WRITE LIKE A MAGICIAN, PERSUADE LIKE AN ILLUSIONIST
While the terms "magician" and "illusionist" are often used interchangeably, there's a subtle distinction between the two that can be applied to writing a great copy.
First of all you should know that a great copy must be concise, clear, persuasive, relevant, and engaging to the audience for it to be effective. If not, what have you been doing really?
*I will break these elements down for you in my next post!
In the meantime, how can you write like a magician & persuade like an illusionist? Thankfully, I know how
Magicians are masters of creating the illusion of supernatural powers or abilities through the use of sleight of hand, misdirection, and hidden mechanisms to deceive their audience. For these guys, it’s all about the “distraction of wonder”. People are often accustomed to asking questions last when something draws their attention. Ever wondered why you may have just paid for that big purchase before you had that sit down with yourself about how best you should have spent that money? That’s what I’m talking about
To write like a "magician" , you might want to:
Create a sense of wonder: Your use of vivid language to paint a picture of a brand to make them seem almost magical.
Employ misdirection: Focusing on the benefits of associating with or using the brand while subtly downplaying their drawbacks.
Utilize hidden mechanisms: Employing persuasive techniques (like a call to action that shows authority or incites the idea of scarcity) without the audience being immediately aware of those influences.
On the other hand, an illusionist focuses on manipulating perception. For these guys, it’s all about the optics, psychological tricks, and presentation to persuade people to have a realistic perception of something that may or may not be real. This is where the Public Relations expert shines. Ever notice how your celebrities survive scandals and still manage to hold your loyalty to ransom? That’s the point! Your PR guys are called Perception Managers for a reason
To persuade like an "illusionist", you want to:
Manipulate perception: This involves using language to make a product, person or service seem more valuable or desirable than they actually are.
Create the optics: You want to use imagery, metaphors or random public stunts to make a concept or person more appealing or easier to understand.
Employ psychological tricks: Using techniques like social proof (herd mentality), FOMO or reciprocity to influence a customer's decision.
Both magicians and illusionists share a common goal: to persuade their audience. In copywriting, this ultimately translates to:
Capturing attention: Through the use of engaging language and storytelling to draw the reader in.
Creating desire: Convincing the reader that they need that product or service and they need it fast!
Building trust: Establishing credibility and authenticity to gain the reader's confidence in said brand.
The truth is, if you want the best copywriting results, combine the tactics of the magician and illusionist. They can create a sense of wonder and persuade your audience without them feeling manipulated. This is the reason why the best brands out there don’t sell their products, they sell you the magical experience sprinkled with a dose of age old perception. (Think Nike, Apple, Samsung, Coca Cola etc.)
Did you learn something? If you did, don’t be shy- please restack this, share it with your thoughts and leave a comment.