Here's the plan...

No private messages please.

Everything will be discussed on the forum.

If you have a sales letter, and I like your idea, I'll tell you what needs changed...I may even rewrite it for you. I want to make this a learning experience.

Why would anyone publicly reveal their best idea?

In my opinion, that would be pure stupidity.

Alex

(The windup) With a nursery full of beautiful creative babies, the best one, would be the crib I stand over now. So,

(The PITCH) New Copywriting school. I want to open a new school for Copywriters.

Bullet Point Details:
-

• $497
  -12 Week Course
  -GUARANTEED a 500 dollar job first month after graduation or double the tuition refund.
  

I have a Rolodex, like I'm sure you do, I don't want the work. But I'd like to keep the contacts alive. So, find some copywriters who can "carry on", would be worth it...maybe give the ones with the least chance of fitting in, total refund at 12 weeks.

Cherry pick the best students for ongoing work.

So, can I (we?) do this?

GordonJ

PS The first assignment would be to write a promotion (although NOT for a pen, HA!).

OH, AND...THERE are now thousands of people wanting to be copywriters, #1 problem? They don't know how to get started, find their first client, get their first paid gig...all part of the curriculum. I'll find their first gig for them.

Don't have any pitches or sales copy for you to review, but I'd love to hear your opinion on what the best copywriting review process you've been associated with.

My organization doesn't really use the Peer Review method as much anymore, but we do have a weekly call with a group of copywriters that does some informal critique.

We normally use the CUBB critique method (we add an extra B for bad) and that seems to be working for them.

I run all operations in the business, so I attend copywriting meetings multiple times each week, so I'd appreciate your thoughts or ideas on the best (or most beneficial) review process you've been a part of in your career.

No 1 idea is groundbreaking M BUT......a helpful idea backed with a clear vision, with an intent to serve humanity, building momentum because the idea is generously shared with a big network of trusted friends, said friendships built thru genuine 1 to 1 engagements....this is how things take off.

Even big ideas that come to fruition tend to be backed by scarcity, fear and resistance, leading to all sorts of problems.

Ryan

Creating a customized perfect fit swing for each student makes you a better teacher.

Just saying.

Alex

I once offered a guarantee like this for a copywriting training program, and I found that the guarantee lowered the quality of the applicants by a huge factor.

Of course I delivered on the guarantee where applicable, but I dropped it as soon as I realized what was happening, and then I saw the quality of the applicants rise again.

It appears that the guarantee attracted people who (for reasons that weren't immediately apparent) were not as strong trainees as those who signed up without a guarantee.

Surprising but true.

Marcia Yudkin

Prolly I shld switch out my sales pitch from

COSY UP WITH PRINNO B FOR MAX TRANSFORMATIONAL SMOOCHIE

to

WHERE EXPECTING LESS THAN THE BEST OCCASIONALLY PAYS RANDOM DIVIDENDS.

Plus also I so wanna lose the loominous bra.

Promo is cool an' all, but a gal gotta sleep sumtimes ...

Okay here it goes....

A business that archives the life of old people.

"You know Grandpa and Grandma are getting old and wouldn't it be nice if we had their life story and family tree, etc."

You go and ask them questions, transcribe a book, do a family tree, take some video. Basically have a package families can buy where they get 10 books and DVD's, thumb drives, whatever.

Essentially a biography for people who the only one who cares would be their families.

What do you think?

That is my idea.

Kinda late in on the discush, I know -- but my trained bunny idea is super dear to Moi, an' I figure mebbe it is such a hug-me-close-if'n-you-can-catch-me concept, entreprenoors the planet over gonna be nootropicin' 'emselves the frick outta their brainos to kiss up sweet on the deal I got.

So here is the pitch.


*pause for momentary effect*

That don't mean we gotta breed 'em all cruel in no underground LAPIN FRICKIN' DUNGEON -- prolly there be an ethicaler wayta get the bunnies out front to evrywan who could benefit from their intrinsic loveliness.

For sure I got friends could mebbe help out in this killa initiative on the traino front.

See, cos my pal Jobes got a HAMSTAH.

Ain't no rabbit, but she stopped it dowin' stuff like OVERHIBERNATIN' an' crammin' its cheeks so fulla nuts it DIED.

Gotta figure the gal got horse whisperin' talents could mebbe JUMP SPECIES.

An' that is jus' potential bunny trainers in my OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.

Nationwide, I figure plenty more STATISTICALLY AVAILABLE bunny-inflooencin' smarts crackin' off could spark this whole initiative all kinda global.


Anyways, that is my baby outta the trap.

Idea appeals to my much unheralded vulnerable side tbh, but might mebbe also work for PYTHONS an' alla them weirdsily anonymous bacteria trash continents en masse when nowan ain't lookin'.

Hi Max5ty,

I know your offer is long expired, but I was hoping I could get you (and maybe some of my long time pals lurking in the shadows) to take a look my big idea and maybe help me out.

I'm working on an app. It's a productivity timer and project management app called Project Time Machines.

There will be a free version, which I am working on now, and in a few months I intend to launch a paid version (PTM Pro, between $5-10 per mo.) via Kickstarter.

If you want to have a look, below is a link to a non-working prototype of the free version.

https://marvelapp-live.storage.googl...8024317_v3.zip

It's clunky to navigate without me giving you a guided tour, but if you click around a bit, I think you should get the idea.

Today I signed a contract with a developer and paid a deposit, so things are getting real. It's time to start selling.

So... Here's the plan...




Above are all the things I intend to start working on (or rather, hire a copywriter to start working on) so that in 3-4 months, I'll be prepared to launch the Kickstarter campaign for PTM Pro (which the above project cards will be a feature of) to a 4 or 5 figure list of users of the free version.

The plan primarily focuses on having affiliates promote the free version to their lists, and then they'll get paid once the paid version launches. I also intend to target publications who feature productivity apps to get them to feature mine.

But I'd like to know how you would do it.

The completed free app should be available for download in about 60 days. An early beta version should hopefully be ready for download in about 3-4 weeks, where I can invite early users to test it out, provide feedback and bug reports.

By the time the completed free version is in use, I will have all the PTM Pro features designed and ready to show, and ready to sell via Kickstarter, which will fund further development.

So, how would you go about introducing the app to the market and prepare for a record breaking Kickstarter campaign? I appreciate any ideas or guidance.

Thanks much!
Rob Perry

Thanks Max.

And thanks for the heads-up on producthunt.com. This looks like it could be hugely helpful to me. Golden nugget right there.

As to doing a Kickstarter now as opposed to later, I've thought about this.

Launching a Kickstarter now means I've got to sell people on my idea for an app.

I've got to convince total strangers to put down real cash, now, on the promise that I'll deliver them a cool app in a few months.

I think that's a hard sell.

Definitely harder than if I come to Kickstarter with an already large group of happy, loyal users of a free version of the app.

I have the funding to get the free version built (and marketed), so I'm gonna build it and try to get it into a lot of hands. And then I'm gonna have a good ol' fashioned product launch.

Will the market want or need it?

I am a target user, and I think so.

Most Warriors I think are target users too, so we should find out pretty quickly if I'll fail fast or not once I start promoting it here.

The free version is a great product. It's a timer you use while working on your project.

You enter the amount of time you intend to work without breaks or interruption, you can enter a line or two of what you intend to work on, and then you hit start, and you work, focused, until the timer goes off.

If you have to take a break, you hit pause, and a second timer keeps track of how long you're taking breaks for. You can also enter detail about why you're taking a break if you wish.

When you're done working, you enter a sentence or two about what you accomplished and maybe what you intend to work on next. Enter as much or little detail as you like.

You can also enter a grade, or score for your performance if you'd like to keep track. I like to keep notes on if I smoked weed or not, and then see how my performance grades vary (pro tip: weed doesn't help).

There's also a section to add notes about "Roadblocks", or particular challenges you might have come across or overcome while working on your project.

So, each time you work, you get a complete recording of how long you worked, how long you spent goofing off, what specifically you worked on, what you intend to work on next, how well you performed, and what factors might be affecting your performance.

Each one of these blocks of time (I call them Operations, or Ops) is saved, and you can then, from a summary screen, go back and review any individual Op you've completed.

So, as you continue to work on your project, you are building and recording a step-by-step blueprint, detailing literally to the second, how long each and every step of your project takes, as well as the biggest challenges you might have faced or overcome.

This is not only helpful for reviewing and improving your own performance, but if you're a coach or product creator, this can be very helpful for guiding students.

As you record your progress, Project Time Machines becomes your daily journal, able to capture every detail of your experience as you work on your project.

I've tried several times in my life to keep a journal, and never have been able to do it for more than a few days.

But using a prototype of my app, I've been journaling my progress on the development of this app almost every day I work, for well over a year now.

My developer has agreed to use the app to record his progress as well, so I will be able to document how an app gets made once the coding begins. I expect when I go on to develop my next app, this information will be useful.

Project Time Machines also keeps track and will let you know how many days it's been since you've last worked on your project. This little feature alone is a powerful motivator to help keep a person working and a project moving.

When I do drift away from my project for a few days (months) as I tend to do, I can tell you from experience, having a recording of where I left off when I last worked is incredibly useful when it's time to jump back in.

The app also lets you enter a Project Goal and a Goal Date, which you'll see every time you use the app. I used to write my goal on my bathroom mirror and saw it twice a day. Now I can see it ever time I look at my phone.

A feature of the paid version of the app will automatically calculate your Goal Date based on the Actions and Time Estimates you enter on your Project Cards (similar to what I posted previously), and your goal date will automatically readjust based on the time you work (or don't), giving you a constantly accurate, to-the-day date you will reach your goal.

But that's a feature of the paid version. I'll get to the paid version in a sec.

Before I do, I just want to tell you what I think the best feature of the free app is.

For the incredible amount of information you get about your progress and performance on the projects you work on, Project Time Machines requires:

No Setup
No Upkeep
No Maintenance

You turn it on, enter how long you're going to work, enter what you're going to work on, and GO! Just work on your project.

When you're done working, enter a few lines about what you did and what's next.

That's it. Nothing else to do. If you're working on your project, there is no reason to not use Project Time Machines as you work.

Unlike other productivity systems that require weekly upkeep and daily habits and massive setups...

Project Time Machines takes literally seconds to use, and in return gives you information, motivation and accountability like no other product on the market.

I believe I can reach the market for this free app, and I am confident I can get them to try it out (my plan for doing so is posted previously, but I'm open to suggestions).

And once I build myself a small army of loyal followers, I will unleash upon them (via Kickstarter)...

PTM Pro

PTM Pro adds:

Project Cards, which you'll use to create a Project Plan.

Each Project Card has three different views.

1. A Summary View, which gives you a rooftop view of your progress for each step of your project - How much time you've worked, time remaining, goal date, project size, average grade, etc.

2. An Actions View (shown in my previous post). This view shows every step you need to take and how long you estimate each should take, for this specific Project Card. You're also able to record an Estimated Budget and Total $ Spent.

3. A Completed Ops view - this is the screen (also included in the free version) that shows all the work you've done on this particular Project Card and lets you drill down to review the specific detail for each Completed Op.

Project Cards are tacked to a Project Plan board, and can be organized (dragged and dropped) into columns, divided however the user wishes.

I like to organize them into TO DO | DOING | DONE

If this list structure or these kinds of Project Cards seems familiar to you, then I'm guessing (hoping) you're familiar with the Agile or Scrum methodology. If you're not familiar, please Google "who uses scrum".

Project Time Machines is, as far as I can find, by far the best, easiest to use, easiest to understand digital implementation of Scrum in existence.

So there's that.

Plus...

One of the key elements of Scrum is the Scrum Team. Scrum teaches that to use the method effectively, you should be on a team of between 3 and 9 people.

This kinda bummed me out when I was first learning about Scrum. Because unless or until I'm outsourcing something, I tend to work alone.

Well... Project Time Machines helps with that problem, and I intend to show the public how through a short blog series titled, "Scrum-for-One".

But PTM Pro works great with teams, too!

With PTM Pro, you can join (or lead) a Private Squad.

Are you working on a type of project that a bunch of other people are working on too? Maybe you're trying to launch a blog, or get traffic to a site, or you've got an app you want to create.

Join a Squad over at the private forums we'll have set up, and you can share your progress, help and get help from others working from the same Project Plan.

Again, if you're a coach or product creator, this will be a fantastic way to guide your students, monitor their progress and identify where they're getting stuck (or bailing out).

Plus, did I mention you can download completed Project Plans from other members, or share your Project Plans with others?

And with PTM Pro, you'll be able to save as many different Project Plans as you like. (The Project Plan features will be added to the free version of Project Time Machines, but you can only keep one active Project Plan at a time).

So, that's PTM Pro.

I think it's got Kickstarter written all over it.

And if you know Kickstarter, you know they love their stretch goals and multi-level purchase options.

Just so happens, Project Time Machines also has versions and features for PTM Teams and PTM Enterprise, for those organizations with internal teams who could use such a product (did you google "who uses scrum"?)

So, now that you know all of the features and the potential market, and knowing that the free app is currently being built, how would you go about building that small, loyal army of users who will follow you to the Kickstarter campaign?

Thanks again for having a look!
-Rob

Rob, have you spoken to 20 or more people that have
time management issues
before you paid your developer a deposit?

Best,
Ewen

tbh biggest problem you got is the solootion blitzkrieg currently boomin' offa the productivity app market.

I seen Timers ... To Do Lists ... Motivators -- an' more.

An' I guess what plenty people do is head over to the most comprehensive suite on offer or mix & match individyool specialist apps.

Most phones or tabs are self-evolvin' WIPs -- conduitloads of apps helpin' whatevah needs to happen kinda happen.

So if'n your app is a keeper, gotta figure always how you in an app swarm -- in which case, what you got that is un-uninstallable?

If'n you an accessory -- kept in action bcs some (but not all) thingsya offer -- then what are your essential features?

Thing to watch for is the language definin' the landmarks an' processes powered up by your app -- an' not try too hard to superimpose no kinda system on nowan.

Thing is, your app is essentially utilitarian -- frees people up to get on an' do stuff.

I see 'project cards' ima wondrin' why I gotta shuffle through alla that stuff to get at what I want.

Worst part for Moi is ... time management so often reveals the extent of my ineptitood.

Like I SHEDYOOL IN 24 hours to figure how Jamie Oliver fixes a 20 minute meal in under 15 minutes.

An' when I boned up sufficiently to schlop in 20 minutes cookin' time between my life as a writer person beyond compare an' a Cosmos-wide magnet for all things monstrously klutzoid ... natchrlly I carbonize the f*cker anyways.

Lucky I got no reptiles to maintain, otherwise they be dead.

Why do I feel like I'm trying so hard to convince you all that my product doesn't suck?

I haven't been around here long enough that you don't trust I can make a good product for a good market?

I was really hoping we could have a discussion on how to go about selling this thing. Wouldn't that be more fun and interesting?

I started off by saying my plan was to:

• Get the product made (which I can afford to do), so you can see for yourself it doesn't suck.
• Get a lot of people to use it quickly (which I can afford to do) by having affiliates tell their lists to check out this cool, useful, free app.
• Get more people using it by having blogs and tech publications review or write about the app.
• Promote it through social media ads.
• Once the free app is bug free and has a good, happy user base, I will launch a Kickstarter campaign, again using affiliates, to promote the paid version (monthly recurring payments) to individuals and corporations.

As absolutely none of the paid version of the product needs to be created before the Kickstarter campaign, outside of concept drawings and descriptions of what the new app will do, we can promise to deliver an absolutely amazing product. If we reach our funding goals, we will be able to deliver that product.

That's my plan.

How would you do it?

Hi Gordon,

Thanks for your post, and sorry I haven't replied. You're right, I haven't been clear on what I am expecting to get help with.

In about 8 weeks or so, I should have my app ready to show to the world.

What I could use help with is solidifying a plan to get 20,000 targeted users to download and try my free app within 60 days of it being released on the app store.

The plan I came up with was to try to get affiliates to email their lists, and to try and get tech publications to write about my app. But this is the only plan I've come up with, and I don't know how realistic it is to think I can get 20,000 users by doing this, nor have I thought of an alternative plan that sounds better.

Assuming my app is received favorably by the market and I have a copywriter who can sell it (let's call it a MIRACLE CURE for time wasting and for not quitting), where do you feel would be the best places promote it?

I've got the Product and Prospect worked out. I need help with the Promotion and Media.