If you didn’t watch the movie “The Godfather”, watch it now!

Trust me, the 3 hours a worth it …

After watching it, come back to read this.

Or maybe even watch the whole trilogy and then come back.

I still get goosebumps thinking about the iconic line from Don Vito Corleone from “The Godfather” movie.

Believe it or not, this line was the reason for me to understand the importance of my duty as a copywriter.

See, even world-class copy won’t make a difference to your business if your offer is comparable and easily replaceable.

I only came to understand this after hearing the line over and over again …

I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.

This is it!

I get it now!

Before this realization, I was simply writing.

No matter the client and no matter the business — I was solely focused on the text.

I would just work with what is already there and would try to make the best out of it.

…

So much wasted potential.

…

Crazy, how a line from an old mob movie can change the entire perspective of how you think about your work and passion.

But it’s 100% true.

Before even worrying about writing good copy, I started to analyze the clients’ offer:

• Is it solving a real problem?
• Is the solution tangible?
• Is the offer unique?

I can tell you in 9 out 10 cases the answer is:

Not even close.

So how can I create an offer for my clients that is just too good to be refused?

What can I learn from the infamous line of the Godfather himself?

Understanding Human Nature

Don Vito Corleone understands human nature.

He knows people’s desires and fears.

It’s even deeper.

He creates fears.

I started to dig deep into human psychology and was able to unfold the subconscious elements that drive human desire and fear.

I wouldn’t stop until I got to the point where I had the feeling I understood my audience better than they understand themselves.

This knowledge and understanding is a game changer in my research phase now.

The Cost Of Inaction

The chances of taking action are greater when we are presented with the cost of inaction.

Nobody wants to suffer damage by simply doing nothing.

But this is exactly the point.

Most people doubt that this is even possible.

They believe that risk and reward can only be the outcome of taking action.

By showing them, that they can harm themselves and their business by staying still, you create a sense of urgency.

This is a double-edged sword.

And for god’s sake, don’t send a severed horse head to a client if he refuses your offer.

Use this concept with cautious and only if you firmly believe that the presented cost of inaction really exists.

Cut The Fluff

This was the first learning from the Godfather I put into practice.

Your offer needs to be crystal clear.

Before I even worried about making the offers of my clients emotionally appealing, I focused on making them direct, simple and understandable.

Only a few things can harm your business, like a vague and complex offer statement.

This principle alone would boost my client’s conversions 10x.

Urgency

This should also be used with caution as it can scare people away if applied excessively.

But we can see it everywhere.

“ONLY 2 LEFT!”

“LAST CHANCE TILL MIDNIGHT”

“IF YOU DON’T BUY RIGHT NOW, 1,000 FISHES ARE GOING TO DROWN”

Okay, to be fair — the last one is fictional.

But you get the point.

When I was telling my father about how my first sales calls went, he always used to say:

“Strike while the iron is hot.”

Create urgency, but avoid being artificial with it.

Exclusivity

People want to feel special.

To make them feel special, your offer shouldn’t speak to everybody.

Personally, this principle was very challenging for me to implement.

I always had the feeling that I am sacrificing opportunities by excluding a group of people, which in my head, also had the chance of becoming customers.

But once I tried it, there is no going back anymore for me.

If you try to speak to everyone, you will be heard by no one.

It is an honor to get an offer from the godfather himself.

Even if it means no good …

Since I am focusing on creating unrefusable offers for my clients, my writing business is thriving like never before.

But as I mentioned previously:

You really don’t need to send people severed horse heads to make them want to buy.

There are other ways to make your offer unrefusable.