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