What Your Spotify Wrapped Really Reveals About You

I don’t know about you, but I’m not familiar with too many “offers” that get 50% conversion.

From any company.

Paid or free.

And then there’s Spotify Wrapped.

Fine, maybe it’s more of a feature than an “offer.”

But they package it up, offer it for a limited time and promote the heck out of it.

I haven’t seen this year’s numbers, but 51% of users checked out their Wrapped in 2022. About 14% of them also shared their results on social media.

The whole thing works pretty well. So well that YouTube and Apple have borrowed the idea. (Duolingo, too!)

What makes Wrapped so enticing?

It’s focused on the #1 most interesting topic on the planet: YOU.

We’re all the center of our own universes. So we’re incalculably interested in ourselves. How could we not be?

As an extension to that idea, we’re also fascinated by anything we believe can tell us more about ourselves. Help us understand ourselves better.

With Wrapped, we already know we listened to music all year. Spotify uncovers hidden patterns and tell you what your listening habits really say about you.

Over the years, they’ve diagnosed your music “personality” and assigned you to a city based on your music selection.

All ways of giving you ways to think about and categorize yourself in your own mind… share your (favorable) findings with the world… and compare/contrast/connect yourself with other people.

Genius.

People can get really attached to their categories. Myers-Briggs. Political parties. Astrological signs.

Even a simple dichotomy like entrepreneur vs. 9-5er.

And once they put themselves in a category, they can easily begin using it as the lens they see the world through.

This reality can produce profound influence.

Think about ways you can show your prospects and clients more about themselves. Help them understand themselves in a helpful new way.

And if you put them in categories you define – or give them a way to self-assess themselves into one…

You have an opportunity to shape how they see themselves, their optimal next steps, and more.

It’s a powerful position to be in. Use you power wisely.

P.S. Once people accept their categories, they see things differently. And they see different things.

There are certain ways to “trigger” those individuals with email subject lines.

I share more details about this in the Secret Handshake chapter of Subject Line Science, now available on Amazon Kindle and paperback.

This is one of the concepts David Garfinkel and I discussed on my recent appearance on The Copywriter Podcast. Enjoy!

Boost Your Email Marketing with Subject Line Science

I’m excited to announce that you can now preorder my brand-new book

Subject Line Science: 11 “Made You Look” Secretes to Get Emails Opened and Read.

iphone displaying "Subject Line Science" bookcover

Seems like everyone’s been asking for this.

It’s a quick read, but it dives deep into my process for creating impossible-to-ignore subject lines.

When you devour the lessons in this book, you (or your marketing team) will have the tools to write must-open subject lines that win attention, make subscribers excited to read and open the door for big sales.

You’ll also get some of the AI prompts I’m playing around with to give you even more fresh subject line options.

One of the 11 “made you look” secrets revealed in the book is what I call the “Tootsie Roll center of persuasion.” Here’s an example:

You’ll get a whole lot more insight about this in the book.

Subject Line Science will be officially released on November 17.

But when you preorder the book now for just $9.99, you’ll also get access to 3 exclusive bonuses for free:

  1. The audiobook (also on November 17)
  2. 104 Steal these Subject Lines templates
  3. Big Ideas for Unforgettable Emails video training

If you take action, this information can transform your email marketing results AND your business as a whole.

Get more details and preorder Subject Line Science now to take advantage.

Have a productive day!

Outsourced Thinking (and Why It’s a Good Thing)

Thinking is hard work. Most people avoid it at all costs.

If you can earn someone’s trust, he’ll gladly allow you to do some of this thinking for him.

If you can display deep expertise on a topic he’s interested in, he’ll happily outsource some of his thinking to you.

If you can minimize the perceived risk or difficulty of changing perspectives/approaches, you may find you have a loyal convert… and a paying client.

[I took this picture earlier this month after speaking at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the city’s largest university.]

This may all sound kind of negative or “manipulative,” but there’s nothing wrong with outsourcing brain work. In fact, most people are craving this kind of leadership.

Nobody can know everything, and even if we could, it would take a lifetime to learn it.

Why do that when we can just plug into someone who’s already an expert?

With that in mind, you may want to:

1) Build your trustworthiness.

2) Demonstrate your expertise.

3) Think about how the person you want to persuade perceives risk as it relates to the topic you want him to think differently about. Can you minimize the risk or reframe it to make it less frightening?

Take these steps and you’ll amp up your persuasive abilities in a major way.

The Attention Game Starts Here

Hooks that snag your reader instantly

Some days it seems like an impossible task, but…

Before you can accomplish ANYTHING with your copy, you have to win your reader’s attention.

Once you pull him in, you can take him wherever you want him to go.

With email, the subject line starts the attention-seeking mission.

On social media, you start with an arresting hook.

(As you may know, this falls under the category of Instigation, the first “I” in my 4-I Formula.)

Great hooks focus your attention, sparks strong curiosity and makes it hard for you to NOT invest a little time to find out what’s going on.

I recently did a training on copywriting for social media for a high-ticket coaching group.

I’d like to share the segment about writing hooks with you.

In the video, you’ll discover 12 hard-to-resist hooks ideas.

The training was specifically geared towards social media, but the ideas also work for email copy, articles, videos, etc.

I hope you find some inspiration – and that your engagement increases when you use these hook ideas.

Have a productive day!!

4 Copywriting Triggers for Instant Sales

There are 4 triggers that instantly turn someone into a buyer:

Trigger 1: His wife says/implies “Bring home X and you’ll get… something special.”

Or on the flip side, “Bring home Y or I’m going to cry.”

Trigger 2: He sees your offer as an easy way to step into the identity he craves or amplify the part of his current identity he’s intensely passionate about.

You can make your reader connect the dots between your offer and his identity on his own…

Or you can make it more obvious.

Not enough copywriters intentionally appeal to identity. Most are too busy thinking about features and benefits.

I encourage you to be one of the elite few that leverage its power.

Trigger 3: When your copy reframes his problem in such a way that he realizes he’s been looking at it all wrong… but now that he understands, the solution (your product/service) is obvious.

Trigger 4: The Stack. There’s a lot of focus on what’s known as a value stack. I’m a fan of the lesser-known desire stack. Both work.

In the following video clip, I discuss these 4 triggers with copywriting expert Maria Lloyd.

Maria has written six-figure email campaigns for more than two dozen brands (you’d definitely recognize more than a few of them), with an average boost to ROI of more than 400 percent.

And now, for a limited time, Maria is teaching copywriters and ambitious entrepreneurs how to create and launch their own six figure email campaigns in her program, Crash Course to Cash.

To be more specific, the deadline is Friday, March 31 at 11:59PM Central.

When you sign up (for as little as $75 down), you’ll get access to a collection of deep-dive trainings to help you sharpen your copywriting sword and leverage those sales triggers we just talked about.

The, starting April 7, you’ll get 8 weeks of live, hands-on training with Maria and her team. She’ll work with you to help you learn the skills you need to write effective email copy AND you’ll actually be working as you go.

There’s no doubt in my mind this will be a life-changing training.

I’m excited to announce that I’ve partnered with Maria to help make Crash Course to Cash even more valuable. When you become part of this first cohort, you’ll also gain access to my Inbox X-Factor course.

Inbox X-Factor gives you 365 days’ worth of email ideas and inspiration… 100+ subject lines… and 10 video training modules revealing my personal strategies for writing emails with maximum selling power.

When I do make it available for sale again, I’m planning to charge between $200 and $300 for it. That’s a value stack for you.

You can’t buy Inbox X-Factor anywhere else right now, so if you’re interested in getting access, sign up here, plus get all the details about Crash Course to Cash.

Have a productive day!

Live Demo: Bing’s New AI-Powered Search

Since we’ve been talking about how AI will change search, I thought you may be interested in watching a live demo of the new ChatGPT-powered Bing.

I meant to make a 5 minute video… but it kept pulling me back in.

There are some really impressive features (you get conversational AI that will follow commands like ChatGPT, but plugged into the web)

And some really glaring problems (which you kinda have to see to believe).

Check out the video here.

Have a productive day!

3 Big Predictions for 2023

Happy almost New Year!

Instead of being clever and coming up with 23 predictions for 2023, I’ll just give you 3 for the coming year.

I don’t know that any of these will be shocking, but I think you’ll find them useful. (And correct.)

Let’s get to it.

Prediction #1: The population general will shift even more toward fear about the economy.

Yes, we’ve already heard plenty of complaining about inflation (and I think we’re a ways off from seeing that fixed), possible recession, etc.

Still, 2022 holiday spending has been record-breaking.

If your neighborhood is anything like mine, people bought everything they could get their hands on for Christmas.

I predict people will adopt a more defensive attitude in 2023.  Spending will be tempered (not decimated), and in most industries, you’ll have to work harder to get people to open their wallets.

You’ll benefit from communicating safety, security and CERTAINTY in your marketing.  Help your clients and prospects feel a greater degree of control and they’ll reward you.

Prediction #2: AI will help creatives more than it hurts. Consumers won’t be so lucky.

Based on my last few emails, you already know I don’t see ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools as a threat to copywriters… designers… children’s book authors.

I just uploaded a video highlighting 10 copywriting skills AI doesn’t have (yet) that guarantee humans will still be running the show for the foreseeable future.

Besides, no one wants to do our jobs!

Entrepreneurs are already full-time busy with their jobs. The reason they don’t study copywriting or graphic design is the same reason most won’t invest the time to learning to leverage AI.

And even if they do bring AI into the mix, they still need skilled copywriters, designers, etc., to run the program!

That said, marketers will create far more content in 2023 than ever before. Much of it will likely come from AI.

More and more content… with less and less originality… which means more and more noise for everyone to sift through.

Several experts are even advocating for and teaching “authors” to use AI to ghost write their books!

In many ways, I believe 2023 is going to be a year of content quantity over quality as people prioritize speed.

It’s like giving a teenager the keys to a gassed-up Bugatti. Could be painful to watch.

Prediction #3: The value of real expertise will increase… but it’ll be harder than ever for most to get their expertise noticed.

True, original-thinking experts will seem increasingly rare and refreshing amidst an onslaught of mediocre AI content.

Your ideal clients will sing “Oh happy day” when they find you. They’ll likely be more tired than ever from wading through the sea of cyber-sameness.  

In 2023, you may need to crank out more copy/content than you’ve had to produce in the past — without decreasing its quality.

Showcase your expertise, your unique and relevant experience, your empathy and your HUMANNESS… even if you use AI like crazy.

(For the record, my plans for the new year include a TON more content. So I’m not just talking to hear my fingers hit the keys.)

AI will get better over time, and people (hopefully) will get better at using it.

Either way, 2023 is going to be interesting!

3 Steps to AI-Proof Your Copywriting Business

I’m guessing you’ve had at least a couple conversations about AI over the past couple weeks.

I’ve had a couple dozen. And each time, an image pops in my mind of the steel-driving man John Henry staring down that ol’ steam drill.

According to the folk story John Henry worked himself to death trying to beat the machine in a high-stakes competition.

But the true story behind the legend ends differently. Henry dies from a lung condition caused by inhaling rock dust. In other words, it wasn’t a machine that killed him. It was the work itself.

I see a John Henry situation with artificial intelligence today.

Creatives are worried about the future. One of the most influential copywriters in the game predicted that AI will put 80% of copywriters out of work within 12 months.

Like that ol’ steam drill. Only John Henry could compete. Everyone else was obsolete.

Claiming 80% of copywriters will be out of a job by next New Year’s Eve is a bit drastic, if you ask me. But it’s impossible to deny that AI presents a challenge.

So, how do you AI-proof your business? 

Respect the Tech and Protect Your Neck

This advice is for copywriters, but I encourage any entrepreneur to pay attention, too.

1) Flip the fear. There’s a TON of things AI can’t do yet. And even more that it can’t do well. For example:

  • It’s not great at persuasion or authentic personality
  • It can’t really dig into breaking news and trending topics
  • The longer the output you’re looking for, the more problems will creep in.

Don’t let fear paralyze or discourage you. This is an opportunity. Respect the tech by using it to enhance your own productivity and creativity. Bring your special expertise to bear on the AI output and make real magic.

This is how you prevent the work from killing you like it did the real John Henry.

2) Get your weight up. There’s a lot AI can’t do, but it is more than capable of doing a TON of basic, low-level copy tasks.

In order to AI-proof your business, you can’t be mediocre. You can’t rely on basic, low-level copy tasks. Protect your neck by developing an expertise. I think it’ll be a while before AI can churn out effective (and accurate) copy for certain specialized niches like financial and alternative health. Especially long-form copy.

Continually get better at direct response techniques. Add something special a robot can’t do: humor… unique, bold perspective… original research.

3) Promote yourself more and better. This may be the most important advice, although it’s far from new.

Until AI starts making the hiring decisions, you’re still dealing with human prospects. They need to see you. They need to get a glimpse into your particular genius. They want to feel a connection with you.

It’s up to you to make that happen through confident self-promotion.

AI is getting all the good press these days. And your potential clients are thinking seriously about using it to make their lives easier. (So that can’t be your only argument now!) Their friends are telling them how cool it is. What do they need a copywriter for?

Well, for the reasons I mentioned above. If you have persuasion skills, the ability to communicate with authentic personality, and proven profit-pulling penmanship, you can do what AI can’t.

But you have to make sure people know that about you!

Whether you consider yourself an extrovert or not, you’re likely going to have to put yourself out there more.

I believe video will be especially important in the coming weeks. Because AI can’t recreate your personality, your charm, your empathy.

The only downside is that the more videos you make, the better Donnie deepfakes AI will be able to make!  

Respect the tech. Use it to your advantage.

Protect your neck. Show yourself superior in all the ways that matter.

The Lensa App & Your Fave 3 Letter Word

Everybody’s doing it…

Hop onto social media and it won’t be 10 seconds before you see a smattering of AI-generated superhero versions of your friends and family.

It’s fascinating.

Artificial intelligence is set to revolutionize education, healthcare, and dozens of other industries – and terminate 96% of humans (hypothetically)…

And the application that goes viral makes selfies.

There are a number of lessons here. Today I’ll just share one.

The Lensa app has exploded onto the scene because it’s 100% focused on your favorite topic: Y O U.

Fully. Unapologetically.

It gives users:

  • idealized images of themselves, perhaps a version of self they fantasize about being…
  • Unique content to share on social media…
  • a fun diversion aka entertainment
  • the opportunity to be one of the first to use a cool new tool…
  • the ability to feel smarter/superior you can now talk about AI from the position of a creator…
  • at the same time as being an early adopter, there’s still that warm sense of belonging, being part of the “in crowd”…
  • Feelings (positive or negative – both are rewarding) about teaching the AI about different faces and characteristics…

… all for $7.99.

These emotional experiences are extremely desirable to millions of people.

There’s a version of these experiences that applies to your product or service. Make sure you speak to them in your marketing.

Have a productive day.

Can This Neuroscience-Based Story Structure Produce Mind Control?

A masked man burst through the door.
Alicia screamed at the top of her lungs and fell back onto her pillow.
Johnny looked up and realized it was time…

Okay, based on the details you just read, what do you think is going on here?

Did you picture a late-night home invasion?

Or maybe it sounded like Alicia and Johnny are at the hospital, just moments away from welcoming a new baby into the world.

Maybe you imagined something totally different.

But chances are that when you read those 3 sentences, your mind assumed they were part of a single narrative rather than random, unconnected sentences.

You automatically made up a story.

(Which is why facts tell but stories sell” is only half true.)

Everyone’s brain takes sensory input, i.e. whatever you’re trying to say…

Then auto-fills any gaps until it has a story that makes sense to that individual (based on what he already knows, believes and has experienced).

All in a fraction of a second. Amazing, really.

To make sure your reader accurately understands what you’re trying to say (or at least give your message the best possible chance), you have to fill in the gaps yourself before auto-fill kicks in.

And to beat the auto-fill function, you can deliver components to the reader in the specific sequence the brain uses to process and make sense out of stories.

According to neuroscience-based testing funded by the U.S. government (DARPA to be specific), that sequence is actually highly predictable.

To keep this email from dragging on endlessly, I’ll simply list the core components in order of appearance in the ideal story structure:

1) Main characters: Who’s in on the action?

2) Key (initial) characteristics of the characters: What are these characters like? They help shape our feelings about each character.

3) Intentions: What do the characters want? This drives action. Not the same thing as…

4) Motives: Why do they want what they want? This adds flavor to the action and further shapes our feelings about the characters. A man bursting through the door to deliver a baby is vastly different than one who’s about to commit a violent crime.

5) Conflict: What’s preventing the characters from achieving their intentions?

6) Stakes: What happens if the character doesn’t overcome the conflict? If there’s no consequence, there’s no reason for the reader to care.

7) Struggle: What hoops does the character go through in his pursuit of victory?

8) Details: To tell a satisfying story, you need details to paint the scene and add realism.

I know that’s a lot… ironically without much detail.

If your intention is to create more compelling stories, I’ll let you struggle in your attempt to apply this structure.

Who am I to rob you of this all-important conflict?

Have a productive day.

P.S. If 8 components is too many, maybe you’ll like my 3-part story structure better.

P.P.S. This is unrelated, but you may be interested. Next week, I’m speaking at the virtual POP to Millions Summit, and I’d love for you to sign up now.

This summit was created to give you a never-before-seen look at how multiple 7, 8, and 9-figure business owners quickly scaled their revenue in 2022… while keeping substantial profits each step along the way.

My topic is “The 4-I Formula: How to Structure High-Converting Copy.” I’m also giving away an exclusive video training I’ve never given away free before. If you’re interested, you can snag a free ticket here.