By Author: Dean Rieck

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Below are the latest articles from Dean Rieck. The results are culled from all sources Workflow: Writing follows.

• A Four-Step Guide to Generating Sales Leads from Your Blog

  • Tuesday, 31 Aug 2010, 06:50 UTC (2 weeks ago)
  • By: Dean Rieck, Copyblogger

  Dean: Did you know you can use your blog to make money offline?
  Blogger: Offline? What is this “offline” you speak of?
  Dean: It’s the opposite of “online.”
  Blogger: (confused silence)
  Dean: You know. Offline. Not on the internet. The real world.
  Blogger: (shaking phone) Not only does this stupid phone drop my calls, now it’s translating them into crazy moon language.
  Okay, I jest. But to listen to some bloggers, you would think a blog’s only purpose is to make money online, by selling ebooks, membership sites, or advertising.
  The truth is, blogs have grown into a more powerful tool than anyone ever imagined. They’re ideal for making money online, of course. But they can also be used to generate profits for nearly any kind of business, including those that provide real services in the offline world.
  This often means generating sales leads for a service or consulting business.…

• The 7 Secrets of Running a Wildly Popular Blog

  • Wednesday, 21 Jul 2010, 06:47 PDT (21 July 2010)
  • By: Dean Rieck, Copyblogger

  Did you ever wonder why some blogs attract tons of readers and others don’t?
  Of course you’ve wondered. We all have. Because if you’re reading this blog, you almost certainly have a blog of your own. You think it’s great, and you want lots of other people to think it’s great too.
  So what’s the answer? Why do some blogs become more popular than others?
  There are lots of reasons why people flock to certain blogs, but I think one of the most important is that popular blogs are written by popular people — the sort of people who attract others.
  And becoming a popular person isn’t just a matter of fate or genes. It’s something you can work on.
  I’m not saying content isn’t important when you’re creating a popular blog. Content for the best blogs is almost always top-notch, interesting, and informative — and that takes work.
  But…

• How to Boost Your Sales with a Strong Guarantee

  • Tuesday, 15 Jun 2010, 06:17 PDT (15 June 2010)
  • By: Dean Rieck, Copyblogger

  You didn’t used to see many guarantees for online services and digital products.
  But today’s new generation of bloggers and entrepreneurs have discovered that this age-old offline technique can be one of the most powerful routes to more sales.
  They know that online buyers are plagued by fears and doubts. And there’s nothing that will kill a sale faster than doubt.
  So what makes a good guarantee?
  The Teaching Company offers a brilliant example of a guarantee that leads directly to sales.
  They sell CDs, DVDs, and digital downloads of prominent professors lecturing on philosophy, physics, economics, astronomy, literature, history, and other academic subjects.
  Many of these lectures command a hefty price tag, often reaching as much as several hundred dollars. These aren’t little MP3s with 30 minutes of fluff. They’re lengthy, in-depth lectures from some of the best minds in the country.
  One is “How to Listen to and…

• How to Promote Your Blog on TV for Way Less Than You Think

  • Wednesday, 19 May 2010, 05:47 PDT (19 May 2010)
  • By: Dean Rieck, Copyblogger

  The idea of advertising a blog on TV is just plain crazy. Right?
  Well, it used to be. But with the introduction of Google TV, that crazy idea isn’t so crazy anymore.
  Google TV is part of Google AdWords, and it works much the same way. It’s an auction-based system where you choose the price you want to pay. Obviously, the more you pay, the more people you’re likely to reach. But it’s possible to run an ad on network television for as little as $20.
  In the old days (back when I worked as an NBC TV producer), placing TV ads was a big deal. You had to go through individual television stations or hire ad buyers who had special relationships with the networks.
  But now with Google TV, just about anyone can create and run TV ads that will air on national TV shows. You can search to…

• 11 Smart Tips for Brilliant Writing

  • Wednesday, 7 Apr 2010, 06:04 PDT (7 April 2010)
  • By: Dean Rieck, Copyblogger

  Do you sound smarter when you use big words?
  According to a study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology , the answer is no.
  In fact, complex writing makes you sound small-minded. Just consider the title of the study: Consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity: problems with using long words needlessly.
  Wouldn’t it be better to title this study something like The effect of using big words when you don’t need them?

  To sound smart, you must stop trying to sound smart. Brilliant writing is simple writing, a relevant idea delivered clearly and directly.
  Here are 11 ways you can start sounding brilliant:
  1. Have something to say
  This makes writing easier and faster. When you have nothing to say, you are forced to write sentences that sound meaningful but deliver nothing.
  Read widely. Take notes. Choose your subjects wisely. Then share your information with readers.
  2. Be specific…

• Give and Grow Rich: The Power of Focused Generosity

  • Wednesday, 3 Mar 2010, 05:52 PST (3 March 2010)
  • By: Dean Rieck, Copyblogger

  There are two kinds of people on the Internet: the greedy and the generous.
  The greedy want you to pay for everything. Every link is an affiliate link. Every recommendation has a profit motive. The really good content is locked away until you fork over some money.
  The generous want to give you everything free.
  It never occurs to them that their time or expertise has value. They’re kind, selfless, giving, and (too often) dirt poor.

  But there’s a third kind of person on the Internet. And yes, they belong to the Third Tribe you’ve been reading about.
  This person understands that you can’t be greedy and build a following. But you also can’t just throw all your treasure to the wind. This is the person who understands the power of focused generosity.
  To help understand this and get a little perspective, let’s look at how this works in the…

• The Art of Zen Copywriting for Bloggers

  • Wednesday, 20 Jan 2010, 06:32 PST (20 January 2010)
  • By: Dean Rieck, Copyblogger

  If you’re like many bloggers, you have (or you’re thinking of developing) products and services to sell to your readers.
  Your instinct might be to write the sort of hard sell copy you’ve seen so much of, because you will assume that’s what always works.
  But will it? Maybe. Maybe not.
  The trouble with hard sell is that it’s overused, it can destroy your credibility, and many bloggers just don’t feel comfortable being so aggressive.
  So what do you do?

  I’d like to show you a different approach to selling that turns conventional wisdom on its head, replacing hard sell with a less aggressive and more natural way to write copy. We’ll call it Zen Copywriting.
  The limitations of writing hard sell copy
  Most of the techniques for hard sell copy come from the world of “direct response” marketing, which is the business I work in.
  This sort of selling…

• How to Brainstorm Brilliant Ideas for Your Blog

  • Monday, 21 Dec 2009, 07:02 PST (21 December 2009)
  • By: Dean Rieck, Copyblogger

  Brainstorming is one of the most powerful creative techniques ever devised. When used properly, it can produce more and better ideas than any other process. It’s based on the concept that two heads (or three, or four, or more) are better than one.
  Many would argue that you can’t create by committee. I agree. Writing and other creative acts are best performed by individuals. Creating by committee, well . . . sucks.

  But brainstorming is not about executing ideas. It’s simply about coming up with ideas. And it is almost always more productive as a group activity. The result of a brainstorming session should be a long list of potential ideas which you can evaluate at a later time, acting only on the best.
  Sure, you’ll come up with a ton of dumb ideas, but so what? Once you get the ideas flowing, the great ideas will float to the…

• How to Persuade People to Accept an “Unfair” Offer

  • Thursday, 19 Nov 2009, 06:36 PST (19 November 2009)
  • By: Dean Rieck, Copyblogger

  Ever heard of Charley Hill? He seemed like an average, ordinary guy.
  He lived in a mid-sized town with his wife, two children, and a dog. He went to church on Sunday, coached Little League, and drove a pickup truck. He was friendly but quiet, the sort of guy you could walk by on the street without noticing.
  But appearances can be deceiving. Charley Hill was one of the most successful farm equipment salesmen in the Midwest. People would travel hundreds of miles to see Charley, even when there were plenty of dealers much closer to home.

  What did Charley have that other salesmen didn’t? Not a thing.
  He sold the same equipment as everyone else. Carried the same parts. Provided the same service. Yet his sales were typically two or three times that of similar-sized dealers. The reason?
  Charley Hill didn’t believe in “fair” offers
  Every customer went home,…