Discover the A-List copywriting

“secret weapon” that can give you bigger winners more often

If you don’t know where to find good research for your promo… or you’re wasting time going down endless “rabbit holes” and still coming up short… then you need to know about my proven, six-step process that can help you:

  • Come up with better “big ideas” that stand out from the sea of competition...  
  • Save hours of time by making your research process more efficient and productive...
  • Turn projects around more quickly by avoiding "writer's block" and cutting way back on never-ending drafts and edits, and... 
  • Dramatically improve your copywriting results, making you a hero to your clients (and able to charge more) or allowing you to scale your offers to new heights!

 Kim Krause Schwalm, A-List Copywriter and Copy Mentor

Discover the A-List copywriting

“secret weapon” that can give you bigger winners more often

If you don’t know where to find good research for your promo… or you’re wasting time going down endless “rabbit holes” and still coming up short… then you need to know about my proven, six-step process that can help you:

  • Come up with better “big ideas” that stand out from the sea of competition...  
  • Save hours of time by making your research process more efficient and productive...
  • Turn projects around more quickly by avoiding "writer's block" and cutting way back on never-ending drafts and edits, and... 
  • Dramatically improve your copywriting results, making you a hero to your clients (and able to charge more) or allowing you to scale your offers to new heights!

 Kim Krause Schwalm, A-List Copywriter and Copy Mentor

Dear friend who wants to write better sales copy more easily,  

Do you remember the last time you heard about a promotion that was “killing it?”

Once you got a chance to read it over, perhaps you thought to yourself…

How did they come up with that crazy-good headline or subject line that made it impossible not to read further?”

“How did they hook me in early on and make me feel they knew me and that this was for me?”

“How did they know to speak to my biggest hopes, fears, dreams, worries, and desires?”

“How did they overcome my skepticism, seal off all the exit doors, and make me believe their solution could work for me where others before them failed?”

And last, but not least…

“How did they make me want to part with my hard-earned money and buy their product?”

That last one is the ultimate goal of any sales promotion—whether it’s a sales page, direct mail magalog, email, Facebook ad, website, or any other kind of sales copy.

How do “they” (meaning those clever copywriters—which you likely are yourself if you’re reading this) figure out how to make the sales copy they write do all of this?

It all starts with RESEARCH, baby!

There’s a good reason why legendary copywriter (and one of the nicest guys on the planet you’ll ever meet) Gary Bencivenga says THIS about research…

"Great ads are built on deep research. The best copywriters are tenacious researchers. Like miners, they dig, drill, dynamite, and chip until they have carloads of ore. John Caples advised me once to gather seven times more interesting information than I could possibly use."

It's why Gary so strongly believes, "Research is the infallible cure for writer’s block."

The problem is, many a determined, hard-working copywriter can find themselves wasting time surfing the Internet and social media… or collecting an eyeball-popping number of studies and articles… only to find themselves “lost” and buried for days on end, with little to show for it.

So how DO you do the focused research and “digging” that’s needed to fully understand your target prospect… bring to light what’s unique about your product…

…and organize it in a way that it leads you to a “big idea” that stands out from the sea of competition… while making your copy far easier to write AND much more compelling and persuasive?

How do you get to the point that you have those “carloads of valuable ore” that give you the edge you need to convince the most skeptical, seen-it-all prospects in today’s most competitive markets to fork over their money for YOUR product?

How do you do all of this research WITHOUT getting lost in the “weeds”…and knowing when enough is enough?

Well, that in a nutshell is why I created my proven, six-step Research Beast process.

I’m not talking about a half-assed approach where you spend a few hours skimming through a bunch of surveys/articles/studies your client sent over to you…or lose an entire day or two surfing competitor websites or lurking in forums online.

I’m talking about becoming a Research B-E-A-S-T…meaning you come up with valuable research nuggets and an overall “game plan” you can use to:

  • Beat the existing control to a pulp and become a hero to your client…  
  • Easily come up with the “big idea” and supporting copy, so your copy practically writes itself...
  • Act like a mind-reader so your prospect feels you are talking to THEM and that you can be trusted...  
  • Seal off all the doors so that YOUR solution becomes the obvious choice, closing the sale, and...
  • Turn prospects into buyers, because you made them BELIEVE it would work for them

Now, you might be thinking, "I don’t have time to do a lot of research".

 

"My client is breathing down my neck to get the copy finished 'as soon as possible'".

 

Or "I’ve got other projects stacked up behind this one and I really need to 'get ‘er done'”.

 

However, I would counter that if you don’t spend enough time doing research, you’ll actually take much longer to write the actual copy!

 

And it’ll be more likely that your copy won’t pass muster with your client, sending you back to the drawing board again and again with seemingly endless drafts.

 

Or it could make it more likely your copy will read like the dreaded “me, too” promo…i.e., like everything else your prospect has seen before. And you’ll get nothing better than “meh” results, if you’re lucky.

 

Worst case scenario, you write a promo that’s a complete bomb…and your client decides not to give you another chance. Even worse, word gets out on the street that you’re not “good”.

 

The buck always seems to stop with the copywriter…we’re the ones that get blamed for everything…including unproven products that aren’t right for the market, or aren’t priced right for the market, or aren’t hitting the right lists or prospects…i.e., the other 40/40 of the 40/40/20 rule.

 

The success of any promotion is typically due to 40% offer, 40% list, and only 20% creative—and part of that measly 20% is the design and format, not just the copy!

But let’s face it… if the promo doesn’t work,

YOU as the copywriter will take the heat!

That promo sample you were hoping to add to your portfolio is now one you can’t brag about being a big winner or a successful control… making it harder to land new clients.

That limited confidence you may had before is now crumbling away to the point that you agree to lower fees or work with bad clients… because you think that’s all you deserve.

And those high hopes of hitting that new income goal, landing that cushy retainer or royalty deal, or proving to your friends and family (and most importantly, yourself) that you can DO this start to fade to a distant glimmer.

Ahhhhh…but how much easier it is to write strong, compelling, convincing sales copy that seems to just effortlessly flow out of you…wows your clients…and most importantly, drastically raises your odds of a huge winner…

…When you’ve put the time in and done the research before you start writing copy!

Not just ANY willy-nilly research, but a proven, six-step process put together and used by yours truly… a top A-List copywriter and copy mentor with a string of successful control promos at least a mile long!

(Yes, if you put all of the winning long-form sales pages, video sales letter scripts, and direct mail magalogs I’ve written over the last few decades end to end, they’d probably stretch out at LEAST that long!)

But if that isn't enough to convince you why you should listen to me about copywriting research, let me introduce myself.

My name is Kim Krause Schwalm. I'm the founder of the Get Dangerously Good copywriting training and mentorship hub. I also have over 20 years of experience writing A-list level copy that gets killer results for my clients.  

I've got strong marketing chops to boot. For more than six years, I worked at former direct marketing powerhouse Phillips Publishing.  

While I was there, I helped launch their highly-successful Healthy Directions supplement business (which soon became the name of the entire company). I grew it to more than $23 million in annual sales—or $40 million in today’s dollars—within the first 3 years.

I eventually left the company because I knew I could earn far more than the $100,000+ salary they were paying me when I walked out the door. I also wanted to enjoy the freedom and flexibility of being a freelancer—and achieve the kind of work-life balance that’s often unattainable when you slave away for someone else.  

Since making that life-changing decision, I've beaten controls written by some of the best copywriters in the business. They include legends like Parris Lampropoulos, the late Jim Rutz, and several others. I’ve also had the opportunity to work alongside the late Clayton Makepeace and other top writers.  

But as proud as I am about these accomplishments, what I'm most proud of is teaching what I know to the next generation of A-List copywriting superstars...and seeing their amazing results.  

One of the many topics I always go deep into is how I do research—and why 50% (or more) of the time I spend on a new promotion is spent in this phase.  

It’s essential you know how to do research right. It often leads you to the right “big idea” that hooks your reader in and primes them to buy.

It's why I created my new Research Beast course... to give you an efficient, proven, and powerfully effective six-step process for doing copywriting research.

Not only is my Research Beast process the SAME approach I’ve personally used to generate more than $700 million… and probably closer to $1 billion or more… in sales with my copy…

…it’s the same research approach I meticulously teach my copywriting mentees in my exclusive programs they gladly pay thousands of dollars for (and reap far greater rewards from).

But don’t worry… you’re not going to need to fork over thousands of dollars to discover, master, and apply my proven, six-step Research Beast process.

That’s because I’ve now put all of my best, most valuable training, tools, templates, examples, and tactics together into my exclusive Research Beast course...

…and made it available at a price that my other A-Lister friends will likely think I’m crazy for offering (I can hear them now: “Why are you giving away all your best secrets for peanuts? You’re making the rest of us look bad!”)

But before we get into all that, let me show you WHY you want to become a Research Beast. It’s so you can…

Pack sales-boosting power into every word of copy you write—just like the late, great Clayton Makepeace!

The marketing world lost one of the greatest direct response copywriters who ever walked the earth back in 2020: the great Clayton Makepeace.

Clayton’s style and copy were always easy to spot…and it helped make him truly a one-of-a-kind talent.

One of the things I've always found most noticeable is this: in every one of Clayton's promos, you can't help but be struck by his emotionally powerful word choices.

And let me tell you… that wasn’t just Clayton being “creative” or “good with words”.

Clayton’s use of emotionally powerful words was the result of the in-depth, structured process he used in his research… before he wrote a word of copy.

To give you an example, I'm going to share the front cover of a financial newsletter tabloid-style magalog that Clayton wrote. It's from the summer of 2005 (stocks weren't doing that great then.)

It's no wonder investors were running scared. Retirees were gasping as their IRA and 401k balances dropped ever lower… making them afraid to take out the money they needed to live on.

People nearing the end of four or five decades of work—finally getting close to the “finish line” of retirement—were now making plans to push back claiming that gold watch a few more years.

Meanwhile, there was an increasingly loud number of competing voices coming from all directions with conflicting advice… telling them what to buy, what to sell, or what was happening with interest rates, corporate earnings, or government spending. 

On top of the stress of needing to secure their own retirements so they could finally be in control of their own time and do what they like… the target prospect was becoming more and more confused, more skeptical, and less sure of who they could trust.

Honestly, it wasn’t that much different than things are today… perhaps not as bad… but the PROBLEM and pain points the target prospect was experiencing were deeply felt and urgent.

And Clayton knew exactly how to tap into this sense of urgency, skepticism, and frustration the prospect was feeling, as demonstrated by the front cover of this promo:

How to masterfully push all the RIGHT emotional buttons

to make prospects want to buy

As you can see, every single word and phrase Clayton uses taps directly into a specific frustration, fear, belief, or worry his target prospect has. And he's carefully chosen every word to pack as much raw emotional power as possible.

The copy is completely written from the point of view of the frustrated, fed-up prospect who knew all along those stinkin' stockbrokers, CEOs, and Wall Street elite were lying to them and stealing them blind.

It also, right from the very beginning, starts to serve up the solution that's going to finally put that prospect IN CONTROL (we're all selling control) and no longer be a sitting duck for those relentless rip-off artists.

Plus it gives them an answer at last to how they can make money when the stock market is in the toilet.

This kind of stuff doesn't just happen by accident or as the result of sheer talent. It requires doing upfront work that leads you directly to those dominant emotions that most resonate with your prospect and tie in with the solution you are offering.

They're what helped Clayton masterfully push all the right emotional buttons to make prospects want to buy whatever he was selling.

And I’m going to share with you a few exercises you’ll dive into as part of my exclusive Research Beast course that will help you figure out exactly what they are!

By doing so, you’ll see exactly how Clayton was able to write such successful copy like you see on this front cover of one of his past nutritional supplement controls. It all starts with...

The crucial differentiator that lets jaded prospects believe YOUR product will work where others failed

This direct mail magalog came out at a time when coenzyme Q10 (“CoQ10”) was becoming well-known. In fact, it was one of the biggest-selling supplements, which meant there was a LOT of competition.

That also meant that many potential buyers of this particular CoQ10 supplement had likely bought and tried other CoQ10 supplements before. So the idea of agitating the possibility that it hadn’t lived up to the hype in their minds… or planting seeds of doubt that it worked at all for them… was a great way in past the prospect’s skepticism.

And the ONLY way to convince the prospect that THIS CoQ10 supplement would work for them where others before them had failed (as the legendary Gene Schwartz writes about in Breakthrough Advertising) is to introduce a NEW MECHANISM.

That’s exactly what Clayton did here…  

See how every word and phrase is carefully chosen to pack as much emotional punch as possible?

Notice how the copy resonates with the target prospect's deepest wants, fears, frustrations, and beliefs?

And see how he teases about the solution and gives the prospect hope?

How he introduces a new mechanism that “gives your cells up to 3 TIMES MORE” the energizing, heart-helping, antioxidant health power?

How did Clayton DO this? How did he work this kind of magic with his copy?

Just like I’ve done and all the other top A-list copywriters I know do…

They approach their research in a focused, methodical way! Put simply, they have a PROCESS…

They use their own carefully-crafted, fine-tuned process again and again that helps lay the groundwork for writing headlines, email subject lines, bullets, “future pacing” copy, landing pages, Facebook ads, and other sales copy that get results.

It helps them come up with eyeball-grabbing “big ideas” and write sizzling sales copy more effortlessly and far faster… allowing them to exceed their clients’ expectations and rack up control after control.

It helps them finalize their promos on the second or even their FIRST draft, and fit more high-paying projects into their schedule (while boosting their royalty earnings) because they’re so much more efficient.

It helps them avoid drifting too much… mindlessly surfing the Internet… struggling with “writer’s block”…  or spinning their wheels feeling like they don’t know what to say next.

And I know my six-step Research Beast process can do the same for YOU!

But while having a proven process like you get in my Research Beast course can save you a lot of time, grief, and frustration later, it doesn’t mean you’re going to just spend a few measly hours and you’re done.

Sorry, Charlie… it doesn’t work that way. Like anything, garbage IN… garbage OUT.

Ask any top A-Lister how much time they spend on research, and chances are good they’ll tell you it’s anywhere from 40 to 60% of the total time they spend working on a new promo!

In fact, the MORE you put into your research—in an organized, methodical, systematic way—the LESS time you’ll have to spend writing that first draft of copy… AND on all the usual “back and forth” with your client or editor that often follows.

But more importantly, the greater your chances will be of hitting it out of the ballpark with your promo and beating the existing control… racking up record-breaking sales figures… and becoming known as THE “go-to” copywriter or expert in your niche.

Yes, us research “nerds” WIN when it comes to beating the lazy, disorganized copywriters of the world—no matter how much “talent” they have. As long as you follow a proven process.

And now my brand new, exclusive Research Beast course can be…

Your “secret weapon” for getting

bigger winners more often!

There's a reason why so many of the copywriters and business owners who've mentored with me tell me that what I taught them about doing research was one of the most valuable aspects of my training.

It's because I've given them a proven process they can use again and again to write stronger.more persuasive, and higher-converting copy far faster and more easily.

It's the ultimate "secret weapon" in any copywriter or business owner's arsenal. My past and present copywriting mentees KNOW this!

Like copywriter Brian Czekanski, who went from doing $250 Upwork copy jobs to booking $7-10k copywriting projects with high-quality clients in less than a year. He has this to say...

"Kim has given me a complete understanding of how to get into the head of the audience I’m writing to. She has given me a structure that works for me so that I can outline and move quickly to a final draft that converts. It has made a huge difference in how I interact with clients and in the copy that I’m able to produce."

Or like health copywriter Matt Ambrose, who's now working with some of the biggest names in direct response and charging upwards of $10k or more for a single promo...

"Kim has raised my copy game tremendously. This includes guiding me in creating a rock-solid foundation of research before I write, how to dig deeper to find the core emotions that will motivate people to buy and how to edit my copy ruthlessly before hitting ‘Send’."

Nothing can raise your copy "game" to the next level like becoming a Research Beast. And I'm going to show you exactly how to put my proven, six-step process into place so you can accelerate your copywriting success... whether you're a seasoned copywriter or just starting out!

So let's take a look at everything you get in my Research Beast course to help speed you on your way to KILLING it with your next promo or other copywriting project...

6 in-depth modules that give you my exact process for doing research that leads to sizzling sales copy... 

Here’s an overview of the proven, A-list-level process for doing copywriting research that I’ve used to produce dozens of multi-year, multi-million-dollar controls... and that I teach my copywriting mentees in my high-dollar mentoring mastermind.

I cover ALL of it in the six in-depth training modules you get in my new Research Beast course. It's everything you need to become a "Research Beast" so you can write dangerously good copy and get killer results! Here’s just a glimpse of what you'll discover...  

MODULE #1—Gather the Nuggets:

In this module, I show you how to gather all the initial research "nuggets" available to you like an A-Level Research Beast! (The rest you'll need to dig out on your own. I cover all that in steps two through four.)

You do NOT want to give this step short shrift. By doing the work here, you'll set yourself up for success with the rest of the steps. 

More importantly, you'll ultimately save time when you sit down to write your copy and have it flow out of you far more easily, without "writer's block". And the copy you write will likely be far stronger and higher-converting, too!

I provide a video overview (and word-for-word transcript) of how I approach this crucial first step, as well as a detailed guide that walks you through my process.

In this guide you'll also find some of my best tips for digging up more "nuggets" you can't get from your client... including studies, testimonials and product reviews, credibility boosters for your product or spokesperson... and more!

In addition to the video training and detailed guide to refer to, you'll get TWO invaluable checklists that can help you be far more efficient and effective as you gather those research "nuggets":

  • Checklist #1: The Ultimate Client “Start Kit” Checklist -- This gives you a complete checklist of things you should ask your client for before you begin work. No use duplicating effort if you can simply ask for it and get it! You'll also look more like a professional and avoid all the "back and forth" of asking for items from your client as you need them.
  • Checklist #2: The Ultimate Discovery Call Checklist -- This checklist gives you a list of questions to draw from as you prepare for a kick-off call with your client... and/or a discovery call with your product creator or spokesperson. This helps ensure you don't overlook anything and are able to come fully-prepared to the call. You'll also find six valuable tips for nailing your kick-off and/or discovery call at the end of this checklist.

Both checklists are easily downloadable PDFs you can print off and put to work.

But that's not all. I also include...

  • Where to Get Ideas and Inspiration for Your Copy video, word-for-word transcript, and slide deck -- This eye-opening video and slide deck from a training I did a few years ago shows you where to get ideas and inspiration for your copy. I talk about how to speak to your prospect’s deepest and most urgent desires, and provide proof and credibility so your copy and promise are believable. 
  • I also share some of my favorite tactics for what I do during the research phase of each copywriting project I take on that you can apply for your copy or business. Once you go through these checklists and videos, you'll be in good shape to move on to the next step...

MODULE #2—Get Crystal-Clear on Who You’re Writing To:

In this module, I show you how to get inside your prospect or avatar's head and deeply experience what it's like to deal with the problem or pain point your product or service solves for them. But it goes beyond developing empathy for your prospect. 

My Research Beast process gives you a technique I've personally used and teach my copywriting mentees called "The Prism Exercise".

By completing this exercise, you'll develop a vivid picture of your target prospect or avatar's greatest hopes, wishes, fears, and frustrations... and be able to tap into both their emotional side as well as their logical mind with your sales copy.

In the Complete Guide you get as part of this module, I do all of the following:

  • I explain each step of The Prism Exercise so you understand exactly how to pinpoint these deeply-felt emotions and desires associated with your product or the problem it helps solve.
  • I include a list of "steamin' hot emotions" to help you brainstorm and identify those that are the most relevant to your prospect and your product. This is how you'll ratchet up the selling power of your copy.
  • Plus I share some valuable copywriting tips on how to write your copy so you come across as empathetic and like you "know" them (versus sounding like someone who's preaching or lecturing to them).

But that's not all. You also get:

  • The Prism Exercise Template: Here's where you'll find a "clean" version of The Prism Exercise template that you can use to create that clear picture of exactly who you’re writing to... that person you’re having a one-to-one conversation with in your sales copy… who you can visualize responding to every word as it resonates precisely with the emotions, experiences, hopes, dreams, and frustrations they’re feeling right now.
  • Sample Prism Exercises: I've also included real-life examples of Prism Exercise templates that copywriters I’ve worked with or mentored have put together. They’re for a wide range of audiences, products, and services. 
  • "Look Over My Shoulder" Video Training: I've just added a half-hour video where I walk you through from start to finish as I do The Prism Exercise for a sinus supplement product. You'll see me do each step of the exercise and get a crystal-clear view of my avatar in just minutes!

 

Getting this crystal-clear picture of your prospect or avatar is possible when you go through this exercise (and do all the advance preparation and research so you can do so). And it will make things SO much easier for you as you move forward with your writing!

Now, let's move on to the next crucial step in my Research Beast process...

MODULE #3—Dig Out What’s Special About Your Product:

Here's where the rubber meets the road! In this module, I show you how to roll up your sleeves and REALLY dig deep into what's special or unique about your product.

We'll go beyond the usual "two-step" features and benefits exercise to using a 5-step features and benefits exercise. Why those 3 extra steps?

Because it gives you far more insights, proof points, and copy fodder you can use later on to convince your prospect to buy--both intellectually and emotionally.

Just wait until you go through this crucial step of the Research Beast process... you'll be amazed at what comes out of it!

In the Complete Guide you get as part of this third module, I do all of the following:

  • I start with revealing the 5-step exercise that brings your product's benefits to life...and helps you masterfully connect them with your prospect's most powerful, response-boosting emotions.
  • I go DEEP into each of these five steps and include plenty of examples along the way. I'm even going to show you some actual promo examples of how the insights and copy produced from doing this exercise were used in high-converting, sizzling-hot sales copy.
  • I also share with you a rare excerpt of an interview I did with the late Clayton Makepeace--one of the greatest direct response copywriters who ever lived--several years ago where we talked about tapping into a prospect's emotional triggers.

But that's not all. You also get:

  • The 5-Step Features & Benefits Exercise Template: Here's where you'll find an overview of each of the five steps of the 5-step Features & Benefits Exercise. I also give you a "clean" template you can use for your own copywriting projects.
  • Sample 5-Step Features & Benefits Exercises: Here I provide feature examples and show you how to flush them out into benefits, dimensionalize them, and tie them to a specific dominant resident emotion. You'll also find some fully-flushed out examples of completed 5-step exercises put together by some of my copywriting mentees for real-life products or services.
  • Titans Xcelerator Breakthrough Advertising Video--The Analysis of Your Product: In this exclusive, hour-long training I did for a Breakthrough Advertising study group within Brian Kurtz's popular mastermind, I do a deep-dive into Gene Schwartz's introductory section about how to analyze your product before you sit down to write. As part of this presentation, I provide a step-by-step training of the 5-step Features & Benefits Exercise. You'll glean tons of insights from this video (and the word-for-word transcript I've provided) and see exactly how to approach this valuable exercise on your own!

Once you go through this 5-step exercise, you'll get much greater clarity on what makes your product superior or unique compared to the competition. It will help you dig out that "hidden gold" that's buried in your product (no matter how ordinary it may seem). This is essential to being able to complete the next step in my Research Beast process.

Even better, you'll be able to tie your most important feature's and benefit's back to your target prospect or avatar's biggest hopes, dreams, fears, and desires. You may even end up with actual COPY you can use in your promo, giving you a jump start on beating any "blank page blues".

So let's move on to the fourth crucial step in my Research Beast process...

MODULE #4—Find the Unique Mechanism:

In today’s competitive advertising world, having a powerful unique mechanism is more important than ever.

Chances are at least 90% of the time you write copy, it’s for products or services that are in more mature, competitive markets.

That means the prospect you’re targeting has seen many other others come before you…making similar promises.

It’s likely those same prospects have tried many others before yours…and in many cases, haven’t been fully satisfied with the results… or worse, found they failed to live up to their promises.

That's where your unique mechanism comes into play.

The unique mechanism is that differentiator that lets the most jaded prospects believe YOUR product or service will work for them when others before them failed.

While in some cases your “shiny object”-obsessed prospect may just be looking for whatever the newest thing is, most of the time they simply have a deeply felt, yet unmet need that they keep looking to satisfy.

How will you convince them to believe YOUR product or service will work for them... and be the one they decide to buy?

In the Complete Guide you get as part of this fourth module, you'll discover all of the following:

  • How to identify the unique mechanism that brings your product's benefits to life...and helps you masterfully connect them with your prospect's most powerful, response-boosting emotions.
  • The crucial difference between a unique mechanism and the USP (Unique Selling Proposition). Hint: it ties in directly with the 5-step exercise you'll get in Module #3.
  • Why having a unique mechanism is so important (and when it's not!) Here's how to determine in advance whether your headline or claims will attract your target prospect... or fall on deaf ears.
  • The 3 questions you MUST answer with your research before going any further. This filtering-out process lets you take your Prism Exercise and 5-Step Exercise and use them to shape the most powerful and effective messaging strategy and "big idea".
  • How to use the "strategy of pre-eminence" in your copy to differentiate your product... even if it's so similar to your competition, it's practically a commodity.
  • The insatiably curious research approach I used to write one of my first promos... and how it resulted in a big winner! (Plus a promo excerpt and breakdown of how I unearthed and dimensionalized each differentiating feature.)
  • How to do effective competitive research without going down endless "rabbit holes". My best tips for gaining a true picture of your most fierce competitors... and knowing how much is enough.
  • Four questions that help you determine your prospect's stage of market awareness. The answers will help you zero in on and call out to your most likely-to-buy prospects.
  • The five stages of market sophistication and (most importantly) how to choose which one to write for. This is crucial for deciding the approach you'll take with your headline and "big idea". I explain each one plus provide examples (including some from my own promos... you'll discover why so many of my most successful promos were written for a certain stage!)

But that's not all. You also get:

  • Titans Xcelerator Breakthrough Advertising Video and Slide Deck--Training on Market Sophistication: In this nearly 90-minute training I did for a Breakthrough Advertising study group within Brian Kurtz's popular mastermind, I go deep into Gene Schwartz's five stages of market sophistication. I also provide "modern-day" promo examples focusing on 3rd and 4th stage headlines and "big ideas" and demonstrate how they utilize a unique mechanism within them. The group also submitted several promos where we discuss which stage of market sophistication they represent. This video training, slide deck, and word-for-word transcript will be invaluable for you to refer back to again and again... and especially before you sit down to write your next promo!
  • "Steal Our Winners" Interview with internet marketing legend Rich Schefren--Making an Extra $50k in Royalties from a Single Email: In this exclusive interview for members of Rich's mastermind group, I reveal how you can dramatically boost the revenue generated by an already successful sales page simply by testing a new, 1-page email. Not only that, this stealthy tactic helped me net an extra $50,000 in royalties from one of my sales page controls... and it's still boosting sales and royalties more than a year and a half later. In this eye-opening video and word-for-word transcript, you'll get the full story on how I uncovered this "buried" angle backed by unassailable proof, and used it to boost revenue from an already highly-successful sales page by more than $1 million (and counting!) Plus you also get an Action Guide that summarizes the tips and tactics from this interview so you can apply them to your next promo!

Here's what else you get to help you NAIL your next

promo and make it a huge winner...

Now, as you may have guessed, there are two more steps to my six-step Research Beast process that I get into in my course. I'm not going to get into all the details here... but I will give you a glimpse of what else you'll discover once you get your hands on this A-list-level training.

For starters, you'll find out the crucial step that most copywriters give short shrift to--or skip completely--that can lead to coming up with that killer "big idea" that allows your promo to stand out (and makes it much easier to write!)

I'll share with you tips for getting the MOST out of this step... and show you how to use it allow your brain to connections that you never would have come up with otherwise!

But that's not all... I saved the most important part for last. You see, the whole point of going through my six-step Research Beast process is to lay the groundwork for writing a promo that completely NAILS who you're writing to... allows you to call them out and make them feel like you KNOW them...

...provides unassailable proof that convinces them that YOUR product can uniquely solve their problem... and crystallizes and distills this knowledge into a compelling and engaging "big idea"...

And I show you exactly how to do ALL of it!

Plus you get to hear some of top A-Lister Dan Ferrari's best tactics, too...

In this crucial sixth step, you'll pull together all of your best insights, proof points, unique mechanisms, and analysis of the market and come up with your "big idea" (or, as is often the case, multiple big ideas).

That's why as part of this last module, I include a nearly hour-long video (plus transcript) from my exclusive mentoring group training where I had top A-List copywriter and offer owner Dan Ferrari... often referred to as the "bearded genius"... as a special guest.

During this call, I picked Dan's brain clean about his own process for doing research and coming up with a killer "big idea". He revealed several of his personal tactics (many of them aren't the "usual" techniques you hear about... and they're all waiting for you in this no-holds-barred video and word-for-word transcript.

Here's just a glimpse of what you'll discover...

  • Dan's own "cheat code" to successful copywriting. While a big part of it is research, it's also crucial to add this extra step many lazy copywriters and marketers ignore. It's part of the reason why he's able to profitably scale his offers using the same promo copy for years!  
  • The overlooked avatar trait that Dan likes to zero in on... and how he finds the right angle that speaks to it (and THEN finds the proof he needs to support it!)
  • What you really should spend your free time reading. Fiction? Non-fiction? Here's Dan's own litmus test for choosing what to read for pleasure... plus how it led to a "big idea" he used to create a multi-year, multi-million-dollar control!
  • How to use "proof stacking" to build trust and belief. Make sure you insert your proof or credibility elements each time you do THIS in your copy.  
  • Best way to introduce a new mechanism. Here's how to know how much to reveal and at what point... and when you've gone too far by giving away too much!  
  • Dan's high-value positioning secret. Primes your prospect to pay a higher price than they normally would. Simply do this one thing early in your copy.  
  • How to make whatever "big idea" or story you lead with feel more REAL. This easy-to-use stealth tactic keeps your prospect engaged and reading from start to finish!  
  • The "boxer" secret that keeps your prospect right where you want them. Just make sure you always do THIS at key points in your copy.
  • Why you may need to overcome objections and skepticism even with a Harvard study. This dimensionalizing tactic does the trick!    
  • And much more!

Not only will you discover these "insider" tactics for researching and writing copy at a much higher level, you'll also get to hear Dan and I break down his highly-successful Genesis anti-aging supplement promo and put it under the microscope.

You'll get to watch as two top A-Listers pick apart the headline, lead copy, claims, word choices, graphics, close copy, and yes... even photo captions (they're much more important than you may think) used throughout Dan's promo.

Plus Dan also breaks down a second, not-as-well-known but successful test version of his Genesis promo and talks about where he got the "big idea" for it.

The insights you'll gain from these two breakdowns are like a "master class" in copywriting as well as research. You'll find yourself going back to them... and this video... again and again!

But you're not done yet. That's because once you come up with this "big idea" (or multiple "big idea" candidates), you'll want to summarize them in a Copy Platform that you may want to use to present to your client before writing... PLUS an outline or "blueprint" for your promo that will allow you to organize all of these valuable "copy points" you've dug up in your research.

Once you get "buy-in" from your client on your Copy Platform and outline--or feel that you've polished it to perfection on your own, it's "Go Time" from here. You'll be able to jump in and start writing your promo--whether it's a sales page, VSL, email campaign, microsite, Facebook ad, press release, or whatever type of copy you're writing.

You'll even have a lot of copy you've already come up with as a result of my six-step Research Beast process. So you won't be staring at the computer screen, unable to get started... or gripped with anxiety about "getting behind schedule" because you keep putting things off.

Instead, you'll start filling in all the blanks in your copy outline "blueprint"... starting with those tons of copy points and research "nuggets" you've already come up with. And you'll have a roadmap for everything else you need to write from there.

Sure, you may want to dig a bit deeper into something else you discover as you write your promo--it's an organic process. But you won't be stuck spinning your wheels like a Mini Cooper in a snowdrift, helplessly surfing the web and panicking all at once.

Once you become a Research Beast, you'll approach each copywriting project being able to...

  • Start off each project diving confidently into your research process and save hours (or even days) of precious time haplessly searching the Internet only to come up short...
  • Know exactly where to find great ideas and proof for your copy or promo. Instead of sounding like everyone else's copy, you'll be able to come up with unassailable proof and unique hooks and angles that stand out from the sea of competition...
  • Masterfully push all the right buttons that make prospects want to buy by ensuring every word of copy packs as much emotional power as possible to tap into a specific frustration, fear, belief, or worry that you've identified your target prospect has...  
  • Uncover the crucial differentiator--that "unique mechanism"--in your product. You'll be able to convince even the most jaded and skeptical prospects that your solution will work for them where others before them have failed, and gain an unstoppable edge in your market!  
  • Prove to your clients how smart they were to hire you because you approach your projects like a pro, make their lives far easier (with far less "back and forth"), and turn in copy that doesn't just "sing", but hits all the high notes (and makes them want to sign you up right away for another project)... 
  • Get better results from your copy because you're speaking to your prospect's deepest wants and emotions and showcasing your solution in a superior way, making you a hero to your clients (and able to charge more) or allowing you to scale your offers to new heights, and...
  • Turn projects around more quickly because you now have a proven process for knowing who you're writing to, digging out what's special about your product, and coming up with a killer "big idea"... so you can fit in more projects (and earn more), or enjoy more free time to do what you want!

So you may be wondering now, "How much is this going to cost me?" (Spoiler alert: Less than you may think!)

When you think about how important research is to creating a successful promo that can put you on the "map" as a copywriter... make your dream clients start chasing you down... allow you to negotiate higher fees and even royalty or revenue share deals... or enable you to grow your own business to new heights or win that big promotion at work you've been vying for...

I mean, there's good reason why the likes of Gary Bencivenga... along with legends who are no longer with us like Gene Schwartz, Clayton Makepeace, and Claude Hopkins... considered research that elusive "X-factor" that sets superstar copywriters apart from the "also-rans"...

It's also why today's top working copywriters routinely spend at least half of their time on research, and use many of the same techniques and tactics I reveal in my Research Beast course...

So you can see the value of having an efficient, proven, six-step process put together and used by a seasoned A-List copywriter who's racked up dozens of controls in the most competitive niches around, beating legends like Parris Lampropoulus and the late Jim Rutz (twice!)

It's why you might expect to pay upwards of $1,500 or more (like some research courses on the market cost)… and despite that high price tag, you may rightly feel it'd be a smart investment.

However, when you get my new Research Beast course, you're not going to pay $1,500...

You're not going to pay $997, either (which is what most everyone who did a "test drive" before I released this course thought should be the bare minimum I charge for it...)

No, while I may be raising the price of this A-List-level training in the near future, right now you can get full access to everything Research Beast offers you for just $697... a fraction of the value I know it can bring you in terms of better copy results (and better, higher-paying clients!)

(You can also choose to make two monthly payments of just $379, but I'm not sure how long I'll be offering this two-payment option.)

At just $697, that's less than I charge for one hour of my coaching or consulting time... and a fraction of what my Fast Track to A-List mentees pay me to learn first-hand all of my best research and copywriting secrets.

But you'll be getting full access to the same exercises, tools, templates, examples,transcripts, and even some of the training that I've done with my mentees or with members of the Titans Xcelerator mastermind... and more importantly, the same six-step process I use when I do my own copywriting research!

Yes, the same Research Beast process that's helped me rack up all those controls I showed you earlier... some of which have been "unbeatable" controls for as long as 11 years (and counting!)

GET RESEARCH BEAST NOW!

Get your hands on my efficient, proven, A-List-level process and get ready to become a Research Beast!

This is a rare opportunity to get an efficient, proven, A-List-level process you can use to come up with better "big ideas", save hours of time, turn projects around more quickly, and dramatically improve your copywriting results.

I'm giving you all the tools, templates, techniques, checklists, and examples I personally use myself and train other copywriters on how to use.

Everything's available to you right away and organized by each step in my six-step process. So you can go directly to whichever step you're on, review my training, and see examples to help stimulate ideas or help you out if you get "stuck".

Because everything is delivered digitally or as downloadable PDFs, there are no refunds. So make sure you're ready to dive into and benefit from this A-list-level research training before you get it! (I'm confident you'll be glad you did.)

It's all waiting for you. In just a few hours you can become a Research Beast and never fear doing research again... feel confident about the copy drafts you turn in to clients... banish the "blank page blues" because you'll already have a jumpstart on your copy and the rest will more easily flow out of you...

All for an affordable investment that's sure to more than pay for itself just in the turnaround time it saves you on your next project alone!

But the more you go back and use my Research Beast process to write stronger, higher-converting copy faster and more easily, the greater the returns you'll likely see as you make it your own "secret weapon" for writing copy.

I hope you won't pass this rare opportunity up. I've seen for myself what a game-changer it can be for my copywriting mentees and others I've trained... it could truly be a game-changer for you, too!

Yours for smarter marketing,

Kim

P.S. Testimonials from other copywriters and offer owners who've given my Research Beast course a test-drive are already pouring in. Here's just a brief sampling...

"There's GOLD in here!"

"A lot of copywriting programs have a module on how to do research. Kim has gone way beyond and created an entire course about it... and if you're familiar with her work, then you know she's damn good at it. There's gold in here! Along with the videos, Kim's got surveys, checklists, templates, and tons of real examples for you to use and refer to. Just looking at some of the completed Prism exercises got my wheels turning. Every writer knows research can be tedious and boring, but it's absolutely critical. Research Beast makes it easier and more fun... maybe even something you'll look forward to doing. I know this is going to help with my next project and can't wait to start digging into the exercises!"

--Candice Lazar, Copywriter & Marketing Consultant

The "Holy Grail" for copywriters!

"The copywriter who does the best research, wins. With Kim's Research Beast course, you've got

one of the greatest copywriters on the planet guiding you through her winning process from start to finish. Everything's laid out on a plate. This is helping me write better copy, faster... which is kind of

the 'Holy Grail' for a copywriter!"

--Cain Smith, Copywriter

"Makes the writing process so much quicker and easier!"

"Thanks to Research Beast, there's no more wasting hours chasing down research rabbit holes!  Not only did Kim's class show me exactly what information I need to write winning copy, it also told me exactly where to look and what to ask. I now know how to plan my client kick-off call to get a head start on research, and I have a system for keeping track of all the information I unearth - instead of thumbing frantically through scribbled notes. Even better - having all these nuggets of info close to hand makes the writing process so much quicker and easier, and what I write sounds more compelling than ever. Kim's Research Beast is a concise and precise system that covers all bases when it comes to research. I'll never have to wonder whether I've spent too little or too much time researching again. Pure gold!"

--Elle Kwan, Head Copy Chef, No Waffle Copy

Lets you "pound out great, sales-generating copy!"

"All the top copywriters know: Great copy begins with great research. Research Beast gives you everything you need to conduct great research -- with maximum efficiency and focus -- so you can pound out great, sales-generating copy with ease. Clear instructions. Insider tips that you can only get from an A-list copywriter like Kim. And powerful examples. This is a fantastic package that is worth every penny. My only suggestion for Kim: Raise the price. It's worth it." 

--Tom Ruwitch, Founder, Story Power Marketing

"Your #1 secret weapon for writing A-List copy!"

"I'm blown away by what Kim teaches in Research Beast. As soon as I logged into the program, I realized my usual research just scratched the surface of what is possible. Since learning Kim's research methods, I feel like I'm a 'market psychic'. I'm already using it to write faster, convert more sales, and even attract higher-paying clients. This course is your #1 secret weapon for writing A-List copy!"

--Jody Robertson, Copywriter

"A step-by-step approach that leads to fantastic copy!"

"Research Beast is awesome! It helps you define your market, gives you examples of control promos, and more. Most important, it gives you a step-by-step approach that leads to fantastic copy that kills the competition. Thank you so much, Kim, for putting this together. The program has been wonderful! I know it will help me with my copy and many other great things for my business."

--Sonny Tran, President, Sunsource Financial, Inc.

The competitive edge you need more than ever!

"Research is often the part of copywriting that gets short shrift, especially when there’s a time crunch. Kim’s training makes a great case for why copywriters should give this crucial step a lot more of their time. Her course goes well beyond the typical Google searches and testimonial collection. Before Research Beast, I had no idea how much time and work I could save by building a comprehensive 'start kit' at the beginning of a project. And the Prism exercise challenged me to dig more deeply than ever into the hopes, fears, and experiences of my product’s avatar and identify what truly motivates them — all of which makes teasing out the right unique mechanism that much easier. If you want to gain an edge in a copywriting field that’s getting more competitive by the day, Research Beast will give it to you!"

--Carolyn Gretton, Copywriter

Don’t miss this chance to see what my proven, six-step Research Beast process can do to catapult the selling power of YOUR copy...

Plus save you hours of time, let you turn projects around more quickly (or enjoy more free time), and actually make research and writing copy more FUN, without spinning your wheels or going down endless "rabbit holes".

If you write copy for a living—or you have your own offer or business or oversee any kind of copy on a regular basis—I know you’ll find my six-step Research Beast process insanely valuable! 

ORDER RESEARCH BEAST NOW AND START WRITING MORE SUCCESSFUL COPY FASTER AND MORE EASILY!

[ ] YES! I want to put a proven, efficient, A-List-level research process to work so I can write more successful, higher-converting copy faster and more easily... and accelerate my copywriting success!

Please give me full, unlimited access to Kim’s Research Beast course for just $697 or two payments of only $379 each. I understand I'll be able to start using all of the training, videos, guides, templates, checklists, and examples that are included as soon as I sign up. 

KIM KRAUSE SCHWALM was always a marketer who could write copy. She spent more than 13 years in the corporate world in various marketing positions—from Brand Manager to Publisher to launching and running the Healthy Directions supplement business and growing it to more than $23 million in sales within 3 years—before she started her freelance copywriting career in 1998.  

Now more than two decades later, Kim has built a reputation as one of the top A-level direct response copywriters in the country. She's racked up dozens of successful direct mail and online controls, beating legendary copywriters and becoming the first female copywriter to get Boardroom control. 

Kim writes winning copy and creates breakthrough marketing strategies for leading companies such as Soundview, Bottom Line, Agora, Green Valley Natural Solutions, and many others both in the United States and from England to Germany to Singapore. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Statistics from Miami University in Ohio, and earned her MBA in Marketing from Loyola University Maryland. Kim credits her creative and analytical mind and marketing know-how for giving her a must-needed edge in today’s increasingly competitive copywriting world—and wants to help others gain the same “marketing- savvy” advantage. She’s one of the few top-level copywriting veterans who’s still writing copy for clients…while being willing to share her success secrets to help up-and-coming copywriters go from “good” to “great”.  

What People Are Saying About Kim Krause Schwalm...

 One of the top copywriters on the planet! “Kim is one of the top copywriters on the planet, and I don’t think anyone in her world would disagree with that. She has beaten controls by the best-of-the-best—including guys like Jim Rutz which, if you know who he is, you know that’s no small feat. If you ever get the chance to learn from her or work with her, you’d be foolish to pass it up.” 

—Ben Settle, Email copywriting expert 

 One of the hottest copywriters alive! “Kim Krause Schwalm is one of the hottest copywriters alive. She has had many red-hot controls—both in the health and wealth fields—and her insights are money in the bank...”  

—Superstar copywriter Clayton Makepeace 

 She’s the real deal! “I get so sick of people on the internet pretending to be copywriting gurus without one iota of major-league experience. They drive me crazy. But Kim is someone who has worked at the highest levels of this business, competed against the very best copywriters in the world, and proved herself to be a winner again and again. Kim’s event was fantastic!”  

—Richard Armstrong, A-List Copywriter and Author 

 My highest recommendation! “I've been writing copy for my own businesses and for a handful of clients for almost a quarter of a century. And I've learned a thing or two about what it takes to be a top copywriter. And ‘what it takes’ is something that very, VERY few people have. That's why you can count the A-listers on just two hands. Kim Krause Schwalm is one of those very, VERY few people. If you're lucky enough to get her attention...get her interested in your project... and IF you can get on her calendar...you would be insane to not hire her. She has my highest recommendation.”  

 —Doberman Dan, Copywriter, Author, and Serial Entrepreneur

 Beats controls left and right! “There are a handful of copywriters who have been consistent, reliable and incredibly versatile during my 35+ year career in direct response marketing...and Kim Krause Schwalm is in that elite group. Kim continues to beat controls left and right for a wide variety of marketers, online and offline...Kim always writes copy that grabs the audience's attention; and because of her extensive background in marketing and not just copywriting, she understands all of the nuances of direct response. And she is a delight to work with. Every copywriter should follow Kim's lead in paying as much attention to every aspect of a project...front end, back end, and everything in-between. And if that was the case, we'd have many more world class copywriters.”  

—Brian Kurtz, Titans Marketing LLC 

 An absolutely top-level writer! "Kim works with the best clients out there (I know, because some of them are my clients as well!) She is one of the very few writers I recommend when someone is looking for--and can afford--an absolutely top-level writer."  

—David Deutsch, Top A-Level Copywriter 

GET RESEARCH BEAST NOW!

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