FOUR 28 year old women want to lose 20 pounds.

[GordonJ]

That is about as far as many of today's so-called copywriters get when defining their AVATAR, or target market. And they have that same old same old copy which may or may not work, sometimes, maybe LUCK or timing.

But here are a few more details about each one.

Cathy. Just had a baby a couple of months ago, and she would like to shed the weight she gained. Going back to work soon, hasn't slept much, tired, little to no time to exercise.

Barb. High School cheerleader, getting ready to attend her 10th class reunion in a couple of months, wants to get back to her cheering weight.

Alice. Married right out of high school, a couple of kids, husband doesn't give her much, if any attention, talks about her unattractive FAT (never mind his receding hair line and beer gut).

Donna. Divorced single mom, trying out TINDER for some companionship, thinks losing 20 would make her more attractive, more desirable.

Can you see the different motivations? Each lady is PREOCCUPIED with losing weight, but for vastly different reasons.

The neophyte copywriter will use a template, the old before and after pics, some testimonials, and maybe, maybe make some sales of their weight loss products, it is, one of the easiest things to sell.

But a pro, say like Bud Weckesser, would have written different promotions (and he did) for the specific markets. Selling weight loss to a teen is different than selling weight loss to a middle aged woman.

The pro understands PREOCCPATIONAL INTERRUPTERS.

When I knocked on those doors selling flowers, which people could get for free out their own back doors...I was INTERRUPTING whatever they were doing, be it baking cookies, laundry, chores, whatever.

NO one was waiting around for little Jay to sell them some flowers, NO one. And their first knee jerk reaction was to say NO.

A great lesson learnt that day, because I met the two Elmers; Wheeler and Leterman, one said, TEST YOUR SENTENCES WHICH SELL, the other, THE SALE BEGINS WHEN THE CUSTOMER SAYS NO.

Both of which I had experienced.

The magic words: Spiders, Snakes and Mice, came after I had interrupted their preoccupation, the knock on the door got their attention, then the selling began.

See, I find it lacking in both the world of Copywriting and eCommerce, where selling something is the bread and butter for the marketer, many of who eat day old crusts and drink water...meaning, they are starving.

Starving because they follow templates, use swipe files, fill in the blanks from copy wizards and are not capable of putting much THOUGHT into what they are trying to achieve.

Now, I don't care, people get to do what they want. But as long as one is going to try to make their dough from selling, shouldn't they at least have a small command of the process, let alone the skills which come from DOING?

Anyhow, that is what Spiders, Snakes and Mice, the audio, is all about.

UNDERSTANDING that no one is waiting for you knock on their door and sell them something.

YOU must break through their preoccupation, and know and use the fundamentals and loop into their primary and secondary preoccupations.

Gordon "Spiders, Snakes and Mice, OH MY" Alexander