Dear subscriber,
If you don’t want your marketing messages to be…
… disliked, despised, and deleted faster than a cheating ex’s phone number, then I suggest you take the following message seriously.
But you’ll also need to be patient.
This one requires a little setup, okay?
Here’s the setup:
In the movie Training Day (a damn good movie), there’s a scene that imparts one of the most obvious yet often overlooked lessons for marketers.
But first, a quickie synopsis:
The anti-hero in this movie is a character named Alonzo Harris who is played by Denzel Washington. Alonzo is a veteran LAPD detective who plays by his own rules, and by rules, I mean the ones he makes up as he goes along.
Alonzo’s got more charisma than a cult leader, more shady connections than the Mafia, and his ethics are more twisted than the Kardashian family tree.
In other words, he’s the cop you don’t want to encounter in a dark alley unless you have a lawyer on speed dial.
Well anyway, Detective Alonzo Harris likes to start his day by drinking coffee and reading the paper at his favorite diner. And boy oh boy, does he love reading the paper.
When Alonzo’s got his nose buried in that paper, the rest of the world just fades away. There’s a sacred aura around Alonzo when he’s reading the paper, like he’s communing with the gods of current events. It’s his moment of Zen before he has to go out and deal with all the criminal scum in L.A.’s most dangerous streets and alleyways.
But woe unto thee who dares interrupt his holy ritual.
As his young rookie partner quickly discovered.
Here’s that scene:
Jake (the rookie cop) struts through the door and looks around. He spots Detective Alonzo reading his paper at a booth.
Jake walks over and slides in across. Alonzo’s eyes never leave his newspaper. A young waitress pours Jake a coffee and offers a menu. Jake waves it away. Jakes’s now staring at the paper that’s covering Alonzo’s face.
Jake: (nervous cough) Good morning, sir.
Alonzo: Have some chow before we hit the office. Go ahead. It’s my dollar.
Jake: No, thank you, sir. I ate.
Alonzo: Fine. Don’t.
Alonzo turns the page. A long beat. Jake sits awkwardly in the silence.
Jake: It’s nice here.
Alonzo: May I read my paper?
Jake: I’m sorry, sir… I’ll get some food.
Alonzo: No. You won’t. You f*#ked that up. Please. I’m reading. Shut up.
Jake: (mumbles to himself) Jeez, sorry. Jake pours a ton of sugar into his coffee. Alonzo keeps reading. Jake nervously fidgets.
Jake: Sure wouldn’t mind not roasting in a hot black and white all summer. Alonzo sighs, and carefully folds his paper while glaring at Jake.
Alonzo: Tell me a story, rookie.
Jake: My story?
Alonzo: Not your story. A story. You can’t keep your mouth shut long enough to let me finish my paper. So tell me a story.
Jake: I don’t think I know any stories.
Alonzo: (Alonzo waves the paper in Jake’s face.) This is a newspaper. And I know it’s ninety percent bullshit but it’s entertaining. That’s why I read it. Because it entertains me. If you won’t let me read my paper, then entertain me with your bullshit. Tell me a story!
*** Okay, dear subscriber, to make a long story even longer, here’s what happens next:
Jake sits there dumbfounded until he finally remembers a good story about a drunk driver he pulled over one time. He recounts his tale with all the exuberance and energy of a kid on a sugar high! He’s animated, he’s giving colorful details, and he’s even re-enacting some parts. At the end of his story, he looks at Alonzo. Alonzo’s facial expression is that of someone waking up from a coma.
Alonzo: That’s it? That’s your most entertaining story? A drunk stop?
***
The moral of the story?
This:
If you’re gonna interrupt someone and let’s face it, us marketers do it for a living, then, for crying out loud…
… Learn How to Tell a Good Story!
And if you want to know how to use storytelling to sell your wares… then you’d be smart to check out this: https://kelvindorsey.com/mavericks-storyselling-secrets/
Your friend,
Kelvin
Email Marketing Maverick
