Take Control of Your Impulses
You are minding your own business when the email arrives. It is about the latest and greatest opportunity of the moment. The internet guru is about to launch the latest version of 2.0 and you can get it while it is available. Remember, this is a limited time offer open to a limited number of entrants. Miss this and you can wallow in failure.
You take the bait and head for the site. There is the video ready and waiting. Open it, hit play and soon you’re sucked in. Here he is, Mr. Guru, multi-millionaire, sharply dressed and very smooth. You swoon…he really makes sense; he knows exactly what you are going through. You are feeling that blast of momentum build. You say to yourself, this could be it… the ticket to riches and prosperity. No time to waste…let’s get it.
Sound familiar? Well, did you know that there is a center in your brain called the amygdala that controls your feelings of fear and impulse? It responds to stimuli in 12 milliseconds and fires up whenever something from an external cue such as a tragic event or daily occurrence sparks it into action. Something as innocent as a sales pitch can trigger it and have you doing things you might never have considered.
Well, welcome to the world of internet marketing. A market where selling never ceases and up selling and cross selling are the daily staple of the marketer.
So what can you do? There are a few things to keep in mind and some steps you can take to keep your emotions in check.
Reappraise
The concept of reappraising is actively used in the research of emotive decision making. One tactic is to reinterpret what you are hearing and seeing, to create a less emotional scenario that will challenge your impulse. Does the sales pitch really take care of your need to make money today, or is your urgency artificial because you know there is no easy money to be made?
Step outside of Yourself
Take the time to imagine someone else listening to the sales video or reading down the Web sales page and position yourself to give them advice on what they are hearing and reading. Is the sales pitch offering anything new that will change the condition of the person being solicited? What is the outcome that can be expected? Will it really change things for the better?
Control the cues
Letting the sales pitch dictate urgency and need can set off the amygdala and get you super motivated to make the buy decision. Distance yourself by literally turning down the audio or just taking some down time to let things settle. If the seller has a time clock running, as one I watched did, turn off your machine. Its amazing how time off and distance will change your outlook.
Tap into your emotions
As the sales pitch unfolds, ask yourself out loud, if this product will get you to your goal and keep you focused on your plan or if it is a diversion that will cost you time and money? Do you really need to follow the pack or are you better off sticking to your plan? Keeping your focus is the key to your success. You have to remain keenly aware of how outside stimuli can lead you astray. Spectacular deals coming in via email are among them.
The best thing to do in a lot of cases is to sleep on it. There is a reason why someone is selling and there has to be a much better reason for you to be buying, so take the time to figure it out.
If you can take these steps and apply them to the next “great opportunity” you should avoid the trap of buyers remorse and make your decision based on careful consideration of your planned goals and your business plan.
May your travels be prosperous.
PS. This article is based on Jason Zweig’s article “How to Control Your Fears in a Fearsome Market” that appeared in the WSJ. If you get a chance look it up and read it.
