|
In our Mastermind Book Club meeting, David Garfinkel told us the Hero's Journey doesn't work in copywriting. Create precision strikes, not epic sagas. This hit me hard. I've been writing copy for 20 years, and I've always thought longer, more elaborate stories were better. More emotional. More persuasive. Boy was I wrong. David explained that short persuasion stories, sometimes just 1-2 sentences, outperform elaborate narratives every time. Why? Because your prospects aren't looking for entertainment. They're looking for solutions. They don't need the full hero's journey. They need targeted micro-stories that: • Build trust (past story) • Address their pain (present story) • Show transformation (future story) • Calm their fears (reassurance story) Gene Schwartz called it "assembling a city of desire" with building blocks. Stop writing epic sagas. Start writing precision strikes. Many of you reached out to learn how to execute precision strikes. Here's the formula:Every compelling 1-2 sentence story needs:
Then layer in these elements:
Example: One-Sentence Story: The entrepreneur group expected another boring LinkedIn tutorial, but Ted's warm, interactive approach had everyone asking questions, getting personalized feedback, and leaving highly impressed with the solutions they could implement immediately.Analysis:
As David said: "Story is a plan. Story has a plot. We think in stories before we had language. "Stop overcomplicating. Start with protagonist + plot. Write one 1-2 sentence story today and see the difference. I'd love to see your 1-2 sentence story so hit RETURN and share. Ted P.S. Get David Garfinkel's The Persuasion Story Code and learn more easy-to-implement copywriting tips. |
Join 60,000+ seasoned professionals who are done with the corporate world. Epic Encore is an almost daily newsletter with inspirational stories from leading experts. Your Epic Encore is about turning your lifetime experiences into the cornerstone of the rest of your life. It represents your audacious leap into entrepreneurship, fueled by the wisdom and tenacity you've garnered in your successful career. This isn't about playing catch-up in business and building a 7-figure business. It's about forging a unique path, using your distinct perspective, seasoned judgment, and invaluable insights that can only come from years of life experience.
Yesterday we had an incredible mastermind book club session with David Garfinkel, Bond Halbert, Kim Krause Schwalm, and several other book club members. We were discussing David's book, The Persuasion Story Code, and the conversation was so engaging that we talked for an hour and 42 minutes (when our bladders said "Uncle!") I've been writing copy for over 20 years and this discussion completely changed how I think about writing persuasive copy. The Power of Short Stories Here's something that...
You've got the credentials. The track record. Thirty years in the industry, multiple certifications, and a client list that would impress anyone in your field. So why does the 35-year-old across the table seem more compelling in five minutes than you do in thirty years? The answer lies in something I read in David Garfinkel's The Persuasion Story Code:. Your experience is only as powerful as the story you wrap it in. The Problem with the Resume Approach For years, we've been taught that...
At first, we thought it was just a bus or semi truck rumbling by. We were finishing the final inspection on our soon-to-be home with a contractor and two realtors. Everything looked great and we were ready to close escrow. I headed home to pick up my daughter Alicia at daycare then watch the World Series. The San Francisco Giants were playing the Oakland A's, a true Battle of the Bay. I turned on the radio to listen to the game and they said the Bay Bridge collapsed. The announcer said the...