The magic script: turning emotion into strategy

At the heart of Jimi’s approach is a framework he calls the “magic script,” which mirrors the flow of a classic performance: connection, curiosity, and conversion. Each stage is designed to activate specific emotional and neurological responses that move customers toward action.

Here’s how it breaks down:

• Connection – Creating trust and emotional resonance by identifying with your audience’s needs

• Curiosity – Introducing mystery or intrigue to keep them engaged

• Conversion – Delivering a satisfying, clear payoff that encourages action

These moments map directly to the chemicals our brains release during emotional interactions: oxytocin for trust, dopamine for curiosity, and serotonin for satisfaction. And yes, it applies just as much to a homepage headline as it does to a card trick.

“You want someone on your website to say, ‘This person gets me,’” Jimi explained. “That’s when they’re open to being led further into your message.”

Marketing is a performance, just without the spotlight

Great magicians spend countless hours refining every movement, word, and expression for a 2.5-minute routine. Jimi once participated in a workshop where a Broadway director spent 2.5 hours critiquing 2.5 minutes of performance. It was brutal, but eye-opening.

Why? Because, as he puts it, “magic isn’t real.” You’re trying to get someone to believe the impossible, which means the audience’s perception is everything.

Marketers face the same challenge.

“Your brand messaging isn’t about you,” Jimi said. “It’s about what the customer sees, feels, and needs. You have to walk a mile in their shoes or, better yet, sit in their seat and watch the show unfold.”

That’s where message testing comes in. Just like magicians test new material with live audiences, brands need to test messaging early and often. Preference testing, first impression feedback, and usability studies reveal whether your message is actually landing or getting lost in translation.

Why clarity beats cleverness every time

There’s a temptation in marketing to be witty, punny, or poetic. But clever doesn’t always convert, especially when customers are stressed, distracted, or in a hurry. That’s why Jimi champions clarity over cleverness in every piece of messaging.

He likens it to cheesy pickup lines versus real human connection.

“Instead of saying, ‘You must be tired because you’ve been running through my mind all day,’ what if you just said, ‘Would you like to have dinner with me Friday night?’” he asked. “It’s specific. It’s confident. It shows intent. That’s what people want—real language and real value.”

This becomes especially important in high-stakes situations like HVAC repair or emergency home services. If your air conditioning breaks in 100-degree heat, you’re not looking for clever copy. You want to know someone can help—fast.

That’s where empathy in marketing becomes essential. Your customer doesn’t want to decode your message. They want to feel understood and supported.

Emotional storytelling is your brand’s secret weapon

One of Jimi’s most powerful points is that people don’t buy products, they buy outcomes. And those outcomes are often emotional.

He shared a story about working with a countertop brand that was marketing based on technical specs: density, tensile strength, microns, and more. But what did customers actually care about? The experiences those countertops enabled family dinners, homework time, late-night talks.

“They weren’t buying the material,” Jimi said. “They were buying memories.”

By reframing the messaging to highlight those emotional benefits, the brand saw far more engagement from consumers. Jimi and his team even developed a list of “magic words” for the brand’s writers to use, language that triggered emotional connections and simplified decision-making.

This is where the magic script truly shines. Emotional storytelling anchored in customer insights doesn’t just resonate, it converts.

Testing your message like a magician

Message testing isn’t just a UX exercise, it’s a strategic necessity. And according to Jimi, you don’t need a massive budget to get started. Sometimes, it’s as simple as listening for reactions.

“Pay attention to your sales team,” he suggested. “What words make customers lean in? What phrases confuse them? That’s your A/B test in real time.”

He also encourages brands to look at the entire customer journey from the moment someone lands on your site to what happens if they click a CTA and no one answers. Every interaction is a performance cue, and every drop-off is a missed connection.

His five-finger method for clarity is a simple but effective audit:

• One message per audience

• One big problem solved

• One thing asked of them

• One clear call to action

• One continuous experience

Distraction and clutter are the enemies of conversion. The more focused your messaging, the more likely your customer will follow the path to action.

Brands that get it, and what others can learn

While Thrive Agency works with businesses across industries, Jimi pointed to one company that consistently gets customer experience right: Chewy.

“They sent us a sympathy card when one of our pets passed away,” he said. “They refunded a recent order, sent a birthday card for our current dog, and even included surprise treats. That’s empathy. That’s clarity. That’s connection.”

Those moments stick with people. And more importantly, they get shared via word-of-mouth, in Facebook groups, and yes, even in LinkedIn posts.

Jimi also shared a story of an HVAC client that turned a one-star review into a five-star story. Instead of brushing off the complaint, the owner personally visited the customer’s home, fixed a problem caused by another vendor, and didn’t charge a dime.

“Guess who they’re telling their neighbors to call next time?” he said. “That’s brand messaging in action.”

What marketers can learn from magicians

Ultimately, the best customer experience strategy isn’t built on flashy features or clever headlines. It’s built on insight, empathy, and intentional storytelling. Whether you’re designing a landing page, writing ad copy, or onboarding a new user, the principles remain the same:

• Make the audience the hero

• Speak clearly, not cleverly

• Spark curiosity, then deliver a satisfying resolution

• Test everything from the customer’s point of view

When you approach messaging like a magician, you don’t just grab attention, you guide it. And in doing so, you create experiences that people remember.

As Jimi put it, “If you can walk a mile in your customer’s shoes—or even better, sit in their seat—you’ll perform every message with more meaning, empathy, and clarity.”