Distinctions
Is
Is Not
Boundary
Systems
Components
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Hook | questions, stories, or open loops that make people keep reading |
| Benefits | focus on the transformation for the reader, not just features |
| Proof | social proof, testimonials, where you’ve been featured, results |
| Story | why you do this, your journey, to show you’re a real person |
| Opt-In | email signup or clear next step at the end |
Hook Tactics
| Tactic | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Yes-Based Questions | Ask yes-based questions that mirror your audience’s pains: 1. Are you somebody who {blank}? 2. Do you typically feel {blank} when you {blank}? Goal: Readers think, “Yeah, that’s me.” |
| Story | 1. Make the story deeply relatable to the reader’s pains and problems 2. Show you “understand exactly what this person is going through.” 3. - Create a matching intersection between their story and yours 4. Don’t Ramble |
| Open Loop | - Rely on people’s dislike of unfinished things so they feel compelled to keep reading to close the loop. - Tease a valuable result: e.g., “I’ve discovered an amazing way to do X, Y, and Z.” - Explicitly delay the payoff: say you’ll explain it later (“Before I give you all the information… make sure you keep reading…”). |
Guiding Principles
- Make it not actually about you (your trying to resonate with your peeps)
- Focus on the audience’s transformation - what you can help them achieve.