“We need to talk.”

I had taken a potentially controversial approach on an assignment.

It answered the client’s need, but I took a chance.

Because I thought it was the right approach.

I submitted it Thursday afternoon.

On Tuesday, I opened the first email from the client since turning it in.

“We need to talk” was the entirety of the message.

“How ‘bout now?” I responded.

“Yes. Call me immediately.”

We need to talk? Call me immediately?

As I dialed, I shouldered a crushing avalanche of imposter syndrome and hurriedly reviewed the thought process behind my decisions on the assignment.

Hearing “You took it too far. You’re fired.” in my head over and over, it seemed like the phone rang at least 30 times.

“Scott. Thanks for calling.”

I played it very cool: “No worries. What’s up?” 

“We’re gonna put on a major push and will need a lot more of your hours in August and September. Do you have room for us?”

“August, yes. September, no.” My adrenaline was still pumping from my fear of facing disaster.

“Let’s set up a Zoom call and work out the details. Does Friday at 11 or 2 work?”

“Two. I’ll send an invite. I thought you were calling about last week’s deliverable.”

“Yeah. That raised a few eyebrows, but it’s good to go.”

 

We need to talk? Call me immediately? Words can trigger emotion.

I guess that’s the lesson from this experience. Words can trigger emotion.

Either that, or as Mark Twain said, “I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.”

 

 

 

Caught Red-Handed

 

My mom caught us smoking on the porch.

I was 7. Billy Toby was 8 and had sneaked 3 cigarettes from his mother’s purse.

“Are you boys smoking?”

“Yes, Mrs. Frothingham,” Billy whimpered.

We both knew we were in for it.

And when my mother was through with us, we knew we would face our dads. Both known for their explosive tempers.

 

“Well, if you’ve decided to smoke, go ahead.”

 

Huh? This was unexpected.

 

“Go, ahead, Billy.”

Billy’s eyes darted towards the porch steps, perhaps considering making a quick escape. The power of adult attention kept him frozen in place.

“Go ahead, Billy. Show me how you smoke.”

Billy took a small puff and then seemed to physically shrink, making himself a smaller target.

“Now you, Scott.”

There was no way out. I took a little puff.

My mom chuckled.

"Boys, boys, boys. That’s not how you smoke. This is how you smoke.”

With that she took a long drag on the cigarette. Time slowed down until she finally released a long stream of smoke from her lips.

“Let’s see if you boys can do it right.”

She lit 2 cigarettes and gave one to each of us.

“Do it like I showed you … the biggest breath you can take.”

With a shrug we complied … giving each other a relieved glance as it dawned on us that we'd gotten away with it.

In moments Billy and I were doubled over retching.

I threw up things I’d forgotten I'd eaten. Including an Indian head nickel my cousin Bobby had double-dog dared me to swallow the previous Thanksgiving.

After 20 minutes of gagging and retching. Mom sent the ashen faced Billy staggering back across the street to his house and ushered me into the bathroom.

As she splashed cold water on my face she asked, “So what do you think about smoking?”

“I hate it, Mom. I’m never gonna smoke again.”

 

Mom, when I call you this afternoon, I’ll remind you of this story ... and that on our porch that day was the last time I purposely inhaled tobacco smoke.

9 Psychological Components to Supercharge Your Copy and Persuade Prospective Buyers

With the right choice of words and strategic phrases, you can trigger a customer to take action—whether it's making a purchase, contacting you, or scheduling a meeting. 

Visualize and Inspire

Help your customers envision themselves using your product or experiencing the benefits it offers. By engaging their senses and painting a vivid picture, you make the connection between your product and their desires even stronger. Engage their imaginations,

Poke Their Pain Points

Start by addressing the problems your customers face and highlighting the symptoms they experience. By connecting with their emotions, you can position your product as the ultimate solution, leading them to take action. Empathy can create a bond.

Embrace Urgency

Create a time-limited offer or exclusive deal that compels readers to act swiftly. By introducing a sense of urgency, you tap into the fear of missing out (FOMO) and motivate customers to seize the opportunity before it's gone. Time can motivate a decision.

Create a Common Enemy

Tap into the human desire for belonging and unity. Identify a common enemy or challenge, allowing your readers to rally behind your brand. Building trust and loyalty is easier when you share a common cause. People feel comfortable with people like themselves.

Social Proof is Key

Use the power of testimonials, reviews, and endorsements to build trust and credibility. Showcasing real-life experiences and positive feedback from satisfied customers reassures potential buyers, making them more inclined to take action. People trust recommendations from other people who have nothing to gain from the transaction.

Embrace the Yin and Yang

Balance positive and negative messaging to evoke specific emotions in your audience. Address their pain points while also highlighting the benefits and positive experiences your product offers. Find sweet spot without pushing too hard in either direction.

Activate Your Copy

Infuse your copy with energy by using active voice instead of passive voice. Active sentences are more persuasive and enhance processing fluency. Once you have their attention and interest, keep the momentum going.

Scarcity Sells

Highlight limited availability or low stock to create a sense of scarcity. By conveying that your product is in high demand or running out fast, you trigger the fear of missing out (FOMO again) and drive customers to take action. People like to win by getting something that is unavailable to others (in this case, those who waited too long).

Paint a Bright Future

Help readers visualize the positive outcomes they'll experience by using your product or service. By projecting a compelling future scenario, you inspire them to take action and make their desired outcome a reality. 

These 9 psychological components can help you create copy that converts. Remember to always keep your audience in mind, understand what motivates them, and craft your words accordingly. Use psychology to help them make a good decision: choosing the product/service you are offering. 

A Lesson About Wealth

He came through the front door holding up a 20-dollar bill.

I was a teenager working behind the counter of a high-end gourmet food shop in suburban New York.

The only other person in the store was one of our better customers, a hedge fund manager who was well-known around town.

As the man holding the $20 approached the counter, he asked, "Do you have change?"

Before I could answer, the hedge fund manager said, "That is change."