He’s one of the few copywriters who truly doesn’t need an introduction—Parris Lampropoulos is our guest for the 201st episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. Parris spoke at both of our TCCIRL events in New York City—and it was a discussion at our event that led to this interview. rather than interview Parris about his life, we talked to him about his mentors and what he learned from them. Here’s a sample of what we covered:

•   his advice to “newbie” copywriters about who to learn from
•   how a fist through a window led to a job as a real estate sales manager
•   the “gun to the head” trick for making sure prospects want to get your marketing
•   why you need to make theater part of everything you write
•   Parris’ copywriting reading list—and why you should read each book 3X
•   what he looks for when he’s doing research—his I didn’t know that list
•   the mentor who was a former marine with a vulnerable side
•   the way most people listen—and how to do it right for better writing
•   taking notes on index cards to easily assemble and re-order your copy
•   looking for hidden benefits—hot buttons—to share in your copy
•   the best—most heartfelt—gifts we’ve ever received from anyone
•   the baptism by fire Parris got when he started writing for Mark Ford
•   the criticism sandwich that Mark Ford used to get Parris to write better
•   the copywriting lesson Parris learned from watching Joel Silver thrillers
•   why Parris prowls the stage like a predator when he speaks
•   the comparison technique Parris used reading Clayton Makepeace’s copy
•   the “you’re doing X anyway, why not get Y” technique that makes you tingle
•   the people he spends time with and those he runs “like hell” away from
•   how he uses the lessons he learned when he mentors is own copy cubs
•   the 3 things you need as a copywriter to make sure you succeed
•   the “Bruce Springsteen” process that guarantees you get a good idea

As we mentioned in the intro, Parris may be the best copywriter working today. You do not want to miss this episode—even though it’s quite a bit longer than usual. To hear it, click the button below. Or subscribe where better podcasts are shared.  Or scroll down for a full transcript.