Consultant Input #1

Ultimately, what you’re looking for is the intersection between what topics will generate a growing list and lead to conversion – and where your interests lie.

The most efficient way to to uncover that is by testing.

A series of lead gen. tests, a series of conversion tests.

Two questions – which channel to run these tests on (given most digital channels are so restrictive on content and the real Richard), and how to execute the tests.

BTW, I’ve been using the Thrive Suite for 10+ years, and WPEngine as a web host.

If I was tasked with this and the project wasn’t the real Richard – I’d start with FB and run ideation tests – where I’d run potentially hundreds of ads – each ad being a HEADLINE only (and all having the same generic image) – each only getting 4k impressions …

Run as a brand awareness campaign, and I’d judge winners vs. losers by the CPC on each ad, and the branded estimated action rate. This would cost only a few hundred dollars, and give data on what people REALLY engage with (versus what they say they engage with.)

The winners would then get retested to narrow the list down some more.

The final best performers, I’d then run some lead gen. tests with (create a lead magnet and short landing page.)

And finally, say 2 lead gen. efforts worked the best – I’d then run conversion tests to the leads coming from those lead gen. campaigns.

All to find the intersection between what topics efficiently generate a list and result in conversions and $$$, and where your interests lie.

Of course, the real Richard cannot be properly tested on FB – because too many of the topics would be deemed outside their terms of service.

So, how far can you push the envelope on Twitter?

Assuming far enough – then you’d have to devise a way to first run an ideation test on Twitter, and how to judge the winners / losers.

Then, take the winners (if too many, run more tests) – and create a few quick lead magnets, and test which topics can actually get emails on a list at a reasonable CPL.

Finally, run campaigns so that once somebody hits your list they are immediately hit up for some low-cost conversion offer.

And create an email series to drive them to this conversion offer over say 7 days.

Yes, this involves copywriting – but good honest copy is simply offering something of genuine value in a way that overcomes most of the roadblocks in somebody’s head that stops them from buying immediately.

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What are some short-cuts to executing this?

I don’t do anything on Twitter, so I can comment on the ideation test.

But the landing page copy and email series copy – using GPT-4 can really speed up the process.

Here’s a MASSSIVE short-cut – see the attached. A series of prompts to be run in one GPT-4 session – the answer to each prompt is references by the next prompt, and the data becomes deeper and richer.

By the time you’re actually asking GPT-4 to create a copy draft for you, it will be incredibly relevant, engaging, and persuasive.

Yes, this series of prompts are for creating an email series only.

However, with modifications at Step 5 – it can be used to also write landing page and other copy.

For example, I’ve created a modified prompt where it will CLONE other good copy.

Say I find a landing page for a product or service I know has traction with the market, doesn’t have to be in the same vertical as what I’m working on.

With this prompt, I feed my modified prompt AND THE TEXT FROM THE PAGE I’M CLONING, and GPT-4 will create copy for my product / service. It will copy the structure and persuasion elements from the original copy, but write new copy for my project based on the research prompts I’ve been running.

This is the best shortcut for copywriters / non-copywriters alike to get new copy to test in the shortest period of time.

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So, I haven’t given you any “thoughts or conclusions” on what you should actually do next, except offering a process to have the market TELL YOU DIRECTLY what they’re willing to pay you for – on topics you like to be covering.

Consultant Input #2

Ok, I think I can get you on the right track fairly quickly.

First, you are one of the smartest people I have ever worked with…and over the upcoming emails I am going to send you, we need to explore that and how it affects your approach to revenue generation and ongoing growth in subscriptions.

Among many things, you are an “information Provider”. As such, one must use all the proven techniques for a direct response. In the coming days, I am going to ask you to define yourself. The question is: Who are you today? What do you want to be today. I want to make sure that I understand the above quote. Be assured that what we discuss it confidential and private. You have a special talent.

You see things in patterns. So do I. I have always treated this ability as a gift. I noticed this first many years ago when you mentioned the Cop Beatings nationally were growing. You were years ahead of the public and the press. There are many examples of this that I noticed very early when you started writing. We are going to incorporate this skill in to membership generation.

Among many other things, you are also an ARTIST! I will be suggesting some things that may interfere with your artistic license and integrity. I am hoping you will be comfortable with my doing so…not that there is any requirement to implement any of my advice or suggestions.

So this is going to take a lot thought and planning. I have tracked your writing, copywriting and content for a very long time. I have 50 years of experience and expertise in copywriting and direct mail. I automatically critique everything in print and present-day electronic advertising.

1. I need you to start an analysis. Going back into the past will tell us how to build the future. Go back for 24 months and create a spreadsheet and analysis chart for the following:
2. Chart membership by numbers for each month. Chart the price paid as an average (simple math). Chart cancellation by numbers by each month. Include refunds. Make these into simple visuals as you are great at doing this.
3. I need you to note the date when you dropped the people who did not subscribe and what those numbers were….we will be ‘mining’ those people after changes are made and also including the cancellations.
4. Don’t solicit anymore memberships temporarily if you post this week and next. I have been cringing every time I get to the bottom of your post and read the copy. Ugh. It sounds desperate. Needy. It’s all wrong and I can fix this….I will explain later. I know why it doesn’t work and I have known for a very long time.
5. We will need lists of present members, past members that cancelled and nonsubscriber list that never took you up on your offers. I assume you already have that.
6. I need to know the history of your subscription pricing, so we can analyze pricing data and find out how that impacted the response. I suspect there was a big problem there.

Let’s start with this. I will be working on other item in the interim.

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I did notice your changes in content the last several months.

Once you have audited the information from the spreadsheet and charts, you should list out all of the various subject matter posted as content. Look for an anomaly, i.e, did some particular content cause the subscription base to start cancelling and blocking new subscriptions. Why and when did it go south? Was there new content that disturbed them? Made people uncomfortable enough to unsubscribe? List all content subjects and count the number of times you individually posted information.

Kind of a related example but not exactly the same as paragraph above:

I think you will run into major problems continuing with the AI posts as written. Why? You are light years ahead of your readership. You are knowledgeable, savvy, intellectual and brilliant. The problem I think you will face is this:

You are teaching and educating at a Post PHd level. Even at a 5th grade level, there will be blank stares because most people have only heard of AI but are really ignorant and naive.

They have not paid the price that you did to educate yourself on a technology that is going to change the world. You should write at a first grade level and refine it for a long time in the future post. Teaching an initial AI course will fascinate the readers and could possibly build membership and brand loyalty. I love your enthusiasm and excitement when you write about AI. It’s so motivating. Your excitement is contagious and will seep through to your readers.

Additionally, as you write about AI and develop a sophisticated course, you will now have a very valuable “premium” to be included in your new membership package. “Understanding AI in Simple Terms” is yours absolutely free with your MEMBERSHIP ENROLLMENT”.

We will be talking a lot more about devices such as premiums to get excited about getting something so important for them that makes them click instantly. People like it easy. People like it simple and ready right now. People are lazy. I hope that you get this brief description. More to come…the hard copy stuff for enrollments for you to review and consider.

Consultant Input #3 (SEO Focus)

… Not sure, I don’t think he would take you as a client though, but perhaps he works with a firm that would, but he tends to be big biz stuff, insurance, supplements, surgery etc etc with 4 and 5 figure monthly budgets.

I think for you the SEO you need is whats called on-page, making sure your website is doing all the right stuff technically and content wise on the site, and then social media drives the traffic and signups. Most SEO contracts are initial onpage to make sure everything is good, then its all offpage which is linkbuilding and outreach, but that is typically done with very targeted keywords in mind, Buy X, Lanscaper in X city, etc

I can’t really think of any keywords you would want to rank for to bring in new paid members, since you’re so general.

So what on-page would do is look at your stats and say OK well this article on Keto is bringing in lots of traffic, lets optimize it to bring in even more, ditto for Digital Nomad X etc.

But I think for your model, it’s all about Twitter, build the followers, connect with other big accounts, reshare each others stuff, and build audiences that way.

Instagram may work also.

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I like all the changes you’ve made, certainly worth experimenting with.

Do you know of anyone who occupies a space/niche/vibe that you are shooting for? Usually no need to reinvent the wheel and more so look at what is working for other people, but this is a challenge for you because it’s a more general thing, not like you’re still trying to be paleo influencer guy. That said, no shortage of people who have a large audience based off their personality and take on things; but in general their takes are on a small range of things, politics etc. But they can give you ideas on for example what hook to incentivize for the email optin on the website, how to get them back returning visitors, etc.

As I mentioned, some of my favorite writings of yours were the Facebook rants many years back, short and on the events of the day. I think maybe when you were alone in the lodge, I’m guessing drinking quite heavily lol. Have you thought about the idea that without the drinking and intoxicated rants that something of the fabric of FTA has gone missing haha. Of course I’m not suggesting starting drinking again, AND I am looking for something wrong, in that I am a paying member and enjoy your content so would not suspect anything is wrong without you bringing it up, so I am looking for things rather than them coming to me, if that makes sense. That is something that comes to mind, pretty big change to go from fairly heavy drinking to sober, especially when from a “free the animal” perspective you are much more congruent with that ideal now than cooped up alone in a lodge in the mountains (when the website was doing better / more traffic / more commissions, or not so and the issue is now you’re trying to monetize more?).

I will endeavour to get off my busy but very lazy ass and get on a call already, but I think overall the play is your “conversion” rate of eyeballs to paying members is always going to be very low for your type of content/niche, just don’t appeal to most people (good thing), so it’s all about driving the quantity of eyeballs with social media, mostly Twitter. Also you’ve moved away from the Thai expat angle, but I think from a visual medium like Instagram that is a good angle to pursue, showing daily life for a free self owned retiree-yet-still-working in Thailand and fucking beautiful young girls whilst being healthy, active, eating well, and looking great for your age, and living very high in the value to money spent eqaution, I feel like there has got to be a big audience there.