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Writer's pictureJohn Brandt

The way Trump villainized windmills was a thing of beauty

Hopefully, this offends some of the mushy-gushy mfs still on my list:


But I gotta admit… I miss Trump. In fact, before the gym today, I searched YouTube for his infamous speech on birds and windmills.


And it’s… just… *chef’s kiss*


Here’s the backstory:


When Trump used to campaign, before he became the president, he was the funniest presidential candidate America has ever been blessed to have. But he wasn’t just funny. No, he was also one of the most persuasive presidential candidates we’ve ever had.


Hate Trump and don’t think he was persuasive? Well, consider how everyone—including the millions and millions of people he persuaded to vote for him—thought his campaign was a joke when he first announced it.


I rest my case.


Anywho:


Even if Trump wasn’t the funniest or most persuasive candidate, he was the best at mixing the two, which brings us back into our story:


While on the campaign trail, it was obvious Trump didn’t prepare. He just freestyled off the dome, and since he’s a naturally funny and persuasive person, this came across as both genius and idiotic. (A fine mix of contrast, if’n I say so myself, and I do.)


On one of his wild rants, he started talking about the inefficiencies of wind power. And instead of going the stuffy and boring route—talking about stats and figures that leave someone’s head almost as quickly as they enter it—he went the funny and persuasive route, saying things like:


* Windmills are hideous, and their cheap-o owners don’t keep up with their maintenance


* Windmills ruin beautiful stretches of plains


* Windmills are bird-killing monsters, and that if you ever wanted to see a bird graveyard, then you should go underneath a windmill because you’ll see more birds there than you ever have in your life


And, of course, Trump also mixed in his expertise in his unique way: Saying he’s studied wind power more than anyone else (which also kinda works as a form of social proof).


What Trump did during these campaign freestyles is something worth studying for every marketer, copywriter, and biz owner. Especially his windmills are bird-killing monsters line.


Here’s why:


Creating villains in your copy and content is one of the most persuasive things you can do—given that your audience’s common villain is the same one you’re creating.


Everyone loves birds… But his voters especially love Bald Eagles. And so, after dropping the windmills are bird-killing monsters line, he mentions that killing a Bald Eagle in America gets you 10 years in prison… But these windmill monsters are free to kill as many Bald Eagles as they want, without being thrown in jail, hyping up how unfairly windmills are treated, but also making the poignant point that alternative types of energy aren’t as good as others make them seem.


And you know what?


This is why Trump won.


And it’s also how you can “mimic” Trump’s success within your own business:


Villainize groups or things your ideal customer hates. Twist the knife in their pain and point out how unfairly they’re treated compared to their villains, and create an Us vs Them mentality that can make people riot when “the good guys” don’t get their way.


Several copy lessons embedded into this email.


Anywho:


If you need help embedding these lessons into your emails, let’s set up a quick call.


Offended by this email? You can find the unsubscribe button below. If you’re too dense to learn from someone like Trump, then, well, we probably won’t be the best business fit.


John


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