Spoiler: It’s not just copywriters.
Yesterday, I wrote an email with the word “bondage” in the subject line.
What did that word make you think of?
I happen to know what a couple of my readers thought — what Jordan Parker and his wife Diana thought.
Jordan and Diana have a one-stop agency to help creators grow, helping out with everything from tech to sales to delivery. (From what I know, Kieran Drew is one of their clients, but there are other big-name creators too.)
Jordan and Diana both read my emails. And in response to the bondage one yesterday, here’s what Jordan wrote me:
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Me: “Bondageeeeee 🥳“
Also Diana: “Bondage? Why are you copywriters all secretly pervy??”
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Why indeed? Here’s why:
In the words of the greatest living copywriter, Gary Bencivenga, “As a marketer you only have one power, and that’s to anticipate what people are going to think.”
If the word “bondage” in my subject line made you think of bondage in the leathery, chainy, pervy sense, rather than in the biblical sense of slavery and subjugation (Exodus 20:2, King James Version), then I did my job as an influence professional.
Like I said, it’s not just copywriters who are “secretly pervy,” or rather, who tease and insinuate in a way that suits them, when it suits them.
Other influence professionals do the same. Salespeople obviously use word choice and structure to influence, as do hypnotists, pick up artists, comedians, …
Maybe you see where this is going.
I have a book all about bondage influence techniques common to 10 overlapping disciplines.
All 10 of these disciplines have in common that they move people from A to B, without force or lying, by power of anticipation and occasional clever word choice alone. This knowledge can help you make money — or even get into some pervy situations. If you wanna find out more: