Last night, Peanut and I watched Kill Bill Vol. 2 (after watching the first Kill Bill a couple o’ nights earlier).
When it comes to watching movies as a form of “active rest” for writing better copy, well, it just so happens that you can’t find a better teacher than one Quentin Tarantino. And as far as Tarantino movies go, it just so happens that Kill Bill Vol. 2, despite the violent nature of the film, is jam-packed with copy and business lessons.
Take, for example, when The Bride goes to study under the tutelage of Pai Mei.
(Pssst, never seen Kill Bill Vol. 2? Do a quick search on Google of Pai Mei, his costume is *chef’s kiss*)
Pai Mei is mayhap the best martial artist in the world. After watching The Bride brutally murder the Crazy 88—88 of strongest samurais who served as O-Ren Ishii's personal army—at the end of Kill Bill Vol. 1, we then get a flashback of her under the tutelage of Pai Mei. And she can’t land even a single blow on Pai Mei.
Well, after the end of her first day, Pai Mai punches a hole straight through wood, then asks her if she can do it as well.
She says she can… But not from 3 inches away.
Pai Mei’s response (and the crux of today’s lesson)?
“It's the wood that should fear your hand, not the other way around. No wonder you can't do it, you acquiesce to defeat before you even begin.”
Many such cases of this in the world of ecom and copywriting alike.
For example:
If you get too worried about unsubscribes that you completely mutilate your email marketing strategy, and get duped into believing that the solution to the rising unsubscribes is to send fewer emails?
Well, no wonder you can’t make more money from email, you acquiesce to defeat before you even begin.
Or try this one on for size:
If you can’t make sales without offering a discount, and you consistently cheapen your brand because it’s the only way to make sales, well, no wonder you can’t make more money from email, you acquiesce to defeat before you even begin.
Or the last example to wrap up this diddy:
If you’ve worked with freelancers or agencies before and didn’t do your due diligence, so they bring in no new revenue with their email strategy, and thus you fear working with freelancers or agencies again because of one bad experience where you (not the agency or freelancer who took advantage of you) were responsible, then, well, mayhap you can see where this is going:
“It's the freelancer that should fear you, not the other way around. No wonder you can't do it, you acquiesce to defeat before you even begin.”
Moral of the story?
There are many such cases of otherwise good businessmen acquiescing to defeat before even beginning. The result of such a lethal mindset should be obvious.
That’s the bad news.
The good news?
Well, you’re just one reply away from meeting the Pai Mei of “emeil.”
Yours truly.
Ready to come under my tutelage, listen to and abide by my entire email marketing strategy (even if you fear it, as many do), and surrender your “limbs” to my control, so I can right your email ship and take you to the promised land where we make…
* 60% (or more) of your monthly revenue from email
* Grow your 6-figure brand into a 7- or 8-figure brand
* The worst subscribers unsubscribe in droves
* Your customers so loyal to you that they will do your bidding no matter what you ask of them (I even have a story about this for you tomorrow…)
Then, well, it just so happens that hitting reply will put you in touch with the Pai Mei of email.
You won’t always like my “medicine,” but your bank account will.
John “Pai Mei” Brandt
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