Preamble: In response to some excellent rebuttals as well as countless comments I’ve received on my previous post, “The Real Sinister Side of Forced Continuity,” I believe some people are missing the point of my argument, and I want to clarify a few things.

I’m not a lawyer by any stretch. But as a copywriter and business owner, I do know the rules enough to know that there’s a difference between “optional continuity,” “forced continuity,” and “hidden continuity.”

Optional continuity is self-explanatory. Forced continuity is a very common marketing practice (I’m not a fan of it, but I don’t mind it). In fact, there’s nothing wrong with forced continuity in and of itself.

What’s wrong is when it’s used in a wrong way.

The real problem, I believe, is that good marketers, including marketers using “forced continuity” in an ethical and legitimate way, are getting a bad reputation because some marketers unscrupulously misuse forced continuity.

The lack of transparency is the real culprit — such as hiding it or disguising it. Especially when it’s done on purpose. That annoys me. Because it’s no longer an issue of misuse. It’s out-and-out abuse.

But what bothers me more is how it affects us all. And it affects us all, both customers and marketers alike, in more ways than you think.

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I know Paul Hancox.

Paul is a fanatical tester. He’s also an excellent copywriter.

But what you may not know is that Paul is also the creator of the very first split-testing software I’ve ever used. We’re talking, um, circa 1999, I believe. It was called “Sales Page Master Pro.” (Paul has a new version out now.)

Well, another copywriter, Paul Myers, recommended this new “report” written by Paul Hancox. I snatched it up in a heartbeat. I did because the simple title piqued my curiosity. In it you discover how to raise the conversion rate of any piece of online copy you write.

Not to 2% or 3%. Not even to 5%.

It shows you how to boost your conversion rate…

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My last post, where a disgruntled copywriter demanded “the truth” about creating wealth in copywriting, inspired copywriter Andrew Cavanagh to share the story of his beginnings on my forum:

“Here’s how I made my first ‘money’ in copywriting.”

Then one by one, other copywriters started adding their own. The responses were nothing short of amazing!

Many of the stories show that there’s indeed hope. They also show that we were all struggling copywriters once, too. And we didn’t all become overnight millionaires with million-dollar clients, as “Chuck,” the disillusioned copywriter, postulated.

I loved it so much that I posted my own story. I’ve decided to share it with you here. (By the way, the picture at the top is of me, circa 1991. A lot thinner, with glasses, and a lot more hair!) Anyway, here is my story…

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A disgruntled copywriter wrote me demanding clarifications. He believes most copywriters lie and exaggerate their claims of wealth. Let’s call him “Chuck.”

I understand where Chuck is coming from. Because I’ve been where he is. So I responded, not because I wanted to acquiesce to his demands but because I wanted to give him hope, ideas, and, dare I say it, a million-dollar education.

He says he will be asking other copywriters the same question, and even threatened (although, that may be too harsh of a word) to publish my reply.

For all I know, this copywriter may be gathering information to create his own product. Who knows? (If he is, I must say that his strategy is brilliant. And if he does create a product out of this, good for him!)

I’m reprinting the conversation here since I believe it will help a lot of other struggling copywriters out there. Also, I’m opening myself a little more than usual. I guess you can say that I’m exposing the real “Michel Fortin.”

My answer might surprise you…

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In my coaching program, a student who is an upcoming copywriter recently asked where he could find clients willing to pay higher rates for his skills.

Having built a client base through networking on Internet forums geared towards start-up business owners, he now wanted to find opportunities that would allow for upward mobility within his craft.

This is a common scenario, because start-up businesses are easy to find and provide plenty of opportunities to practice your emerging copywriting skills.

I talked about three tips for aspiring copywriters in the past. I recommend any new copywriter to follow these three tips to build a track record and get to a level that makes them appealing to higher-paying clients.

After your skills are developed, however, it becomes necessary to seek out clients — better, more lucrative clients — who are established enough to pay a fair wage for your skills and, above all, your results.

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Last week was incredibly exhausting, to say the least.

(Stick around, because I will soon show you how you benefit from our unbelievable “flight-from-hell”.)

On our way to California to speak, we left a day early so that we can have an extra day to work on our presentation before the seminar starts.

We had a layover in Chicago, and our plane was delayed due to mechanical problems. Obviously, we missed our connecting flight to California.

Luckily, the Chicago Airport Hilton was nearby. So we stayed there overnight. Our luggage was still checked, which is fine. Hilton provided emergency supplies, such as toothbrushes and such, to keep us going in the meantime.

We then left for California the next morning.

Everything went well. The seminar was great. But when we left early Monday morning, an incredible series of events followed that seemed to be nothing short of a scene from a Tom Hanks’ movie.

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Just an update on things.

I’m typing this from my hotel room in Anaheim, California, where my wife and I are speaking at a seminar. My Internet connection is shoddy and intermittent, so I can’t do much right now. Even typing this blog post feels like pulling teeth.

To my coaching students, I will be answering your emails once I return to my office, or this weekend if I have a chance and the connection improves.

I will be back early next week, posting an explosive new article on how to double or even triple your profits using an amazing twist on something we already do as copywriters and business owners.

In the meantime, glide on over to my new site, Copywriters Library, where I have over 6 hours of audio interviews with master copywriters Gary Halbert and John Carlton, and 2 of my complete books reprinted free for you.