Emotional Copy Sells. Here’s How You Do It

Emotional copy focuses on "body, bank and boo"

Your life is about to get a little easier, my friend.

Starting today.

I’m going to remind you about something you may already know…

Then I’ll share a distinction you may have never thought of. One that could seriously simplify your sales and marketing efforts.

Let’s dive in.

As a student of the persuasion game, I’m sure you already know that emotions drive buying decisions.

If you have never heard this before, today’s your lucky day. Because now you know.

If you thought the air-tight logic of your sales argument is what seals your deals, today’s your lucky day. Because now you know better.

(If you feel the need to cling to this theory, check out where you swipe your own credit cards. You’ll see your feelings’ fingerprints all over the receipts.)

Here’s an old video covering this in greater detail, along with 5 specific emotions worth targeting.

The question that naturally comes up is…

How do you create emotion with copy? – especially when your product or service is “boring”?

Which is just one way we make sales and marketing more complicated than it needs to be.

The solution is simple.

Talk about topics your ideal customers are already emotional about. The stronger the emotions, the better.

To make it even simpler, I refer you to Body, Bank and Boo.

Everyone already has strong feelings, positive or negative, about their:

  • Body (physical, mental and emotional health)
  • Bank (making or saving money, other work-related stuff)
  • Boo (love life and other relationships)

They already have:

  • dreams and desires…
  • pains and problems…
  • fears and frustrations…

…about their Body, Bank, and Boo.

Get familiar with your should-be customers. You’ll discover which Body dreams… which Bank problems… which Boo frustrations they have the strongest feelings about. Which they’re most desperate to address.

See how that works?

You don’t have to be very creative. You don’t have to be a Donnie Bryant-level copywriter. And you don’t have to resort to overhype or dishonesty to get your prospects in the buying mood.

They’ll tell you how to get them in the mood.

Get to know them and then show them how you can help them get the Body/Bank/Boo result they’re already emotionally invested in achieving.

Every effective sales and copywriting strategy is a variation on that.

My advice? Keep it simple… and keep leading the way.

Have a productive day!

Donnie

P.S. Trying to generate emotions in your copy ex nihilo is almost like trying to divert a freight train hurtling down the track.

Why put yourself through that?

Tap into the momentum that’s already there. It’s easier, and more likely to take you smoothly to the desired destination.

Body, Bank and Boo.

Simple.

The Whistledown Effect: 3 Copywriting Insights from Bridgerton

So, this writer got tricked into watching Bridgerton a couple weeks ago.

Have you watched it? (If not, don’t worry. There are no spoilers here.)

Personally, I didn’t feel like it lived up to the hype.

That won’t stop me from getting a Duke of Hastings costume for Halloween. Think I can pull it off?

Seriously though…

There was one element I found really compelling, and it can boost your profitability if you can emulate it.

I’ve dubbed it the Whistledown Effect

A.K.A, how to get everyone in town to read your letters.

Now, if you haven’t seen the show, Lady Whistledown is the character who more or less drives the entire plot. She writes and distributes a gossip column that has the whole ‘Ton buzzing.

That column is the only reason the main characters get together in the first place.

So what’s the secret? How does Lady Whistledown get everyone to voraciously read every word she writes?

More importantly, how can you use the Whistledown Effect to get (and keep) more eyeballs on your copy and content?

Here are a few keys:

1. Talk about your reader

In Bridgerton, Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers are all about the people in town. You never knew when you’d see your name pop up.

When you write copy or content, it’s should be all about the reader. You may not be calling them by name (although it’s a good idea to use personalization where possible)…

You should write about the issues your reader is facing in his life today… the pains and problems he wants to get rid of… the dreams and desires he wants so badly to attain.

He needs to be able to see himself, his reality and his desired outcome in the copy you send him.

Too many entrepreneurs focus on themselves, their products or their business. The reader doesn’t care much about those things. And why should he?

If you want the reader’s attention and continued interest, talk about him and those things that concern him specifically.

2. Reveal juicy secrets

Whistledown also dropped bombshells about the hidden personal lives of Bridgerton characters — including the Queen herself. Humans have a hard time resisting secrets.

Your copy should at least at secret things. Lessons the reader won’t hear anywhere else. Hidden solutions no one else knows about. Facades that have everyone fooled… but you’re about to enlighten them about.

Of course, you may not reveal the secret until after the reader hits the buy button.

3. Be surprising

If the reader thinks he knows what you’re going to talk about, or he knows the secret you plan to unveil, he’s a lot less likely to pay attention.  He already knows that stuff.

Be unpredictable.
Be polarizing.
Ruffle some feathers.

Think of the great marketers and communicators you know. You were never sure what they were going to say or how they might say it. But you knew it would be good.

Lady Whistledown rarely disappointed. That’s why her readers were so rabidly loyal.

Dear reader, make sure every message you craft has something surprising in it.

It’s worth the time you invest in doing so.

Super Bowl-Inspired Marketing Ideas

Quick one for you today.

I honestly didn’t realize the big game was happening yesterday, but that won’t stop me from jumping on the “lessons from the Super Bowl” trend.

Here are a few marketing concepts you can better appreciate right after a public spectacle like this.

You can probably guess what a direct response guy like me is going to say. But you’d be wrong today. ?

1. It’s helpful to build an audience

Word on the street is that 30-second commercial spots during the game cost $5.5 million.

Why? Because there are literally millions of eyeballs glued to the screen to see them. And people are trained to actually watch these commercials. Where else does that happen?

The lesson for you, of course, is to start building your own audience — preferably an email list. Get intentional, even aggressive about it.

Your list (and the interest+trust you’ve earned from it) is your greatest asset as a business owner.

2. Focus on entertainment value (which makes #1 easier)

This is about both the game and the commercials.

All those millions of people watch because they want to be entertained. That’s really the only benefit they get from watching — especially for people who didn’t have parties this year.

People have been conditioned to pay attention to advertising messages during the Super Bowl because they’re designed to be entertaining.

How profitable they are is debatable (and in many cases impossible to determine).

But there’s no debate that entertaining marketing messages CAN be profitable. In fact, I’d argue that pretty much all entrepreneurs would benefit from adding some entertainment value to their marketing… and a majority are actively hurting themselves by neglecting to do so.

People have better things to do than be bored by your marketing in 2021

3. Leverage the “love-hate” in your target audience

The moment I realized the game was today was when my next door neighbor told me “I hope Brady loses tonight. I’m tired of that guy.

A good percentage of Super Bowl viewers felt the same way.

That love-to-hate character is in itself entertaining. People will pay attention to your message if you talk to them about something or someone they’re ready to see eat some AstroTurf.

(I’d bet that 50% of the money Floyd Mayweather’s made in the past 5 years is from people who were hoping to see him get knocked out. His anti-fans have put millions of dollars in his pockets.)

Who’s the bad guy you can trash talk in your marketing to keep engaged — and spending money?

Think about it. Then do something with it.

Have a productive day.

P.S. It’s kinda weird I forgot about the game, considering Inbox X-Factor focuses on turning current events into email ideas. But I look more for the less obvious stories.

Anyone can tell you to write an email about the Super Bowl. 

But how many people are showing you how to write an email about the couple who got married underwater in India last week?

Happy Little Addicts

What was your initial reaction to the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma — or even just discussions about it?

(I’m assuming you’ve had at least one discussion about it. Seems like everyone was talking about it a few weeks ago.)

Here’s a review I saw that captures a snippet of the conversations I had after the film was released:

“This exposes truths about big data, manipulation, & warnings from the people who designed Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Everyone should definitely watch this to understand how these social media platforms are using us and how Humanity will be destroyed by Technology in the near future.”

A lot of people are “mad” at the social media companies, which Netflix should be counted amongst.

As a marketer, what was YOUR reaction?

The proper response should have been inspiration.

Because the film is practically a field guide illustrating how to build an army of happy little addicts…  

And we marketers should be taking notes.

Do you want your own army of happy addicts?

You can start taking notes right here, right now.

(BTW, I’m curious to know what your reaction to THAT statement was. Leave a comment and let me know.)

I’ll just briefly hit on a few points that are especially important.

What’s Wrong with an Echo Chamber?

One of the big criticisms leveled by the producers of The Social Dilemma is that Facebook and others feed you more and more stories to reinforce a particular opinion… one that you hold already.

News flash: humans already do this automatically. It’s called confirmation bias.

People enjoy the feeling of being right, smart, and on the right side. The crave it.

You should harness that reality.

When planning out your messaging, you must use your ideal customer’s view of reality as the starting point.   

Don’t fight your prospect’s brain.

Stake Your Claim

To a certain extent, you have to own real estate in your prospect’s mind.

How do you do that? Through regular, consistent, engaging communication.

Our brains are biased towards information we’ve heard recently and repeatedly.

You’ve heard that a lie told often enough is believed. But it’s not about the lie. It’s about the repetition.

A few things you can do to claim more real estate between your prospect’s ears:

  • Frequent communication via email, YouTube, social channels. You don’t have to use them all, but the more you use, the more you can dominate your prospect’s time and the more opportunities you’ll have to reinforce your ideas.
  • If possible, be present in the physical environment. Get a book, a t-shirt, a printed checklist, something physical into homes or offices. When you can do that, you’re in a rare group — and as a result, people convince themselves you’re more important.   

    Studies also show there’s a stronger and longer-lasting neurological response to physical marketing (e.g. direct mail) over digital version of the same ads.
  • Impact ONE THING that’s part of your prospect’s daily routine. Now you own part of his day.

    A recent poll found that 80% of people check their phones before doing anything else in the morning. It’s a routine set by social media (and email).

    What part of the day can you own?

By the Power Vested in Me

A huge reason The Social Dilemma is so hard-hitting is that it’s filled with admissions from THE experts on this topic: the people who designed these addictive apps.

People are eager to defer to authorities and experts, sometimes without even realizing it.

I’ve talked about authority several times in the past, so I’ll just mention one important point.

Your personal story — how you came to experience and understand the idea you’re trying to share — is likely to carry more weight than scientific studies (which make fantastic supporting arguments).

Your story makes you an authority, whether or not you have credentials or position.

Now listen…

This topic can make some people squeamish. I get it. Most people don’t want to feel manipulative.

But let me remind you of what we said last week.

When you’re selling something that helps people, you make the world a better place by promoting it aggressively.

Arguably, your prospects are struggling because they haven’t bought from you yet.

You can to lead them to freedom.

I encourage you to embrace the task.

Free Will vs. Email Marketing (No Contest)

Has anyone ever told you how evil you are?

Oops.

I mean how evil they THINK you are?

As a marketer, it probably happens more than you think.

(Civilians don’t really understand what we do.)

I remember sitting in church with my family a few years ago… when the preacher — who happened to be my father-in-law — started railing on the vile schemes of marketers.

Free trials, for example.

Marketers know some people won’t cancel before the free trial is over, so why do we “trick” people into spending money that way?

That part of the sermon probably only lasted 2 or 3 minutes… but it seemed much longer.

I know marketing isn’t evil — I dealt with that false belief long ago.

But it was still uncomfortable.

Good thing the preacher didn’t call me out by name.

The church is full of civilians who don’t understand what I do, so I’m pretty sure no one knew he was talking about me.

He probably didn’t even know he was talking about me!

Has anything like that happened to you?

(If you have a good story, please reply to this email and share. I’d love to hear it.)

Let me clear up a few things.

Copywriting and marketing are NOT evil.

You probably already know that or you wouldn’t have signed up to hear from me.

Marketing is leadership… and I know you’re using it to improve people’s lives

Better marketing = more lives transformed for the better.

If you’re selling something that helps people, promoting it aggressively makes the world a better place.

Free will always wins.

We marketers can’t force anyone to act against their own best interests.

We can’t make them do what they don’t want to do.

All we can do is paint a clear picture of a specific outcome our should-be buyer already wants… and make it as easy as possible for him to say “yes”

Jonathan Edwards, an 18th century preacher (which makes him a little older than my father-in-law), wrote that people…

“…always act according to the strongest inclination they have at the moment of choice.

You make the big bucks when you can create moments of choice where the reader’s strongest inclination is to buy your offer.

Email gives you the best opportunity to create moments strong inclination… over and over

I recorded a video describing a few of my best techniques for doing exactly that.

One of the strategies is what I call intense opportunity curiosity…

Which was the real secret behind the $218,337 5-email campaign I told you about last week.

This video training will be exclusively available to Inbox X-Factor members.

No big sales pitch. I still haven’t written the sales page.

But if you’d like to learn more about how I’ve been making MORE money with email instead of less (which so many people are complaining about these days)…

You’ll want to see the video I’m uploading tomorrow.

Plus, you get weekly email plans… winning subject line templates… and more.

$99 a month (no contracts) is a small investment to help you make your email list significantly more profitable — and to spend less time doing it.

Just one of the ways I’m striving to make the world a better place. 

I Believe… Help My Unbelief

The odds are stacked against you as a marketer.

Your should-be customer or client has developed a sophisticated system for NOT buying from you.

(The system is deadly effective, even though he was hardly aware that he was building it.)

One of the main components of this system is disbelief. No surprise, right?

But what most marketers don’t consider is that disbelief comes in two flavors:

1. Disbelief about your or your product/service

and

2. Disbelief about his own ability or worthiness to experience the transformation you promise.  

In other words…

Your prospect can believe that you help save marriages… and disbelieve you can save HIS marriage.

To neutralize this part of the anti-buying system, you have to

1. Prove that you can deliver a result

and

2. Prove that you can deliver a result FOR HIM.

I want to talk about #2

How do you do it?

Identify the B.S. stories he tells himself… about himself.

A significant percentage of your prospects will never buy from you — not because they don’t want what you’re selling or because they don’t believe you’re good at what you do…

… but because of their limiting (dis)beliefs.

A Prospect's reason for not buying is the B.S. stories he tell himself 57.1% of the time.
*All figures are estimates

Some generic B.S. stories include

  • “I’ve failed before, so trying again is pointless”
  • “I’m not smart/handsome/wealthy enough”
  • “People who look like me don’t/can’t do that”
  • “I haven’t paid my dues yet”
  • “I don’t deserve to be rich/happy because I did XYZ in the past”

You can uncover more specific crippling B.S. stories by talking (or having your team talk) with people in your target audience.

Get on the phone.
Send surveys (but take responses with a grain of salt).
Spy on them online (social media, Reddit, Amazon reviews, etc.).

You’ll gain fascinating insight you can to overcome objections in your copy.

Showcase People Like Him Who Got the Result

Once you know some of the B.S. stories, find examples about people who contradict those stories.

The more unbelieving prospect see himself reflected in your marketing messages — including his dreams, challenges, and B.S. stories — the more your message will resonate…

And the weaker his disbelief will become.

Leverage A Unique Mechanism

Position your offer as a special, proven approach your prospect has never seen before.

Show him why it’s different — and why other solutions fail.

Your unique solution helps him understand why he may have struggled in the past. And it can give him hope for future success.

Make it Ridiculously Easy to Take the First Step…

Offer a sample. A free or low cost trial. A 7-day challenge.

One of the main reasons people fail is because they never MOVE. Get them to take the first step and you unlock optimism and even confidence by default.

That confidence can force your prospect to re-examine his disbelief — especially if you…

Give Him a Quick Win

Provide information or action steps that will give him some forward momentum.

It only takes a little… and you can deliver it right inside your marketing copy if you like.

This give the prospect more confidence and trust in you. More importantly, it builds confidence and trust in his own ability to reach his goal.

An obviously you’re the person best equipped to help him do it.

Now, there’s something to be said for not convincing anyone who’s not already sure he wants to work with you.

But no matter how you approach your own business growth, it’s helpful to identify the disbelief and B.S. stories that hold your prospects (and customers) back.

You can work that knowledge into your marketing or use it to improve results inside your paid offers.

I hope this helps you grow in one way or the other.

Have a productive day.

P.S. Overcoming a prospect’s disbelief in this way is part of  “killing them softly” with their own song.

The Anatomy of an Irresistible Offer

The moment I saw it…

I knew I had to have it.

And I wasn’t the only one. (We’ll talk more about that in a minute.)

This instant obsession makes for a good case study of what it really means to create an irresistible offer.

Because…

1) a lot of entrepreneurs aren’t sure how to make a compelling offer

and

2) there’s a lot of information about offer-making out there that’s flat-out wrong.

Most of the bad information I’ve seen is bad because it places too much emphasis on “value stacking.”

Adding bonus on top of bonus…

Slashing prices…

Creating free Facebook groups for buyers to hang out with like-minded folks.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with piling on value. And there’s nothing wrong with bonuses or FB groups.

But people do not buy because of value. Not in the traditional sense.

They buy because of DESIRE.

So an irresistible offer should be driven by “desire stacking.”

Which brings me back the offer I mentioned at the beginning of this email.

One of the most attractive, no-brainer offers I’ve ever seen.

A chance to rent out the mansion from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

You may have seen this. Airbnb posted the link about a week ago, and Will Smith gave a video tour on YouTube on Monday.

When you see this, what’s your instant reaction?

For me — and countless people like me — the response is…

1st: WHERE DO I SIGN UP?

2nd: Please, God. Let me get a spot before they’re sold out.

I did not wonder how much it costs (and I definitely didn’t try to compare price vs. other lodging in the area).

Flying cross-country in a pandemic didn’t dampen my excitement.

If I could have grabbed a spot, nothing would have stopped me from booking a night.

Of course, different people have different responses. But for the right people, this offer is totally irresistible.

And the core reasons the Fresh Prince mansion is a no-brainer… are the same reasons behind most offers that are too sweet to ignore.

Let’s quickly break down 4 of them.

1. Status

Your offer should raise your prospect’s status — in his own eyes or the eyes of others.

When he says “yes,” what does he get that instantly makes him feel better about himself… like he’s just jumped to the next level (or at least finally discovered the elevator)?

How will he look to his (future) wife? His kids? His golf buddies. His competitors?

What will he have that others WISH they had?

A few bonus ebooks ain’t gonna get it.

2. Story Factor

Does buying from you give the customer an exciting, envy-inducing story to share at his next dinner party or networking event?

Does it change the story he tells himself about himself?

Or the story his parents tell to brag to their friends about their son?

Does it give him content that will get tons of likes on social media?

You might be shocked how much people will spend or suffer through to have a good story to share.

Think of all the great stories you could tell after staying at the Bel-Air mansion! And unlike a lot of business stories, you can share this one with just about everyone.

3. (Aspirational) Identity

Every conscious decision we make is influenced by the way they see ourselves and our place in the world.

If your offer connects to your should-be buyer’s identity in a unique way…

Helps him express externally how he sees himself internally

Or moves him closer to being the person he wishes he was, letting Clark Kent be Superman, as it were…

It taps the deep-rooted desire.

How can your offer link your buyer to that identity?

4. Exclusivity

You don’t have to convince anyone there’s a limited amount of nights to book a stay in a mansion.

And you don’t have to convince anyone there’s high demand for the available slots.

But only about 365 people will have the privilege of securing one in the next year — if Airbnb keeps it open that long.

That kind of exclusivity and scarcity amplifies desire that’s hard to replicate in any other way — as long as you’re offering something people want in the first place.

It multiplies the status and story factor. Being part of such a small group boosts the impact to identity.

Leveraging exclusivity makes your offer significantly harder to resist. Use it to your advantage.

So there you have it.

When you’re thinking about how to make your offer as compelling as possible, remember…

Put value on the back burner. It’s all about stacking desire.

***UPDATE***

When I sent this article out as an

I sent my broadcast email newsletter earlier this week, I tested two very different subject lines.

One promises a valuable lesson about a topic I hear a lot of questions about…

The other seems to offer a voyeuristic peek into the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

I have to admit, the split test results surprised me:

surprising email subject line split test results

If you’ve read my emails before, you may assume the mansion I promise a tour of is my own home.

(That’s kinda deceptive, but not maliciously so).

After the first hour, the voyeuristic subject line was opened TWICE as many times as the benefit subject line. Honestly, I thought the “Anatomy” subject line would win.And I definitely didn’t think either version would double the open rate of the other. There are a few takeaways here:

  1. TEST. You really never know what will work until you get it out to the market
  2. I’ve said it a thousand times, but must have forgot when I sent this test..

    Sometimes entertainment is the most valuable benefit you can provide. That subject line brought MTV Cribs to my readers’ inbox.

    If you want to keep your open rates from dropping over time, entertainment value is practically nonnegotiable.
  3. People really do want to go behind-the-scenes, especially if your business has a personality component. They’re curious about the non-business stuff going on with you and others in your industry.

One of the top copy rules is that the copy must be about the reader. And while the “mansion” subject line doesn’t seem to be about the reader, it really is. It’s providing something they want: entertainment… escape… scratching the curiosity itch… aspiration… connection.

The Evils of “Salesmanship in Print”

“Salesmanship in print” is an outdated description of copywriting.

And not because everything is digital now…

If you saw my interview on John Forde’s Copywriter’s Roundtable, you know where I’m going with this.

I decreed that copywriting needs a new definition for this new decade.

Think about it…

Why do we constantly have to justify our use of the word “salespeople?”

Because the word conjures images of the sleazy guy hawking barely-functional cars off the New Jersey turnpike…

Or the fast-talking pitchman pressuring Grandma Sarah to buy penny stocks with her Social Security check.

Those negative associations can be tough to overcome.

The other risk is that a copywriter-in-training may assume those are characteristics to aspire to.

High pressure.

Deception.

Exploiting grandmothers.

Which is the opposite of how a copywriter (or any other human being) should act.

When we stop saying “salesmanship in print,” we can avoid some of that blowback.

So…

How should we define copywriting today?

Showmanship in print.”

Showmanship adds storytelling, demonstration and drama to the mix.

You know, stuff that people enjoy.

Moving forward, showmanship will be more and more essential for grabbing attention, building interest, inflaming desire and producing action.

I’ll this cover this topic in future newsletters, so stay tuned.

But you may want to go deeper, sooner.

Today I’m opening Inbox X-Factor, which is designed to

  1. make it as easy as possible to send more emails to your list (and spend less time doing it), and
  2. showcase effective tactics and strategies that are working RIGHT NOW to help you make more money from each email.

I’ve had more conversations than I can count with entrepreneurs and marketers who struggle to email their lists as often as they know they should.

Many really aren’t sure how to make money with email.

In short, Inbox X-Factor gives you access to:

  • Timely email ideas and inspiration, so you never run out of reasons to email your list
  • Unique subject line templates and examples
  • In-depth training to help you unlock the money-making power of email. Studies show email produces 40X ROI. These lessons will help you get there.

And more.

For this week only, you can become one of first members of Inbox X-Factor for $47/month.

On Sunday July 5, the price goes up to $97/month.

If you have a list and an offer (or clients who have them)…

I believe Inbox X-Factor can help you making MORE money with email in LESS time — starting today.

Have a productive day,

Consider Yourself Hooked…

Storytelling Hooked

Ambition.
Quick thinking.
Ruthlessness.
First kisses.

What’s the common denominator?

According to research from Netflix, these 4 story elements are highly effective at turning casual viewers into a devoted followers.

Through this research, Netflix also knows the precise episode of a series when people become “hooked.”

This is probably NOT the kind of information you’re used to hearing as a marketer or entrepreneur.

But it’s exactly what you need to hear right now — and I’ll tell you why.

While the economy sank into the abyss in March…

My clients experienced record sales. One had beat it’s previous best month by a massive 25%.

A huge part of our success has been telling the right kind of stories to our audience. Another huge factor is that we KEEP TELLING those stories.

We’ll dive into storytelling more in the future, but today I want to encourage you to inject more emotionally-engaging stories into your marketing and the content you’re producing.

Your pains and problems — and how you overcame them…

Your fears and frustrations — and how you found relief…

Your dreams and desires — and how you finally grabbed hold of them (or what you’re doing now that’s getting you closer)…

Even the mistakes you made…

These stories captivate.

If you tell the stories well, they audience will insert themselves into the story, experience some of your feelings and mentally/emotionally prepare to take the action that you took.

Then, keep telling those stories.

According to Netflix “In our research, we found that no one was ever hooked on the pilot.”

The pilot sells the audience on watching the next episode. But without the second and third episodes, it’s easy to disconnect and pay attention to something else.

If you feel like you’re being repetitive, just think of how many people binge-watch 10 episodes of their favorite shows at a time.

No one says, “I wish they’d make FEWER episodes of this show I love.”

It’s a challenge… but it’s a bigger challenge to keep your business running without devoted followers.

Coronavirus Marketing Kit

Call me crazy…

I am 98% convinced that this coronavirus scare is overblown.

In fact, I’m about 95% sure it’s completely manufactured and manipulated.

But whether or not you agree with me, one thing is abundantly clear…

The concept has captivated people around the globe.

More than that, it’s driven people to take action.

Think about it: this may be the event that FINALLY gets people wash their hands after using public restrooms.

I don’t mean to be insensitive to those who have been affected by this virus.

But, as I’ve said in the past, anything that grabs the attention of millions can reveal important insights into human nature.

If your business can use some extra attention, can you afford to NOT pay attention to stuff like this?

Agreed.

Now, I encourage you to think about this topic for yourself to see what lessons you can uncover…

But I’d love to share a few of my thoughts.

Let’s start with the most obvious.

Fear Still Works… If You Know How to Work It

You’ve probably heard it a thousand times: the natural human reaction to fear is about twice as strong as the reaction to pleasure.

Makes sense, right? You have to be alive to enjoy… anything.

Despite having heard it, many of the marketers I interact with still hesitate to use fear in their campaigns. It just doesn’t feel right.

And I get that.

But let’s be honest. There are some frightening things out there. Things your customers should be legitimately scared of.

If they eat a pound of bacon for breakfast every day, they should be worried about heart attacks…

If they don’t pay attention to their wives, they should be worried about divorce…

If they can’t get people to buy from them, they should be worried about their relatives mocking them when their business fails. (The resulting money problems could lead to divorce, too!)

[Note the Body, Bank & Boo focus.]

Those are legit fears… and YOU can help them overcome them. Sometimes — more often than you might like — the best way to get their attention is to leverage that fear in your messaging.

Don’t feel funny about it. This is how you make the biggest difference you can make for your should-be customers.

So…

Even though the CDC says most people are infected with some form of the coronavirus during their lives…

Here’s why COVID-19 scares the pants off of so many people — and how that helps you be more influential

One:
This novel coronavirus has been dimensionalized to a greater extent than other strains. It’s seems more “real” and not just a far-away concept

I mean, even if you’re not actively looking for it, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a picture of the virus’ crown-shaped structure somewhere.

Even the name has been leveraged. “Corona” refers to crown. That isn’t unique to this version of the bug… but it now owns a little real estate in your brain that influenza does not.

An invisible germ has been made visible. Memorable.

Two:

There is automatically a fear of the unknown. We all know exactly where this virus comes from, right? An exotic sounding province in China (which is already seen by many as a nefarious force in the world) called Wuhan.

Name another illness that you know EXACTLY where it originated.

If you thought of Ebola and Africa (which is far less specific), remember how scared many people have been about Ebola outbreaks in the past?

Three:
There are lots of specifics. The media continually updates us on how many cases there are and where. The word “pandemic” is thrown around loosely.

They’re also sharing stories about supply shortages, quarantines and other scared people.

Although we don’t see many of stories like this one from the Washington Post…

Which brings us to…

Four:
Social proof works like crazy.

When everyone else is terrified, maybe I should be, too!

And…

Five:
Those supply shortages indicate a complete lack of ability to adequately respond to the potential pestilence.

It’s an effective force multiplier for the fear.

Not only is the disease deadly and spreading quickly… but the people we trust to keep us safe are simply unprepared to deal with the danger.

It’s one thing to go to war with an enemy. It’s another thing to step onto the battlefield with no ammunition.

Six:
There’s mystery about how this germ is spreading. I’ve seen the term “unknown origin” of new cases in the U.S. more than one time.

The unpredictability of “who’s next” makes it all the more nerve-racking… because it could be you.

Seven:
People, especially in America, have already been introduced to the idea of viruses threatening to wipe out our species or turn us all into flesh-craving zombies.

This is a more subtle influence.

Many of us have already seen this doomsday scenario play out in best-selling thrillers or on the Hollywood big screen. In the back of our minds, it’s not all that far-fetched.  

Okay, now…

Here’s a Quick Rundown of Action Steps for You

0) Try to get comfortable using legitimate fear to reach your potential buyer. It is one of the most effective ways to get him to stop and pay attention.

1) Don’t just mention the fear or the source of that fear in your sales copy. Dive into the details that make the fear real… tangible… visible. Refuse to be 1-dimensional in your descriptions.

2) Consider tapping into the fear of the unknown that all of us have. When your would-be buyer THINKS he knows what you’re going to say — or already knows how to deal with the fear — he’s going to tune you out.

3) Share specifics. Not just statistics, but stories. Both images and word pictures go a long way.

4)  Get as much social proof as you can. It doesn’t have to be testimonials or reviews of your own. Just show how many people are feeling what you’re talking about or doing what you recommend.

5) Don’t let your prospect overestimate his ability to fix the problem alone.

We all deceive ourselves some times. If he’s unprepared, it’s your job to alert him to the fact — and make him believe it. Don’t be a jerk about it. You’re not trying to make him feel bad about himself. You’re helping him be realistic and honest.

6) If possible, create an air of mystery about the source of your chosen fear.

Even as you’re giving details and specifics, an underlying mystery that makes the fear even more unnerving — and the solution that more urgent.

7) Leverage fear your ideal buyer already has. You don’t want to have to convince him he needs to be scared of the thing you’re talking about.

If your boogeyman isn’t something he’s already scared of, you can likely make a connection using the Body, Bank & Boo principles.

Question for you: have YOU taken any marketing lessons from the 24/7 coronavirus news blitz?

Feel free to share them in the comments.