The 4 brainwashing techniques used by shonky sales people

Have you ever been in a situation with a sales person, for business or personal purchases, where you felt you were being manipulated but couldn’t quite tell why?

Proven brainwashing tactics

That uncomfortable feeling you had might have been triggered by one or more of these 4 classic mind control tactics.¹

1. The ‘foot in the door’ technique
2. Cutting out dissenting voices
3. Appearing to offer the impossible
4. Self-justification

Note to readers: I don’t usually write about manipulative sales techniques. But after reading ‘Paranormality: Why we see what isn’t there’, by Professor Richard Wiseman, I recognised how these same four tactics are often used by unscrupulous sellers. I hope this article helps you resist being influenced by unethical tactics like these. ~ Stuart Ayling

1. The ‘foot in the door’ technique

Do you feel as if the ‘foot in the door’ technique might be at work? Does the seller start out by asking for small acts of commitment, and then slowly increase the commitment they are asking for? Do you really want to go along with their requests or are you being manipulated?

Examples of this technique in action could be:

• The seller who asks for “just a minute” to explain, then asks for more and more time
• The seller who asks basic questions you can only answer in a positive way to create goodwill, followed by progressively asking more invasive questions you wouldn’t usually answer
• The “try it now for just $1” type of offer (with you providing your credit card details) to get you hooked, with larger charges later on
• When you attend a short seminar that promises results, but during that seminar you find out you need to attend a longer event to get the desired result

2. Cutting out dissenting voices

Be wary of any seller who wants to distance you from a dissenting point of view. Are they trying to cut you off from speaking to colleagues, family and friends? Do they discourage you from discussing it with others?

Shonky sellers know that just one dissenting voice can create significant resistance and reduce conformity/agreement to what they are asking you to do.

Examples of this technique in action could be:

• The seller just focusing on the rosy end result, skipping over what actually needs to be done to achieve that outcome, so you don’t feel the need to question the process
• A limited explanation of important contributing factors, so you don’t think about them
• Distracting you from thinking about checking it with others by telling constant ‘success stories’ of others who have made the decision to buy or join
• Sellers who encourage/pressure you to make a quick purchase decision – often for a special deal, or for an artificially created “limited time” – when usually you would take time to think it over

3. Appearing to offer the impossible

Does the seller claim their product provides unbelievable outcomes? Does the promise of performance sound too good to be true? Are you discouraged or obstructed from questioning the results?

The old saying “It sounds too good to be true” is often correct.

Examples of this technique in action could be:

• Not being able to check the facts about performance
• Not being able to find independent sources of information to confirm their claims
• When the seller makes it sound so easy to achieve (anyone can do it!) when deep down, based on your own experience, you feel it should be more complicated or difficult

4. Self-justification

Does the seller (or organisation) require you to go through a difficult or cumbersome process before you can buy? This might be designed to create a feeling of allegiance.

They are using the psychology of self-justification: people justify the discomfort they go through by convincing themselves the pain must be worth it, and by thinking more highly of the product/outcome than they usually would.

Examples of this technique in action could be:

• Having to attend a long seminar before being allowed to buy the product or become a member
• Having to complete detailed paperwork (or answer lots of questions in an “application form”) before getting access to the product/service
• In some social settings such as fraternities and sororities or ‘secret’ clubs, there may be an initiation process (doing things you would not usually want to do) to prove you are worthy of becoming a member

So what can you do to avoid being hoodwinked?

Trust your gut, take a break, speak to others, and give yourself space before you make a commitment you might regret.

 

Footnote 1:
Paranormality: why we see what isn’t there, Professor Richard Wiseman (2011) pp 255-267.
In this section the author draws on the famous example of the Jonestown Massacre to highlight how unbelievably effective these mind control techniques can be.

Image credit: David Goehring