Back in July 2011 myself and my friend (and business partner at the time), Steve Gray, released a training product on how we build tiny little businesses online.
We felt the timing was right. The market needed what we knew we could teach well so that others could follow and execute on to get predictable results.
We both had to figure this stuff out the hard way — in the trenches, learning by DOING — and we made a lot of mistakes along the way.
Other than the mental scarring, the blunt force trauma had given us DEEP insights and perspective on what worked and what didn’t.
There was a significant PROBLEM tho…
Back in 2011, the market was SWAMPED with hype-y loophole (“hit that easy button baby!”) get-rich-while-you-sleep courses and tools coming out the wazoo.
We had to try and get ATTENTION in that noise.
If you know me at all, you’ll also know I’m not a copywriter.
I don’t write “classic” sales copy like a hired gun.
I can’t.
So I wrote a story about these two fictional people, Frank and Matt.
Now although Frank and Matt were fictional, they were based on our real-life stories. Frank and Matt were personifications of our journeys and our transformations.
After writing this story, I delivered the narrative through email. I later created a website for Frank and Matt (I’ll cover WHY I did this deeper into SOI).
Frank represented the group of people which made up the 99% segment of our market. I gave Frank a backstory, psychographic traits, behavior, the whole nine yards.
Frank nailed the archetype of the 99% to a tee.
I knew how to describe Frank because I had been him for years. So had Steve. And we had the mental scarring as a reminder of the years we operated like a Frank.
Matt represented the other side of the coin.
The 1%.
The person who Frank WANTED to become, but just didn’t know how to ultimately.
It wasn’t the easy button that a Frank wanted, per sé (although the lure of the fast-and-easy ultimately kept him in perpetual purgatory).
It was the money and FREEDOM that people like Matt had. Frank longed to be Matt. It consumed his desires.
Both Steve and I had transformed from the Frank to the Matt category, so we understood the “mental shift” that needed to happen.
But like I said, we had both started operating and behaving within the mental model of a Frank for years. For too damn long.
Steve’s journey was different to mine (acquired then lost millions).
Our mental scarring had created different fears and insecurities in each of us. We were both very flawed, but this also made us better Matts.
Here’s the ending snippet of an email I sent to our small waiting list during this little internet launch:
SIDE NOTE: First and foremost, SOI is a presell framework for getting attention, then leveraging that attention to channel desire in our direction. There’s no “selling” early on. This naturally comes later.
The little launch I’m referring to here was deeper into our world, beyond the presell. So I was leveraging our “sphere of influence” at the point of sale. I cover this later in SOI.
The story of Frank & Matt that formed the BIG IDEA around our sales message smashed our expectations.
Not only did we sell out the 200 spots to a tiny little waiting list, something else VERY INTERESTING happened.
New customers were coming in and not just identifying themselves as a Frank (and wanted to learn how to become a Matt), many were CALLING themselves Frank.
Think about the dynamics of this for a second.
Let it sink into how powerful this is.
Here are a few I pulled from our Polldaddy account (I’m only showing you these to demonstrate first hand how well this works to “reframe” and reprogram some of the core operating beliefs that power the behaviors of the people we cared about serving and mattering to):
I believe this structure will help me focus instead of being a “Frank”.
I used to be “Frank” but I realized it wasn’t sustainable. I bought ARM 2.0 and NanoList which rock! I believe anything you say at this point. You could sell me shit on a shingle and I would eat it (not really).
I was Frank from Frank vs. Matt. Fast forward, I now know that the foundation is the key to win in this space. Not jumping around trying to buy and implement every new magic bullet released every other day. Impossible.
Your Frank v Matt story flat out struck a chord with me, and was perfect timing.
I have done the Frank guy role and now want a solid business.
In this order: (1) The Frank & Matt Story (very powerful!)
I don’t want to be a Frank anymore.
I have been kind of a ” Frank” lately, just because I wanted desperately to find something worth it that I could rely on, that was not just hype, that did not have upsell, downsell, endsell … whatever else. So I guess it was pretty much everything you said! lol
I recognized myself as Frank.
The story resonated with me as most courses seem to promote the ‘Frank’ style of business. I’ve been working online full-time for about 3 years so know it works, but have been locked into the flawed process diagram of Frank.
I’m an internet junky – I’m Frank. No money no income.
It had to do with the Frank and Matt comparison. I’ve had a serious case of opportunity hopping ADD for years now and I’m damned tired of always being in the buying and learning mode, but not in the doing mode. I need to develop “opportunity blindness” or maybe BSO blindness.
The comparison between Frank and Matt and the fundamental difference. It is kind of derived from Rich Schefrens approach of being a strategic entrepreneur rather than opportunity seeker.
the core reason for deciding was based on a couple of things, namely (1) I could definitely see myself in your Frank character and what I want to aspire to is your Matt character and
I knew after reading your 3 part email series about frank and matt.
When I read your “Frank & Matt” story that’s when it hit me. I was in that phase when I was a “Frank” but I started changing to a “Matt” after a while. I didn’t want to start building a list or an internet business just for the sake of making money but I want to start something that is long term. Something I can be proud of. So I want to thank you guys for that.
Many things you said about chasing the dream through shiny objects really rang true for me. I related in a big way. The frank vs. matt story confirmed again where I have been for years trying to make this online thing work. I feel you folks are genuine and understand where I am
It was the story about Matt and Frank. I am the guy that is doing the stuff that isn’t working. I want to be the other guy. That’s why I’m here.
So, yeah, I am like ‘Frank’ and would like to learn how to become like Matt 🙂
Saw something about Franks story mentioned so I searched that out and read it. I could see myself right there.
You were talking sense in Matt vs Frank Story. I want to be a Matt – and get that foundation and get to doing it … I’ve been a frank for too long.
The case study (Frank and Matt) spoke DIRECTLY to me!
I must say you guys really got my attention with the business competition with Matt vs Frank and talked about what Matt was doing compared to Frank. Everything that was outlined was so profound it really opened up my eyes to how you can win in this game of IM.
It was the whole Frank vs Matt story. I used to be a Frank, but I learned that the best way to become wealthy is by creating value for others.
Frank and Matt story. I am Frank and want to be Matt and so I was eagerly waiting for the buy link to appear in front of me. The moment it came, it wasn’t hard decision to enroll in TLB.
the whole frank and matt scenario opened my eyes to how I’ve been taught and I have been operating my business as a frank.
I’ll stop now. I have a spreadsheet of 781 rows of these.
That story gave them a PERSPECTIVE they had NEVER articulated in that way before.
They knew they operated in a certain way (being attracted to “opportunities” and not having the ability to stick to something very long before dropping it and moving on to the next shiny object)…
… but other than that, it was a mystery to them WHY they struggled so much, while others got all the results and money and freedom.
Taking all those traits, behaviors, and beliefs, and giving them a NAME, was a MAJOR REVELATION for them (more about “naming” in a bit).
And doing it in a way where they SELF-IDENTIFIED AS BEING THAT NAME. Then finally associating that NAME as the REASON for their results.
Boom!
So f#cking powerful.
It hit them like a punch to the face.
I did the same with Matt.
Matt became the desired name (the “positive bucket”), the real tangible thing that they self-selected themselves as wanting and desiring.
Of course, we had also become their path-to-belief.
The only way to become a Matt was through us. We automatically became their ONLY VIABLE CHOICE.
Our competition had essentially become entirely irrelevant.
Before I show you how to build out the system, I need to tell you one final short story.
NEXT: Frank & Matt Backstory