RSVP: The world’s best copywriters and marketers are gathering at Bill Bonner’s legendary Château de Courtomer next May, and…

If You’ve Got a Million-Dollar Idea (or Want One) We’d Like You To Join Us Here:

Are you a million-dollar marketer or hope to be one?

If so, we want to personally invite you to join us this May at this deluxe French Château in Normandy, France…

NOTICE: This is a private summit. We’re only inviting a select group of top-tier marketing and copywriting experts – including a few industry legends — and seats are strictly limited…

Date: Monday 12th May – Thursday 15th May, 2025
Location: Château de Courtomer, Normandy, France
Places available: 15 7 3 1

*Up to date as at 17th December, 2024

If you’re a million-dollar marketer…

If your business relies on great copy to grow…

Or if you’re a student of great sales copy and strategy…

I’m sure you’ve seen this happen many, many times…

A company struggles with a great product, trying to seek a foothold in the market…

But something holds it back, something is missing…

Until suddenly, a single great idea comes along and changes everything…

Finally, the floodgates open and sales pile up… the business is transformed… and your career hits new heights…

Maybe you even add a zero or two to your bank account.

Point being, we all know…

The right idea… at the right time… can revolutionize a business.

It can even revolutionize an entire industry.

Sometimes overnight.

And if you want to get to those kinds of breakthroughs faster, the best way to do it is to get a few smart people in a room and throw some light on the situation.

Or in this case, put those same brilliant people in a gorgeous chateau in the French countryside. Which is exactly what I want to propose to you today.

More to the point, I want to extend an exclusive invitation to you.

See, I’m contacting you because I’d like to invite you – personally — to join me and a hand-picked group of elite marketers, copywriters, and other strategists…

This coming May…

At the following location…

Why here and why then?

If you’re an insider in the copywriting world or the broader world of marketing you might know the place I’m talking about already.

It’s called Château de Courtomer.

And, yes, it’s a real 18th-century château.

It’s got stylish bedrooms like you might see in a five-star hotel…

It’s got its own reading room and library…

It’s got salons and a pool room…

A wine cellar… grand staircases adorned with art…

It’s even got a moat…

What it also has, however, is something that few other châteaus in France… even some of the most beautiful… can claim.

And that’s a history of hosting some of the most lucrative brainstorming sessions of the modern era.

See, it’s here that some of the most savvy marketing minds of the last decade and a half have congregated year after year…

To drink wine. To catch up. To dine.

And most of all, to brainstorm ideas that elevated junior copywriters into multi-millionaires…

Helped turn a small publishing firm into a $1.5 billion global giant…

And transformed the way multiple industries deliver marketing ideas that get results…

It all happened here, inside the walls – and sometimes in the gardens – of this private, glorious, and elegant French estate.

And it’s about to happen again… this May

I’d like you to be there.

If that is, you’re the right kind of person.

What do I mean by that?

Like I said earlier, even one great idea can be transformative.

It can make or break your career… it can launch your products to heights unimaginable… it can even transform your entire business or even a whole industry.

Those ideas can be small… but shockingly impactful.

Or they can be grand and audacious.

Maybe it’s just an irresistible hook that goes on to make all the difference for your next million-dollar marketing campaign…

Maybe it’s a wildly creative new format that makes your message stand out in a crowded market…

Or maybe it’s a whole new product idea… a clever new marketing channel… or a smart new way to leverage emerging sales technology…

My point is…

Ideas still matter

Of course they do.

But what’s shocking is how few inside our industry truly understand that.

Which is precisely why I’m writing to you today.

See, I’ve got reason to believe you might be one of those few who understand the importance of ideas.

It’s why I’d like to invite you – and any colleagues you think fit the same elevated profile – to a special three-day mastermind in May.

As I said, it’s not on Zoom… it’s not a course you download or get by email.

This is the real thing… a private, luxurious, and – we hope – extremely productive event, to be held at Bill Bonner’s Château de Courtomer.

That’s why space is limited.

And that’s why we’re only talking about inviting the best of the best – people who, like me, help generate million-dollar ideas for some of the most successful direct response businesses in the world.

Until now, getting your own seat at this table was impossible. Unless, that is, you were one of the personally invited “insiders” at Agora or one of her many sister companies.

That’s the one thing that’s changed.

This year, with a lot of convincing, we’ve managed to open the doors to invite in other top marketing minds… top copywriters… and other top business types.

In short, you’re invited to tap into the “hive mind” of this elite group.

You can leverage their collective insight… pitch your own ideas… and potentially walk away with your next million-dollar breakthrough.

When we first announced we were doing this, there were only 15 available places.

Already, we’re down to just 1 place remaining.

You still have a chance to grab it, but you’ll have to be quick.

And you’ll have to qualify to join us.

And yes, I did say “qualify.”

Specifically, if you want to be there for this exclusive event… and, keep in mind, some of the most successful marketers in the industry have passed through these rooms…

You’ll need to meet three specific criteria.

We’ll get to what those are in just a second.

If you qualify, and I hope you do…

Then the invitation I’m extending to you today will almost certainly transform your career, your business, and even your life.

I know that sounds like a tall claim.

Unless, that is, you’ve been to one of these legendary Normandy summits before, in which case you’ll know full well that this next—and most likely final—in-person Château de Courtomer Mastermind is your best chance to discover…

What our industry insiders really think about where we are now and what radical changes lie ahead…

How the very best copywriters and marketers plan to use AI, new funnels, new formats, and other secret strategies…

And how the rules for building a $100 million business… or even a $1 billion business… need to be redefined…

To be clear: this isn’t an invitation to a copywriting “conference,” where you’ll be sitting behind a desk watching endless PowerPoint presentations.

This is much more intimate and exclusive.

It’s a one-time-only opportunity to spend three days with the very best our industry has to offer, in an extraordinary, historic French château, for a private “meeting of minds.”

Who, exactly?

I’m talking about people like Mike Palmer – Copy Director at Marketwise, and the brains behind multi-million-dollar campaigns like End of America.

John Forde – a man who’s trained more copywriters than most people will ever meet and who has written a legion of winning promotions for Agora, going back to the early 1990s, when he was hired by Bill Bonner as the company’s very first copywriting apprentice.

And Rory Sutherland, Vice President of Ogilvy, author of Alchemy and a man who’s worked with brands like American Express, BT, Microsoft, KFC, and Unilever.

Along with other top insiders from Marketwise, the fin-pub juggernaut with over a million paid and free subscribers.

Mike Palmer

Mike Palmer has been a Managing Director and Chief Copywriter for MarketWise since 2002. He is responsible for helping develop, train and mentor copywriting teams at the company’s various businesses, and also writes marketing copy for them. He started working in the consumer publishing industry more than 25 years ago at International Living and has since become known as one of the best direct-response copywriters in the world, having written the most successful sales letter of the last 20 years: The End of America. He has worked as an assistant editor, managing editor, copywriter and head copywriter, hiring and training many of the top copywriters at MarketWise today.

Rory Sutherland

Rory Sutherland is a renowned advertising executive and behavioral economist celebrated for his creative approach to marketing and brand strategy. Serving as Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, he has been instrumental in crafting groundbreaking campaigns for global brands, including American Express, BT, British Airways, Nestlé, and Unilever. With a talent for blending psychology and behavioral insights into advertising, Sutherland has become a thought leader in the industry, frequently sharing his ideas through books, lectures, and keynote speeches. His work continues to inspire innovation in the realms of marketing and consumer behavior.

John Forde

John Forde has been writing winning controls for over 25 years. He’s made millions of dollars for clients in the financial, health, and travel industries. He’s also personally mentored dozens of today’s star copywriters, advises businesses on six continents, and has authored a course, two books, and hundreds of articles on copywriting. John regularly leads intense seminars for two or three hundred marketers and copywriters at a time, and writes the successful e-letter, The Copywriter’s Roundtable.

Glenn Fisher

Glenn Fisher is an author, copywriter, and speaker. His best-selling book on copywriting, The Art of the Click, was shortlisted for a Business Book of the Year award and has been translated into Chinese and Korean. After a decade as the Copy Chief at Agora Finanical UK, he created the hit copywriting podcast All Good Copy, co-founded The Fix and created The Library of Lazy Thinking. He writes and consults for some of the most recognized brands in the world today. He lives in Sheffield in the north of England, where he is currently working on his first novel.

Nick O’Connor

Nick O’Connor is one of the most sought-after direct response copywriters in the world. He spent over a decade writing for various divisions in the Agora publishing world and spent several years as both the Head of Copy, and Publisher, of Agora’s financial imprint in the UK, Southbank Investment Research. Today, as well as co-founding The Fix, he writes freelance for financial publishers in the UK, US and Australia and consults with Agora companies around the world.

And that’s just for starters.

Over three days next spring, you’ll hear about the ideas they’re developing… the techniques they’re using to devise new campaigns… and the insights and secrets that have made them successful.

But more than that… this is your chance to leverage their ideas and expertise for YOUR business

This isn’t a “we talk, you listen” event.

There won’t be multi-hour lectures or thousands of PowerPoint slides to watch while you squirm in your seat, fighting to digest your lunch.

Quite the opposite.

It’s your chance to share the specific challenges your own business is facing… and leverage the elite expertise in the room to help solve them.

Got a ‘problem product’ you can’t sell? Share it with the room and we’ll figure out what you can try next.

Got a campaign that’s underperforming? We’ll come up with multiple ideas you can go away and test to make it work.

Got a critical piece of copy you want to improve? We’ll review and improve it as a group.

Or maybe you’re looking to launch your business… or grow it… and just want to hang out with other industry leaders who’ve already done it.

Our promise:
You’ll walk away with a BOATLOAD of ideas you can test right away

At least one of them will be worth more than a million dollars. I’m sure of it. In fact, given the nature of those who have already locked in seats at the table… and given what we’ve already got on the agenda… I think I’m being conservative.

For instance, you’ll discover…

The #1 breakthrough promotion ideas the very best copywriters in the world expect to be a blockbuster in 2025. Not a “greatest hits” of past wins. The ideas they expect to generate millions of dollars in the next 12-18 months. If you want to write a breakthrough package in 2025… you cannot miss this.

A new technique being developed by one of the world’s greatest living copywriters (a man who built a $3bn publishing empire), designed to make your message “go viral”. If you’re struggling to find leads and want to appeal to millions of new customers at zero cost… you need to know how to test this.

How three of the world’s best financial copywriters would build a $100m publishing business, from scratch, in today’s markets. If you’re a publisher, copy chief or marketing director and you sense something isn’t quite right with your business… this is the insight you’re looking for.

How the world’s biggest copywriting groups are deploying new technology (everything from AI to new publishing platforms like Substack) to radically change their businesses. If you’re searching for the next big marketing breakthrough – the next format that’ll double or triple your sales – you need to be in the room for this…

Put simply, the world we work in is changing rapidly.

The standard modus operandi is quickly becoming outdated.

And, if you want to make 2025 the year your copy, career, and business take off… you’re going to need to know what the industry leaders see ahead.

And that’s what this invitation is all about…

This Is Your Chance to Level Up – In Style

It goes without saying that the ideas and secrets you’ll hear discussed at this event could be worth millions to you in sales and royalties over the years ahead.

And if you own your own business, it’s no exaggeration to say what I’m about to share could literally be worth hundreds of millions of dollars or… dare I say it… even billions added to your bottom line.

Yep, billions.

That might sound like a big claim to you. Frankly, it sounds pretty impressive to me too. But the history of these exclusive Château summits backs it up.

In fact, that’s exactly how Agora’s CMO Brian York put it when I asked him about his time at the Château…

“Billions of dollars’ worth of ideas came from behind those walls. It quite literally defined the financial publishing industry over the past 20 years.”

Brian, of course, is just one of the many industry insiders who’s been lucky enough to take part in these elite summits over the years.

The events have hosted all kinds of top marketers, copywriters, and business minds who would travel from outposts all over the world…

Not just from the U.S., but China, India, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Australia, and the U.K.

After settling into the luxurious bedrooms, they would head downstairs for a cocktail… meet, chat, and over the course of the next few days…

They would share industry secrets, untangle challenges, unveil new techniques, and brainstorm new marketing breakthroughs…

For those who were lucky enough to get invited, these gatherings were life-changing. Newbie copywriters made progress by leaps and bounds… we found new ways to test… new formats to make our campaigns standout… and ideas that arrived as just a spark were shaped expanded upon in the forge of group roundtables and expert analysis…

And the ideas that made their way back home with participants helped even budding businesses discover ways to double margins and revenue.

At the core of those events, of course, was a focus on great copy. And that’s no accident, considering that the man who started it all Agora’s founder and prolific mentor, Bill Bonner, is considered one of the greatest copywriters of all time.

Here’s what he told me about these Château events…

“Copywriting can be a lonely and frustrating occupation. At Courtomer, copywriters learned more than just the ‘secrets’ to writing persuasively. There was an atmosphere of camaraderie, of fraternity, that lifted spirits, raised expectations, and nourished creativity. Some of our best copywriters — worldwide — were shaped by the Courtomer experience… and some of our best copy arose from the discussions that took place there.”

– Bill Bonner

And hugely successful publisher Porter Stansberry agrees, saying:

“I’ve sold well over $1 billion worth of financial research products over the course of my 30-year career at Agora, MarketWise, and now at my own firm, Porter & Co. I owe my entire career as a direct marketer and copywriter to Bill Bonner, Mark Ford, and John Forde — the legendary hosts of Bill’s “Château Series” marketing seminars. The secrets revealed — and discovered — at these Château seminars would go on to power Agora and many other companies revenues into the hundreds of millions annually. If you want to become a million-dollar copywriter, or a ten-million dollar copy writer, or, like me, a billion-dollar copywriter, then you should start here. This is the way.”

– Porter Stansberry

Another former attendee, top Agora insider and strategist Joe Schriefer, put it like this:

“I had heard the tales of the copy that came out of Courtomer… the legends who learned how to perfect the art of persuasion on the grounds of the Château … but I never thought I’d be lucky enough to experience it all first hand. In the mid-2000s I got my chance. In between the wine and cheese socials, I gobbled up every single ounce of copy knowledge that came from John Forde, Addison Wiggin, Bill Bonner, and Mark Ford. To say I literally owe everything I have in life from my experience at Courtomer would be an understatement. If you ever get lucky enough to be invited, grab the opportunity with both hands. If you pay attention, it’ll change your life, too.”

– Joe Schriefer

Joe’s right.

And again, it’s not just about copywriters. For many of the best in these companies, what happened at Courtomer represented the soul of that industry.

In fact, of the marketing secrets discussed there, behind closed doors…

In the sunlight that streams through the windows of the Orangerie…

Or in evenings around the firepit, over seemingly bottomless bottles of French Bordeaux…

Have gone on to re-energize the bottom lines of countless businesses both inside and outside of the fin-pub world.

Those same secrets have also been used to launch the careers of some of most successful marketers and copywriters working today.

I know, because I’m one of them

I should introduce myself properly.

My name is Nick O’Connor.

I was lucky enough to visit the Château right at the start of my career, fifteen years ago.

In fact, that’s where I first met John Forde… and several other copywriters and publishers that I still work with today, a decade and a half later.

I’ll be perfectly honest… back then, when I started out, I knew almost nothing about running a business, marketing, or direct response copywriting.

I’d answered a job advert in the newspaper (a real, physical newspaper, not a website!). I was greener than green. But I was learning. And those early visits to the Château de Courtomer were completely transformational.

They were when I learned how the real masters research and develop an idea… how they capture people’s attention… how they build an argument and make a sale…

More than that, I learned first-hand how to shape products that matter… how to leverage marketing resources… and how to build a business, from the ground up.

Perhaps most important of all, it was the time I realised I was a part of something much bigger than myself – something special, something valuable, something that didn’t exist at other companies.

It was a global network of independent minds, people who clever enough to think for themselves but, at the same time, also smart enough to recognize the value of cross-pollinating ideas and collaboration.

In the time since then, I’ve used what I learnt there to write hundreds of promotions… generate tens of millions of dollars in sales… and work with many of the best writers and publishers around.

I know, I know.

It seems like every copywriter out there now claims to have made $50m+ in sales… or tries to claim they’ve worked with the best of the best. I’m not here to try to wow you with numbers. I know what we’ve accomplished.

And, if you’re in the marketing world… especially, if you’ve got anything to do with copywriting… you know what we’ve done too. Agora hasn’t just dominated this market, they invented it.

So many of those who were lucky enough to get trained by the company’s top mentors… people like Bill Bonner and Mark Ford… and who went on to work alongside their teachers, as we did at those château events… have since translated what they learned into enormous success.

Personally, I went from a junior copywriter to a successful publisher, running Agora’s biggest UK business – based in London — for four years. In the time I was in charge, the company grew fivefold.

Since then, I’ve used what I learned to launch three more businesses – all in the copywriting, trading and investor relations industries — with clients all over the world.

I’ve also written more winning promotions than I can count, for clients in the UK, Australia, and America. I’ve had my copy translated for markets in France. And I’ve delivered my own training seminars in Germany.

Then you have the really crazy stuff…

…like going to Brexit Party HQ after Britain left the EU, and persuading Nigel Farage to come and write a newsletter for me.

…or hosting one of the biggest copywriting festivals in Europe and persuading Mark Ford to fly to London to give a talk…

…or somehow talking economist and former CIA insider, Jim Rickards, into filming one of my promotions out in the Nevada desert, halfway down a mineshaft (there were snakes).

I don’t say any of that to brag. Well, ok – maybe a little. But my point is, I can trace all that success back to things I learned at the Château.

And I know I’m not alone.

I personally know of other past Courtomer colleagues who now collect global real estate… who own huge country estates… and own ranches in Argentina.

Just recently, I went to visit a friend from those château meetings at his apartment in Paris… and I know others who now have enough money to build cliffside retreats in wealthy beach enclaves…

Wine collectors… luxury car collectors… and yes, even a couple of billionaires… all who built their success on ideas and insights that were formulated and nurtured behind the walls of Château de Courtomer.

It wasn’t just a tip-swapping exchange or a training event. It was a place where a whole way of thinking – a philosophy – was shared.

And now I’m inviting you there once more, for the first of these events in a decade, to join us at the Château again, for one last time…

Why you, why now?

It’s a good question.

And it deserves a proper answer.

We’re not just heading back to the Château to relive old memories.

No – we’re gathering once again to talk about the future.

Because you and I both know, everyone in our industry is facing a whole new wave of challenges.

Some of them echo the puzzles we untangled in the past.

But others – like the rise of AI in business and the rapidly changing landscape of information publishing – are brand new.

I don’t know exactly when things changed. But I know that the bar to success today is so much higher than it ever was. I’m sure you know it too.

It’s harder to break into the market… it’s harder to gain footing in the industry… and, for writers, it’s harder to create winning copy.

There are way more hurdles to success than ever before.

More legal rules. Increasingly conservative platforms. Shrinking attention spans. Delicate market divides to navigate. A shifting work culture and jaded marketplace.

Against that backdrop, the cost of leads is rising and getting your best message out in front of the right person is getting more complex.

And then there’s the stuff where there’s really no good well of experience to draw from – like artificial intelligence and the million ways it could change how we write… the next phase of formats, ready to disrupt the traditional VSL or webinar… and of course, the technology that didn’t exist a decade ago, like Substack, Discord… the ‘influencer’ economy… and of course, AI.

Even topics that used to be a third rail in the world of direct response… like branding… it’s starting to make its way into circles where it would have been shunned before.

At least one huge financial publisher I work with is now building a presence in TV and radio advertising, trying to figure out how to use it to scale.

My point is… the world we work in is rapidly changing.

There are challenges ahead that you can’t afford to ignore.

And here’s the thing…

The most successful people I’ve worked with always say the single fastest way to solve problems like these… is to share new ideas across a networked of like-minded, talented insiders.

That was the goal of the original Château de Courtomer retreats.

And it’s our goal for the event we’re putting together now. To meet up with the best of the best, so we can discuss, debate and share what’s working.

I’ve never left these annual château events without at least one idea that was worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

And I’m not the only one that says that…

Former Agora Financial Executive Publisher Addison Wiggin had this to say:

“We’ve worked on business project across six continents. There’s no better place to workshop an idea and develop plans for production than Courtomer. Its remote. And that’s a benefit. Nobody is going to make the trip if they don’t deserve to be there. John, Nick and Glenn are the best in the business. They will bring the best ideas and people together. You will leave astounded. You’ll have new friendships in the industry. And, better, a plan to improve your own business.”

– Addison Wiggin

But perhaps I should give the last word to legendary copywriter and entrepreneur, Mark Ford – a man who did so much to make the original Château meetings what they were…

“I’ve probably formed a dozen or so of my most valuable ideas at the Chateau. I also met people I’d never have had the chance to meet elsewhere. During one of those Courtomer events, John and I even came up with the idea behind our Great Leads book.This year, I already know several of the copywriters who will be there personally — all of them have generated tens of millions of dollars in sales for their clients. These are exactly the people you need to know if you want to succeed. If you’re serious about your business or your copywriting career and you want to find your next million dollar idea, you owe it to yourself to be there.”

– Mark Ford

THAT’S why we’re going back to the Château this May, with a hand-picked group of super smart marketers, top copywriters, and brilliant business insiders.

So we can replicate that success in a changing landscape. And so we can map out our next decade of breakthrough ideas, before someone else gains the upper hand.

My point to you is this:

If you’re serious about copywriting… or you run a business that’s ‘copy critical’… you need to be there.

If, of course, you’ve got the right stuff to join us.

Which raises my next question…

“Do you qualify?”

When I say this is going to be a small, intimate event… I’m not kidding.

There are only going to be roughly 15 people joining us at Courtomer next year.

Why the strict limit?

Well, for one, there are only so many luxury bedrooms at the château… only so many places at the dinner table… only so many seats in the drawing rooms, the library, and out in the Orangery where we hold our group meetings.

Already, fourteen of those 15 places are gone. They’ve been spoken for by our closest industry insiders. Which means, if you manage to secure one of the remaining slots, you’ll be rubbing elbows with some very smart people.

That’s why it’s so important – for you, for us, and for our other guests – that we make absolutely sure that we get the right type of people to fill those remaining slots.

Now, we happen to know lots of others in our industry who would make great additions to the group. But we also know that, over these last 15 years, this has been a rapidly expanding universe.

Meaning, there are lots of “best of the best” folks out there that I’m sure we don’t know about yet. Which is why, in May, we’ve decided to open our doors – for the first time – to that wider audience.

In return, we ask that you meet these three criteria:

You must be actively writing copy OR working with copywriters, right now. If you’ve just discovered copywriting and you’re just getting started – that’s fantastic, but this isn’t for you. I’d suggest at least a year in the industry, whether as a freelancer or in house. OR you could be working closely with copywriters, as a Publisher, Managing Director or Business owner.

You must be willing not just to listen, but to contribute – to share your results, to ask questions, make suggestions, take part in debates. I’ll say it again: this isn’t a ‘conference’… it’s a meeting of minds. We’re here to solve problems, come up with breakthroughs, and – frankly – have fun doing it.

You must be free to spend all three days with us. This is going to be one of the most unique experiences of your life – we want you there with us. Whether it’s in the middle of a strategy debate or a fancy dinner, no disappearing on work calls or getting sucked into your phone during breakout sessions. And no sleeping until midday because you had one too many glasses of wine around a pool table. (When I was there, I got up and ran six miles each morning. If I can do it, so can you… the getting up, that is. Runs are optional.)

If you meet those simple criteria, then consider this your official invitation to join us at the Château in May 2025.

I’ll explain what you need to do to confirm your place in just a second. But first, let’s look at our agenda:

Official Agenda

SESSION #1:
Where We Stand, What’s Working, and What Isn’t

In our first session, we’ll look at the ideas – headlines, concepts, formats, channels – that are bringing in the most sales around the world, right now.

SESSION #2:
Expert Panel – Copy Breakthroughs For 2025

John Forde and Mike Palmer are two of the best working copywriters in the world today. And I emphasise “working” – they’re both still actively developing and testing new promotions. In our second session, they’ll look ahead to the ideas they expect to generate the biggest sales through the rest of 2025.

SESSION #3:
How to Make Your Next Million

This is where the rubber really meets the road. It’s your chance to put your biggest business challenge on the table… and tap into the expertise of our other guests. We’ll spend at least 90 minutes coming up with ideas that are specific to your business, product or current promotion. We’ll brainstorm… review… and throw ideas around.

By the end of this session, you’ll have not just one but a whole notepad FULL of ideas for you to go away, develop and test.

SESSION #4:
What’s the Next Format Breakthrough?

We saw it with the bookalogs and magalogs in the 90s… e-letters in the 2000s… and the VSL and webinars in the 2010s and beyond. New formats can crash through barriers when it comes to growing your audience. So what formats will emerge and dominate over the NEXT decade? We’ll show you what’s coming… and give you ideas you can test immediately.

SESSION #5:
AI and Beyond – How to Harness the New Technology

New AI writing and research tools… new digital platforms like Patreon, Substack and Discord… new business models and marketing systems… radical changes are coming. We’ll demo some of those breakthroughs and discuss how you can use them… and how not to use them, too.

SESSION #6:
“Copy Moonshots” with Rory Sutherland

For a long time, direct response and above the line advertising were seen as opposites – as implacable enemies, even. But that’s changing now. Increasingly we’re seeing DM businesses attempt to weave brand advertising techniques into their campaigns. So we’ve asked the best man in the business – Ogilvy Global Vice President Rory Sutherland – to talk about it’s done.

Don’t expect him to try and persuade you to drop your existing campaigns and run a Superbowl ad! This isn’t an “either/or” situation. It’s a case of taking the best both industries have to offer… and combining them in ways that increase your sales.

PLUS…

We’ll be running three additional, interactive breakout sessions:

BREAKOUT #1:
How to bend AI Tools to Fit Your Business with John Forde

Join John as he shares the AI tools he’s built for researching, developing ideas and writing copy… including demos showing how they work, how to customize and create your own without programming… and how not to use AI, too.

BREAKOUT #2:
Your Copy Reviewed with Mike Palmer, John Forde, and me

This is bread and butter for any working copywriter. But we all know that a constructive copy review – with the right people – can elevate your promotion beyond anything else. We’ll help you iron out the flaws, find new angles, and look for other ways to sync up your marketing with overall business needs.

BREAKOUT #3:
Lessons from Agency Land, with Glenn Fisher

After running a successful direct response copy team in London, Glenn ‘went solo’ and took his tried and tested DM techniques to the above the line world of agency copywriting. He’ll share what he’s discovered (it might just surprise you).

Of course, some of the best opportunities at these events come up when you’re just hanging out, glass in hand… crossing paths with other movers and shakers…

That’s why we’ll honor another great tradition of the Château summits. Every evening, you’ll hear the chime of the Château’s bell, calling you to cocktails.

We’ll gather in the courtyard for glasses of wine… kir… a cold beer… and we’ll take the time to meet and mingle, knock around ideas, and just get to know each other better so we can keep the connections going after the event.

While we’re finishing up drinks, the French chef we’ve hired will be putting the finishing touches on a hearty three-course meal. With, of course, more wine and beer… and a few post-dinner surprises we’ve got planned.

You’ll also have the chance to shoot pool in the billiard room… hang out with old and new friends by the fire pit… and who knows, maybe some guitars will come out too…

There’s no other event in our industry like it.

You won’t get a chance like this to meet some of these insiders, all in one place. It’s even less likely you’ll get another invite to hang out at a real French château this year. So, the only question that remains is…

How much does it cost you to join us this May?

I’m sure you can imagine, it won’t be cheap.

After all, this is a French Château.

With a moat, no less…

And this is Normandy, where the wine and calvados flow, not so far off from the D-Day beaches… and about two hours from Paris…

What’s more, this is a private gathering of some of the world’s best copy and marketing talent.

So of course, this isn’t like going to some chain hotel conference room near the airport. This is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime event you can brag about to friends.

It’s also a chance for you to walk away with at least one $1 million idea you can test. Maybe more. And, yeah, there’s a good chance we won’t do this again.

(It’s a lot of work to put this together, after all.)

You’ve also got to consider, it’s not exactly an event for the masses.

There are only so many bedrooms in the Château, each with its own well-appointed bathroom and a view out over the grounds.

That’s why we’re only offering 15 places at the event.

And like I said, fourteen of those spots have already been snapped up by our connections inside the business.

There’ll be at least two Copy Chiefs there… plus several copywriters from around the world who’ve written copy that’s generated tens of millions of dollars in sales.

That means there is only one places available today, as things stand. We’ll allocate that place on a first-come, first-served basis.

And to be clear, your ticket includes:

A pickup in Paris to get you out to the Château and a return trip to Paris after we say our goodbyes on the final day of the event.

Three nights in one of the Château’s lovely private bedrooms.

Generous breakfasts, lunches, and three-course dinners and all the fine French wines and beer we’ll have our team serve during the event.

Some fun entertainment we’ve got planned and perhaps the odd adventure out into the French countryside (we could say more… but where’s the fun in that?)

And of course, your exclusive invitation to participate in the breakout sessions, main presentations, and vigorous debates.

In other words, you’ll not only leavewith a ton of new ideas that you can put into action… you’ll also gain a lot of new memories and connections…

Given all that, plus the difference this could mean for your business, I’m not the least bit surprised that — when I told a hedge fund manager here in London about our plans — he instantly said “You must be charging twenty-odd grand for something like that.”

Truth be told, I’m sure we could charge $25,000 per ticket here and it would still be a deal. And maybe we should.

But we’re not.

To secure your place at the Château for this private summit… with everything it includes… will cost you $10,000.

That’s still not exactly ‘frock money’, I know.

But let me remind you…

You’ll be in the room with guys who charge up to $5,000 just to look at someone else’s copy… even more to consult for a single day… and who’ve collected six figures in royalties on promos they wrote…

We’ll also make sure that as many of us as possible walk away with at least one million-dollar idea, if not more… which is like getting at least a tenfold return on your investment…

And finally, remember that this is a ONE-TIME ONLY invitation. We’ll probably never repeat it. So it’s now or never. If you ever wanted to visit the legendary Château de Courtomer… in the company of the world’s best copywriters… this is it.

To put it another way, it’s true that this event isn’t for everybody. In fact, it’s for a very small group of people. Which is really the whole idea.

And yet, as my friend and founder of two Agora businesses Dan Denning says:

“If you don’t expect to walk away with a $1m idea, you shouldn’t even come.”

He’s absolutely right.

What we’re saying is that you should FULLY EXPECT to leave the Château with at least one idea worth seven figures.

Perhaps more than one.

In which case, locking in a spot at this price is a steal. So how do you find out if you’ll be one of the lucky few who gets to attend?

Simple.

There will be no more room at the Château.

Just email us here and or hit this button:

Tell us who you are, and how many places you’d like (if you want to bring or send team members).

We’ll reply right away, confirm your place, and let you know how to pay.

You’ll have the right to cancel your place and get a full refund up until 30 days before the event itself – we expect a waiting list, after all, and want to give others a chance to fill your surrendered spot, should it come down to that.

Just one more word of warning: You’re not the only person receiving this invitation. And, as I write, there is only one place available.

When those are gone, that’s it.

So, if you think you deserve to be there, let us know now.

Like, right now. Before it’s too late.

I’m hoping if I’ve done my job right and if I’m talking to the right person, you’ll already realise the opportunity here.

Still, I’ve been thinking about what questions you might have, and here’s what you might be wondering:

Q. I’m a publisher/business owner…is this exclusive to copywriters?

No. And as you’re reading this, you probably realise how important effective copy is for any business when it comes to making sales.

This event is for copywriters, marketers and business owners to come together and discuss how we’ll make more sales in the future… using a combination of good copywriting and all the other new and existing tools we have available.

If you want to understand how to better succeed in business in the coming decades, you’ll be welcome at this event.

Q. Is this only for financial copywriters and financial businesses?

Not at all.

Though we have a natural experience in that niche, we also have experience working in health… in property… in gambling… we’ve even been hired to sell strands of Elvis’ hair.

Over our careers we’ve worked for companies that use all different methods of marketing, from direct response to OOH billboards to social media influencing. The event is interested in issues greater than just the content of what we’re selling… it’s interested in the techniques we use to sell… the different media and different techniques available to us.

So, whatever niche you work in, you’ll find value here.

Q. Will there be a replay or recording of the event available after?

No.

And we won’t be hitting you up to shell out for meeting recordings, workbooks, or transcripts either. Because there won’t be any.

This is in-person experience only.

There will be no other way to get access to the insight shared over these few days. And because this is interactive, all the advice will be tailored to the people and specific businesses who are there in attendance.

Q. Can I ask questions specific to my business and my circumstances?

Yes, of course!

In fact, we’re going to insist on it. You’ll be encouraged to be as specific as you can about the businesses you own or work for and we’ll make time to focus on solving some of the specific challenges you might be facing.

In fact, this is one of the only ways you’d ever get so many experienced and qualified copywriters and marketing professionals focusing on your challenges at the same time.

When was the last time you had John Forde, Mike Palmer, and Rory Sutherland and others like them, all there to help you brainstorm about your business?

Q. I can only attend one of the days, is it still worth coming?

The fact is, even one session has the potential to change your career and business. But still, I would encourage you to only come if you’re able to attend for the full duration so that you’re able to get the most out of the experience.

Plus, as space is strictly limited (remember, the Château only has so many bedrooms) it wouldn’t be fair to take the place of someone who wants to attend every session.

Q. Do I need to bring my own corkscrew?

Certainly not – we have you covered.

What else?

Maybe there’s something I’ve not covered here, and that’s fair enough.

You can use that email address to get in touch and ask a question—I don’t mind.

In fact, I encourage it because we want to make sure the people who attend this event are not only the right people, but we want to make sure you get the most you can out of it.

I’m certain you will.

The brains we’ve already organised to be in the building—and guests who’ve already snatched a ticket—will make sure of that.

Here it is again.

Like I say, I don’t know if this event will ever happen again… and certainly not at the Château de Courtomer… a place that has become a true temple of copywriting… a place of real history.

And this is you chance to become a part of that history.

That’s not hyperbole—I know what comes out of this event will impact the advertising and marketing industry for years to come.

People are already talking about it, wishing they’d been there, and it’s not even happened yet.

But this is your chance—a rare chance—to be there when it does happen, to influence the course of copywriting and marketing for years to come.

Will you join us?

I hope so.

Indeed, this is the moment to email us:

Remember, there are only 15 spaces and 14 of those have already been taken by some of the world’s smartest thinkers…

So, if you want to secure a seat at the table, you do need to act decisively.

I hope you do… and I hope to see you at the Château next May.

But either way, I want to thank you for your time in reading this invitation.

Best,

Nick O’Connor
Your host at Futureshock at Château de Courtomer