Confession....I use this sales tactic because it works like magic

"Reduce to the ridiculous"  

(read to the end or you'll miss the good stuff)

Imagine you go into a retail store and you see this...

Pretty irresitible, right?   And of course this is a very common tactic retailers use to part us from our money.   

Another example....

You've seen those late night commercials for the latest gizmo?   They follow a format like this...

This incredible gizmo normally retails for $120..

But wait today only you can own this marvelous technology for ONLY....$19.95
That's right only $19.99

But wait it gets better....order right now and we'll give two, that's right two of our fantastic gtizmo's for $19.99

But wait there's more....order today and we'll give you____________ for no extra charge.

This technique of 'reduce to ridiculous' is highly effective.   And we know it works because they run those annoying commercials endlessly.   They wouldn't do it if it didn't work.

Reduce to ridiculous method #2...

Car dealers and realtors use the same technique in a different way.    E.g

First they quote the regular car price.........$24,000
Then the sale price (today only)..........$21,900
Then the monthly payments .......................... $380

Or better yet weekly...................................$95

See how 'reduce to ridiculous works'?    We started talking at $24,000 and end up at only $95.    Our mind just can't stop thinking about the $95.   It's such an incredible deal. Better grab it before its gone!

Now time for me to read your mind......'ok Guru nothing new here, tell us something we didn't know?'

Reduce to ridiculous method #3

Imagine you are at one of my brilliant talks.    At the end of the talk it is time for me to pitch my best selling book?    Here's how I would do it step by step...

1.   Tell them what the book can do for them.
2.   Tell them why them would be smart to own it.
3.   Then I would say....the first question people usually ask me is...how much is your book worth?  My response....conservatively 1,000's of dollars and maybe more.
4.   A chuckle.....but I won't charge you that much
3.   Then give them a deal.....normally my book sells for $29 but today because you were so much fun its yours for only $24

So using the reduce to ridiculous principal, I started at $1,000s and ended up at $24.   The little chuckle is a signal that I'm only joking however I have still  planted a big number in their head.  

How can you use this to your advantage?

It doesn't matter whether you are selling a product or a service.  Just throw out a wild number, chuckle and then give your real price.   It will seem like they are getting a great deal.  

Non-profits could use this also.    They might start out asking for BIG donation and then reduce to ridiculous.    Start out asking foe $500 and then add but every penny counts so any donation you make will put smiles on the faces of those poor kids. 

Stated out at $500 and ended up at pennies.   Of course they know no one is going to give pennies.   It works like magic.

Note.....even if you don't use  or don't approve of the tactic, isn't it a good thing to aware of the technique when it is being used on you?   And shouldn't your family and friends be made aware of it?