A quick warning – what I’m about to tell you might just be the worst marketing advice ever.
The main theme behind everything I do here at “Insert Gag Here” is about giving customers a reason to choose YOU over the competition.
(I added the ‘here at “Insert Gag Here” part to help you forget that I’m typing this on my couch, wearing my Superman PJs, covered in remnants of Mini Egg)
Customers can’t choose you unless you give them a reason to.
A USP* is a port of call for folk looking for a good reason.
* It’s either “Ubiquitous Salivating Pensioner” or “Unique Service Proposition”… I forget which.
There are lots of exercises and courses on Udemy to help you find your USP, probably involving downloadable worksheets and multi-coloured pens.
Here’s something you might not have thought of…
(Again, you’d do well to remember the warning at the start of this email…)
If you’re finding coming up with a creative and enticing USP difficult, why not position yourself as the opposite of everyone else?
I don’t mean swiping someone else’s USP and reversing it, but actually becoming the “anti” [INSERT YOUR SERVICE HERE].
If you’re still not sure how this works, let me give you an example from my own chequered CV.
Before I became a mediocre copywriter, I was a mediocre magician, doing card tricks for drunk people at weddings and corporate events.
As you probably know, one of the best ways of getting more work is by people seeing you in action, remembering you, and spreading the word far and wide.
For most jobs, I imagine this works well, but when you’re entertaining people who are, to put it delicately… pissed out of their tiny fucking minds…
Getting them to remember you, or your website… or how most of their body functions – is a bit of a challenge.
I could tell them my name was Shite McShagger and they’d never remember it, so I’ve very little chance of them sobering up the next day and thinking,
“My… that magician last night was tremendous… and so entertaining… John Holt was his name. I shall never forget it. In fact, as soon as I’m out of this ambulance, I shall head over to his website and leave him a glowing review. Now, be a love and pass me the bucket will you… I think I’m about to see last night’s kebab again.”
Of course, stuff like business cards, tattoos, and using illegal hypnosis techniques all help, but even with all these marketing weapons, it was still a struggle.
After a while, I hit on an idea – what if I piggybacked on a famous easy-to-remember magician, like Dynamo?
(Not literally, obviously. I think my ample poundage would probably kill him. Though… that would mean one less magician in an already competitive market…)
I had an idea. What if I bought the website NotDynamo.com?
That way, I could ask guests if they’d seen Dynamo and, when they got their hopes up that they were about to witness something amazing, I could say,
“Well, I’m Not Dynamo, so lower your expectations. In fact, I’m so Not Dynamo… I even bought the website…”, at which point, I’d bring out my business cards with the heading:
“OMG! He really did buy the website NotDynamo.com!”
Now all I had to do was throw a few callbacks into my routines to remind them that I’m not a young, slim, talented performer and voila – instantly memorable.
(BTW, the site is still up, though I haven’t touched it for years. Please don’t judge me too harshly on the words. I created it in my pre-copy days!)
Of course, this isn’t a “USP” – I’ve only focused on one of the things I’m not.
(I’m also NOT a houseplant, a calendar from 1974, nor am I Felicity Kendall’s chiropodist but, I decided to stick with the “Not Dynamo” angle)
But it’s a great example of how you can easily distinguish yourself from everyone else and get a clear result (more bookings) for very little work (buying a domain).
This idea of just one of 34 I included in my first ever release “Funny Is Money” – a collection of “ready to go” comedy ideas you can use to become more memorable, put a smile on your customer’s face, and more money in your pocket.
I launched “Funny Is Money” sometime in 2019, did a four-figure launch… and then never sold it again.
Until now.
Not only do you get the ebook with all the ideas, but you also get three videos of me explaining them a little more thoroughly.
It’s 80 pages and 100 minutes of me sharing funny and unique ways you can stand out from the competition and sell more stuff.
I even add to it occasionally (when I do I’ll let you know, so you can download the latest version for free)… so it’s only going to get more valuable (and probably more expensive too!)
Here’s what Michelle said about it:
“I HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT “FUNNY IS MONEY”
Actually, I have 3.
- I only had to look at the first few pages to realise I had to print it out as in a rather baffling turn of events, I’d bought something online that I could tell was going to be useful. This was really annoying as it meant the inevitable “there’s no paper in the paper tray / your cartridge is about to run out would happen even though I never use the thing” would happen. It did.
- There was no warning about needing to buy additional products. I have already run out one highlighter and a pen. Now I have to go out and brush alongside other people (I might even have to talk to some *shudders*)
- It’s got far too many good ideas and has actually got me excited about doing some work. This I believe is against the law.
I recommend you don’t buy the thing. It’s nothing but trouble.”
If you’re interested in checking it out, here’s a link:
Click here to find out more about Funny Is Money and claim your discount before it vanishes.
Though… you should probably watch this video of me critiquing the sales page before you make any rash decisions.
(Again… pre-copy days. This was actually the first sales page I ever wrote. It’s terrible)
Don’t let the sales page fool you – there are some good ideas in here and, for the next few days, it’s available at a discounted price (it’ll soon go up to £40).
If you’ve got any questions, hit reply and ask.
Have a good ‘un,
John
P.S. If you’re a previous purchaser of Funny Is Money, hit reply to this email and I’ll hook you up with the latest downloads for nuthin’.
(Long story… involving changing email providers, tags being lost, and a LOT of aggressive swearing – ARRRGGHHH!)