| Several years ago, in 1989, before I ever entered | | | | She gave special attention to the situations in |
| the marketing arena, I saw one of the greatest | | | | which a woman might be accosted while shopping |
| sales presentations I have ever seen. The only | | | | or on her way to her car, for example. |
| problem was that I, and most of the 200 plus | | | | The presentation was very comprehensive and |
| people in the auditorium, weren't aware that we | | | | contained valuable information, and I saw several |
| were witnessing a master salesperson at work | | | | people even jotting down notes on her |
| and that we, part of a governmental organization | | | | recommendations and cautions. |
| were getting a sales pitch on government time. | | | | During the spirited question and answer period |
| And it worked like a charm! | | | | that followed, one of the women present asked |
| In fact, what probably made it most effective | | | | the lady where some of the items she had |
| was the simple fact that we weren't really aware | | | | mentioned, and shown, during the presentation, |
| that we were being "sold to". We, and our high | | | | such as Mace or pepper spray, could be acquired. |
| level executives who had invited the "expert" to | | | | Funny she should ask. |
| give her presentation, were, in fact, the targets | | | | You guessed it. |
| of a carefully planned and executed marketing | | | | As it just so happened, the lady who had just |
| campaign that worked mainly because of that | | | | given the sometimes frightening presentation |
| blissful ignorance. | | | | represented a company which sold those very |
| Since that day, I, myself, have used the technique | | | | types of items. Not only that, she had some free |
| in many different disguises and in more than one | | | | handouts, and she had a table with samples of |
| medium, but the marketing technique remains | | | | various self defense items on a table in the back, |
| relatively constant. | | | | and a catalog for those who wished to take it |
| In mail order marketing, a similar method used to | | | | home and look at it. However, she was also |
| be called the two-step technique. My wife has | | | | prepared to take orders for things she did not |
| another, more descriptive, name for it, but we'll | | | | have with her at the moment. |
| save that for later. | | | | Fancy that! |
| Here's how it all went down. | | | | Before the last person left the building that |
| It was the late 80's, and I had completed 13 | | | | afternoon, she had sold almost everything she |
| years of active duty in the U.S. Army and was in | | | | had brought, and had taken orders for several |
| the Texas Army National Guard, working full time | | | | hundred dollars more. |
| as a federal purchasing agent at Camp Mabry in | | | | My wife likes to call it "giving something away", in |
| Austin, Texas. Periodically, the powers that be, | | | | order to make a sale. |
| who controlled our fate, would hold what were | | | | As I stated above, a similar technique has long |
| referred to as "Town Meetings". All the offices at | | | | been known as the "two step" method in some |
| Camp Mabry would leave someone to answer the | | | | areas. In the heyday of mail order, a free report |
| phones, and all the other employees would meet | | | | was offered in an ad, and, once ordered, the |
| for question and answer periods, procedure | | | | "free" report arrived, along with informational |
| updates, or sometimes, informational briefings. | | | | material on other, similar items. If the person |
| When you got everybody in the auditorium, there | | | | bought from that presentation, they were |
| were a couple of hundred or more. | | | | offered more items. This procedure had two |
| One day, one of these Town Meetings was held, | | | | valuable results. It gave the marketer a growing |
| and we were all told we were going to receive a | | | | list of people who responded to that type of |
| briefing from an expert on personal safety. | | | | presentation and were willing to purchase those |
| At the appointed time, a professionally dressed | | | | sorts of items, and it helped establish a trust |
| lady, who | | | | relationship between buyer and seller. |
| looked a bit | | | | You or I can wave the world's greatest product |
| like Tyne | | | | around all day, and offer it at reduced rates and |
| Daly of the cop show, | | | | with a multitude of bonuses, but I will make many |
| ¿Cagney and | | | | more sales if I am waving it in front of people |
| Lacey, was introduced, and | | | | who are interested and motivated to buy that |
| she proceeded to give an excellent, humorous, | | | | sort of product, and...in front of people who |
| yet fact-filled presentation on defending yourself, | | | | already trust me! |
| or better yet, avoiding placing yourself in | | | | Sometimes it is just easier to lead the customer |
| dangerous situations. She covered many means | | | | to choose the product than to sell the product to |
| of self defense and ways you could fight off or | | | | the customer. |
| escape from an attacker. | | | | |