- Write On
- Posts
- The Reluctant Hero
The Reluctant Hero
The most persuasive storytelling technique you have at your disposal as a copywriter
Welcome to the 72nd issue of Write On!
The newsletter that’s a better neighbor than State Farm.
In today’s issue I’ll be covering:
The secret to growing on LinkedIn in 2024
The Reluctant Hero
Plus, even more copywriting tactics
Estimated read time: 2 minutes 8 seconds
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/f9bbd09d-e174-47cb-a04d-8faed8dfbe46/Write_On_Section_Break__1_.png)
The secret to growing on LinkedIn in 2024
The secret to growing on LinkedIn in 2024
There's a rising demand for high-quality video content on LinkedIn. This presents a major opportunity for brands (and thought leaders) ready to step in.
Here’s how you can capitalize:
Grab your company's existing video assets, like interviews or webinars
Generate dozens of clips using OpusClip
Schedule your whole month’s worth of video clips on LI using our new Calendar feature
Reply to comments on your videos to foster your new connections
Want the full breakdown, with examples from companies like SaaStr and Chili Piper? Read it for free here
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/f9bbd09d-e174-47cb-a04d-8faed8dfbe46/Write_On_Section_Break__1_.png)
The Reluctant Hero:
Imagine it’s the night before an event that you’re absolutely dreading.
Maybe you’re giving a presentation
Or you have a dentist appointment
Or a grueling workout planned at 6am
You go into that day with little-to-no hope...
But then the complete opposite happens.
You crush your presentation
Your cavity-free and out of there quickly
You feel like a million bucks after your workout
That’s the vibe of the reluctant hero.
I think it’s the most persuasive storytelling technique you have at your disposal as a copywriter.
Here’s the textbook definition:
It’s a heroic archetype typically found in fiction:
“A reluctant hero is a tarnished or ordinary man with several faults or a troubled past, and he is pulled reluctantly into the story, or into heroic acts. During the story, he rises to the occasion, sometimes even vanquishing a mighty foe, sometimes avenging a wrong. But he questions whether he's cut out for the hero business. His doubts, misgivings, and mistakes add a satisfying layer of tension to a story.”
- Jessica Morrell
How and why does it work?
Your copywriting will be way less intense than that textbook definition above, so how can you use this in your copy?
Hint: your reluctant customers are your reluctant heroes.
Every business has them.
Just check out your reviews and testimonials. There’s bound to be at least one.
(If you don’t have a lot of reviews and testimonials, you should be working on implementing strategies to collect them. It’s the ultimate source of trust and credibility.)
The testimonial of a reluctant customer is so powerful because turning your toughest critic into a happy customer is one of the hardest things you can do as a marketer.
People don’t like to change their minds.
If a prospect is on the fence and sees that type of story, there is not much else they can object to.
Here’s a dead-simple way to use it:
Find these hidden gem testimonials and use them at key prospect touchpoints:
Ads
Emails
Landing pages
The screenshot below is an example from our prospect welcome email series at Beard Club.
Can you think of a better testimonial than that? I can’t.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/18680a04-1034-4bc6-8b36-c551d005d5f3/image.png)
💥 How to take action: Your reluctant customers are the heroes of your copywriting efforts. Their testimonials are worth their weight in gold. Find and use those testimonials.
That’s all for this week! See you next Wednesday.
Cheers,
Joe
![Joe profile picture](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/02c9fd56-26dd-4967-ad25-438c98a6168c/twitter-profile-pic.jpeg)
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/f9bbd09d-e174-47cb-a04d-8faed8dfbe46/Write_On_Section_Break__1_.png)
Want more copywriting tactics?
I’ve got you covered.
Sell with stories: Write your first story email that sells when you take my FREE 3-day email course: (Click here to start)
Never stare at a blank page again: Download my FREE ebook with my top 15 copywriting frameworks: (Download for free)
Become a copywriting Jedi: Learn how to master buyer psychology with these 52 copywriting psychology tips: (Click here to view)