You want to be seduced!

In social settings, perhaps.

In business I want to be treated like I have a brain. Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot who believes you only have 100 'copies' of a digital product.

Don't tell me my failures are not 'my fault' - show me how to avoid future failures. Don't talk about magic and secrets and "stuff they don't want you to know" - give me facts and case studies.

I understand what you mean about 'seduction' marketing...but it's like the guy in the bar who has nothing but trite pickup lines. You have to do better than that - be original - be believable - talk to ME, not to a 'demographic'.

I'm going to agree with Kay on this one. I'd much rather be treated like I have a brain than sold to like I'm a clueless mark. Personally, when I see stuff like this, it doesn't make me more likely to buy, it turns me the other way.

Case in point, calling this list "Ten Secret...etc etc". Immediately it reeks to me, I'm put on edge, and my scrutiny goes through the roof because I feel like I'm being treated like a mark.

Then I read it and I see that at least three of them are absolute basics of sales, far from secret, so right off the bat, it's confirmed to me that I was being treated as a mark. Like, did the author actually think I was going to look at this stuff and think I was being offered some sort of secret information??? If they did, they think I'm stupid. If they didn't, then why write it?

Then I read on and see things like throwing imaginary rocks, convincing prospects that their failures are someone else's fault, fear of loss, etc, and I'm taken back to sitting in a "seminar" by a shady vending machine huckster that was using all of these tactics to try to get people to buy their crappy old vending machines (that would, of course, surely make them rich, if they'd only buy NOW).

I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but when I see stuff like this it makes me immediately shut down as a potential buyer. And while there are certainly a few good (non-secret) pieces of basic sales guidance, a lot of it gives me the heebie-jeebies.That might just be a product of my personal experiences though, and my reaction to this kind of writing/copy may in no way be representative.

Kay,

Thank you for adding what I didn't say in this short narrative - "seduction" doesn't have to be condescending, trite, or patronizing. There are lots of creative, unique ways to apply all these principles without painting the prospect as stupid or dumb. Do so is part of the challenge of copywriting, and marketing in general. Thanks for pointing this out.

Steve

No. I see red flags waving and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I guess I'm just different than most people. Go figure.

Thank you.

Nice post Steve. Also enjoyed your 136 Year Old Book via the link to your website. Barnum was a true Marketing Master and to think his pride and joy is now closed for business. His marketing concepts live on for those that follow his wisdom.

We know.

Those 10 "secret" points are common in all well written sales pages.

Sales copy 101

Only if you are attractive in some way to me. If not I am more likely to barf.

Wow! Nice post Steve. Also enjoyed your 136 Year Old Book via the link to your website. Barnum was a true Marketing Master and to think his pride and joy is now closed for business. His marketing concepts live on for those that follow his wisdom.
Thank's for sharing

Read the title You want to be seduced that you've always been embroidered, like too. Thank you Steve B for sharing.

personally i agree with this article this are the tips that work in marketing, thank you just for sharing!

Thats nice .This nice its like seducing a women you must strugle a lot ,work hard ,present an irezistible offer

Hahah nice article, not seen many like this in the past. For some reason I just love the term "seduction marketing" I have not heard of this term before.

really good article...

To the people who don't want to be seduced!

Few do.

If the seducing is obviously seducing.

I strongly object to: 3. Explain why past failures happened and why they weren't the prospect's fault, for instance.

At the very time I am keenly interested in saving face. If you're telling me you're not interested in saving face, I won't believe you. If you tell me, you are but you're also interested in other things, like learning how to avoid the mistake, I'll believe you.

So, when you come to me, like I heard in many ads on the radio recently: It's not your fault that you're overweight, I object.

If I heard, You're overweight but smart, so given a solution to getting thin, you'll be able to recognize it and follow the steps required to get to your weight, I'm seduced.

But I do know people who truly believe they did not get to be obese because they put more food into their mouths than they should have... It's their genes that's at fault. It's their father or mother or both for creating too much stress into their young lives. It's the corn syrup industry. It's the medication they take for x ailment. The fact that other people with the same things in their past are not obese is proof of nothing.

Anyway, Steve, thanks for the post, reminded me again that I need to take into account the psychology and the place in life my client is.

I give this as proof of people don't buy on logic (alone) a lot: one of my past clients spent a bunch of money to rank #1 for some keywords; the extra clients was good, but what made it worthwhile was that his former employer and mentor ranked #2. I got the job because I promised 2... Well, at first I promised #1, increase in sales. But he didn't budge till I stopped talking about that and talk about how he could show his former employer/mentor that he's better than the employer/mentor because he's #1 in Google. (Yup, he's convinced that Google shows #1 only the best company/provider of whatever the search is about.)

I like the idea of being there for the customer's or client's or reader's journey Steve. I encourage folks to celebrate all their wins, and ask them to email or message me their victories. This simple idea has helped strengthen my bonds and grew my business too.

Thought provoking article I must say!

Let's start with a little less overt definition of "seduction."

In this context, I see seduction as something that causes me to act a certain way because I want to act that way.

In the kind of seduction all y'all seem to be focusing on, it's the difference between leaving the bar eager to see what comes next, and being given a roofie-molly cocktail and going along minus any free will.

As for #3, it can be a strong way to get your prospect to bond with you - as long as you take the next step.

"Yes, you got fat because your mother enrolled you in the Clean Plate club, fawned over you when you showed how much you liked her cooking by having seconds and thirds, and bribed you to do things with cookies and other treats. You have some really bad food habits, and that's not your fault.

But now you're a grown ass adult. If you know you have these habits and you fail to do anything about them, that is your fault. And if you're ready to take back control, I'm here to help..."

Contrast that with "it's all you're fat because your lazy and you shove more food into your mouth than you should."

I'd wager that, other than a few people with a humiliation fetish, the first approach will work better than the second.

FOR PEOPLE thinkin they ACT WITH A BRAIN: NO, THEY DON'T.

I mean: maybe AFTER their subsconscious mind has taken a decision, their rationality find some excuses, justify it.

It's a slightly difference, but it's true.

That's not for saying that you can easily sell bullshits using emotional triggers, but marketing is like a woman: you choose a woman cause she attracts you. Not for the benefits, the pros and cons, or the degree level


So why you have to sell something valuable if you can make money selling stupid things?

Cause it won't last if you pull other's legs selling scams.
Sooner or later you will have a lot of people against you, spreading everywhere you're a scammer.

So, yes, you have to sell something valuable BUT you have to sell it in a manner identicail as you're trying to seduce.

Scammers and good seller have something in common: they use the same way to sell, hitting emotional/non rational brain, BUT
good seller will remain, instead of scammers who would have to change the skin everytime.

It's an interesting post (and "sensational") however -- although there may be parallels -- I wouldn't put "Marketing" and "Seduction" together. Partly because the concept of "Seduction" has many negative undertones/interpretations/definitions.

(JMO)

P.S.

Sorry however that's just wrong.

For sure, the lure gotta be super personal.

I so do not wanna be sedooced by the guy gazes longlingly into my eyes an' says, "such a shame you ain't no pure azure wonderland, but I will say it anyway because I paid some copy guy a hundred bucks, and I don't wanna waste my money...

but SUGAR LUMPS, your baby blues are as sapphires afloat in a sun-kissed lagoon -- so clear and cool they could sparkle for all eternity."

Jus' tell me "them peepers're so poo-sh*t brown they coulda dropped outta sum' dog's ass" an' you prolly hooked me.

Throw in free alcohol, I am your slave forever.

I think John (McCabe) may be right - many responders to this thread are getting hung up on the word "seduced" and applying a purely sexual context to the principle . . . and of course, the little image I included contributed to that interpretation. I thought that was the best visual example of the emotional feeling that I was trying to paint.

I could have used words like enticed, attracted, lured, draw away, and many others ... but that just didn't seem to portray the intensive feeling and mental image of what I am trying to suggest.

"Seduction" is a stronger, more emotionally charged, more forceful word, that to me at least, suggests a very intense feeling that is extremely difficult to resist, something that creates immediate emotional desire and response where logic or reason are often pushed into the background (or totally overshadowed) in favor of impulsive quick action.

That is not to say that marketers should try to trick, fool, or lie to a prospect or customer - that is not a sound or lasting basis on which to build a long-lasting business relationship with anyone - that is the game plan of scammers and con artists.

But in today's online marketplace, going beyond attracting and enticing (and way beyond boring or even average) is almost mandatory, IMO, if you want to be noticed consistently in the sea of competitors.

How many prospects base purchase decisions on features, quality and usefulness alone? Some.

But how many more folks respond to an emotionally charged, can't say no, heart-thumping seductive marketing offer that makes them feel like the wall flower that was just invited to prom? [ I realize some are now going to give me flak for the wall flower comment - oh well! ]

Steve

Jonathan,

Yes, that is one definition and it refers to a particular context of usage. There are several other definitions that better fit my intent for the word and they don't imply anything inadvisable or foolhardy.

I was thinking more along the lines of this definition (#4) from my Random House Webster's Dictionary: "to win over; attract; entice; a market seducing customers with special sales." There is nothing to be considered inadvisable or foolhardy about a sale, IMO.

It's all about context and intent and I'm not smart enough to say things in a way that everyone reading my thread will quickly pick up on my intent.

Thanks, Jonathan, for your input - I appreciate it, really!

Steve

My father told me years ago that most folks just won't like me.

He said that I am a lot like him...'plain spoken' he called it.

He said that most people like the sugar coated version of everything instead of up front...no Bullshit.

He said most people would rather you talk sweet to them (even if they get stabbed in the back).

I guess he was right.

Online the same stuff seems to be working with the majority.

However, I still like to be real and authentic with people.

The only person who is responsible for your success online is YOU.

I'll keep telling them.

Yes I may end up losing some money here and there but I am okay with that.

But people need to be told the cold hard truth regarding success online even if it's not what they want to hear.

This is a very good thread Steve but I just had to add my two cents...