On 26th June, MSNBC newsreader Mika Brzezinski refused to read a Paris Hilton article as the lead story of her segment.
Her off-the-cuff response made her an instant hero around the world. This video clip had over 250,000 viewers on YouTube within a day, and when I saw it, the number had grown to over 780,000.
Her story also made headlines in major news media around the world - all because somebody was willing to take a stand against fluff masquerading as news.
PsychoTactics
Sean D'Souza is the owner of the excellent Web site and e-newsletter, PsychoTactics. Subscribe for insights and ideas into persuasive marketing techniques.
Spank me!
A little boy calls out from his bedroom, "Dad, I'm thirsty. Could you please bring me a glass of water?"
His father replies, "No. It's late. Go to bed."
A few minutes later, the boy calls out again ... and the father gives the same reply.
The third time, the father says, "I told you NO! If you ask again, I'll have to spank you!!"
Five minutes later, the boy calls out again, "Dad! When you come in to spank me, could you please bring a glass of water?"
His father replies, "No. It's late. Go to bed."
A few minutes later, the boy calls out again ... and the father gives the same reply.
The third time, the father says, "I told you NO! If you ask again, I'll have to spank you!!"
Five minutes later, the boy calls out again, "Dad! When you come in to spank me, could you please bring a glass of water?"
Risk reversal - the right and wrong way
In most cases, I highly recommend you use "risk reversal" in your offers. In other words, instead of the customer taking the risk, you take the risk. This usually takes the form of a money-back guarantee.
However, risk reversal isn't an excuse for bad marketing. Yes, it can be the thing that gets doubting customers "over the line", but don't assume it will always work.
Nick Usborne, of Excess Voice, has written an excellent article about the right and wrong ways to include risk reversal in your message.
However, risk reversal isn't an excuse for bad marketing. Yes, it can be the thing that gets doubting customers "over the line", but don't assume it will always work.
Nick Usborne, of Excess Voice, has written an excellent article about the right and wrong ways to include risk reversal in your message.
Are you under the influence of advertising?
Watch this video, where Derren Brown manipulates two advertising executives to design specific elements into their advertising campaign.
How do you handle unruly behaviour?
How do you handle unruly behaviour in your audience and still maintain control and respect? A number of professional speakers give their opinion here.
Students getting their metaphors mixed up
From my sister Sam, who is a high-school teacher, come these examples from her students' writing:
"If there was a bush in his way he would probably fly over it, for there is no way he would beat around it.”
"He forces them to get up and try to walk a mile in someone’s shoes, not literally of course, because a mile is a long way to walk, and stealing someone’s shoes does not really help you understand a lot, apart from how different peoples feet smell."
Are you making them really feel welcome?
An e-mail newsletter is still one of the best ways to stay in relationship with your clients, prospects, colleagues and other influential people in your network. But how much effort are you putting into the first message they get from you - the welcome message you send out when somebody signs up to your newsletter?
One of our clients, Hugh Gyton of Just a Conversation, has written one of the best welcome messages I've seen in a long time:
One of our clients, Hugh Gyton of Just a Conversation, has written one of the best welcome messages I've seen in a long time:
Hi Gihan, thank you for signing up to our newsletter.How welcoming is your welcome message?
How we choose to communicate is fundamental to what we enjoy in our lifes. Whether it is our self-talk, conversations with our children, or business colleagues we are the cause of who we are and what we have. Just a conversation™ is in the business of changing peoples attitudes and behaviours to the conversations they choose to have in order to improve performance.... in sales, leadership, or the relationships (both personal and commercial) that we enjoy.
We at Just a conversation™ value your privacy, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
We are serious about conversations and keen to listen so if you have any comments, questions, ideas or suggestions for our newsletter, please feel free to send them to us.
Gihan, if you are keen for a more interactive experience please join us at our blog..... Just a conversation™ Blog We'd love to hear about your conversations good and bad.
Plan your responses to their objections
When you're presenting a message, you'll invariably find some people who resist it - and they come up with some amazing excuses ... err, reasons ... for why it won't work.
How do you deal with these naysayers and their objections? One constructive approach is to anticipate their objections and plan your responses. This might sound obvious, but it rarely happens!
Take an idea you're planning to present, look through this list of "idea killers" and find a suitable response for each. The effort you put into planning will be worth it!
How do you deal with these naysayers and their objections? One constructive approach is to anticipate their objections and plan your responses. This might sound obvious, but it rarely happens!
Take an idea you're planning to present, look through this list of "idea killers" and find a suitable response for each. The effort you put into planning will be worth it!
The Secret behind "The Secret"
The movie The Secret has taken the personal development world by storm. How did this happen, given that its major lesson has in fact been anything but a secret for years?
Three experts in the science of marketing, influence and persuasion talk criticially about the marketing techniques used by the producers. Listen to their discussion here.
Three experts in the science of marketing, influence and persuasion talk criticially about the marketing techniques used by the producers. Listen to their discussion here.
The BBC, the lost tape and the 6-foot fridge
What happens when a busy reporter rushing for a deadline finds things slightly askew? This story from 2004 is still doing the rounds.
Ten Stories That Can Sell Anything
A well-told story can convey your message as well as anything else you do. If you don't think you're good at telling stories, how do you craft them? Screenwriter Blake Snyder says there are 10 basic story-lines: Monster In the House, Dude With a Problem, Fool Triumphant, Superhero, Buddy Love, Out Of a Bottle, Institution, Golden Fleece, Rights-of-Passage, and Whydunit.
Jerry Bader shows you how to use these stories to sell your message.
Jerry Bader shows you how to use these stories to sell your message.
If you've got it, don't flaunt it
Below is a portion of an interview between a female broadcaster and a General, who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout troop visiting his military headquarters.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER: What will you teach these young boys when they visit your base?
GENERAL: We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER: Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?
GENERAL: I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER: Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?
GENERAL: I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER: But you're equipping them to become violent killers.
GENERAL: Well, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?
FEMALE INTERVIEWER: What will you teach these young boys when they visit your base?
GENERAL: We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER: Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?
GENERAL: I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER: Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?
GENERAL: I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm.
FEMALE INTERVIEWER: But you're equipping them to become violent killers.
GENERAL: Well, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?
Start with a question!
I went house-hunting on the weekend. Hot day, so not many people out and about. Without exception, none of the agents started by asking me questions. Instead, they all started by telling me about their property. It would have been a simple matter to just ask whether I'm an investor or an owner, how long I had been looking, what my price range was, etc. But, noooooo ....! They were all more interested in telling me what they had.
Are you too in love with your brand? (Say what you mean)
I had a slightly irritating cough, so I went to the chemist and said, "Do you have anything for a dry, tickly throat?" He reached on a shelf behind him and gave me a product called ... Dry Tickly.
What perfect marketing! It was exactly what I required. And what pharmaceutical company did this genius piece of marketing? Who cares??? They're selling more of their product - and that's what matters.
Here's the point: Are you so much in love with your brand and your products that you forget the problems of your customers? Focus on their problems first, and profits will follow.
Why won't people pay for second-hand books?
I just bought a brand-new technology book for $60. I then went into a local second-hand book-shop, where books are a fraction of the price. But because it's a second-hand shop, people expect to pay bargain basement prices. It's not like clothes or shoes, where the quality's lower because of use. We're talking about books in good condition, where the information is exactly the same as the brand-new version.
But customers are conditioned by the contrast principle: They're comparing the prices with what they can get at bulk book sales, garage sales, and charity stores.
I suggested to the owner, Kate, that she labels her books with both the retail price and her price. That way, she uses the contrast principle to her advantage. The same customers who are influenced by it now contrast her prices with the recommended retail price.
Here's the point: What's your competition - in your customer's mind? If it's not serving you, re-position yourself so you're competing on your terms.
But customers are conditioned by the contrast principle: They're comparing the prices with what they can get at bulk book sales, garage sales, and charity stores.
I suggested to the owner, Kate, that she labels her books with both the retail price and her price. That way, she uses the contrast principle to her advantage. The same customers who are influenced by it now contrast her prices with the recommended retail price.
Here's the point: What's your competition - in your customer's mind? If it's not serving you, re-position yourself so you're competing on your terms.
Are you too much in love with your product?
I spoke to a potential client recently about building a Web site for his new product. He's identified a niche market (good), has developed a product for it (good), and has big plans for taking it international (also good).
But I don't think he's done enough work on understanding his market and planning his marketing. In fact, every time I asked him about his market, he brought the topic of conversation back to his product.
It's OK to like your product - even to be passionate about it - but beware of falling in love with it. If you don't know there's a demand for it - a real demand for your product, not just for the category in general - you could fall flat on your face.
I recommended that he starts with a small investment, tests the market, and then builds on it. That's better than throwing everything he has into a single roll of the dice.
But I don't think he's done enough work on understanding his market and planning his marketing. In fact, every time I asked him about his market, he brought the topic of conversation back to his product.
It's OK to like your product - even to be passionate about it - but beware of falling in love with it. If you don't know there's a demand for it - a real demand for your product, not just for the category in general - you could fall flat on your face.
I recommended that he starts with a small investment, tests the market, and then builds on it. That's better than throwing everything he has into a single roll of the dice.
It's only value if the customer cares about it
I'm in the market for a new car. When the dealer told me the price, I told him it was more than I had in my budget. He went on to explain that the price included $5,000 for "the sports package". But I didn't care about the sports package; I was more interested in the iPod kit and the phone cradle. So his $5,000 "value" fell on deaf ears.
Here's the point: It's only value if the customer cares about it. If the customer doesn't care, it really doesn't matter if it's a bargain, a never-to-be-repeated offer, or a "special deal".
Here's the point: It's only value if the customer cares about it. If the customer doesn't care, it really doesn't matter if it's a bargain, a never-to-be-repeated offer, or a "special deal".
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