I’ve mentioned the movie “Sideways” before.
It’s about a couple middle aged dudes who go on a wine tasting weekend in California… getting into various misadventures, etc. A fun, thought-provoking flick with great acting and a story I can watch over and over and not get bored.
Anyway, here’s why I bring this up.
One of the two guys is named Jack.
He’s a voiceover actor.
And, he’s also a low class jackass kinda guy who’s about to get married the next week, and wants to spend all his time on the wine adventure trying to get laid before his big day.
Towards the end…
(SPOILER ALERT)
He finds a waitress he wants to have sex with.
When Miles (his friend) objects, Jack says:
“Listen, man. You’re my friend, and I know you care about me. And I know you disapprove, and I respect that. But there are some things that I have to do that you don’t understand. You understand literature, movies, wine… but you don’t understand my plight.”
Pretty funny scene if you watch it.
And, kind of useful, too.
Specifically, for people learning copywriting, email, etc.
What I mean is this:
A lot of people get into copywriting and email marketing and they understand headlines, and storytelling and closing an ad. They’ve studied (even wrote out by hand!) dozens of ads by Halbert, Bencivenga, Carlton, etc. And, they can recite Caples, Hopkins, and Schwartz chapter by chapter and verse by verse.
But, they still struggle.
And, they don’t know why.
Well, the reason is simple:
They don’t really understand their market.
The copywriting tricks of the trade are fun… but, unless you learn your market first… unless you understand their “plight”… your copy will be taken about as seriously as Jack takes Miles’ advice not to have sex with another woman before he gets married the next week.
You gotta understand their plight, Beavis.
Otherwise, persuasion “tricks” won’t do you a lick of good.
Anyway, something to drink on.
This goes for email, too.
It’s why I always tell people no matter how well your emails are, if you don’t know your market… don’t have an offer they want… don’t have a responsive list… they’re dead in the water.
So learn your market’s plight.
Get in their heads.
Then, sell, baby, sell.
That’s where “Email Players” swoops in.
It’s a monthly newsletter.
And, I show you the exact same email ideas & tactics I use.
(With examples.)
Subscription info here:
Ben Settle
