I promised this post would explore a kind of urgency that goes deeper than deadlines and emergency situations and cuts to the emotional core of your ideal customer.
Let’s go back to Jonah.
His attitudes and actions are also fascinating illustrations of urgency’s other side.
As you remember, your boy did NOT want to go to Ninevah.
He was happy about its coming destruction. And he knew if he did his job as a prophet, the LORD might spare the city.
You know the story. Jonah hopped on a boat to get as far away from Ninevah as possible… but he couldn’t avoid delivering the warning forever.
And his fear came to pass. The people repented and God was merciful.
Throughout this story, there’s an intense battle of urgency going on in Jonah’s mind.
On one hand, he was convinced if he did what he was put on earth to do… the outcome would be transformational.
He even complained to God after the fact: “I knew this was going to happen. That’s why I got on that boat in the first place!”
On the other hand, Jonah’s actions were driven by his (cultural and spiritual) identity and his attachment to it.
Why didn’t he want the people of Ninevah to “turn from their evil ways”?
As he saw it, God was on his side, not theirs. Mercy for them was a threat to his identity.
So when God spared the city, Jonah expressed it’d better for him to die than to accept a different perspective.
Like Jonah, we’re all attached to our identities.
We’ll go to extreme lengths to protect ourselves from threats and to take actions that line up with how we perceive ourselves (or a future version of ourselves we desperately want).
It’s an urgent need.
Here’s the lesson:
1. When you pursue your purpose so intently… when you become so convinced of the transformation that’s possible when you share your message, product or service…
The urgency of who you are and why you do what you do comes through in your communications in a way that’s impossible to fake.
Every interaction and all your communications resonate with it. Your Ninevah, the people you’re here to help, will feel that urgency and respond.
2. Get familiar with your ideal customer so that you have a solid understanding of how he sees himself and his place in the world.
That identity is a key driver of many of decisions, including the content he consumes, the products and services he buys, and how he connects with experts like you.
What’s the future version he urgently wants to grow into? What role can you play in helping him get there?
That’s a different, deeper way to leverage urgency in your sales copy and marketing.
P.S. If your business is related to the reason you were put on this planet, don’t run away from your “Ninevah.”
Believe in the transformation that you can help create and move boldly forward.
I believe 100% in treating prospects with honesty and respect.
So I’m curious to know what you think about this…
It’s one of the worst mistakes in the history of modern retail.
Back in 2012, JCPenney’s CEO Ron Johnson decided to eliminate coupons from the department store’s business.
Up until that point, Penney put coupons in newspapers, credit card statements in the mail and online. They were a major driver of sales.
Johnson slashed prices 20-25% on most products companywide to make up the difference. He figured customers would appreciate the built-in savings.
If you’ve studied marketing you can guess what happened — which means you’re more insightful than at least one Fortune 500 CEO.
The strategy flopped hard.
Sales dropped almost 25% ($4.3 billion) and Johnson left the company to “look for other opportunities.”
I remember it like it was yesterday.
At the time, I worked in the stockroom at JCPenney, unloading trucks full of clothing at 3am (I haven’t always been able to survive purely on copywriting income).
My stockroom job got whole lot easier because we sold through much less product.
I also remember JCPenney hiring a mob of temporary employees to remove the price tags from all the merchandise in the stores…
Marking prices BACK UP to their pre-Johnson levels…
And starting to send out coupons again.
Revenue popped. Customers came back, happier. And the company tried to forget what happened.
Lots of Lessons. But here’s the main point
Decision-making is not a rational process.
In this instance, customers preferred cutting out a coupon to save $20 on a $60 sweater over walking into a store and picking up the same sweater for $40.
They were happier because they FELT the savings.
So they bought more frequently. And JCPenney raked in more cash.
I’ve been watching Love is Blind… purely for research purposes.
Whether or not you enjoy this sort of entertainment, you can learn a lot by studying the content people have strong emotional reactions to, positive or negative.
(This is why a Netflix subscription should be tax deductible for marketers.)
We’re going to tackle the show’s most captivating aspect:
How can people fall in love & decide to get married in 10 days or less?
Because we want your should-be customers to fall in love with you enough to give you money… as quickly as possible.
The dynamics at play are FASCINATING — useful for your marketing efforts, too.
I’d like to share 5 actionable insights to make people fall for you fast.
These insights will be valuable for you even ifyou’ve never seen an episode of the show.
Check them out in the following video or read about them below.
Or both.
1. Pick the right folks (or let them select themselves)
One of the biggest reasons Love Is Blind “works” is that the producers have curated people looking for the specific outcome:
They want to find the love of their lives. They’re frustrated with the polluted dating pool and they’re actively looking for a solution.
As a marketing concept, this seems basic. But it’s shocking how often we lose sight of it.
In the first place, make sure your offer is something people have a strong desire for. It should help them achieve a dream they already have… or eliminate a pain point they’re already frustrated about.
You don’t need everyone to buy your product/service. Concentrate on the small percentage of the population that’s actively looking for the transformation you produce.
You could argue the Couples on Love Is Blind don’t really fall in love in mere days. Which is probably true. But they certainly develop strong attachments at warp speed.
And they do so based solely on the words they hear in their conversations.
One of the comments you hear on the show constantly is that cast members feel that their future fiancé knows them better than anyone else in their lives.
They feel understood. The feel seen. (Ironic, right?)
Humans crave that feeling… and we attach ourselves to those who make us feel that way.
You can use your words to have a similar effect in your marketing.
And that’s exactly what you need to do to make your prospects fall in love with your business or offer.
It’s more than just using “power words” or hyping up your product or service. It’s communicating a deep understanding, shared values and painting a vivid picture of the beautiful future that’s possible with you.
There’s another theory I feel like we need to address.
Another reason cast member fall in love so quickly can at least be partially explained by a psychological theory called “object relations.”
To keep it easy-breezy, object relations theory describes how someone can instantly form a deep emotional bond with a new person because the new person reminds them of an important emotional experience or relationship from their past.
Most people are constantly looking to recreate that feeling (even if they don’t consciously think about it) in the present.
Now…
It’s impossible to predict how this will work, especially when marketing to groups of people who each have their own unique pasts.
But what you can get close by going for nostalgia.
When you understand your ideal customer, you can predict certain things from the past they likely have strong feelings about.
Work these into your marketing… and even into you own personal brand.
For example, if you know your best customers loved Axel Foley in the 80’s… see if you can embody some of his characteristics in the way you present yourself.
It’s more powerful than you might think.
Google shared data finding that 75% of GenXers watch YouTube to relive the good ol’ days.
Think about ways you can add nostalgia to your marketing to attract prospects, hold their attention and (hopefully) win their business.
3. Use scarcity to position yourself as “The One”
One of the biggest motivators for cast members on Love Is Blind is that they have limited options… and they know it. There are just 15 men and 15 women in the group – and there’s plenty of potential competition.
Having too many options can prevent you from ever moving forward. You may always be looking for the next best thing.
Scarcity helps you focus.
There’s two ways you can use scarcity to help your ideal customers fall in love with you quickly.
Position yourself in a niche where you have few, if any, competitors. No one else delivers exactly what you do… for the exact people you do it for.
Use real limits in your business. Produce a limited quantity of a product… work with a limited number of clients… put a cap on the number of attendees of an event.
Don’t make up fake scarcity to trick people. Honest scarcity can be a spectacular motivator.
4. Commit to spending “Quality Time”
No matter how fast they fall in love, couples on Love Is Blind have to spend quality time together. The more time, the faster they build the bond.
You don’t really see it on the show, but the reality is that cast members can spend as much time as they like in the pods with the people they want to talk to. They don’t have to cram everything into 60-minute daily sessions or anything like that.
The same thing is true for you as an entrepreneur. Your prospects and customers need to spend time with you. It may be less time than you think, but you can’t expect to maximize your relationship with (and profit from) them with just an occasional text message.
You need to be consistent & frequent in your outreach.
The more “love letters” you send… the more marathon phone conversations… the more moonlit walks on the beach… the faster they can fall in love with you.
If you need help coming up with more ideas about topics to write about for emails and social content, check out Inbox X-Factor.
You’ll get access to weekly content plans (so you’ll ALWAYS have a timely topic to write about), proven subject line templates, video trainings and more.
5. Urgency
The Love Is Blind experiment would fall apart if cast members were given an infinite amount of time to propose marriage.
Cast members know they have a short amount of time – just 10 days – to get what they came for. They have to be decisive & take action to avoid missing out.
Urgency also works in marketing. Set real deadlines. Use (honest) countdown timers.
Let people know they don’t have an eternity to make a choice
Using urgency the right way can help everyone get what they want faster, both in relationships and in marketing.
There you go.
I hope you’ll take time TODAY to think about how you can put these insights into practice in your business.
Because they really can maximize the speed with which prospects become paying customers… the amount of money they’re eager to spend with you…
And the positive impact you’re able to have in their lives.
It’s also going to make some people a pile of money.
You get to decide which group you’re in.
(Hypothetically, you can be in both groups. Be angry and sin not.)
I’m going to share one surprising statistic (which you may have heard by now)…
One high-impact implication of that statistic…
And two action steps to leverage the current state of things into that pile of money I mentioned a second ago.
Here’s the startling statistic:
TikTok is now the #1 website on the planet in terms of traffic.
Maybe you aren’t surprised. I was straight-up flabbergasted.
But I shouldn’t have been.
Because, this lines up precisely with one of the lessons I’m constantly promoting:
Entertainment (which is so much more than just humor) is increasingly essential if you want to get and keep people’s attention.
And you can’t get anyone’s money legally without getting and keeping their attention.
Next point.
Google has FELT unbeatable as the world’s top website. People need to know stuff or find stuff, and Big G dominates as a provider of answers and information.
I’m no TikTok expert, but it doesn’t seem particularly search-based (that’s standard for social media).
The platform intentionally and aggressively serves you novel content… and although your interactions inform what the algorithm delivers…
The masses – probably including your should-be buyers – are making time in their schedules for this content… at the same time as complaining there aren’t enough hours in the day.
Think about it.
That doesn’t mean you need to start a TikTok account. That’s up to you to decide.
If you go that route, just watch the ROI on the time you spend there and make the right decision for you.
(Entertainment/enjoyment IS value, so you gotta factor that in, too.)
Here Are Your Action Steps
1. Your potential clients crave entertainment. And they’re going to get it somewhere. Might as well get it from YOU.
Again, that doesn’t just mean humor. It definitely doesn’t mean you have to dance on camera.
Don’t expect people to pay attention to you for long when there are more entertaining options out there. You can be more qualified, more intelligent, more honest… and still lose.
2. Millions of people open TikTok every day… to see videos from people they don’t even follow. The algorithm FORCES videos on users.
So when people say they only want one email a week from you…
Don’t just believe them.
Most of your readers will likely consume your content (email or otherwise) every single day… as long as you’re sending them stuff crave as much as their next TikTok binge.
Shoot, you could even send them an email linking to your latest Tiktok video.
It’s not time to be shy.
It’s time to step up to the plate and consistently deliver valuable marketing and content in packaging your people will devour.
I don’t often do this, but I’m going to share a “shocking” prediction for 2022 that I believe could have a significant impact on your business.
But first, let me tell you a quick story.
It’s actually one of my favorite stories. My own Michael Jordan in Game 6 vs. Utah Jazz moment.
When I was a junior in high school, I was captain of an intramural basketball team — and I predicted my team would win the championship before the first game of the season.
I’ll spare you most of the details and get to the good stuff.
My team marched to the semifinals… and I caught mononucleosis. The doctor told me I could absolutely NOT play basketball. Any rough physical contact could rupture my internal organs.
I canceled prom… and my date never spoke to me again.
But I couldn’t miss the semifinals game. Especially after guaranteeing a championship.
If you’ve ever had mono, you know it drains your energy like leaving your car’s headlights on overnight. So the game was a hard slog. Probably the same way Jordan felt like in Game 6.
You’re going to think I’m making this up, but it’s 100% fact.
My team was down by 2 and I knocked down a 15-foot buzzer-beater to send the game into overtime, where we dismantled the other squad. Then we went on to win the title. Just as I had predicted.
Today, I’m going to make my biggest prediction since the beginning of that basketball season 21 years ago.
If you’ve been skimming til this point, this is where you want to pay attention. I’m going to tell you which…
Entrepreneurs & Marketers I Believe Will WIN in 2022
More importantly, how you can be one of the big winners.
Here it is:
The entrepreneurs who win will be the ones who:
1. understand their core buyers at a deep level
2. communicate that deep understanding to their core buyers — not just use the data for targeting/segmenting purposes (although that’s important)
AND
3. demonstrate that they are “in this together” with their core buyers — whatever that means in their particular industries.
At first glance, this may not seem like a shocking prediction after all. But I urge you to think about this with me for just a minute.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen a flood of new businesses, new technologies, new options… and rapid adoption of all the newness among consumers.
More than ever before, there is something for everyone online.
At the same time, we see increased polarization of people around the world. Politically, scientifically, socially.
Folks are cliquing up and forming profound bonds with their “groups.”
In 2022 and beyond, you’ll see this trend impacting commerce more and more.
People will gravitate toward, spend money within and pledge undying loyalty to “micro-communities” where they feel understood… appreciated… even SUPERIOR to outsiders.
I don’t have statistically significant data to prove this, but I am confident that having the “best” product or service won’t be enough in 2022.
Having the “best marketed” offer won’t do it, either.
If you want to win the future, it’s going to be essential to work on developing the “best connected” offer — specifically tailored for your core clientele and obviously repellent to “outsiders” (real or imagined).
I think it’s going to be trickier than ever to be a “faceless” impersonal company. Even if you’re a plumber or contractor.
Think about it. Everyone knows Tesla’s CEO. Who’s the CEO of Toyota again?
Even Zuckerberg is trying craft a more likable public persona.
This is the way the wind’s blowing, my friend.
Take it from a guy who calls intramural championships like Babe Ruth calling home runs.
P.S. I know what you’re saying.
I can’t bring up all this micro-community stuff and skip out on helping you figure out how to actually DO IT.
Well, if you’re curious, you’re just going to have to stay tuned.
A smart entrepreneur asked me a question you might be wondering about right now:
“What are some subject lines to use for my Black Friday emails?”
I had some ideas and examples to share. I thought I’d share them with you.
(What can I say? I’m thoughtful like that.)
Depending on your offer, here are a few ways you can approach your Black Friday subject lines (that’s plural because I hope you’re sending multiple emails):
1) Only 3 hours left for [offer]
Lead with strong urgency. A screaming deadline is a great motivator.
I usually prefer more intrigue in a subject line, but for Black Friday/Cyber Monday, people are actively looking to spend money. So I have no reservations.
Don’t offer a discount on a product/service — offer a discount on that transformation.
The distinction is huge, even for e-commerce store owners.
Example:
Oh So Silky Smooth Hair: 40% Off thru Friday
“Goat Herder to Royalty” Blueprint: special discount
#1 Secret for Meeting Good, Good Clean Girls (and save 50%)
3) Lead with guarantee
If you’re feeling enthusiastic, maybe you come up with a unique Black Friday guarantee. If not, you can use your regular risk reversal as a unique way to grab attention for your offer.
Example:
Find Love in 40 Days, Guaranteed (ends at midnight)
30-Days Risk Free: Mop Stick Self-Defense Mastery
Special Guarantee: 200% Money-Back until 11/24
4) Specific amount dollar savings
It’s easy to forget this one.
The truth is, most people can’t instantly do percentages in their heads. And they’re probably not pulling out calculators.
Make it plain for them, especially if your discount is less than 50%.
Example:
$10 off Cleo’s Delicious Pigs in a Blanket
Save $400 on tickets to Zamunda
5) Testimonial subject line and email body copy
If you can find a one-liner from a customer success story or review, you can probably make a strong subject line.
Then use that testimonial to tell a story demonstrating the value of your Black Friday offer. Let your buyers do the bragging for you.
I recommend using quotation marks catch the reader’s eye and signify there’s a story inside.
Example:
“To be loved… Oh, what a feeling!”
“That’s when the BIG bucks start rolling in.”
Success Story: “My son works!”
6) Announce video demonstration plus special offer
Or they’re not clear on exactly what they’re getting.
Can you answer those questions and erase those doubts with a video demonstration.
Example:
[Video] Finding Queen’s Common Parts – plus a special offer
LIVE: Marrying an African Prince (and a limited-time discount)
— — —
I know, that was a lot.
Hopefully there’s something helpful in there.
Again, you should be sending several emails, so you can try a few different angles.
If you have time, I encourage you to A/B test, so you can try 2 version for each email touch. Send them to 20 or 25% of your list and let the winner go out to everyone else.
Interested in seeing my best, most swipeable subject lines? Check out my Subject Line of the Day videos. Here’s the latest addition:
What’s a subject line that works to get people to sign up for a webinar?
What are the best subject lines to sell high-ticket coaching?
What’s a good subject line I can use to invite people to my nephew’s bar mitzvah?
There’s rarely one clear-cut winner that works in every situation, but I can usually share a handful of suggestions based on my experience.
But since entrepreneurs and other copywriters are constantly asking me that question…
I came up with an easy way to share some of the best subject lines I’ve written… and some of the best I’ve read from other top marketers.
Sharing My Top “Subject Line of the Day” Candidates
… as Youtube Shorts.
I’ve committed to uploading a video every day for the next 100 days… so this is going to become a valuable resource over time.
This has been the most popular one so far:
I want to point out another one I think deserves special attention.
Everyone’s heard of “fearof missing out,” right? This subject line example flips FOMO on its head and addresses the lesser-known “fear of holding on too long.”
Check it out:
Get a bunch of email marketing ideas, inspiration and insights in a flurry of 1-minute videos.
If you take my suggestions, you’ll have more than 3 months worth of subject lines — and that’s if you email your list daily. If you’re mailing weekly, that’s 2 YEARS of subject line templates.
Email less than once a week… shame on you.
I encourage you to subscribe to my channel to decrease the chance that you’ll miss any of these copywriting nuggets.
Full disclosure: I may not share any good bar mitzvah subject lines in the first 100 days.
This will also be a great opportunity for you to see every shirt I have in my wardrobe. You know, if you’re into that sort of thing.
**Update: Here are all the subject lines in swipeable format**
I decided to do 101 videos — and a few of them highlighted 2 or 3 subject lines.
Several people have shown me their open rates shooting through the roof…
… and one brother told me he’s ADDICTED now.
But I know it takes a long time to watch 101 videos — and it’s impossible to quickly scan through and see if one fits for the email you’re sending out today.
So I’ma hook y’all up…
Here are all 101 subject lines from my Subject Line of the Day series:
A tour of my $200k office
Is THIS the missing piece of your [BLANK]
The Rise & Fall of [BLANK]
Since you didn’t watch the video
Steal these Subject Lines
[Name], here’s your private invitation
5.99… SERIOUSLY, [NAME]
Real estate ISN’T the best investment right now
Have you given up on this, [NAME]
Getting revenge in marriage
Your advisor would NEVER show you this chart
3,000-year old tonic melts 33 lbs in 28 days
A six-figure shortcut for rookies
The “more sex” shortcut for horny husbands
I made a grown man cry on Christmas Eve
… and they left the cocaine
Are you on Facebook, [NAME]?
Know, Like & Trust is a LIE
The $7 Biden Survival Blueprint
3 Email Secrets from My $17M Year
My #1 Rule: Don’t Buy Options
[NAME], did you mean to miss this?
Homeless folks need Netflix, too
Another Pawnshop Christmas
The Truth About [Well-Known Person]
The Stupidity of Going Vegan
Copy-Paste JPMorgan’s 99.52% Winning Trades
Cooking video goes BAD
It took lots of wine to make this happen
Grant Cardone is an idiot
This is why your cold emails get ignored
He earns $500 a Day from YouTube
don’t EVER do this
The most dangerous idea in finance right now
A Nice Guy’s Guide to Manipulating Others
Breaking: 4 shampoo brands cause Alzheimer’s
Thank God for Russian hackers
10X More Valuable Than the Internet?
Final hours to save 27%
Get Drunk and Make 4X Your Money
Reverse Engineering a ??? Real Estate Biz
If I could only buy one book this year
Top 10 Stocks for 2022
Do Not Take Vitamin D (unless…)
The Almost-Perfect Sales Call Script
10 Reasons to Stop Picking Stocks
Oops! (I can’t believe I let this happen)
Urgent: Don’t file your taxes just yet
5 Reasons Your Man Is Tired of You
Email Copy Secrets that Are Better than Sex
Do you make these mistakes with cold calling?
[NAME], You’ve Been Upgraded
Thank You, [NAME]
“You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out, Kid”
Time Flies When You’re Having Rum
This family has 6 billionaires. Here’s how they did it
Are you coming, [NAME]? // See you tonight, [NAME]
Scam of the century, Paris 1925
How the richest get richer every single day
Nearly Triple Your Profits… Automatically
“The Best Strategy I’ve Ever Seen”
Your First Profits from Stock Options
Airline CEO confesses… the end is near
Being broke on Mother’s Day sucks
Freedom First. Safety third
Tired? Stop overdosing on coffee
[Name] Get Your Free Book Today // Should I Give Your Copy to Someone Else? // Where Should I Send This? ($0 Shipping)
The 1 Reason Why I Make 300 Times More Money Than Most Kindle Publishers (Just This 1 Thing)
The “top secret” Google-military play
Dept. of Energy calls this a game-changer
Bill Gates Wants to Nuke the World
Sell These Stocks By 9:30am ET Monday // Sell These Stocks Right Now // Dump These Stocks ASAP
Almost anyone can “cash in” on real estate now
WARNING: This New Tech Could Be Hidden on Your Phone
The noise. It’s not going away
Free Ticket for [NAME]
Ooh, you’re expensive [NAME]
Why So Many Women Cheat on their Husbands
You’re Taking Viagra and Don’t Even Know It
“Bazooka Jay” breaks all the rules
Leaked Game of Thrones Episode Reveals Controversial Marketing Truth
This is SO screwed up, [NAME]
The Lies that Hold You Back
Death by Lottery Win
The George Costanza School of Client Attraction // Clark Kent Guide to Sneakily Strong Copy
1000s of companies are BEGGING for this tech
President’s Secret to Protecting his Prostate
10 Commandments of [BLANK] // 7 Deadly Sins of [BLANK]
They’re Spying on Your Children
Alert: West Nile Virus Reported
My Life As a Psychopath
How Often Should You Email Your List
My boldest prediction yet // 7 Shocking Predictions for [Event]
How to murder your perfectionism
5 tips to get over your fear of writing
I Sent This to the Vatican 10 Minutes Ago
Bitcoin isn’t the bubble. It’s the pin!
This should change in your marriage every 90 days
You have $20 in your account
Why most people are constantly REBUILDING their business
