Writer's Block!!??

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 support@rayedwards.com.

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:
​

1. Do content that you're passionate about.
2. 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?

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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.

1. ​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.
2. ​Propose - The more offers you make, the more money you make
3. ​Promote - Your customer never knows as much about your products as you do - Promote what you're selling more often
4. ​Prove - Have your clients be your preponderance of proof
5. ​Promise - Promise the results you KNOW you can deliver
6. ​Produce - Produce the results you promise
7. ​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?

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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?

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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

1. Decide what it is you want to do
2. Get clear on why it's important to you
3. Figure out how you're going to get to the outcome
4. Associate massive pleasure to the process of getting there
5. 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

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.