I shot this video in Minnesota with my gal pal Viki Viertel (www.thedigitalbuddha.com) to explain why I’ve incorporated marketing to women as part of my brand. The bottom line is, numbers don’t lie. Women have flip flopped to be the most influential and buy-happy segment of the population.

I’ll be sending more of these your way to help get you up-to-speed on how the paradigm of marketing has changed. (I was shocked when I started doing the research, by the way! Just because I’m a chick doesn’t mean I knew how to market to others of my kind.) If you want a real education, consider joining me for my live workshop event in LA, October 2, 3, and 4 called *The She Factor.* You’ll be happy you did!

Let me know what you think…

In my travels and correspondences, I talk a lot about *The She Factor* and how women are wearing the pants as far as purchasing power in EVERY MARKET. What I’ve found kind of interesting since I’ve taken the helm of this topic is that a lot of WOMEN believe they already know how to reach their own kind…and they are often the WORST culprits for making serious marketing mistakes. I’m not saying that to be mean. It’s simply a fact.  

The truth is we as women don’t necessarily know a lot about marketing to other women UNLESS we take the time to learn what truly works. Just because we have the same equipment doesn’t mean we’re going to have a group hug, sing ‘Kumbaya,’ and empty our pocketbooks for one another. 

Here are three of the most common mistakes I see from women over and over again. 

1)     Wishy washy language – Even though there are thousands of words to choose from to communicate, your marketing must cut through the other voices bombarding your target market. You HAVE to use emotional language that causes a visceral response to get noticed over all the noise. You may not use words like ‘skyrocket,’ ‘power-packed,’ or ‘amazing’ in your everyday conversations but that is the energy required to get attention in marketing.2)     Devoid of personality – One of the cardinal sins in marketing and in copy is to be BORING. You can avoid that by not worrying so much about what people think, amp up that sparkling personality and let it SHINE, girl! Like they say, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.”3)     Afraid to take a stand – Haven’t you ever heard the phrase, ‘all publicity is good publicity?’ You may have a controversial view that polarizes some of your target market. That’s okay. You’ll get the attention of those who agree with you and the scorn of those who don’t. But they will all be reading and they will remember you. (How you handle the follow up of people who become non-fans is a systematic art we cover at *The She Factor* by the way.)     

Listen, I didn’t realize there was such a difference in reaching the female market until I started doing my own testing and research. Because I was trained by gruff (and successful) men’s men, I literally had to learn what speaks to women. I’m sure I’ve lost tons of sales over the years because I didn’t listen. I wish I had put the puzzle together years ago. As they say, I didn’t know what I didn’t know.  

The good news is, the puzzle is complete and I’m handing it off to the attendees at *The She Factor* workshop. Sure hope to see you there! 

My good friend,

Michael Port (best selling author of Book Yourself Solid,) got some good news this week! His newest book has been released early . . . 

It’s called, Beyond Booked Solid: Your Business, Your Life, Your Way–It’s All Inside  

The bad news is he got caught flat-footed in his marketing because the timing changed.  

So I told him I’d do him a favor and help spread the word. Why? Well, because his first book was simply ground-breaking and should be on every marketer’s shelf. But this next book adds the serious component all success stories have but don’t necessarily talk about – MINDSET! (Trust me, without a strong mindset you feed daily, true success ain’t happening. Mindset is the difference between so-so success and WILD, DELICIOUS, UNSTOPPABLE SUCCESS.) 

Here’s a link to grab it at Amazon.com:   

http://www.michaelport.com/recommends/BeyondBookedSolid  

By the way, this is not an affiliate promotion (not that there’s anything wrong with those). I just want you to know I don’t make a penny off of letting you know about this book. I truly believe it benefits you to own it, read it, and practice it.  

And I’m not alone. In fact, it’s required reading according to best-selling authors Tim Ferriss and Michael Gerber:  

“If you want a four-hour work week, this book is required reading.”—Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek 

“If you liked The E-Myth, you’ll love Beyond Booked Solid. Port’s new book is required reading for all entrepreneurs.”—Michael E. Gerber, author of The E-Myth  

Notice there is no big bonus campaign to entice you to buy the book today. Michael is not into that kind of marketing. The book is the thing. I say, “Bravo” Michael.  Giving away “$5000 worth of free bonuses” actually takes something away from us - our precious time. And, that’s just the point . . . Beyond Booked Solid is about doing more with less.  

If you want to know a little bit about the book just go to the amazon.com page. There’s a great review that does a fantastic job of articulating what the book’s about and why it’s invaluable for you.  

http://www.michaelport.com/recommends/BeyondBookedSolid  

In a nutshell, Beyond Booked Solid answers the most important questions about how to build a business that integrates your values and aspirations AND can be scaled to whatever level you choose. There really is no book out there quite like it. Let me know your thoughts when you sink your teeth into it.

I was at the Glazer-Kennedy Super Conference in Nashville last week and one of the big draws was to listen to Gene Simmons of KISS.

Kind of an odd choice to give their first ever “Entrepreneur of the Year” award to – until you know more about Gene. He immigrated from Israel at age 9 and didn’t speak any English. His first priority was to make money so his mother (a Nazi concentration camp survivor) would have a better life. His early drive to make money permeates every move he’s ever made in his life, including not getting married (ergo, not getting divorced and giving half to an ex-wife . . . hey, I can understand that philosophy. I’m an ex-wife myself). 

Funny enough, I actually know Gene’s girlfriend of 25 years, Shannon Tweed from our private kickboxing lessons with Billy Blanks in the mid 1990s. I’ve run into Gene several times working out with Billy through the years too. And let me tell you. He is not an attractive or appealing man.   But he’s got that rock star quality. Even highly successful women who shouldn’t have been cast under his spell were reduced to giggly, pedantic messes.  Why? Well, that’s what I wondered. Here’s what I came up with.

• Gene makes women feel special; as he was pacing around in front of 1200 attendees he would stop in front of an attractive woman and tell her in front of everyone how pretty she was.
• Gene makes women feel superior; he emphasized over and over how women were ’smarter’ than men by taking their money and controlling the relationships.
• Gene has status; face it…super models and rock stars have been a combination for years.

Yesterday my hubby came home at 4:30pm and I was passed out on the bed, hooked up to my iPod, with an eye mask enjoying a late afternoon snooze.  

“I thought you were working!” he said.  

“But I was!” I replied. 

As a creative person I can tell you sometimes complete disconnect is the only way to stoke those innovative fires. A nap can be the best thing you do to increase your creativity and productivity. Sounds crazy, I know.  

But I’m not alone here. Winston Churchill was a napper. So were Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bill Clinton, Leonardo Da Vinci, John Rockefeller, Gene Autry, and Thomas Edison, to name a few. Those are some powerhouse names. I say if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me. 

Let’s say it’s 2:45pm and you’re staring at your computer screen with a laundry list of TO DO items. Your mental energy just isn’t locked in, and your mind is jello. How productive do you think you’re going to be? Even if you buckle down and focus, whatever you turn out isn’t likely to be your top-shelf best. Time to recharge with a power nap.  

For me, whenever I close my eyes in the afternoon away from email, the phone, the fax, the Internet, Facebook . . .let’s just call them “THE DISTRACTIONS” . . . my mind is finally able to put together marketing campaigns, clever copy, and ideas with COMPLETE FOCUS. In fact, the less I try to come up with a solution and relax my brain, the easier it seems to come. Sometimes it just requires a nap to reboot creativity. 

A NASA study showed a 26-minute nap can boost performance by 34%. The fact is most people are naturally tired in the afternoon anyway (about 8 hours after waking). Our biological clocks are built that way. Research is very clear that naps reduce stress, increase productivity, perk up patience, and improve brain function. That’s a lot of bang for your buck. I know I wouldn’t get nearly as much done without them personally. 

So how do you incorporate naps into your workday? 

RULE NUMBER ONE: Let go of the guilt. You are NOT being lazy. You are doing your mind (and your work) a great service by coming back to it refreshed with new ideas.  

RULE NUMBER TWO: Decide how long you’ll nap for and set an alarm. There are great restorative benefits in a 5 minute nap but the longer your nap is, the more revived you’ll feel. (Note that napping over 60 minutes isn’t recommended because your body could go into deeper sleep cycles and make it harder to sleep later.)  

RULE NUMBER THREE: Explore a method of relaxing that works for you. I recommend investing in Wendi Friesen’s “Power Nap” CDs and downloading them on your iPod. She walks you through a deep nap at 5, 10, 20, and 30 minute intervals. She’s my preferred napping coach. www.wendi.com/html/power_nap.html  

RULE NUMBER FOUR: Be sure to turn off phones and other distractions that could interrupt your time for you. Life can carry on without you for 30 minutes (or whatever time you decide to rest for). 

RULE NUMBER FIVE:  Block out light and sound. The fewer distractions that can pull you back into the thinking world, the better. As I mentioned, I use a hypnosis recording on my iPod usually. Otherwise, I grab foam earplugs. My favorite light-zilching mask is made by Bucky. (Be sure to get the “Shades” and NOT the “40 Blinks” eye mask. http://bucky.com/catalog/controller.php?pg=product&cat=SLE&product=S800) 

Listen, naps aren’t anything new. Many cultures have siesta time built into the day. And not just our Latin friends – many European towns close shop at midday for lunch and some afternoon rest. Practically every other animal on the planet naps (except for maybe sharks but who wants to be like them anyway?) 

So, you may think they’re being lazy but science is confirming more and more that ignoring our natural biorhythms and by forcing ourselves awake reduces our effectiveness. I say, go forth and nap. Return and be creative! 

Happy snoozing!  

I’m sitting here watching Oprah’s Big Give and every segment has me in tears. The premise is about taking 10 contestants and seeing who can be the biggest giver…i.e., make the biggest difference in the life of their assigned challenge. The “loser” is voted off by not being as grandiose as everyone else.

This week’s challenge was about changing the life of a perfect stranger.  

I have to say each and every one of these contestants did a remarkable job…raising thousands of dollars to change people’s lives.

 http://www.oprah.com/about/about_oprahsbiggive.jhtml

 Fantastic job, Oprah!

The end of 2007 is creeping near which always makes me reflective. Since I try pretty hard to bring more balance into my life and work, the end of year is time to give myself a report card to see how I really did. Well, it was a pretty good year, I have to say. 

I launched my Gold Mentorship program which is closed for now but will reopen for a few lucky applicants soon. There are now two new Red Hot Copywriting products out in the world – the award-winning Speed Copywriting Teleseminar Series which is like the Red Hot Bootcamp on steroids. (If you haven’t signed up yet, you can’t register until January 7, 2008 but you can read about it.) And the Insider Copywriting Formula which may very well be the most bang for the buck in copywriting out there today. We expanded and tightened up the Red Hot Team (welcome Cyndi Brown). 

Plus I was able to finally visit two favorite countries of my heritage – Ireland and

Scotland. My kids are cool. My husband rocks. We moved into a beautiful 4-bedroom house with a pool. I have amazing friends and colleagues. I’m taking regular Western horseback riding lessons on a champion reining horse. Next week the family goes skiing in

Northern California. Life is just a blessing. 

How about you? What’s important in your life? Ready to find out? Here’s a little exercise I’m taking with me as a conversation starter this holiday season. 

As Stephen Covey says, clarify what is most important in your life. Decide what is most worthwhile to you. Knowing what is most valuable to you gives you direction in life.  

Rank each in order from 1-10 (1 being least important and 10 being most important). 

l Careerl Healthl Homel Familyl Spiritualityl Financesl Leisurel Learningl Creativityl Communication 

This should give you a fair assessment of what your priorities are and where you want to be. Now what are you most grateful for? Make a list of 10 things and write them down. Finally don’t forget how far you’ve come. Make a list of 10 of your proudest accomplishments for this year. 

Remember, we all have the same 24 hours. Some of us feel as though we have no time at all. While others manage to get their work done and still have enough time left over to enjoy themselves. Me? I’m a work in progress. Sometimes I get it right. Sometimes I don’t. But I’m always trying, doing the best I can. Happy 2007 to you!

I have a confession to make. I don’t particularly like writing all the time. I have a love/hate relationship with it actually. And I make a good living at it. But it can be painful. There is no more uncomfortable feeling than staring at a blank sheet of paper and knowing you have to fill it with sparkling words about your business. 

I can’t always find my writer’s hat when the time comes. But for me that isn’t an option. And it probably isn’t for you either. No one wants to waste hours, even days, trying to get their marketing message down on paper and out to the world. We need a reliable, replicatable system we can turn to without thinking.  

You have to start any communication by understanding the essence of who you are. We do this everyday naturally without even thinking about it. We just talk and it spills out. There is no block there. But somehow when we have to WRITE that same message, we tend to freeze up. Does that sound familiar to you? 

That’s because we write many times slower than we speak or think. So those thoughts are spinning around in our brains (updating by the millisecond), preparing to travel down our arm to our hand and they get STUCK. Boom you have writer’s block…or writer’s FREEZE as I like to call it. What happens to ice when you warm it up? It melts. All you have to do is warm it up and it flows. 

I’m going to show how to melt that writer’s freeze and actually have fun. I want to  talk to you about S.E.X.Y. marketing. That’s S.E.X.Y. as in Seductive, Engaging, eXpression of You. Being YOU is the best way to connect with your target.  

We actually play this scenario out in real life all the time. Have you ever seen a guy or a gal that really turned you on? Someone like Brad or Britney (okay, maybe not Brit anymore). Or how about your significant other? You fill in the blank.  

When you’re attracted by someone, what is the first thing you want to do? 

Get their attention. And you get their attention through seduction or flirting. It’s the same in copy. But you can only get their attention authentically when you put your personality in the copy. So consider opening with a brief story they can relate to. 

In order to get their attention you have to prove you care. So do your due diligence. Study your target market/tarket intently. The thing about writing is a lot of energy has to take place BEFORE you write a single word. You have to know the answer to these 3 questions: 

1. Who are YOU?
2. Who are THEY?
3. What do they WANT?

 

Once you have their attention, of course, you want to keep it and build a relationship. So engage them in conversation. When people read your writing they are also having a conversation…a conversation in their mind. They are coming up with objections and questions while agreeing and disagreeing with parts of what you offer. So you want to be sure you to anticipate what their needs are.  

 

Story #1

When I was a teenager in New Orleans, I and some friends were making a nature video for a science class. We’d spent all afternoon on the video, and it was almost dark when we unknowingly wandered out of the park and onto Domino’s sugar plant property, up to the chain link fence surrounding the old Domino’s sugar plantation mansion. The mansion isn’t restored, nor is it open for tours. We were looking through the fence at this old, creepy,overgrown house when we saw someone walking along the veranda. The figure turned in to one of the house doors, then turned around in the doorway and looked back at us. Then it disappeared. We ran like the Hound of the Baskervilles was after us, and spent many hours at home rewinding the tape, slowing it down to try to see, and the figure kept disappearing. It just vanished.

We chickened out, cut the last part of the tape, and turned in the science project.

Loni L. Ice
Ice and Ink Freelance

Story #2

Well, here goes…

It was the fall of 1994; I had just endured five life-saving surgeries the past year in preparation for hemodialysis after suffering kidney failure. I had dropped 35 pounds thus far and my skin began to turn a lovely shade of ashen-gray dead. You know, the Uncle Fester look. I’ve seen corpses that looked better than I did at the time…

As I lay restlessly beside my wife in the master bedroom that crisp fall night, my thoughts turned to how I would survive another day of this “blood-cleansing” at the dialysis clinic. I obviously had a lot to live for; however, I knew that I would have to make that decision to live, if I was to do so. My thoughts were interrupted by the curtain in the bedroom, as it gently moved from the cool breeze seeping thru the small crack in the window. As I turned over to get some much needed sleep, it was then that I noticed…

My wife and I were not alone!

Standing, at the foot of our bed, was a “ghost”…

The old man was tall, so tall, that he almost touched the ceiling. He looked ancient with his long gray beard and white hair, dressed in a long robe that touched the floor. He seemed to be transparent, but yet, visible. His eyes, particularly, the whites, were clear and bright and his gaze penetrating, but calming. In both hands he held closely to his bosom, a very large closed book.

My wife awakened, and surprisingly, calmly asked the man “Can we help you?”

The old man uttered not a word, he didn’t even open his mouth, yet, he “spoke” to my wife, saying:

“It is not yet his time. You will receive your gift soon.”

The old, ancient man then floated out over the top of us as we lay in bed, over the headboard and out the window… without opening the window! My wife then turned to me and said: “James, you will receive your kidney transplant by the end of April this next year.” Then, calmly, my wife rolled over and went back to sleep…

We never saw the old man again. We have, however, had several other “visitors” since that time.

On April 30, 1995, my wife and I were lying in bed after another exhausting day of work and “blood cleansing”. The time was 11:30 P.M. CST when I nudged my wife with my elbow and sarcastically stated: “Hey honey, it’s almost May 1st, where’s my transplant?” To which she calmly replied: “It will be here, don’t worry.”

I rolled over and went fast to sleep. I rested for what seemed like hours, when suddenly, I was awakened by the ringing phone at my bedside. “Mr. Artre?” said the kind female-voice on the other end. “Yes, can I help you” I replied. “This is the transplant team at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, we need you downtown as fast as you can get here. We are flying your transplant kidney in from California as we speak.”

I hurriedly, haphazardly, with tears in my eyes got dressed and made my way to the door…

As I looked over my shoulder to ask my wife if she was ready, it was then that I noticed the clock at my bedside. It read…

11:59

What seemed like hours of sleep before, were actually only a few minutes. Every conceivable emotion, captured in that one brief moment…

I am forever grateful for the “gift from the ghost” I received. Because of it, I am here writing this true story to you today. Live every day as if it is your last, it just may be. Love constantly, forgive quickly, be slow to anger and maintain an attitude of gratitude. You are blessed, more than you may realize at the moment.

Blessings,

James G. Artre
CEO & President
AIM Enterprises

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Web: www.redhoteventsonline.com
Email: supportchicken@gmail.com
Tel/Fax: 877-293-8311, extension 4

Burbank, CA September 27, 2007 – Copywriting expert Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero of Red Hot Copy has been uncharacteristically out of the public eye since her mug shot was mysteriously leaked last week.

That is, until TODAY when she was discovered by an floor worker at Staples Office Supply Store (who asked to remain anonymous) when she asked for assistance with materials for her upcoming event, “The Insider Copywriting Formula: What Every Entrepreneur and Small Business Owner Must Know for Maximum Profit and Prestige,” set for Friday, October 19, 2007 in Burbank, California.

(Seats were still available at time of this release at www.redhoteventsonline.com.)

“She clearly didn’t want to be recognized,” said the worker. Upon further investigation it was discovered that Morgan-Ferrero has been temporarily transferred to the Copywriting Witness Protection Program, a program designed to protect copywriters from themselves AND other copywriters. (This program is not to be confused with the Copyright Witness Protection Program which is designed to protect the purveyors of intellectual property.)

Morgan-Ferrero had been hauled in for questioning when plans of “The Insider Copywriting Formula” were revealed by Spanky Hardy, president of the notorious copywriting ring, “Brotherhood of Copywriters Created to Keep Our Trade Secrets to Ourselves.” She was soon released on her own recognizance, then mysteriously disappeared.

You can review this unfolding story at www.redhotcopy.com/blog.htm.

Morgan-Ferrero was previously reported to say her event was to bring an even playing field to ALL ENTREPRENEURS – whether they are professional copywriters or simply professionals.
In a past interview, Morgan-Ferrero was quoted as saying, “Today more than EVER people must understand how to write to get attention.”

“It’s not just sales letters, but blogs, ezines, postcards, emails, flyers, websites. . . every place there are WORDS is an opportunity to get noticed. People are going to leave “The Insider Copywriting Formula” event feeling so empowered – and making more MONEY!”

When asked why she felt it was important for ENTREPRENEURS to write their own copy, Morgan-Ferrero made the following points:

• Reason #1: Copy is the only known “magic bullet” for making more money.
• Reason #2: You know your business better than anyone.
• Reason #3: Not knowing how to write copy sacrifices speed to market.
• Reason #4: To be more successful, your business must evolve over time.
• Reason #5: Copywriting is the MOST EXPENSIVE skill to outsource.

At “The Insider Copywriting Formula” event attendees will work on their personal foundational copy ON-SITE with Morgan-Ferrero’s support and guidance. They will leave with a step-by-step template that works for all types of copy so they can create magnetic copy over and over again.

During the past 8 years, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero of Red Hot Copy has helped clients generate over $12 million in sales worldwide using powerful words (and solid marketing) with websites, press releases, brochures, flyers, voice broadcast scripts, email campaigns, space ads, and postcard marketing. Her clients come from all over the globe to master copywriting QUICKLY with her proprietary, step-by-step system.

At present Morgan-Ferrero is quietly preparing for her event at undisclosed location.

For more information, contact:

Web: www.redhoteventsonline.com
Email: supportchicken@gmail.com
Tel/Fax: 877-293-8311 x4