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  • Who are you, and why are you here?

    That’s the question my podcast guest, Graham Cochrane, is helping us answer today.

    “Most of us,” Says Graham, “are living a life crafted by other people: family, social media, societal expectations, etc. We’ve conformed to the patterns of everyone around us without even meaning to.”

    Graham shows how to truly create YOUR life of freedom, joy, and meaning—on your terms, not someone else’s.

    During this conversation, he walks us through his simple five-part framework, and you will discover how to create the life you’ve always wanted.

    Key Insights

    Wake up from the world’s sleepy autopilot way of living Leave behind a legacy that others will want to emulate Stick to a set of values as you navigate the big decisions in life Determine what your ideal life looks like (in your work, business, relationships, finances, health)--and chart a path to get there Dismantle harmful mental scripts and limiting beliefs that have kept you stuck (potentially for years) Figure out what your dreams really are (or perhaps dream for the first time)

    Video and Transcript

    Links

    Rebel: Find Yourself by Not Following the Crowd - The upcoming book from Graham Cochrane. Like I said, this guy is the real deal and I can't wait to get my hands on this book. There are some great reasons to preorder - Check Them Out Here

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • Many technological advances come with a healthy dose of fear, and that has definitely been the case with AI - especially with writers and artists.

    "Why would someone pay me when they can just ask an AI to generate something for them at virtually no cost?"

    This week, I have an answer...one that gives me the right to gloat a bit.

    Since the beginning of the A.I. craze, I have maintained that A.I. is a tool...An extremely powerful tool that works best when wielded by a skilled artist.

    On this episode, you'll hear about an "A.I. Artist" who is making $1,500 an hour using this tool - and he's completely upfront about who (or what) is doing the heavy lifting.

    Key Insights

    ​​A.I. will help us, not hurt us (IF we use it correctly) ​My earlier email from the Daily Ray (details below) ​Use A.I. as your "Unfair Advantage" ​The article about the titular artist (linked below) ​Why didn't the company just use the same tools the artist used? ​"We don't care how he makes it. We only care that the end user enjoys our game." (let that soak in)​ ​Sign up for our upcoming free workshop about building your writing business

    Transcript and Video

    https://www.rayedwards.com/660

    Links

    ​Yahoo News Article: On which this episode was based

    ​Writing Business Roadmap: This FREE Online Class is hosted by Ray Edwards, who writes and creates marketing campaigns for top leaders like Michael Hyatt, Amy Porterfield, Stu McLaren, Donald Miller, Jeff Walker, Tony Robbins, and many more. Ray will “pull back the curtain” and reveal how to run your own writing business, based on the proven systems and tools that he uses himself.

    Register now and get a free BONUS report: 10 Copywriting Packages You Can Sell to Clients (and pricing strategy & suggestions)

    ​The Daily Ray: Every day, my goal is to send you something that you're glad you took the time to read. Subscribe at the bottom of this page (No spam...unsubscribe anytime if you're not a fan)

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

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  • Economic "Tough Times" are here, but not yet fully here. What can you do to protect yourself and your business? I've got some wisdom to share from someone who's been through tough economic times before...Me.

    This week, I'll give you the 7 moves you should make right now to not just survive, but thrive in this economy.

    I make no claims to be a financial expert, and I'm not handing out any investment advice or the like. What I'm sharing today are 7 things that I'm doing to prepare for a tougher economy which seems to be looming ahead.

    Some of these are so simple that you may be tempted to skip them...don't. I'm doing everything I can to make sure that my business continues to thrive while weathering any storms that lie ahead, including each and every one of these steps:

    Recognize the season - For the world, for you, and for your business Check the Basics of your business - Know the state of your List, Traffic, Conversion, and Retention Gather Your Assets - Get an accurate read of what your assets really are Go Premium - Shift to premium offers for premium clients ​Be Essential - Put yourself in your client's shoes...could you live without you, or would you get cut? ​See the Opportunity in Adversity - Sounds bad, but it's not. People struggling need help. Provide them the help that you are able to render. ​Guard Your Mind - Disconnect from the news, the social sewers, and as much negativity as possible. Be conscious of what you're feeding your brain. Worry solves nothing.

    Click Here For The Video and Transcript

    Links

    The One Person, $1-Millon Virtual Workshop: Registration closes soon for this unique, three-day virtual workshop meticulously designed for coaches and consultants, online educators, membership owners, or budding entrepreneurs like you. We're here to guide you in scaling your business to a One-Person $1-Million per year operation, without the need for additional employees or stress.​

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • I want to talk to you about the incredible power of writing.

    The power of storytelling.

    And how it can help you connect with your divine purpose. Yes, even if the writing you do is marketing or sales copy.

    That’s the subject of this week’s podcast episode.

    In the podcast, I propose the idea that we writers are, in a sense, prophets. And as prophets, we are tasked with spreading a message of love, hope, and purpose to the world … through our work.

    I know it’s a little “out there” - but it’s short.

    Books that inspired me to become a writer (a storyteller)
    Writers create Worlds We should transport our readers, viewers, and listeners to somewhere good I literally copied people's work...but not to steal - to learn Regardless of the business you're in, you're telling a story Writing is not a job...it's a noble calling Whatever you're writing, do it as an act of devotion Your words have power

    Transcript and Video

    https://www.rayedwards.com/658

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • Let me preface this by acknowledging that most people (myself included) cannot instantly, and completely "disconnect" for two weeks. In my case, I had a full two years of notice, and it still wasn't easy.

    ​Back in 2022, my wife and I decided to actually take the trip we'd been talking about taking for decades: A trip to the Netherlands. We purchased a non-refundable, non-transferable, two-week package for the two of us. I was committed. No turning back.

    ​Like any driven entrepreneur, I had concerns about how well my business would run without me. 14 days of being off-the-radar...How could I possibly plan for every scenario? How could I deal with all of the "what if's" that were consuming my thoughts? Short answer...I couldn't. I had to trust that my business, my team, and my normal life, would all be waiting for me when I returned. And, guess what...I'm back, everything is intact, and I am much improved.

    ​I (and probably you, to some degree) have an addiction to staying connected. For the first week of our trip, I had to stifle my little bouts of anxiety until I could completely let go, and be fully present with my wife, her family, the amazing people I met, and my unusual surroundings. My memories of this adventure are clear – unclouded by "doom scrolling", work check-ins, and phone calls.

    This internet-free clarity allowed me to jot down a few observations that I thought were worthy of sharing. That's what I have for you on this week's episode.

    5 Things I Learned After Being Unplugged For 14 Days

    Endless striving does not produce more freedom - It produces more bondage The best, intentional marketing campaign is simply to help people The best way to get a bigger vision of the world is to "get out in it" Recreation re-creates us Writers will save the world

    Transcript of this Episode

    rayedwards.com/657

    Listen to get the complete breakdown of each of these observations. I'll be back next week with another fresh episode.

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • This week's episode is Part 3 of my Writer's Rewind Series, and it's all about why your copy isn't performing the way you think it should.

    There's a reason it isn't converting, and most likely, it's one (or more) of the 5 reasons I'm about to give you.

    Listen to learn what they are, and how to fix them.

    5 Reasons Your Copy Is Failing

    Failure to understand the "P" in the P.A.S.T.O.R. Framework Not doing enough research Not dealing with competing solutions Your not getting the offer right Not enough editing, revising and rewriting your copy

    Transcript of This Episode:

    https://www.rayedwards.com/656

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • This is part 2 of the "Writer's Rewind" series. I'm devoting this month to covering some of the fundamentals of great copy, and in the case of this week's episode, why copy itself is so fundamentally important to the success of your business, regardless of what that business is.

    ​This episode was originally released almost a decade ago (the day I celebrated my 50th birthday). I must admit, I was pleased that none of this content is "outdated". All the reasons I gave to support my claim are no less true today than they were then.

    Five Reasons Why Copywriting is the Most Important Skill For Any Business

    ​ It costs nothing, but returns can be huge It can generate instant cash infusions Copy builds stabilized income streams Write once, profit indefinitely Copy provides strategic positioning

    Links

    ​The Membership Experience - Part 2 of Stu McLaren's once-a-year training workshop is happening later today (4/8/24). If you're seeing this on that day, count yourself lucky and grab your free seat. This is must-see training for anyone who is interested in creating recurring revenue for their business. It's live at 3 p.m. Eastern, and I highly recommend watching the live stream if possible. Stu typically has "bonus content" that doesn't make the replay, but if the replay is all you can get, take it! Get the transcript for this episode

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • This week’s podcast is a refresher on the core basics of writing persuasive copy (and everything is copy — it’s not ONLY sales pages and emails).

    If you can write effective sales copy, you can literally write your own paycheck.

    There really should be no such thing as a “broke copywriter”.
    And there should be no such thing as a business owner or entrepreneur who is NOT a copywriter.

    By definition, good copywriters can create money out of thin air. So this leads to a very important question: why does copy so often fail?
    Fear not, Grasshopper. I have the answer…

    There are universal psychological triggers that help you sell more effectively. Certainly, there are universal principles to writing persuasive sales copy. After all, as John E. Kennedy taught us, copywriting is mere “salesmanship in print”.

    You can hardly “swing a cat” these days without hitting a copywriter who has a “formula” for writing copy. Most of these formulas are actually quite good. BUT…

    The formula I'm going to share with you today is intentionally based on these universal principles (which many of the cocky young yellow belts in the copywriting dojo are not even aware of).

    Thus … back to you “PASTOR-ing” your customers.

    ​Most people associate the term “pastor” with the preacher at church. While this is certainly true in most cases, the original meaning of the word “pastor” was actually “to shepherd”.

    And what does the shepherd do? He or she cares for, feeds, and protects the flock.

    Now, before we go any further, I should address the habit that some marketers have of referring to their customers as their “herd”. It seems to paint an unflattering picture. That kind of imagery is not what I am invoking here.

    The actual role of a shepherd is a loving, caring, and protective one. In fact, Jesus, who called himself the “Good Shepherd”, actually laid down his life for his flock.

    ​I am certainly not suggesting any religious overtones for your copy: what I am suggesting is that you adopt the same loving, caring, and protective role as you write copy for your prospects and customers.

    ​And, as you might've guessed, P.A.S.T.O.R. is also an acronym for pieces of your copy. Here is the explanation:

    ​​​"P" is for PROBLEM ​"A" is for AMPLIFY ​"S" is for STORY and SOLUTION ​"T" is for TRANSFORMATION and TESTIMONY ​"O" is for OFFER ​"R" is for RESPONSE

    I’ll promise you this: If you apply the mindset of being a shepherd to your readers, and you follow the sequence of the P.A.S.T.O.R formula, my prediction is you will experience more sales, more profits, and more happy customers… more often.

    Links

    Read This Or Die - Click to check out my new book, Read This Or Die, where I show you the sales letter I wrote to myself (that saved my life.)​ Complete Transcript - Visit the show notes page for a complete transcript of this episode

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • Who else wants to reduce your financial stress and create a stable source of income from your business? This is the way: shift to a membership-based business model.

    I know what you might be thinking: “Geez, Uncle Ray… that sounds complicated, and anyways… ain’t everybody sick of all the subscriptions?”

    My answers are: it doesn't have to be complicated, and I can prove it to you. And yes, we are all tired of subscriptions… except for the ones we love. The ones you will only cancel when someone pries them from your cold, dead fingers. Like my Chewy.com subscription (my pugs LOVE their Chewy.com treats)... or my Paramount+ (because.. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds).

    You and I need to wise up, and start building recurring revenue streams NOW - cause the coming year is gonna get all kinds of crazy.

    ​My guest this week is the world’s #1 expert in creating recurring revenue for virtually ANY business, Stu McLaren.

    ​Key Insights

    Why recurring revenue should be the goal of any business or entrepreneur (duh!) The "death" of TicToc in the US? What would happen to the nearly 7,000,000 businesses that depend on it? Every business has vulnerabilities - a membership with stable, recurring revenue gives you the ultimate insurance policy The 4 types of memberships - Product based (e.g. Dollar Shave Club). Service based (e.g. car washes, massage therapy) Knowledge based (helping people solve an ongoing problem, or master a skill. e.g. guitar training) Community based (uniting people with common interests) Two things that make your members stay: Consumption and Results ​If you think your business doesn't fit this model, it's time to shift your mindset. Ask yourself, "How can I continue to serve my customers?"
    Stu's live, once-a-year membership training starts April 4th. (Link below)

    Video And Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/653

    Links

    The Membership Experience: This is Stu McLaren's live, once-a-year training and it's absolutely free to attend. If recurring revenue is what you're after, but have no idea where to start - This is where to start!

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • On last week's episode, I boldly declared, "Writing gets you everything you want." This week, I'm giving you some proof of how that has been true in my life.

    ​You may already be thinking, "But Ray, you're a writer...of course writing has been important in your career."

    The thing is, the proof I'm offering today has nothing to do with writing jobs. I wasn't hired to be a writer, but my writing is what got me hired, kept me working, got me promotions, and many other opportunities I would not have gotten otherwise.

    Okay, enough of the preamble, let's get to the proof...

    Key Insights

    Where I came from (and why I didn't want to stay there) ​My early marketing lessons - promoting family businesses Writing increased my value in the radio business - it made me less expendable ​Clients loved me because I wrote ads that made them money ​My pitch for a six-figure job was written with the same sales-letter tactics I use today ​My writing made me a sought-after talent in my industry ​My long (50+ pages) pitch for a job with Citadel Broadcasting made me more than a half million dollars in personal income (not bad for a non-writing job) ​My writing has allowed me to meet, learn from, and even teach many of my mentors ​Subscribe to The Daily Ray for valuable tips, interesting observations, and occasional offers

    Video And Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/652

    Links

    Subscribe to The Daily Ray

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • This week, I'm answering some of the most common questions I'm receiving from listeners, viewers, and readers. Since they keep coming up (some for many years), I feel that my answers will be helpful to more than just those who took the time to ask.

    ​If I missed anything (or Heaven forbid, you disagree), feel free to leave a comment, or reach out to [email protected].

    Key Insights

    ​What do I do in this economy? This question doesn't always end with "economy"...It could be any number of this's...this election year, this time of civil unrest, this whatever... Be aware of what's happening in the world around you, and make sure you're playing both the short-term and long-term game. Do the work you're being paid for today, and plant the seeds for the income you will reap in the future. ​What if I don't like my business anymore? - Remember this: You should never make long-term, life-altering decisions based on a current "bad season" in your work. In other words, be sure you actually don't enjoy what you're doing, and you're not just reacting to some current, emotion-fueled unpleasantness. At the end of the day, you don't need anyone's permission to do something else (unless you have a spouse...then you probably want to bring them into the loop). ​How do I build my business the right way? - Life is not a flowchart. There is no step-by-step plan I can hand you for this. And yes, I teach people proven business plans, BUT, at the end of the day, the "right way" is "their way". That's why most of the time, I teach those plans in an interactive format (like my upcoming workshop) so I can answer the questions that help attendees translate what they learn into their plan. If you could only give me 1 piece of advice to guide me through building my own business, what would it be? - Writing is the way to get everything you want in life. I'm not exclusively talking about copywriting. Tune in for my complete breakdown of why that's my answer.

    Video And Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/651

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • You create content to build an audience...not the other way around!

    ​This week, I'm proposing that you create your content for an audience of one, and my guest, Jody Maberry, is living proof that this strategy works.

    ​There are only two ingredients to this recipe:

    Do content that you're passionate about. Show Up.

    ​It's as simple as that. And, if you have any doubts about your abilities or my advice, perhaps Jody's story will boost your confidence in both.

    Key Insights

    You don't need a big audience to launch ​Jody started his podcast for park rangers with an audience of zero Read Kevin Kelly's book: 1,000 True Fans (linked below) Jody built another podcast literally for 1 specific person
    Do consistent production about content you're passionate about
    Don't concern yourself with audience size - be consistent. Show up!

    Youtube And Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/650

    Links

    ​1,000 True Fans: An excellent book by Kevin Kelly JodyMaberry.com: Visit to learn more about today's guest, Jody Maberry
    In The Front Row: Jody's podcast that was literally created for 1 person (his son) ​Dry Creek Wrangler on YouTube: A great example of how passionate content beats fancy production (even if he's not your cup of tea, check out his number of subscribers)

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • I very often get some form of this question:

    "Is 58 too late to ____?"

    The number is arbitrary, and this line of questioning can go on and on... Am I too old? Am I too fat? Am I too thin? Am I too shy? Am I too...whatever.

    ​This week, I'm giving you my best answer to all of those questions.

    Key Insights

    Many people are asking if it's "too late" What is your purpose? Purpose drives persistence​Raving fans beat satisfied customers Build your personal brand based on who you really are ​Not being everybody's cup of tea is the whole point ​Personal branding gives you the power to leave a lasting impact on others Personal branding allows you to be a category of one ​Use the Social Media Amplification Effect Personal branding brings you continuous growth ​Great platform from which you can start a coaching or membership program

    Video And Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/649

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • Many Christians are culturally programmed to feel guilty about wealth, but is poverty God's plan for us? No!

    Today I propose that God wants you to prosper in all things that are good, including business (and I have the verses to prove it).

    We are engaged in a spiritual battle ​Poverty is spiritual warfare Read I Thessalonian's chapter 4, beginning with verse 9 "Brotherly Love" is a core concept of our faith Relationships based on love and unity create an environment where poverty dissipates We can overcome the chains of poverty and help free others as well Live with integrity and win trust These principles apply whether you're a Christian or not

    Video And Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/648

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • Uh oh...January 1 has come and gone. Is it too late to make plans for a better New Year? Of course not.

    ​Regardless of how far along Earth may be in its journey around the sun, you are free to implement these 7 P's that will make for a more prosperous future.

    ​Prepare - physically, mentally, emotionally for the things you know are coming up in your life and in your business. You know what needs to be prepared, just do it. Propose - The more offers you make, the more money you make Promote - Your customer never knows as much about your products as you do - Promote what you're selling more often Prove - Have your clients be your preponderance of proof Promise - Promise the results you KNOW you can deliver Produce - Produce the results you promise Preeminence - Be so good at what you do that you become a category of one

    Video and Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/647

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • This week I'm giving you a simple, 5-step process to help make 2024 the best year your business has ever had. Of course, I said "simple"...not easy.

    The toughest pill for most business owners to swallow is this: You probably need to stop doing 20-50% of what you're doing right now.

    In other words, take a look at 2023 and figure out what things gave you the least ROI. What things took the most of your resources and returned anything less than "worth it".

    That's the prep work...Listen to get my 5-step plan.

    Key Insights

    ​Stop doing the things that don't produce a good return on your time and efforts ​Plan Your Year ​Plan your time off (commit!) ​Plan for the things you can't control (holidays, etc.) ​Plan your content schedule ​Plan your promotional schedule ​Setup accountability and guidance for you as the leader (e.g. a coach or mentor)

    Links


    The Copywriting Academy Live 2024 - As a listener of my podcast, you have earned a free invitation to experience my flagship training, live, with no investment other than your time and attention. The Copywriting Academy Live happens January 3-6, 2024. If that date has not yet passed, I strongly advise you check this out.

    Video and Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/646

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • In this week's episode, I'm talking about a single, magic word that has the power to reduce your stress and give you more time to do the things that matter to you.

    What is this "Magic Word" ?

    "No"

    People seem to have no issue asking for our time, our attention, our money, etc. But for some reason, we often feel bad about saying no. It makes us feel like we're not doing our part, or being negative, or a bad person. "No" is just a response. It's neither good nor bad, but learning to use it can have a huge impact on your life.

    Key Insights

    ​Saying "no" doesn't mean you're a negative person with a negative attitude...it's just a response ​No need to make up excuses. This is a complete sentence: "No." ​Using the word "because" in your response can lead to less pushback ​Saying No to things you don't want to do gives you more time to say yes to the things you do want to do

    Video And Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/645

    Links

    ​The Copywriting Academy Live: Kick off 2024 with radical change and massive progress. Join me for The Copywriting Academy Live virtual event, January 3-5. We'll get your copy finished and ready-for-launch, plus you'll master some incredible tools that will make you more productive than ever before.

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • It's almost that time of year...

    Time to declare big changes for 2024! And then abandon those declarations in a few short weeks.

    I'm not trying to be negative, but the reality is: It's hard to make significant changes in ourselves. Only 3% of people stick to their big resolutions. But why?

    That's what we'll take a look at in this week's episode. Change is possible...and it can be much easier than you think.

    Key Insights

    ​ Change happens when the pain of not changing is greater than the difficulty of making the change. ​The fear of not changing is often overshadowed by immediate gratification, making it difficult for people to prioritize long-term consequences over short-term pleasure. ​To change, you need to make the future pain of not changing more real than the current pleasure. ​People don't change unless they associate significant pain with not changing and take ownership of their ability to change. ​Some people can learn to love pain through conscious choice and association with pleasure. ​Choose activities that you enjoy to make change easier. ​Enjoy the process of pushing yourself to achieve your goals, not just the end result.

    5 Steps For Real Change

    Decide what it is you want to do Get clear on why it's important to you Figure out how you're going to get to the outcome Associate massive pleasure to the process of getting there Associate massive pain to not doing the process

    Links

    The Copywriting Academy Live - Kick off 2024 with radical change and massive progress. Join me for The Copywriting Academy Live virtual event, January 3-5. We'll get your copy finished and ready-for-launch, plus you'll master some incredible tools that will make you more productive than ever before.

    Video And Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/644

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

  • The P.A.S.T.O.R. Framework® is the formula I use to craft every piece of sales copy I write. It is also the most "borrowed" piece of knowledge that I've ever taught. I've seen it shared in countless blog posts, videos, and forums around the net (often without proper attribution, but that's okay...I guess).

    The thing is, to really use this formula effectively, you need to learn a little more than just what each letter of the acronym stands for. This week, I'm diving deeper into each step of the process with a P.A.S.T.O.R. "mini" Masterclass.

    Listen carefully, put these concepts to work, and you WILL sell more of your stuff.

    Key Insights

    ​A review of the PASTOR Framework® ​Diving Deeper ... Talk to your "Right-Fit" client ​KNOW Your Person as well as possible, then talk to THEM, not to a group - Describe THEIR problem ​Describe the Pain as they perceive it ​What's going to happen if the problem (the Pain) goes unsolved? ​Show them what's possible when the problem is solved ​Tell them the story of Why they should listen to ​Describe your experience...tell the story of how you discovered the solution ​Show the transformation that happened for you (AND share the stories of others when you have them) ​Paint the picture of possibility - What would their life look like once your product has solved their problem ​Always focus on the benefits - Even if the offer ​Reframe the objections as questions...and answer them ​What are the reasons they should act Right NOW? ​Explain the cost of waiting ​Don't forget to actually ASK for the Sale

    Video and Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/643

    Links

    ​AI Marketing Academy Live - “Master the Power of AI to Multiply Your Income, Influence, and Impact … In 3 Short Days.”
    If you're looking at this prior to 1/3/24, you still have a chance to sign up. How You Can Help Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.
  • I have previously claimed that Writer's Block does not exist. That was true for me at least...until recently.

    What happened? How could my seemingly endless well of ideas and words suddenly run dry?

    This week I'm sharing the cause, and the cure.

    Key Insights

    ​Expressing my gratitude for you in this season of thanks ​Suddenly self-conscious ​Age is NOT a handicap in this arena. There is value in your wisdom ​Accept who you are and embrace your imperfections ​Be a source of positivity online and in the world ​Your influence and impact will live longer than you​

    Links

    How To Write Copy That Sells - Get your FREE copy of my bestselling book (just pay shipping)

    YouTube and Transcript

    https://www.rayedwards.com/642

    How You Can Help

    Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

    Questions or comments?

    Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

    Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.