Ray Edwards Show
Ray Edwards is a sought-after Copywriter, Author, Speaker, and Communications Strategist. His clients include Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Jeff Walker, Robert Allen, and more. On this show, Ray helps you start, run, and grow their Internet-based businesses. The show includes interviews with well-known experts like Michael Hyatt, Jeff Goins, Dan Miller, Cliff Ravenscraft, Michael Stelzner, Amy Porterfield, Don Miller, and many others.

Copywriting can be tricky.

As a copywriter, you work hard to follow the proven formulas and structures.

You probably do a great job with that. It's not that tough.

And yet, sometimes, we can do everything right and the copy still falls flat. Yes, it is even happens to me. It happens all copywriters. Regardless of what they tell you. More on this later in the podcast!

Tip Of The Week

I was about this close to buying a brand-new MacBook Pro only a week and a half ago.  But then, I decided to try something else instead. No-not a PC!Instead of buying a new computer, I bought extra RAM, and a solid-state drive to replace my computer's original  hard drive.  The results were interesting, and I explain what happened in the podcast episode (so Yep, You have to listen to the audio to get the full story!)

I bought my RAM from crucial.com

This is the solid-state drive I recommend; everyone seems to agree it's the best.

Spiritual Foundations

God has engineered so that the best (and really the only) way to accumulate great wealth is being willing to give it away.

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered.

Proverbs 11:24-25

The 21 Reasons People Buy From You

Even though people by based on emotion, it is also correct to say they have reasons for buying. The reasons themselves are based in emotion.

An understanding of the driving reasons people buy a particular product or service can be key in writing copy that has the desired result (sales.)

It is crucial that you understand the reasons why people buy from you-and specify, clarify, amplify, those reasons in your copy.

  1. Need
  2. Competition
  3. Sex
  4. Meaning
  5. Mission
  6. Greed
  7. Comfort
  8. Experience
  9. Pain
  10. Fear
  11. Significance
  12. Connection
  13. Love
  14. Contribution
  15. Control
  16. Conformity
  17. Loneliness
  18. Anger
  19. Prevention
  20. Addiction
  21. Power

I am not suggesting you purposefully use these reasons as a way to manipulate your customers and prospects. I am, however, asserting that understanding the motivations that already exist is key to your sales process

Special Announcements

I am JAZZED to be attending Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula Live event in Scottsdale, Arizona this weekend. The event is sold out. If you are attending, please make sure and contact me so we can connect at while we're there.

I will be speaking in Denver, Colorado, next month at the next JV Alert Live. I'll be sharing the stage with  great marketers including my friends Joel Comm, Rick Butts, Debbie Bermont, and others. You can register for the event using this link, and I would love to connect with you in Denver. If you do register using my link, please let me know. I am thinking about having a special get together just for people I have invited to the event. I would like to get a sense of how many people that may be.

Would you like to have me speak at your event? Click here to visit my speaking page and get details on my availability.

Your Feedback

Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please send me an email.

And if you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast.

You can find the podcast on Stitcher by clicking the logo:

Call in your questions or comments to our new, fancy “request line” at (509) 713-2679

Question: What are the reasons your customers buy from you? You can leave a comment below.

 

Direct download: REP032.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 4:04am PDT

If your copywriting is not selling enough, maybe it's because you have failed to P.A.S.T.O.R. And I'm not talking about preaching…

Copywriting: The Key To Wealth Generation

If you can write effective sales copy, you can literally write your own paycheck.

There really should be no such thing as a “broke copywriter”.

By definition, good copywriters can create money out of thin air. So why does copy so often fail?

Copywriting Fails When You Ignore Universal Principles

There are universal psychological triggers that help you sell more effectively.  Certainly, there are universal principles to writing persuasive sales copy. After all, as John E. Kennedy taught us, copywriting is mere “salesmanship in print”

You can hardly “swing a cat” without hitting a copywriter who has a “formula” for writing copy. Most of these formulas are actually quite good. The one I'm going to share with you today, though, is intentionally based on these universal principles.

To Sell More, P.A.S.T.O.R. Your Customers

Most people associate the term “pastor” with the preacher at church. While this is certainly true in most cases, the original meaning of the word “pastor” was actually “to shepherd”. And what does the shepherd do? He or she cares for, feeds, and protects the flock.

Now, before we go any further, I should address the habit that some marketers have of referring to their customers as their “herd”. It seems to paint an unflattering picture. This kind of imagery is not what I am invoking here. The actual role of a shepherd is a loving, caring, and protective one. In fact, Jesus, who called himself the “Good Shepherd”, actually laid down his life for his flock.

I am certainly not suggesting any religious overtones for your copy: what I am suggesting is that you adopt the same loving, caring, and protective role as you write copy for your prospects and customers.

And, as you might've guessed, P.A.S.T.O.R. is also an acronym for pieces of your copy. Here is the explanation:

  • “P” is for PROBLEM
  • “A” is for AMPLIFY
  • “S” is for STORY and SOLUTION
  • “T” is for TRANSFORMATION and TESTIMONY
  • “O” is for OFFER
  • “R” is for RESPONSE

If you apply the mindset of being a shepherd to your readers, and you follow the sequence of the P.A.S.T.O.R formula, my prediction is you will experience more sales, more profits, and more happy customers… more often.

Spiritual Foundations

When we pray, something always happens. The key is to look for what's happening.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6

Special Announcements

I am very excited to be attending Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula Live event in Scottsdale, Arizona next week. The event is sold out. If you are attending, please make sure and contact me so we can connect at while we're there.

I will be speaking in Denver, Colorado, next month at the next JV Alert Live. I am very pleased to be sharing the stage with other great marketers including my friend Joel Comm and Rick Butts, Debbie Bermont, and others. This is a wonderful event at which to meet like-minded people, network, and find joint venture partners. You can register for the event using this link, and I would love to connect with you in Denver. If you do register using my link, please let me know. I am thinking about having a special get together just for people I have invited to the event. I would like to get a sense of how many people that may be.

Would you like to have me speak at your event? Click here to visit my speaking page and get details on my availability.

Your Feedback

Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please send me an email.

And if you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast.

You can find the podcast on Stitcher by clicking the logo:

Call in your questions or comments to our new, fancy “request line” at (509) 713-2679

Question: How will you apply the PASTOR formula this week? You can leave a comment below.

 

Direct download: REP031.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:09am PDT

You don't have enough money, and I'm going to show you how to get it from the most unlikely place-your own brain! That's right, there is money inside your brain. The trick is knowing how to get it out of there.

There are two “games” you have to master if you want your brain to start producing money for you. Those two games are:

1. The “inner game” of money-getting
2. The “outer game” of money-getting

This may sound ridiculously obvious, but it is very important to master both of these games if you want to put an end to your cashflow quandary.

Let's tackle them one at a time.

The “Inner Game” of Money-Getting

The “inner game” refers to your core beliefs, attitudes, and emotions about the subject of money. This can go deeper than you think. Specifically, you want to examine:

  • Your beliefs about money and it's nature
  • Your beliefs about your own worthiness
  • “Incantations” you may use to reinforce your beliefs
  • Emotions tied to money

This “inner game”, when taken as a whole, serves as a kind of “thermostat” for your economic condition at any given time. We each have a “money setpoint”. It operates just like a thermostat. Go over the setpoint, and you will subconsciously adjust your income back to the setpoint. Dip below the setpoint, and you will begin to subconsciously do things that will bring your income back up to that level. The question you need to ponder: can I consciously readjust just my setpoint?

The “Outer Game” of Money-Getting

Once you have your “inner game” in order, and you're no longer driving with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brakes, you can begin to pay attention to the “outer game”. This refers to the external actions you must take to bring more money to your life.

The getting of money is a skill, and like any skill it can be acquired, improved, and refined. Most people spend about zero time doing any of these things.

There are so many ways to get money that the biggest problem in teaching you how to do it is choosing just one.

Information Marketing As a Money-Getting Method

Selling information, as I have proposed elsewhere, is absolutely the best business you can be in. It requires little to no capital expenditure to start a business selling information, there is little or no overhead, no employees required, and very little risk. Let's run with this idea.

The process, grossly simplified, for taking an idea (something inside your brain), externalizing it, and turning it into money, is something like this:

  • Identify a “market” (a specific group of people, similar in nature, who share a common set of needs, wants, and problems).
  • Identify a “pain point” shared by a large number of those people.
  • Match the “pain point” with information, talent, or skill that you already possess or can easily acquire.
  • Having acquired the information that relieves the pain your market is experiencing, turn that information into a salable form: audio, video, book, e-book, etc.
  • Create a website (using WordPress) that magnetically draws people to its front doorstep, compels them to surrender their contact information for free resources, and then markets to them on a sequential basis until they buy your information.
  • Spread the word about your fancy new website using search engine optimization, social media marketing, and yes -gasp! – even paid advertising.
  • Test relentlessly, improve ruthlessly, repeat endlessly.

It really is that simple.

Yes, there are details that perhaps you're unfamiliar with. Allowing yourself to get stuck in such questions as, “How do I identify the market? How do I do WordPress? What are social media marketing methods?” etc. is a dead-end and an excuse to avoid doing the actual work.

All that stuff is merely details. It can be figured out. It has been figured out by lesser people than you. Refuse to get mired in details. True entrepreneurs don't get stuck in that place. People who like to pretend they are entrepreneurs do.

If the previous statement upsets you, don't feel condemned or convicted by it. Merely change your behavior to match the outcome you really want.

The 30 Day Brain Money Challenge

I invite you to accept a challenge. The challenge is simple: in the next 30 days, starting today, do what is necessary to take an idea from your brain and turn it into money.

The challenge is no more complicated than that.

It is simple.

Of course, simple does not mean synonymous with “easy”.

But what if you did set your intention to get money out of your brain in the next 30 days? If you are already in the information marketing business, and you are already making a profit, what if you challenged your brain to produce more money than it ever has before? What might be the outcome of excepting such a challenge?

Spiritual Foundations

Be careful what you focus on – and especially avoid fear, anger, and confusion.

“…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Special Announcements

I am very excited to be attending Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula Live event in Scottsdale, Arizona at the end of this month. The event will likely be sold out by the time this podcast is published. If you are attending, please make sure and contact me so we can connect at the event. I would really love to meet you there, and spend some time getting to know you.

I will also be speaking in Denver, Colorado, next month at the next JV Alert Live. I am very pleased to be sharing the stage with other great marketers including my friend Joel Comm and Rick Butts, Debbie Bermont, and others. This is a wonderful event at which to meet like-minded people, network, and find joint venture partners. You can register for the event using this link, and I would love to connect with you in Denver. If you do register using my link, please let me know. I am thinking about having a special get together just for people I have invited to the event. I would like to get a sense of how many people that may be.

Would you like to have me speak at your event? Click here to visit my speaking page and get details on my availability.

Your Feedback

Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please send me an email.

And if you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast.

You can find the podcast on Stitcher by clicking the logo:

Call in your questions or comments to our new, fancy “request line” at (509) 713-2679

Question: What is your action plan for getting money from your brain in the next 30 days? You can leave a comment below.

 

Direct download: REP030.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 8:36pm PDT

Joint Ventures are a hot topic. There is a lot of talk in the Internet marketing community about how to “JV”.  This past weekend, I was a featured speaker at JV Alert Live conference In San Diego.  Talking with so many people about their concept of what a “joint venture” really is led me to create this weeks podcast. In this episode we will discuss:

  1. what a joint venture is
  2. how to create joint ventures
  3. pitfalls to avoid.

I also have a couple of great interviews that I gathered while I was at the conference.

We will hear from our Lifestyle Business correspondent, Stu McLaren.

Finally, for those who are a bit geeky, I will tell you about my new mobile podcasting rig.


This Week's Tip

For my recent trip to San Diego, I knew I wanted to do some recording for the podcast.

But I wanted to keep the audio quality high level, without taking my regular studio gear.

Therefore, I invested in a couple of microphones – specifically, the Audio-Technica ATR2100. These mics render superior sound, and they are very inexpensive.

Listen to the podcast for a sound comparison, and see if you can tell the difference between my $400 microphone (the Heil PR40), and the $48 Audio-Technica ATR2100.

I also took along a ZOOM digital recorder and a Behringer mixer.

Spiritual Foundations

Modern Christianity is indeed about signs and wonders… they see our signs, and it makes them wonder!

Nobody knows what we're for
only what we're against
when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs
crossed over the lines
and loved like You did
Casting Crowns, “Jesus Friend of Sinners”

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4

Lifestyle Business Correspondent

This week we have another segment from Stu McLaren

Feature Story: How To Do Joint Ventures

  1. Why are Joint Ventures important?
  2. What is a Joint Venture?
  3. How to “do” Joint Ventures
  4. What to avoid

”Networking is mostly about showing genuine interest in other people.”
Click To Tweet This Quote

Announcements

SUBSCRIPTION LINKS

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes.

You can find the podcast on Stitcher by clicking the logo:

Call in your questions or comments to our new, fancy “request line” at (509) 713-2679

Question for you: What has your experience been with “joint ventures”? Comment below, or call in at (509) 713-2679

 

Direct download: REP029.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:08pm PDT