The Hidden AI Profit Formula

What’s in that photo?

Kinokuniya, Tokyo's biggest book store.

There, one Sunday in May 1994, my life changed forever.

I was reading an article in a magazine about this thing called ... the Internet.

The instant I got my head around the idea that the Internet, a "network of networks," could connect all the people in the world with all the information in the world, I wanted in.

I didn't know how, but instinctively I knew the Internet would be a huge part of my life.

One month later, in June 1994, I got an America Online account.

One year later, in 1995, I was selling an "ebook" (actually, a text file) on Usenet (the Web wasn't fully accessible yet). You had to mail me a check for $20. That was e-commerce then.

Two years later, in 1996, I was webmaster for FedEx.com, processing all customer inquiries from their website (which had 6 pages), including those in German (I used to be fluent).

However, while some things changed, others remained the same.

Example: I fought the FedEx designers to change the web pages from white text on a black background (reverse type) to black text on a white background.

The designers said reverse type was "dramatic." I said it was wasteful.

Because David Ogilvy -- in the 1940s -- had researched and found that reverse type was much harder to read than normal type. It was a timeless principle. By ignoring it, the marketing team was wasting precious time and money on web pages nobody could read.

Finally, after months of negotiating, the designers relented. FedEx.com has used normal type ever since.

In other words, despite changes in tools and tactics, principles remained.

Today, in 2025, there's this thing called ... Artificial Intelligence.

And no matter what AI tools and tactics you're using, principles remain.

Example: Painkillers sell more than vitamins.

It’s one reason why alcohol has outsold spinach for about 5,000 years. AI won’t change that principle of human nature.

Which is nice.

Because I've made a lot of money for my clients by positioning their products and services as “painkillers.”

Examples:

• “Mom, Dad, I got rejected!” was a web page headline I wrote for a tutoring service. It pointed out the pain parents would feel if colleges rejected their child's application due to low SAT scores. Those painful 5 words helped sales surge 139% in 30 days, leading to an extra $1 Million.

• “You can sell your practice to a business broker who charges a commission. There are many of them. You may have received their letters. But there is no way to know who will take care of your clients after the sale. You have no control over that.” Those painful 47 words, in a lead-generation letter I wrote, helped my client land 3 deals worth 7 figures.

• “You may have seen those tragic news stories about dogs poisoned by contaminated food. It’s a harsh reminder of how things can go wrong ... and how much your dog is depending on you to make the right decisions.” Those painful 39 words, in a sales letter I wrote, helped my client grow revenue from $15 Million to $102 Million.

The “Painkiller” Principle works in all marketing, online or offline.

No matter what AI tools, agents, or workflows you're using.

Now, are you taking full advantage of that principle?

Before you answer, here’s another principle to consider: Two heads are better than one.

For a fresh perspective on any situation, it often pays to talk to another person. Especially if that person has helped his clients sell nearly $200 million in products and services.

That person would be me :-)

But you won’t have to pay for my fresh perspective.

For a limited time, you can get it Free. Click here

Kevin Donlin
Client Cloning Systems