Tag Archives: Brian Clark

3 Reasons to Tell Readers Why

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You know you’re right, right? Everyone should fall in line and accept what you know in your heart to be true. Sorry, that’s not how people work. So much of persuasive writing comes down to proof . And so many people fail at persuasion because they offer assertions without giving people reasons . So persuasive writers know to give reasons for everything. Here are the three most important reasons to tell readers why . 1. A Reason to Read This begins with your headline , and that’s why headlines are so important. You can be cutesy or clever to satisfy your ego, or you can get you ideas absorbed and acted upon. Busy people need a reason to invest attention. Do you have one? 2. A Reason You’re Different Why you and not the other options? If your product or service is better, say specifically why. Your winning difference in the minds of the people you’re aiming at has to be distinct, clear, and believably better. Are you leading, or following? 3. A Reason to Believe Specific examples. Compelling case studies. Legitimate testimonials. Interesting facts and figures. A confident guarantee. Authenticity. Authority. Likeability. Most of all, demonstrate, don’t pontificate. What reasons work for you? What other reasons are you giving that work? About the Author : Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and CEO of Copyblogger Media. Get more from Brian on Twitter .

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3 Reasons to Tell Readers Why

Come Together, Right Now: Introducing Copyblogger Media

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Over the last 4 years, I’ve launched several companies from this simple blog of mine. The idea that building an audience with content and letting the revenue-generating ideas, products, and services reveal themselves based on what the audience actually wants has worked out amazingly well. It’s become a full-fledged business model. And yet, there’s a bigger picture. These last years I’ve been putting together pieces of a broader vision – things that work together as one, for our internal use and for you. Problem was, the only common element in each of these different companies was me, and often that made unity of purpose difficult. So, this is an announcement of a coming together of my various companies, plus the addition of a valued outside venture. And right about now, you’re thinking… Who Cares? I know, it’s hard to get excited about what’s essentially a press release of a merger. Hot stuff, right? And yet, any great company exists not for its shareholders or employees, but for the people it serves. And we’re aiming to be a great company. So, let me first tell you who’s involved. And then I’ll tell you what we’ll be doing better for you. The People Here are the principals of our new organization: Brian Clark – As CEO of Copyblogger Media, I’ll be working for the other four people on this list. Sonia Simone – At the beginning of 2009, Sonia was naive enough to leave her corporate job to become Senior Editor of Copyblogger, and later co-founded Third Tribe . She’s now Chief Marketing Officer of Copyblogger Media, and an owner. So far, so good. Tony Clark - Tony and I co-created Teaching Sells , and he’s the wizard behind the curtain inside Third Tribe. He’s also putting the finishing touches on a new WordPress product called Premise . His preferred title is “awesomeness.” Sean Jackson – Sean is the creator of Scribe (along with one of our code ninjas, Chris Thompson), which is now a core product of Copyblogger Media. He’s also our CFO, a great tech mind, and a shrewd Ms. Pacman player. Brian Gardner – Brian is the founder of StudioPress, creator of the Genesis Framework for WordPress , and a ton of turnkey designs that work with it . Brian and his team have earned over 30,000 customers to date, and their merger into Copyblogger Media completes the online content creation trinity of Genesis, Scribe, and Premise. What About Chris Pearson and Thesis? Things change. Chris and I have parted ways, and we’re both happy with this mutual decision. We at Copyblogger Media wish Chris and DIY Themes all the best with future endeavours. The Plan Having all these great people in one company allows us to do even bigger and better things. This means better products, prices, and support. It also means more and better free content, unique live events, and even new platforms. We’ll be sharing more details in the months to come. But what about you? What would you like from us? Let’s start a conversation in the comments. Because without you, none of us would have a job we love. About the Author : Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and CEO of Copyblogger Media. Get more from Brian on Twitter .

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Why Your Blog Doesn’t Make Money

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Darren Rowse doesn’t make his money from Problogger . Brian Clark doesn’t make his money from Copyblogger . Chris Brogan doesn’t make his money from his blog, either. Neither does Sonia Simone . Not a single founding member of Third Tribe earns the bulk of their income from the blogs that are practically (or in Chris’ case, literally) synonymous with their names. Yes, they make some money directly from those blogs. But revenue directly from the blog doesn’t represent the bulk of their income. Not by a long shot. So why do so many bloggers equate blog success with financial success? Many, if not most, of the bloggers I see are hoping that their blogs will make them popular. They are also hoping their blogs will make them money. This isn’t exactly surprising. Fame and riches are supposed to go hand in hand, after all. But when you need a new stream of income tomorrow, you don’t write ten more blog posts. You create a new product. You launch an email campaign . You make a special offer. You network. You find a great new JV partner. You ask for referrals and check in with your current clients. Similarly, when you want to get more subscribers for your blog tomorrow, you don’t launch a product. You write better content. You get more active on social media. You guest post on other people’s blogs. You link to other good articles. You improve your SEO . Building a profitable business and creating a popular blog are two different things Related, yes. But different. The most popular blogs you know do not make most of their money simply by racking up the subscriber numbers. They make their money with products, consulting, services, and advertising. They make their money by running a successful business. The fact that they run a popular blog facilitates that business. If Brian wants to launch a product tomorrow, he has a big, engaged audience to whom he can launch it. Having a huge audience who will listen when you launch a product isn’t the profitable part, though. The profitable part is that Brian will create a product that his audience wants and needs. He’ll run an informative and compelling launch. He’ll have an affiliate program that works and a sales sequence that converts prospects into buyers . Does the large subscriber base help with that product launch? Absolutely. But the blog itself is not the thing that’s making money. If Copyblogger, with its magnificently large platform, were to launch a terrible product with a really weak campaign and only promoted it with a few blog posts to this vast audience of readers, they wouldn’t make enough money to pay my grocery bill. Having a popular blog is not enough. You still have to build the business. No, of course you shouldn’t neglect your blog There are many, many virtues to a popular blog: social proof, credibility, enhanced visibility. They’re good for forging new business contacts and partnerships. They’re good for attracting potential customers for the products you’ll make or services you’ll provide. They’re brilliant for creating relationships. I don’t know my dentist as well as I know some bloggers. And I trust my dentist with my teeth even though he comes at them with a variety of pointy things with hooks on their ends. Blogs help us make those trusting, potentially valuable connections, and for that reason alone, they’re worth pouring time and energy into. But no matter how hard you try, your subscriber numbers are never going to magically transform themselves into your bank balance. When it comes to making money, simply having a blog isn’t enough. Now you have to take all the things the blog has given you — visibility, authority , a reputation for knowing your industry, social proof — and put them to work building you a profitable business. Because it won’t happen on its own. If you want to use your blog as a jumping-off place for that business, though, Third Tribe has got you covered. The seminar you’ll want to listen to is the 4-part series on Building a Business Around a Blog, which features interviews with Sonia Simone, Darren Rowse, Chris Brogan, Brian Clark, and Leo Babauta of Zen Habits. They cover a lot of ground, including: The three factors your blog must have if you want to make serious money with advertising Brogan’s two favorite ways to start bringing in revenue by using a blog The specifics about where the bulk of their income really comes from (you may be surprised) Why “blogging about blogging” isn’t the way to go How Darren uses surveys to build his business (and why Brian doesn’t) A quick creativity technique to develop the next killer idea for your business How to handle pushback if your customers respond negatively to your products I listened to all four of these interviews. And not once, in hours of discussing techniques, business-building ideas, and marketing strategy, did any of these bloggers say that the best way to make money was to get more subscribers. They’ve got a few ideas for how to do that too, though. Because blogs are valuable — just not in the way you think. You can get instant access to all four seminars (and a dozen more), as well as Q&A sessions and the web’s best networking forum for internet businesspeople, by joining the Third Tribe today . About the Author: Taylor Lindstrom is a freelance copywriter and Assistant Editor of Copyblogger . She’s taking lots of notes about how to turn sharp copywriting into a profitable business.

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Join Sonia and Brian at BlogWorld 2010 (And Save With This Discount Code)

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Sonia and I will be speaking again this year at BlogWorld in Las Vegas, October 14 – 16. This time we’ll be doing a keynote presentation along with our friend Darren Rowse of Problogger . We’re excited to be presenting together, and if we pull it off like we plan, it’ll be educational and entertaining. Of course, the show is much bigger than the three of us, which is the real reason you should attend. BlogWorld & New Media Expo is the only trade show and conference created for the industry of blogging and new media. It gives participants the strategies, tools, and technologies they need to stake their claim in the blogosphere. Specifically, BlogWorld is all about creating content, getting it noticed, and achieving your goals – whether that be money, influence, or both. The even bigger draw is the networking, deal making, and good ol’ fashioned camaraderie that happens in between the sessions. Not to mention what goes on at the parties. I’ve watched BlogWorld grow from its inception in 2007, and it keeps getting bigger and better. This year should be no different, and I’m especially stoked that the show will be held at Mandalay Bay this year instead of the convention center. And besides… everyone’s gonna be there. Save 20% With This Promo Code Okay, here’s what you’re really looking for. Save 20% off the price of admission when you use this code: COPYBLOG Sign up for BlogWorld here , and we’ll you in Vegas! Note: We are marketing and media partners with BlogWorld — it’s a good match. If you’d like to promote BlogWorld as an affiliate, check out the program here . About the Author : Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and co-founder of the writer-friendly Scribe SEO software . Get more from Brian on Twitter .

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The Writer Runs This Show

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We have the technology. We have the business skills. We have virtual ink by the barrel . The writer runs this show. We’re the ones who command the attention. We’re the ones who create the engagement. We’re the ones who influence what people think and do. The writer runs this show. We won’t toil in obscurity waiting for a green-light . We won’t submit to “creativity” by committee. We won’t accept meager pay while others cash in our copyright. The writer runs this show. If you won’t read until your eyes blur. If you won’t write more to write well . If you won’t invest the blood, sweat, and tears . . . Then you’ll have to work with real writers. And pay those writers exceptionally well. If they have the time, that is. Because the writer runs this show. About the Author : Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and co-founder of Thesis , Scribe , Premise , Third Tribe , Lateral Action and Teaching Sells .

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The Writer Runs This Show