“Unreal..”

“WTF… Dude!”

That was me exclaiming to nobody in particular besides my morning espresso buddies at a Helsinki coffee shop.

They glanced at me… I shrugged… we all took another sip.

So why the extraneous caffeinated exclamation?

I’d just remembered where this whole journey of marketing and copy started for me.

20 years ago… no way it’s that long… but it is!

20 years ago sharp, I’m pretty sure it was in August of 2005…

Was when I made my first actual money online.

Sure, I’d dabbled in e-commerce in the late 1990s and actually made some money for a health supplement operation I was part owner of, around 1998/1999. Plus made some tiny trickles in affiliate sales, whatever.

However, 2005 was a different ballgame!

It was my very first sales letter, yes generously swiped from the greats but still.
AND it made some good money out of the gate.

Something like 6000 buckaroos over a weekend.
All from a licensed 29 dollar ebook (yeah, not even mine).

At the time it felt like a lot of money, but more than that…
It was proof that hey – maybe I got what it takes to do this!

It was also my first time enlisting affiliates, and I bagged some whales who generated sales for years.

In other words, beginner’s luck… but still, it’s what started it all and it worked out

So What’s Different In Internet Marketing 20 years on?

Well, a lot has changed since then:

• Affiliates no longer run the info business (still important but not the same)
• Nobody codes their own landing pages anymore (and other infra, it’s all systems now)
• Low ticket (ebooks etc.) is looked at strictly the lossless way to start up a funnel that ends with 5 figure coaching (not a business in itself)
• Online gurus are dime a dozen; you have to really dial in your process (yes some names still pull but it’s not the same)
• AI is speeding up every aspect of the business (except a very very chosen few)
• Content is becoming more and more fragmented (TikTok, doom scrolling etc.)

HOWEVER… some things have stayed the same:

• Copy still comes first, even more so (with so much competition, you have to have top tier copy)
• Storytelling is still the way to grab the attention of your market (the formats change but still)
• Unconscious mental and emotional triggers still activate buyer behavior (as long as you know your customer)

These last three is where I’m still quite focused, and doing tremendously well for me and my clients.

And yes, there is a fair bit of tech wrangling, AI processes and strategy plays involved too.
But at its core, human nature never changes – even though it evolves! (selling to boomers vs selling to Gen X/Y/Z etc.)

EVEN if agentic buying becomes a thing (not sure about that just yet), there are ways to insert true marketing into it.

So rest assured, whatever you’ve learned from myself and other industry stalwarts let’s say…
All of that is STILL valid and continues to work.

And to that end, you’ll be seeing some new offerings from yours truly.
Entirely new information and tools that help you drill deep into the core of making sales online.

Until then, do less and achieve more! (IYKYK)

Talk soon,
-Juho

PS. In the mean time, if you need help increasing the actual results from your marketing (you know, like, c-ash), we just might have some capacity left within the upcoming two months. Sales letters, VSLs, email, social copy… it all needs to convert, right? Get in touch, have a chat, then we’ll see if we can help you out.

PPS. If you already know you need help with your copy NOW, not some day in the future, why don’t you take a deep breath and book a Live Sales Copy Fixing Call (2 hours). You’ll be amazed how much sales-generating improvement we can pack into just a couple of hours!

PPPS. There’s a good reason why my Copywriting Mentorship comes up on first page (if not the first result outright) on Google if you type in Copywriting mentoring. It’s been one of the best programs out there for a LONG time now. I think we’re coming up on the 8 year mark now.

And also the most insane value for money, to be honest. Many others charge double or triple what I historically have. Which is why I definitely have to raise the prices soon, but for right now, I’ll be grandfathering in any new students who qualify… at the old, supremely affordable price.

I just realized I’ve paid 3600 dollars for a single newsletter.

A newsletter.

Sent to me once a month. Just once.

A simple PDF.

Most ’normies’ consider newsletters free and somewhat useless.

And yet… I’m completely happy having spent that 3600 bucks on a monthly newsletter.

Why?!

It’s pretty simple really.

Because it’s packed with usable information I cannot get elsewhere, and told in an entertaining, unique and personal way I feel compelled to follow.

AND when put to use, the info I get makes me money. Like, the same day.

Sure, I don’t do it every single month.

But even if I do it a couple of times a year… it’s a positive ROI. By a MILE.

And a good time reading some cutting edge stuff from a fellow pro.

Always a fun day when a new issue drops, I know I’m in for a good time (and extra cash).

Now I know, this is not unique in the online business scene.

We know how it works, why it works and shrug all the way to the bank.

But it’s NOT common knowledge “out there”.

Not even a little. Not even in 2025.

So what does this mean to you and me?

It means two three things:

1. We can feel nice and comfy knowing the basics of info business still WORK when done right.
2. There are TONS of opportunities out there for launching a profitable newsletter in many many markets with zero competition.
3. Having a profitable newsletter in your market gives you the cashflow to advertise more AND an increasing audience to directly sell to.

It’s a pretty simple model, and it’s not going to stop working.

Not even with AI and everything else making it LOOK like old models are outdated.

They’re not outdated if they work. And make you money.

Who cares if it’s not laced with AI and dripping with tech?

Just a plain email.

And here you are, reading it all the way through.

There’s a way to do this right though, that isn’t so obvious… you’ll want to stick around for that.

Talk soon,
Juho

PS. If you need help increasing the actual results from your marketing (you know, like, c-ash), we just might have some capacity left within the upcoming two months. Sales letters, VSLs, email, social copy… it all needs to convert, right? Get in touch, have a chat, then we’ll see if we can help you out.

PPS. There’s a good reason why my Copywriting Mentorship comes up on first page (if not the first result outright) on Google if you type in Copywriting mentoring. It’s been one of the best programs out there for a LONG time now. I think we’re coming up on the 8 year mark now.

And also the most insane value for money, to be honest. Many others charge double or triple what I historically have. Which is why I definitely have to raise the prices soon, but for right now, I’ll be grandfathering in any new students who qualify… ?at the old, supremely affordable price?.

This cynicism, while perhaps based on some experiences, creates a devastating ripple effect:

In their marketing: They craft messages with subtle condescension—”Unlike my other clients, YOU will stick with it, right?” Their content focuses excessively on “no shortcuts” messaging that comes across as preachy rather than supportive. They might even subconsciously sabotage their marketing by making services seem more difficult than necessary.

In their product development: They might create unnecessarily rigid programs, assuming flexibility will just give clients “an excuse to quit.” They may avoid innovations that make fitness more accessible, dismissing them as “pandering to laziness.”

In client interactions: They approach new clients with subtle skepticism, looking for signs of imminent failure rather than potential success. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy where clients sense they’re not truly believed in.

The market love alternative: Contrast this with the trainer who genuinely believes in their clients’ potential. This trainer sees the person struggling to make time for fitness as heroic rather than flaky. They understand the real-world obstacles their clients face and create solutions that respect both the science of fitness and the reality of human behavior.

This trainer celebrates small wins, creates community to foster accountability, and constantly innovates to remove unnecessary barriers to success. Their marketing naturally inspires because it comes from a place of genuine enthusiasm for their clients’ journey.

The difference is clear in the results: The cynical trainer might make short-term sales but faces high churn and low referrals. The trainer with authentic market affinity builds a thriving, sustainable business powered by client success stories and passionate word-of-mouth.

And of course this is significant for us marketers – how can we nudge that inner narrative towards a brighter future… assisted by a product or service…

Let’s have a few words on this, more “Buyer’s Brain” type of content coming up soon!

To want response

When you talk to your significant other, you want response. Or it’s not really going anywhere is it

When you put out a piece of content you want to see that response

The sooner the better, the bigger the better

That’s why social media got so big so fast

You get the response instantly, authentic or not

But somehow when we’re in business it’s better to put up a front, play hard to get and just wait it out?

It doesn’t work like that at all, in life or in business

That’s why direct response never gets old

And that’s why I haven’t stopped working and getting paid since I truly ‘got it’

There’s always something you can get a response on

and if you’re truly able to relate to your audience

Even that first response CAN be a purchase

I don’t care what your resident guru or boss may say. They all have something to sell, don’t they.

I only want you to ‘get it’ also so you can do it yourself.

Because once you see instant response, stacking response, landslide response…

You won’t want to look back.

#3 – Leads who opted in for passing self-interest or due to intrigue; typically exclusive content.

#2 – Leads who already spent some time with you – on a call, a webinar, consumed some deep content.

#1 – Leads who already bought something from you.

If you put most of your effort into #3 type of leads just because they’re easier or the least expensive to acquire, you could be in for a susprise.

Because they already got what they’re looking for. The quick fix.

So does this mean you should focus on getting buyer leads only, buying lists and whatnot?

Yeah, it kinda does if you want the most bang for your buck.

UNLESS you figure out a way to hook them with your INTRIGUE CONTENT right as they come in, thinking they’re going to be just in-and-out.

IF you’re able to hook them at that point with content that has such promise and creates unrelenting intrigue they can’t help but get moved into bucket #2 or even #1…

Well then you’ve got the best of both worlds, don’t you.

What’s this magical lead magnet that produces such extraordinary effects?

It’s called a BOOK.

But not just any book.

It has to deliver such instant promise, such FOMO, such a don’t-look-away effect… they’re instantly converted.

If you can do that, that would be pretty awesome wouldn’t it.

During the, ahem, early 2020s when everyone was losing heads, a precious few used just this tactic to generate thousands of grateful leads that became instant fans, and almost instant buyers.

Let that sink in for a minute…. TBC.

Being a copywriter comes with some pretty interesting baggage.

It’s not something you choose really… it chooses you.

I for one have this talent, this tendency, proclivity even…

One that’s awesome for my clients, and not always easy for me (or the people in my life)

Basically, being able to perceive people’s REAL motivations.

Right through ALL of that veneer, learned behaviours, mimicry, politeness and on and on.

In an instant. Clear as a whistle. GOT it.

”I see you” as they say in those funky blue Avatar movies.

It’s great when I get to employ that in a professional setting.

Say, there’s someone coming to me with a fitness product they want me to sell.

In an instant, I know their customers are NOT looking for a fitness plan or a personal trainer.

I SEE their pain; how they once got a stinging poolside comment about their flabby belly within earshot of their wife and how it secretly ruined his entire vacation and he NEVER wants to feel like that again, no matter what.

Okay. Easy. Then I just go about awakening that pain in an empathetic way, and gently lead the prospect towards the obvious solution my client just happens to be selling.

Oversimplification, yes. But that’s essentially what happens inside of me that nobody sees.

What’s less fun is I cannot really turn it off in the rest my life. Not without considerable effort.

So I end up in a meeting room with a smiling courteous fella, whose word everyone in the room hangs on.

And he says he wants to work with me, all sweet and nice.

But in that same INSTANT, I can see through all of it and see their real, raw, well disguised motivation just happens to be a complete opposite of their well rehearsed words. They’re in it for ’the bag’ and personal legacy; I’m clearly in the way.

So this is when it gets tricky; do I go along with what’s being spoken out loud?

Or do I trust my well-honed gut, knowing I’ll bear the brunt of the rest of the room’s disagreement?

Do I dare be the naysayer at the expense of that social lubrication called acceptance?

Too often in my past, I’ve just gone along and silenced that clear voice in my head. Maybe I was just daydreaming, what the hell, let’s power through it.

And yet, 99% of the time, my gut was proven right as time goes on.

Regardless of any ”belief in people” I may have applied to the situation.

(A remnant of my Nokia days by the way, warrants another writeup another time…)

Thankfully, this ability goes the other way too.

Which is to say, I sometimes find the diamond in the rough.

A person who’s been pushed by the wayside, all they need is the right push from someone who believes in them. How about that, in a few moments they’re back on their feet and doing well.

A product a client has forgotten all about that I clearly see should get the full launch treatment. And how about that, a hit product was born that bears fruit for years to come.

What’s funny is… this ability to ”SEE through” is maybe 80% inborn, and 20% practice.

As a result, it’s been super hard to pass on to junior copywriters and such. And I’ve almost given up trying to do so.

Of course I’m not alone in being like this. There’s some copywriters who I’m told are similar, such as Brian Keith Voiles (never knew him but his reputation preceded him).

Every now and then I get the prodding to attempt to put it all in writing, a book, something more tangible than a coffee table conversation.

Maybe it’s possible to convey in some way? I don’t really know.

But I like the thought of there being more people with some version of this ’x-ray’ vision into the human condition.

Maybe together we can achieve a lot – yes in the service of business, but also to pierce the veil of illusion that’s been getting thicker and thicker in recent years.

”I see you”. See you around?

PS. As you may or may not know, us Finns are notoriously reluctant to talk themselves up in ANY way at all. ”If you’re good at anything or experience any happiness, keep it to yourself”.  So consider this a major departure from my ancestral roots, haha… #moretocome.

You could even make the argument that it is antithetical to deep work such as writing, researching, copywriting certainly… Anything that requires going really deep into a subject in order to do your job and have a real effect.

I’ve definitely noticed this with budding copywriters who find it easy to use formulas sometimes and there is nothing wrong with that. And just create the first draft and that is almost it.

While traditionally it is accepted fact with copywriters of significant experience that it really takes deep concentration, prolonged focus and other truly demanding ways of working in order to come up with the winning hooks formulas and the final copy that will actually have an impact.

If you are only surfing on the surface waves of copy you will never get there. And you will eventually brush against some client who is expecting something great and insightful and they get halfhearted results instead.

So be careful about that… and actually get good at the deep work that separates the great ones from, well the rest.

Cal Newport, the Georgetown professor and writer who coined the term deep work, talks about it as the state of flow where you’re so engrossed in the task at hand that the world could do the Cha Cha Slide around you and you wouldn’t even blink.

It’s the kind of work that when you’re done, you actually have something meaty to show for it—like a craftsman with a newly built chair, except your tools are your brainpower, the proverbial quill and sheer will.

You may ask for reviews, responses and reactions from other people – as you should – but having done the deep work to begin with, you’ll know it already means something.