Ahoy and happy Fast-Track Friday!
If you have even a few hundred followers on social media, you are probably sitting on a $100,000 digital product just waiting to be created.
All you have to do is package it up.
The problem is, most digital writers think:
- Their audience is “too small” (it’s not)
- Or they need some big fancy marketing plan (you don’t)
- Or they don’t have any credibility to create a digital product (yes you do, everyone does)
- Or they don’t have any product ideas (yes you do—check your analytics and see what’s working)
And so they never take the leap, bet on themselves, and give it a shot.
(Which means they’re leaving upwards of $100,000 in incremental revenue for themselves on the table.)
Helping digital writers & creators go from Zero to 1 online. So if this sounds like something you’d like to work toward, participate in a cohort of Ship 30 for 30 to start creating your library of content online and gathering data/analytics on “what’s working.” Alumni are then invited to join The Captain’s Table after they’ve completed at least one cohort of Ship 30 for 30.
But until then, we wanted to give you a framework for turning FREE readers into PAID customers.
And the framework goes like this…
Digital Writing Fast-Track Framework Of The Week:
In order for readers to feel like you are someone worth investing their time, attention, and money into, they need a few questions answered.
Specifically, they need 8 questions answered.
And if you can deliver on these 8 questions (in your free content, in the introduction of your book/course, on your landing page, etc.), the likelihood they want to keep investing more in their relationship with you and your content goes up exponentially.
Here’s the roadmap:
Question #1: Who Are YOU?
If you say, “Hey you,” the reader doesn’t know if you’re talking to them or not.
And if you say, “Hey, mom,” the reader sort of assumes you’re talking to them but they also aren’t quite sure.
But if you say, “Hey single-mom struggling to maintain her sanity while raising 2 kids, and dad is at work all day, and you’re stressed about the bills, and you haven’t had a healthy meal in who-knows-how-long,” WOW, that very specific audience knows you’re talking to her and only her.
And that’s the goal.
The more specific you can be about who your WHO is, the more likely your target WHO will trust you (because they feel seen, heard, and understood).
State your WHO.
Question #2: Where is your target reader stuck in Struggle City?
Imagine your target reader is stuck.
Stuck in Struggle City.
They are experiencing 5 huge problems. What are they? Do you know? Can you list them out? How specific can you get?
And what are the causes of these problems? Where do they come from? How does your target reader feel about them? What’s the urgency? How badly do they wish these problems were gone? (If the problems aren’t very urgent or important, then you aren’t talking about the right problems!)
List the 5 biggest problems your target reader faces today.
Question #3: Who can they blame?
This is sales copywriting 101.
Never make the customer blame themselves. (When was the last time someone pointed out a problem in your life, where you were the main culprit, and you didn’t get defensive?)
Instead, give the customer someone/something else to blame.
- Can they blame their teachers? Maybe they weren’t given the right information.
- Can they blame their surroundings? Maybe they aren’t in a supportive environment.
- Can they blame their prior purchases? Maybe those promised things but didn’t deliver.
The point is: the customer needs to feel the urgency to change without feeling bad about themselves and their lack of progress to-date. (This is their “golden bridge” they can retreat on to leave Struggle City for good.)
Give them something to blame.
Question #4: What are the myths holding them back from making progress?
The reader is ready to change.
But they probably have a bunch of “myths” swirling around in their heads helping them rationalize staying stuck in Struggle City.
- What advice do “most people” give them, and why is it wrong?
- What stats do “most people” not know, and how can you educate them?
- What beliefs do “most people” internalize, that are doing them a disservice?
The more you can pull back the curtain and give readers “an insider’s take” on what’s really going on, the more they will see you as the trusted source of truth.
Call out the myths.
Question #5: What’s the unlikely answer?
Giving people obvious solutions to their problems doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence.
Imagine going to Home Depot and saying you don’t know how to build a shed but want to create one, and the guy says, “Well, we’ve got some wood.”
Boring.
Instead, you want to give readers (who you want to inspire to turn into customers) the unlikely solution.
So instead of saying, “Well, we’ve got wood,” you want to say, “Did you know you can order a ready-to-live shed straight to your door? It comes pre-made for you.”
Amazing!
Give the reader the unlikely answer (the thing they weren’t expecting) and 99% of the time, they’ll want more.
Question #6: What are the benefits of this “road less traveled?”
You’ve told them why they’re stuck in Struggle City…
You’ve given them someone/something else to blame…
You’ve pulled back the curtain and debunked the myths…
And you’ve given them an “unlikely answer,” unlocking the road less traveled…
Now it’s time to paint the rainbow at the end.
- What will the reader experience if they take this less-known road?
- What are the benefits of going the opposite way as everyone else?
Tell them about the pot of gold!
Question #7: What does their life look like “on the other side?”
Ah, glory.
In order for the reader to make the commitment to go on this journey, they need to know it’ll all be worth it.
So, don’t hold back. Tell them everything. Tell them what their life will be like. Tell them all the things that will be different (for good and bad). Be honest. Tell them what they can expect to find, who they can expect to meet, and what they can expect to feel. Paint the vision. Give it to them in 4K, HD.
Help them visualize the dream.
Question #8: “Are you ready to transform?”
Finally, you have to call the reader to adventure.
Don’t bury the ask.
Don’t “assume” they’ll take it upon themselves to figure out how to get started.
Tell them, point blank, “Here’s the first step.” Take them by the hand and show them the way. Be their guide, their mentor. Take care of them. Show (no, PROVE!) that you’ve got them, and you won’t let anything bad happen to them along the way.
Ask them, “Are you ready to transform?”
Your Weekly Digital Writing Prompt
Not sure what to write about today?
Here’s a prompt to get the creative juices flowing:
What is your favorite memory as a child?
If a moment come rushing back into mind, follow it. Trust that you’re “seeing it” in your mind’s eye for a reason. Watch it, carefully. Observe it. What happens?
Write that.
That’s it for this week!
Did anything resonate with you? Have any ideas for topics we should include in next week’s edition?
Hit reply and let us know—we’d love to hear from you!
Chat next week,
–Dickie Bush and Nicolas Cole