John Carlton's
Simple Writing System Express Course
Lesson #1 - The Bar Conversation

Was the SWS a life-changing experience? You better believe it!

Unlike some students in my SWS class, I was not an experienced marketer or sales copywriter. I had written three or four websites, but the two existing ones were not converting and I was at a loss as to how to make them generate income. I wrote good articles, judging by the comments and emails we received, and we had created a useful product, but we weren’t selling.

As I worked through the lessons of the SWS, with John’s probing guidance, all that changed. I learned about the different elements that have to be part of a sales message – long or short – and my writing style began to change. I began to choose words differently and work harder to find compelling language.

More importantly, my thinking changed. I began to think like a marketer who is communicating valuable information to persuade my prospect into buying, instead of an ignoramus blindly hoping to capture a few sales.

John has a saying. "If you have a good product, shame on you if you don’t do everything possible to get it to the people who need it."

That puts a whole different perspective on things, doesn’t it? The SWS makes it clear that it’s your responsibility to reach out to your prospect successfully, and shows you exactly how to do that.

The course is structured in bite-sized steps to lead you through the process of creating an effective sales message, so you have a chance to think through and work with each crucial aspect. At each step, John’s incisive "tough love" feedback showed me where I could improve, when I needed to work harder to really get the lesson, and when I was actually writing well!

I also learned enormously from reading the other students’ posts and the input they received from our coach. The synergy of working in the classroom structure was so powerful, I know it has moved me forward by a quantum leap. My brain is bursting now with new ideas for products and sales messages that I can feature on our sites.

Finally, I understand the process of creating a sales message, so I know what I'm doing instead of fumbling around in the dark, hoping to luck into a good result.

When you are able to rely on tested sales concepts assembled by a pro from his many years of highly-successful copywriting, you have an unfair advantage you won’t find anywhere else. I know... I’ve looked. I've taken courses with some of the most prominent internet marketers and there is nothing with the clarity, simplicity, and focus of the SWS out there. Nothing.

This level of instruction – making the copywriting process 'simple' for the student - can only be achieved by a master writer who has spent years honing his chops to the point where he can teach you exactly how to put your own powerful, dollar-pulling sales message together.

"John promises a lot in the SWS. You get 200%. I don't even know how to calculate the ROI on this one. I am only half way through the course and one specific tactic I've used this week has generated at least $2,000 in passive revenue - and that was the FIRST time I tried it!"

Pure Gold

"I've written pieces that have pulled in millions of dollars. Yet, when I sit down to write copy, I pull out my swipe file of John Carlton's stuff, and study it like my life depended on it. He is one of the few true experts in advertising. Pure gold."

"John has created millions in profit for us. We pitted his ads and letters against big-city ad agencies, PR firms, and writers with lots of awards... and John slaughtered them all. He consistently hits 'home runs' for us -- 20-to-1 return in profit is not unusual. He has saved our butts on several occasions.

"To be honest, even though I have massive respect for John Carlton and everything he does, I was hesitant about signing up because I was afraid I'd be somehow disappointed.

But, after having run the gauntlet I can say... The SWS course was everything I secretly hoped it would be: practical, hands-on, inspiring, challenging, enlightening, thoroughly enjoyable, and definitely profitable.

Thank you SO much for offering this exceptional course, and for making it so convenient to learn copywriting from the best in the biz."

Before the SWS, I THOUGHT my copywriting was pretty dang good...

In reality, my copy was lackluster, WAAAY overwritten, and often sloppy.

The SWS quickly changed all of that.

After 8 intense weeks of John Carlton tearing my copy to shreds, I discovered how to write tight, persuasive copy -- which reads like a fast ride down a roller-coaster -- and finally obliterated the "copy wrecking" head-trash that had been holding me back.

Mentoring under John Carlton has been a total game-changer for me. Behind his grizzled exterior, and tough-lovin' advice, John really gives a damn about ensuring the writers in his SWS make genuine breakthroughs.

If you're serious about kicking up your copy-chops to the next level... faster than you could imagine was even possible... I think you'd be CRAZY not to jump at the chance to work with John in his Simple Writing System.

"SWS is the first course I’ve completed without the fear of 'what to do next'.

I now have a road map to help me write copy that sells.

You know that saying... 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime!'

That to me is the essence of the SWS Coaching Program!"

If you have to pick just one resource for learning copy, The Simple Writing System is it.

I read all the copy books, yet I was still frozen by performance anxiety every time I sat down to write.

Now that I'm better at research and understanding my avatar, writing is so much easier and faster. The research lessons alone were worth the price, because they got me inside the prospect's brain in a way no other book or course was able to.

I appreciate how you guys broke down the entire writing process step by step.

Good writing isn't a fluke, it's a formula. (And I don't mean those B.S. formulas you see out there for how to write a sales page).

The SWS taught me the nuts and bolts of crafting a killer sales argument are deeper than just hooks and headlines. And good luck finding material out there that explains all of this in a way practical and down to earth like it's done in the SWS.

Definitely glad I chose the private coaching option, too. Colin gives the best insights, took the SWS lessons to another level, and gently redirected me when I missed something. At least 80% of the value I got from SWS came from the private coaching. My only regret is that I didn't find you years earlier.

"Two months ago I had little hope of making it in this business. Now, after taking John's specific advice, I'm quitting my day job and doing this full time."

Simple Writing System, and John Carlton's ferocious coaching, has been the best copywriting education investment I've ever made.

Before, I knew of the parts of the sales letter, but didn't know how to make each element sing with persuasion. Now, I know how to dig deeper into the minds of my prospects, how to use empathy, and how to assemble and write a great sales letter.

I'm grateful for the Simple Writing System and John's coaching because I wouldn't have known how to fully execute all these principles on my own. I now have a reliable system I can use again and again to consistently turn out amazing copy. Thank you!

Thanks For Giving Me A Better Life

"Since 2005, your simple writing strategies have earned me and my clients millions. It all began when Eben Pagan shoved a copy of your course into my hands and said "Study every word and then write me some copy!" I was hooked, and got my hands on everything you produced.

My career as a copywriter has flourished since then, because you helped me understand the psychology behind a great sales message. In fact, just last month I booked a project that brought me a fat $15,000 (plus 5% of the gross sales in royalties)... and it took me just one week of work.

The beauty of writing sales copy is that it's not the writing that brings in the money... it's the knowledge of what to write about to get people to buy. And there is no one on earth who knows this -- and can teach it so you "get it" quickly -- better than John Carlton. Thanks, John, for giving me a better life."

Tripled Response!

"You know that new 'hook' you insisted I try in my sales pitch? It TRIPLED response! This translates into several hundred thousand dollars in sales over the coming year. You are on my Christmas gift list for life, dude."

I was a former dead-broke comedian with a few sales letters under my belt when I discovered Carlton's teaching. John's coaching and the SWS are responsible for millions of dollars in revenue to my business. Even more crucial is the CONFIDENCE I gained as a salesman in print. SWS is like injecting persuasion into your brain and feeling it shoot from your fingertips.

"John Carlton's Simple Writing Course truly is an opportunity of a lifetime that will result in that one defining moment that you will look back on for the rest of your life resulting in the breakthrough you have always looked for but didn't know how to find.

If you don't take advantage of this course, you are missing out on one of the most powerful tools anyone can ever acquire - to be applied to almost any goal you wish to attain.

If you let it pass you by, then you will be kicking yourself in the ass for a really long time.

Every promise made exceeds expectations and the over delivery of value is worth many times the price of the course. John's coaches are a "brain trust" unequalled anywhere else in the marketplace.

You will truly be learning from the Masters of the Craft. Learning Copywriting from John Carlton is like learning guitar from Eric Clapton. It is an honor and a privilege to be his student."

We have a top "Daily Deal" site in El Salvador and Guatemala that sells big discount coupons for restaurants, hair salons, mechanics, hotels, etc.

Inspired by what Carlton teaches about "One-Two Punch Bullets" in the SWS, last week we split-test the bullets we've been using on three of our offers.

The results were wild. All 3 resulted in a statistically significant increase in sales.

Argentinian Sausage Sandwiches: 12% increase over the control

Hotel and Spa Day: 28% increase over the control

Weight Loss Treatment: 85% increase over the control

We didn't change anything else. Just the 4-5 bullets near the top of the page.

Goes to show that copy REALLY matters.

"Phenomenal content. Of all the marketing, advertising and copywriting experts I pay attention to, John Carlton is by far the most articulate and passionate and knowledgeable (and funny). I get more value just from your hilarious, ballsy stories alone than from the serious efforts of most other gurus. Man, you've helped my advertising get wicked-good."

[Full Disclosure: Joe has been a trusted colleague for many years.]

Million Dollar Confession

Early in my career, I had the good fortune to discover John Carlton -- and he deserves much of the credit for my success as a freelancer. I hereby confess that many of the ideas behind the million-dollar controls I've written can be directly traced to what I learned or stole from John."

"When John talks about changing your life, he's not kidding around."

"Just before the famous StomperNet launch, everything was in doubt. We cornered John for advice, and in just a few minutes he provided such clarity that the fog melted away... and I was finally able to write the pitch that made Internet marketing history, with record results.

That's twice he's helped me -- long ago, when I was broke, clueless and desperate, I somehow found John's 'Kick Ass' course... and halfway through, a calm confidence came over me. I told my wife that everything was going to be all right, because this really made sense. When John talks about changing your life, he's not kidding around."

[Full Disclosure: We received this quote from Frank before he was "the Frank Kern", the well-known marketing expert. I had yet to meet him when he first bought and read my course. We are now colleagues and recommend each other's materials.]

"John Carlton is a copywriter I would hire, and there are damn few of those. Further, I would pay to be in a room to learn from him, and there are even fewer people on that list."

Before SWS I struggled, rambled and "explained" my unique, and (very) hard-to-describe spirit coaching and healing work.

Now... I know what and how to say (and structure) my message to make readers say 'That sounds amazing...'.

I'm finding that the words and pages I need are just flowing out!

Everyone promises "to crack the code". John (and the great SWS teachers) deliver!

Massive thanks.

Million-Dollar Advice

"John's first critique of my copy was a shock -- I thought I was pretty darned good, but he told me to rip it up and start over from scratch, using his specific advice.

I'm glad I had the sense to listen -- my first year, with John's advice stinging in my ears, I earned over $350,000. And this year, I'm bringing in a cool million."

Disclosure: Harlan's arguably John Carlton's most tenacious and successful student. He's one of the Simple Writing System's top coaches.

"John's input on my website increased my flow of sales leads by 50%. Also, his advice to trash my sales letter and start fresh (with very specific instructions on how to do it) DOUBLED my sales conversion rate! He was right -- this gets exciting, fast."

50% More Orders

My average order is 50% higher (and more) since I adopted your idea. I love your outlook, and your advice cracks me up while bringing in the results."

"In Northern Ireland, bricks and mortar businesses are beginning to realize they need to evolve. So I'm writing their sales and marketing funnels, from opt-in video scripts, free reports, direct response letters, to posts and emails for nurturing campaigns.

Good copy and sales funnels are a whole new concept to almost all of them, which gives me an endless stream of prospects.

At last it's paying off.

The Simple Writing System Coaching (and persistence) has given me the advantage over other copywriters, but I keep cool, and stay modest.

What I've learned from you means I know how to can help clients in almost any industry.

My thanks to you and John."

When I started the SWS Coaching Program, I was a copywriting rookie.

At first look, the 18-steps program layout did not seem all that "simple."

However, once I got into it, I quickly understood why the program is structured the way it is. It made me focus on "one step at a time."

I trusted the system and followed my coach's guidance. Eight weeks later, I graduated with my new "killer" communication and persuasion skills.

Communication is always going to be the skill we use most often. The SWS program taught me the secrets of effective communication. I'll use that every day in business and life.