{"id":2422,"date":"2025-09-07T02:37:39","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T02:37:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/?p=2422"},"modified":"2025-09-07T03:12:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T03:12:06","slug":"after-the-story-fails-chapter-four-prophets-and-marketing-funnels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/07\/after-the-story-fails-chapter-four-prophets-and-marketing-funnels\/","title":{"rendered":"After The Story Fails Chapter Four: Prophets and Marketing Funnels"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2422\" class=\"elementor elementor-2422\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-348210e4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"348210e4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26226c8e elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"26226c8e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"http:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Prophets__Funnels.mp4\" controls=\"\" preload=\"metadata\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-56e03427 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"56e03427\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-367370db elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"367370db\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"0\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"0\">After The Story Fails by Charles Paul Jones<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"44\"><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"44\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"44\">Chapter Four: The Prophets All Work in Marketing Now<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"97\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"98\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"98\">You thought you&#8217;d hear the truth. What you got was a funnel.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"159\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"160\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"160\">Once upon a time, the prophet stood on the mountaintop, tore their robe, and screamed truth into the wind.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"267\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"267\">Now they\u2019ve got a podcast, a merch line, and a six-part course launching Tuesday.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"349\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"350\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"350\">They speak with confidence.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"378\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"378\">They use \u201cactivation\u201d and \u201calignment\u201d and \u201cauthentic\u201d like sacred verbs.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"451\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"451\">They\u2019re here to help.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"473\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"474\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"474\">But first\u2014have you subscribed to the premium tier?<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"525\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"526\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"526\">They say this isn\u2019t about money.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"559\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"559\">This is about value.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"580\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"580\">Energy exchange.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"597\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"597\">Mutual empowerment.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"617\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"617\">(And conversion rates.)<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"641\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"642\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"642\">These aren\u2019t con men.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"664\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"664\">They believe this stuff.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"689\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"689\">That\u2019s what makes it worse.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"717\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"718\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"718\">Because now the truth isn\u2019t buried under oppression.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"771\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"771\">It\u2019s been strategized.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"794\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"795\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"795\">Branded.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"804\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"804\">Contentized.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"817\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"817\">SEO\u2019d into submission.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"840\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"841\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"841\">And if you call it out, you\u2019re the asshole.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"885\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"886\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"886\">You\u2019re \u201cnot being generous.\u201d<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"915\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"915\">You\u2019re \u201cprojecting scarcity.\u201d<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"945\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"945\">You\u2019re \u201clowering the vibration of the comment section.\u201d<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1001\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1002\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1002\">But deep down, you know.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1027\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1028\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1028\">You were seeking fire.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1051\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1051\">You found a landing page.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1077\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1078\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1078\">This is how myth dies now\u2014with affiliate links.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1126\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1127\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1127\">You don\u2019t get oracles anymore.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1158\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1158\">You get webinars.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1176\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1177\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1177\">You don\u2019t get parables.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1201\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1201\">You get branded origin stories A\/B tested for relatability.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1261\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1262\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1262\">You don\u2019t get discomfort.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1288\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1288\">You get \u201cedutainment.\u201d<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1311\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1312\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1312\">And it feels good, for a second.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1345\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1345\">It hits all the buttons.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1370\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1370\">The prophet is funny. The lighting is good.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1414\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1414\">The testimonials are glowing.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1444\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1444\">The call to action is clear.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1473\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1474\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1474\">But it doesn\u2019t wake you up.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1502\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1502\">It sedates you in spiritual aesthetics.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1542\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1542\">It flatters your pain and sells you meaning at $299 per module.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1606\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1607\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1607\">And you?<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1616\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1616\">You\u2019re not fooled.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1635\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1635\">Not entirely.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1649\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1649\">You\u2019re just tired.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1668\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1669\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1669\">Because truth didn\u2019t disappear.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1701\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1701\">It just stopped scaling.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1726\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1727\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1727\">Real prophets don\u2019t monetize well.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1762\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1762\">Their message doesn\u2019t fit cleanly into a funnel.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1811\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1811\">It bleeds.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1822\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1822\">It stings.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1833\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1833\">And it doesn\u2019t offer a refund.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1864\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1864\">So the next time someone tells you they\u2019ve got the answer\u2026<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1923\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1923\">\u2026ask them what it cost them to say it.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1962\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1963\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1963\">If it didn\u2019t break them first,<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1994\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"1994\">it\u2019s probably not prophecy.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"paragraph normal ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"2022\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\" data-start-index=\"2022\">It\u2019s just copywriting.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"http:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Prophets__Funnels.mp4After The Story Fails by Charles Paul JonesChapter Four: The Prophets All Work in Marketing Now&nbsp;You thought you&rsquo;d&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2422","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"cs-entry","8":"cs-video-wrap"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2422"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2438,"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2422\/revisions\/2438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charlespauljones.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}