People don’t buy when they don’t believe:

• Your product will work
• They have what it takes
• Trying is worth the risk

Your job? Give them hope.

😇 Cody Plofker explains how to sell more by making people believe in themselves

🤑 Matt Bertulli shares how to find winning offers + funnels before Black Friday

😎 Sean Frank finally reveals how Ridge will get to $1B by 2030 with three tactics

Plus, the top five headlines in consumer.

Matt Bertulli CEO, Pela + Lomi

Only 60 Days Left to Find Your Winning Offers + Funnels

Meta is going to charge you through the nose during Black Friday. Really, all of Q4.

This is the most important time of year to optimize your funnels for max order value.

At Pela, we use Aftersell to increase AOV and profit per transaction with …

• Relevant in-cart add-ons
• Personalized upsells
• Monetized thank-you pages

Most importantly, it allows us to A/B test at lightspeed + optimize our offers before Black Friday arrives.

We made more money in month three with Aftersell than we did in month one. The difference was testing + refining:

• Sequencing
• Offers
• Placements

You have 60 days before ad costs explode. Do that work now, so your most expensive traffic lands on proven funnels.

The best part is, Aftersell pays for itself.

The Rokt Thanks feature pays you to show other brands’ offers on your thank-you page. You keep that revenue and get the same amount in credit toward your Aftersell bill.

Cody Plofker Advisor, Jones Road

How To Sell More By Giving Your Customers Hope

“Why would this work when everything else I’ve tried has failed?”

That’s the question your customer asks before they purchase.

They don’t have hope.

Bigger discounts, better creators + lower CPMs won’t fix it.

I want to show you how to give your customers reasons to believe, which is the same thing as giving them reasons to buy.

It starts with a concept called the unique mechanism.

 What is a Unique Mechanism? 

For years, I consumed everything I could from Dan Kennedy, Gary Halbert, John Carlton, Frank Kern, Russell Brunson and bought hundreds of courses. A lot of Dan’s came on CDs with giant printed books and binders.

One of the most important concepts I picked up from that world of old-school direct response is the unique mechanism.

It answers three questions:

• What is the cause of my problem?
• Why have past solutions failed?
• Will this new solution work?

Most people only talk about unique mechanisms as it relates to their product or solution. But it’s equally important to talk about the customer’s problem.

Stefan Georgi does a good job of splitting it into two parts.

Unique Mechanism, Problem

This explains why your customer is still struggling.

Unique Mechanism, Solution

This explains what your product does differently.

Put more simply:

I’ll share a bunch of real examples below.

But first, there’s a problem …

 People Don’t Believe You ​
​
Most of us are selling into sophisticated markets.

Market sophistication is a concept introduced in Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz. Essentially, the more a category has been marketed to, the less they believe.

Marketers usually respond to this by shouting louder and making more drastic claims. This can work in a new market that hasn’t heard it all before. It doesn’t work in saturated markets.

• Weight loss
• Supplements
• Skincare
• Beauty

Remember the scene in There’s Something About Mary where a hitchhiker pitches Ted Stroehmann (played by Ben Stiller) his business idea, 7-minute abs?

“Think about it. You walk into a video store, you see 8-Minute Abs sittin’ there, there’s 7-Minute Abs right beside it. Which one are you gonna pick, man? ... Bingo, man, bingo. 7-Minute Abs. And we guarantee just as good a workout as the 8-minute folk.”

It’s a joke, but it’s also a perfect example of what you don’t want to do: Shout louder and make more obnoxious claims.

People in sophisticated markets have heard every claim. Bigger and bigger claims like “lose XXX pounds in Y days” start to actively repel people.

What’s the solution?

You need to help people understand what’s causing their problem and how they can achieve success.

Why? Two reasons.

1. Everyone Has Tried Another Solution

I’ll use weight loss.

Most people have tried diets, workouts, supplements, apps, etc. Most people have failed at least a few times.

They need to know why this attempt will be different.

The more someone has tried and failed, the more important your mechanism becomes. They need a reason to believe this isn’t the same thing in different packaging.

They need hope.

2. Most People Have Low Confidence

Marketers think they need to:

• Make bigger claims
• Share more features
• Bash the competition

What we really need to do is help people believe they can be successful.

Most people lack confidence and willpower, especially around problems they’ve struggled with for years. Every time they try and fail, it gets harder to believe the next attempt will work.

They start to believe they are the problem.

Not only that, but they fear trying again because more failure deepens their insecurity.

We need to give them an external reason why past attempts haven’t worked. That’s the unique mechanism of the problem.

AKA, “it’s not your fault.”

Then we need to give them a clear reason why this time will be different. That’s the unique mechanism of the solution.

AKA, “one weird trick.”

A good mechanism tells someone:

You didn’t fail because you’re lazy. The problem was with what you tried. It wasn’t your fault. And there’s a better way.

Here are a few of my favorite examples.

 Banjo Minnow: Catch More Fish 

Unique Mechanism, Problem

Ordinary lures depend on fish being hungry and actively feeding. You can be great at fishing and still not catch any fish.

Unique Mechanism, Solution

The Banjo Minnow’s erratic movement mimics a wounded or dying baitfish, triggering a predator’s instinctive attack response.

Promise

Catch fish even when they aren’t hungry.

 Grüns: Nutrition Made Easy ​
​
Not every mechanism needs to be a scientific breakthrough.

Sometimes it’s just about removing friction to help people believe they can stick to a habit.

Unique Mechanism, Problem

Daily nutrition powders require scooping, mixing, drinking, and cleaning, creating too many opportunities to skip the routine. No wonder you struggle to be consistent.

Unique Mechanism, Solution

Grüns puts the daily routine into a pack of gummies, removing the prep and cleanup.

Promise

Stick to your daily nutrition routine without the hassle.

 GLP-1s: The Holy Grail 

Probably the best modern unique mechanism is GLP-1s.

They have a real scientific mechanism, work extremely well for many people, and can create results without requiring someone to suddenly become a completely different person.

Unique Mechanism, Problem

Diets depend on willpower to fight the hunger and cravings that make eating less difficult to sustain. You are battling the symptom, not the source.

Unique Mechanism, Solution

GLP-1 medications act on the body’s appetite and fullness signals, helping reduce hunger and food intake.

Promise

Make eating less feel easier without constantly fighting hunger.

 Liquid I.V.: Better Than Water 

Their mechanism is their brand name.

Unique Mechanism, Problem

You drink plenty of water and still feel dehydrated, foggy, and cramped. That’s because plain water replaces fluid lost through sweat, but not the electrolytes lost with it.

Unique Mechanism, Solution

Liquid I.V. combines electrolytes with glucose, using the body’s sodium-glucose transport system to help absorb water.

Promise

Hydrate faster and more effectively than water alone.

 Jones Road: Less is More ​
​
Most mechanisms add something.

This one takes away, and it only works because Bobbi Brown spent 30 years teaching women how to wear makeup. Now she has the credibility to tell them they need less of it.

Unique Mechanism, Problem

Heavy foundation and powder can emphasize lines, dryness, and texture, making skin look older. You’re not applying your makeup wrong. The formulas are working against your natural beauty.

Unique Mechanism, Solution

Jones Road uses sheer, moisturizing formulas to add color, moisture, and natural glow without covering the skin.

Promise

Look like a better version of yourself without more makeup.

 Give Your Customers Hope 

If I had to sum up unique mechanisms in four words, that’s how I would do it. The steps are:

• Explain your unique mechanism
• Reveal why past attempts failed
• Show how your product works
• Share customer success stories
• Back claims with real evidence

This is a reminder for myself as well.

I just did a full overhaul on the Winks’ website. It’s way more focused on empathy + proof.

On the left is our UMP and on the right is our UMS.

It’s not easy. But our job is to help people make sense of their past disappointments and give them a believable path forward.

Show them why this product could work for someone like them, and give them enough proof to feel good about trying again.

A good unique mechanism gets people to believe in your product … a great one gets them to believe in themselves.

Sean Frank CEO, Ridge

How ridge gets to $1B by 2030

I called our shot-
10-fig by end of decade.

How?

Rajen Sanghvi, the COO at Fulfil, grilled me on his pod. Here is what I told him.

1- More products

Wallets are a $100M+ business. But people only need one. To get more TAM, we need more categories.

That is why we added rings, luggage, tech. We will add two new products every year going forward.

Drinkware is coming.

2- More people

More countries. More channels.

We are on Amazon
We are on TikTok Shop
We are in retail.
Walmart(.)com is next

We will sell everywhere people shop.

3- Move on

We thought watches would be huge.
Nobody wanted them.

Rings did $10M in year one.

Everything is a best guess at launch.
If it fails, admit it. Kill it.

Try the next thing.

On the pod we also got into why I think people are sleeping on Walmart listings, which products I will never launch again, and when wholesale can bankrupt you.

If you are trying to figure out where your next $10M or 100M comes from, PLS WATCH IT.

50 min. Plenty of mistakes to avoid.

THE FEED

​Every Black Friday Tip & Tactic We Know, Revealed​

​How First Day Built a 9-Figure Kids Vitamins Brand​

​How a 15% Price Cut Increased Product Revenue 60%​

​Your DTC Subscription Masterclass: Step-By-Step​

The Trends

Curated by the editor of CPG Wire, the five top stories in commerce and DTC.

1. Graza Explores Exit: Axios​

According to a report from Axios, Graza has enlisted Lazard to explore a potential sale. Co-founded by Andrew Benin and Allen Dushi in late 2020, Graza reportedly generates $30M of EBITDA and is seeking a 15-20x multiple. Investors in Graza include BFG Partners, Spacestation Investments, Brand Foundry Ventures, Watchfire Ventures, and others.

2. Shaun Wilson Unveils Sol Rise: LinkedIn​

Shaun Wilson, the Australian co-founder of Bondi Sands, announced a new consumer-focused investment firm called Sol Rise. The firm aims to back ambitious founders of high-potential consumer businesses to help them realize their global potential.

Wilson launched Bondi Sands in 2012 and then sold it to Kao Corporation for $450M AUD in 2023.

3. Whole Foods Reveals Accelerator Cohort: Business Wire​

Whole Foods Market unveiled the 2026 cohort of its Local & Emerging Accelerator Program. The accelerator supports early stage brands with mentorship, a 12-week curriculum, and the opportunity to receive a $25k investment from the retailer.

The 2026 cohort includes Cotto, HEYDOH, Folkland Foods, HOL Health Club, and six other startups.

4. Bird&Be Closes Series A Round: Femtech Insider​

Bird&Be, a fertility care brand co-founded by Samantha Diamond and Breanna Hughes, secured $13M in Series A funding. The round was co-led by BFG Partners and BDC Thrive, with participation from BAM Ventures, Founder Collective, Rejuvenation Ventures, and HSR Ventures.

Since debuting in 2021, Bird&Be has grown into an 8-figure brand with nearly 100% year-over-year growth.

5. Milo’s Surpasses $1B in Sales: PR Newswire​

Alabama-based tea producer Milo’s crossed $1B in annual retail sales. Even more impressive, the company hit the milestone one year ahead of schedule.

The family-owned beverage company was originally founded as a single restaurant in 1946, and today it’s a national brand with more than 65,000 points of distribution. Chair and CEO Tricia Wallwork, the founder’s granddaughter, has led the company since 2012.

With thanks and anticipation,
Aaron Orendorff
🤓 Chief Executive Officer

P.S. (Disclaimer): Special thanks to Aftersell and Fulfil for sponsoring today’s newsletter.

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