone understands the points you’re trying to make. You’ll never be at a loss for comparison, after this method, that’s been as reliable as a Swiss watch since I learned it 15 years ago!

* How to generate leads by “flagging” them down! (Example 10)

* In this month’s “Copywriting Secrets” column, you’ll get a breakdown of the 11 moving parts of a sales letter and a detailed breakdown of how to “close!”

* How to write a P.S. and 7 different real examples from actual copy I’ve created!

* In the Weekend Update News column: Print Advertising Down… Is this the secret to social media?… Cross-selling, upselling, and “reason to buy” champions… Twitter… The secret to growing old… self-published titles… and Cool URL’s.

* And in Tales from the Back-End, you’ll find out why we worry and how to stop it!

All this, and much much more, PLUS, my year-end holiday card… PLUS… this month’s Audio Success CD of the month, where I interview Mavericks Coaching group member Bob Maunsell. Bob shows you how he took a foothold in an industry and created an extra $70,000 plus, with just a few postcard mailings.

Test-drive Seductive Selling for 30 days, and get 16 (REAL) bonus gifts with it, free at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Make sure you watch the video and listen to the phone calls via the blue tab at the top, right-hand side of the page at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Have a wonderful New Year! Craig Garber

P.S. There’s also a semi-nude photo of me on the front cover of this month’s issue!

P.P.S. Just kidding about that photo.

***

Questions? Just ask me, baby! http://www.kingofcopy.com/askmebaby

Check out ALL the King’s products at http://www.kingofcopy.com/products

Friend me on Facebook at: http://www.kingofcopy.com/facebook

Comments? Leave them here on my blog — let me know what you’re thinking:

***
Only 6 days left to save $1,000 with the early-bird registration for my January Emotional Copywriting Seminar & Ad Writing Workshop, at http://www.kingofcopy.com/adwriting

***

I’m off to the Big Apple to enjoy out the Thanksgiving Day parade and to take a much-needed vacation with my family.

This is just a quick note to wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving.

I hope your holiday is relaxing and that you spend your time making the warmest of memories.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. How To Out-Smart (Rather Than Out-Spend) Your Competition: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

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

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kingofcopy

Comments? Leave them here on my blog — let me know what you’re thinking:

Is it expensive?

I don’t know.

That really depends on you, I guess.

It depends on whether you’re an information gatherer, or an information user. Here are just a few of the insights you’re getting at my Ad Writing Workshop:

* You’ll get a detailed explanation, and multiple actual live examples of the 17 components of a sales letter. Now reality is, you will only have to use a combination of any 8 or 9 of them in any one given marketing piece, but I will lay them all out for you in plain and simple English, and I’ll clear up any bit of confusion you may have. You’ll get an easy, orderly and systematic way of puttingthese components together, that you’ll rely on, and constantly refer to, and use, forever!

This 17-step proven sales letter writing formula, is what’s been responsible for my ability to consistently crank out winning sales promotions, and has produced well in excess of several million dollars in the last few years alone, along with incredible results and response rates.

* You’ll discover how to use each of these components… when to use them, and… maybe even more important — when NOT to!

* Some people try and “close” too early… and some don’t close at all. Some people list the benefits of what they’re selling too late… and some don’t offer enough benefits. You’ll find out exactly when to close and how to present the benefits of your goods and services, without hesitation.

* How to make irresistible offers that sell! Next to your headline, your offer is the most important part of your marketing. I’ll show you how to make offers that are absolutely irresistible and hard to walk away from!

See, if you’re an information user, someone who turns around and takes action on things, then you’ll think the cost to attend my January Ad Writing Workshop is probably dirt cheap. But if you’re an information gatherer — or someone who thinks too much and never seems to get around to the execution part — then I could charge $10 dollars to get into this workshop, and it’d still be a cost you’re never going to recoup.

However, considering I’m promising you’ll walk out of my Ad Writing Workshop, with a completed display ad, website, sales letter, or lead-generation ad, no matter WHAT you do for a living… most people with businesses think this is a steal.

How much do you think this man feels my advice is worth?:

Christian Godefroy, a man who’s sold in excess of $300 million dollars worth of goods and services over the last 35 years, just sent me this e-mail: “Craig, using only two of the ideas you gave me last year, I pulled in $304,044.82 in the last 7 days alone. The two strategies were, incorporating contunity into my business, the way you showed me… and sharing personal information in my emails – personal stories, even weaknesses, the same way you do. I have never earned so much cash, so fast. At 90% profit, I am in debt to you, forever.”

Now Christian works in the French marketplace, and some of you may say, “Sure Craig, but your ideas and copy may not work in English as well.”

And if this is what you’re thinking, don’t come to this workshop. Because I can’t talk logic to illogical people. But if you’re one of the smart ones who’s thinking, “Holy shit, that’s incredible. I’ve GOT to be there,” then register now.

Because the early-bird discount, giving you $1,000 off admission to this workshop, expires on Monday, December 1st, or when the first 25 people sign up.

Yes, only 25 people can come to this event. That’s because of the one-on-one personal nature of the work I’ll be doing directly on your business, I simply can’t work with a larger crowd. (And since there’s no sales pitching either, your time is going to be incredibly productive.)

And if you’re of the 25 people who attend, then get excited. Because I’m going to do everything I can, to make sure this is going to be the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself. You can register here, at:

http://www.kingofcopy.com/adwriting

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Don’t forget the $1,000 Early-Bird Discount expires on 12/1/08: http://www.kingofcopy.com/adwriting

Dead.

Like it or not, that’s what you are, if you own a business and you can’t sell in print.

Like it… or not…

For the last three years, time and again, people have asked me to reveal the secret to my prolific copywriting success. And now at last, I am doing this in a small group setting here in sunny Tampa, in January:

And my big promise to you, is that:

You Will Walk Out Of My January 2009 Ad Writing Workshop, With A Completed Display Ad, Website, Sales Letter, Or Lead-Generation Ad, No Matter WHAT You Do For A Living!

What you need to pay VERY close attention to, is the early-bird discount, giving you $1,000 off admission to this workshop.

This discount expires on Monday, December 1st.

The other thing you need to pay close attention to, is that because of the one-on-one personal nature of the work I’ll be doing directly on your business, I MUST limit the number of attendees at this workshop to 25, and that’s it.

Oh, and before you look at the registration page, I’ll tell you up front, this is an expensive workshop. But if you think you someone of my caliber is going to spend almost three days with you, and give you a half-lifetime’s worth of his knowledge and experience — in an intimate and darn-near one-on-one setting, for something like $1,000 dollars… then you have a lot to learn about value.

But if you’re of the 25 who’s coming, then get excited. Get very… very… excited. Register here at:

http://www.kingofcopy.com/adwriting

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Don’t forget the $1,000 Early-Bird Discount expires on 12/1/08: http://www.kingofcopy.com/adwriting

In case you didn’t get to participate in the “money test” I ran yesterday, you can still get in right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/booksurvey

If you who did participate, thank you, and I mean that, sincerely. The results and the market research are very interesting and I’ll publish them sometime next week, once I have more participants (If you haven’t checked it out, please do so now — you’ll have fun and get a lot out of it.)

For starters, I was overwhelmed with how many people sent well-wishes and just had really nice things to say. Maybe I’m not as much of a hard-ass as I think I am. Thank you for this.

Anyway, in addition to some great feedback, I also got a number of really cool questions that I thought I’d share with you today. Here are a few of them:

* “What better way to get just the right title to a book than to get from the horse’s mouth, eh?”

Yes, that’s the whole point. If you know what your marketplace wants, then it’s certainly a lot easier to sell it to them, isn’t it? Most people have no idea how much time I spend on market research, before I write any copy. It’s not uncommon for me to spend maybe 16 to 24 hours on research alone, most of this reading or ordering things from competitors of clients, or reviewing and experiencing actual competitive products themselves, and their sales process.

This is really where all your work is done, and where all the ideas for your sales copy come from. Remember, it’s all about pushing your prospects emotional buy-buttons first, then the rest is easy.

* “Many of the titles you suggested have the word “Online” in them. I assume if you don’t want to use “Internet” in the title, the same reasoning would apply to “Online.” No? Note #2: Maybe you can use Seductive Selling in the title to further brand yourself/your business.”

This is an excellent question, and it’s a comment several people made or alluded to. Here’s what’s going on:

It’s been my observation when you put the words “internet marketing” together, you are attracting and speaking to much more of a business opportunity crowd. My customers, for the most part, are very serious about their business at hand, they are NOT newbies, and they are smart enough to know the magic pill isn’t a magic pill, but a series of steps that evolve over time.

They are also smart enough to know that action makes things happen, first. They aren’t coming to me for the latest smoke and mirrors voodoo, and if you notice, I don’t typically sell using lots of hype or other kind of nonsense.

I’m very direct, optimistic, empathetic and folksy. Good, bad or indifferent, like it or not, but that’s who I am and that’s what my marketplace wants.

I’ve also noticed “online” draws people who are a little more sophisticated and serious about themselves and their business. See, in reality, the internet is simply a media, not an art form. So when people say “internet marketing,” it’s as absurd, to some extent, as saying “newspaper marketing” or “direct mail marketing.” To me, it just shows some naiveté on their part, as to what really makes emotional direct-marketing effective. Those folks are clearly NOT my audience.

As to using “Seductive Selling,” again, this is another great idea, but I’m holding it for my second book. The next book is more about selling in print, and the Seductive Selling title is more appropriate and relevant here.

Great questions, again.

* “Why not test using google adwords?”

Another great suggestion. I am running Google AdWords testing right now as we’re speaking. I wanted to use this survey to help me narrow down all the options somewhat, and it has definitely helped, as you’ll see when I show you the responses next week. This is, by the way, what Timothy Ferriss did, to come up with the title of his best-seller, The 4-Hour Work-Week

Thanks so much for all the great questions — I’ll share some more of them with you tomorrow. And if you haven’t yet taken this survey and you want to, or you want to see how it’s done, here’s the deal:

I’m close to releasing one of my books, and I have a few questions to ask you about it, first.

Can you answer them and pass this “money test,” and will your answers be the right ones? Find out, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/booksurvey

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Only two days left to get your hands on this month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter — test-drive it free and get a bushel of gifts at http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

Check out all my products at http://www.kingofcopy.com/products

Get on the advanced notification list for my 2 books, soon to be published: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssbook

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kingofcopy

Comments? Leave them here on my blog — I want to know what you’re thinking:

Just a quick note to let you know I’ve updated the status of where I am with my books right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssbook

The two books are:

* Seductive Selling, The NEW Rules Of Selling In Print: 27 Unconventional Ways To Make An Absolute KILLING In Business!”

And…

* The ABC’s Of Internet Marketing, How I Made $578,463.44 Online, With A Small List Of Only 5,000 Names, And In Only 12 Months: 23 Money-Making Ground Rules Anyone Can Follow!

These are two separate books with two separate sets of information. There MAY be 10 pages of overlap. The first book deals with selling in print (online, offline, where ever), and the second book deals with specific online strategies.

To get on the early advance pre-notification list, just go to http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssbook

It will be worth your while, since one of the bonuses is going to be a free teleseminar for the first 100 orders.

Also, after you register, you’ll get to watch a very cool, very provocative video.

Talk to you Friday.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. On this page, you’ll also see the current status and ongoing progress reports, so check back weekly.

Again that’s http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssbook

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

Comments? Leave them here on my blog — I want to know what you’re thinking:

Last week, Anne was at the grocery store and she sent me a one-word text: “rambutan.”

I sent her back a question mark because I had no clue what she meant. It sounded like some sort of a command in a foreign language.

“Look it up.”

Turns out, a rambutan is a tropical fruit. You can look it up on Wikipedia and see a picture of it, but that’s NOT what it looks like in real life. In real life, it is probably the most disgusting looking edible item I’ve ever seen. It looks like a red raw ping-pong ball, surrounded by thick dark greasy hair.

I know this is gross, but I’m probably being kind here. Imagine the thought of eating it!

Anne said she brought it home because our daughter was curious about it and since we always encourage our kids to be open-minded, we always do things like this. Here’s a hint, by the way, if you struggle with new ideas: if you can be open-minded and curious about things going on in your personal life, it’s very easy and natural to be open-minded and curious in business.

Well, here’s what happened with that rambutan. After you slice around that ugly shell with a thin sharp knife, what pops out is a soft bouncy pearly-white fruit that tastes like a grape. Not only was it an interesting experience, but the fruit was quite tasty.

See, sometimes it’s just not fair to judge something or someone, simply by looking at their exterior.

And other times, of course, it works the other way around: A beautiful flower is toxic to the touch. Or, a beautiful woman is toxic to your touch as well.

Either way, appearances can often be misleading as you know.

Here’s a wonderful story that illustrates this. It comes from my good friend Christian Godefroy, and if you like it, you can go to his site at http://www.positive-club.com and you’ll receive loads of good stories like this, or you can listen to an interview Christian did with me at http://www.kingofcopy.com/media/interview/christian

Here’s that story: It’s called “The Cracked Pot”

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across hls neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full 2 years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master’s house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

“I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on YOUR side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them.

For 2 years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots in one way or another.

Some of us don’t grow old gracefully, some are not so smart, some are tall, large & big, some bald, some physically challenged, but it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You’ve just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. There is a lot of good out there. There is a lot of good in you!

Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.

Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life! Or as I like to think of it – if not for the crackpots in my life, it would be pretty boring.

Thank you for being my crackpot friend.

Nice, isn’t it? Again, to get wonderful stories like this, regularly — sent to you from a wonderful man, Christian Godefroy — then go to http://www.positive-club.com

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Which one of your own hopes and dreams will soon come true?: http://www.kingofcopy.com/dreamscometrue

If you enjoyed this, pass it on to a few of your friends and business associates, and if you have any comments about this message, leave them here on my blog — it’s important you let me know what you’re thinking!:

Here are ALL the King’s products: http://www.kingofcopy.com/products

Here’s what I promised you about an hour ago: A couple of weeks ago, I introduced you to the 25 year-old wonderkid in my Mastermind Group — Dustin Mathews – who’s created several fool-proof ways of raising cash.

Apparently, the online seminars and teleseminars Dustin has been putting on were incredibly effective. See, in less than 3 weeks, he’s now built up a list of over 12,000 names, which goes to show you that in the end, nothing can take the place of great content.

Well, in less than 60 minutes — at 12 Noon Eastern time — Dustin is going to be releasing his Business Credit Infusion.

And since there is some hand-holding in his program, he is releasing only 503 copies of this program. He’s been studying his business for some time and based on his time and motion studies, this is the number of people his staff will be able to service. You couldn’t come up with a kooky number like this any other way.

Here’s the link for all the details on Business Credit Infusion:

http://www.kingofcopy.com/dmathews

Look, if you are thinking of getting into business, or if you want to expand your current business or do more deals, then you MUST give this a look. So click this link and check it out, right now while it’s fresh on your mind and before anything else comes up:

http://www.kingofcopy.com/dmathews

Reality is, if I had something like this when I first got started in business, it definitely would have made my life a lot easier.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Remember there are only 503 copies available and based on what Dustin’s told me, they will ALL be gone soon! So go to http://www.kingofcopy.com/dmathews

I’m sick and tired of the way things are going in this country. And so I finally decided, “Craig, you’re either part of the problem… or, you’re part of the solution.” But now I’m not just part of the solution — I AM the solution!

Check out this late-breaking news video here on my blog:

Show your vote of support by posting a comment here on my blog below. (Then go take a free 30-day test-drive of my offline newsletter right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl)

Now go sell something, Craig Garber