Most people don’t know this…
But every message I send ... newsletter, blog post, dealer pitch, even LinkedIn posts ... follows a hidden rhythm.
A 4-beat structure I built quietly over years of writing, editing, communicating… watching what landed and what flopped.
It’s not just for copy.
It’s for conversations.
It’s for persuasion.
It’s for the real work ... the kind you do every day.
It’s not a Call to Action…
It’s a Call to Self.
It’s not for Transaction…
It’s for Transmission.
I call it The RALS METHOD™
And once you see it, you’ll never unsee it.
This Newsletter is sponsored by Influence.vin
RALS = Riff. Anchor. Lift. Shred.
Here’s what each beat does:
Riff
This is your opening riff... like the first few seconds of “Back in Black” or “Enter Sandman.”
It hits something raw and familiar. Makes people go, “Yup, I’ve felt that.”
No preaching. No teaching. Just resonance.
“Ever feel like you’re the only one actually paying attention to what the customer needs?”
That’s a Riff.
Anchor
Now we drop into reality. A concrete, weighty example that says:
I’ve lived this. I’m not talking theory.
“Last week, I watched a store appraise a trade-in using nothing but book value. Ignored the trim. Missed the options. Left $2,000 on the table… just because the appraiser was in a rush.”
That’s an Anchor.
Lift
Here’s the turn. The glimmer. The better path.
This is where the audience starts to take ownership.
Lift invites them to rise ... without making them feel dumb for not seeing it sooner.
“Imagine if your team had a 30-second cheat sheet for every high-churn model … built by watching what sells fast in your own store. No guesswork. Just pattern recognition.”
That’s a Lift.
Shred
Burn the old way down. Push the reader over the edge.
Make it impossible to stay the same.
This is where they feel it in their ribs, see themselves in it, and claim it as their own.
“Truth is, most stores aren’t broken … they’re just asleep at the wheel. You’ve got the data. You’ve got the deals. But if you keep letting the auction think for you… your margins will die slow.”
But if you keep letting the auction think for you… your margins will die slow.”
That’s a Shred.
Why It Matters
Because attention is scarce … and trust is earned.
Whether you’re pitching a seller, texting a dealer, making a trade appraisal case to your GM…
Hell, even trying to relay a critical message to your kid...
If you can walk someone through a RALS beat...even loosely...they’ll feel it.
They’ll nod.
They’ll ask for more.
They’ll say yes...feeling like it was their idea.
How You Use It … Right Now
Doesn’t matter what title you hold. Use RALS to:
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Pitch your GM on buying a weird off-brand trade
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Revive a relationship with a dealer who ghosted
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Sell your owner on starting a sourcing division
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Post a LinkedIn message that actually gets noticed
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Fire off a killer follow-up email that doesn’t sound desperate
Here’s your play:
1. Riff – Start with the tension they already feel.
2. Anchor – Back it with something real you saw.
3. Lift – Offer the “what if…” or better path.
4. Shred – Close the door on inaction. No fence-sitting. A Call to Self.
You don’t need to hit every beat perfectly.
But the rhythm itself wakes people up.
Let’s make ‘em feel it...
That’s all for now.
See You Next Tuesday.
Stay Lit,
—Bob
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