Invisible Influence: The Power to Persuade Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere

18

The $4,000,000 Bra

Each year Victoria’s Secret puts their most beautiful model wearing a $4 million bejeweled bra on the cover of their catalog. The dramatic image makes it impossible to not pick up the catalog and get another look inside.

That $4 million bra creates a dramatic distinction between what could possibly be spent today instead of the $75 they will actually spend.

In numerous research studies in catalog promotions, the addition of an extremely expensive high-end product causes people to buy the next highest inexpensive product with a great degree of consistency.

You can use the same method to make the price of a relationship with the other person too expensive, making a relationship with you the more likely choice. This is accomplished by eliciting what people don’t want in a relationship and finding which of those things your competitor has.

Perhaps they have young children and you do not.

Perhaps they have no real future prospects and you do.

Perhaps they have an ex-wife with a history of reckless behavior and you don’t.

Those are all potentially big prices to pay to be in a relationship.