By: Harrison Klein
For Callum Davies, founder of Illuminate Digitl, an irresistible offer is not defined by discounts, bonuses, or flashy packaging. It is defined by transformation. The third stage of his Knee Jerk Method™—Impossible to Not Buy—hinges on this truth: people are not only buying solutions; they are buying versions of themselves.
When offers are engineered to align with identity, they move beyond transactions. They become declarations. Buyers don’t just purchase a product—they purchase pride, belonging, and the sense of becoming who they want to be.
The Psychology of Identity
Research in psychology underscores Davies’ insight. Decisions are rarely about logic alone; they are about self-concept. People seek coherence between what they do and who they believe themselves to be. An offer that reinforces identity feels natural. An offer that conflicts with it feels uncomfortable.
This explains why luxury brands thrive. A watch tells time, but buyers purchase prestige. A car provides transport, but buyers purchase status. The product is functional, but the decision is emotionally anchored in identity.
Davies brings this principle into copywriting. “The strongest offers don’t just say, ‘This will help you,’” he explains. “They say, ‘This is who you are when you say yes.’
Beyond Features and Benefits
Traditional marketing often emphasizes features and benefits. While important, they rarely create the instinctive pull of identity.
- A feature explains what a product does.
- A benefit explains what it provides.
- An identity shift explains who the buyer becomes.
Davies argues that it is the third layer that makes offers impossible to refuse. Buyers don’t just want a product that saves time or money—they want to feel smarter, stronger, or more successful because of it.
Engineering Identity into Offers
To engineer identity into offers, Davies outlines three guiding steps:
- Define the Desired Self
Identify the version of the buyer they aspire to become. This may involve status, confidence, belonging, or transformation. - Bridge with the Offer
Show how the product or service is not just a tool but a pathway to embodying that identity. - Frame the Decision
Position saying yes as proof of alignment with that desired self—and saying no as a dissonance with it.
This framing shifts the purchase from optional to inevitable.
The Danger of Shallow Identity Appeals
Davies cautions against superficial attempts to tie offers to identity. Simply slapping aspirational language onto a product risks feeling hollow. The identity must be authentic, aligned with the real transformation the product provides.
When misused, identity appeals can backfire, leaving buyers skeptical or resentful. When genuine, they create loyalty that transcends price and competition.
Why Identity Resonates
Identity resonates because it touches core human drives. People long to express themselves, belong to tribes, and prove their worth. Purchases become symbols of these drives.
A fitness program is not just about workouts—it’s about becoming the type of person who is disciplined and resilient. A coaching program is not just about strategies—it’s about becoming a leader.
When copy connects offers to these identity shifts, buyers feel the weight of transformation before they even commit.
Mistakes Writers Make
Despite its power, many writers stumble when attempting identity-based offers. Davies identifies three common errors:
- Generic Aspirations – Using vague labels like “successful” or “empowered” that lack specificity.
- Overpromising Transformation – Suggesting identity changes that far exceed the product’s actual impact.
- Neglecting Proof – Failing to ground the identity shift in credible stories or testimonials.
The key is precision. Offers must align with authentic outcomes and be illustrated through real examples.
The Professional Parallel
The lesson applies beyond copywriting. Leaders inspire teams not just with tasks but with identity: “We are the kind of team that innovates.” Teachers spark engagement by framing students’ identity: “You are the kind of thinker who asks hard questions.”
In every domain, influence deepens when people see action as a reflection of self.
Personal Growth Through Identity
There is also a personal growth layer. Writers themselves are not immune to the pull of identity. By striving to engineer identity-based offers, they are challenged to clarify their own values, ambitions, and character.
This dual journey—guiding others while refining oneself—makes the practice transformative for both writer and reader.
Why the Knee Jerk Method™ Stands Out
Within the Knee Jerk Method™, identity serves as the fulcrum of persuasion. A headline may capture attention, and a story may sustain it, but the offer is where transformation crystallizes. It is where the reader decides not only whether to buy but who they become in doing so.
This is why Davies insists that offers must be engineered, not improvised. They are the heartbeat of persuasion, the moment where words translate into irreversible choice.
Closing Thought
Engineering offers that spark identity shifts are the essence of making them impossible not to buy. Features and benefits may persuade the mind, but identity persuades the soul.
For Callum Davies, the challenge to professionals is simple but profound: stop selling products and start selling transformations. Align offers with the identities people long to embrace, and the decision becomes not just likely but inevitable.
As he teaches, “The right offer doesn’t just change what they have. It changes who they are.”
