I’m both proud of that and a little embarrassed…because I was far from a scholar in English (or any) literature…and while most of the students in the class were doing their senior thesis on Chaucer, Milton or Shakespeare, I had other ideas.

My thesis was:

The works of Nathaniel West and their relationship to the films of Frank Capra in the 1930’s and 40’s

That wasn’t the exact title but it was close…I had no time for Milton and his friends…but then again, the Rutgers English Department had little time for me as well.

More on that in a minute.

Those of you who are unaware of either Nathaniel West or Frank Capra, here’s a quick capsule on each:

West was a somewhat obscure but influential writer during that period of the 20th century who wrote only 4 novels, the most well-known being The Day of the Locust and Miss Lonleyhearts.

He had a decent following but not a “classical” one among scholars (understatement).

And Frank Capra was one of the most prolific film directors ever (during a similar time period).

He swept the Academy Awards in 1934 with It Happened One Night and directed everyone’s Christmas favorite, It’s a Wonderful Life– among many others.

Here’s a poster that sits behind me in my office—note the personalization which was done for me by a good friend:

Also note: The great Ben Settle and I did a webinar (at the beginning of COVID in March of 2020, when movies were all we had).

It was a discussion about the films of Frank Capra and what we can learn from them in terms of direct response copy and marketing.

I can safely say this discussion is far more illuminating (and entertaining) than my college thesis…albeit, that’s a low bar.

I only wish I had Ben at my side in college…and I knew something about direct response marketing back then too.

Ben is also a super fan of Capra.

Click here if you are interested in watching the replay.

We had a blast.

Why am I telling you all of this about my college thesis and other random thoughts?

To make the distinction between being “anxious” and “eager.”

Back to my senior thesis.

After I handed it in, with much trepidation, I saw the chairman of the English Department (his honor, Dr. David Kalstone) in the hallway—around the time the “committee” (with him at the helm) was discussing my paper.

I stopped him and said:

“I’m anxious to hear what you think of my thesis—it’s the one about West and Capra.”

To which he replied:

“Ah yes. That one.“

He went on:

“I presume you mean you are eager rather than anxious…but you should be anxious.”

He was mostly right…I was eager AND anxious, not realizing I stumbled into a valuable semantics lesson that stays with me to this day:

I never use the word anxious when I mean eager. And vice versa.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t have anxiety (and some dread) like many of you–as entrepreneurs, marketers and copywriters as a natural occurrence.

And I experience eagerness often as well…but I like to separate the two emotions…especially when I am on the battlefields of the marketing wars I have experienced over 45+ years.

It creates a sanity check for me (i.e. it keeps me from getting too low or too high before, during and after every test or campaign I have run).

What Dr. Kalstone was trying to tell me that day was that my thesis was not up to snuff compared with the other true English scholars in the Honors Program…and while I received the lowest level of honors on that offbeat paper, I was never bothered about how it was viewed or graded.

But it was foreshadowing of a sea change as I entered my career in direct marketing where I would have to care about the “grade” (i.e. response) all the time.

College is not reality: I had written what I wanted to write about with no one else telling me what to do.

Very freeing.

But that was about to change.

Shortly after leaving Rutgers and entering the world of direct marketing, it mattered a lot what others thought, namely customers and prospects.

The best thing I got from that experience in college, as it pertains to direct marketing, is that whether I am anxious or eager about a marketing campaign, advice I give to a client or even when I write this blog every week, objective and measurable results are what matter.

Period.

Or…as I say often (in the words of Joe Polish), I am a results leader not a thought leader.

“Anyone can have a thought. Not everyone creates results.”

And I imagine many of you would much rather be results leaders too.

I’m reminded about an example from my career where I should have been more anxious than eager.

Or at least eager with guardrails.

After our initial infomercial success at Boardroom in 2015—where we made in excess of $200 million over 3 or 4 years—and much more with all the multi-channel marketing we did around the campaigns—I was eager to try many more shows after 3 out of our first 4 worked (when we were told that one out of 15 or 20 was the average success rate).

I didn’t listen to the experts who opined that our success was more beginner’s luck than pure genius (although those early shows were genius) …and we plowed ahead with one new show after another—believing I had some super power—only to have one failure after another.

You might say the odds caught up with us in a big way…and below is an observation from my book, Overdeliver, chapter 3, on How Paying Postage Made Me a Better Marketer:

We learned a lot of valuable lessons from those shows that did not work.

The biggest lesson is that if you don’t approach every direct response campaign with discipline and objective standards, you’re dead in the water.

[Unbridled eagerness vs. realistic anxiety?]

Having the privilege of working with the best marketers in the world at Boardroom (inside and outside) made it almost worthwhile to have some shows not be as successful or campaigns that fell short so that I (we) could learn from them and come out even better the next time.

But we had read our own press clippings on the first four and thought we had this medium nailed.

Discipline is what made the direct mail generation of marketers so successful.

Every single campaign sent through the United States Postal Service had to be meticulously researched and planned so that nothing was wasted.

Every test had to mean something.

Every test needed to light the path to a potential breakthrough and a new control package.

And if not, you can’t keep trying the same thing over and over again.

Direct mail marketers are always testing new approaches against the control to find the next winner.

I knew this instinctively but failed to follow my own advice.

The best online marketers today think about testing the same way—that’s why they are the best online marketers today.

They also know that selling so easily and cheaply online is an opportunity that should be used and not abused, given that it’s unlikely you’ll have to pay postage anytime soon.

I remember an urban legend in the early days of the internet that postage was going to be assessed for every email—it was a made-up story—but I have to admit that creating a tougher barrier to entry for anyone and everyone to use email kind of intrigued me as a marketer who knew how to pay postage and make money.

My fantasy was that this would perhaps weed out the impostors.

As we know, that did not happen.

But when you truly understand that there is a huge cost to send marketing messages that are inappropriate, not targeted, and lack discipline, maybe you will see the light.

Not you (the reader of this book).

Other people.

Their sloppiness hurts all of us.

Simply put, the best marketers in any medium know that waste sucks and discipline isn’t just something for the folks who pay postage.

It benefits every marketer, no matter whether you’re using e-mail, TV, radio, affiliates, or pay-per-click advertising.

The fact that you don’t have to pay for postage to send your online marketing messages is not a license to beat your list into submission until they buy.

My conclusion?

For principled issues you will not compromise on (or when writing an occasional English paper), not caring about results, as long as you are comfortable and consistent with your beliefs, may be OK.

You may be anxious about the results but that won’t be the key metric.

It will be that you expressed yourself fully.

For direct marketers, you have to be principled too…but you also have to make a profit.

And when you can call a loser early (maybe even before you go out with it through research–a topic for another day), you can get back on the horse and deliver something the market wants and not something you fell in love with…and you thought everyone else would fall in love with it too.

You will be anxious about the results here as well (which is fine) …but also eager to learn whether it worked or it didn’t…and where to go next.

Warmly,

Brian

P.S. Read This or Die: The Lost Files of Jim Rutz, is a product I am incredibly proud of and one that has gotten great reviews from hundreds of buyers (with no returns).

Jim Rutz was one of the greatest copywriters who has ever lived—one of the originators of the magalog (with Gary Bencivenga)…and he was as strange as he was brilliant.

More Nathaniel West than Frank Capra.

That’s what made his copy so compelling and unique.

Read about him here.

Whether you order the product or not (I just ordered 100 more so we have them in inventory), I think you will enjoy the blog post I wrote about him.

Jim was as eager (I never remember him being anxious) as anyone to get the results on anything he ever wrote—he had some of the biggest winners and some of the biggest losers of all time—and he took each one in stride.

He also loved the “game” of direct mail which is why I think he was rarely anxious about his packages once they were mailed…because even with the big losers, he always knew he had another idea right behind that one.

And he could also make the big winners even better.

Take a read.

The post Never use anxious when you mean eager…and vice versa appeared first on Brian Kurtz.

Isn’t that a given for all human beings?

Whether they are authentic heroes or jerks, they are always being who they are…authenticity is not a learned skill.

There are exceptions…as I found out when I met comedian Steven Wright in person.

If you don’t know who he is, check out his stage persona here and expect to laugh for over 11 minutes of 65 hysterical one-liners.

He’s hypnotic. Dare I say scary.

When I met him in person at a friend’s wedding (my friend was his publicist at the time), he was much more than deadpan one-liners…although I wouldn’t call him a riveting conversationalist either.

Be that as it may, he was clearly not his “authentic self” while on stage.

Let’s call him an outlier regarding today’s thesis because not being his authentic self on stage is an “act.”

When I am in the audience at a seminar or conference, and some “thought leader” (hate that term…I prefer “results leader”), is speaking, whoever is sitting next to me often whispers “Isn’t he/she authentic?”

To which I always answer:

Is there any other way to be?

In thinking about this in the context of an interaction on LinkedIn from two years ago, I came up with an interesting distinction.

Well…interesting to me…and hopefully interesting to you. 

It’s the non-semantic distinction between authenticity and consistency.



On LinkedIn…or anywhere: Engage (contribute) first…connect second

I receive somewhere between 50 and 200 invitations a week to connect with all of my best friends (who I have never met) on LinkedIn.

I used to email each one to explore the relationship (at least superficially) before accepting…I flamed out on that policy due to a “numbers crunch” …too many requests, too little time. 

With so many requests per week, I needed to prioritize responding to folks who are not selling me something immediately…and even more to folks who I seem to have affinity with and/or folks who I might even know.

Don’t you hate LinkedIn requests from folks who assume they have known you forever and think they can immediately book a call with you, make an offer…and then make it your fault for not responding on their second and third follow up?

I don’t know about you but I need a little more romance before I commit to anything. 

On the other end of the spectrum, I received an invitation to connect a couple of years ago that was especially memorable, from a woman who was a member of a mastermind I spoke at ten years prior:

Hi Brian,

You made an impression on me [at the ________ mastermind] in 2014.

It’d be an honor to connect with you.

And are you still umpiring baseball? I remember you love baseball.



This certainly beats the request that says, “I see we have many mutual connections so can I sell you a bridge?”

It’s also a lesson on how to send an engaging LinkedIn request which are few and far between.

It’s like the emails/requests I used to send to LinkedIn “prospects” when I had the time:

Create a connection before connecting…by contributing first.

And this one was a divine contribution and deserved some serious engagement from me.

I thanked her for remembering me so favorably…and that she even remembered one of my passions (baseball, specifically umpiring).

I told her I remembered her…which was authentic…  …and I sent her this blog post about why I umpire baseball.

And that led to going even deeper with her with her next response:

Thanks for sharing your article.

I very much resonate with the principle of being an umpire, because you didn’t strike me as someone who would “do something to get noticed”.

Unlike so many people I come across in business and life, this is precisely the reason you stood out to me since you radiate as a person who seeks excellence without recognition and status.

We are kindred spirits.

This is why I still remember our first interaction all those years ago, because it didn’t seem to matter to you that you were having a conversation with a newbie.

You were generous with your time and energy which I very much appreciated.



I was obviously touched.

And I am not sharing this encounter to brag about someone saying nice things about me…but rather to prove a point.

Admittedly, I didn’t recall the conversation I had with her in detail at the mastermind…I didn’t have to…since it “sounded like me.”

If it was/is consistent in how I live my life:

Knowing that being authentic is a given—and I don’t need to think about who I was (or trying to be) at that moment in 2014.

My reply:

Thanks for remembering me that way Jen.

And you just gave me a blog post idea.

Even though I remember you, I don’t remember what we talked about…but it sounds consistent.

Consistency means interacting with everyone the same way, regardless of their expertise, background or what you can do for them or what they can do for you.

That’s very different from being authentic.

If you need to work at being authentic, you aren’t authentic.

We are kindred spirits.



Not a bad result/interaction/engagement from a LinkedIn request?

And whether she bought anything from me or if I bought anything from her was irrelevant.

I love a term coined by one of my Titans Xcelerator members that applies here:

Relationship Ascension

It’s more of an oxymoron given the fact that “ascension” as a marketing term is all about going from low ticket to higher ticket and making more money.

You know…a funnel or some relative of a funnel.

But a relationship funnel?

What a waste of time if it doesn’t make money immediately, right?

Not.

I will take a vetted relationship over a sale every day of the week…because people don’t refund relationships, only transactions.

And “Relationship Ascension” yields customers for life by getting rich slowly.

Let’s call it “Patient Marketing.”

Additionally:

“Treat everyone like you would want to be treated”

And: “Always give of yourself first and don’t be selfish”

Or simply: “Be a mensch.

In closing, I’m reminded of a wonderful quote from Winston Churchill:

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

The purpose of sharing all of this with you today is not to pat myself on the back…it’s about the importance of being true to yourself, always being congruent, and never having to talk about “being authentic” because your authenticity is a given.

Be scared…be very scared…when you hear people teaching and preaching about “being authentic” …which is not something you can “learn.”

It’s simply you being you…all the time…without ever thinking about it.

Except for Steven Wright, that is.

And if you must think about “being authentic” or trying to be the same person in your “front stage life” as your “backstage life,” please re-think that very carefully.

The best practice (which is also convenient) is to be the same person all the time (not difficult to do)…and then there is never anything to explain or apologize for…with no excuses necessary for inconsistent behavior because you are always consistent.

And there will be no confusion when you get a LinkedIn request from someone who remembered your consistency even when you have no recollection.

Consistency speaks for itself. 

Warmly,

Brian

P.S. “Relationship Ascension” will be on full display at the live event I am hosting on October 22nd and 23rd in Greenwich, Connecticut (near New York City).

On the surface it’s a way to get my Titans Xcelerator Mastermind members off their Zoom screens and into “the arena” (i.e. live and in person, pants mandatory)…contributing and connecting at the highest level…with experts (and some  legends) of direct response marketing and copywriting in the room.

However, it’s open to you too–my wider online family who needs to get offline as well (yes, we will still talk about AI at the event but no Bots will be invited).

Click here for the details and I hope you will consider joining us in October.

A travel and logistics email will follow once you register which will include a discounted room block at our special boutique hotel…plus we will give you more details about this epic event.

It’s limited to 50 people and we are currently 65% booked.

And true to this post today, it is much more than a “transaction” (i.e. paying for a live event)…because your registration includes a one year membership to Titans Xcelerator.

Why have a live event without continuing the relationships after the event?

Relationship Ascension at its finest.

And it is you who will get rich slowly (but not at a snail’s pace either)…because I am a results leader…as are all of the members of Titans Xcelerator.

Please check out “Titans Xcelerator LIVE” here.

The post Being authentic is a low bar appeared first on Brian Kurtz.

• They had time on their hands
• They are jealous
• They are professional trolls
• Everything is a one star to them because they live a “one star life”
• They are not joyous
• They are unforgiving

Or…they are correct.

Since I believe that I have the rest of my life to reject any negativity that comes my way, for the purpose of this post (and many others I write), I promise not to get defensive…but I will talk about some legitimate justifications…since I learn a lesson from every piece of constructive criticism.

I’m referring to one of my one-star reviews from someone I will call “MM” (for my book Overdeliver) which reads as follows (and the subject line of this post was the subject line of the review so I don’t need to beat myself up further by repeating it):

“Kurtz has…overdelivered in this book [which is] full of redundancy and braggadocio.

He repeats his point so many times that I want to throw this book against the wall.

For example, the chapter titled “Original Source” encourages us to learn from those who came before us.

Why reinvent the wheel?

But how many times does he make this point?”

Thankfully this reviewer told me exactly how many times I made this point:

The magic number is 14 (and he lists all 14 in the review).

One good dose of repetition deserves another, I guess.

I only hope there was no one in between him and the wall when he threw my book because one of the guarantees I made was that “no readers or their friends or families were harmed in the publishing or distribution of this book.”

Regardless, I agree with him 100% on his assessment of Chapter 2 (“Original Source”) …and I only wish my editors had noticed the more-than-necessary repetition.

But it’s my book (and chapter) …and it’s my bad.

“MM” goes on to admit that he only made it to page 87…which allows me to take his review a little less seriously…because officially it’s one star on a third of the book.

Maybe it’s really a 3-star review?

I doubt that. Given his tone, he’s clearly a one-star or nothing kind of guy.

But it’s always a sin to lose a reader for any reason at any point—too much repetition being one (and throwing the book at the wall is another)—and I am thankful that he brought this out in his review.

Very instructive.

To me and my readers/students.

One of my core beliefs is that no copy can be too long or too short…just too boring.

And I guess being too repetitive is a kissing cousin of too boring.

Now that I have accepted this review as “fact,” I will give my reasons for the intense repetition in Chapter Two…because there was a method to my madness…and after all, only one reviewer out of 342 made this observation.

Not statistically significant—but still true.

However, I had my reasons for expressing “Original Source” this way.



I received an email recently from a member of my Titans Xcelerator Mastermind which I’ll use to begin my rebuttal to “MM”:

Just a note to thank you and the team for making my renewal such a smooth experience.

I’m very glad to listen to the Mount Rushmore legends [a deluxe USB of interviews with direct marketing legends] included in the renewal box.

The fundamentals are really what underpin our success.

I must admit that I’ve been caught up and distracted by various shiny objects (i.e. courses!) that haven’t helped nearly as much as they promised in the last few years.

Funnily enough, they wouldn’t be here either if it wasn’t for these pioneers, and of course, sticking to the fundamentals.

They just don’t give any credit to anyone but themselves it seems!



My take:

Giving credit to those whom we stand on the shoulders of is critically important.

But equally consequential is making sure everyone has the tools (and rules) as a foundation…so they can innovate freely and create careers on solid ground rather than on sand.

And repetition is part of the formula.

Here’s a quote to back that up…

“Learning is rooted in repetition and convexity, meaning that reading a single text twice is more profitable than reading two different things once.

           – Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Lebanese American essayist and scholar

Ben Settle, one of the world’s experts on email marketing, related an experience interacting with one of his subscribers on this topic of old news being new news.

The subscriber wrote to him with this “outrageous” complaint regarding Ben’s bonus for renewing (and with a bit less gratitude than my renewing subscriber):

“I sign up and the first newsletter you send me is from 2011? Seriously?”

Ben’s response was brilliant, using five pithy quotes:

“I immigrate to America to become a citizen and you hand me a 250 year old document to read?”

“I convert to Christianity and you tell me to read a 400 year old book written in Old English?”

“I want to learn direct marketing and you send me a link to a bunch of plain text no image Halbert newsletters written in the 80s and 90’s?”

“I ask for recommendations for good fantasy fiction and you get me a book about wizards and a magic Ring from the mid-1900s?”

“I get into copywriting and you have me read a book titled Breakthrough Advertising written in 1966?”



Couldn’t have said it better myself, except for the last quote (which I would have said as well), which references a book that I have the exclusive rights to.

But you guys know that already.

And if you haven’t been paying attention to these blogs over the years, there’s a reminder in the P.S….just to make sure.

My favorite addition to Ben’s quotes above comes from marketing savant, Perry Marshall:

“Everyone needs to read something that was written before Gutenberg every day”

For those of you who have not heard of Gutenberg, he is responsible for inventing the printing press…in the 15^th Century…which, for you history buffs, is before 2011, 1966, 1776 or any period mentioned above.

Anyone who could write something of significance before having it printed (and distributed widely…remember there was also no Internet back then) …and it stands the test of time (i.e. it is still read and studied today) …deserves our attention.

2011 is not as ancient as this subscriber thought…and the newsletter from that “ancient time” will be as much or more meaningful than anything new and whiz bang that Ben could have sent him.

Because Ben gets the importance of original source…bigly.

He thinks more about being timeless than timely…which is what makes him timely.

And that is true for my Titans Xcelerator member, Perry and most of you reading this.



Finally, to prove my point further—and to make the one-star review from MM irrelevant (while still being accurate) –I will quote from another email marketing guru, copywriter Alin Dragu.

Alin recently wrote a post titled “7 Books That Make My Marketing Degree Irrelevant” …and I was honored that such an avid reader of everything (i.e. marketing, copywriting, fiction, personal development etc.) chose Overdeliver as one of the seven.

I feel honored while “doing my part” to save folks from going to college. 

Alin wrote:

There are two concepts in this book that I just have to rave about, because they changed the way I do business.

Concept #1: RFM — Recency, Frequency, Monetary

This changed the way I sell, upsell, and do business with my customers.

RFM means finding people who:

• Have bought from you most recently
• Buy from you most frequently
• Spend the most money

Using RFM, I’ve been able to curate a hyper-targeted list of buyers in my business so I can be more congruent in the offers I make them. I solve better problems for them. They become more raving fans because of how I serve them — just by looking at the data.

I know who my best customers are, what they want, what they’ve bought. And I serve that small list of very best customers way more heavily than trying to solve problems for everyone.

That changed my life.

Concept #2: LTV — Lifetime Value

The other thing he teaches is measuring and optimizing for lifetime value — building your business to serve your customers over a lifetime, not just a transaction.

Most entrepreneurs and marketers are all about selling stuff the first time. They don’t care if they sell junk. They don’t care if people ever come back.

But this book teaches you how to build a lifetime business — one that lasts decades and decades.

And that’s what I’m interested in. I want to serve people who want to buy everything I ship, because everything I ship is excellent, it solves their problem, and people come back for more.

A quick note on Brian Kurtz: if you don’t know who he is, he managed a 9 million name database and sold well over a billion dollars’ worth of books and newsletters at a publishing company called Boardroom — which was one of the largest and most significant direct marketing publishing companies in the world. He’s worked with the greatest copywriters and direct response advertisers on the planet. If anybody knows how to build a multi-million-dollar company, it’s this guy.

Highly, highly recommend.



Note: I learned (and did not invent) RFM and LTV from original sources (beginning in 1981) …followed by 45 years of having these concepts embedded into my brain through extreme repetition by the best marketing practitioners in the world.

No wonder I repeated the importance of “Original Source” 14 times in Chapter Two of Overdeliver.

Now I’m thinking that I didn’t mention it enough. 



Warmly,



Brian



P.S. A book that has never received a one-star review is the one Ben cited and I own the exclusive rights to:

Breakthrough Advertising by Gene Schwartz.

If you don’t own a copy your marketing library is not complete; and it is a masterpiece that will produce actionable results and profit to any business whether you sell online, offline or both.

And yes, it was written in 1966 and it is 100% relevant.

Being timeless makes it timely.

I love that phrase.

That’s why I repeated it.

Click here to read all about this once lost masterpiece…now found.

The post “I absolutely hated this book” appeared first on Brian Kurtz.

We share a love of marketing along with a high degree of respect for our respective near-death experiences.

Love of marketing is a blessing of choice; almost dying is a blessing of a different sort, with an emphasis on “almost.” 

But for all we have in common, I will share with you today a foundational building block of his overall philosophy (one that he chalks up as the key to his mammoth success) that I don’t follow his leadership on…but still respect greatly.

And the moral of the story (if you want to stop reading now) is that success comes in variety of flavors.

But please read on…I promise to pay this off.

Back to Dan’s “Back from the Dead Tour” which launched in July of 2023:

I ventured to Cleveland, Ohio in the middle of the hottest summer in the history of the world (according to some hyperbolic weather watchers and enthusiasts) to say, “I was there.”

That we almost lost him made the pilgrimage to the steamy Midwest… investing the time, money and effort to get there… made it an event of even bigger proportions.

I knew it would have an incredible return on the investment having nothing to do with money…and it did.

Whether you like him…despise him…or never heard of him…he always delivers the goods…whether you think the goods are good for you or not.

There was also a reunion of many graduates of what I call, “Kennedy University,” specifically the ones who are now studying for their PhD’s, most of whom have become wonderful friends, clients, mastermind members, and colleagues.

And ALL of them are Titans. 

We even held a gratitude dinner…gratitude for Dan…and gratitude for each other.

There were laughs, tears…and yes, additional learning.

The Kennedy tree has many branches and roots…and I am grateful to be a small branch on that tree.

The day before I left for Cleveland, I received in my Inbox a weekly email I signed up for from Srikumar Rao–a magnificent results leader, professor, and author who I met around that time…and I fell in love with his philosophies, teaching, and keynote presentations.

I’m still part of his online family and still in love with what and how he writes.

The subject line on the email was: “Be Nobody!”

If you know anything about Dan Kennedy, you know that advice to “Be Nobody!” is as far from his business philosophy as one can get.

I embrace Rao as much as I embrace Kennedy.

I must be a split personality…or wishy-washy…or maybe just a little confused.

But a little confusion can lead to chaos…so this post will begin a conversation to create (at least a little) order from that impending chaos.

In the email, Rao went on to explain that the subject line originated from an exercise inside a course he created which was titled the same as the subject line.

He then explained how the exercise came to be, inspired by this passage from a book, Polishing the Mirror (which I just bought), written by world renowned spiritual teachers Ram Dass and Rameshwar Das:

When I was growing up, I used to be somebody.

We were all in “somebody training” in those days.

You become somebody, and then you tell everybody who you are.

You hand out business cards, and you say “How do you do? I am Somebody, and I do such and such.”

Everybody is very important and special, and each person assesses how much more important they are than everybody else.

We were all in that training.

Srikumar continued in his own words:

Think of how much of your life you spend becoming somebody.

You define yourself by the work you do, the people you know, the locality you live in, the company you do your work in, the clubs you join, the political views you hold, the robustness of your bank account and so much more.

All is dust and to dust it will return.

Juxtaposing Rao’s thoughts with what Kennedy spoke about last week is an exercise for opposite day…but not completely on further inspection.

The Kennedy event had as its topic the “MAXIMUM Influence & Impact System”–an 11-point blueprint…which frankly could have been renamed, “The 11 Keys to Becoming Somebody.”

Dan’s agenda was dominated with words like “Legend,” “Power,” “Manifesto,” “Authority” …and of course “Influence” and “Impact.”

Since I am an admirer of both Kennedy and Rao, I find myself trying to justify both ways of thinking…and it’s not easy…but that won’t stop me from creating that justification.

Playing by “Kennedy Rules,” with integrity and boldness, becoming somebody who everyone wants to come to, work with, and be with, you will most likely make more money than any of your competitors (and non-competitors) … while creating tons of influence and impact.

The line I used in one of the Kennedy posts cited above is the tip of the iceberg (i.e. mountain) of the Kennedy agenda:

“If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain.”

That’s why Cleveland comes up in every email where I mention Dan…because Cleveland is where the mountain (Dan) lives…and that’s where you usually get to work with him.

Unless you can arrange for a private jet for the mountain to come to you.

Although influence and impact can be more subjective than money.

Depending how obsessive you are about becoming “somebody,” whether you do it under a Kennedy GPS or not, there also could be a cost in terms of peacefulness or inner contentment (also quite subjective).

Kennedy gives you the road map that has worked for him in becoming a big deal…but there are many places you can trip yourself up…and there are other ways to get there too.

Kennedy’s system works (well, it’s worked for him based on the metrics of having more cash and tremendous impact):

He is a “somebody” of epic proportions.

Regardless of how you get there, Kennedy would insist that if you want to be the unassailable authority in your field, and the one with the largest bank account, it doesn’t happen by magic or accident…it’s hard work.

His system gives you his road map.

In addition to doing the work, you need to do it under an umbrella of self-interest without selfishness (a distinction many people never make) …and you must do it for something beyond an ego boost.

Money is the way Kennedy keeps score as many others do who are students or graduates of “Kennedy University”…it’s precise, unforgiving and real.

But  his way of becoming somebody isn’t for everyone.

Playing by “Rao Rules,” I believe you may be more peaceful (however you define peaceful).

And dare I say not as rich?

That is up for debate.

Well maybe less rich in material ways…but possibly richer in the things most important to you.

And you can still make a lot of money under Rao’s rules too. 

It’s also more likely that you’ll have lower stress, fewer worries about how you are being perceived, and experience less chance of experiencing imposter syndrome in the process (which every high achiever goes through during their career).

You also achieve more peace by moving away from being (or trying to be) the center of your universe…and moving towards being a grain of sand on a beach…while still being firmly entrenched in your beach-universe.

Can we be students of both Kennedy and Rao and not drive ourselves crazy?

I admit that I live in both worlds all the time…and I will let you know how that works out for me in the decades that follow. 

I guess that’s (partially) what these Sunday missives are all about.

So far, so good:

I can say with utmost humility and candor, that I remain above ground (THE most important metric) … and content.

Filled with the key ingredient:

Freedom

And taking that a step further, in the words of Dan Sullivan (the top coach for entrepreneurs in the world), there are actually ‘Four Freedoms,” each one equal without one being more important:

• Freedom of Time
• Freedom of Money
• Freedom of Relationships
• Freedom of Purpose

I’d love to hear if you play under both sets of rules…toggling between being somebody and being nobody…and how that’s working out for you.

When I want to be a somebody I do it with influence and impact always with an eye towards freedom…albeit not with 100% conviction all the time (i.e., I don’t play by “Kennedy Rules” ruthlessly)…which causes me to leave some Legend, Power, Manifesto, Authority (and other Kennedy Rules) on the table …along with some cash. 

When I want to be a nobody (under the Rao Rules) I can create a peaceful and low stress life–with freedom–knowing that I will be dust like everyone else at some point in the future.

My conclusion (but not the final word):

Like success, freedom comes in many flavors.



Warmly,



Brian



P.S. To put a bookend on the idea of my “back from the dead tour,” (and I guess Dan’s too if he would allow me), I will quote (once again) Srikumar Rao from his blog:

In ancient Rome, generals who returned after a great victory were honored with a parade.

Thousands of people attended and cheered them.

It was the ultimate ego trip.

A slave was positioned behind the victorious general, and his job was to periodically lean over and whisper “Memento Mori” into the soldier’s ear.

“Memento Mori” – Remember that you will die!

I’m not being morbid…just realistic…and whether your goal is being somebody to become nobody…or you are a nobody who wants to become a somebody…it doesn’t really matter.

Remember that you will die…but not before you live your best life.

I encourage you to do that…not that you need me to tell you that. 



P.P.S. I originally wrote “The back from the dead tour” in November of 2019, seven months after my near fatal stroke.

Don’t worry…it’s in my rearview mirror…although I re-posted it in April of 2024 for good measure…and then there was the LinkedIn post which I received so much valuable and warm feedback from…plus it inspired this week’s post on Dan’s back from the dead tour.

If you haven’t read it, I invite you to click here.

It’s short and it includes a link to a video which is the “living proof” that I was indeed “not quite dead yet” (nod to Monty Python and the Holy Grail).

The panel I was on was billed as “The Greatest Copywriting Panel Ever Assembled” …and I’m not even a copywriter.

I cheated death…and then cheated the audience when I disguised myself as a copywriter.

But I held my own.

Proving that I’ve got a lot of life still to live. 

Click here.

The post Being somebody to become nobody appeared first on Brian Kurtz.

This post is about humility…which is #6 of the “7 Things that must be present to become a world class copywriter (and marketer)”

The fact that it’s #6 of 7 doesn’t diminish its importance…it’s just not as sexy to talk about.

Things like hunger, passion, and insatiable curiosity come before humility on my list (which is based on my 45 years in the trenches of direct response marketing) to get your attention…but putting humility near the bottom of the list is my way of saving the best for (almost) last.

That is, I maintain that “humility” being #6 of 7 still makes it the most important for long term success and fulfillment…and clearly my prioritization skills and how I write about my priorities need some work.

Consider this post a positive step in that work.

If David Ogilvy can practice humility, we all can.

Ogilvy saying he’s a “lousy copywriter” might be a little too much self-deprecation…but it illustrates a point…and it is a good reminder that it’s OK to brag about our accomplishments while staying humble.

And I will get to a recent example shortly of when self-deprecation tries to imitate humility…with negative impact.

But let’s go deeper on humility breeding success first.

I’ve told a story before on a podcast about the copywriter who contacted me while I was still working at Boardroom (where we only hired the best-of-the-best).

He wrote:

“I am very interested in writing for you…and I know that I will be the best writer you have ever hired and the most successful that has ever walked through the doors at Boardroom.”

The fact that I had never heard of him before did not eliminate him from contention although his claim was a bit hyperbolic.

Instead of dismissing him solely based on his supreme confidence (coupled with a total lack of humility), I decided to see if there was any truth in his claim.

I did some digging and found his website and some writing samples…and frankly, he wasn’t very talented (and I am being kind).

It made me wonder if this guy had done any research on the history of Boardroom and knew that we had worked with some of the greatest copywriters of all time (and I am not saying that to brag…just stating a fact).

I checked him out further in case I missed something…and in this case I did not.

I’m using this somewhat ridiculous example to help us all reflect on how we present ourselves in the marketplace—and while this is an extreme case of someone possibly living on a different planet (or at least in a different state of reality), I urge you to take a look at how you present yourself to others who you might work with or work for…what you take credit for…and what you don’t take credit for.

And I also urge you to do some research before making claims you can’t back up.

How did I respond to this copywriter?

While I didn’t want to be cruel, I couldn’t resist using a little sarcasm to possibly teach him something:

Thanks for your interest in writing for Boardroom.

When I read your email the first thing I thought was “shame on me!” since I have been working in direct marketing for over 30 years, worked with some of the best of the best copywriters who have ever lived—which I consider a privilege—and I have never heard of you before.

After looking at your samples, I don’t think you are a great fit for us right now…even though I am sure you are talented and have had some success.

And I wish you even more success in the future.

I didn’t bother dropping names or letting him know that he was clearly not the best writer who would have ever worked for us had I hired him (supreme understatement) …and interestingly he never responded.

He either got the message or maybe it was just a form letter.

Or maybe he simply wanted to get my attention so I could write a blog about him someday.

But I ask you…are you presenting yourself with “confident humility?”

Without a whiff of anything that smells like arrogance?

Or full of brags you can’t back up?

A friend of mine just shared with me some examples of copywriters and marketers who have “misrepresented” their accomplishments to her (and others) when being interviewed for assignments.

That is, they took credit for much more than they did for previous clients…and of course different levels of incompetence showed up once they were hired.

None of us does anything 100% on our own…even just starting with, “I did this amazing launch/package/promotion with a TEAM that produced incredible results” is much better than making it seem like you did it all yourself.

At least this leaves some room for “learning on the new job” while bringing your best experience and skills to it, based on your past success.

In short, I despise arrogance and hubris (and you should too).

Strive for humility while being self-confident at the same time…brag about what you did…and be clear about what you might not be an expert at and never claim you can do something that might be done better by others.

As a writer OR marketer, I believe this is a good place to originate– always check your ego at the door while still bringing your knowledge and wisdom to every encounter.

Confidence in talking about your accomplishments is not arrogance if expressed properly and with grace…but still conveyed powerfully.

Another way to put it:

Grace and humility trumps all.

On the other end of the spectrum…closer to David Ogilvy being a lousy copywriter…is this story from the Titans of Direct Response event in 2014 and my experience asking some of the greatest figures in the world of direct marketing to speak at the event.

Many people asked me:

“How did you get all of them to speak and how did you deal with all of those swelled heads?”

Well…first of all…I chose wisely. I only asked those who were a fit.

Why ask someone to speak at this landmark event who didn’t encompass the values of my mentor, Marty Edelston, who the event was a tribute to…and by osmosis, my values too?

At the top of the list was choosing speakers who “serve” rather than “sell.”

With confident humility.

Which enables them to sell more than most.

And I can tell you now that it was easy (for the most part) because grace and humility are part of their makeup, much more than them reminding me how great they are and how lucky I was to get them to speak.

Two of the speakers come to mind right away:

Gary Bencivenga (the best copywriter in the world alive today with more “unbeatable controls” than anyone in history); and Greg Renker (the top infomercial producer EVER and the man who ran a $2 billion company at the time).

I encourage all of you whenever you think about bragging about yourself or being envious of the success of others around you (or the accomplishments of anyone in your life), go to gratefulness over envy…and thank your lucky stars for everything you have in your life when you have the opportunity to interact with greatness all around you.

Simply put, if you could have been on any of the preparation calls I had with Gary or Greg before “Titans”…or been on any of the follow up calls or emails after the event…what you would have heard and seen from these two giants (and the other speakers too) was 100% grace and humility…and THEIR gratitude for being part of such an amazing tribute to someone who they had utmost respect (i.e. Marty).

Regarding Gary, he had already retired from public speaking at the time of the event…but he wanted to come out one more time to honor all of his “competitors” (in addition to Marty)–who he usually beat when he went against them but he revered them at the same time–because it was them who made him the copywriting legend he became by setting the bar so high.

When you go against the best…and beat the best…never rest on your laurels…and treat those you beat like royalty.

That’s a definition of humility we can all get behind.

Regarding Greg Renker, I even told this story from the stage at “Titans” about the call I received from Greg’s assistant months before the event asking, “Where should Greg send his $5,000 registration fee?”

Of course I said, “Are you kidding?” (but I was thinking, WTF?)

Greg’s assistant: “Well, Greg just wants to contribute something.”

I thought I was in some bizarro world…but it was a valuable lesson:

Even someone like Greg Renker takes nothing for granted and plays the game with confident humility all the time.

And what he contributed at the event was priceless…which is more than $5,000 for those of you doing the math.

But this applies in all aspects of our lives—from “famous people” (in our industry or in a wider sphere) … to folks we encounter every day.

A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with advanced heart disease, diagnosed by his local cardiologist, who was highly credentialed with a solid reputation and booming practice.

None of his degrees were in humility…but fortunately for my friend, he had done the work in that area just the same.

When confronted with my friend’s complicated and unique case, one that required much more knowledge, guidance and care than he thought he could give…instead of faking it until making it…he referred my friend to someone with superior training and skills given the complexities of this case being “above his pay grade.”

But how often does this happen?

Especially with professionals who read their press clippings which don’t always correspond to their competency.

Hopefully this kind of thing–where the best defer to even better than best– happens more than I think.

Unfortunately, I hear all too often whether in medicine, law… and yes, marketing…that arrogance and ego take precedence…and the doctor, lawyer and marketing consultant get in way over their head with disastrous results.

I guess stubbornness and trying to prove something enters in here too, both of which are not part of the “humility equation.”

What did my friend do?

He thanked his cardiologist for checking his ego at the door (I love that phrase…obviously)…for getting him the advanced care he needed rather than muddling through his case while admiring the diplomas on his wall…and he is now being cared for with the expertise needed to make his quality of life as good as it can be.

It’s another take on ultimate humility in action.

People who are confident but never arrogant in their abilities make the best people to interact with, work with…and dare I say, trust our lives with.

I don’t know about you, but I find this refreshing…and in this example, life (expectancy) changing.

One last aspect about humility and making it a clear distinction from self-deprecation.

I’ve had my head handed to me on this one numerous times…thank goodness for my friends who tell me when I fall into this misdirected “humility trap.”

Most recently, I was speaking at a high-level mastermind—talking a mile a minute (like I always do) and repeatedly asking for grace from the audience for being “a tangent waiting to happen.”

And that my brain was scrambled.

And that I talk too fast.

And admitting that I am not making sense without asking if I am.

I’m sure you’ve all been there.

But is that humility?

No.

It’s an excuse, with overcompensation, and an occasional putdown for being who I am.

In the words of Google AI:

Self-deprecating means belittling or undervaluing oneself, often through excessive modesty or humor. People frequently use this trait to appear humble, agreeable, or down-to-earth, though excessive use can sometimes reflect or reinforce lower self-esteem

This practice is clearly counterproductive (in addition to being ineffective) since you lose your audience through self-deprecation.

Worst case: “Why should they listen to me?” …while you are trying to be a humble servant who has wisdom to share.

Talk about losing the plot.

Thankfully it was brought to my attention by a long-time results leader and dear friend who was in the audience.

His advice: Get off it.

And he went on:

You are not serving your audience (us) by making fun of yourself, putting yourself down, making excuses for your “behavior” …when there’s nothing wrong or to make excuses for.

What a lesson…and contribution…with love never leaving the room when he delivered it.

And lo and behold, he did it with humility.

Warmly,

Brian

P.S. I have a humble offer for you today…one that is exclusive to my online family (you)…and one that has been a long time coming.

As you may know, I’ve got a virtual mastermind that is going strong—Titans Xcelerator—with close to 250 members who are best-in-class direct response marketers, copywriters and “marketing entrepreneurs.”

And while Zoom is great, in-person is better.

With each discussion about AI within the group, we always circle back to what it means to be human…and one thing that is clear is that meeting face-to-face (with pants on!) beats Zoom every time.

I love Zoom…but there comes a time to go human-to-human.

That’s why I am hosting my first live event since I concluded my Titans Mastermind in 2023 after eight glorious years of transformational events…and this one will be equally epic.

And while it is being billed as “Titans Xcelerator Live,” you can still come even if you are not a member.

Interested?

Note: Your registration for the event includes a one-year membership to Titans Xcelerator…so you come to the event for the information…stay for two days of mind-expanding contributions and connections while rubbing shoulders (literally) with the best-of-the-best…and then you automatically become a member of a very special family…with 12 months of inspiration…and beyond.

It will be a party…that will never end.

Already confirmed as guest speakers:

• Three world class, legendary copywriters, responsible for over a billion impressions (conservatively)
• One of the most effective and results-driven online marketers and coaches in the world
• The most sought-after expert in “experience marketing”

And I’m just getting started.

Click here for more details.

And feel free to email me.

Hope to see you in the flesh (but not in the nude!) in October.

Warning: You won’t be able to turn your camera off either.

The post Humility is not self-deprecation appeared first on Brian Kurtz.

And if there was a math book on “retirement” (and not one that simply calculates your net worth and how you won’t outlive your money), it would be titled Working through Retirement and the Real Arithmetic Involved.

That math “problem” equates to adding and subtracting, as needed and desired, to your online and offline families…with the result summarized by the quote below.

I have shared the quote below with you in the past (many times) and it came up during my adventures over the past three weeks.

Here’s another chance to grab a copy for yourself if you haven’t already.

I first read it on the back of the business card of my ultimate mentor Marty Edelston…and that business card, front and back, is framed on the wall in my office, readable when I am at my computer, so I can read it in real time during podcasts, Zoom calls and anytime it is applicable…which is very often…and done four times in the last three weeks.

Going down the Google rabbit hole, it has been sourced as a Zen Buddhist Text or as a variation of a quote from authors such as Lester Thurow, James Michener and Lawrence Pearsall Jacks (and I’m sure there are others who want to take credit for it):

The Master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both.

Whoever reads this, writes this or creates a math problem from it, it seems to nail an excellent definition for “The Big R” (“The Big Four R’s?”) …and a lot more succinct than this blog post. 



Warmly,



Brian



P.S. Ah…the “fourth R” …Retirement.

A time to relax? Or to get started?

I vote for both.

So does my longtime friend, mentor, and top gun copywriter Kim Krause-Schwalm.

She recently told me she might be leaving my Titans Xcelerator Mastermind (which would sadden me greatly) because she is considering “retirement.”

But with her wide-ranging wisdom, her eclectic interests (did you know that this badass copywriter recently wrote a children’s book…NOT about direct marketing or with a supplement offer attached?), I will assume (and hope) that she is talking more about the three  R’s of Retirement with less focus on the fourth.

More of a “semi-retirement” as she is calling it.

I’m thinking “semi” will involve lots of readin’, ritin and ‘rithmetic.

Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I don’t do affiliate offers…and when I endorse anyone’s products or services, they need to be educational and transformational in nature…and I do so with extreme caution.

And my affiliate commissions always go to charity.

I’ve got one of those for you today.

With Kim, there was no vetting needed…since I have worked with her for over 25 years…first as a copywriter for me at Boardroom…and then as a member of my Titans Xcelerator Mastermind as a supreme contributor and educator.

And while there is an “offer” coming for Kim’s lifetime of work, at an amazing price with a deadline (of course), know that if you buy it from the link below, all the proceeds I receive will go to charity:water, my uber-charity of choice.

You will not only help bring clean water to places that have none, you will drink from a fire hose of direct marketing wisdom that is unequaled in scope and unique in its format…with as much usability as anything you can buy anywhere to flex your marketing and copy muscles.

A little more than nine years ago, after nearly two decades in the trenches as one of the top copywriters in the country, Kim decided to start teaching… sharing… and revealing ALL her copywriting secrets, strategies, and systems for cranking out successful control after successful control.

Like my mentor Jay Abraham taught me–and I guess he taught Kim as well:

When you have “done it,” you have a moral obligation to “teach it.”

These trainings and resources are packed with copywriting strategies and secrets that are so valuable, they’ve earned Kim millions, and the companies she’s worked for an estimated $1 billion total in revenue.

She’s calling this incredible bundle deal Kim’s Copywriting Vault… and when I heard she was making this available, I knew it was an opportunity I didn’t want you to miss.

Here is what is included in Kim’s Vault:

• Research Beast, Kim’s efficient, proven, and powerfully effective six-step process for doing research that lets your copy practically write itself–and helps you come up with mechanisms and angles that clobber the competition
  
• The Get Dangerously Good Copywriting System, Kim’s complete system for writing higher-performing sales copy far more easily from start to finish
   
• Supplement Copy Boot Camp, including 5 in-depth workshops on creating successful supplement copy and offers, and soaring to the top of this niche 
  
• Million-Dollar Controls, where Kim reveals powerful strategies and tactics she used to create some of her most successful, longest-running controls… some of which have been running for as long as 14 years and counting
  
• Bullet-Writing Boot Camp, where Kim demonstrates how to craft compelling, dripping-with-curiosity bullets from even the driest, most boring material 
  
• Complete KKS Promo Swipe File, a master swipe file of 43 successful control promos written by Kim for top direct response companies, including promos that beat controls written by Parris Lampropoulos and the late Jim Rutz

And success leaves clues: At least a few thousand copywriters and business owners have gone through Kim’s A-list-level trainings… and she has personally mentored more than a hundred of those lucky folks.

Now after years of making an impact in the copywriting world, Kim’s taking a step back.

The “Fourth R?” Hope not!

But she will no longer create new courses and run group mentoring programs.

She’s retiring from most of her client work.

The fact that she’s still “dangerously good” at all of it…but choosing to do exactly what she wants to do now…is something we should all give her accolades for.

And pick her brain forever by buying these amazing resources.

Click here.

The fact that she is working on another children’s book tells me she is not falling into “The Fourth R” completely…but now is the time to grab her vault.

I know she is incredibly proud of all she has done and accomplished…as evidenced by what is in this amazing offer.

I am proud to call her a friend…and I am also a proud owner of this Vault myself.

I encourage you to take advantage of this limited time, exclusive offer.

And she’s making the whole enchilada available at an insanely good price.

This Copywriting Vault deal is available right now and ends this Sunday night, June 7th, as soon as the clock strikes midnight Eastern time.

Get all the details here.

The post The Four R’s appeared first on Brian Kurtz.

Terry Kurtz

May 4, 1925 – May 30, 2022

The post Meaningful Clutter (revisited) appeared first on Brian Kurtz.

Her question:

I am new to this type of learning. This is a very uneducated question, so forgive me but, how do you recommend I study these swipe files to get the most out of them?

It’s a wonderful question…and it uncovered a blind spot for me.

That is, selling stuff that is incredibly useful is only useful if applied.

My bad.

My first thought was to send her a quote from one of the greatest copywriting legends of all time, Gary Halbert.

So that’s what I did:

“Get yourself a collection of good ads and direct mail pieces and read them aloud and copy them in your own handwriting.”

If Gary said it—and did it—that’s good enough for me.

And it’s a practice that has stood the test of time, and it’s part of the instruction manual that has been collectively written by the top copywriters (i.e. those at the top of the food chain coaching and practicing today).

Note that Gary says the ads need to be “good” (i.e. big winners, known controls, even classic ads)…and note the “most successful ad in the history of the world” is cited later in this blog post, which can be the first on your list to “copy.”

By “copy” that doesn’t mean “copy and distribute”…this is an internal exercise to make you bigger and stronger as a writer and a copywriter. Please keep reading…

Also note something else Gary said above: “…copy them in your own handwriting.”

Translation: Your own handwriting is NOT originating from your keyboard.

Here’s a meme that explains why this is true in one sentence:

But one sentence/meme wasn’t enough for me.

I went down a rabbit hole on this…all the way to how one’s thumb and index finger have a singular relationship with one’s brain.

I encourage you to do some additional digging on this too…only if you are not convinced of Halbert’s theory that is…or if you’ve done the research yourself, good for you.

And…keep writing.

In addition, I wanted to send you an updated version of a post I wrote in 2022 which was titled, “The O.G. of Stealing Smart” …to answer the question that my online family member asked above…and to uncover some other benefits when you commit to creating a swipe file of your own.

Many of us pride ourselves on being students of the craft of marketing and copywriting…and part of that includes becoming adept at “stealing smart.”

Now remember, stealing is a felony and stealing smart is an art.

And stealing smart as an art equates to re-purposing, re-imagining, re-engineering winning ideas, platforms, and design…which has nothing to do with copying, pasting or plagiarism.

With AI, both ends of the spectrum have become more prevalent:

Re-imagining (i.e. “art”) on one end and plagiarism (i.e. “felony”) on the other.

But once “decriminalized,” AI makes using swipe files even more impactful.

If not, it’s just sloppy, lazy…and could be illegal.

Isn’t that true with everything related to AI?

The key is to first identify patterns—which includes copy platforms, narrative structure, design—and then adapt and innovate…not copy.

That doesn’t include “copying” Halbert-style…that kind of copying is a requirement of all copywriters and marketers who want to be great.

In this spirit…and to continue to answer my online family member’s question (and serve all of you), I want to tell you about “The Original Gangster of Stealing Smart.”

And despite being labeled as a gangster for this blog post, be advised he is not on any FBI lists of most wanted direct marketing criminals.

He never stole anything from anyone.

Far from it.

This O.G. wears the title like a badge of honor.

The gentleman I want to talk about today is Denny Hatch, who perfected how to use swipe files to full advantage…with integrity and tenacity.

With a healthy dose of marketing wisdom.

Denny is currently, in my estimation, a “Professor Emeritus of Direct Marketing,” by blazing a trail as a pioneer in direct mail…then as the ultimate archivist and lifelong student…and finally as a lecturer, author and blogger covering all the things we hold dear about this wonderful corner of the universe we call direct response marketing.

Including email, the Internet and now AI.

He’s written many books, with titles such as 2,239 Tested Secrets of Direct Marketing Success, Write Everything Right!, Method Marketing…and a host of novels, articles, newsletters…and even marketing checklists (one of which is yours for the clicking in the P.S. below).

One of his landmark achievements was publishing a newsletter that came with the ultimate archive of direct mail promotions, in the form of envelopes, postcards, magalogs and bookalgos, in every category imaginable…and the archive expanded to email promotions after email marketing became a thing.

This exhaustive and invaluable tool he created in the 1980’s was called Who’s Mailing What! (WMW!)

Sure, there were selected swipe files available before this…but there was nothing like WMW!

And dare I say nothing has rivaled it since.

WMW! enabled subscribers to not only see who’s mailing what…but also who was mailing when…and who was mailing (what and when) most often.

The theory: That’s how you chronicle promotions to learn which are the best (i.e most successful) promotions.

Why would a mailer keep mailing a promotion if the promotion was a dud?

In fact, WMW! had awards for the longest standing controls (i.e., long standing winning promotions) …and Denny knew every one of them…and created not only a collection like no other, but it was one he studied himself and applied it to everything going on around him…for 50+ years.

Put more simply: Denny’s love of his life, after his wife Peggy, is direct mail.

And by extension, direct response marketing.

Which shows up in everything he says and writes.

In 2021, I invited Denny to speak at my Titans Mastermind to chronicle his incredible career and share how his research and curiosity with direct mail fit into the history and fabric of direct marketing.

He didn’t disappoint.

The title of Denny’s presentation:

A Whirlwind Tour of Direct Marketing Knowhow:
From July 10, 1194 through the 21st Century

Despite Denny being around the industry for a while, he was sure to let us know that he was not around in the 12th century…but wanted to be sure we knew that direct marketing didn’t start with Ben Franklin in the 18th century either.

It was a whirlwind–more like a tornado–and not simply a stroll down memory lane, full of marketing lessons for the ages…and efficient too…with Denny covering 10 centuries of direct marketing in a little over 40 minutes.

An insurmountable feat for any mere mortal…but not for this O.G.

I thought it would be appropriate while I am hosting my Breakthrough Advertising Bootcamp event this week (Gene Schwartz was a swipe file fiend himself)—to share Denny’s presentation from that Titans Mastermind meeting in 2021.

It is one for ages…literally.

Just click on the screenshot below that reads, “The Most Successful Advertisement in the History of the World” …which Denny will tell you all about (among other equally astounding facts and figures). Facts and figures that lead to action and profit.

And don’t forget to grab his checklist in the P.S.

…Also covered in this epic presentation…and implied…and hidden in plain sight:

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Excuse the (ever so slight) hyperbole of the title…and I will tell you that it’s much more than an attention grabber.

I invite you to be grabbed.

Warmly,

Brian

P.S. To prove more conclusively that Denny is not simply a passive collector of every great promotion ever written or recorded, here is a monumental report he put together which he called his Ultimate 85-Point Marketer’s Checklist.

It might load slowly…but it will be worth the wait.

This is accumulated wisdom from a man who considered his mailbox a never-ending source of entertainment and education…he never passed up an opportunity to read all his mail very carefully…and then he stole smart.

He applied everything he “stole” to a rule of thumb or a new way of looking at direct marketing.

Click here to access this wonderful (and useful) checklist.

It’s worth printing and keeping next to your desk…forever.

P.P.S. In Denny’s video presentation beginning with direct marketing from the 12th Century, he quotes a classic ad from John Caples (from earlier in the 20th century) …the famous “piano ad” (which is NOT “the most successful advertisement in the history of the world”…but it’s close).

Check out this YouTube video to learn more about it from former Titans Xcelerator member and expert “breakdown artist” (of classic ads), Czaba Borzasi.

Csaba’s breakdown is a perfect example of how we use swipe files for fun and profit…without committing a felony.

Jeremey Hunsicker, a former Titans Mastermind member, sent me this cartoon he created to commemorate that Caples classic (which is still being emulated today):

Thought you might get a laugh out of it…

P.P.P.S And finally, a priceless picture of TWO O.G.’s, of “stealing smart” …which made them pioneers of marketing invention and innovation…with over a century of direct marketing wisdom between them:

Denny Hatch and Richard Viguerie at Titans Mastermind, September 2021

That reminds me to profile Richard Viguerie in an upcoming post…who is close to 90 years old (he might even have celebrated 9 decades on earth already) …he’s the “Father of Direct Marketing Political Fundraising” …and still works every day, teaching, learning…full of curiosity and wonder.

He will be presenting at my Titans Xcelerator Mastermind (on June 25th) so I will write it shortly after. He’s a Titan of epic proportions.

Denny and Richard are inspirations for all of us to look up to…and steal smart from…without invading their intellectual property of course.

P.P.P.P.S. Oops…one more thing…

There was a lively and meaningful discussion that followed Denny’s presentation at the Titans meeting in 2021…with all the Titans who were present, including the two pictured above.

That video is currently locked away in the Titans Mastermind Vault, but I might just release it later this year…if I receive enough requests for it…from you.

The post Stealing is a felony; stealing smart is an art appeared first on Brian Kurtz.

My blogs do go way back—12 and-a-half years– but 500+ blog posts (with lots of repetition with purpose) are less than a trillion by my calculation.

Sorry I haven’t been around long enough to write a trillion…yet.

The first year I began writing these Sunday missives—2014—I had no idea where they would lead.

All I knew was that I had over three decades of cumulative experiences that needed to be shared.

One thing they did lead to was writing two books.

So, there’s that.

But having the exclusive rights to the greatest book ever written about copywriting, marketing and human behavior was only a gleam in my eye “way back then”…although one of my first posts was about that book and its author.

I’m sharing an updated version of that post with you below…one of my favorite stories about that illustrious author.

And…twelve years later that gleam has become reality.

It’s not only about having the publishing rights…it’s that I’ve been able to create a global franchise (appropriate hyperbole)…which I am very proud of. More on that in the P.S.

Exposing an entirely new generation to Breakthrough Advertising (and Gene Schwartz) …while at the same time, reintroducing an entire industry to a lost classic…with training to boot…has been the privilege of a lifetime.

The rest of this post is an update from my Wayback Machine.

I was blessed to know Gene Schwartz…and not just casually, either.

Gene was my friend, mentor and business partner…and I learned so many lessons from him.

Those of you who don’t know who I am talking about, Eugene “Gene” Schwartz was one of the most successful and prolific direct response copywriters who ever lived.

His classic book, Breakthrough Advertising may be the most important book ever written on copy and creative.

Not to mention his other lost classic, The Brilliance Breakthrough (which I also have the exclusive rights to) …but that’s a topic for another day.

Breakthrough Advertising was important enough for Marty Edelston and I to re-publish it as a “Boardroom Book” (Boardroom Inc. was the company Marty founded in 1972 which I helped build with him) …when we saw a live bid on eBay for an out-of-print copy at $950.

But it is ironic that we decided to only print small batches of copies (no more than 250 at a time) …not to sell but to share freely with family and friends within the direct marketing industry…while we were running a $100 million company, half of which was book sales.

Ironic or stupid?

I guess we wanted to share Gene’s brilliance—not sell it—figuring all boats rise once applied.

And decades later, that is exactly what has happened.

I’m playing the same game today although I am selling the book now.

Whether we left money on the table or not, it made us feel good (which has value too).

Anyway…

Calling it a book about “copy and creative” does it a disservice… it is the most timeless book ever written on human behavior as well.

The fact that not one word has been changed from its 1966 version proves that point.

Gene passed away in 1995.

The number of people alive today who worked closely with Gene and can teach what he taught from firsthand experience, you can probably count on one hand.

Simply because I am still alive, I am one of those lucky few.

I don’t say this to be dramatic or to brag.

What is so special about simply “surviving” anyway?

Well, it is better than the alternative.

And it has enabled me to share stories and lessons that exist nowhere else.

Not in any book, course or on any YouTube channel.

[Note: That line was from 2014. I realize I’ve been busy since then…getting many of those stories and lessons into my blogs (like today), my books, my courses…and yes, on YouTube. So there.]

Here’s one, which I first published in 2014, that is indicative of Gene’s brilliance.

During the 1980’s, Gene wrote many of Boardroom’s most successful direct mail packages–and he also wrote some of the biggest winners for Rodale Books (publishers of more health books than anyone at that time).

And here’s the kicker:

Boardroom and Rodale never paid him a dime for any of those landmark packages.

Here’s how that came to pass…

Gene had his own company called Instant Improvement which published books on eclectic health topics which were sold with some of the most famous direct mail packages ever written.

[Note: I created a Gene Schwartz swipe file with all of them as part of the “franchise” I mentioned above. Another key element of the franchise is outlined in the P.S.]

Classic headlines included “How To Rub Your Stomach Away” and “The Tao of Sexology.”

Instant Improvement was a small but mighty company…and Gene became mighty because he understood that without being able to mail the best lists of other health book buyers, he didn’t have a business.

In fact, it was understanding what Gene understood about the list being the most important part of the marketing puzzle that propelled my career to where it is today (wherever that is).

His house list was quite small–while Boardroom and Rodale had the most responsive and largest lists in the category of health book buyers.

Since Boardroom and Rodale needed world class copy and Instant Improvement needed world class lists, these three direct marketing results leaders comprised the most powerful group of allies since World War II…(excuse the appropriate hyperbole again…but it was a huge alliance).

Gene exchanged copy for names…even though he could have commanded the highest fee of any copywriter at that time.

Because he did the math:

Even if he charged $100,000 to write a promotion (which is probably double of what the top gun copywriters charged at the time), the 750,000 names he received instead (his “price”) were worth so much more.

First, because we gave him segments of our list that were always the best-of-the-best names, names he could get nowhere else (he was an “insider,” a VIP, with “selection privileges”); but more importantly, mailing them was like earning compound interest because he was playing a long game (i.e. he wasn’t looking for one sale per buyer but multiple sales per buyer).

This made $100,000 look like chicken feed compared to what he earned on the most responsive 750,000 buyers of health books anywhere in the world.

Gene, having multiple products (i.e. dozens), was one key to the expansive nature of this compensation arrangement; but it was also about Gene’s abundant mindset, knowing that cash comes to you in different ways, and it’s not always about simply getting paid for a product or service.

This amazing relationship—what I called the “triumvirate of health mailers”– led to millions of books being sold and a much more efficient way to get the best health information distributed to as many people as possible.

Boardroom and Rodale were able to mail millions of names using Gene Schwartz controls for years…even after his death…and Gene was able to mail millions of Boardroom and Rodale names “on exchange” at an acceptable return on investment (shorthand for huge profits) for his much smaller books.

But there was nothing “small” about Gene Schwartz…I never met a man who played larger.

He traded his extraordinary talent for the asset he needed most at the time…and money was a strategic by-product, not the starting point.

And that brings me to my quote for this week:

“Reciprocation is about you, then me, then you, then me…and be the first to give service, information, concessions”

-Dr. Robert Cialdini

Understanding how to be a true partner with those you work with leads to exponential growth and true business building…

…which beats a series of “revenue events” by a mile.

When I say that I was a close friend of Gene Schwartz, it makes me smile; when I say I was his partner to help build three multi-million dollar businesses, businesses that had as their mission to disseminate the most useful and life-saving health information to consumers, I know I made a real difference in the world…which also makes me smile.

And today–when I have now sold over 15,000 copies of his masterpiece, Breakthrough Advertising, in over 75 countries( including licensing the book in Japan, France, Italy and Brazil in those languages)–I am continuing to make a difference (through Gene’s work) and continuing his legacy with humility and enthusiasm.

Of course, this also means I’m just old…but as Marty used to say, “I like getting old because now I know so much.”

Thank you, Gene, for being one of the wisest entrepreneurs I ever met.

And for writing my favorite book about human behavior (with a nod to copywriting and marketing).

Warmly,

Brian

P.S. O.K…it’s time to decide.

To keep doing your marketing the same old way or put the genius of Breakthrough Advertising and Gene Schwartz to work for you.

Maybe the same old way is good enough for you, but why wouldn’t you want to be in a room (i.e. on a Zoom screen) with up to 100 other people with the same opportunities and challenges you are facing…and interacting with them…contributing to them…and have them contributing to you.

Our 10th Breakthrough Advertising Bootcamp begins Tuesday May 12th and runs through Thursday May 21st.

Six, 90-minute calls…of teaching, learning, interacting, connecting.

All recorded so you can keep up…and then you can make them a cornerstone of your direct marketing library forever.

Like a mini mastermind over 2 weeks…with documentation.

And you’ll come out the other end with an action plan for next steps on whatever product or service you are most focused on inside your business.

At an insanely low price.

Plus…access to two calls of my Titans Xcelerator Mastermind…an additional bonus for registering for the Bootcamp.

There is also a private Facebook Group to share ideas during the Bootcamp…and to make friends for life (which happens in every Bootcamp).

That’s “friends with benefits” (and not THAT way).

It’s the benefit of people who will be a sounding board for you and your business during the Bootcamp…and on into the future.

Plus hot seats, office hours, special guests.

It’s the ultimate no downside/all upside proposition…and you only have 2 days to take me up on it.

(You can join after May 12th , and we will send you all the previous recordings so you can catch up quickly…but why not sign up right now?)

Please join us.

I’ve got a lot more Gene Schwartz stories too.

https://breakthroughadvertisingbook.com/ba-bootcamp/

The post It’s not always about the money appeared first on Brian Kurtz.

However, her expertise was instinctive rather than learning anything from me.

She always said, “I need to get back to your book someday, Brian.”

Despite ignoring my book, her marketing skills were still excellent.

Her birthday became a virtual holiday after the release of Star Wars (you know, “May The Fourth Be With You” …from a galaxy far, far away).

A few weeks after her birthday in 2022, she passed away, after a life well lived.

This week marks another May 4th, a perfect week to reintroduce you to my mom.

Consider this a refresher course on what she taught me (and us) about marketing…life…and being a constructive irritant for 97 years (and I say that with extreme love and devotion).

I find it remarkable that despite only reading the first chapter of my book (or so she said) and admitting that she “needed to get back to it,” her expertise in many of the principles expressed in Overdeliver, including creating irresistible offers, being multi-channel and making exquisite customer service the cornerstone of her marketing education, is uncanny.

While she never became an expert in RFM…and she had no need to understand the “41/39/20 rule” …she was an absolute expert in three areas covered in my book:

1. Telemarketing
2. Direct mail
3. Lifetime value

1. Mom on telemarketing

For my mom, if it’s not a phone communication (or an in-person visit), it doesn’t count.

Email? That’s for the “new generation.”

Although if she was on email, she would have heard from me more often, that’s for sure.

Forget about texting…she’d have to give up her flip phone for that, so I never mentioned texting as a “thing.”

My mom with a smartphone would have started a chain reaction of events (beginning with hundreds of calls to Verizon customer service) that would have changed the world of mobile communications forever…and not for the better.

And where the Internet was concerned, that was simply a place where she could browse for latex gloves, research contraptions that can reach and grasp items on high shelves and shop for her favorite skin cream (not available in stores)—and call me to have her buy them for her at the “store” called Amazon.

Funny story: For Mother’s Day a few years before she passed away, I bought her an Amazon gift card at CVS, put $0 on it, and told her there was a special number on the card that only worked if she called me with the items she desired…which I could then order for her.

She asked me until the day she died:

“How much money is left on the card?”

And my answer was always the same:

“A lot.”

That kept her ordering, one item at a time, average order $14, without disrupting the natural order of the World Wide Web.

Back to mom on telemarketing—her favorite direct response medium.

She was ahead of the curve in the 20-teens and 2020’s since it’s become a forgotten medium to many marketing mavens.

Most of us are attached to our smart phones all day long but we rarely see it or use it as a “phone” or a sales medium (as opposed to being a vehicle to post vacation pictures, photos of our latest meal, or to participate in a political rant).

Well, it works well for TikTok influencers and Instagram “videographers” for sure…but that went well above my mom’s paygrade.

Despite laying on the guilt regarding how infrequently I called her with “inbound” telemarketing, her “outbound” operation was quite extensive.

Sort of like a boiler room from her kitchen.

When she bought a can of tomatoes that were past their expiration date, rather than simply return the can to Shop-Rite, her first move was to call the CEO of Del-Monte.

She had the time and the patience to sit on hold for days…so why not?

And every time I saw her, she always had a story about how she got “satisfaction,” calling anyone who will listen, at any company or store who had stepped out of line (in her opinion), responding to her tales of woe.

She was relentless and wouldn’t stop until her demands were met.

I believe this was also a reason for her longevity.

Being active and productive (creating purpose, however one defines it), comes in many flavors…and it beats sitting around doing nothing.

Does this sound like any of your customers?

Hopefully my mom was one of your customers…because she forced you to pay more attention to your business…and she will reappear in other customers to insure you continue to toe the line.

And create lifetime customers in the process.

Read “The return on returns” for a deep dive on this topic…but if you’ve been part of my online family for any length of time, you’ve already been drilled about customer service being a marketing function.

When she told me about her adventures in telemarketing, I pictured her talking the ear off of the person on the other end, for an hour or more, about the new step stool she bought that’s missing a screw…maybe even accusing that person of missing a screw as well…and how they better satisfy her…or else.

Never raising her voice…just giving the “facts” …and she was compelling and polite.

She’s no different from any other customer on your list…no matter how old or how young.

Note that I affectionately called my mom’s practice “outbound telemarketing” rather than “complaining.”

In fact, I dedicated an entire chapter to this topic (that’s customer service and fulfillment, not complaining) in my book, Overdeliver.

It’s based on the premise that it may take a lifetime to win (and keep) a customer, but you can lose that customer in a heartbeat (with one misstep).

My mother taught this to anyone who would listen…and turned it into maximum lifetime value…more on that in a minute.

This is what links new customer acquisition to customer retention and/or renewals.

Always focus your customer acquisition effort with the second order in mind…

…and…

…it is easier to keep a customer than to get a new one.

Of course, be ready to answer the phone when your new or existing customers call and need something more.

I only wish my mom could still call me to “complain”…er…practice outbound telemarketing.

2. Mom on direct mail

My Mom might have been the most loyal and trusting (euphemism for gullible) person you will ever mail to…and the perfect person to have on your postal list.

She must give money to Paralyzed American Veterans because they sent her free return address labels.

And the free calendar from U.N.I.C.E.F.?

That deserved a bonus contribution.

If you practice the art and science of direct mail and want her to buy, donate or do anything with you, it will cost you in freebies and bonuses–but if you do this, you will reap the benefits of her generosity because of her need to reciprocate.

My mom took ethical bribes very seriously.

As do all customers and prospects.

And smart marketers too.

For her outgoing direct mail operation (a different way to say “mailing her bills and birthday cards”), how’s this for a philosophy:

She only used the prettiest postage stamps I could find at the post office for her, which she then used for all her outgoing mail…because she thought the electric company and cable TV provider would be kinder to her if she sent her payments with a beautifully stamped envelope.

And for the birthday cards she sent to her grandchildren, she thought it was the stamp that made them giddy.

But we know it was the check inside.

My favorite stamps, “The T.rex collection,” were off limits…which I guess is understandable.

They are soooo scary!

Regardless, I always had her back on the power of direct mail…stamped appropriately of course.

3. Mom on lifetime value

This one was part of her DNA…and here’s a story to illustrate my mom’s understanding of the most important concept in direct marketing.

In 2016, she fell and broke her hip. We rushed her to the hospital for emergency surgery and eventually all was well (and giving you the gory details would be TMI).

When I got home from the hospital, there were four messages on my answering machine—from Shirley, Rita, Thelma and Eleanor.

These ladies were all 91 at the time, all “with it” (despite some aches and pains), and they all wanted to know the status of Terry (my mom).

I had lengthy conversations with each of the four other “Sistas” (as I like to call them).

These five women had known each other, as close friends, for over 80 years.

That’s a brand of “lifetime value” that goes beyond anything I am familiar with…and it’s not covered in my book.

Except when I open Chapter 10 with the quote, “Life is long.”

Their friendship was a one-time sale that lasted a lifetime…no funnel or upsells needed.

Here they are in their prime…that’s my mom on the far left:

They all outlived their husbands…all lived into their late 90’s (one of them to 100) …and proved that devoted friendship is a longevity gene.

What a lesson.

So now you know why my mom was an awesome direct marketer…and why, four years after her passing, and on her birthday (May 4th), I needed to remind you (and me) what life (and marketing) is all about.

“May The Fourth Be With You!”

And may it be with you the other 364 days during the year…as you practice the art of multi-channel direct response marketing (including telemarketing and direct mail) …and become even more diversified than my mom.

And may you experience lifetime value everywhere in your life (which has little to do with the value of an average order).

Warmly,

Brian

P.S. Since my mom never read Overdeliver, you can be sure she never read Breakthrough Advertising.

However, miraculously, she applied principles from Gene Schwartz’s masterpiece in her marketing efforts as well.

I don’t know how she did it…without reading the book OR attending The Breakthrough Advertising Bootcamp.

And even if you have some of my mom’s keen marketing instincts, attending the Bootcamp will give you an unfair advantage no matter what your business is—direct-to-consumer, business-to-business, product or service, online or offline, digital or brick-and-mortar.

Human behavior hasn’t changed since Gene Schwartz penned Breakthrough Advertising in 1966 (and, as I say in the afterword of the book, it hasn’t changed since 1066 either) …and you can be part of this deep dive into this miracle of a book, applying it to your specific business, category or niche, by clicking here.

It’s six, 90-minute calls over a two-week period (all recorded and therefore becoming part of your marketing library forever) …with expert instruction from me and my marketing partner Chris Mason…including some guest speakers…along with interactive discussions, hot seats, office hours…dedicated to actionable results inside your business.

With exercises (yes, there is homework) that will help you create a business that you love.

There is a private Facebook Group too…for exchanging information and ideas during the Bootcamp…or to pose questions about direct response marketing or copywriting.

Simply put, you can ask us, or the group, anything.

Consider it a “two-week mini mastermind” at a ridiculously low price.

We are here for you…as are your fellow Bootcampers.

There is also an offer on this page to buy a copy of Breakthrough Advertising at a 20% discount with your Bootcamp registration.

I hope you will join us.

It begins on Tuesday May 12th…eight days after the force has been with you…but the force will always be with you once you attend the Breakthrough Advertising Bootcamp.

Click here for all the details including the schedule…and to register.

But wait…there’s more (making my mom very proud of me).

Your Bootcamp registration also includes a 7th and 8th call:

Two behind the scenes experiences with Titans Xcelerator (i.e. free access to my exclusive mastermind) …with speakers from the bleeding edge of marketing and copywriting including AI, SEO/AEO, creating persuasive copy through unique language models…and more…. all of whom follow the teachings of Gene Schwartz.

Anyone who is anyone in marketing and copywriting knows about Breakthrough Advertising, and the best-of-the-best have it in a prominent place on their bookshelf…and hundreds of those buyers have been through the Breakthrough Advertising Bootcamp (some more than once).

This is our 10th Bootcamp, guaranteed to be the best one ever, since it is cumulative, not repetitive.

Every lesson learned over the past nine Bootcamps has now been incorporated in this 10th edition.

Funny how that happens with timeless, eternal truths.

Click here to hear from previous attendees, look at the full schedule of eight (8) calls…and hopefully you will be eager to register.

Looking forward to seeing you on the “inside” on May 12th.

The post May The Fourth Be With You appeared first on Brian Kurtz.