One of the greatest compliments I received as a copywriter was from Walter Pearce, the former president of KCI Communications.

Here's what he said:

"I have a name for what Doug does: Zeitgeist marketing. And nobody is better than he is at relating your product to the trends, creating a compelling sales argument, and then getting your customers to buy!"

If you're not family with the word zeitgeist, it's a German word that translates to "spirit of the age" or "spirit of the times."

What Walter was referring to was my ability to tap into the current cultural and societal climate, to understand what's happening in the world, and tailor my marketing efforts accordingly.

This is how my “Boom or Bust Ahead For Technology Stocks? “ brought in over 40,000 subscribers during a 2000 tech crash.

Over the years, I’ve found it’s a skill set that separates great copy from just good copy.

I’ve said this a million times.

There are millions of copywriters who are better writers than me--they just didn’t know what to write about.

So their copy simply did not resonate with their prospects.

I think of this skill as having a sixth sense--the ability to see the available means of persuasion in any given situation and then persuade the reader through argument and emotion.

If you are serious about elevating yourself from the also-ran copywriters, then this is the area you want to concentrate on.

Developing your own sixth sense, or Zeitgeist, if you will. Where you can understand the pulse of society and then use the power of the mind to write even more persuasive copy.

How do you do it?

I would be less than honest if I didn’t tell you that it takes time and proactivity.

But it also has much to do with opening your mind to what is around you. If you want to ride the cultural wave that is cresting over society, then this is what you must do.

Surprisingly, it’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

1. Leverage Current Events:

This is where the money is. By tapping into current events and connecting the dots from that pre-existing force to your product. Whether it’s a global phenomenon or a local happening, weaving that into your marketing narrative automatically creates an instant connection with your reader.

My “The Only Stock That Will Make You a Marijuana Millionaire,” "The Great Retirement Betrayal," "Tax Bomb to Blindside U.S. Investors," and “How Joe Biden Betrayed America’s Middle Class’ control packages did just that.

The reason was simple:

Virtually every word resonated with the readers. Which is why these promotions were so successful.

By simply keeping your head up and your finger on the pulse of cultural phenomena and trends, you will be able to talk to your prospects in terms that they understand.

Of course, that is just the beginning of your journey to the sixth sense.

2. Harness Your Subconscious:

In order to tap into the trends and connect with people, it’s not always just sitting out and starting to crank out the words.

You must allow ideas to percolate, often overnight. Let them sink in to become a part of you. It may sound like hocus pocus, but it works.

Ideas and connections can come to you when you least expect it. That is your subconscious doing the heavy lifting for you.

This was how I came up with the idea of turning a newsletter subscription into a membership offer. I received a postcard in the mail for a $19 offer for a gym. It listed all the benefits of joining.

The next morning I thought, “there is no difference between a subscription and a membership--only by changing the subscription offer to a membership we can expand the offer.”

This is how I created The Retirement Club membership offer and why it lasted as a control for over a decade.

3. Visualize Success:

There have been many times in my career that I went to bed at night struggling to find a good idea.

But then I handed the idea over to my subconscious to take over the task. Asking it to connect the dots for me in ways that my conscious mind was not connecting.

While I can’t say that each morning I woke up with the answer, I was training my subconscious to manifest my success through higher focused intention.

The bottom line here is this:

Zeitgeist copywriting is about more than just following trends; it's about understanding the cultural currents and leveraging them to create meaningful connections with your audience.

By understanding the zeitgeist, harnessing the power of your mind, and visualizing your success, you can tap into the zeitgeist of the time and develop your own sixth sense--not overnight, but over time.

All good wishes,

Doug D'Anna

P.S. If you've opened this email and read this far, then my words have resonated with you.

I've connected with "the spirit of YOU" and your desire to develop your own sixth sense to tap into the "spirit of the times."

The article above was designed to lay the foundation for developing your sixth sense. My one-on-one Million-Dollar Copywriting Formula coaching integrates these ideas directly into your life.

My ultimate goal is to help you write with mindfulness and joy, which speeds up your writing process and makes you write more intuitively and persuasively.

If this personalized coaching and advantage are what you're looking for, then seize the moment and join me and let's make your sixth sense your advantage.

Click this link to learn more.

0 comments

What Jeff Bezos’ Prenup Teaches You About Copywriting Contracts

How I Made $593K in ONE Email Campaign

How to Your Turn Small Breaks into BIG Copywriting Wins

YOURS FREE: One Hour Of Live Coaching for 5 Lucky Copywriters with...

My Love Affair With ChatGPT

See all posts from Doug D'Anna, Copywriting Coach, Mentor, Investor