one secret trick in the bag...

5 replies
If you want to persuade people, you can't tell
them what to do. There are two reasons for this.

Well, first, everyone are adults. We don't like
to be told what to do.

Secondly, we don't like to be sold. We persuade
ourselves, and through our own decisions, we
buy.

Or so we think...

Here's a little kitten out of the bag. Marketers
have been using this for ages. Here's the basis
so that you can apply it into more creative
ways.

The solution is a two-step method. Actually, it's
more of a process, than a method, but let's hear
it...

1 ---- Give an invitation. If people don't like to
be told what to do, give them a narrow option
(such as a leading question), and give them the
illusion of choice.

That sounds unethical and creepy, doesn't it?

But it's being applied everywhere in marketing and
sales. Trial offers, bundle packages, premiums,
upsells, and tons of other marketing techniques
are based off this principle!

2 ---- Get him/her addicted. When people are
invited, they feel obliged to carry on because of the
Zeigarnik effect. Small actions build on, eventually
leading on to a huge consequence. That's because
we have a tendency to stay consistent.

If people look at you in a certain way, we are
socially pressured to conform to that behaviour. If
we made a similar tiny decision in the past before, we
are more likely to choose the same option to stay
safe.

Just a little 'trick' in the bag. Nothing too amazing.

Not really a trick, but start racking your marketer's
brain, and think out of the box -- out of trials,
Johnson boxes and common stuff.

Hope that was useful.

Winston Tian
#bag #secret #trick
  • Profile picture of the author Darren Jennings
    Thanks for that Winston, it is kind of common stuff but when written like that it makes sense a lot more, i have looked at many copywriting books ect and it sort of explains it but not that way.

    I agree with the fact if you try and tell someone what to do they will reject your order being adults we like to make our own mind up, but, if they think it is their idea then they will follow what they think they have already decided....

    Great post
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6539742].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author WinstonTian
      Originally Posted by lifeinnovations View Post

      Thanks for that Winston, it is kind of common stuff but when written like that it makes sense a lot more, i have looked at many copywriting books ect and it sort of explains it but not that way.
      That's the problem...reading the books just won't cut it
      in the practical marketing sense. It has to be converted
      into actionable knowledge, and most of that is done by
      many copywriters/marketers alike through experience.

      Originally Posted by lifeinnovations View Post

      but, if they think it is their idea then they will follow what they think they have already decided....
      Here's the funny thing...people need to be "invited" into
      thinking in a certain way!

      I don't particularly agree with the crowd wisdom about not
      educating a prospect, because in some way, you *HAVE*
      to educate a prospect in a certain way, especially if he is
      not presold into your idea in the first place.

      By giving a 'pre-cursor' to set the battleground of what
      their mind starts thinking of... you need to take the first
      step!

      When someone talks about colours, your mind immediately
      springs out with color choices... It wouldn't spring out with
      mathematical formulas, would it?

      Not unless that someone talked about maths. It's kind of
      the same psychological principle.

      Winston Tian
      Signature

      Cheers,
      Winston
      The Beginner's Doctor

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6540180].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author louie6925
    Great post! Makes a lot of sense!
    Signature
    Feel free to chat if you live in the UK I may have something for you!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6539869].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author matt5409
    Yup. You just need to develop a process to make people want to take some form of action. AIDA, or something, I believe they call it...
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6539885].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Chris-
    interesting point.

    Also, give them something of value first, that builds trust, then they will be much more likely to respond to your invite

    Chris
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6540771].message }}

Trending Topics