[Top Author & Direct Response Series] How Real Experience Becomes a Bestseller With Travis Cody

Travis Cody is the Founder of Bestseller By Design, where he helps founders, consultants, and experts turn their knowledge and experience into bestselling books. With a background in Hollywood screenwriting, copywriting, and journalism, he is the author of 19+ books and has worked with leading marketers, including Russell Brunson and Brian Kurtz. He has helped clients achieve #1 Amazon rankings and raise millions in funding through strategic storytelling and publishing. Travis is also known for his creative approach to relationship-building, direct response marketing, and his perspective on the ethical use of AI in writing and publishing.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [2:08] Travis Cody shares how Russell Brunson’s trilogy serves as a blueprint for building a successful business
• [4:35] Doberman Dan’s $1,000 direct response book experiment and pricing psychology
• [5:34] Why Perry Marshall’s 80/20 Principle continues to shape modern marketing strategy
• [9:19] Travis on authoring over 20 books while managing multiple creative and publishing projects
• [13:22] The hero’s journey framework transforms copywriting and storytelling
• [22:49] The impact of Gary Halbert’s legendary letter and its lasting influence on marketing
• [27:12] Strategies for building meaningful connections with top industry figures
• [47:50] Travis breaks down the ethical use of AI in writing and publishing for greater creativity

In this episode…

Breaking into a new industry is often a mix of strategy, persistence, and relationships. While skills and credentials matter, real opportunities usually come through trust and connections built over time. How do entrepreneurs and creators establish credibility and grow meaningful relationships from the ground up?

According to Travis Cody, a writer and publishing strategist, breaking into new spaces requires a mix of persistence, creativity, and relationship-driven thinking. He explains that real breakthroughs often come from showing up consistently, taking unconventional action, and building genuine connections rather than relying on traditional gatekeeping systems. He highlights how combining storytelling with direct response principles can open doors that credentials alone cannot. Travis also emphasizes that humility and willingness to learn in new environments can accelerate trust and opportunity. Together, these approaches allow creators to stand out and build lasting influence even in highly competitive industries.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Travis Cody, Founder of Bestseller By Design, to discuss breaking into new industries through relationships, storytelling, and marketing strategy. They explore how Travis transitioned from screenwriting to publishing success, how creative outreach builds credibility, and how AI can be used ethically in writing. He also shares insights on direct response marketing and building authority through books.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Travis Cody LinkedIn | Website
• BestSeller By Design
• ClickFunnels
• The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It―A Guide to Starting a Business in a Productive and Successful Way by Michael E. Gerber
• Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It…and Why the Rest Don’t (Rockefeller Habits 2.0 Revised Edition) by Verne Harnish
• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
• Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want from Your Business by Gino Wickman, Mark C. Winters
• Dotcom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company Online with Sales Funnels by Russell Brunson
• Expert Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Converting Your Online Visitors into Lifelong Customers by Russell Brunson
• Traffic Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Filling Your Websites and Funnels with Your Dream Customers by Russell Brunson
• Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself (Entrepreneurship Simplified) by Mike Michalowicz
• Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine (Entrepreneurship Simplified) by Mike Michalowicz
• Just Sell the Damn Thing: The Proven, Contrarian Formula to Grow Your Business Faster Than Ever by Doberman Dan
• 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More by Perry Marshall, Richard Koch
• Evolution 2.0: Breaking the Deadlock Between Darwin and Design by Perry Marshall
• DETOX, DECLUTTER, DOMINATE: HOW TO EXCEL BY ELIMINATION by Perry Marshall, Robert Skrob
• The Steps: A Memoir by Sylvester Stallone
• Celebrity Rules: How to Prepare for a Celebrity Encounter by Travis Cody
• Tribe Of Mentors: Transformative Wisdom From Icons and Innovators to Help You Navigate Life’s Challenges by Tim Ferriss
• The Gary Halbert Letter

Special mention(s):

• Russell Brunson on LinkedIn
• Brian Kurtz on LinkedIn
• Frank Kern on LinkedIn
• Dave Asprey on LinkedIn
• Dan Kennedy on LinkedIn
• Jon Benson on LinkedIn
• Alex Mendoza on LinkedIn
• Dr. Karen Parker
• Brian Delaney on LinkedIn
• Todd Brown on Instagram
• Alex Hormozi on LinkedIn
• David Garfinkel on LinkedIn
• Kevin Rogers on LinkedIn
• Charles Kirkland on LinkedIn
• Lorrie Morgan on LinkedIn
• Tim Ferriss Show
• The Russell Brunson Show
• Warrior Forum
• High Speed Copywriting 

Related episodes:

• “[Direct Response Series] Do I Eat or Does the Dog Eat? with Doberman Dan Gallapoo” on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “[Direct Response Series] Lessons and Reflections from Three Top Direct Response Marketers with Brian Kurtz, Richard Armstrong, and John Carlton” on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “[Top Author Series] How to Have Your Business Run Without You with Mike Michalowicz – Fix This Next”  on Inspired Insider Podcast
• [Top Author Series] Does God Exist? with Perry Marshall author of Evolution 2.0 on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “[Direct Response Series] No Furniture, No Bed, No Nothing with Caleb O’Dowd of MultiChannelMarketing” on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “Losing Your Mentor & Miserable Internal Struggles with Sam Markowitz” on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “David Garfinkel of GarfinkelCoaching” on Inspired Insider Podcast

Quotable moments:

• “You can have the best offer in the world, but if nobody’s seeing it, it doesn’t matter.”
• “Almost everything we do today in content can be repurposed as a book.”
• “The hero’s journey isn’t just for Hollywood — it’s the backbone of every compelling marketing story.”
• “How do I use words to affect that level of impact? That is transcendent if you ask me.”
• “Ethical use of AI is about enhancing your work, not replacing your creativity.”

Action steps:

1. Expand your definition of key relationships beyond customers and prospects: Include partners, influencers, resellers, advisors, and other stakeholders to uncover hidden opportunities and build a stronger, more resilient network.
2. Use automation for data, but keep outreach personal: Let tools handle contact enrichment and information gathering so you can focus on adding thoughtful, human touches that make messages feel genuine instead of generic.
3. Research before you reach out by exploring your contact’s digital footprint: Understanding their interests, background, and recent activity helps you find common ground and create more meaningful, trust-building conversations.
4. Blend automation with intentional human actions: Even within automated workflows, add manual steps like commenting on posts or personalizing messages to keep interactions authentic and avoid sounding robotic.
5. Lead with presence and gratitude in every interaction: Being intentional, present, and appreciative strengthens relationships and creates deeper connections that go beyond transactional business exchanges.

Episode Transcript

Intro 00:15

You are listening to Inspired Insider with your host, Dr. Jeremy Weisz.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz 00:22

Dr. Jeremy Weisz here. I am the Founder of InspiredInsider.com, where I talk with inspirational entrepreneurs and leaders. Today is no different. I have Travis Cody. You can find him at BestSellerByDesign.com, also at TravisCody.com. And Travis, before I formally introduce you, I always like to point out other episodes of the podcast people should check out. This is kind of, you know, I do a top author series and I also have a direct response series. This kind of bridges the two of them. So some of the great ones, and I’ll, I will hear from you on some of your favorite direct response copywriters, because we both geek out on that. And some of the people that I know, also have good episodes. “Doberman”, an amazing individual.

He’s inspiring to watch actually on social media if you don’t check him out, he’s bodybuilding at his ripe age, 60 something age. Brian Kurtz wrote about delivering a great friend colleague. I know Travis knows Brian as well. David Garfinkel is another one talking about direct response. I had John Carlton and Richard Armstrong on the podcast. Also, amazing copywriters all have books as well. Let’s see. And you’ll have to tell me some of your favorite books of all time besides your own, because we’ll get into yours. But Michael Gerber of the E-Myth I had on that was a great book, Scaling Up by Verne Harnish, Gino Wickman, Traction, Mark Winters, some of my favorites. Rocket Fuel, he wrote with Gino Wickman as well. So, I mean, we can go on and on. I always have audible credits. Travis was telling me some of your favorite business books. I know you love Alex Hormozi and Russell Brunson. Yeah. What are some of your favorites?

Travis Cody: 02:08

Can’t go wrong with either of those guys? You know, I guess it really depends what your focus is, right? It’s for offers. You can’t for Alex’s, you know, the genius at that in terms of structure and flow, in terms of the logic of it, Russell Brunson, his trilogy, I do feel Russell probably has the most complete sort of philosophy when you read his books, because it’s like, here’s the business models, here’s the offers, here’s the traffic. And I always feel like a lot of the direct marketing guys are good with offers and hooks, and they always leave the traffic side of it out.

And you can have the best offer in the world, but if nobody’s seeing it. So I feel that Traction changed my life. I didn’t, you know, the whole idea of a visionary versus an integrator. That explains so much for me. When I got there, I was like, oh my God, no wonder I’m so I was, I was a visionary, running like an integrator. And I was miserable all the time. The Clockwork Series, I’m forgetting Mike Michalowicz. Yes.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 03:08

Oh, yeah. He’s been on the podcast. Yeah. He’s profitable. Profit First.

Travis Cody: 03:11

That one also really.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 03:13

He’s got a bunch of great books. And I, I encourage people to listen to the audio because he’s just kind of a, he’s got a great sense of humor and he’s really, you know, kind of narrating them. So.

Travis Cody: 03:24

Yeah. And he, and he goes all out like most people, he likes to hire a vocal coach and a book audible coach and he goes into a professional studio. So his stuff is his, he’s A-list when it comes to the audiobooks.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 03:36

100%. Yeah. I’ll have to check out. I can’t remember which one we talked about on the podcast, but, you know, I think his first one was like the pumpkin plan or something like that.

Travis Cody: 03:45

I haven’t read that one.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 03:46

Yeah.

Travis Cody: 03:46

Profit First. And clockwork was the.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 03:48

Oh.

Travis Cody: 03:49

The two that really got me. Yeah.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 03:50

Yeah. So anyways, check out that and more and check out those books. Wherever you see them on Amazon or Audible or whatever it is.

Travis Cody: 03:59

And we gotta, we gotta do a plug for Doberman Dan‘s book. Just Sell The Damn Thing, please. Yeah. I’m like, you know.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 04:05

Is there an audio version of that?

Travis Cody: 04:06

Like, I, I don’t think he’s got the audio version yet, but it was just one of my favorite titles. Just sell the damn thing, sell it.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 04:13

You know, let me actually, I was actually on that looking at that right here. Let’s take a look earlier today because I didn’t even realize he needs to tell me about these books so I can buy them and listen to them. Like I didn’t even know he had this book.

Travis Cody: 04:28

So he has a book. I forget them.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 04:30

Dan, if you are hearing this, like, why didn’t you tell me? Yeah, hopefully it’s audible.

Travis Cody: 04:35

Dan. So Dan did something I’ve never seen before and it was awesome. He sold a book, I forget the title of it, but he did it because he did it through direct response and it was $1,000. It was a compilation of, you know, 30 years of his tactics, basically taking you from A to Z to building a direct response business from scratch. And I asked him what inspired him.

Like what inspired you to sell the. I’ve never seen anybody sell a book for $1,000 before. And he’s like, well, I had the information and he’s like, honestly, he’s like in one of those quiet moments of the night, I just said, I wonder if I could create a book and sell it for $1,000. And so he gave himself his own challenge. And, you know, he did it. He, he, so he sold, he sold a few of them.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 05:18

So I forgot to mention one of my favorites of all time is Perry Marshall. He wrote, you know, he’s written a bunch of books, but like his 80/20 sales and marketing book is phenomenal. I just love anything with 80/20 in it as well.

Travis Cody: 05:34

Well, and, and that book has stood the test of time through however many iterations and changes of online marketing. Right? It comes down to it like just focusing on one thing until you’re doing very, very well with it. And then maybe add one more thing. And I, I don’t know very many people, including myself, that have actually followed that piece of advice. We’re all like, oh, but if TikTok’s great, I should do YouTube and Instagram and X two. That would be amazing, right? And he’s just like, no, just choose one and go.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 06:03

And it was interesting. Travis so this is probably one of the more uncomfortable interviews I’ve ever had. When I had Perry on, I’ve had him on twice, I think, and I love his sales and marketing, but he came out with a new book at one point called Evolution 2.0. And here it is here if you’re watching, listening to the audio, you know, 80/20 Sales and Marketing. And he’s like, do you want to have me on for this? And I’m like, Perry, I and basically it’s a, it’s about, does God exist? And Perry likes to talk about business and marketing and things like that. I’m not sure how comfortable I am talking about this topic. And I don’t know what you’re going to say, but you know what stuff that makes me uncomfortable is? Just do it. So it was a very interesting conversation and his book was super interesting. Evolution 2.0: Breaking the Deadlock Between Darwin and Design. So, you know, it’s definitely an interesting conversation.

Travis Cody: 07:00

So Perry did something so fascinating that actually shifted how I did some of my books. So he was working on a book that came out as DETOX, DECLUTTER. Oh yeah, it was the title.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 07:13

I have it right over here.

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