Are we all falling victim to the new breed of Advertisers and we don't even know it?
June 7th 2007 07:50
Let me set the background.
Recently I have started a small business so have been trying to learn how to Advertise my Business in a smart and economical way. In endeavoring to do this I have purchased a few off the shelf marketing books. Now I have actually studied marketing 14 years ago as part of a Commerce Degree so I thought I knew a fair bit and was just brushing up and honing my skills.
Little did I know I was to enter an entire new world of manipulating the sub-conscious.
To my horror I realised as smart as I thought I was I had been falling for cheap advertising tricks for years. Now I am aware I see the tricks everywhere.
I know we have all heard of subliminal advertising, product placement and the likes and we are pretty aware of these things...but there is a new level of this trickery going on out there. I found that I could count on numerous occasions falling for those tricks; I am sure I can't be alone.
The Basic Theory
In a nut shell the basic theory works on the premise that the unconscious mind is responsible for most of the decisions you make - often without even communicating the reason why to the conscious mind - Therefore if you market to the unconscious mind you are going direct to the "source" of the decision making process. The way these guys get to us goes beyond the stereotypical subliminal methods - Brad Pitt drinking a coke in Oceans 11 etc - way deeper than that.
Without even knowing it these guys are taking you from a position where you would never buy a certain product to having your subconscious decide that it is ok to buy it; before you know it you own it. They do this by taking you into what is termed a Kinesthetic state - to make a decision to purchase you have to have experienced a Kinesthetic sensation about a product i.e. visualised yourself owning it. In essence they manipulate your mental state from your usual passive state - whatever that may be - and move you into a kinesthetic state. Not me you say. Well let me give you an example and let's see who of us out there have fallen for it.
Example
Days after reading my new hot shot marketing book, a Pest control company cold called me to let me know they were in my area for only a few days and were offering a special deal to have my house fumigated. I listed all the reasons why I didn't want it - yes the girl had all the answers - then when she had answered all my questions she simply said to me, I only have 11.30am Thursday and 2pm Friday left, which suits you best? She took the conversation form me having objections straight to what time I wanted them to come. By this act she took me past the point of agreeing to make the purchase, into the next step of booking a time - straight into the Kinesthetic state where I was to get my credit card out and make the payment, I had never said yes but my mind thought I had. Luckily I had just read the book so I laughed and told her to stick it; however she got me they would have won; this is what I am talking about. It happens on different levels and in different forms all day everyday. I am pretty sure the sales girl would not have had a clue what she was doing either; it was probably in the manual...Once you answer all their objections tell them there is limited spaces them and get them to chose between two times....so simple it sickens me.
Many of the books I have read are quite open and cocky about the fact that this is pure manipulation, of course they have no remorse. Hey they believe in the product they are selling, it really will solve all your problems and make your life better, you just don't know it yet!
There are many tools these guys use, if there are a few people out there interested in this, let me know and I'll do a 101 article. This experience has certainly made me wonder about quite a few things I have been buying.
Happy Reading.
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Comment by MelissaA
Fun Facts
Example. If you visit a cake shop to buy a cake and then notice a coffee aroma that makes you order a coffee as well, then they've got an extra sale out of you without you even realising that it's probably not a coffee machine you're smelling, but a machine specifically designed to fill the air with wafts of coffee.
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