Brief Summary
Neville Madora, a successful copywriter, shares his journey from early experiments to building a multi-million dollar business with no employees. He emphasizes the importance of experimentation, finding your niche, and using copywriting to connect with your audience. He also provides five copywriting pro tips and recommends three impactful books for learning copywriting.
- Experiment with small business ideas and don't be afraid to fail.
- Find your niche and focus on what you're good at.
- Use copywriting to connect with your audience and make them want to buy.
Intro
Neville Madora, a copywriter who makes a million dollars a year, shares his journey and insights on copywriting. He started experimenting with small business ideas in college, including selling rave merchandise, which eventually paid for his tuition. He emphasizes the importance of trying things out and not being afraid to fail.
Early experiments
Neville discusses his early experiments with online content creation, including his YouTube channel, which he started 18 years ago. He shares his experiences with various projects, including a homeless experiment and a party crashing adventure. He views himself as an experimenter and teacher, constantly learning and sharing his knowledge.
Copywriting aha moments
Neville describes his first major copywriting success, which came from focusing on providing examples of how people could use a product. He realized the power of storytelling and providing specific use cases to connect with his audience. He also shares how he helped Noah Kagan, founder of AppSumo, improve his email marketing by applying copywriting principles.
Getting customers
Neville emphasizes the importance of testing business ideas with small experiments before investing significant time and resources. He encourages viewers to focus on getting a few customers first and then scaling up if the idea proves successful. He also highlights the importance of pivoting and adapting business models based on customer feedback.
Business breakdown
Neville breaks down his various revenue streams, including his subscription-based community, YouTube videos, consulting projects, book sales, affiliate marketing, and company advising. He emphasizes the value of building relationships with companies and leveraging those connections for long-term success.
Copywriting Pro Tip #1
Neville introduces his first copywriting pro tip: "Mental ad rewriting." This involves analyzing ads you encounter in your daily life and thinking about how you would improve them. He encourages viewers to practice this exercise constantly to develop their copywriting skills.
Copywriting Pro Tip #2
Neville's second pro tip is to create a "swipe file," a collection of ads and marketing materials that you find effective. He recommends using tools like Google Keep or simply taking screenshots of interesting ads on your phone.
Copywriting Pro Tip #3
Neville's third pro tip is "caveman mode," a method for editing copy by reading it as if you were a caveman with limited attention span. This helps identify unnecessary jargon and complex language, making the copy more accessible.
Copywriting Pro Tip #4
Neville's fourth pro tip is "copywork," which involves hand-copying classic advertisements to learn from their structure and style. He recommends copying a few pieces of copy to gain valuable insights into effective writing techniques.
Copywriting Pro Tip #5
Neville's fifth pro tip is to stand out from the crowd by pushing boundaries and experimenting with different approaches. He emphasizes that being different doesn't guarantee success, but it can help you gain attention and stand out in a crowded market.
Neville’s top 3 book recommendations
Neville recommends three books that have significantly impacted his copywriting and business journey: "Ogilvy on Advertising" by David Ogilvy, "The Adweek Copywriting Handbook" by Joseph Sugarman, and "Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got" by Jay Abraham. He highlights the value of these books for learning about psychological triggers, effective marketing strategies, and building a successful business.
Starting over from scratch
Neville advises his younger self to start with freelancing to generate cash flow and build a portfolio. He emphasizes the importance of getting reviews early on to build trust and credibility. He also suggests identifying your strengths and focusing on what you're good at, rather than trying to be a generalist.
Biggest failure
Neville shares his biggest failure: launching a "Sumo Diet" course that flopped because it wasn't aligned with his expertise and what people came to him for. He learned the importance of sticking to your niche and focusing on what you're good at.
Neville’s life hacks and final lessons
Neville shares his philosophy on happiness and the importance of optimizing for it. He emphasizes the value of sharing your ideas with the world and not being afraid to put yourself out there. He also highlights the importance of building relationships and leveraging those connections for long-term success.
