Interview with Karon Thackston
Online Copywriting 101
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Hi Karon, I am a big fan of the website and services both you and Christine Cobb provide. How did you and Christine decide to come up with the idea to start www.onlinecopywriting101.com?
Christine and I met at an event called Novice to Advanced Marketing System (NAMS). This is an online community as well as an annual event in Atlanta, GA. She approached me about doing a joint venture together so we could teach the basics of online copywriting (thus the OnlineCopywriting101 name). We started back in 2010 and have been going strong ever since creating new products that would help website owners and copywriters develop better skills for writing compelling online copy.
With your business being all about learning to write short copy / copy writing via the website www.onlinecopywriting101.com, can you therefore advise my readers, why should they choose yourselves?
There are 3 main reasons:
1. Simple copywriting training that is easy to understand. We don't purposely overcomplicate processes or add a bunch of fluff just to make our products appear to be longer or bigger. We believe in keeping training simple and quick so you don't have to spend a ton of time learning before being able to implement your new skills.
2. VERY affordable prices. Some sites charge an enormous fee for their training. Not us. Your readers will be pleasantly surprised.
3. Learn from the best in the business. The products available on OnlineCopywriting101.com were created by some of the most notable and successful people on the 'Net. Your readers will learn from the best!
Are you surprised by how successful the website has been in such a short time, or did you both expect it to be like it has?
We pretty much expected success right off the bat because of the 3 things I mentioned above. We have some excellent copywriting training at very reasonable rates from first-rate pros. We knew the combination would be a big hit and we haven't been disappointed.
Every year we add new products and we are always pleased at the response from customers.
Where do you expect the company to be in the next 12 months?
We're geared up to add 2 or 3 new products in the next 12 months. In addition, we'll be doing live training at the NAMS event this August if anyone wants to attend. We'll also be on the lookout for joint venture partners for new products as well as new affiliates to help us promote.
On a personal level Karon, can you allow me a breakdown of your work experience?
I have been in love with advertising since I was six years old. I remember watching Saturday morning cartoons and seeing the Frito Bandito on the screen (that ought to “date” me). I looked up at my mom and exclaimed, “I want to do THAT!”
It was fascinating to me that the way words were used, the way particular images were shown or where a logo was placed in an ad would decrease or improve its performance. The whole advertising process was exciting and I literally fell in love with it!
Since that time I have spent my business life in pursuit of advertising as a whole. I obtained my college degree in Marketing. Every job I have held in the corporate world – from newspapers to radio stations to ad agencies – has allowed me to learn more and more about the process of advertising copywriting.
Years ago, I began to study the Myers-Briggs outline of behaviors and eventually graduated from a DISC Behavioral Model course. Once again… the ways in which people respond to various words, actions, colors or attitudes had me in awe. As I began to incorporate those new bits of knowledge into my copywriting, I found it was working better and better.
I launched my copywriting services company, Marketing Words, in 1999, and have seen explosive growth over the last 15+ years. I love what I do and I think that shows in the copy my team and I produce for our clients.
I know that Online Copywriting 101 has several courses on copywriting. Which would you say is the best one for anyone to start with, and why?
It depends on what type(s) of copywriting your readers want to learn. In general, I'd say to start with the Gold Package. It has a little bit of everything. That can be purchased as a whole (best value) or you can get the individual sessions. That will give a good overview. Then, if someone has a particular interest in email copywriting or SEO copywriting, we also have specialized courses about that.
Do you get chance to read much yourself, such as business books or fiction
books? If so, what have you read recently, any good?
One of my all-time favorite business books is Fascinate by Sally Hogshead. Another is Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely. Neither is specifically about copywriting, but rather about how humans behave/react to certain things. Consumer behavior is just captivating to me!
Thanks for the opportunity to ask you these questions, and I wish you continued success with www.onlinecopywriting101.com.
Thank you, Carl! I appreciate your interest and your questions.
Karon
Christine and I met at an event called Novice to Advanced Marketing System (NAMS). This is an online community as well as an annual event in Atlanta, GA. She approached me about doing a joint venture together so we could teach the basics of online copywriting (thus the OnlineCopywriting101 name). We started back in 2010 and have been going strong ever since creating new products that would help website owners and copywriters develop better skills for writing compelling online copy.
With your business being all about learning to write short copy / copy writing via the website www.onlinecopywriting101.com, can you therefore advise my readers, why should they choose yourselves?
There are 3 main reasons:
1. Simple copywriting training that is easy to understand. We don't purposely overcomplicate processes or add a bunch of fluff just to make our products appear to be longer or bigger. We believe in keeping training simple and quick so you don't have to spend a ton of time learning before being able to implement your new skills.
2. VERY affordable prices. Some sites charge an enormous fee for their training. Not us. Your readers will be pleasantly surprised.
3. Learn from the best in the business. The products available on OnlineCopywriting101.com were created by some of the most notable and successful people on the 'Net. Your readers will learn from the best!
Are you surprised by how successful the website has been in such a short time, or did you both expect it to be like it has?
We pretty much expected success right off the bat because of the 3 things I mentioned above. We have some excellent copywriting training at very reasonable rates from first-rate pros. We knew the combination would be a big hit and we haven't been disappointed.
Every year we add new products and we are always pleased at the response from customers.
Where do you expect the company to be in the next 12 months?
We're geared up to add 2 or 3 new products in the next 12 months. In addition, we'll be doing live training at the NAMS event this August if anyone wants to attend. We'll also be on the lookout for joint venture partners for new products as well as new affiliates to help us promote.
On a personal level Karon, can you allow me a breakdown of your work experience?
I have been in love with advertising since I was six years old. I remember watching Saturday morning cartoons and seeing the Frito Bandito on the screen (that ought to “date” me). I looked up at my mom and exclaimed, “I want to do THAT!”
It was fascinating to me that the way words were used, the way particular images were shown or where a logo was placed in an ad would decrease or improve its performance. The whole advertising process was exciting and I literally fell in love with it!
Since that time I have spent my business life in pursuit of advertising as a whole. I obtained my college degree in Marketing. Every job I have held in the corporate world – from newspapers to radio stations to ad agencies – has allowed me to learn more and more about the process of advertising copywriting.
Years ago, I began to study the Myers-Briggs outline of behaviors and eventually graduated from a DISC Behavioral Model course. Once again… the ways in which people respond to various words, actions, colors or attitudes had me in awe. As I began to incorporate those new bits of knowledge into my copywriting, I found it was working better and better.
I launched my copywriting services company, Marketing Words, in 1999, and have seen explosive growth over the last 15+ years. I love what I do and I think that shows in the copy my team and I produce for our clients.
I know that Online Copywriting 101 has several courses on copywriting. Which would you say is the best one for anyone to start with, and why?
It depends on what type(s) of copywriting your readers want to learn. In general, I'd say to start with the Gold Package. It has a little bit of everything. That can be purchased as a whole (best value) or you can get the individual sessions. That will give a good overview. Then, if someone has a particular interest in email copywriting or SEO copywriting, we also have specialized courses about that.
Do you get chance to read much yourself, such as business books or fiction
books? If so, what have you read recently, any good?
One of my all-time favorite business books is Fascinate by Sally Hogshead. Another is Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely. Neither is specifically about copywriting, but rather about how humans behave/react to certain things. Consumer behavior is just captivating to me!
Thanks for the opportunity to ask you these questions, and I wish you continued success with www.onlinecopywriting101.com.
Thank you, Carl! I appreciate your interest and your questions.
Karon
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