I don’t want your lousy money! On Candid Camera years ago a man was trying to give away genuine $5 notes on Waterloo Bridge in London. Nobody would take them. They all thought there must be a catch.

 

That true story leads me to tell you about what may be the simplest, most powerful persuasive technique there is. It’s over 160 years old.

 

It’s called “reason-why” salesmanship and it works like a charm – yet I’ve ignored it so far. Let me explain why…

 

When I first started this series perhaps you said to yourself, “Eric seems an extraordinarily helpful soul. I wonder why?”

 

But you’re not stupid – and you’re a businessman. You quickly figured that I send you these little suggestions because I have an ulterior motive.

 

I hope that you – or someone you know – will have a problem one day and think of me. I didn’t expect you to leap up after three messages and say “Get me that sales and service specialist Eric Valdivieso” because you don’t need help every day. But when you do perhaps you’ll think of me.

 

I didn’t even explain what I was doing, because I was pretty sure you knew.
But the average customer is nothing like you. You’re familiar with marketing. You know what I’m up to. They don’t – or not many of them do.

 

So when writing or selling to the average prospect ninety-nine times out of a hundred you would be wrong not to tell people why you are writing / selling – give a “reason why”. It is one of the most powerful persuasive levers you can have working for you.

 

Yet how often do marketers explain why they are making a wonderful offer? Do they realize that whilst a few customers are geniuses, most are suspicious? And the more seductive the offer, the more suspicious they get – like those people who refused the $5 notes.

 

And the best way to allay their suspicions is a secret weapon called the truth, which is the basis of “reason why”. The idea was developed in the middle of the 19th century by a man called John E. Powers.

 

His great discovery was that if you give people a reason for what you are saying they are more likely to be swayed by your arguments. Powers was so honest that one of his employers, John Wanamaker, founder of the great Chicago department store, eventually fired him, exasperated by copy such as: “We have a lot of rotten raincoats that we want to get rid of.” Or, “(The neckties) are not as good as they look but they are good enough – 25 cents.”

 

You may ask yourself: does this advertising archaeology have any relevance today? The answer is an emphatic “Yes”. Even today, few advertisers / marketers / salesmen appreciate the importance of giving a reason why.

 

Suppose you are planning a sale. You do much better if you give a reason for it. ‘Closing Down Sale’ is more convincing than ‘Sale’. People think if you are closing down you really do have to sell off your stock cheaply.

 

So that’s today’s helpful hint for you.

 

And if you have read this far maybe there is a reason why. So why not get in touch with me right now. Before you forget.

 

Best,

 

Eric