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An Interesting Lesson In Buyer Psychology

by Tommyg123
21 replies
I dont know if this is of interest to you but I found this really interesting.

Walking down my local shopping high street yesterday I was watching all those people that stop you in the street and get you to sign up for a charity or something or other. 90% of people walk past them and the few that get caught end up looking around for help from other passers by for an excuse to get away from them.

But this one group of people were having a 90% success rate. Everyone I saw them stop engaged with them and the vast majority got money out of their wallets.

What these people did was different to everyone else. They were part of some spiritualist group or other and had a huge box of books they were giving out "for free".

They would march up to people free gift in hand and just give it to someone. They targeted the sort of people they knew would be into that stuff. Teenage girls mostly. Put the book in their hand and then opened with their sales pitch of how thinking positively or whatever will change your life. Then 30 seconds later said something along the lines of "would you like to donate something to the universe, the most generous people are giving £10" and no joke probably 70% of the people handed over money, I watched for 30 minutes or so.

So target your audience
Offer something for free
Make them feel they owe you something

Thats what I took from it. Anyone else think of other ways we can apply this to IM?

Cheers
#buyer #interesting #lesson #psychology
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Tommyg123 View Post

    They targeted the sort of people they knew would be into that stuff. Teenage girls mostly.
    "I can tell by what you carry that you come from Barrytown".

    Good post, Tom. Mostly about targeting the right people in the first place?


    .
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  • Profile picture of the author onSubie
    I used a similar tactic when selling vacuums door-to-door (yes, I did that).

    As an incentive to sit through the vacuum demo/sales pitch, the homeowner was given a set of 6 (cheap) steak knives.

    You knock on the door and as soon as the person answers, you hand them the set of steak knives (came in a bubble pack) and introduce yourself.

    90% of the people would instinctively take them as most people do when unexpectedly handed something.

    Once they had the steak knives in their hand, they were stuck. My hands were in my pocket. I'm not taking the knives back. So they were almost obligated to at least sit through the "get in the door" spiel.

    When doing a face-to-face sale or cold sales, you want an incentive for the person to stay and listen to your pitch.
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  • Profile picture of the author techservice
    good post, we don't see that many good ones these days.
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  • Profile picture of the author candyo383
    Excellent observation. Thank you for sharing that with us.
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  • Profile picture of the author Vierka
    Reminds me Cialdini's book called "Influence". The same example was mentioned there.
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    • Profile picture of the author agmccall
      All well and good, but would they give if they stumbled on to your website????

      I am not so sure

      al
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      "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

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    • Profile picture of the author Ron Killian
      Originally Posted by Vierka View Post

      Reminds me Cialdini's book called "Influence". The same example was mentioned there.
      I was going to say the same thing, sounds like Hare Krishna, which as you said Cialdini talks about in his book. Obviously, The Rule Of Reciprocation .

      Is interesting how they evolved their "pitch" over they years. They use to dress the same, sing and give away flowers, but it was not effective as it use to be. So they evolved to using tactics like Tommy mentioned. Say it works like gang busters.

      They also now adapt to their soundings. Say they are at an airport, they look like tourist, luggage and all. Think it builds rapport because they are similar. Something like that. My brains not working right now
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    • Profile picture of the author jasonwebb71
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      Now I remember why I left here many years ago!
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  • Profile picture of the author Tommyg123
    Hi Vierka,

    Are you aware of any other interesting books that deal with the psychology of buying/marketing etc?

    Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author elcidofaguy
    Yes I totally agree! That's why my number one affiliate marketing technique is to offer free bonuses in return for the sale.... Up front and very open about it to visitor's online... Why write a review which is so obviously biased... It's a different mindset and a GAME CHANGER when the penny finally drops....
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  • Profile picture of the author quadagon
    Cialdini's example with the Khrisna''s was highlighting reciprocity this shows a slightly different trait in that prospects who touch a physical product feel ownership of it. The sales pitch then moves to a fear of loss proposal.

    If you like Cialdini he's coauthor of Yes and the small big

    I would also recommend

    Ca$hvertising
    Buyology
    Brainfluence
    Neuromarketing
    Brain scripts
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Hey Tom,
      Nice Post and it illustrates the power of giving people what they want and how giving Free stuff away can sometimes be beneficial to your bottom line.

      Nothing like over delivering



      - Robert Andrew
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  • Profile picture of the author Javisito
    It's definitely a well known strategy. Back in the days when I was working with Telemarketing it always helped sales to have something to give away together with the actual purchase.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tommyg123
    Glad you guys liked the post...I have just bought 'influence'.....social endorsement in action! ;-)
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  • Profile picture of the author BradCarroll
    Also shows that just getting up and doing the damn thing, putting yourself out there, and constantly courting rejection, will get you somewhere.
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    • Profile picture of the author myob
      Originally Posted by agmccall View Post

      All well and good, but would they give if they stumbled on to your website????

      I am not so sure

      al
      Targeting, giving away something free, and reciprocity are rather simplistic and only very small parts of the buyer psychological dynamics going on in this scenario . There are actually several lessons to be learned, including subtle but IMO much more powerful underlying factors at work.

      Most people do value proof in numbers to justify their decisions. If the majority of buyers are opting for option A (as in the OP observation "the most generous people are giving £10", there must be a valid reason for it, right?

      We seek guidance from those who came before us, which is the reason social "proof", "testimonials", and emotional connection (would you like to donate something to the universe, LOL!) are such powerful closing techniques.

      "... nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd ..."
      - Soul Asylum, Black Gold
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      • Profile picture of the author quadagon
        Originally Posted by myob View Post

        Targeting, giving away something free, and reciprocity are rather simplistic and only very small parts of the buyer psychological dynamics going on in this scenario . There are actually several lessons to be learned, including subtle but IMO much more powerful underlying factors at work.

        Most people do value proof in numbers to justify their decisions. If the majority of buyers are opting for option A (as in the OP observation "the most generous people are giving £10", there must be a valid reason for it, right?

        We seek guidance from those who came before us, which is the reason social "proof", "testimonials", and emotional connection (would you like to donate something to the universe, LOL!) are such powerful closing techniques.

        "... nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd ..."
        - Soul Asylum, Black Gold
        Its also a classic case of anchoring, in this case when presented with the gift we don't really know the value of it and our brain looks for social signals.

        I would be interested to have split test without the anchoring.

        From past results its my belief that even those that didn't give the £10 will have given a significantly higher donation than what they would have done without the anchoring.

        Brain Tracey also points out that the best time to ask a favour off someone is just after they have said thank you. You would assume that having received the book they would have thanked them opening the window for the request.

        For IM's I think the order of events is significant:

        Give and then Ask from my point of view most ask (give me your email) then give (free report).
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      • Profile picture of the author jasonwebb71
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        Now I remember why I left here many years ago!
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  • Profile picture of the author Tommyg123
    Great point Myob
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  • Profile picture of the author Edwin Torres
    Eben Pagan calls it "moving the freeline". Give out something of high quality for free and people almost feel obliged to give you money when you promote something ;-)
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