John Forde, AWAI, AWAI Fast Track to Success Bootcamp & Job Fair, AWAI bootcamp, copywriting, freelance writing, copywriting articles

1. Copywriting Secret of the Masters:
Is Copywriting the World’s Best Business?
by: John Forde
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com

2. Is Copywriting the World’s Best Business?
“I used to work in a fire hydrant factory.
You couldn’t park anywhere near the place.‖
 Steven Wright
You’ve heard about the oldest profession. And I’m guessing you know the
toughest, too (parenting).
What’s the most dangerous? Fishing, believe it or not. Along with logging
and flying airplanes.
The worst pay, alas, goes to dishwashers and fry cooks, who scrape the
bottom of the income barrel.
If you’d rather earn the big bucks, says a Forbes survey, you’re better off
learning to knock people out.
No, not as a boxer – as an anesthesiologist.
Heart surgeons and OB/GYNs are also way up there, along with 11 other
medical careers, your average lawyer, CEOs, and even air traffic controllers.
But what could be the world’s BEST business?
Dare I say it? Copywriting!
How to Spot the Best Business in the World
Yeah… I know what you’re thinking.
How can I, a humble copywriter, dare to make that claim? After all, I’ve yet
to perform a heart surgery or land a plane.
And I’m a parent, yes, but just getting started. As for the world’s oldest
profession – frankly, not for me. (I don’t like the hours.)
In short, you could say my experience is limited.
However, I recently stumbled across a classic essay that has me convinced
I’m right.
It’s titled ―The Ideal Business,‖ and it was written way back in the 1970s by
legendary financial guru, Richard Russell.
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3. (Just as an aside, you may have heard about Richard. He’s been writing and
publishing his ―Dow Theory Letters‖ since 1958. And he’s contributed to all
the major magazines. He recently celebrated his 85th birthday and he’s still
going strong.)
No, he wasn’t writing about copywriting specifically. Frankly, the copywriting
we do – in the manner we do it, remotely with a laptop – wasn’t even
imagined as a possibility back then.
But what Richard did do was run down a list of criteria that described exactly
what an ―ideal business‖ for anyone might be.
With kudos and thanks to Richard, let’s just take a look at the list from a
copywriting perspective and see how it shakes out:
 “Sells the World”– That is, it’s not local, it’s global. Now, I know lots
of copywriters get their start writing for local businesses. And it used
to be you had to dream of winning Fortune 500 clients to go global.
Not so now, thanks to the huge demand forInternet copy.
 “Enjoys Inelastic Demand”– Meaning that people need it, almost no
matter what it costs. And with copy, that’s true. Sure, they’ll want to
pay you based on your success record and experience. But there’s no
question businesses need copy to sell. If you don’t advertise and do it
well, you’re just building yourself a future cobweb colony.
 “Cannot Be Easily Copied”– Richard was talking about patents and
copyrights in his essay. But you could at least make the comparison
that every great copywriter has a style, and every great headline
leaves an imprint. Sure, rip-offs happen. But it’s the original ad writer
who makes the big money and enjoys a lot more job security.
 “Has Low Labor and Overhead Costs”– In other words, to run a
freelance copywriting business, you don’t need employees. And you
don’t need a warehouse or expensive heavy machinery (unless, er,
you’re a VERY specialized kind of writer I’ve never heard of). All you
need is a laptop and something to sell. And coffee.
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4.  “Takes in Cash Billings”– Freelancers might have to work out
payment differences with new clients, but steady clients usually pay on
time. And you know you’re usually getting half your fee up front and
half when you’ve done the work. Plus royalties, if you’re in a
copywriting field that earns them. (I am, and it’s nice to know you’ve
got a stream of royalties coming in, especially when they start layering
on top of each other.)
 “Is Free of All Kinds of Regulation”– That’s definitely NOT true
when it comes to what you can say in the ad copy you’ll write. Laws
can box you in, and they can do it often. On the other hand, when
you’re working for yourself, at least you don’t have to sweat the rules
on office safety requirements. (Imagine suing yourself for getting your
tie caught in your own fax machine or burning yourself with your own
coffee machine!)
 “Is Portable”– I get asked a lot about how to set up as a copywriter
in Paris or any of the other places I’ve been lucky enough to work for
an extended period (a London office, a New York City apartment, a
French country farmhouse, etc.). It’s not always easy (those pesky
laws again, the challenge of long-distance clients, and the costs
sometimes involved). But as a copywriter, it can definitely be done. In
fact, I can’t imagine another career – at least one that pays this well –
being as moveable as this one.
 “Satisfies Intellectual Needs”– I love what I do. Because I love
ideas, I love reading, and I love writing. I love learning things and then
turning them back around in my own words, while still trying to keep
the topics interesting. Of course, that’s not for everybody. And if it’s
not for you, well, consider anesthesiology (as a job, not a medical
alternative to career depression).
 “Leaves You With Free Time”– Okay, I’ve got to hedge my response
on this one. On the one hand, you’ve got the freelancer’s curse
working against you. When there’s no whistle blowing, and your home
is your office, it’s possible to work all the time. Plus, as a writer, ideas
will creep into your dinners, your walks, even the shower – and you’ll
dash to write them down. On the other hand, I kind of like the energy
of gears that churn on autopilot.
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5. Plus, while I may not have lots of free time, I’m master of what I have
and how and when I decide to cash it in. Because my schedule is my
own to shuffle around (though the older I get, the more I’m sure
routine is the secret to success).
 “Is Not Limited By Personal Output”– Now here’s the one where
you might think I’ve hit a sandtrap. After all, some copywriters get
paid piecemeal, while others collect royalties. But that isn’t what
Richard meant. At least, it’s not the only thing. Ideally, it means you’ve
got the chance to get paid exponentially for something you put effort
into only one time. Like an information product you can sell over and
over again. And certainly, once you’ve figured out how to write copy
that sells, that’s an opportunity you’ll have no matter what else
happens. Because selling is the key to virtually every kind of repeat
business there is.
Maybe you agree with Richard Russell’s list, maybe you don’t. Or maybe
you’re still too new to this game to know, one way or the other.
As for me, I think he’s hit pretty much all the key points. And by that
measure, I genuinely couldn’t imagine a better way to butter my bread than
what I’m doing right now (okay, maybe… maybe… some part-time work as a
security guard in a lingerie fitting room… or wine taster at one of Paris’ best
restaurants… but only if they came with stock options and dental).
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com

6. John Forde:A Master at Writing
More Controls More Often
"If you write copy … how many chances to sell your talents to the businesses
you know and trust have you overlooked? Company websites … local sales
brochures … online ads and sales letters … print ads in local papers … even
P.R. pieces or ezine editorial.
It might be the small gigs that get you started. It might be the big
opportunities that let you smack the cover off the ball at your first at bat.
Either way, I’ve met plenty of people who had no grasp about what role
copywriters play.
Masterson’s [Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting] offers the
most thorough and well-organized approach to the subject I’ve seen
anywhere. There’s not a technique or secret in there that I haven’t found
helpful over the years. I owe a great deal of my own success to Mike
Masterson. And I tell him so regularly. As for the program, I’d recommend it
to anybody – not just direct-mail copywriters, but anyone who’s trying to get
a grip on what makes marketing work."
— John Forde
JOHN FORDE has been writing winning controls for going on two decades
now. He’s made untold millions for clients in the financial, health, and travel
industries. John also works as a copy coach, hosting intense seminars for
two or three hundred marketers and copywriters at a time.
John Forde also writes the successful and very useful eletter, The
Copywriter’s Roundtable.
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com