Persuading Through Superstition: "There Are No Accidents
by: KenrickCleveland |
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When a person sneezes, we say 'God bless you'. That's a superstition. It started in the Middle Ages when it was thought that the devil could enter a person when unguarded, such as in the midst of a sneeze. If someone said the magic words, 'God bless you', immediately after the sneeze, then this unfortunate demonic possession could be avoided.
There are many high rises where you can walk from the twelfth floor to the fourteenth floor and only take one flight of stairs. Where's the thirteenth floor? In Western cultures, there's a fear called triskaidekaphobia. .. the fear of thirteen.
Because we live in unstable times, people constantly look for a sense of stability and explanation. This can give us incredible advantage as it relates to persuasion.
Some folks have a superstition about walking under ladders. But where did that come from? It dates back to early Christianity. When people observed the sides of the ladder and the ground formed a triangle--what was perceived as the Holy Trinity.
It was thought that when one walked through it, it violated the trinity and put you on the same level as the devil. Nowadays, no one really knows where this superstition came from and yet, people avoid walking under ladders without reason. Maybe it's wise to avoid walking under ladders simply because you might end up with a bucket of paint on your head, but to believe bad luck will befall you? It's kind of a stretch.
I have an acquaintance who believes all religion and spirituality is superstition. I happen to think he's wrong, but I appreciate the perspective in that it's just another example of how framing is a powerful tool for looking at the world around us.
Superstition is defined as 'an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.'
Helen Keller asserted, "Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature. . . Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." This is a powerful example of how diverse we are in our thinking, and at the same time, we all believe in something as irrational as 'security'.
How can we use this fact, that we're all to some degree 'irrational' and that we all believe in 'something', to persuade?
The more unstable the world, the more we seek stability. As persuaders we have the ability to offer explanations.
People look for reasons to support their beliefs, to explain their reality, to assign blame, and we can do the same.
One of my favorite superstitious phrases is, 'There are no accidents'. We can use this to effectively persuade our affluent clients and prospects. For example, say our client has had problems in the past, we can use this term to indicate that that time is past and that those problems are over and that there's a reason they've ended up talking to you. 'After all, there are no accidents.'
Is 'there are no accidents' true and quantifiable? Of course not. But will you be called on it? Well. . . my friend the cynic might call you on it, but I seriously doubt many will.
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About the Author
Kenrick Cleveland teaches strategies to earn the business of affluent prospects using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion strategies.
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