Legendary copywriter Joe Sugarman once sold over 20,000,000 sunglasses with one sales page.
Today, I’ll show you how.
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Open Strong & Curious
You have a few seconds to grab your reader.
This is even more true online.
The best way?
Intrigue.
Don’t try to be fancy. Be mysterious.
Sugarman’s opening 3 lines give you no choice but to read on.
He has your attention.
Tell Stories.
No one enjoys being sold
But everyone loves a story.
Instead of forcing benefits down your reader's throat, deliver them softly through story.
This way, you bypass early skepticism.
And hook the reader – with minimal effort.
Educate Your Reader
‘Details are boring’
No.
They’re boring to you.
But the target customer is fascinated by what you sell.
Teach them about it, and you build credibility.
You’re seen as an expert.
And the more you give your reader, the more likely they’ll reciprocate.
Repetition
Great marketing wears in, not out.
Define your big idea.
And hammer it home in as many ways as possible.
Your reader should have no doubts why your product is the one they need.
Don’t know your big idea?
Ask:
What’s their biggest pain point?
Then solve it.
Use Emotion
We justify purchases with logic, but we buy with our hearts
This means:
Open with emotion, not facts.
Sugarman takes a feeling we all hate:
‘Monday blues’
And all but implies his glasses cure it.
Make your reader feel something, and you have their attention.
Fear is Like Salt
Too much ruins a meal, but a dash is perfect.
The key is subtlety.
Don’t tell your reader the risks.
Show them what happens if they don’t use your product.
Now the reader isn’t thinking ‘Do I need these glasses?’
But ‘what happens if I don’t buy them?’
Credibility Piggy-back
We’re psychologically wired to listen to authority.
I.e. Dentists recommend this toothbrush
(It’s only because they get it for free)
But you don’t need endorsement.
Even mentioning them will work.
Quote an expert, and you piggyback their authority.
Aspirational Identities
Solving problems is great, but do you know what gets people buying?
Identity.
Tell your customer the sort of person they’ll become after your product.
👇He juxtaposes ‘alpha’ males with ‘normal’.
Promise identity and your reader will purchase.
Thanks for reading my friends!
Next week we're looking at a certain ex-presidents sales.
If you enjoyed this:
1.Follow me @ItsKieranDrew for threads to help you write well and think effectively.
2.Check out a bit of my story and what I’m up to now:
Over the past 3 years, I’ve grown my email list to 35,000 readers.
It’s the most important part of my business.
But my biggest mistake? Wasting so much time on a ‘value’ newsletter.
If you want to grow your brand and business in 2024 and beyond, here’s why you need to avoid this trap:
When I started writing online, I spent almost two years sharing a ‘value’ newsletter.
Each week, I’d spend hours crafting an information-dense emails rich in steps, frameworks, and blueprints.
They felt great because they got plenty of compliments.
But they suck for your brand and business.
Why?
Most people think teaching was the best way to become an authority and get paid.
“If you give enough useful information, eventually people whip out their wallet.”
But it doesn’t work like that.
Why?
First, everyone is creating ‘advice’ content. It’s useful but unremarkable. You end up a commodity in a crowded market—a terrible position for business.
My favourite resource on understanding human behaviour:
“The Psychology of Human Misjudgement” by Charlie Munger.
There’s a reason Warren Buffett called his business partner the smartest man he knew.
Here’s a breakdown of the 25 psychological biases he shares:
1) Reward and Punishment Superresponse Tendency
Never underestimate the power of incentives. People will do crazy things to avoid pain or achieve gain.
“If you want ants to come, you put sugar on the floor.”
2) Liking/Loving Tendency
People will give you 100x more leeway in business and life if you’re likeable. This is why reputation is so important. It’s like the engine of your car. You can’t see it, but it’s the driving force behind all results.
I discovered it when I was diagnosed with a neurological tumour and a broken neck. Since then, every great outcome in my life has stemmed from the Stoic’s ideas.
Here are the 7 most powerful:
Don’t aim for happiness.
Most people are unhappy because they base their happiness on externalities. The Stoics instead for ‘Eudaimonia’—a deep-seated joy when living according to virtue:
• Justice
• Wisdom
• Courage
• Temperance
The dichotomy of control.
The more you chase things outside your control, the less control you have.