profile

Hi, I'm Chris, The Conversion Alchemist

A quick thought experiment for you...

Published about 1 year ago • 1 min read

Let's start this week off with some good old thinking, shall we?

I want to try something different.

And give you some homework for tomorrow (don't worry, just a couple of minutes - and it's worth it!).

I just stumbled on a short story, from the book "The Unfettered mind", that made me think.

A LOT.

And it might open up your mind to what writing good copy really means, too.

From the book:

"When Ippen Shonin met Hotto Kokushi, the founder of the Kokokuji in the village of Yura in Kii Province, he said, "I have composed a poem.”
Kokushi said, "Let's hear it ."
Shonin recited:
When I chant,
Both Buddha and self
Cease to exist. There is only the voice that says,
Namu Amida Butsu.
Kokushi said, "Something is wrong with the last couple of lines, don't you think?"
Shonin then confined himself in Kumano and meditated for twenty-one days. When he
passed by Yura again, he said, "This is how I've written it":
“When I chant,
Both Buddha and self
Cease to exist.
Namu Amida Butsu,
Namu Amida Butsu.
Kokushi nodded his enthusiastic approval and said, "There! You got it!”

Cryptic, isn't it?

But in its simplicity, it clearly points out a couple of very important concepts.

That when applied to your copy and messaging can skyrocket conversions.

So my question to you, is...

What do you think this means (especially when applied to writing copy)? How can this hidden message help us increase conversions?

Just hit reply.

Tomorrow I'll share my insights and some of the replies I get (feel free to include a link where people can learn about you; I'd love to spread the word about my amazing readers).

P.S. No I don't plan on becoming a Buddhist or turning this newsletter in a religion-based media outlet. But the philosophy is truly fascinating and highly applicable. And if you’re curious about what I’m reading, here’s my reading list regularly updated (including past years’ completed books).

Quote and reflection of the day:

“Humans tend to anticipate more in the way of enduring satisfaction from the attainment of goals than will in fact transpire. This illusion, and the resulting mind-set of perpetual aspiration, makes sense as a product of natural selection, but it’s not exactly a recipe for lifelong happiness.” - Robert Wright, Why Buddhism is True

The purpose of a goal shouldn’t be to keep us unhappy until we’ve achieved it. It should be to make us happy, because it keeps us on the path to achieving it. It’s about the process, not the outcome.

Cheers,

Chris

🙌🏻 Let’s be friends (unless you’re a stalker)

Hi, I'm Chris, The Conversion Alchemist

I'm the founder and chief conversion copywriter at Conversion Alchemy. We help 7 and 8 figure SaaS and Ecommerce businesses convert more website visitors into happy customers. Conversion Alchemy Journal is the collection of my thoughts, ideas, and ramblings on anything copy, UX, conversion rate optimization, psychology, decision-making, human behavior, and -often times - just bizarre, geeky stuff. Grab a cup of coffee and join me. Once a week, every Friday.

Read more from Hi, I'm Chris, The Conversion Alchemist

Read Online How to persuade AI (because you will have to) Welcome to today’s issue of Conversion Alchemy Journal. If you received this from a friend and enjoy it, subscribe here. It's the year 2026 and you need a new project management solution (go figure...). You need to find the BEST tool out there. And you need it fast. Sitting at your desk, you start a chat with your AI assistant, "Find me the top-rated project management tools for medium-sized tech companies." The AI quickly processes...

about 2 hours ago • 5 min read

Read Online How to really connect with your prospects (and stop pitch-slapping them) Welcome to today’s issue of Conversion Alchemy Journal. If you received this from a friend and enjoy it, subscribe here. If you're on Linkedin you're probably familiar with it. It's the dreaded "pitch-slap". That's when someone sends you a connection request and inevitably, immediately, sometimes "automagically" - they pitch you on whatever the hell they sell. Pro tip: you can prevent this just by looking at...

7 days ago • 4 min read

Read Online “they were blind but now they see” ... How to create space in your prospects' minds, so they want to buy Welcome to today’s issue of Conversion Alchemy Journal. If you received this from a friend and enjoy it, subscribe here. I’ve always been obsessed with what happens in people’s brains the very moment they realize they need to buy something. I study it constantly, in my clients’ customers, but in myself too. If you want to understand what triggers prospects to head down the path...

14 days ago • 5 min read
Share this post