You Already Know More Than You Think You Know

Not too long ago, I put up a post about Archetype Resonance - where essentially - your story is what creates the connection for sales to amp up.

Funny thing...

A client from San Francisco came up to pitch another project to me. (For some reason, he likes to do everything in person. Skype isn't good enough for him.)

As we were talking, I brought up Archetypal Resonance.

I explained that thousands, even millions of people have a very similar story (to his own.)

And if we tell his story, just right, we'll reach people on the only level that matters...

The emotional level.

The lady sitting at the table next to us does one of those, "I'm sorry, I have to interrupt" kind of things.

She asks me, "Have you read The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes?"

My response? "Nope. Never heard of it."

So with my client right there, I decide to quickly look it up on Amazon.

"Looks great" I said.

"I just had to say something. I've never heard anyone else talk about archetypes in marketing before." she summarized.

I actually ordered the book this morning. Looks really cool.

And even though I was kind of annoyed by the interruption - when I'm talking with a guy about a 5 figure copywriting gig, it did remind me of something.

With all of the gurus selling their surefire formulas and blueprints - trying to convince you there's "a right way to do things," I want you to remember this:

You already know more than you think you know.

What I mean is...

We all draw from the same creative stream that flows through everyone.

We might interpret the information differently, but it "comes to us" in the same way.

Some people call it Creative Inspiration. Others think The Universe planted the seed in their mind. Certain religious types believe they were divinely touched with God-like intelligence. Others still open a book, read the information and convince themselves that "learning" is the only way to... well... learn.

It's not. At least, it's not the ONLY way.

I'm the product of being self-taught.

I have a 4th grade education, on-paper, with only one tutor for three months since I was 9 years old.

I've figured out a lot of techniques, tricks, secrets, etc. for myself - just by writing, writing, writing...

...and thinking, thinking, thinking. (Not to mention observing people's behavior like a hawk.)

When I read books and see something I figured out years ago, but it's being touted as the next big thing, I smile.

Remember that scene in The Matrix where Morpheus and Neo are in the construct - where everything is white - awaiting programming?

I wrote almost that identical scene - for another story - when I was 11.

You know The Secret (Law of Attraction?)

I was talking (and applying) that kind of stuff (and way more) when I was 5 years old. But I call it The Law of Attention.

Do you ever use those Open Loops in your copy?

I started using those - before I even knew what they were called.

My point?

Just write. And stay open for Divine Inspiration.

You already know a lot that you haven't acknowledged you know.

How do you think the gurus figured out their little formulas?

It came to them during the process of trial and error.

Sure, read stuff. I've learned a lot just by hanging out 'round these parts.

But it is ALL just a rehashing of what's already known and been told by lots of people - who ALL learned it (or discovered the information) in different ways.

Mark

P.S. It's easy to get intimated in the copywriting game. There's a massive difference between a good copywriter... and a great one. When you read something from a good copywriter, you can definitely feel something. When you read stuff by a great copywriter, you feel like you just got punched in the face by Mike Tyson (during his prime.) It's not subtle. You're searching for the BUY NOW button - because you've just been exposed as a raw piece of flesh that needs fixing ASAP.

But if you want to become the great copywriter whose copy packs a major league punch, you've got to learn to trust you own instincts, FIRST. Then... when you integrate the stuff you learn, you'll be able to acknowledge how much you already know.