It was something I’ve looked forward to for a while. Actually I figured we would hook up at a seminar, or when I would be visiting family in the Denver area. It was surprising to hear he was coming to New York City.

In case you’re not familiar with Ryan; he is a top-flight copywriter, and marketer. He has consistently earned a six-figure + from his copywriting. He even created an ebook showing copywriters how to get their first clients called Get Copywriting Clients. I can vouch that this ebook works because it’s what I used to get my 1st client. You can read about my experiences here… New Copywriter Gets His First Client.

Ryan’s blog – Business Growth, Copywriting & Advertising is one of the few I stop what I’m doing to read when he publishes a post. Head on over there and check it out.

Ryan was staying at a hotel close to LaGuardia Airport… so I figured he needed to experience an Italian restaurant in Queens. The restaurant we went to was Bella Via on Vernon Blvd & 47th. We had a blast, and 3 1/2 hours flew by. One of the best things about the dinner was the conversation. We spent some time on Internet marketing & copywriting… but most of the time we were getting into stuff we both have a passion for.

You know one of the benefits of blogs, and this online community is meeting people you never would have had the chance to otherwise. It has broken down geographical boundaries. It’s pretty amazing.

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Sitting on the train I realized there were more than a couple of copywriter’s blogs I follow. It occurred to me to make a list and send them it off to Yaro. So, I whipped out my trusty Moleskine & came up with a short list of copywriting blogs I follow. Then I emailed this list to Yaro with a small explanation of each blog. I thought this would be good list to put here on the blog.

This by no means a comprehensive list, it’s subjective… I’ll admit it up front. It’s based on the blogs I feel given me the most value, enjoy reading and style has made a connection with me. And that’s an important point. You should read people who’ve made that connection with you… not someone you read because you’re suppose to.

Here is the list of the top 5 copywriting blogs I follow:

John Carlton – http://www.john-carlton.com/ John proudly declares he is the most ripped-off copywriter alive… or something like that. Anyhow he is an “A” list copywriter who gets hired by the big boys like Rodale press and Boardroom. What I really like about John is he digs deep into the psychology of sales & marketing. He goes into the motivation, and reasons why people do what they do. I find John to be a very entertaining read, and look forward to each post.

Trevor Crook – http://trevorcrookblog.com/ Trevor is an outstanding copywriter & and excellent teacher. He gives away free his “Copywriting Blueprint Formula”. I wrote about this back in April in a blog post titled: How To Get Trevor Crook’s Copywriting Secrets for Free. The secrets comes as a 10-mp3 recording of his training, and a great resource for anyone wanting to learn copywriting. You can grab a copy here: http://www.trevorcrook.com/.

Michel Fortin – http://www.michelfortin.com/ Michel is considered the best online copywriter around. He has written copy for many of the big guns online, and has probably been responsible for more sales than anyone else online. His blog is loaded with valuable copywriting, marketing, blogging information and much more. Copywriting is only one of the many subjects Michel covers on his blog.

Ryan Healy – http://www.ryanhealy.com http://ryanhealy.typepad.com/ (His old blog – still loaded with valuable content) Ryan is a brilliant copywriter & marketer. I consider him the thinking man’s copywriter. He covers a lot of ground, and gives reasons why it works. The information Ryan provides is based on real world results from his clients & his own work. He is a fanatical tester.

Ben Settle – http://www.bensettle.com Ben’s blog is packed full of outstanding copywriting information. It has great tips, interviews & examples. I believe he could slap a membership script on the front of his blog; start charging a monthly fee & it would be worth every penny.

Well, that ought to keep you busy. This is a good list to start with, and you’ll find plenty of outstanding information. There are scores of sites I could’ve included like; the Gary Halbert letters, Clayton Makepeace, Dan Kennedy, Ray Edwards, Peter Stone, David Garfinkel, Daniel Lewis… But, I included the list I keep a close eye on myself.

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Maybe… maybe not. If so and you haven’t taken the plunge, then what’s holding you back? Could some of these things be:

* You aren’t sure where to find clients?
* How do you market yourself?
* How do you sell yourself once you get a prospect?
* What do you charge for each project?

Well, Ryan Healy & John Anghelache are putting a very extensive coaching program geared towards becoming a successful, “booked solid” copywriter.

I’ve watched the videos and listened to the audios they’ve put out this past couple weeks. I can say I’ve picked up some powerful strategies to put into my marketing mix.

So, if you’re at all interested in becoming a freelance copywriter I’d suggest you take a look at this one. A word of warning here… this is for people who can already write copy. The program will be teaching you how to get clients, not teaching how to write copy.

(If you are looking for training to learn copywriting, then this is not for you. There are plenty of copywriting courses on the market. Including one I blogged about back in April entitled How To Get Trevor Crook’s Copywriting Secrets for Free… )

Now believe it or not, but Ryan & John are holding a contest giving away one free spot in their coaching program. They haven’t mention how much the program is going to cost… But I two weeks ago I was on the phone with an inside source, and he told me what they are planning on charging. I promised not to tell, but I can say it looks like it’ll be worth several thousand dollars to whoever wins.

You can check out how to enter the contest at Ryan’s blog: http://www.ryanhealy.com/copywriting-coaching-program-contest/ This is not an affiliate link… it’s a direct link to his blog.

If you want an affiliate link, here’s mine: http://www.copywritingcode.com/affiliates/jrox.php?id=104. Feel free to go there & sign up. As a side note in an audio call between Ryan & John they’re discussing the details about the coaching program & Ryan mentions me by name. You know it’s weird listening to a call, and suddenly hear them talking about you.

Anyhow… Why not take 10 minutes to enter right now? It’s fast, easy, and free. And the potential pay-off is huge. Here are the contest details again: http://www.ryanhealy.com/copywriting-coaching-program-contest/

Sorry, one more thing. The deadline for the contest is Saturday, July 19th, 2008 at 12 noon Mountain time.

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So, why am I telling you all this?

He is giving you a chance to get a book he co-authored titled “Million Dollar Marketing Secrets” for a mere $7… shipping included for residents of U.S., Canada & the U.K. Any one outside of those three countries leave a comment on his blog, and he will get in touch with you privately. This a real book that will be shipped to your door.

I have a copy of this book, and it’s loaded with priceless marketing information. J.P. Maroney got 21 top marketers to each contribute a chapter to the book. Here are a few of the co-authors; Clayton Makepeace, Michel Fortin, Ray Edwards, Ben Mack, Ryan Healy, Jason Moffatt…

Ryan says the chapter by Clayton Makepeace is worth $7 alone… but in my opinion every chapter is worth that and more.

The deadline on this offer is Friday morning May 9th when Ryan wakes up. I’m not sure when Ryan wakes up on Friday mornings… or for that matter any day of the week. So, my suggestion is to head on over there and grab a copy while it still fresh on your mind.

Here is the post at Ryan’s blog: http://www.ryanhealy.com/marketing-book-birthday-gift/. Head on over there scroll down, click on the paypal button and get this book.

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In fact, I began logging every book I finished starting in the 8th grade, and I’ve been doing it ever since. Every January, I close out the prior year, print my log, hole-punch it, and put it in my book log binder.

It’s nothing fancy, really. Just the book title, author, a few sentences about the book (including what I did or didn’t like), and a rating.

Wow, that’s impressive. I’m lucky if I can keep track of the bookmarker while reading a book.

Anyhow here are my choices of the books that changed my life.

1. Never Give In by Stephen Mansfield

This book is an excellent study in the leadership skills of Winston Churchill. Many of the leadership lessons I strive to follow.

2. The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton

The principles taught in this book are simple, yet effective. The story is entertaining, and a quick read. When I was done, I realized that the story had taught me the fundamentals of financial planning. Stuff I still to this day use.

3. The Tough-Minded Optimist by Norman Vincent Peale

I had been around people who practiced “positive thinking”. They would run around saying… everything’s great… Nothing was negative & the glass was always half-full. This attitude always seemed odd to me. It came across like you were suppose to stick your head in the sand, ignore the situation and everything would magically fix itself.

This book showed me that it was OK to recognize things for what they were. Then get tough, deal with it and move on. Changed my way of thinking.

4. Theodore Roosevelt An Autobiography

I like to read autobiographies of great leaders, and Theodore Roosevelt was one of our greatest leaders. Many people do not realize that he laid the foundation that made the US the superpower it is today. It was inspiring to see the obstacles he overcame to become president.

5. The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey

This is the book that converted me to Christianity. I never understood the true meaning of salvation until I read this book. I could go on about this, but it’s as simple as the last 2 sentences.

6. The Ultimate Marketing Plan by Dan Kennedy

My Window cleaning business was slowly circling the drain until I picked up this book at Kinko’s. This book was a radical paradigm shift in my way of doing business. I can clearly point to this one book as the reason I built a profitable business.

7. The Bible

If I was stranded on a desert island & could only take one book, then this would be the one.

8. Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman by Merle Miller

The one thing that got Harry Truman into so much trouble was he spoke his mind. Because of that trait he is probably one of the most under rated presidents of our time.

The buck stops here was on his desk while president. Taking responsibility was a strong theme throughout his life. That principle left a strong impression on me.

9. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This Pulitzer Prize winning book was required reading in high school. It made a huge impression on me concerning race, and standing up for the right cause… no matter what others around you are saying.

Those are the books that greatly influenced me. I’m glad that Ryan wrote this post, and asked others to put up their list. It was fun to sit down and write about why these books influenced me. In fact I’ve decided to read the books on this list again. It will be interesting to see what I get out of them this time around.

OK, what about you? Make your list; post it on your blog, and link back to Ryan’s post. It will be interesting to see the books that have influenced you.

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