Gary Bencivenga's seminar materials -- would they be useful to my specific situation?

[Ken F]

I am NOT a copywriter, although I have studied copywriting (AWAI's course + Gene Schwartz's book).

I am a freelance legal translator and provide my services to conservative international law firms, a completely different audience than the ones most (all?) of you write for.

In your opinion, would Gary Bencivenga's seminar materials help me to sell my services (using my web site and brochure) to, say, staid partners at Baker & McKenzie?

Many thanks for your help.

[Hugh Thyer]

Ken, your target audience is no different to any other one. People are people. Sure, the triggers for different audiences are different, but the process for writing to stay at home mums, people who want to lose weight or heads of international law firms is all the same.

The main steps in all these cases are:
- Identify what your prospect secretly desires, what problem he has that's gnawing away at him
- what kind of language he uses
- how to make sure your direct mail package ends up in the right person's hands, and
- what kind of offer could get him off his arse to take action

Good copywriters would use the same skills to develop sales material for this market, as any market.

So yesm Gary Bencivenga would be fine. Although at your more novice level there are probably better ways to spend $5,000. Go check out Untitled Document. It's free and you'll come up with some great ideas.

[Ken F]

Thanks very much for your reply, Hugh:-)

I've read 90% of the contents of Gary Halbert's site & much of John Carlton's free (and paid) materials.

[Alex Cohen]

Originally Posted by Ken F

Thanks very much for your reply, Hugh:-)

I've read 90% of the contents of Gary Halbert's site & much of John Carlton's free (and paid) materials.

Ken,

Two other excellent sources of free copywriting/marketing instruction can be found here ...

The Total Package - On the sidebar, go to the section that says, "View Posts by Author". The articles by Clayton Makepeace and Daniel Levis are excellent. As are many of the others.

Copywriting and Marketing Tips By Copywriter Michel Fortin - On the sidebar, find the tab that says "Popular". Those 12 articles are also well worth reading.

Alex

[Ken F]

Thanks, Alex.

I'm familiar with those 2 as well:-)

[Alex Cohen]

Originally Posted by Ken F

Thanks, Alex.

I'm familiar with those 2 as well:-)

Ken,

Here's a couple more that are really good ...

Copywriting - Andrew Cavanagh's excellent blog.

Marketing Tips, copywriting tips, direct marketing, starting a small business - 7 years of articles written by the one and only Ted Nicholas

Alex

[Ken F]

Thanks, Alex: I'm familiar with the latter, but not the former:-)

Thanks, Paul: I'm very familiar with Dan Kennedy as well:-)

[Alex Cohen]

Originally Posted by Ken F

Thanks, Alex: I'm familiar with the latter, but not the former:-)

Whew! I thought I was losing my touch.

You'll find a lot of good info there.

Alex

[RickDuris]

Hi Ken_F,

This is a bit off topic:

With all respect, and you've already acknowledged us individually and we, as your "Copywriting Borg" are grateful on this end, but a simple request is in order:

Can you hit the thanks button on these posts made by others? It's that little button thingy that says "Thanks!" at the bottom right of each post. (It took me a while to find it myself when I started.)

The contributors will love you for it, it will lift their spirits as well as their day and make their contribution to you worthwhile.

Better yet, they (as wells others in the future) will contribute to you even more, because it shows your lasting appreciation.

Just a suggestion. Great question and the responses were outstanding.

Thank you, Ken F in advance.

We are committed to your success. "Resistance is futile."

- Rick Duris

[Mr. Subtle]

Originally Posted by Ken F

I am NOT a copywriter, although I have studied copywriting (AWAI's course + Gene Schwartz's book).

In your opinion, would Gary Bencivenga's seminar materials help me to sell my services (using my web site and brochure) to, say, staid partners at Baker & McKenzie?

Originally Posted by Ken F

I've read 90% of the contents of Gary Halbert's site & much of John Carlton's free (and paid) materials.

Originally Posted by Ken F

I'm familiar with those 2 (Makepeace & Fortin) as well:-)

Originally Posted by Ken F

Thanks, Alex: I'm familiar with the latter (Nicholas)...

Thanks, Paul: I'm very familiar with Dan Kennedy as well:-)

In answer to your original question... absolutely postively NO. Why?

You've studied the AWAI course, studied Schwartz's book, studied 90% of what Halbert has put online, studied Carlton's free (and paid) materials, studied Makepeace's free stuff, studied Fortin's free stuff, studied Dan Kennedy and you're still CLUELESS.

If you were starting out in the early 90s, it would have taken you a DECADE to accumulate the knowledge that you've accumulated in a very short period of time. Yet, you can't do SH*T with it.

Send my $5K and I'll write you a letter. It will take me less than 2 hours ('cause it would only have to be 2 pages... tops, but I guarantee you that you'll be talking to someone important at the law firm of "Baker & McKenzie." And guess what? The letter I'd put together for you would come from the FREE information that you've "studied."

[RickDuris]

Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle

In answer to your original question... absolutely postively NO. Why?

You've studied the AWAI course, studied Schwartz's book, studied 90% of what Halbert has put online, studied Carlton's free (and paid) materials, studied Makepeace's free stuff, studied Fortin's free stuff, studied Dan Kennedy and you're still CLUELESS.

If you were starting out in the early 90s, it would have taken you a DECADE to accumulate the knowledge that you've accumulated in a very short period of time. Yet, you can't do SH*T with it.

Send my $5K and I'll write you a letter. It will take me less than 2 hours ('cause it would only have to be 2 pages... tops, but I guarantee you that you'll be talking to someone important at the law firm of "Baker & McKenzie." And guess what? The letter I'd put together for you would come from the FREE information that you've "studied."

You know Mr. Subtle, I was kinda thinking the same thing.

But then some people have sado-masochistic tendencies. Or they may want know what it's like slit their wrists and bleed all over their rug. And then have to clean it up afterward.

BUT--if YOU offer to them at the same time to teach them the method to your copywriting madness, it might be an interesting, profitable collaboration.

Whenever I work with a Client my implicit goal is to share the collective knowledge of the copywriting gods, saints and angels so they can do it on their own and only call me in for the heavy lifting sorts of things.

It's an interesting copywriting business model. May not work for everybody, but it works for me. And adds tremendous value to the relationship. My Clients feel gifted and I feel appreciated.

- Rick Duris

[Harlan]

Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle

Send my $5K and I'll write you a letter. It will take me less than 2 hours ('cause it would only have to be 2 pages... tops, but I guarantee you that you'll be talking to someone important at the law firm of "Baker & McKenzie." And guess what? The letter I'd put together for you would come from the FREE information that you've "studied."

Subtle is correct.

Stop spending money.

You have access to more information than you could ever imagine.

If you have Eugene Schwartz's book and one or two others, you need nothing else.

If you still have a problem, find a coach.

[Ken_Caudill]

Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle

In answer to your original question... absolutely postively NO. Why?

You've studied the AWAI course, studied Schwartz's book, studied 90% of what Halbert has put online, studied Carlton's free (and paid) materials, studied Makepeace's free stuff, studied Fortin's free stuff, studied Dan Kennedy and you're still CLUELESS.

If you were starting out in the early 90s, it would have taken you a DECADE to accumulate the knowledge that you've accumulated in a very short period of time. Yet, you can't do SH*T with it.

Send my $5K and I'll write you a letter. It will take me less than 2 hours ('cause it would only have to be 2 pages... tops, but I guarantee you that you'll be talking to someone important at the law firm of "Baker & McKenzie." And guess what? The letter I'd put together for you would come from the FREE information that you've "studied."

Damn. You really are subtle. I'm glad you didn't put it bluntly.