It’s incredibly difficult to maintain a friendship with an ex — and there’s a reason why magicians rarely date other magicians. I’ll let Jerry Seinfeld explain:
But that’s not what you want to talk about right now, is it? After all, this article promised you something audacious: how to talk anyone into anything. And this isn’t just an ordinary article, either: This is a VIP article!
That means you paid extra for it!
You paid extra for a column that’s ALREADY over-promised and under-delivered. Because it sounds too good to be true: “Sure, my life would improve dramatically if I could talk anyone into anything. Save me a lot of time, money, and heartache. But it’s just not possible!”
It is.
With this simple, easy-to-use technique, you can maximize the probability of getting your way — each and every time! Best of all, you don’t need to be a master salesman to pull it off, and there’s nothing immoral or unethical about it. That means you can get your way, save yourself a LOT of time and money, and still feel great about yourself.
But wait, there’s more: how many times has an argument spiraled out of control, just because the other person didn’t understand what you meant? It happens a lot, doesn’t it: you say something; the other person misinterprets it; and you waste the next few days arguing over a silly misunderstanding. With this easy-to-use technique, not only will you save yourself lots of time and money, but you save the other person, too. It’s the ultimate win-win solution to all your problems!
Imagine how wonderful you’ll feel when the people you care about — your spouse, your children, your boss, or your neighbors — not only understand exactly what you mean, but they actually agree with you, too! Wouldn’t that be a huge relief?
Here’s the secret: reread how I structured the above sales pitch.
Despite all the different sales tactics and selling techniques, only one approach has been beta-tested 24/7 for decades at a time: the one used by the home shopping channels. That’s all they do. Every minute they’re on the air, they’re monetizing sales pitches.
And if you listen closely, they now sell every product exactly the same. (Pretty much every infomercial is structured this way, too.) That’s because TV airwaves are valuable: When you sell something on HSN or QVC, the station might keep half and you keep half. As long as you generate a strong “dollar-per-minute” (DPM) while you’re on the air, they’ll keep bringing you back — and you’ll keep making money.
But if your DPM drops, you’re gone. It’s a competitive, cutthroat industry.
Still, that’s not the important part for our purposes. What you need to focus on is this: the reason this approach is used is because it’s the single best way to convince anyone to do anything!
In fact, one of the reasons for Donald Trump’s “surprising” political success was that he was the first modern-day presidential candidate to speak more like a marketer than a political wonk. Whether he was selling MAGA, Trump ties, hi-rise condos, or red caps, Donald Trump is the quintessential high-endurance salesman. He’s the human embodiment of “The Art of the Deal.”
Okay, here’s what you need to do:
First, you ALWAYS begin by overtly telling the audience the problem they have. Because otherwise, if they’re not aware of the problem, then they’re indifferent to your solution. (Think back: How many infomercials begin with phrases like, “Oh no! Not Again!” or “Don’t you hate it when…”)
Then, you need to go out of your way to disabuse your audience of any obvious objections. Like, if you’re offering a product at a crazy discount, you need to give the audience an explanation ASAP — or they’ll fixate on the dirt-cheap price-point and tune everything else out. That’s why infomercials often say things like, “We know what you’re thinking: How can we offer these state-of-the-art doohickeys for the ultra-low price of $19.99? Well, we’re so confident you’ll love it, we’re willing to blah-blah-blah…”
How you explain your solution matters, too. It’s usually best to go feature and benefit: because it is A, you can do B. This makes it easier to sell many different products at a time. So if I was selling a 24-karat, 18-inch gold braided necklace, I’d say something like, “This is real, authentic 24-karat gold, so you know you’ll look your best. Because it’s braided, it’s extra durable: you never have to worry about it breaking! And because it’s exactly 18 inches, it will fit perfectly on your body, giving your outfit an unbeatable combination of class, style, and sophistication! Call now!”
This sales technique is successful because it complements how our brains are structured.
It works domestically, too: “Honey, I know you’ve been working hard all week long, and after all that stress and pressure, you deserve an opportunity to unwind. If the two of us went out tonight, we could catch up, reconnect, and you could finally relax with a cold drink and a sizzling hot meal. Because it’d just be the two of us: there wouldn’t be any kids around! No temper tantrums, drama, or arguments; just a man, the woman he loves, and a delicious steak.”
I’m telling ya, that pitch works a helluva lot better than shouting, “Hey honey, wanna eat out?”
As for its political utility, well, that much should be obvious. If your objective is winning hearts and minds, then it’s your responsibility to know how our hearts and minds make decisions. Because if you master this technique, it’ll greatly economize your outreach.
But there’s also another reason why you should be aware of this sales trick: you’ll know when some huckster is trying to use it on you.
Think back to Seinfeld: congratulations! You’re a fellow magician.
Now get out there and talk anyone into anything!
