How to Influence Behavior by Going Deeper Than Everyone Else

The internet is flooded with surface-level tips: “Use power words!” “Add urgency!”

But this is like putting lipstick on a robot.

True influence requires understanding human behavior at its core—why people act, resist, and decide.

The best copywriters aren’t wordsmiths; they’re behavioral scientists who dissect desires, fears, and instincts most never notice.

Here’s how to join them.

Rule 1: Define Words to Control Behavior

Words shape reality. To influence behavior, you must first define terms in a way that primes action.

Example:

• “Luxury” = A signal of belonging to an exclusive tribe (not just quality).

How to Use It:

• Redefine your product’s value around deprivation.
• Frame your offer as the antidote to what your audience is missing, not just what they want.

Rule 2: Motivation = Deprivation in Disguise

People act when they feel deprived, not just when they’re inspired.

The Formula:

1. Identify what your audience is starving for (status, security, freedom).
2. Amplify the pain of that deprivation.
3. Position your product as the only way to end it.

Example (Fitness):

• “Every day you skip the gym, you’re deprived of confidence. Imagine looking in the mirror 6 months from now… still feeling ashamed. Our program stops that cycle in 30 days.”

Rule 3: Social Proof is Herd Engineering

People follow herds—but only if the herd looks like them.

How to Engineer It:

1. Define Your Customer Avatar (Granularly):
   • Age, job, daily habits, hidden insecurities, media they consume.
   • Example: “Female entrepreneurs, 28-35, who binge productivity podcasts but still feel ‘behind’.”
2. Show the Herd They Want to Join:
   • Use testimonials from people exactly like them (not vague “users”).
   • “32-year-old founder Sarah paid off $50k debt using our system—here’s her calendar template.”
3. Leverage Authority Figures They Respect:
   • Partner with micro-influencers in their niche, not celebrities.

Rule 4: Scarcity ≠ Time Limits. Scarcity = Identity Limits.

Weak: “Only 3 left in stock!”
Powerful: “Only 3 spots left for people serious about [desired identity].”

Tactics:

• Restrict Access to “The Tribe”:
  • “We only accept 10 clients/month who are committed to X.”
• Sell “Best Sellers” in Short Windows:
  • “Our $1k ‘Productivity Blueprint’ is open for enrollment from 1-3pm. Why? Because we only want buyers who act decisively.”
• Close Your Shop (Literally):
  • A pastry shop that only sells croissants from 8-10am becomes a lifestyle symbol (“early risers who prioritize quality”).

Rule 5: Map the Dream Outcome to Their Wiring

Step 1: Identify their dream outcome (not just “get rich” but “feel secure enough to quit their soul-crushing job”).
Step 2: Reverse-engineer the behaviors that lead to it.
Step 3: Position your product as the bridge between their current deprivation and that dream.

Example (Financial Coaching):

• Dream: “Never worry about money again.”
• Bridge: “Our clients follow 3 rules to build a ‘F-You Fund’ in 12 months. Here’s Rule #1…”

Real-World Example: How a $10M Skincare Brand Engineered Desire

1. Defined “Radiant Skin” as “Never feeling invisible at parties.”
2. Amplified Deprivation: “Every night you skip our serum, you’re choosing to blend in.”
3. Scarcity: Launched a “VIP Glow Club” with limited monthly slots.
4. Social Proof: Only featured testimonials from women aged 25-35 who posted selfies daily (their avatar).
   Result: Sold out in 37 minutes.

Copywriting is Behavioral Alchemy
The difference between good and legendary copy isn’t creativity—it’s depth.

Go beyond words. Obsess over the invisible triggers that make people act.

When you understand behavior better than your audience understands itself, you don’t just sell products. You engineer desire.

Keep Crushing!
- Sales Guy