Zig Ziglar once
said, "They'll buy if your big stack of benefits is bigger than their little
stack of money."
I confess that I have dealt with some people who, for varying reasons, were
offered the Empire State Building in return for a few hundred dollars but were
unable to say, "Yes." Such is their loss. In the old days those moments got
under my skin. Today they are like butter on a hot pan. They run right off and
they happen less and less as time goes on.
Generally speaking, when presented with the Empire State Building (less
property taxes) in return for a few hundred dollars the person NEEDS to say,
"Yes" and if they don't they are losing a painfully large opportunity.
Self-sabotage is a big problem and it infects most of your clients and
customers. They will literally turn golden opportunities away and pursue those
things which will cause their demise.
So...How Can You Overcome Your Client's Self-Sabotaging Behavior?
How do you cause your client with a wife and a newborn baby to buy $200,000
of life insurance?
Answer. It doesn't matter. He MUST own that policy.
My step-dad died when I was 13. That was a million years ago. We were left
with over one million dollars of medical bills that needed to be paid (this is
1975 dollars by the way) and we had no significant income ...my Mom worked...and
was a Mom...and everything else... and then he died. He had been out of work for
some time. We had nothing and now we had worse than nothing. There was no life
insurance. None. Zip. Nada. All we had were bills. Lots of 'em. Guess what life
was like when you are 13, have four brothers and sisters, no income and better
than a million dollars of bills...
That's right. You guessed it....and if I sold life insurance I'd tell all the
stories about Thanksgiving when the Boy Scouts brought turkey and used clothes.
Plaid pants that had been out of style for years. We wore them. It's what there
was. Humiliating and yet we so appreciated it. There weren't other options. And
there are more stories but all that for another day.
You don't want your kids growing up in that environment and you can prevent
it with $200 per YEAR. I don't care how much you earn or don't earn you can
secure your family for a few years in case of your death. You CAUSE your future
client to buy $250,000 of term insurance because he MUST. This isn't a choice.
It is a must. It's like breathing. It's like drinking water. No exceptions you
simply do it. You can't pressure a person too much to drink water and breathe
oxygen. The VALUE of the security is far greater than the pittance it costs.
How Do You Paint the Picture?
You paint the picture vividly and clearly. You can cause your kids to have at
least a secure childhood or you can be responsible for some pretty terrible
things. Few people think like this. It's your job to not just show the value but
demand that people FEEL the value.
How else can you show value? Why work with you? Why be YOUR customer instead
of someone else who sells the same thing. Like insurance, like mutual funds,
like automobiles, houses, like everything else that is replicable?
You offer additional value...real value. Two of the brightest and most
valuable real estate agents on the planet are Jim Bailey here in Minnesota and
Gary Kent in San Diego. These two guys both have two of the most incredible E-zines
related to real estate, buying a house, selling a house, moving, financing
options, you name it. Making the right or wrong decision in ANY of these areas
can cost you tens of thousands of dollars. I am not in the market and I read
them both. Every issue. I KNOW what I will do when I go to sell and buy a
house...and I know WHO will represent me. They don't need to tell me they sell
real estate...I'm smart enough to figure that out.
Anyone can put out a piece of propaganda that advertises their services. Big
deal. I want to do business with the person who let's me figure that out but
gives ME a REASON and CAUSE to trust them ahead of time so they don't have to
sell me later. That's Jim and Gary.
Establishing value and giving cause to trust you long before you ASK THEM to
TRUST you is meeting my value of psychological and financial security.
Do What No One Else is Doing
What if you have a lawn service? How can you create value? The lawn guy can't
have an Ezine right?
Really? Why not?
Instead of just knocking on my door and asking me if I want to buy your
service, "no," ask me if i would like to receive monthly tips on lawn and garden
care absolutely free with a promise of no call ever. All it takes is your email
address. No name, no phone, no nothing. That's it. Knock on 2000 doors, get 1000
email addresses then six months later you ask the person if they like the ezine
and if they would like help with their lawn and garden.
Who does this?
No one.
I don't have a green thumb, I have a red thumb from the blood drawn trying to
have a green thumb. If someone offered to give me free tips on everything I need
to know to have the most beautiful yard in the neighborhood....
Now, this isn't an advertisement for having an Ezine.
What about someone who doesn't provide a service? Say that you have a UPS
Store. My buddy Steve in Eagan, MN has a UPS Store. My six year old son LOVES to
go to the UPS Store EVERYDAY.
Retail is a tough business because it is so competitive. Every inch of space
has to be profitable...
Why does my son love for me to take him to the UPS Store?
Because Steve has a fishbowl of Tootsie Rolls that he buys at the grocery
store for one purpose. For his customers...yes...but mostly for my son. He
spends about $10 per month on Tootsie Rolls and I've been his customer since
1992.... when the Tootsie Rolls were for my daughter (and anyone else who wanted
a bite!)
Value.
But it just wasn't a piece of candy. When we walk in the door, Steve says,
"Hey man, (talking to my son) how are you today?"
"Great! Can I have a toosie roll please?"
(Everyone in store now has attention on child and grown man...and no one
frets over the seconds being "wasted" in their day....)
"You bet you can. Did you have a good day at school?" (He continues to wait
on his customer. Winks his eye at the customer. Tells the customer how great
this kid is...)
When they're done chatting, every one of Steve's customers knows one thing.
Steve not only has a great store but he is a great PERSON. That means people
want to do business with him.
I went in last week, asked how business was. He was exhausted. Sweating. (And
it's September in Minnesota)
"Kevin, I can't handle any more business."
Value.
How Do You Tip the Scales?
When everything is equal it only takes something small to tip the scales.
What about when everything is NOT equal. What about when apples are compared
to the oranges. Then what do you do?
You can be hired for a service as a speaker!, a sales rep, a therapist, a
doctor, an expert about...body language....
I walked into the Fox studio last week with a heavy bag. I was ready to
evaluate the Presidential debate for Fox. The News Anchor looked at my bag, and
said, "moving in?"
"Only if you guys treat me right."
We sat. Talked and then watched Kerry and Bush. Then we did our spot on the
News. I was on for four minutes. Four minutes on Fox is about $50,000 for a
Prime Time local series of spots.
Immediately after the spot was over, I told Jeff I had to go.
"Oh, you should stay, don't bolt." He wanted to have Coffee afterward. I had
kids at home. I thanked him and simply asked him to check his desk before he
headed home for the night. In 30 seconds he was back on camera. I was looking
around at the Security Guard who was nice enough to let me keep the Security
Necklace for my son, the Producer who was VERY kind... I looked for everyone who
was nice enough to smile as I walked by.
I sat at Jeff's desk and signed a bunch of my books...and then personalized
them.
Who does that?
Yep. No one.
Is it a TOOL or technique?
No. It is a way of life.
Creating value is a way of life. It is how you live your life whether you are
working or walking. When you constantly are trying to figure out how to make
other people's days or lives better...your day and your life... is always on
someone else's mind as well.
That's how you create value and it's how you create a community of value.
"The Power of persuasion transforms from art to science." Kevin Hogan,
Psy.D.
The ability to influence, the psychology of persuasion, the science and
practice of persuading others to your way of thinking is the single most
important factor in success; in business, management, in a professional
practice, in maintaining intimate relationships and obviously, in selling.
Every useful communication involves persuasion. You want to become an expert in
social influence. You DO want to win friends and influence people. You want your
message to be accepted and acted upon. Period. Without effective persuasion
techniques and finely honed influential skills can any of this be possible.
The Science of Influence is the master's home study course. What makes the
Science of Influence different from every other program about persuasion is that
this material is fresh, potent, tested, and has nearly all of what you will
discover is new!

This is the place for you to begin. BUT, this is by no means a basic course in
influence. Including research completed in 2003, this 13-hour program has all
the latest advanced strategies and sequencing information for influencing
others. It's unlikely you have heard or read any more than perhaps 15% of the
material covered in this home study program and yet without this material it's
almost impossible to predictably influence others.

Kevin Hogan
Kevin Hogan is the author of 12 books, including his most recent; Covert Hypnosis, along with The Science of Influence, The Psychology of Persuasion, Talk Your Way to the Top, Can't Get Through, Irresistible Attraction., Through the Open Door Tinnitus, Life by Design, and The New Hypnotherapy Handbook .
In addition to his Science of Influence Part I audio series, his most popular audio programs include The Science of Influence: Part V: Buying Triggers Revealed., Covert Subliminal Influence!, Covert Hypnosis...Revealed, Read Body Language Like an Expert!, Time for Love, Time for Money: Time Production System and Psychology of Wealth Complete Package CD Set, Hypnosis: The Solution for Weight Loss?, and Breakthrough achievement tool! Use subliminal imaging to excel. Research-proven.
Kevin Hogan is the nation's leading influence and body language expert. He has shared his expertise about body language, persuasion and influence with the BBC, the New York Post and dozens of popular magazines like Cosmopolitan, First for Women, Women's World, Playboy, Women's Own and others.
Kevin Hogan has become the go-to resource for analyzing key White House figures. Hogan teaches Persuasion and Influence at the University of St. Thomas Management Center and is a frequent media guest. Articles by and about him have recently appeared in Success!, Redbook, Office Pro, Selling Power, Cosmopolitan, and numerous other publications. He was recently featured in a half dozen magazines (including wProst) in Poland after teaching persuasion and influence skills to that country's 350 leading sales managers
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