TL/DR: This is a brain dump on how I work and the underlying philosophy behind my brand, Game of Conversions.
It's also about a powerful paradigm that can help you get more sales, close more deals, and perhaps most importantly: grow a successful business that people will love.
I call this the "Game of Conversions Framework" and I'll talk about it a bit later, but first, let me ask you a question:
Do you like Game of Thrones?
...Chances are - you do.
Why is that?
Is it because it's an awesome piece of television history, almost resembling a cinematic experience,
Or is it because it tells a deeply engaging story about the struggle for power (that secretly many of us can resonate with in some way)
Regardless of your personal preference, it's undeniable that the show has dozens of very interesting characters that all try to grab power in different ways.
There are many archetypes here, from 'warrior' to 'ruler' to even 'sage' - and I could go on and on about analyzing them, however, today I want to talk to you about none other than...
Little Finger
You know, this guy:
Conleth Hill as Lord Varys and Aidan Gillen as Littlefinger in 'Game of Thrones.' Nick Briggs/HBO
He's arguably one of the most cunning characters on Game of Thrones, manipulating everyone behind the scenes - and basically often playing the role of puppet master.
Yet... against ALL of Little Finger's efforts, he was still wasted.
All that scheming and strategizing had been for naught. He lost the Game.
Since the show's beginning we've been conditioned to think that scheming characters such as Little Finger automatically survive, while honest characters like Ned Stark die because they're 'too noble to play this game'.
And this makes total sense!
Just think about real-life people such as Niccoló Machiavelli, Napoléon Bonaparte, or other old-school 'influencers' in strategic thinking history.
Heck, if you've read the 48 Rules of Power by Robert Greene, you know precisely what type of person I'm talking about (if you haven't, read it because it's a great book!)
All these influencers encourage people to outsmart their opponents and ruthlessly crush them for their own interests.
And while this IS a very successful strategy - no doubt about that - eventually it WILL come back and bite you in the ass if you abuse it.
...It's only a matter of time...
Even if you're the BEST schemer out there who always outsmarts everyone else, eventually someone, somewhere WILL discover you and expose you - and you won't be able to do anything about it...
TL/DR
What Little Finger can teach you about online business
Remember, It's really tempting to be like Little Finger and scheme your way to a 6 or 7 Figure business.
I mean, just look around: we're surrounded by sleazy marketers everywhere we look.
And sure, on the surface it seems like they're crushing it: making big bucks, living 'The Life', and appearing like successful role-models.
NOTE: I'm not necessarily talking about the worst types of these online marketers, the 'snake oil salesmen' - Instead, I'm talking about tons of online businesses whose only goal is to make a quick buck, regardless of what it takes.
And I get it: The #1 goal of every business is to make money - but what most people don't realize is that the 'rules' of online business (and the post-internet era world itself) have changed dramatically.
As Ramit Sethi would say:
"What got you here won't get you there..."
Ramit Sethi
The rules have changed and the same strategies that worked well years ago no longer mean you'll automatically win the Game (of Business, of Dating, of LIFE in general).
In fact, these strategies can even put you into a disadvantage in today's online business landscape.
Why?
Because it's easier than ever to find out if someone's a trickster. Just think about the exposing power of Social Media, Viral Posts, Rating Sites, Sophisticated tools that allow the tracking of various information, and so on.
If you're a business owner and your #1 goal is to make money, it's in your BEST interest to have an honest and ethical business model
A Business You'd Recommend to Your Best Friend
So what can you do?
It's not like you can just 'ask for charity' or 'wait for the Universe' to provide you with material riches and whatnot...
No. What I'm talking about is re-evaluating your business strategy and start playing for the long run, honestly focusing on your ideal customers.
Why?
Because consistently successful online businesses always play for the long run. They don't get lost in 'clever' tactics and magic pill solutions.
Instead, they constantly ask the following questions:
--> How can I serve my customers better day after day, week after week?
--> How can I discover what they truly want, and then simply give it to them?
--> And most importantly, how can I make sure I keep doing this, even when it's tempting to no longer focus on it?
It's not easy to keep these things in mind. Life usually gets in the way.
And then we lose our path.
And then people start noticing it.
And then eventually your bottom line starts to take a hit.
Unfortunately, this happens more often then you'd think - sooner or later (usually sooner).
However, by being true to your audience's needs - and to yourself - you can differentiate yourself from your competition, and you can also open up a bunch of new opportunities.
TL/DR
Say Hello to the
Game of Conversions Framework
'Jeez Csaba, would you finally tell me what the heck is this whole Game of Conversions Framework thing??'
Glad you asked!
It's quite simple, actually:
I want YOU to win the Game with authenticity.
I want you to succeed without high-pressure sales tactics, without sleazy marketing, and without sounding like a late-night infomercial.
These things are the bane of good marketers, and they're the reason why most people inherently hate selling.
They think that the only way to sell is to use these cheap tactics - and if you ask them about the first image that pops into their head when mentioning the term 'salesman', there's a 95% chance they'll say 'Car salesman!'
Oh God...
These tactics have basically decimated the reputation of the entire marketing industry in the eyes of an average Joe - but fear not because this curse is also kind of a blessing in disguise.
Why?
Because if you manage to do things only slightly differently in your marketing and sales messaging, you'll instantly put yourself head and shoulders above your competition!
And you'll go from someone playing in the same league as countless others... to the TOP 1% entrepreneur in your field.
The go-to expert that everybody trusts and values.
And the person who can charge waaaay above their competition.
That's the business philosophy I'm trying to live by.
You can learn more about me here, but this post is actually about you - viewed through the lens of MY philosophy and how I work. Because that's the type of person that I also like to work with.
If you're like that, thank you for doing honest work and keep it up! And if you feel like my words resonated with you and you'd like to collaborate, feel free to contact me, I'd love to hear from you.
This is YOUR Story of Ascending the Profit Ladder -
and this story begins NOW!
Now it's Your Turn
Let's make this journey interactive.
I want to build the best community of like-minded people on the interwebz - but in order for this to happen, I need your help.
Here's what I'd like you to do: tell me a story on how how authenticity has impacted your business.
Maybe you've already tried something that's similar to what I've been talking about. What were your results?
Or perhaps you're also sick and tired of sleazy salesman. Feel free to share your thoughts or even a funny story involving such a person.
Regardless of how you related to this topic, leave me a comment below and let me know. I promise to read each and every single one.
And if you think this could be helpful to any of your friends, why not share it with them? It just might make their day!
Ah yes, this is the stuff that resonates with me
Great to hear that, Talha. And thanks for following my stuff 🙏. What’s you’re #1 business problem right now?
Authenticity in weight training has changed my life through a genius named Matt Wenning. He improved on an incredibly complex and effective style of powerlifting training that was in fact authentic in it’s own right when it first came out. So Matt vastly improved a style that was only for the elite and made it marketable and just as highly effective relatively for the average man and woman of any age and ability level. I use it for my own training, and I am never going back to the old way, which by the way had me on the brink of a serious knee and spinal injury.
I agree wholeheartedly 👍
I agree with you wholeheartedly 👍
Csaba this is badass stuff! Been going through all your content lately. I’m a big fan in authenticity marketing ever since I follow amazing people like Chris Orzechowski, Andre Chaperon and Seth Godin. Can’t wait to read more of your insights!
Thanks, Alejandro! Glad you liked it 😉
I love your theme here – authenticity wins the game!
People buy from those they know, like, and trust.
Be real with your prospects, be real with your customers…
And you’ll easily develop a good reputation which will help your business grow…
And as your business grows, you make more money..
And you can swim happily through your dungeon of coins with a happy heart and a clear conscience.
For me personally, authenticity is how I have formed all of my close friendships in life, and it’s how I want to form my email copywriting business.
By always being honest and real.
Exactly! Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Angela 🙂
I was a customer service rep for so many years. I agree, customers are so tired of being scammed or hoodwinked, that’s why so many sales emails are being ignored. I’m one of them who just choose to delete such emails.
I was working for a bank before, and their credit card applications are really predatory, they are worse than loan sharks. The difference is they are legalized by the banking industry.
How do I help their customers? I can really tell if a customer was hoodwinked, so if they complain about getting slapped multiple fees, I waive them 🙂
Funny how no one ever talks about this,this is a nice one.
I will love to implement it in my business when I eventually start my email marketing agency
Great to hear that it was helpful 🙂 Thanks for reading!
That’s a great point, Josh… thanks for sharing! (and hopefully, more people will start using elegant persuasion principles)