For two days now I’ve written about the importance of messaging when getting your point across. Whether to convince a client, make a sale, or help a friend, the message is important.
The downside of this effect is that we are programmed to be receptive to messaging. A skilled practitioner of the art of persuasion can often make us do things we’ll regret in the end. That couch you didn’t really love? The knives that you didn’t really need – even if the scissors can cut through coins…
That vacuum cleaner the guy at the door promised would revolutionize how you clean house.
There are numerous examples of salespeople selling. Prominent social scientist Robert Cialdini has a set of books on the topic (Influence, Pre-Suasion, and Yes!).
There are courses that tell how to get your way in business, at home, in picking up prospective partners at bars. It’s a world of persuading and being persuaded.
While it’s not possible to completely insulate yourself from the onslaught of marketers, salespeople, talking heads, and con artists, it is important to be prudent. Forewarned is forearmed.
Michael's Musings 