Psychological Selling Trick Number 4: Consensus

Consensus involves getting prospective customers to believe that "everybody's doing it". Everybody is just waiting in line to purchase your product. Everybody can't be wrong, so product must be fantastic!

Of course you're smart enough to know that everybody CAN be wrong. Everybody thought that SUVs were safe vehicles (they roll over). Everybody thought Enron was a great investment (it went bankrupt). Everybody thought Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (well maybe not everybody). You're an independent thinker.

Here are some examples of headlines using consensus principle: "It's new sensation crossing country", "People are signing up in droves", "People just can't get enough of them", "Record sales", "Unbelievable response!" and "Join millions of smart consumers". Combine this with a stock photograph of a large group of people, a long line of people, or a crowd of people, and you have a powerful consensus message.

Note: Many people don't think they're having fun unless they're in a large, noisy crowd. Unfortunately, every large crowd contains a few lunatics. When things go wrong, crowd stampedes and people get hurt, or killed. When I see a large crowd, I head other way.

Fortuately, most people are not independent thinkers. They act like a herd of cattle. Use consensus principle in your advertising, and people, like lemmings headed for sea, will come in waves to buy your product.

Psychological Selling Trick Number 5: Authority

Authority involves getting prospective customers to believe that someone who is knowledgeable or famous uses your product or service. If a knowledgeable or famous person uses your product, then it must be fantastic!

The bigger authority, more powerful advertising message will be. For example, doctors are authorities. "Most doctors prescribe Tylenol for arthritis pain". Large organizations are authorities. "The National Heart Association says - Quaker oatmeal is good for your heart." The Federal Government is an authority. "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says whole wheat bread is part of a complete diet". If only we could think of a way to use God as an authority!

Here's how to use principle of authority in advertising: search Internet for any references to your product or service. Find an article that alludes to your product being of value. For example, let's say you sell black T-shirts. You find an article by U.S. Department of Agriculture that says "bees are attracted to bright colored clothing". Your copy: "The U.S. Department of Agriculture that says my T-shirts protect you from attack by stinging insects."

Most advertising using authority principle is taken out of context and exaggerated. Some advertising uses totally fake authorities. "My dog biscuits are recommended by International Association of Dog Nutritionists" (an organization I started last week). Some advertising uses a "study" as an authority. "A recent study found that my lemonade tastes better than any other brand" (my mother liked it better).

I don't recommend that you use a fake organization, a fake study, or take information out of context or exaggerate, but if you can locate a legitimate authority or study related in any way to your product and quote it without exaggeration, you will have a powerful authority message.

Psychological Selling Trick Number 6: Greed

Greed involves taking advantage of many peoples belief that there is a secret short cut to wealth. They believe that wealthy people didn't earn their wealth, instead they know a "secret".

Note: I am not recommending that you use principle of greed because it is used by unethical scammers. I'm simply informing you of it's existence in order to make this series of articles complete.

The simplest method of using principle of greed is chain letter. You have no doubt received a chain letter at some point. A chain letter contains a chart specifying massive amounts of money recipient will get when they follow instructions. The first instruction is to send money.

The multi-level or network marketing scheme works similar to a chain letter. The prospective recruit gets a chart showing massive amounts of money they will receive when they join network. After parting with their money, victim is instructed to con their friends and relatives into joining.

Another method of using principle of greed is lottery or casino. The odds of winning most lotteries are about same whether you buy a ticket or not. A casino allocates only a tiny portion of it's customers money to winnings in order to create illusion that odds of winning are good. Many people don't understand statistics. In their mind, phrase "win a million dollars" translates into "get a million dollars".

Another example of principle of greed is business opportunity scam. We know it works because successful scammers invest millions to run business opportunity infomercials, and they make hundreds of millions in profits. They prey on people who believe there is a secret short cut to wealth. The scammers think people who fall for their scam are stupid, lazy, and greedy, so they deserve to get ripped off.

The way to use principle of greed is to contrive a "secret plan". Run an ad describing how plan requires absolutely no work to make massive amounts of money. Include a few bogus testimonials and a legitimate looking chart that shows massive amount of money plan will bring. Some scammers include pictures of fake checks or fake bank statements.

Never divulge any details of plan in ad. The prospective customer is required to send money to get plan. The typical plan instructs purchaser to run same scam.

The principle of greed is very powerful. People who have been ripped of by this scam a thousand times before will, like hypnotized zombies, send you their money. They think THIS TIME they will receive REAL secret plan.

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8. Subtly does it Surveys can be used to associate a product with positive attributes. By listing many features of a product and asking respondent how important they are, regardless of their response, product will be associated with features; if they are rated as important positive impact is endorsed by customer.

9. It’s not just about selling A survey is an effective, quick and easy method to promote and gain acceptance for a difficult proposal; maybe a public body trying to gain acceptance and support for a particular scheme. Take example of a city trying to gain support from general public for their bid to host a future Olympic Games. A survey can explain each benefit putting respondent in a much better position to appreciate what real advantages are that might just combat any negative headlines. As well as promoting cause, useful feedback is gained that can be used to fine tune overall marketing strategy.

10. Fresh topics engage interest Thinking laterally a lively and imaginative approach to surveys can provide ‘hook’ to engage respondents. The survey subject can be focused towards a particular group on a subject close to theirs hearts. The survey’s marketing message can take form of a simple brand awareness message by stating that ‘this survey was sponsored by brand name’, or by finding a link from subject matter to product – something that is surprisingly easy and highly effective.

Discover benefits of including in your website a Public Survey section as many people who enjoy completing crosswords and doing word puzzles enjoy completing surveys. Having a public survey notice board as part of a website is a low cost and automated method that helps to increase traffic and establish a loyal and returning following. Unlike discussion boards there is no opportunity for people to disrupt site by inappropriate remarks as survey results are displayed in summary form enabling them to dispense with moderators free and maintenance.

Many of techniques and a few more to boot are contained in following sample survey:- http://www.surveygalaxy.com/surPublishes.asp?survey_id=956&source=direct,document,marketing,onlinegen

For an example of a Public Survey area please click on following link:- http://www.surveygalaxy.com/surPublic.asp

For more information or to discuss how online surveys can help you with you marketing contact surveys@surveygalaxy.com