I Was Writing Like Mr Spock - Here's The Framework That Fixed My Engagement

My logical, fact-driven content was getting zero engagement - until I stumbled upon a framework that finally made people care.

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This week I’m sharing with you something awesome.

➡️ Free Subscribers: 12 Principles you can apply to get more engagement on your content.

➡️ Paid Subscribers: My Magnetic Content GPT & Checklist (Scroll to bottom)

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You know, one of the toughest challenges I constantly grapple with when creating content is resisting my urge to write purely informational posts-what I jokingly call "Wikipedia content."

You might be smiling right now because you totally get it.

You're someone who prefers content that's sharp, clear, and genuinely useful.

You're allergic to fluff, pointless tangents, or stories that never seem to get to the bloody point.

Believe me, I’ve been there.

My default setting has always been straightforward, deliver solid advice, cut the filler, let people get on with their lives.

But here’s the brutal truth I had to confront.

My content was not just Wikipedia, I was communicating like Mr Spock from Star Trek.

Factual.

Valuable.

But boring and void of any emotion.

Purely informational content rarely triggers real engagement or inspires action.

Ever spent hours perfecting a post, convinced it was gold, only to be greeted by deafening silence?

It's frustrating as hell, isn’t it?

Occasionally someone would message me privately, saying, "Dean, your content’s fantastic; why aren’t more people engaging?"

It drove me mad because deep down, I knew something important was missing.

Here's what was missing..

Emotion.

Connection.

Understanding.

People don’t just want facts-they crave to be seen, understood, and emotionally connected.

This realisation frustrated me even more because I knew logically that people buy on emotion and justify with logic.

But genuinely embedding emotional connection into my content felt about as natural as wearing shoes two sizes too small.

Information alone never creates deep connections.

To make your content stick, you must connect on an emotional level.

Determined to solve this problem once and for all, I developed a structured, practical framework to help me authentically weave emotional resonance into my content without losing my trademark clarity and directness.

Let me share exactly how it works:

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1. Open Loops: I start each post with a provocative question or scenario that demands resolution, immediately triggering your curiosity and hooking your attention.

2. Authentic Storytelling: I consciously share vivid, relatable stories that directly mirror your personal experiences and struggles, making you think, "He’s inside my head!"

3. Heightened Emotional Tension: I deliberately spotlight those deep frustrations, fears, and anxieties you experience but rarely speak about openly. This creates powerful tension and an urgent desire for resolution.

4. Psychological Triggers: I strategically use innate instincts-curiosity, urgency, the fear of missing out-to provoke immediate engagement and genuine action.

5. Sharp Contrast: By clearly showing the stark difference between your current challenges and the transformative results my solutions offer, the benefits become undeniably compelling.

6. Bold, Unapologetic Opinions: No more playing safe. I confidently express clear, decisive viewpoints that spark meaningful conversations and debates.

7. Unconventional Perspectives: I intentionally challenge the status quo, offering fresh insights that differentiate me from everyone else out there, grabbing your attention and keeping it.

8. Immediate Practical Actions: I deliver clear, actionable steps you can implement immediately. My goal is always to demonstrate real value and genuine helpfulness, not just fill space.

9. Thoughtful Controversy: I purposefully question widely accepted beliefs and practices to spark deeper dialogue and genuine engagement.

10. Deep Relatability: I share authentic, personal struggles and experiences that resonate powerfully, building trust and emotional bonds that are truly meaningful.

11. Engaging Rhythm: By varying sentence lengths, pacing, and energy, I maintain a dynamic and conversational tone, keeping your interest alive from start to finish.

12. Effortless Readability: My posts are always visually clean and easy to read, with ample spacing, short sentences, and clear structure, ensuring you quickly digest and internalise the message.

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When I started applying even a few elements of this powerful framework consistently, the results were extraordinary.

Engagement didn’t just increase, my inbound leads began to flow steadily, consistently, across all my channels, not just LinkedIn.

Why does this approach resonate so deeply?

Because it intentionally creates genuine emotional connections.

It ensures you don’t just read-you feel.

And when you feel deeply understood, you naturally engage more and take real action.

If you're fed up with informational content that doesn't move the needle, try this.

And it can do the same for you.

But I didn’t Stop There - The Magnetic Content Checklist.

I spotted lots of other people have this problem too.

Brilliant ideas.

Years of experience.

But packaging that into emotionally engaging content, they struggled too.

So, I built the checklist into a shareable document so others could use it.

They got upticks in engagement and leads too.

Then I Went Full AI On It (and I’m giving it to you)

I decided to build it out as a custom GPT, so that it could take what you’ve already created, score it out of ten and it would then optimise it using my checklist.

It will improve my content using the framework and checklist.

But I can also dial it up, saying things like…

“Make it more opinionated”

”Increase the emotional tension”

”Inject more authority”

“Make it 20/10”

…and the best bit about it, I’m giving you the checklist and access to my GPT as a paid subscriber.

See below….