John Bejakovic – Copy Riddles

A secret (and slightly sneaky) copywriting trick for producing magic mechanisms

On this page, I’d like to show you a cool copywriting trick you’ve probably never seen before. And then I’d like to tell you how you can dig up dozens more such tricks, whenever you choose.

Let me set it up with a little riddle:

How can three men, one of whom has been mostly dead all day long, storm a castle gate guarded by 60 soldiers?

Inconceivable, right? Even if one of the three men happens to be a giant, and another a master swordsman… the enemies are too many. Success is inconceivable.

But what if you also throw in a wheelbarrow among your assets? And what if you even have a magical, fire-protective, “holocaust cloak”?

Suddenly, the inconceivable becomes easy. Because here’s what you do:

Just load one of the three men — preferably, the giant — into the wheelbarrow. Wrap the holocaust cloak around him. Then start rolling the wheelbarrow towards the gate… and just as fear and doubt start to creep into the hearts of the castle defenders… set the holocaust cloak on fire:

Presto. The soldiers scatter in a panic, and you have successfully stormed the castle.

Perhaps you recognize this as a scene from the 1987 movie The Princess Bride. I’m sharing it because it’s a great illustration of a critically important but often botched copywriting technique:

The mechanism.

The mechanism is the “how” that makes your solution work.

Without an intriguing, believable mechanism, your prospect crosses his arms, shakes his head at the claims you’re making, and says, “Inconceivable.”

But with the right mechanism, you can smile confidently at your prospect and say, “No, no. It’s really quite easy. All you need is a wheelbarrow and this magic cloak… and I’ll show you how to get both, for free!”

That’s when your prospect’s eyes get wide… he uncrosses his arms and leans in… and he nods to signal that you should go on with your message. That’s the power of a good mechanism.

What You’ll Learn In Copy Riddles

20 Rounds of A-List Techniques

Structured in a unique format known as “rounds,” the course starts off simple and gradually amps up the excitement. Each round offers you a specific copywriting trick or tactic used by industry legends, which you can apply in real time.

Round Highlights

• Round 8: Learn to craft “impossible” bullets that are both plausible and irresistibly enticing.
• Round 10: Uncover the “problem mechanism” to turn skeptical readers into eager buyers.
• Round 11: Utilize Gary Halbert’s “sex expert” trick to amplify desire and believability.
• Round 9: Master the deadly, effective 30-second bullet tease.
• Round 18: Learn the bullet element that separates master persuaders from the rest.
• Round 14: Employ magic words that boost your copy instant response.
• Round 12: Short-circuit logical thinking for immediate buying decisions.
• Round 6: Discover an 8-letter talk that makes your copy irresistibly intriguing.
• Round 19: Get your hands on a sexy bullet-writing technique that’ll make your peers green with envy.
• Round 17: Ethically stir up intrigue with fabricated facts and figures.