Becoming a magician...

I’m getting back to basics.

Lately, I find myself giving deep into the direct response rabbit hole again…

It feels great too.

like i’m absorbing forbidden knowledge or something.

Got my hands on Gray Halbert’s last seminar, and i’m currently binging it.

11:56pm.

On one of the videos he drops a line that made me slap open beehiiv as fast as I could to start writing this…

"The closer your copy gets to magic, the more people become interested in what you have to say."

What the hell does this mean?

I’m glad you asked.

Here’s the thing with people and the world we all live in.

Reality = effort and sacrifice.

Magic = results without the suffering.

Nobody wants more work, more systems, more responsibilities…

People want to hear about the outcome. Specifically, an outcome that is easy and simple.

When you look out into the market and see the offers that are printing — this goes for saas, ecom, and info — they all have 1 thing in common.

They’re magical.

Take Cluely for example.

Their AI software is like a real-time Jarvis from Iron Man.

The magic is that you’ll always have the right answer, in real time, with NO WORK or expertise needed.

No wonder why it’s going so viral.

Or think about every supplement in existence…

“ take pill, go to sleep, wake up with [outcome] — WITHOUT work, effort, etc… “

The reality of most situations will never sell.

So you, as a marketer, need to engineer one with your copy. 

Take your readers from their boring, repetitive lives…

And lead them into something that adds a little flavor for them.

Your ads and copy need to bring into another world that excites, interests, or scares them — these are all forms of entertainment.

It even makes me think of how this parallels the film industry…

Reality TV and relationship shows = dating offers

Action movies = male-oriented supplements/ workout offers

everyone want’s to be in a story that’s larger than life.

and your job is to bring that to them.

The market rewards the closest approximation to magic that doesn't get you sued.

This isn't about lying.

It's about understanding that your customer's buying brain operates on fantasy, not facts.

Their rational mind knows transformation takes work.

But rational minds don't buy things at 2am while scrolling Instagram.

The subconscious buys things.

And the subconscious still believes in shortcuts.

And when you know how to pluck the strings to the mind’s guitar — you make the kind of music that puts dollars into your bank account.

Lots of dollars.

Gary knew this.

Which is why he’s made more money writing words than some guys on wall street make in their entire careers.

People don't buy products.

They buy versions of themselves that products help them achieve.

They dont buy hard work, struggle, any of that…

They just buy results.

Print that out, tattoo it on you, or write it out on a mirror.

Becuase one thing’s for sure — this principle is what makes break through copy.

Welcome to being a magician. 🪄