Using Personality In Copy

Casa Fuente is a charming cigar bar tucked away inside Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. I paid a visit this past week with two other business geniuses…James Jones and Tim “Head-Cracker” Castleman.

I’ve coveted cigar smoking ever since watching The Sopranos and Boston Legal. I’m just a thug like that.

Tim bought us a bold Casa Fuente cigar and a delicious mojito made with twelve year old Montecristo rum. Green mint leaves and bunches of tiny lime wedges were crushed up in the ice and mixed with the rum, a simple sugar syrup, and sparking club soda. It was the best cocktail I’ve ever had.

The quality of the drink was only surpassed by the quality of our waitress, a gorgeous Ukrainian who had a chest with what appeared to be two beautifully tanned melons resting below her neck  (Hey…it was Vegas).

If you ever find yourself in Sin City, stop at Casa Fuente.

When Tim gave James and I that experience, he sealed the deal on one thing:  He, nor his kindness, would be forgotten. The experience of sitting in that smoky little cigar bar discussing business and ways we’d all go on to make more money is one I won’t soon forget. There’s great value in delivering experiences to people, especially your customers.

How would you answer the question, “What business are you in?”

Most people would start talking about their product or service or…who knows. Your answer to this question is probably wrong. Let me tell you:

You’re in the relationship business.

Your number-one job is to turn your customers into customers-for-life.

You want them eager to receive and open your mail…and the only way I know this can be done is strategically placing personality in your copy. You can leverage your life and personality to develop a relationship with customers that not only creates a strong connection, but keeps that customer buying from you again and again.

Why do they keep coming back?

Because they feel like they know you and like you. That’s the only reasons they need.

Think of your favorite series of books or tv shows…what kept you coming back, taking time out of your busy life to catch up on what that crazy character would do next? (Just that…eh?) “What will he do next?” That concept carries weight because you can generate this feeling in your business if you…

Leverage Your Personality And Tell Your Story.

One great tactic is to create a membership aspect to your business, particularly, one that allows members to ascend through the group, getting ever so closer to you, the exalted leader.

Your business must center around you, the core character. This character will be developed over time (and let me tell you, this character doesn’t have to be the “real” you). Many famous personalities are totally different when they’re not working – that’s normal and fine.

It’s important that you aren’t boring. The arch enemy of making money is being boring. If you’re so damn boring people fall asleep when you start talking, I’d suggest paying a good-looking model to walk around with you. Don’t be boring.

All great characters have a legend.

What’s yours? This is the story or stories you need to tell. Create your parables that convey your core message and ideas and what you stand for. Oh, that triggered another thought. Stand for something! Don’t be one of the sissy-boy wussies that can’t take a stand. Grow a pair. The “against” position is dynamic and attractive and you should use it when it makes sense to.

Another covert influence tactic is to create an insider language.

Think about it like this: The prospect likes you and is growing more and more towards wanting to do business with you. By using insider language, you create a sense of brotherhood and relationship because now the customer’s in “the know.” The military does it, individual companies do it, and friends to it. Do you and your spouse have a secret name for sex? Think of the bond this creates between people without ever mentioning that your intention is to create a bond.

Sneaky shit ain’t it?…

Of course, you’ll also need to fill your church with people willing to testify. But…(and this is another good part)…by aiming to create relationships and then forge a strong bond, customers will automatically testify to others on your behalf. By telling your short stories, parables, and legends, you give them ammunition to go into the world with. You are, in essence, doing nothing more than telling them exactly what to say. Does that make sense? By feeding people stories, you give them stories to tell.

That’s word of mouth on steroids.

Disclose flaws. Don’t act perfect – people don’t like that. Openly admit to your flaws, admit you got married way too young and got your first divorce by 22 years old…admit you were only $4,329 from filing for bankruptcy…admit alcohol used to control your life. No one on this Earth is without flaws, including you. When we unintentionally present ourselves as too perfect (and the same is true for the offer), the Scam Alert goes off in the listener’s mind. Or at least, “There’s something he’s not telling me.”

When you write to customers, write like you speak. Don’t try to sound like a college professor, a scientist, or a marketer. You can’t be everything to everyone. Rejoice when some people don’t like you – this has a polarizing effect that pulls those that already like you even closer and manufactures a stronger bond. If you try to appease folks that don’t like you, you’re spending time on people that will never buy anything from you anyways.

Screw them.

You know the drill, questions and comments can be left below.

Thanks,

Justin Quick