I got a phone call today.

“This is Jim. I’m calling because you bought our ebook about affiliate programs — are you looking to make more money, or quit your dayjob, or are you not serious about changing your life?”

“Well,” I replied, completely unaffected by his opening gambit, “it’s interesting to hear you frame my purchase, as if those are the only choices. But I didn’t buy the ebook for any of those reasons… and I don’t see how any of that has to do with changing my life.”

“Uh….”

“Actually, I bought it because I have my own product and I wanted to know more about how smart affiliates run their businesses so I could help the people who promoting my product… More importantly, I know realize that that selling that ebook isn’t where you make your money, and I’ll bet you’re about to pitch me on the expensive ‘mentorship’ program where you do.”

“In fact, if you qualify, I can try to get my manager’s approval and show you how you can join us for free.”

PAUSE…

Now, you have to realize, that I have NO interest whatsoever in the mentorship program. Even if I were interested, I don’t have the time. And, frankly, even if I had the time, I’ve seen so many of these “mentorship” programs that are a total scam that I 100% completely don’t want to be part of this one.

And, yet, when he said that sentence… and let me write it again, emphasizing the important parts…

“In fact, if you qualify, I can try to get my manager’s approval and show you how you can join us for free.”

… my brain turned off, my stomach started to turn inside out, and I could feel the desire to QUALIFY, to GET THE MANAGER’S APPROVAL, and to find out what secret he was going to show me … especially since it could be FREE!
Feeling like I was in a bit of a trance, I said, “I don’t think I’m your guy,” and I hung up the phone.

It’s 3 hours later and I’m still reeling from the experience… I mean, I know the advertising and marketing tricks he was pulling. I know that to “qualify” you need a credit card and a pulse (and the pulse is optional). I know that the “manager” is the guy sitting next to him and probably has a deeper voice to convey “authority.” I even know what they’re going to teach.

And, knowing all that I still have that idea/feeling that “I lost out on something I want”.

You could (and others have) write a book about all the persuasion tactics built into that one sentence. And then a graduate level book that describes the whole qualify/manager/show you tactic.

What amazes me most is how effective they are even on someone who KNOWS they are tricks and ISN’T INTERESTED anyway! No wonder so many people lose so much money on so many scams.
I’d love  to write more about this, but I just heard a bell in the distance, and I can tell by my saliva that food must be ready.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 19th, 2007 at 8:10 pm and is filed under Gurus, Psychology, Self-Improvement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.