This happened almost two decades ago, but I still remember it like yesterday.
I was sitting in a lecture hall, flipping my pen, almost dozing off.
The class: Economics One
The room was buzzing with noise from over 200 students.
*silence*
Suddenly, the room dropped quiet. I could barely hear a hush.
An old professor strolled into the room.
He glanced at the crowd and said:
“This is the single most important lesson in economics…”
*he paused for a few seconds*
“Human nature is not good nor evil.”
“It’s greedy.”
*he paused again*
“And there’s nothing wrong with that.”
For years, this lesson stuck with me as I transitioned from student to engineer to copywriter… and now to email marketer.
The insight I’m sharing today is rooted in an industry built on greed. But loosen your prejudice for a minute and study the buyers’ psychology.
Recently, I had the opportunity to deal with a friend who is the downline of a Multilevel Pyramid. (long story… but no, I’m not an affiliate. I will never step foot into that niche)
Just like all questionable pyramids…
Despite generating 300M a year…
They have zero proof behind their products.
HOWEVER
When I confronted the individual…
It’s like seeing a puffer fish explode into a spike ball with anger.
He got defensive fast.
This got me thinking –
The FTC said less than 1% of pyramid participants made a dime.
YET
People will die defending themselves.
It’s almost like a religion to these people.
So… why?
And more importantly, can we harness that power to sell… something ethical?
When you look at the cult-like following behind any pyramid, it’s easy to dismiss the behavior as “greed.”
“They just want to sell you their pyramid products.”
But it’s more than that…
Take my friend, for example:
He doesn’t make money off the transaction.
He’s giving them away as relationship tokens for people he cares about.
So, what’s in it for him?
The answer lies in –
IDENTITY
Everyone wants to look smart.
Everyone seeks approval.
No one wants to be labeled as the “dumb guy” who got tricked into a pyramid. That’s why people move heaven and earth to defend themselves.
“If the product is real… if I can SHOW people how effective it is… then they will know that I made a SMART decision.”
Now, back to your business…
How can you help your prospects “show off” how smart they are BECAUSE they invested in your product?
If you can help them “look good” in front of their friends and family…
You have a customer for life.
Cheering for you,
– WYH
PS – One way you can do this is…
Give people stories to share.
It’s dinner. The families gather around the table. Your prospect sits down, grins, and says: “Hey, I bet you don’t know…”
Imagine the pride on his face as he becomes the night’s spotlight.
The “wow,” “cool,” and “I didn’t know that” turn him into a raving fan of your product… because now he wants to share the story with even more people.