My friend Golibemade a great video this week exploring the power of a compelling story.
He briefly highlighted a point I haven’t heard too many gurus talk about:
How “unfair injury” connects you to a story character.
Golibe’s video just touched on the concept briefly, and it inspired me to expand on the idea a little more.
Because it’s a subtle but hard-hitting persuasion tactic.
It’s a key reason we form emotional bonds with characters (even if we don’t realize it) in countless books, movies and even marketing material.
In The Story Solution, Eric Edson says:
“After courage, the second quickest way to bond an audience to your hero is to place that character in a situation where blatant injustice is inflicted upon her.”
This isn’t necessarily the same thing as the “rags to riches” story arc. There are levels to this.
Let me share an example.
I worked with a few years ago who was paralyzed from the waist down as a teenager.
We occasionally mentioned that fact in sales copy. It was the catalyst that drove him to learn the skill he turned into 3 multimillion-dollar business.
One day, the client had the idea to take the story to another level.
He talked about how a group of older teens beat him so badly that he’d never walk again. Then the medical bills crushed his family financially. And that series of events forced him to do something different…
Fleshing out the unfair injury kept people glued to their screens and practically forced viewers to root for my client.
Sales on that webinar were off the charts. (I don’t remember the stats, but I get there were fewer returns, too.
You can use unfair injury to draw readers/viewers into your copy and keep them emotionally engaged.
Share painful stories — and especially of injustices — against your main character. The more vivid the better.
Maybe your boss gave the promotion you deserved to someone else. Better yet, she gave it to the new guy the one who always wears tight shirts — the guy YOU TRAINED.
There are a thousand variations.
As long as the story is believable, your reader/viewer’s heart will go out to your character, which advances the sale.
That’s your homework: Spend some time thinking about how you can use unfair injury in your own marketing.
It’s not the only trick you’ll use. But it’s a good one to have in your repertoire.
Have a productive day!
P.S. Presenting a perfect picture of yourself in your promotions is less persuasive than you probably think.
I know, it’s a little scary to tell your darker stories.
But it works. It can help you with sales now and retention/ascension over time.
Your ideal clients will feel even more connected to you. They’ll be even more excited to hear from you.
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.
I can’t count how many times potential clients have told me “you’re too expensive.”
After a while, it can make you doubt your strategy. And yourself.
In my case, I had 2 factors working against me:
1) Much cheaper competition. (Not that every copywriter charges less. But enough do to create a lowered expectation in the minds of many prospects.)
2) More significantly, lazy positioning on my part.
Because the way you position your pricing is just as important as the dollar amount.
We don’t have to get into the weeds here (We may go deeper in a future email. That’s a good reason to subscribe now)…
But I’m going to make an off-the-wall suggestion.
You should be the least expensive option in your niche.
That doesn’t mean you should have the least expensive price tag…
It means you have to flip the script for your would-be buyer.
It’s not about how much he’s about to spend. It’s how much he’s going to SAVE when he buys from you instead of the other guy (or doing nothing at all).
Save money on buying a higher quality option instead of having to keep buying replacements
Save time because your product/service works and doesn’t break or breakdown
Save energy because he has a more complete solution
Save embarrassment because he doesn’t have to explain why things aren’t going according to plan
What does it really take to get people get off their butts and take action?
New data coming from the push for Covid vaccines reveals critical insights into 3 critical elements of a message that moves people.
Regardless of your feelings about the vaccine, these insights can help you crank up your conversion rate in any scenario where you need to be persuasive
Not in the mood to watch a video?
No problem.
I’ll give you a brief overview of the 3 copy “nudges” right here.
[Bonus] Tip #0: Make sure you’re communicating with your audience.
Don’t expect them to know what you want them to do or when to do it.
In the video, I mentioned a 23% increase in “conversion” just by sending a text message telling people their vaccine was ready. I saw another study in which the SMS message nearly doubled the number of people who were vaccinated.
Tip #1: Your messaging must have a call-to-action.
If you want someone to MOVE, tell him to move.
Don’t count on your offer “selling itself.” Don’t simply provide information and expect your reader to take the appropriate action spontaneously.
Tip #2: Make the desired action as simple and easy as possible.
Any additional difficulty or complexity – real or imagined – will decrease the likelihood of your reader doing what he needs to do.
Tip #3:Increase motivation by implying ownership, e.g. “claim your widget.”
Humans are reluctant to give back or lose out on what’s theirs. (It’s called the endowment effect.)
We’re also prone to going along with the default selection when given choices. (It’s called default bias.) Show people their options, and make your desired action the default. You’ll likely see an increase in conversions.
The studies done show with statistical certainty that this stuff works. But they also show that different audiences require nuanced messaging.
No one-size-fits-all messaging.
Now, how do you plan to work these 3 copy nudges into your marketing?
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.
Many of the biggest names in the copywriting world gathered yesterday to pay tribute to Clayton Makepeace, who passed away almost exactly one year ago.
His death hit me pretty hard because he was such an instrumental part of my journey.
Not only was Clayton a great copywriter (one of the all-time greats) and brilliant teacher (his copy cubs are some of the best in the game, too)…
He was one of the most interesting guys I’ve ever hung out with.
Since I wasn’t invited to speak at today’s tribute, which was organized and hosted by another legend, Carline Anglade-Cole…
I’m going to share a game-changing lesson he taught me right here.
Now, to be fair, I wasn’t invited to speak at the tribute because:
1) I’m barely a big name copywriter in my own house and 2) Clayton was only my mentor from a distance.
Plus, I only hung out with him once, when I was invited to speak on a hot seat panel during AWAI’s “Makepeace Method for Writing Million Dollar Sales Letters in 7 Days or Less” workshop in 2016.
Here’s a picture of Clayton and me on stage at the event, along with David Deutsch and Parris Lampropoulos (who both spoke at the tribute).
By the way, I’d like to publicly thank John Forde for helping get me on stage with these titans.
Now, let me share the lesson Clayton taught me that impacted me more than any other.
No matter how you rate your copywriting skills, this concept can revolutionize your ability to persuade in print or in person.
It’s…
“The Triumph of Hope Over Experience“
Your should-be clients have dreams and desires. In many cases, those dreams and desires do not match up with the reality they’re face every day.
They dream of having six-pack abs… even though they see their gut bulging more every week.
And they want to get that six-pack without exercise or dieting. A magical fat-burning pill will do nicely.
They dream of their husbands putting their socks in the hamper instead of leaving them on the bathroom floor… even though their experience tells them not to hold their breath. (Pun intended)
Experience tells them their dreams and desires are out of reach.
But they still have HOPE and their hope consistently triumphs over their experience.
Hope is what drives them to keep trying – and buying – new things to get closer to those dreams and desires.
Your job as a persuader is to pour gasoline on the embers of their hope. Do it right and your prospects will appreciate you selling to them.
And here’s a brilliant tip:
His experience can be the path of least resistance to the promised land he hopes to reach.
Show him an experience he’s already personally familiar with.
Then connect that experience to a fact he knows (or at least suspects) and could easily prove.
And then connect that fact to the dream/desire you’re appealing to in your copy.
Take this oversimplified example:
Copy: 90% of people live paycheck to paycheck. Reader: “Yep, I’m broke and so is everyone I know.”
Copy: The 10% of people doing well have totally different mindsets and habits than the broke folk. But no one ever told you. Reader: “That makes sense! My role models were broke, so they couldn’t show me the right way. So it’s not my fault”
Copy: Once you learn just a few mindset hacks and simple habit stacks, you’ll be ready to join the rich and famous 10%. Reader: “Take my money!”
See how that works?
You’re building belief in the new transformation you’re selling on the foundation of one (or more) of his established beliefs.
And get this.
Even if the reader has tried a similar product… the fact that he’s reading your copy means he HOPES you’re going to be the one who finally helps him realize his dreams and desires.
A lot of copywriters skip this step. They go right from “You’re broke” to “here are mindset hacks and habit stacks to help you get rich.”
Again, that’s oversimplified, but you can see how powerful the concept is.
We could go deeper, but we’ve covered enough ground for one article.
Add this lesson from Clayton to your persuasion repertoire. It can make a world of difference for you (and your should-be clients).
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.
*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.
If you’re anything like me, you were utterly fascinated by the broom-balancing boondoggle that swept the internet earlier this week.
(Forgive the pun.)
You probably saw pictures and videos from astonished people who wanted to test out the claim that the earth was tilted “perfectly” on February 10th.
If you hadn’t heard about this, do a quick search and you’ll find a ton of posts and articles. Apparently the hashtag #broomstickchallenge even trended.
Only problem is, the whole thing was a hoax (which you’ll also see tons of posts and articles about).
Did your B.S. meter pick up on the hoax or did you know better because of the depth of your scientific knowledge?
I’ll admit, I was only 90% sure the whole thing was Oscar Meyer-level bologna.
So… let’s turn this into a teachable moment. Because anytime something gets this kind of viral attention (and action), there are lessons you can learn.
I see 3 major persuasion principles at play. Let’s discuss.
When “Proof” Arm WrestlesCommon Sense
One of the factors that powered the broomstick ballyhoo was the claim that NASA made the announcement.
As you know, our brains instinctively defer to authority figures… at least when it comes to topics we aren’t experts in.
NASA is a pretty reputable authority. And most of us aren’t experts on the earth’s rotational tilt or the effect it has on gravitation.
Interestingly, it would have been incredibly easy to find out if NASA was behind this announcement. And I think most people knew they could verify the story. That’s what made it so easy for them to trust without looking any deeper.
Secondarily, social proof — once it picked up steam — may have been even more convincing than the NASA angle.
Because of a cognitive bias called the “availability cascade,” we have the natural tendency to believe almost anything we’ve seen or heard enough times.
It’s hard to go against the crowd… and it’s less work to trust what everyone else is saying.
So the lessons are that:
It pays to become known as an authority or expert in an area other people are not.
Leverage social proof whenever you can — and when there’s visible, growing support for/acceptance of a proposition, see if there’s a way to use that momentum to gain traction for your own idea/offer.
Seeing is Believing… When You’re Told What You’re Looking At
Think about this…
The #broomstickchallenge starts with the little-known and unlikely-seeming fact that brooms can stand upright.
The argument goes like this: “Hey today’s the only day in this decade that the earth is perfectly tilted. Lemme prove it. Go grab your broom.”
So the hoax tells you how to “prove” the claim for yourself… by pointing you to THE ONE THING that seems to prove it. (I guess you could have used an egg, too. But there’s more work involved.)
This is similar to the way magicians direct your attention toward a specific object or action so you don’t notice the mechanics that make the trick work.
You must point to the broom specifically or the argument falls apart.
If the earth is perfectly tilted, shouldn’t you be able to make a sharpened pencil stand upright on its tip, too?
There’s a lesson here, too. You can “educate” your potential buyers to and almost define their buying criteria for them.
Point them to something that you know they’ll see. When they see it, they’re more likely to believe everything else you said… and do what you recommended they do. Just like a magic trick. (More on that concept here.)
Or, simply show your should-be buyer what you want him to see. Demonstration can be very convincing.
Take It Easy, Man
The perfect tilt of the earth, if it were true, could have been demonstrated in any number of ways. But the craze wouldn’t have caught on if “proving” it wasn’t a low-risk, easy thing to do.
The #HandstandOnTheRoofChallenge probably never would have gone viral.
When you’re selling a product, service or idea, you must be mindful of risk and perceived risk.
That’s just as much about your offer as it is about the copy.
In your copy, assure him of his high probability of success. Give him simple information he can use to justify his purchase to anyone who may ask him about it. Remind him this product was designed specifically for people like him — and the people who buy it are the admired by peers, live longer, etc.
(As long as those things are true.)
Your offer can reduce risk by including a strong guarantee. Make it easy to cancel or request a refund.
Balancing a broom is easy and no one gets hurt doing it.
Try to make it that easy to buy from you.
P.S. Did you know that versions of the #broomstickchallenge have been around since at least 1975?
There’s another lesson: when you find something that works, double down on it.
The marketing method that works better than any other in ROI terms — one that you should definitely double down on — is email. The Make Email Great Again summit officially goes live on Monday, February 17th.
This goes deeper than what most copywriting and marketing experts talk about: influencing individual choices. How to get readers to read this… click that… buy the other thing.
Indoctrination isn’t telling people what to decide. It’s shaping and molding what they believe.
Let me tell you a little historical anecdote.
Alexander the Great conquered much of the known world during his reign. As he continued his conquest, he reached a point when he realized his army was stretched too thin. They were too weak to defend themselves.
The only option was to retreat. But once Alexander’s enemies noticed his retreat, they’d surely pursue and defeat him.
Alexander had an idea.
He ordered his men to make several giant breastplates and helmets that would fit 8-foot tall soldiers. When his army retreated during the night, they left the oversized armor behind.
When the enemy force found the armor, they were convinced Alexander commanded an army of Goliaths. That wasn’t a fight they were looking for.
Alexander lived to fight and rule another day.
I hope you caught the point of this story.
The giant armor changed what Alexander’s enemy believed about Alexander — and his own luck.
Granted, that’s not a textbook study of indoctrination, but it illustrates the critical point: that we can intentionally shape what other people believe.
Specifically what they believe about us.
If that sounds creepy to you, remember: you’re not installing harmful beliefs. You’re trying to improve someone’s life.
Remember this, too… SOMEBODY is indoctrinating your customers and prospects (and your children, for that matter).
In the story above, Alexander the Great’s army was already known for being brutal and seemingly invincible on the battlefield. After seeing the giant armor, it all made sense.
“No wonder Alexander has conquered the world!”
Your indoctrination attempts shouldn’t make a full frontal assault on an entrenched worldview. Rather, you want to introduce a new idea that feels right and fits into the preexisting beliefs.
As an oversimplified example, which of the following statements fits is likely to be more easily accepted by the average American?
Losing weight is easy when you [fill in the blank]…
or
Losing weight can be hard, but that’s because of [fill in the blank]…
Dealing with “categorization”
People automatically, often subconsciously, filter new facts and ideas into mental categories.
They already have entrenched network of perceptions, beliefs and feelings about those categories.
And it can be hard to compete with those existing beliefs.
As a master indoctrinator, there are two ways to deal with this:
Create a new category. If a person can’t fit you or your product or service into one of their predefined boxes, they’ll have to make a new box.
Now YOU get to directly inform what he believes and how he feels about the new category — where you stand alone.
Sometimes this is as simple as communicating with people who just haven’t formed strong opinions of your category yet.
For example, 95% of the people on the planet seem to have no idea what a copywriter is. It’s a blank slate I’m forced to define at every family gathering.
Modify the existing category. If you already know what someone believes about a topic, you can help them see the inadequacy or outdatedness of his definitions.
This can be risky, because people really likes to hear that his understanding of the world is wrong.
But think of any diet program you’ve ever heard of. Atkins, keto, eating for your blood type. They’re all championed by people trying to update your thinking about how the body processes food.
(Now think about the fact that marketers seem to have more influence over the way we think about health than scientists or doctors!)
You can control the narrative about your business by controlling which mental category your audience puts it in.
Leveraging Authority
Becoming recognized as an authority might be the most effective thing you can do to power your indoctrination efforts.
People are eager to defer to authorities and experts, often without realizing it.
I’ve talked about authority several times in the past, so I’ll just mention one thing.
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.
Time Domination
To a certain extent, you have to outcommunicate competing systems of thought.
Our brains are biased towards information they’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 gain a greater share of your indoctrination subject’s time:
Frequent communication via email, YouTube, social channels. You don’t have to use them all, but the more you use, the more you’ll dominate time and the more opportunities you’ll have to reinforce your ideas.
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.
Here’s a serendipitous example…
We recently bought a new home, and we received this jar opener in the mail this week as a “welcome to the neighborhood” “gift.”
Progressive wants a physical presence in our new home.
Impact ONE THING that’s part of the daily routine of the people you’re influencing. Now you own part of their day.
—
Obviously, we could cover a lot more ground, but I hope you’re already starting to get ideas to start or enhance your indoctrination work.
Now, go make the world better in a way that ONLY YOU can do it.
