Soft Selling: Ways to Sell Anything to the Masses
How many times did you hear the statement “learn how to sell without selling?”. This adage is psychologically true. People don’t want to be manipulated or to feel being controlled by someone or an entity. So sellers have developed different ways to promote and sell their products or services: indirectly. They learned to send a message insidiously — aiming at the unconscious, using images, using compelling words, and combining message and image to form alluring visuals.
I want to share some of my notes from the book called The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene
- Appear as news, never as publicity.
Other people consider the stunt made by Elon and his team as a marketing masterstroke. The news spread like a virus on all social media platforms.
People pay more attention to what is broadcast as news — it seems more real. In the digital age where almost nobody wants to miss a thing. The key is to organize the plan in detail, creating a compelling story with dramatic impact so people don’t feel like you are selling to them.
2. Stir Basic Emotion
Aim for the heart and avoid a rational argument. Otherwise, your customer will raise their guard and will start doubting your action. It is best to get and hold people’s attention when they are comfortable and at ease. Talk about their family, pet, or anything close to their heart. They will feel good and uplifted. Everything you do and say should speak their values and aspirations because people rely on emotions, rather than information.
3. Make the medium the message
People can often read into your intentions, thoughts, and feelings depending on the manner of your delivery. This is one of the findings of a study on the matter of persuasive speech. When you pay more attention to the form of your message, people will remember you. In marketing, remembering your brand is half of the game.
Images act as storytellers. Words may do the selling, but images can help amplify your message. Because no matter how noble or important your message is, if it’s not presented well, nobody will listen to you.
The more they are distracted by visual cues, the harder it will be for them to think straight or see through your manipulations. — Robert Greene
How you say it is as important as what you say.
4. Speak the audience’ language
You may portray yourself as someone close to your audience. At all costs, avoid appearing superior to them. Appeal to them with the words they speak. Get into their spirit and they will relax and listen to you. Know your audience’s profiles including their demographics and behavior. This information can help you understand how your audience will respond to your campaigns or messages.
5. Start a chain reaction
Nobody will believe in you if people cannot understand what value they can get from you. This is where “social proof” can be helpful.
A guy named @seandoesmagic in TikTok did this strategy well. He will show his magic tricks to some random people and impress them while recording the entire demonstration in Omegle. He captured the raw reaction of the audience which made it effective. People who seem to be desired by many customers are automatically more attractive. This is the easiest and most seductive way to sell because people want to fit in, people believe that the group is better informed.
Show your audience how much others enjoy what you offer and let them know the demand present in your products or services.
6. Tell people who they are
People have varying levels of narcissism and it is unwise to engage the public in any kind of argument or else they will resist you. Instead of trying to change your customer’s ideas, try to change their perception of reality.
The magazine’s February issue made an aggressive move in trying to redefine what being healthy looks like. Some people didn’t like the idea. The magazine apparently tried to normalize some negative ideas about body wellness while providing a picture of some activities that are fun to do. The gap in between suggests a new lifestyle, a new identity. A room for internal processing. Use as much media as possible to create a kind of totally different atmosphere for their perception.
What advertising hurdles do you have right now?
