Kim Krause Schwalm’s Post

Chances are you've seen it on the news: the giant cargo ship that crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key bridge at around 1:30 am Tuesday morning, bringing it tumbling down into the Patapsco River.   The video of the steel arch bridge collapsing section by section into the river below it within seconds replays on TV again and again.    I have to turn my head away each time. I've seen it enough.   I'm reminded of one of my first visits back to Baltimore with my brother in the 1980s for the holidays. Our parents had moved there from Ohio, and my brother and I had driven home together from the college we both attended.   We hadn't lived in Baltimore since we were kids, long before we had driver's licenses -- so the roads and highways weren't familiar territory.    And we were restless college kids home for winter break -- with no local friends to catch up with since our parents had recently relocated.    So the next night after we got home, the two of us set out to explore and look for nightlife... (read the article for the rest of the story) #BaltimoreStrong

Which copywriting podcasts do you think are FIRE... Please share in the comments!

This was brilliant!!! I love the client characters, totally hits the mark when it comes to the 7 nightmare clients you meet on the road to copywriting "Hell"... Get my book here in print or on Kindle: https://lnkd.in/e83bMXrc

I watched my father's pained look on his face as he melted into the green vinyl family room sofa, holding his head in distress.   I was standing next to him, and about 6 or 7 years old at the time.   He held his head in his hands as he cried out, "Your mother is such an enigma."   I remember asking him, "Daddy, what's an enigma?"   I'll never forget his answer, and the look of confusion and wonder on his face as he said it.   "It's somebody you just can't figure out."   Maybe this is why I'm so dedicated to "avatar research" whenever I sit down to write copy.   And why it's such a big part of how I train my copywriting students and mentees.   The problem is, a lot of what you perceive your target prospect to feel is based, in large part, on your own experiences and biases.   That's true even in how you interpret interviews, forum comments, survey results, and other research "data".   We bring our preconceived ideas and biases to the table.   This can be fatal to your business if you're marketing primarily to women.   Especially if you're a man and often feel like my dad did that day... like your female prospect is someone you just can't figure out.   Seeing how women make an estimated 85% of all buying decisions across all products and markets, chances are they're a big part of your target market as well... whether you're a copywriter or business owner.   And there's a good chance you're making response-killing mistakes that simply won't fly with today's female consumer.   That's why you need Lorrie Morgan's brand-new mini-course called "Turn Women Into Buyers" (you can sign up for it for free at the link below).   Lorrie's the top expert I know on marketing to women... and she can definitely teach you a lot about how to send your copy results skyrocketing.   It all starts with what Lorrie teaches you in this quick-to-get-through and eye-opening training.   (I particularly like how she gives you actual examples of copy written by greats like Dan Kennedy and John Carlton -- both of whom Lorrie was mentored by earlier in her career -- and shows you exactly why they wouldn't work today with female prospects... and more importantly, how to rework the copy so it WILL.)   This training is so on-point and valuable, I'm surprised Lorrie's giving it away.   But the doors are open only for a short while. That's why you'll want to sign up for "Turn Women Into Buyers" now.   Especially if you're selling to enigmas -- oops! I mean women.   (If only my dad had had this training, it might have de-mystified things just a bit!) Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gK7mdJRV #copywriters #copywriting #copywritingservices #copywritingtips

A lesson about avoiding "rookie mistakes" when dealing with clients (it involves football!) The Baltimore Ravens' loss in the AFC championship game to the Kansas City Chiefs was heartbreaking (unless you're a Chiefs fan).   It still almost feels a bit too raw to talk about it. But I will, because it actually has a lot to do with copywriting.   The truth is, the Chiefs' defense did a fantastic job of shutting down the Ravens' offense. But the Ravens made multiple "rookie mistakes" that greatly hindered their ability to win.   Just like you might make as a freelance copywriter dealing with clients.   Take Ravens rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers, for example. During the game yesterday, Flowers made an amazing 53-yard catch. But after his catch, he pushed the Chiefs' cornerback who was covering him, L'Jarius Sneed, back down on the ground and taunted him.    This resulted in losing 15 of those precious yards he'd just gained for his team due to a penalty for unsportsmanlike-like conduct.   But that doesn't come close to what happened 4 plays later. Flowers dove across the touchdown line after catching a pass... but then fumbled the ball after the player he had just taunted (Sneed) pushed the ball out of his grip.   That missed touchdown could have led the Ravens to a tie game and possible victory. Definitely a rookie mistake to rile up the player who's covering you (and also not hold on to that ball for dear life as you cross the scoring line).    Flowers was so upset afterwards, he pounded the bench with his fist, causing his hand to bleed and requiring bandaging -- making matters even worse.   Many "rookie mistakes" you may make as a copywriter are simply self-inflicted wounds like these.   It's why I want to make sure you don't miss the talk I'm giving as part of the Copywriting Summit that kicks off in the next week or so. You can grab your free ticket at the link below.   When you do, you'll get to hear me talk about knowing when to hold 'em, when to fold 'em, and when to walk away when it comes to dealing with clients.    I'll be sharing valuable insights from my more than 25 years of freelance copywriting experience dealing with dream clients and nightmare clients alike.   The takeaways you'll gain from listening to this one session alone can help you make the necessary on-the-spot calculations and adjustments when you face a challenging client issue...   Just like seasoned quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes are so famous for doing when they're under pressure in the pocket.   But that's not all. Scroll down and you'll see the crazy-good list of speakers you'll also hear from when you get your free ticket.    I'm talking Tim Allen of "Home Improvement" fame, Marcella Allison, Brian Kurtz, Kevin Rogers, David Deutsch, David Garfinkel, Justin Blackman, Doberman Dan, Jon Benson, and many more top experts.   So act now to get your free ticket. They'll never call you "rookie" again! https://lnkd.in/esRatUem

Don't miss my talk at the upcoming Copywriting Summit, where you can also hear from Tim Allen, Marcella Allison, David Deutsch, Brian Kurtz, Jon Benson, Doberman Dan, David Garfinkel, Kevin Rogers, and many other top experts. Grab your free seat at the link in the first comment now!

A year of possibilities... I've always relished turning the calendar page onto a fresh, new year... a big, beautiful blank slate staring me in the eye.   Whispering to me, "It's all yours... whatever you want... paint it however you like."   What will fill that empty canvas in your life?   Will it be gaining the confidence and know-how to craft compelling sales copy more easily?   Will it be getting trusted guidance and honest, candid feedback on your sales copy that allows your freelance career or business to soar?   Will it be knowing that someone who's established a successful track record of writing copy at the highest level and has mentored dozens of others now has your back?   If that's how you'd like to fill the blank canvas that's ahead of you right now, then today is the day.   Today is the day you secure your spot in my Copy Champions six-month mentoring experience.   Today is the day you can do so and save $600... before the price shoots up at midnight Pacific time tonight.   (Note: unless it fills up before then, which it very well might since there's only a handful of spots left.)   Today is the day... you know what to do...   Click the link below and secure your spot in Copy Champions now if it's not too late... and I'll look forward to helping you get whatever you want in 2024 and beyond. https://lnkd.in/egsn9gG4

Now that it's the last day of 2023, we're being inundated with "best of" lists, celebrity death tributes, pictures of the year, etc. And while I'm ready to raise a glass of champagne at midnight tonight and say goodbye to this difficult year which ended with the loss of my dear mom... I've decided I'd rather focus on looking forward to 2024 instead. Warning: According to the media, it ain't going to be pretty. As if coming out of the COVID pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine weren't enough to hurt the economy, we've now got growing volatility in the Mideast. Attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Israeli-Gaza conflict are triggering rising geopolitical tensions that could erupt in more threats. And as if that weren't enough to send waves of anxiety-provoking uncertainty though global markets, more than two billion people live in roughly 50 countries (not just here in the U.S.) that will elect new leaders. These countries represent 60 percent of the world's economic output. Oh, and then there's the impact of AI... which top Silicon Valley scientists are now scrambling to rein in just like Oppenheimer tried to do after inventing the atomic bomb nearly 80 years ago. Your best defense in what could be a total sh*tshow of a year, or at least one that's even more uncertain than in 2023? Give your copywriting skills a serious, "dangerously good" upgrade in the coming 6 months with my Copy Champions mentoring experience. I've been in this crazy copywriting and marketing business since the 1980s. I've seen a lot of upturns, downturns, bull markets, recessions, you name it. There's one thing stays constant no matter what: People gotta buy stuff. That means businesses will keep selling stuff. And to do so, they need sales copy. Loads of it. And not some AI-generated cow dung that consumers already know how to spot or that fails to get them to hit the "buy" button, either. Whether it's ads, emails, sales pages, website copy, direct mail promos, video scripts, content, social media posts, sales funnels, press releases, whatever... There needs to be a sales wizard behind them who understands the strategy behind great copy... knows how to pull its strings to generate the highest response... and can give their own or their clients' businesses the huge edge they need to soar. That's why you won't want to miss this chance to significantly level up your copywriting skill set and know-how. My Copy Champions six-month mentoring experience is the only mentoring program I plan to offer in 2024. And the fun kicks off in just a few weeks. Not only that, more than half of the spots have already been claimed. And the special pricing I'm offering is slated to expire tomorrow. So if you want to secure your spot, go to this link and take care of this now: https://lnkd.in/egsn9gG4 #copywriter #copywriters #copywritingtips #copywriting

Last year I started writing a screenplay for the first time. After floundering for a while on my own, I decided to get some one-on-one coaching.   I started paying good money to someone who flattered me with how good my ideas were -- yet didn't give me the specific, honest feedback I was looking for. Our coaching calls would leave me excited and ready to shell out more money for another session, yet ultimately I realized I was going down the wrong path.   Then several months later I signed up for a 5-month group screenwriting intensive with a past Sony Pictures development executive, who also happened to teach film at the college level at the university where my daughter attended.   His teaching style left me with far greater clarity on the path forward. And his critiques and feedback were starkly honest. No "feel good" stuff to soothe my battered writing ego. Every track changes cross-out and comment provided immense value and helped me see things in a new way.   I knew his main goal was to help me be successful and make my screenplay as good as it needed to be. And that he had the track record to back it up.   When it comes to copywriting, you want to get mentored in the same way -- like I'm doing in my new mentoring program that kicks off in a few weeks.   Here's what Copy Champions IS:   ✔ A LIVE, six-month mentoring experience where I personally get to know you and focus on helping you grow as a copywriter   ✔ Honest, candid yet kind feedback focused on accelerating your improvement at writing sales copy   ✔ Copywriting insights you can't get from a course because you're seeing my process in action   ✔ A safety net against "stupid" mistakes that can kill your copy or conversions   ✔ Re-affirmation of what you're doing right so you can gain greater confidence   ✔ Copy critiques and coaching from someone you trust -- who's done and seen it all and established a successful track record for more than 2 decades   ✔ A valuable outsider's perspective that keeps you from being too close to your own copy   ✔ An investment in yourself, your freelance career, or your business that could pay for itself 100 times over just in the coming year   Here's what Copy Champions is NOT...   ✘ Pre-recorded videos or recordings of previous live sessions (although you'll get access to all past call recordings to review feedback or in case you miss one)   ✘ Insulting, shame-inducing copy critiques or lengthy, pointless pontificating   ✘ Lies and flattery about how "great" your copy is, just to make you feel good   ✘ Crystal-worshipping, navel-gazing, woo-woo mindset stuff -- I focus on getting you "dangerously" good, the rest happens naturally from there   ✘ More expensive than your mortgage or rent, or even your car payment   If working with a great mentor to take your copywriting skills and conversions to new heights in 2024 is something you want to do, see link in profile or first comment and secure your spot now. Prices go up after January 1st.    #copywriters