The Marketing Secret That Made Magic (Johnson) Millions

HBD Earvin Johnson. 🎂 🥳

Magic is 66 today (August 14), and that has me thinking about…

…multiplexes and Starbuck’s.

Yeah, I know. When someone says, “Magic Johnson” most think hoops.

I like basketball, and I respect Magic for his great NBA career.

But I love great business stories, and Magic’s is one for the ages.

After retiring from the NBA, Magic launched a business. He opened movie theaters in inner-city neighborhoods — first South Central Los Angeles, than Houston, Atlanta, Cleveland, and Harlem.

Critics thought he was nuts.

“You can’t open theaters in neighborhoods like that. It’s not safe. They’ll get torn to shreds. You’ll lose your shirt,” they told him.

But Magic knew those neighborhoods and the people who lived in them. He knew:

They were STARVING for good entertainment.

In the mid-1990s, Magic’s multiplexes were some of the highest-grossing theaters in the country. Magic made millions before he sold his stake.

As his multiplex empire took off, Magic approched Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. Magic wanted to open Starbucks in the same neighborhoods.

Schultz didn’t think it would work, but Magic knew:

People in those neighborhoods were starving for good coffee and snacks.

Schultz came around.

Magic became the first person outside the company to co-own and operate Starbucks stores.

His company, Urban Coffee Opportunities, opened more than 100 inner-city Starbucks from 1998 to 2010.

He sold the stores back to Starbucks in 2010 for $75 million, according to Harvard Business Revivew.

Legendary!

All of this reminds me of the legendary copywriter Gary Halbert who used to ask audiences to imagine they were opening a hamburger stand.

“If you could have any advantage you wanted to guarantee success, what would it be?” he’d ask.

People would typically choose things like: The best location, the highest quality meat, the most skilled chef, the lowest prices, the best advertising.

But Halbert would always say there was one advantage that would beat all of those combined:

A starving crowd.

Magic got that.

Speaking of Halbert, a few months ago, I recorded a video where I break down Halbert’s “Coat of Arms” sales letter. It’s one of the most successful sales letters EVER, and it’s loaded with lessons that you can apply today to grow your business.

So if you’re starving for lots of leads, prospects who book appointments, and more clients, you need to see this video.

I’ll send you a copy if you reply to this email with “Magic.”