Simple Writing System Relaunch - Also Action Seminar

by deezn
23 replies
Received an email stating Carlton's SWS is being released. There will be an express version which will be free, and a Coaching program.

In the email they also state they are holding an Action Seminar in San Diego. Anyone ever been? I guess it's more markting based than copywriting, but there are copywriting elements involved (and a free year of Insider Club membership which I was thinking of going to). Seems as if it's ran mainly by Stan Dahl

I live in San Diego so it'll be very cheap for me to attend. The theme is to develop a one page, concise action plan. They also will conduct a Copy Court, where a panel will tear apart your copy.

I see our very own Harlan is one of the panelists.

Just reading the copy for the event alone provided some lessons (creating urgency by stating the earlier you join, the better chance you have of getting your copy reviewed).

http://www.actionseminar.com/
#action #relaunch #seminar #simple #system #writing
  • Profile picture of the author ASCW
    Went to their last one. Learned a lot, made extremely valuable connections, had a blast.
    go.
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    • Profile picture of the author Scott Murdaugh
      Originally Posted by ASCW View Post

      Went to their last one. Learned a lot, made extremely valuable connections, had a blast.
      go.
      Lesson from Andy at the last Action Seminar. How to be unforgettable? Return to seminar from lunch carrying a goat head.

      Proceed to tell entire crowd how you acquired said goat head. Instant celebrity status.

      True story.

      Those are the kinds of real-world lessons that you can't learn outside of the Action Seminar.

      I highly recommend it. Had a great time, met a ton of amazing people.
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      • Profile picture of the author ASCW
        Originally Posted by Scott Murdaugh View Post

        Lesson from Andy at the last Action Seminar. How to be unforgettable? Return to seminar from lunch carrying a goat head.

        Proceed to tell entire crowd how you acquired said goat head. Instant celebrity status.

        True story.

        Those are the kinds of real-world lessons that you can't learn outside of the Action Seminar.

        I highly recommend it. Had a great time, met a ton of amazing people.
        Alright guys I've been holding this one back for years.
        (Despite other writers begging me to put the story online.)
        In fact I've only alluded to it just recently. Despite it happening around 2 years ago...

        But I've never done it because I never saw any reason too.
        I couldn't really see how the story could help anybody in a meaningful way. (Not counting gut-busting silly times)

        And yes it's true. I did go to the action seminar, and I did find a dead goat at lunch time. And I did drag it back to the seminar.

        Anyone who was there could tell you about it.

        And it did generate a lot of attention, and land me some mucho-valuable contacts.

        But that's only half of the story...

        And now I see that the beginning half, the half that most people didn't see. That could be of real help to people. (Plus if it encourages anyone to actually attend, I consider that worth it.)

        You see, the real magic happened a month before I stepped foot in San Diego.

        Before my seat was booked. I had read this issue of the Gary Halbert Letter.

        The Gary Halbert Letter

        Here Gary reveals two things.

        1) How to get your neurological imprint so you can write powerful bullets.
        2) Many up and coming copywriters aren't won't make it anywhere. Because they're just not willing to put in the damn work.

        At the end he challenges his readers with a homework assignment

        Originally Posted by Gary Halbert

        Go get five hundred 3x5 index cards. Go to a big newsstand and get dozens of magazines. (If you're strapped for money, you can do this in a library for free.) Only get those magazines with lots of teaser copy ("bullets") on the covers. Cosmopolitan is just about tops when it comes to this. Write one bullet on each index card. Try to pick out only really "Hot Bullets." Keep at it until you have 500 cards with 500 bullets. Then, make a copy of all those 500 cards and send them to me.
        After reading this, I decided to actually do it. I decided I would write the bullets on notecards just as he described, and then send them to Bond Halbert.

        So I did. Every week I walked into Borders. Combed the magazine rack, and copied the bullets by hand.

        Also I kept about 20 or so notecards on me at all times. And every time I went to the store I copied new bullets.

        It took me about a month to complete them.

        Then I scanned them, printed them, and wrote a personal letter to Bond. I had a few questions about some of Gary's ads. Also I wanted to talk to him about a product idea. (Also I attached a $5 bill to the P.S.)

        Then I booked my ticket, and corralled all of my buddies for a road trip to San Diego. So the 5 of us packed into my cousin's tiny blue Kia Rio and drove from North of Seattle straight to San Diego (We didn't stop to rest).

        Takeaways For You... (Listen Damnit I'm Trying To Help You)

        Don't just attend and hope something will happen. Make plans beforehand to make something happen.

        Find out who's going to be there that you respect, think of questions to ask them now that you'll be in the same room as them. (More on this later...)

        Think of burning questions and scary obstacles. Find people that can solve them, and pick their brain. (I wanted to find out how to shortcut all the technical skills for creating sales funnels. Someone gave a talk about wordpress, and she sent me towards optimizepress, I use it to this day personally, and recommend it to all of my clients.)

        "Young, Green, With A Dream..."
        (What not to do...)

        Fast forward to the actual event.

        Picture this: I am a very green copywriter. I'm hoping that this event will be a launching pad in my career. I am also so young that I cannot sit in the bars... (And I look even younger...)

        To say that I looked a little out of place would be an understatement.

        Now if you've never gone to one of these things. You will be starstruck. You will come face to face with marketing royalty.
        I meet Scott Murdaugh (Who I had read about online, and respected a lot. When I put together my first real attempt at my own sales letter for my own services. His letter was one of the few I modeled).

        We chat, and take seats in the very front row as the event starts to kick off.

        As lunch approaches, Carlton takes the mic says

        "Find someone you don't know, take them to lunch. And spend the half hour discussing what you two can do for each other."

        Now at this point I had seen Bond lingering about, but couldn't quite muster up the courage to go break the ice.

        Which pissed me off...

        Because I am not the kind of guy who is afraid to break the ice.
        And because I didn't come all this way for nothing.
        Take that 2nd point to heart. If you go (When! you go). Be relentless.
        Your mother did not push you out of her womb, kicking and screaming. Only for you to grow up, travel to a room with some of sharpest marketing minds on the planet, just so you could arrive and be a wallflower. So don't be.

        "The Homeless Man And The Dead Goat From The Sky..."

        Instead of taking Bond Halbert out to lunch, here's what I did instead?

        I sulked.

        And I walked out to the bay with my apple, orange, and granola bar. Sat alone and started to eat it.

        I decided to walk around a bit, after all I did drive all that way.

        So I trekked over the bridge to the other side of the bay.

        When I got there I looped down under the bridge to get a closer look at the water.

        And that's when I ran into a homeless guy under the bridge (go figure).

        So I break the ice and we get to talking (Me and homeless people have always gel'd).

        I ask him about the city, the weather, the water.

        And throughout our conversation I notice that this homeless man is holding some really badass horns.

        He notices me eye-balling them and says...

        "You'll never guess what happened last night..."

        He goes on to tell me that the night before, all the homeless dudes were camped out under the bridge, trying to get to sleep. (Go figure...)

        When around midnight a truck drove over the bridge and a goat came flying off of it, and smashed into the ground...

        It took awhile to sink in.

        He answered my confused look with...

        "Yeah man, a goat came flying off the truck and smashed into the ground... Right there."

        He points a few feet away from me and there it is...

        Broken into the ground is a dead goat (taxidermied), with his gaping eye sockets looking right at me.

        I did what any person would do...

        I asked him...

        "Have any of your friends claimed this?"

        He told me that no one had claimed it and I said.

        "Well... It's mine now."

        So I picked up that goat and cradled it in one arm, and starting walking back to the seminar.

        The first person to see me was Scott Murdaugh.

        I can only imagine what it looked like from his point of view.

        Here's some young kid copywriter from the warrior forum, walking back from lunch - giggling helplessly while holding a lifeless goat.

        The only thing I could think to say was...

        "Found a ****in goat. Man"

        When I finally worked my way back to the conference room (and having to explain to each crowd why I had goat, and where I found it.)

        I walked through the door to the conference room and was face to face with John Carlton.

        Now if you know John Carlton, or have digested any of his wisdom. You know that he is urges everybody to always be on the lookout for the story behind the sale.

        Needless to say he was interested in the goat.

        It didn't take long for Bond Halbert, to find me.

        And after laughing his ass off and taking several pictures of the goat.

        I shook his hand and told him

        "Hey, I'm Andy Wilson."

        And he said.

        "YOU'RE ANDY WILSON?! Dude, me and my brother have been looking all over for you... We got your letter, and brought the stuff you asked for. Also we brought you dvd series."

        You see this was right before Bond and Kevin - released the 12 hours of footage that had his dad, Carlton, and Jay Abraham. Critiquing ads from the 80's (during the recession).

        Before releasing them to the public, they decided to give them to me as a free gift - and gave me an invitation to come work with them in their office. (I still hope to take them up on that offer.)

        That event was a turning point in my career.

        The contacts I made there have more than paid for the event.

        One: I think the Halbert Brainstorm DVDs cost almost as much as the ticket.
        Two: Down the line Daniel Scott needed to hand off a client. Scott Murdaugh gave him my name, and after looking at my work Scott gave me the client. Which has been worth thousands of dollars on its own.

        Not only that...

        But I did have some specific obstacles that I needed help with. (Namely how to make streamlined sales funnels without wrestling with code.) A woman gave a talk on wordpress, so after her talk I approached her with questions.

        She pointed me towards optimizepress, which I have used ever since. Not only for my own projects, but my clients as well.

        The moral:

        Go. I hope (besides a few laughs) that if you are on the fence about going - that this story is the push you need to book a ticket and get your seat in a chair.

        -Andy Wilson

        P.S. Pics for the unbelievers...

        Oh yeah... I still have him, and I named him Chamberlain






        Ph yeah, his head came off.


        A close up of Chamberlain.


        During Bond's talk marketing now show I hit the take mic/camera button, and put Chamberlain on the spotlight to freak out the chat.
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  • Profile picture of the author BrianMcLeod
    USEFUL PIKING ALERT

    David Garfinkel and I have a uniquely valuable bonus for any CW Warriors who sign up for the Action Seminar through us. You'll need to get in touch privately to do it, though.

    I won't pitch it here - let's just say that you'll get incredible value far exceeding the $600 it costs to register for the Action Seminar (so it's almost like going to the event for free).

    Now, you might be interested in going, but stuck on the fence about the time, money and travel...

    Anyone here is invited to join Garf and I next week for our upcoming FastEffectiveCopy webinar with Stan Dahl, Carlton's long-time consigliere in Marketing Rebel and the real "brains" behind the Action Seminar.

    It's happening this Tuesday at 8 PM Eastern here:

    David Garfinkel & Brian McLeod present: The Action Webinar with Stan Dahl

    Stan is an effing brilliant businessman and he almost NEVER does interviews or webinars like this - so it's a cool thing just for the numismatic value - but the real purpose is to clarify any lingering questions or doubts you may be feeling about going to the Action Seminar.

    Love to have you on the call whether you're going or not...

    Best to all,

    Brian
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    • Profile picture of the author Harlan
      Everyone is always asking, where do I get the really good copywriting jobs.

      At seminars.

      A lot of people will be coming to this seminar looking to meet copywriters.

      They know they can't hire (or afford) Carlton.

      So they'll be looking for you.

      I've been to the last two and I'll be at this one too.

      Get out there.

      Well worth it.
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      • Profile picture of the author Kevin Rogers
        To what Harlan said, I can literally trace every dollar I've made as a copywriter to a handshake.

        Those handshakes happen at seminars.

        You simply cannot connect the same way with any gadget yet invented.

        AND if you're a super awkward person, this is the seminar for you (for proof watch a few of the testimonials on the sales page... way more greasers than socs.).

        It's filled with the dudes and dudettes who don't come out to play very often, because like you they find being around most people daunting.

        But, get a group of these whackadoos together and... instand bonding. That's when the deals get made.

        The last 2 were incredible and I know Stan plans to outdo himself this time.

        PS, it's a NO PITCH event.
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        • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Kevin Rogers View Post


          AND if you're a super awkward person, this is the seminar for you (for proof watch a few of the testimonials on the sales page... way more greasers than socs.).

          It's filled with the dudes and dudettes who don't come out to play very often, because like you they find being around most people daunting.
          Thanks Kevin for mentioning this. I certainly class myself as one of these super awkward types.

          Fact is, I absolutely detest and I mean really detest crowds of people especially when one is closed in, for example in a large room with lots of other people. Just the thought of it is enough to bring on a panic attack.

          It's just a shame these kind of events are always held in impersonal conference centers which by their very nature do not exactly exude a feeling of warmth to the uninitiated.

          Give me a few copywriters or a networking event out in the forest on the side of a steep hill or mountain with views to die for, a b-b-q over a camp fire any day of the week and sleeping in a tent, over attending a conference in a packed out conference center in the middle of some strange city in a foreign land.

          Yes I know I'm strange but I just cannot think of anything worse than being in a large room with hundreds of other people.

          At 6'6" tall, goofily clumsy at the best of times with the most irritating propensity to stick my bloody great foot in it out of sheer nerves, just the idea of it is enough to turn me into a quivering heap of jelly attending something like this.

          Having said that, I'd love to break through this fear one day and attend an event such as this one. It's just, well, writing is just such a personal affair and the real joy of copywriting, it's like weaving a storyline into a piece of tapestry or painting pictures with words and for this to occur on a level I'm most familiar and happy with, the process needs absolute peace and quiet, a stunning view over the countryside and nobody around to disturb me.

          It's one of the most annoying things to do with copywriting. The business depends to some extent on very good interpersonal people skills not to mention good verbal communication skills also, but the real pleasure in the business is the actual art of writing in isolation all by myself. Having other people around me is just a mite bloody annoying, everyone clattering and chattering around you and making an endless racket. Yrrr'ack!

          Hmmmmm.


          Mark Andrews

          P.S. For those of you who don't have this problem you'll almost certainly have a blinding good time and the investment will undoubtedly pay for itself over and over again. If Brian McLeod and David Garfinkel are involved - you're guaranteed a great time!
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          • Profile picture of the author BudaBrit
            Mark, you have it spot on.

            How about I try to organise a copywriting conference on a hill here in Hungary. I'm sure we could get a few to turn up

            Or perhaps in April, back in the UK, there could be an impromptu sharing of ideas (so long as I have kicked myself in the ass and actually have some of those).
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            • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
              Banned
              Originally Posted by BudaBrit View Post


              Mark, you have it spot on.

              How about I try to organise a copywriting conference on a hill here in Hungary. I'm sure we could get a few to turn up
              You know I could really see this taking off.

              Hungary for more copywriting leads?

              Then you need to attend the European copywriting conference of the century!

              Bring your own wellies...

              Turn left at the bottom of the lane, up over the stile, walk for 2 miles skirting the foggy bog to the right keeping the forest on your left, come to a fork in the path, turn left, up over the rocky outcrop, 1/2 a mile later you'll come to a small clearing in the woods.

              Please bring your own flint, wood and an axe. Tents optional.

              As a sideline we could teach all of these city types the likes of Brian McLeod, Mike Humphreys, Vin Montello, Rick Duris, Arfa Saira, Steve The Copywriter, Steve Hill, Scott Murdaugh, Daniel Scott, Malcolm Lambe, Mark Pescetti not to mention Dorothy Dot a few survival skills.

              Give them each a hare, teach them how to skin it, ram a stick up it's arse and pop it across the top of the fire all the while talking about copywriting whilst singing kum Ba Ya and swigging on cheap Polish vodka.

              Should be a right raucous knees up good time. Yeah, I can really see it catching on.

              $2,000 a ticket excluding flights.

              Do you want to write the copy for this event or shall I?
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              • Profile picture of the author MikeHumphreys
                Originally Posted by Mark Andrews View Post

                As a sideline we could teach all of these city types the likes of Brian McLeod, Mike Humphreys, Vin Montello, Rick Duris, Arfa Saira, Steve The Copywriter, Steve Hill, Scott Murdaugh, Daniel Scott, Malcolm Lambe, Mark Pescetti not to mention Dorothy Dot a few survival skills.

                Give them each a hare, teach them how to skin it, ram a stick up it's arse and pop it across the top of the fire all the while talking about copywriting whilst singing kum Ba Ya and swigging on cheap Polish vodka.

                Should be a right raucous knees up good time. Yeah, I can really see it catching on.

                $2,000 a ticket excluding flights.

                Do you want to write the copy for this event or shall I?
                Mark, my idea of roughing it is basic cable TV... so consider me a "raincheck" for your wildness copywriting seminar.
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              • Profile picture of the author BudaBrit
                Originally Posted by Mark Andrews View Post

                You know I could really see this taking off.

                Hungary for more copywriting leads?

                Then you need to attend the European copywriting conference of the century!

                Bring your own wellies...

                Turn left at the bottom of the lane, up over the stile, walk for 2 miles skirting the foggy bog to the right keeping the forest on your left, come to a fork in the path, turn left, up over the rocky outcrop, 1/2 a mile later you'll come to a small clearing in the woods.

                Please bring your own flint, wood and an axe. Tents optional.

                As a sideline we could teach all of these city types the likes of Brian McLeod, Mike Humphreys, Vin Montello, Rick Duris, Arfa Saira, Steve The Copywriter, Steve Hill, Scott Murdaugh, Daniel Scott, Malcolm Lambe, Mark Pescetti not to mention Dorothy Dot a few survival skills.

                Give them each a hare, teach them how to skin it, ram a stick up it's arse and pop it across the top of the fire all the while talking about copywriting whilst singing kum Ba Ya and swigging on cheap Polish vodka.

                Should be a right raucous knees up good time. Yeah, I can really see it catching on.

                $2,000 a ticket excluding flights.

                Do you want to write the copy for this event or shall I?
                I think I'd trust your copywriting skills there, Mark

                One change, though: instead of Polish vodka, local, home-made Hungarian Pálinka (fruit brandy). Oh, and we can make a Gulyas out of the hare, too
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                • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
                  Best line of the thread:

                  Your mother did not push you out of her womb, kicking and screaming. Only for you to grow up, travel to a room with some of sharpest marketing minds on the planet, just so you could arrive and be a wallflower.
                  Good one Andy!

                  Alex
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              • Profile picture of the author Ross Bowring
                Originally Posted by Mark Andrews View Post

                Give them each a hare, teach them how to skin it, ram a stick up it's arse and pop it across the top of the fire all the while talking about copywriting whilst singing kum Ba Ya and swigging on cheap Polish vodka.
                Welcome to my average Tuesday night.

                --- Ross
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                • Profile picture of the author Harlan
                  To all those reading this, get your keisters over to the action seminar.

                  It will be awesome.
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                  • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
                    Banned
                    Originally Posted by Harlan View Post


                    ... get your keisters over to the action seminar.
                    In other words...

                    "Don't sit on your fanny."
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                  • Profile picture of the author copyassassin
                    Originally Posted by Harlan View Post

                    To all those reading this, get your keisters over to the action seminar.

                    It will be awesome.
                    Harlan,

                    I would love to attend this seminar. And meet you in person.

                    And it's not even "tax season" being the issue.

                    My wife is due that weekend.

                    Adam


                    p.s. I saw John Paul Mendocha is gonna be there. I really like him. That guy closes like nobody else.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Bowring
      Originally Posted by BrianMcLeod View Post

      Stan is an effing brilliant businessman and he almost NEVER does interviews or webinars like this - so it's a cool thing just for the NUMISMATIC value - but the real purpose is to clarify any lingering questions or doubts you may be feeling about going to the Action Seminar.
      Can't make it to San Diego, but will see you in Raleigh.

      And thanks for introducing me to a new word.

      --- Ross
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  • Sadly, I have a speaking gig at the same time as the Action Seminar. But to reiterate what Harlan and Kevin said, I was just reading about Ed Dale's 30DC coming up in April ( interestingly being funded on IndieGogo: Beyond The Edge | Indiegogo ) where he says "Every important person I've ever met in this business, I met at a conference."
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  • Profile picture of the author StanDahl
    Andy -

    I had never gotten the full story. I just figured you went out and killed a goat with your bare hands. Not sure if I like your version or my version better.

    Give Chamberlain my best.

    Stan
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  • Profile picture of the author deezn
    I'm not trying to be a freelance copywriter or anything (maybe in the future - who knows). I just want to learn a few things on marketing my own business, a personal injury practice.

    Lawyers are terrible marketing types, which gives ample opportunity to a lot of marketers and coypwriters (many who rip them off hah). It's like pulling teeth to get lawyers to advertise, but they have a lot of money. I've seen direct response work so well for me, even on a very small scale, with no copywriting experience whatsoever (mostly learned through Dan Kennedy and those who studied under him).

    So I'm looking to develop enough skills to be better than most of the other legal marketing out there, which isn't that high of a standard at all.

    That's what I'm hoping to get out of this seminar. Also some of the other stuff is very intriguing. The website conversion stuff, etc.

    At first I thought it was mainly a copywriting seminar (which seems a bit much considering my experience, none, and what I'm looking to do) but it appears to be a little bit more. If I can find a few techniques to translate into my field it'll be well worth it. Just one technique is good enough already.
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