Have you seen that crazy new advert?
The one everyone is talking about?
Or that new film that’s breaking records…or that hit record that’s breaking records?
You know the type; the book or product or quick fire hit that is on everyone’s lips. There is always something that the crowd are talking about, raving about, or excited about.
Why? Is it that good? Or perhaps the best ever?
No, probably not even close. It’s all been a flash fire ignited by hype. An overreactive response that has turned into a runaway train. A reaction that has picked up so much speed it’s hard to avoid it now.
What caused this suddent craziness?
The beauty and power of persuasion!
The False Fear Effect.
Almost everyone has heard of FOMO.
The modern day acronym that stands for Fear Of Missing Out. The social media coined term that says if you’re not out doing cool stuff or with cool people or in cool places, you’ll be a nobody. So don’t get FOMO, get busy.
But, of course it was all fake. It was just a clever persuasion trick to encourage users to be so active they will post more and improve the profile and reach of the social media platform.
Like all persuasion, it spread. You had to be ‘in’ with the latest and most hip or you are insignificant. Which in turn has led to the development of the Somebody Syndrome. All of which isn’t real in any way, shape, or form.
It’s pure persuasion at work.
We buy into the buzz, don’t want to be left out, want to show others we’re not a loser or left behind, and so we get involved too. It’s simple ancient tribal survival behaviour in modern form. Everyone is hunting and eating sabre tooth tigers, hell you betta too or you’ll be left out of the tribe and have to fend for yourself. A false fear appearing real.
Which is why you watch the show or buy the album ‘everyone’ is talking about. You want to ensure you’re not the outsider. It’s just now others might laugh at you, cut you out of conversations, or not invite you to nights out rather than exile you out into the valley among the Pterodactyls.
You are determined not to end up out in the cold on your own.
More ostracised than dinosaur sized these days.
Every day is persuasion day.
Persuasion is like air. It’s everywhere all the time.
The average person sees some 5,000 ads every day in various forms. Companies, marketers, promoters, shops and traders, well, almost anyone today online and offline subtly assault your senses daily to grab your attention.
Grab your attention so they can grab your business, your money, your data, your desire for more and so on. Once grabbed you can be persuaded in a myriad of ways to sign up, create a profile, refer a friend, tell others about your experience, or qualify for more special offers and deals.
The art of persuasion is alive and thriving as well as it ever has been. It’s big business and a veritable science these days with click funnels and ‘Buy Now’ buttons and tailor made personal opportunities or limited time reductions and bonuses.
And why does it work? Because, we are easily persuaded!
We are human so what hooks in our interest and emotion tends to get our curiosity and support. Most notably speeches work best. Take Winston Churchill’s nation rousing ‘We Will Fight Them on The Beaches‘ speech to the British public in 1940. Or Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream‘ rallying cry for civil rights in 1963.
And it doesn’t matter if it’s on film either. Many people still refer to Mel Gibson’s William Wallace empassioned words of freedom to the gathered clans in Braveheart.
When we are engaged, and emotive, and stirred, we can be, and always have been, persuaded.
History of Persuasion.
We have a history with persuasion.
As far back as 1864 glossy ads first appeared in Harpers Magazine though the first known advertisement was 18 years earlier in the Imperial Intelligencer. We have been mass persuaded every since.
Persuaded to look younger, have beautiful hair, feed our dog the finest food, book a holiday, see the supermarket bargains, and to buy cars, computers, and phones.
If I shouted ‘Whazzup’ or ‘Just Do It’ specific products and companies come to mind. I bet you know a few! That’s the art of persuasion. It hooks us in. Just ask used car salesmen in their heyday almost compelling you to spend thousands more on the latest model when you came only to look at a cheaper used one.
And it doesn’t just stop there – political campaigns, sexual allure, bosses getting workers to complete projects, securing charity donations, and helping other people, all succeed due to the power of persuasion.
Subtle or direct, sexy or inviting, persuasion is our human weak spot.
Unlock your power.
We all use it, we all try it.
Persuasion is an art we’ve all developed. You fancy an early night for some loving time with your partner. Bring on the fresh flowers, some sweet slow kisses, add a few treats like chocolates, and go for the burn with some romantic whispers in her ear. Your are in persuasion mode.
What do you do ladies to persuade your man to buy you something or take you out?
Girl or guy, who didn’t try to twist one of their parents round their little finger to get what they wanted as a kid?
Truth is, we all persuade, we are all persuaded.
It’s a given in life. The real key is by reading this you might see it at work and start to use its power as leverage for yourself. To deliberately employ its hypnotic charms to achieve bigger goals. Don’t waste it on the little stuff. Make it matter.
Use persuasion to begin stepping up. To win the promotion, get your break where you so want it, to get a deal on a new home or for your business. Persuasion is where potential becomes possibility becomes reality. Make it on your side from now on.
Are you persuaded now ?
Reference – Jumbla.com – The Psychology of Persuasive Ads.
Photo attribution – free to use under Pixabay Content License by geralt and saiyedirfananwarhushen and PublicDomainPictures and fatherfab.
