Can We Be Manipulated?
post # 274 — January 3, 2007 — a Client Relations post
Previously, I asked what sales tactics had worked on you. As a follow up, I draw your attention to today’s WSJ (January 3, 2007, page D1) which has an article by Jonathan Clements on how so-called “advisers†manipulate you.
He notes that effective financial salespeople feign friendship, asking you all about yourself, pretending you have things in common.
He observes that “Popularity is a pretty good guide when picking things like movies and restaurants, so it’s comforting to hear that an investment is popular.†And hence we get suckered in to going with inappropriate things.
He makes reference to another ancient sales tactics: Giving a free lunch or offering supposedly inside information to create the sense of obligation that makes people more susceptible to buying.
He reports that one can obtain a free AARP book “Weapons of Fraud’ which outlines the tactics used by unscrupulous salespeople by emailing your name and address to weaponsoffraud@aarp.org.
Presumably, the theory behind the book is that, by being aware of the manipulative techniques that salespeople use, we will have better defenses.
I’m not so sure.
Note that these “tactics†are incredibly similar, if not completely identical, to how someone would behave if they really were trying to be helpful to you. Here’s someone showing an interest in me, giving ideas away first to earn my trust, from an institution that I’ve heard of (the popularity or brand effect). That’s what a REAL trusted advisor would do isn’t it?
I recently (skim-) read a book by Kevin Hogan called “The Psychology of Persuasion: How to Persuade Others to Your Way of Thinking.â€
Aimed primarily at salespeople, it is one of the most effective and terrifying books I have ever read. It summarizes and communicates clearly all the manipulation techniques most likely to work when selling a product or service.
What’s so terrifying about it all is, that as today’s WSJ article points out, these tactics WORK. And yes, they work on you and me.
The difference, presumably, is that the salesperson is using all the techniques as “tricks†but without real sincerity behind them. The Trusted Advisor that my coauthors and I wrote about is likely to be doing all the same things but with a true desire to help.
So, the effectiveness of my defenses turn on the following question: if someone is doing and saying all the right (manipulative) things, how well do I think I can discriminate between those who are doing it to be truly helpful, and those who are doing the same things just to get my business? How good am I at spotting insincerity?
I’d like to think I’m terrific at it, but I have my doubts.
What do you think? How susceptible are we to the person with high skills and low motives?
Rich Saletan said:
David… your points are well taken. However, welcome to the “real world.” Sales approaches with secondary adgendas have been around since the snake oil salesman days. Not everyone is “pure of heart and purpose.” Each person has a hidden agenda. Most revolve, in my opinion, around what constitutes “success” in their minds. Whether it is financial, ego, pleasing one’s boss, etc., the point is we are all motivated by something not as pure as simply “doing good.”
There are exceptions, of course. People who dedicate thier lives to charitable work, for example. Bill Gates’ work on AIDS, and Oprah’s work in South Africa, are clear examples of “pureness of purpose.” But these examples are rare in business.
Rich Saletan
posted on January 3, 2007