I'm looking for a Content Czar…
…to harness loads of existing content for maximum effect – for product creation as well as email messages, autoresponders, affiliates, search engine optimization & publicity.
I have a ton of content that has not been used to its fullest potential. It's time to stop hiding and put all of it to work. I'm looking for a person who can help us do that. Raw material is 1500+ pages and many dozens of hours of audio and video.
You have access to everything: Newsletter back issues, MP3's, transcripts, existing products, products half-in-development, CD's, DVD's, testimonials. You get a free pass to all seminars and events. This material is valuable to casual email subscribers, website visitors, members, affiliates, search engines.
Skills:
- You must have strong copywriting, persuasion and editing abilities
- Able to turn projects around quickly
- Project management skills: I don't particularly care how you do this – whether it's you or the team you assemble or whatever. What matters is results and effectiveness.
- Able to get serious results on a modest budget.
- Must be conversant with online marketing subject material – i.e. "you need to know exactly what we're talking about!"
- Able to edit audio and video or source and manage low-cost talent to do the same
- Able to use web technologies like testing / tracking systems, autoresponders, Infusionsoft, Wordpress, video, knowledge of HTML
- Familiar with Search Engine Optimization methods
- Must be absolutely trustworthy with money, customer and business data
- Based in Chicago area would be a distinct advantage, but is not a requirement
- Able to make persuasive connections with people via email
- Espouses the values, aims and style of our team
- Studies what others do in other markets and industries and is able to apply them here
- Some ability to sound, write and rewrite like Perry
Responsibilities:
- Creates new products from existing materials
- Works with our Search Engine Optimization specialist to match appropriate content to keywords
- Uses customer survey and web traffic data to determine what to develop
- Generates excerpts from products, coaching calls, videos, newsletters etc. and posts them in bite-sized, digestible pieces.
- Gives unique content to affiliates
- Builds sales funnels that lead from free content to paid products
- Re-purposes and rebuilds existing products
- Writes copy for affiliates and affiliate promotions
- Supports our Affiliate Manager in writing copy
- Supports our Affiliate Manager in developing training materials and promotional strategies for affiliates
Compensation:
- Performance based
- To be determined based on mutual agreement and requirements
- You will be an independent contractor, not an employee (i.e. this is not a "job" and it's not for someone with an employee mentality, it's a position for an entrepreneur)
Advantages:
- Makes you an instant insider in the online marketing community
- You're welcome to use this education and experience to enhance your own business-building knowledge, as long as there is no double-dipping or conflicts of interest
- Your official title will be "Content Czar." You can show your business card to others and impress your friends.
Hiring process: Convince us that you're the person for this challenge, starting by writing us a letter and telling us what you can do. You are welcome to use whatever tools or mechanisms you feel would get the point across. Please don't be obnoxious.
We will require multiple solid references, run a credit check; candidate must pass pre-hiring tests. Expect us to run you through a maze. This will take a few weeks to play out.
You may ask: "It's possible that I could be a desirable, highly qualified candidate and still not be selected, right?"
Sure it is. But that's OK… because I will also make recommendations about the top contenders with other customers and online marketers. Thus if you've got the 'stuff' for a task like this, don't hesitate to put the information together. It's good use of your time. If you're really good, the least you'll get out of this is some great publicity. (If you wish to remain anonymous, that's OK too. We will not share 'private' information about you.)
Everyone who applies will receive useful feedback about their application as well. No 'rejection form letters.' Please, only apply if you're dead serious about this.
I'm requiring a non-refundable $25 application fee, to filter out the time-wasters and yahoos. If $25 is a deal breaker for you, you're likely not the person I want in this position.
Click HERE to process your application fee and get started.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What's the deadline on this?
A: I plan on bringing this person on board shortly after the first of January. Before that we've got to run candidates through their paces. So you don't want to delay if you're interested. I strongly suggest having your application in by the end of the day on Friday December 19.
Q: Will there be rules in the employment agreement which include payment for long term results – perhaps even after the position has been terminated?
A: I am open to that possibility, though this is not "employment" – we are soliciting independent contractors to provide a service. Part of what we will need to determine is short term vs. long term goals both in terms of projects and compensation. The more risk the contractor is willing to incur up front, the more we're willing to consider payment for long term results.
Q: Performance based pay is very good IF you have full control (such as whom to work with); hourly rate is best when you don't have full control of the work situation, i.e, hourly consulting fees are good b/c you don't have control what the customer will do. So how much control will I have?
A: My management style is: considerable freedom within certain established guidelines. I am not even capable of micro-managing someone and in fact the easiest way to disqualify yourself for this is to be someone who is high maintenance or needs constant hand-holding. One of the things I want from candidates is: Pitch me on a plan that requires minimal supervision, produces measurable results in 30-45 days, demonstrably grows our business and gives you as a candidate a tangible opportunity to prove your value.
Q: Sounds exciting, is working online from Australia/outside the country possible?
A: Yes, that is fine. This is a work from home, highly flexible hours situation. There is not likely to be more than a handful of mandatory phone calls or conference calls per month, the rest is entirely up to you. It would be a significant benefit to live in the Chicago area; but if you're not from here, then anywhere in the world is OK.
Q: At the end of the day, what is it that you want from all of this?
A: I want to see that my #2 asset – which is my content [#1 is my customer list] is used to full effect rather than being 'hidden under a bushel'. Currently we only have half the products we should have; half the content on our website and autoresponders that we should have; 'more content than we know what to do with' that's been unused so far. Furthermore, with Web 2.0 and our private discussion forum, there are all kinds of possibilities of user-generated content that we have only begun to tap. If this is put to work we'll have twice as many products to sell and we'll dominate the search engines and discussion forums with all kinds of things to buzz about.
Q: If I was a fly on the wall in your office on the day the stuff from the above question showed up for you, how would I know that "it" had arrived safe and sound in your life?
A: I'd have a new product to sell every month (even if it's a minor inexpensive one). And it would have derivative support materials for each product that represent free content for our website and for affiliates. And the creation of these products would not take much of my own time. Thus the output of the Content Czar is directly related to product sales in many measurable ways and he/she will be compensated accordingly.
Have worked as editor for newspapers, magazines, books – as well as online editing. Have done PR for entertainment firms. Don't do FEES for job applications. That doesn't mean I'm not for you, it means a professional doesn't do such things, and I'm not about to start now. You have been straight in your requirements, so now I will be straight with you: If that's a deal breaker for you, I probably don't want to work for you.
- Christopher Knuffke
This position was made for me to fill it. Expect my application very shortly!
How many people work there now?
What do Content and Affiliate positions pay?
Do you do seminars at all? You should.
I have two seminars on e-commerce and e-marketing coming up in January – maybe we can work together somehow.
Let me know.
Thanks Perry / always an avid reader of your materials.
Dan Banici
Christopher – I agree with you – professionals don't do fees for job applications. That said, I agree with Perry: $25 will filter out some of the crud that he will get!
Perry's in a bind here – he would know as well as anyone that asking for a fee is not good, but without it he would get literally thousands of rubbish applications.
Neil Bolton
Perry,
I'm already working for you – you just don't know it.
See below for an email that I've sent out to 24,000 email addresses (in the context of recruiting real estate professionals into my real estate franchise, which I've been developing for the last three years; this is one of about 70 emails that I use to create goodwill for my business, exactly like you do).
I've based my recruiting methods on your exact philosophy: give people so much value and so much good content and information that they simply MUST give you their business. YOU have been my template.
We have other stuff in common, including your spiritual views (I'm writing a book called "Living Upside Down" which is an analysis of how the Chrisitan journey teaches you that there is almost no correlation between "material" success and our ability to experience joy and happiness in this life, based on the Sermon on the Mount).
Further, I am quite prolific (I typically write 1,000 words every day before I leave for my office around 8:00 am to begin my real job as a real estate franchisor, which consists primiarly of sitting in front of my PC and writing all day long). My greatest gift is my ability to PERSUADE via the written word.
I've built a successful business doing almost nothing except persuading people to do things via email. I can give you more examples than you'd care to read. Let me know if you'd like 15 or 20…
Keep up the great work, Perry…
Kind regards,
Michael McClure, CPA
(248) 789-4200
Dear Perry,
I have a friend named Rich Sheridan. He is the founder, president and CEO of a company called Menlo Innovations based in Ann Arbor. A little more about Rich:
*He's been featured on the cover of Forbes magazine
*The Wall Street Journal has written several pieces about his company
*The Detroit Free Press wrote a large article about his company several months ago
*He is a frequent guest speaker at the University of Michigan's business school
*Clients pay thousands of dollars to literally come into his business and do nothing but OBSERVE his software programmers working together at their computers for a day or week (I am NOT making this up!)
*There is a large list of potential clients waiting to maybe have the chance to work with Menlo Innovations (I know, because I’m on that list!)
I tell you this because Rich is not just any business person. He is probably the single most respected businessman that I know. He's consulted with me on several topics, and I have learned much from him.
And I want to share with you the single biggest piece of advice that he's given me, which is this: DIFFERENTIATE OR DIE. That is, if you want to have any real hope of succeeding in any business that is competitive in nature (and is ANY business more competitive than real estate?, you must have some way of standing out from the crowd. Specifically relating to this idea of differentiation, he directed me to two incredible resources which I have investigated thoroughly and which now influence almost literally everything I do. Here are those resources:
*MYM Marketing – Go here and download the free MP3s that you will find on their web site. These audio recordings will make you quickly realize that, if you are like 98% of the real estate industry, pretty much all – and I mean literally ALL – of your marketing is vanilla, generic and forgettable. We naturally tend to emulate what our competitors do, and THAT is precisely the problem. And I was floored to realize just how “platitude-laden” our company marketing was at that time. TRUST ME, this is information you absolutely need to listen to. And the best part is that it's completely FREE!
*Perry Marshall – Perry is the de facto world expert/leader/guru in Google AdWords and so many other Internet-and-non-Internet-based sales and marketing topics that it's basically impossible to summarize everything this man does (find him here). He literally has more references on the World Wide Web than the Beatles! We used some of his Google AdWords techniques to enhance our incredible web site rankings (and, based upon the fact that our company website ranks so well on the key words we consider critical, I’ve become a huge believer, but that's really just the tip of the iceberg. I've participated in a number of his webinars – which are usually free – and I have learned so much from this guy.
To cement this “differentiate or die” point even further, here is an excerpt from a great book called “You Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar,” written by David Sandler, the founder of the Sandler Sales Institute professional sales training franchise:
“I simply created a ruled that I used to this day: If the competition is doing it, stop it right away. Do something else! It doesn't matter what else. Just do something else.”
I hope this information how to improve your business and increase your profitability. All my best to you!
Sincerely,
Michael D. McClure,CPA
Broker, President
Professional One Real Estate
"Character-Driven Real Estate"©
Franchising: (248) 567-3500
Metro Detroit: (734) 929-9300
Metro Denver: (720) 371-4584
Fax: (248) 692-0356
MMcClure@ProfessionalOne.com
ProfessionalOne.com
Make More Money at P1
The #1 Residual Income Model
I think that the application fee is great. If someone is good at what they do, confident that they are the one for the job, and feel it is the right job for them, they will gladly pay the fee. Doesn't that sound like a person you would want to hire for the job?
I once posted a help wanted ad. In the ad I described the job and then said "DO NOT send your resume yet. Only send a brief letter explaining why you are the one for the job. AGAIN, DO NOT SEND A RESUME." I received about 100 resumes, and only 2 letters.
I say weed people out any way you can.
Bruce McClellan
Maybe he will get thousands of applications but there all people that are on HIS mailing list!!
Hey Perry, I'm looking for some online marketing coaches but, in order to weed out the riff-raff, I need $50 of your money to ensure that you're the right guy.
It's also a little offensive the repetive "modust budget" constraints coming from someone that charges between $500-$1000 / hr. for their services.
If you want someone good, you are going to have to pay for it.
That's the way it works… isnt' it?
How is the modest budget constraint offensive? There's an old saying about rich people: "how do you think a guy like me got to be a guy like me?" In other words, people with lots of money didn't get there by throwing it away. So using Perry's consulting fees as evidence that he shouldn't run the show on a modest budget is really quite misguided.
In the book "Moneyball" the owner of the Toronto Blue Jays says basically the same thing. He hated how every potential general manager he interviewed told him "give me $100 million and we'll compete with the Yankees." It wasn't until he interviewed JP Riccardi (who hasn't done a wonderful job, but that's another story) that he found someone who had a plan to win on the cheap using resourcefulness and bold thinking rather than just an open-ended payroll.
I think the fee works in THIS case. Perrys got such a brand and such a huge list that it works. Is this brash, arrogant, bold? Maybe. I see thia as some clever marketing. Why? Doesn't perry already know the real players. Of course he does. I wouldn't be surprised that out of all this fun perry comes up with a course for im professionals to sell their services to B2b. With a paying list of 25 buck a roos perry would have a new list to market to. Plus, even if u don't "win" the job but get a perry testimonal for you….well that would be worth at least 100k in fees. Perry, very cool way to find talent , build a new list, and get some buzz. Bottom line: for 99% of recuiters a fee would be stupid ; perry lives in the land of 1% were the rules are different. Sorry for typos. Using iPhone.
I would love to apply for either of the jobs openings, but was disappointed with the fees just to apply. Simply because I don't feel like forking over $50, doesn't insinuate that I'm not serious about the positions.
I know that I'm creative, driven and have a lot to offer. The fees soured the deal for me, I'm sorry to say.
First of all, anybody who complains about the application fee has never hired anyone. I just had to wade through over one hundred awful resumes that resulted in thirty time consuming interviews, many of whom were time wasters-all for a simple assistant position. I think it's a brilliant idea that will cut right to the chase and produce serious applicants. Second, if you don't like it, guess what? You don't have to apply for the position. Done. I'm using this the next time I hire someone.
Hey Perry;
Not the position for me (Content Czar), but a terrific ad.
In reviewing the comments that complained about the $25 bucks 'serious fee', I am reminded of one of your recent posts (Thanksgiving) about the complainers and their actual character, measured by their past purchasing behavior; i.e.: almost universally "Nil".
I feel privileged to be a member of your Renaissance Club. At 30 bucks a month it is an unbelievable 120% more than the 'serious fee', and (horror of horrors) is an ongoing monthly charge.
It is also an unbelievable value, delivering far more than the modest fee required to participate.
When I think of the 'complainers', and consider that the position includes full access to EVERYTHING you offer – including your seminars & events – it is obvious that those folks have absolutely no concept of what the position entails, offers, or requires – In short, your fee has 'self-disqualified' the clueless right out of the gate – Priceless!
Just a suggestion, oh 'clueless ones' – Save the 25 bucks for the application – you don't understand the nature of what Perry & Company have built anyway – Instead 'bite the bullet', invest in yourself, and join the Renaissance Club; Because the complaint itself demonstrates the wisdom in requiring the fee.
The 80/20 rule asserts itself yet again.
BTW, the value received is so great, and I have learned so much, that very soon I will move up to Perrys' $99 per month program – which is 396% more than the 'serious fee… And likewise is worth far more.
Best Regards,
Rick
Wow!
This sounds like an incredible opportunity.
I wish I were polished enough to apply, but we only have one case study.
We launched our first, original site ten weeks ago and we have an overall Alexa ranking of 1.132 million. The kicker is that there is no autoresponder to opt into. So, no e-mail marketing- meaning that I manually drive traffic to it. Plus, the site's not even optimized for keywords yet!
I only wished that I had more proof of my talents to offer you.
Best,
-K
http://www.for-the-troops.com/shop/
Hey Perry,
Great you are putting up this process. I know many of us will be able to learn from how you are doing this. I know our business will be in a position in the next 6-12 months to start bringing on more people and hiring is always a challenge for business owners so a big thank you for putting up what you are looking for and the process you will be doing.
Chris
Voice T1 Service
Perry,
Great video. If you haven't read Atlas Shrugged yet, please send me your snail mail address and I will send you a copy. Bravo.
In reguards to your position.
I would very much like to sell you my time, experience, creativity and enthusiastic personality. I will need an up front non-refundable consideration fee of $26, to spend anymore brain time thinking about this. Of course further activity of a crainial nature will be performance based.
Thank you for you attention in this matter.
As always, please let me know how I can refer you business in the future.
Mike G.
Have Perry and Co. began talking with applicants yet? I'm ready to be run through my maze!
Sad to see all these people willing to pay $25 each to participate in a cattle stampede. In other words, this is a lot of bull. And only one bull will be selected. Naturally, everyone here overlooks the fact that they are forking over $25 for a lottery ticket. Each thinks they will be "the one." Perhaps you should do a search for the phrase, "Talent is not enough." Pessimism, or practicality? Think about it. My advice for those who are circling the drain salivating over this grand "offer" is to instead decide who YOU want to work for, and approach them individually with all you've got. Be the ONE instead of just ONE of MANY. Don't wait for a cattle call like this one. Better yet, get over the common fear of working for yourself and do your own thing. I did. $5 million last year. You can do the same. Just separate from the crowd. And save your $25. Buy some PPC ads instead.
For those of you that think that perry is simply going through the trouble of placing a highly detailed, specific job posting to make a few extra bucks or…. conducting some sort of a human Psychological experiment to track away in database for future analysis for the upcoming newsletter have grossly misunderstood his intentions.
Which leaves me to question as to why there is clearly a "crossing of the fence" on your behalf. If you have never had anything of value to offer, this kind of offer would without a doubt, leave you with a sense of Inadequacy and should not surprise you why you are skeptical to the offer. $25 is modest dinner for two. Not your life savings. Part ways with it and give it a shot. Or better yet don't…. so that I can increase my odds for the position.
By the way, I live very close to Chicago. Where do I apply. I can pick up some hummus at Jerusalem Cafe on Lake st.
Lorenzo
Observer,
I'm not "one of many." As I noted in my application (which I gladly forked over $25 for), I have *many* unique capabilities and achievements. To give you an idea, I raked in $4,000/mo. as a freelance writer and marketing consultant, producing top-ranked content while getting straight A's in six college courses, earning a 3.9 GPA and getting solicited by Ivy League universities like Cornell.
No matter who else applied for this position, I'm 100% confident none of their applications are quite like mine. I'm sure the other applicants could say the same, so it's a little presumptuous for you to say (under the ever-so-bold moniker of "observer") that anyone who would lower themselves to apply for this is a member of the "herd." Far from it. I want this position like hell, but if I don't get it, I'll work my magic somewhere else.
Btw – if you made $5MM last year, why are you wasting time insulting strangers on a webpage? That seems more like the behavior of an insecure wannabe than the hard-chargin' rompin' stompin' mover and shaker you claim to be!
This is a brilliant piece of description that embodies the outcome and criteria with a sufficient level of specificity to be actionable.
Unless you've created something like this you have no idea of the effort expended.
While I could easily get offended by the idea of an application fee, it does have a place in the internet world. I ran a similar ad on a very small scale in my newsletter for a direct response copywriter some months ago.
Using phrases like "if you don't know what direct response means, you don't qualify; please look elsewhere" I still had my inbox buried with some of the most unqualified resumes you can imagine. It was an ad for a writer, and apparently people who couldn't or didn't even read thought they should apply.
Those applicants took time away from people who were qualified and deserving of it.
So this is an interesting approach to that problem. It may not be the final answer, but it's darn sure worth testing. Thanks, Perry!