This copywriting secret is worth millions...

Prepare to have your mind blown (not hyperbole)

1,040 Words | 4 min 20 Sec Read

Once you see this, you can’t unsee it.

Imagine a marketing tactic so profound - and so powerful - it changes how you see copywriting, content marketing and sales forever.

Sound a little dramatic? Like your typical marketing hype?

I thought so too. Until I realized how many times marketers and salespeople used this tactic on me. Which forced me to realize just how powerful this strategy really is.

So let’s dive in.

“You can’t bore someone into buying something.”

Dan Kennedy

A couple years ago I paid thousands of dollars to learn how to create “irresistible offers.” The training was awesome and well worth the money. But one of the biggest takeaways had nothing to do with offers themselves.

Instead, the takeaway was related to the proper way to market a high priced offer before trying to sell it. Once I understood, and analyzed my past behavior, I realized almost every large investment I had ever made with a mentor, coach, consultant etc. came down to this one thing.

So what is it?

The secret boils down to this:

What ‘moves the needle’ when it comes to selling expertise is not education, entertainment or inspiration. No, what motivates a prospect to pull out their wallet and buy in insight.

I know the concept of insight is a bit abstract, so let’s go deeper.

Insight: The capacity to gain an accurate and deep intuitive understanding of a person or thing.

Oxford Dictionary

The above definition is a good base to work from. But it’s not particularly insightful (lame pun intended).

See, insights are nothing more than “Lightbulb Moments.”

And when do we as humans experience these?

We experience Ah-Ha Moments as part of the problem solving process. In particular, when our perspective on a problem shifts in a positive direction, bringing us closer to a solution.

I hate saying this, but I encourage you to read that again. Because understanding this concept can change your life as a marketer.

The reason this is so profound has to do with neurochemistry. In particular, the release of dopamine.

As you likely know, dopamine is the “feel good” neurochemical that’s associated with addictions (from video games to gambling and narcotics).

In short, dopamine is powerful stuff. What does this have to do with marketing?

A while back researchers did a study where they examined the brains of people who were tasked with solving puzzles. In particular, participants were told to push a button at the exact moment they solved the puzzle.

Know what the study showed?

At the very moment they solved the puzzle, the participants brains released a huge spike of dopamine. Meaning, solving a problem released the same neurochemical cocktail a gambler experiences when they win money.

Why is this so important?

Because when you deliver insights in your marketing, your prospect experiences that same exact dopamine rush.

Now, I should be clear about something: If you sell commodities or something people buy on impulse, this lesson probably isn’t going to help you.

Mainly because the way people buy commodities is logical. Me need toilet paper, me buy toilet paper. And if what you sell is so cheap people can buy it without thinking, you don’t need to use marketing psychology to sell your thing.

However, if you sell any form of expertise - from contracting to coaching - odds are you have to overcome ‘objections’ before someone buys from you.

Traditionally, marketers would teach you to educate people on the benefits of your offer as part of your sales process (Benefits > Features). But discussing the benefits (or even hidden benefits) isn’t enough.

Reason being, most benefits are based on promises. And as you likely know, most people don’t believe marketers’ promises these days.

However, when you shift your marketing to focus on delivering insights, you change the game.

Similar to the puzzle testers, when your marketing helps a prospect achieve an Ah-Ha Moment, they experience a dopamine hit. Reason being, you helped shift their perspective on a problem.

In terms of their mental understanding of the problem they’re facing, your marketing materials helped them move one step closer to a solution.

And guess what?

Similar to how the gambler associates dopamine release with the slot machine (the thing that gives him the high), when you use insight in your marketing, your prospect will associate YOU with the dopamine release.

Without sounding dramatic, this can result in your prospect becoming addicted to you. Why? Because their brains quite literally “get high” when they consume your content!

As a matter of fact, if this concept is “clicking” for you right now, it’s likely you’re experiencing a dopamine release this very second (as a result of me using this email to deliver an insight).

Where this becomes really apparent, however, is when you look at your past behavior. In particular, the service providers, gurus and mentors you’ve spent serious money on. Ask yourself:

  • Were the people you hired the ones who “educated” you the most?

  • Were they the ones who “inspired” you the most?

  • Or were they the ones who delivering perspective-shifting insights in their content?

If you’re like me, you’ll quickly realize it’s not the most entertaining or educational gurus you’ve spent the most with. Instead, it’s the ones who shifted your perspective on your problems.

But because this phenomenon is so subconscious, you didn’t realize what they were doing. Nor did you realize it was working on you.

You just thought they could help you solve your problem!

So, I encourage you to reread this email. Observe your past behavior.

Try to identify times when you bought something as a result of marketing or sales materials that shifted your perspective on the problem you were facing.

Because once you see this pattern - and see how marketers have used this tactic on you - you’ll never see marketing the same.

I'll leave you with this quote…

"It’s not about delivering one big insight like a Home Run. It’s about delivering repeated insights over time, like base hits. Over and over until they buy.”

Travis Sago

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