The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Lex DeVille's: Guru Cults Exposed: The Tactics "Experts" Use To Pull You In & Suck You Dry

Tommo

Silver Contributor
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
168%
Jan 21, 2018
438
738
70
Perth Australia
ENTER THE CULT - THE NEARLY UNSTOPPABLE POWER OF WEBINARS

Tier 1 gurus teach most of their techniques to students. They'll show you how to use Authority and Future Pacing and Framing. But there's one thing they won't tell you. No Tier 1 guru ever mentions how they studied cult indoctrination. They also don't mention how those techniques are applied in their webinars (as well as every webinar their students create).

Lucky for you, I'm the guy who trained their students how to structure, write, and build their webinars for maximum impact. And fair warning...I've studied cult indoctrination.

So today's lesson is on webinars. I'll show you both sides of the technique patterns. From influence and persuasion, to NLP, and finally cult indoctrination. We may have to break this one into multiple parts.

5-Shifts.png


WEBINARS HAPPEN IN PHASES

Any Guru who's been trained doesn't just make a webinar. There's a structure and format they follow. It's been tried and tested over many years even before the internet. Digital marketing has simply optimized it. A couple things you need to know:

1) Most webinars are NOT designed to give you answers (they create questions).
2) Most webinars are NOT meant to give value (they're meant to sell to you).
3) Most webinars are structured to shift you from curious onlooker to card ready buyer.

Breaking down a full webinar slide by slide would take forever. So we'll look at the sections you'll find in most webinars instead. This will give you a high-level overview that you can carry forward if ever you find yourself in a webinar funnel. The phases of a webinar are:

Phase 0 - Pre Webinar
Phase 1 - Introduction, Targeting, & Promises
Phase 2 - Reframing, Future Pacing, & Authority
Phase 3 - The Magical Life-Altering Shifts
Phase 4 - Recap, The Choice, Close



PHASE 0 - PRE WEBINAR

Pre-webinar happens when you first enter the room. You open the screen and you either get a live person or not. Either way, the speaker begins establishing authority instantly before the webinar starts. They do this by saying, "Hi John, Hi Mark, Hi Cindy...we'll get started in a moment."

Usually you won't have access to the other participants. You might not have any way to know if this webinar is pre-recorded or live. But the speaker mentions people by name so everyone watching knows (believes) there are other people watching even if no one else is there (including the speaker lol!).

This technique helps put you at ease. You feel like you're not the only fool in the room. Plus, if others are watching, this person must be someone others thought was worth listening to. So maybe it's worth a few more minutes of your time, because who knows...this might be the webinar that changes everything for you.

This tactic is especially useful for unknown gurus, but even well-knowns use it.

One other thing that happens in this phase is the guru says something like:

"To get the most out of this webinar, be sure to silence your phone and close out other screens. Make sure you have time to watch in a quiet place away from other distractions. Give me your undivided attention so you can come away with profound insights."

Yes, they want your attention, but there's more to it than that. By closing out other distractions, you don't just give your attention. You give your focused attention to the ideas they want you to consume (mainly that following their words and their system will pave the way to riches). This is another Cialdini approved presuasion method.



PHASE 1 - TARGETING & PROMISES

When the webinar begins, the speaker either gives a very brief introduction, or skips it for now. Then they go straight into targeting so they can grab their ideal client's attention. This happens in one to two slides usually titled "Who This Is For."


Who This Is For:

This is for anyone who wants to make millions selling books about topics they aren't qualified to sell. Coaches, consultants, NLP practitioners, middle age dude with the beer gut watching from your couch in your underwear. If you use insights you don't have to create unique breakthroughs for other people, then this is for you...


If you fit the description, then they have your attention, even if only for a moment. After that the webinar continues straight into promises. First a series of slides with small promises and then a big promise at the end.


My Promise To You:

Today I'll show you how to turn your ability to use vague language and minimal research to build a 6-figure business selling kindle books even if that seems impossible right now. I'll show you how to become a best-selling author practically overnight without spending years learning the trade. I'll also show you how to put yourself on a path to your first $1,000 $2,000 or $10,000 months as quickly as possible.

My promise to you is to show you a step-by-step strategy to 6 figures per month.

The promises are always something they know their ideal target wants. They know this because they've researched it (as you've already seen). They've spent time figuring out exactly what this person wants to hear and conveniently, that's exactly what they say. :D

At this point your interest is peaked, but you're still skeptical and cautious. You know at some point they'll probably try to sell you something. Gurus know you know this. Which is why the next slide is this...


There Is Nothing For Sell
But if you stay to the end, you will get a free gift.

This isn't a lie. There's nothing for sell...on this webinar. But by the end they will pitch for your cash. This slide is to help you drop your guard for now. It also uses future pacing to incentivize you to stay to the end.

Before they can sell to you, they have to get you to be open to the idea of being sold to. That starts by changing your beliefs about what this webinar is. Once you believe there's nothing for sale you have no reason not to believe this webinar might actually offer real value.



PHASE 2 - REFRAME, FUTURE PACING, SUMMARY, AUTHORITY

Knowing there's nothing for sale, and there's a gift at the end, you become more interested. A key moment opens up, and now the webinar hits you in the gut with pain points. So the next couple of slides cover your pains as you describe them.


Does This Sound Like You?

Do you write long direct-response stories on popular forums about your expertise, but still people won't buy? Do you post direct response paid ads, and sometimes people buy, but you don't make millions? Do you have some months where cash pours in, but you can't maintain it? Are you struggling to bring in a consistent flow of clients no matter how hard you try?

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE 100% ON THE RIGHT PATH BUT NOBODY CARES?

So they've brought you face to face with your pain. They've said all the things you say to yourself when you're laying in bed at night. They replace your "whys?" with their "do you?"

And then they blow your mind...


THE REAL PROBLEM?
You haven't made the "shifts" yet...
OH SNAP!

This simple reframe is a real eye-opener. It says everything you thought was the problem, isn't the real problem. Since you were wrong about the problem, it suddenly makes sense why your solutions didn't work. But now you have a question...what are the shifts??? dun dun dun...

Right after that slide you'll move into future pacing slides. They won't tell you what the shifts are just yet. Instead, they tell you what you'll get once you make those shifts. This allows you to imagine that future and how much better it will be.

There's another NLP technique used here too. It's called a presupposition. Presuppositions are assumptions about events that will occur. In this case it is presupposed that you will be making these shifts at some point. Sales gurus would call it assuming the sale.


ONCE YOU MAKE IT...

You'll be able to package your overnight insights into 2,000 word ebooks that break the payment system from so many buyers. You'll have as many clients as you want every single month on autopilot without you doing anything. You'll hit 6 or 7 or 12-figures whenever you're ready for it. Your bank account will skyrocket and you'll be able to afford a biosphere home on the moon. AND you'll do all of this while remembering the beautiful joy of what it means to be a true entrepreneur.

By now the webinar is about a 3rd of the way complete. At this point you might start to wonder if you're getting anywhere. Gurus know this.

So they move into the final part of Phase 2, authority. This is where they finally introduce themselves. They throw whatever credibility markers at you that they've got. The purpose is to prove that they are someone worth listening to, and that they can therefore help you out.


Who I Am:

I'm an NLP Master Practitioner with years of study. I've had 100,000 app downloads. I've played poker with @MJ DeMarco. I've talked to 100's of women all over the world. I've completely eliminated phobias in at least 5 people who wouldn't publicly disagree.


Credibility establishes authority. People listen to authorities. Credibility markers are things like big numbers, name dropping, places they've worked or been featured (Forbes, Entrepreneur) important titles, testimonials, downloads, likes, shares, etc.......

Tier 1 and Tier 2 gurus are more likely to use actually sales numbers to establish authority. Tier 3 and 4 use more vague concepts like app downloads, or number of likes and shares, so they don't have to straight up lie about sales achievements.

One other thing I've seen Tier 1 and 2 gurus add recently is some pictures of their family. They'll have a slide covering some awesome vacation they took. This helps you feel like they're a real person just like you who's just trying to give their family a good life. It also implies what the viewer will have once they make the shifts.


PHASE 3 - THE MAGICAL LIFE-ALTERING SHIFTS

And so...we finally reach the shifts.

The 5 (or 7 or 10 or 3) Shifts (or changes, or steps, or leaps) consume a major portion of the rest of the webinar. This is the supposed "meat and potatoes" you signed up for. Really this is just the part where they change how you think about the purchase you'll later make.

Each shift, like every other part of the webinar, follows a specific structure and contains specific information in a series of slides. With many of my past clients we used the following tactics in these slides:

1) Shock
2) Support
3) Stakes
4) Stuff
5) Story
6) Summary

Shock -
They say something shocking or unexpected to get attention.
Support - They back up what they say with some kind of evidence.
Stakes - They let you know what's at stake if you do this or if you don't do this.
Stuff - This is the tiny little part of the webinar where they might teach you something of value.
Story - They reinforce what they just taught you with a story or testimonial.
Summary - They summarize the whole thing.

The structure of the 5 shifts is done in a way that lowers your guard, and prepares you to take the correct actions later on in the funnel. For that reason, you'll find the shifts usually go something like this:

SHIFT 1 - ALWAYS TRY TO HELP PEOPLE
This isn't about you helping people. It's about you believing they help people.

SHIFT 2 - CHARGE A PREMIUM
This isn't about you charging a premium. It's about you beginning to understand and accept that they charge a premium.

SHIFT 3 - USE THE SECRET TOOL
The secret tool...is webinars, and you have to agree that it works because you're still watching it!

SHIFT 4 - LEVERAGE YOUR TIME
This shift describes separating your time from your pay. But it's really about them subtly overcoming your objection to spending X amount for something that doesn't take that much time for them to deliver.

SHIFT 5 - INVEST IN MENTORING
The final shift is ALWAYS to invest in mentoring. Mentoring gives you accountability and insights and blah blah blah. If you really want to hit 12-figures, you'll need a mentor.

As you can see, these shifts are NOT designed to HELP you. They're designed to SELL you. More specifically, they prep you to be open and accepting of the upcoming sales pitch.



PHASE 4 - RECAP, A CHOICE, THE CLOSE

When you get past the 5 shifts, you're feeling good. You feel confident. You feel excited. You've just discovered some crazy insights (or so you believe). Good luck implementing them without a mentor though...

You feel a sort of high at this point. Part has to do with the webinar information. Another part has to do with the speaker him or herself. Tier 1 & 2 gurus know how to change the speed, pitch, and tone of their voice to hype you up (even though they'll say they don't do that anymore because it wasn't an ethical way to sell).

FYI...they still do it.

So now there's a couple of slides that recap the entire 5 shifts to remind you of everything you just learned, and also to explain how the guru delivered what they promised (so you don't feel cheated). Then you get a slide that says you have a choice.


Now You Have A Choice:

You can keep reverse engineering funnel after funnel, going nowhere in life, making sh*t pay, and having no clients and no food on the table OR....

AND FINALLY...

The truth comes out. Once they remind you of how shitty life is right now, they drop this bomb on you...


Here's How I Can Help:

My team and I have set aside some time to talk with you about how you can apply these ideas in your business today! And the best part? It's totally FREE!

After that you're almost done. You've only got a couple more slides. The final slides get more specific with targeting. You'll usually have the following:

Who This Is For
Says things about you that you would agree are true.

Who This Is Not For
Describes the kind of person you don't want to think of yourself as.

Why We're Doing This

This slide is where they first mention selling to you. They say on the call they'll talk with you about your strategy (And they will, but they won't help you refine it. We'll cover that later) and if you both think you're a fit, they may invite you to become one of the new clients they accept this month (the words "this month" add a scarcity element).

If We Work Together
This is a future pacing slide that also lets you know there will be expectations of you if you get accepted (you will be expected to conform to their standards). Again they play on scarcity and ego too. The very fact you could be denied compels you to be among the first to get your free call.

Call To Action
The final slide of the webinar is a call to action. For Tier 3 & 4 gurus, this often goes to a sales page. Tier 1 and 2 gurus know it's better to send people straight to a booking page for a call (because $10,000+ sales happen on calls).


AND THAT'S THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES BABY...

By the end of the webinar, you've gone from skeptic who's never heard of the speaker, to extremely interested, motivated, informed prospect who needs to take action RIGHT NOW before you miss your chance to get your FREE strategy session where you'll learn how you can start to apply the 5 shifts to your business (remember one of those includes getting mentoring!).

Whew...

That was quite a read.

A little bit later we'll talk more on some of the cult indoctrination that's taking place here. I'll probably just do an entire lesson that brings all of those pieces together after we finish the main funnel topics.

Up next...

The FREE Strategy Call

Stay tuned...

P.S.

Imagine you weren't a savvy Fastlane entrepreneur...you hate your job and your life. You don't know about process. You still search for events. Can you see how easy it would be to "fall" for a webinar after reading the post above? But it can happen just as easily to Fastlaners too, and that's why we're talking about it. Never think it can't happen to you. You'll be the first person it happens to.
One of the best threads I've come across. Hats off to SinisterLex. Awesome read.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Xeon

All Cars Kneel Before Pagani.
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
191%
Sep 3, 2017
2,427
4,628
Singapore
Can you see how easy it would be to "fall" for a webinar after reading the post above? But it can happen just as easily to Fastlaners too, and that's why we're talking about it

This may not be webinars, but I've spent close to a thousand bucks starting from early 2000s on those ebook systems and dvd sort of thing (getting any girl you want, be financially independent, and those expensive sixpackshortcuts crap....). The ones that have brilliant, long-form copywriting on a single webpage.....what a waste of money.
 

GMSI7D

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
Jan 27, 2016
992
2,041
47
Lyon, France
WTF, this thread is forcing me to think of another TAG beyond GOLD... platinum? Legendary? Mind blown?

View attachment 18256

More thanks and rep+


look for expansion of the mind

"awakening thread "

so the hierarchy:

1) normal thread

2) notable

3) gold

4) life changing / awakening awareness

you get the idea

your whole teaching ( books, forum , whatever ) has only one meaning : waking people up



and there is a lot of work and potential


because this world is just an illusion






.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

GMSI7D

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
Jan 27, 2016
992
2,041
47
Lyon, France
i want to dwell on a specific guru's attitude

let's get back to a famous guru : Tai Lopez

when you look at this guy , do you want to resist what he says at the first glance ?

no.

he looks like a friend. your buddy at the beach. not a salesman.




tai.jpg



so here is the point : we have nothing to resist so we follow gurus lead


this is a slippery slope



by the way, a good copy is a slippery slope as well said by John Carlton:

the reader starts by reading the headline and finaly buys the product : slippery slope


this is the boiled frog story

the frog won't resist the progressive boiling water until it is too late


Boiling frog - Wikipedia
 

dimraj

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
353%
Nov 30, 2016
19
67
Teaching "How to do" Rather than actually practising what most preach. Many of the models or things most gurus teach dont even work. The money is in selling the dream to newbies who dont know better. When they fail, the gurus just go, hey you didnt work hard enough, you need to visualise more. Sometimes i just think of the whole coaching/ internet marketing space as F*cking CANCER :humph:
 
Last edited:

Jesse Dean

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
167%
Feb 23, 2018
12
20
36
Australia
Excellent post Lex.

When you get time can you break down what you think are legit ways for a good course to advertise and market themselves.

Repped and following.

Edit - did you give away all your rep points?
Probably the same way bro, but if your stuff is legit, its not problem if it actually adds value.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

GMSI7D

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
Jan 27, 2016
992
2,041
47
Lyon, France
. When they fail, the gurus just go, hey you didnt work hard enough, you need to visualise more. Sometimes i just think of the whole coaching/ internet marketing space as f*cking CANCER :humph:


gurus are taking advantage of probabilities.

they know that most people won't take action with the product.

this is human nature. we buy things and then we do nothing.

we are so distracted that we can't focus on the important things anymore.

so we buy things and then we look for the next product without doing anything with the last one we bought.

gurus know this . they know that most people won't ask for a refund and won't complain because they won't use the product in the first place. they won't even know that the product is a scam in the first place because they do nothing with it .

this is a well thought out strategy. this is not ethical but it works.



lotteries are taking advantage of this human trait. ( lazyness )

---> they know that people won't ask questions

the french lottery was willing to pay an engineer 500,000 dollars to avoid being sued !

because the engineer was smart enough to study the whole system and discover the scam behind the scenes before spending his money on lottery tickets


the wole game is rigged and biased and this can be proved with mathematics
 

dgr

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
271%
Feb 20, 2016
143
387
39
Spain
WTF, this thread is forcing me to think of another TAG beyond GOLD... platinum? Legendary? Mind blown?

I thought exactly the same reading the second post by SL lol.



This is huge, and I can predict that the Rep of SL is going to reach its previous mark in veeery litle time.



Bastian Ernst of Wild Audience has a great system for building behavior-based funnels, and he was the most recent guru who sold me a product.

Behavior-based funnels are funnels designed to give a contact a more engaging experience.

Hmmm… interesting enough. We use that funnels slightly at my job (a hotel reservation marketplace), but the are very basic. I will check out that course for later, but something that has caught my attention is how he uses a “continue” button. That’s a small commitment you are taking when reading this page. It’s like this questions in one site by Maria Veloso. Not only you are asking the questions in your mind, but actually checking them, so you are totally engaged by this point.

EDIT: I forgot to attach the image
engaging_copy.png


The most recent guru who has sold me a product is André Chaperon, the guy from Tiny Little Businesses. There’s something funny about this. Just as Kane9 said…


That says it all. On a conscious level, I had no intention of purchasing this product. But they had hit enough psychological triggers that a deep part of me needed what they were offering.


… Actually, I had free access to the course before buying it. But after reading all his copy, his e-mails, and part of the course itself, I was so sucked into his world, that I’d like to be part of it. Btw, André provides great value (the course teaches some of the mechanisms you are exposing here, but in order to sell something of value), and he still seems authentic, even when he…


One other thing I've seen Tier 1 and 2 gurus add recently is some pictures of their family. They'll have a slide covering some awesome vacation they took. This helps you feel like they're a real person just like you who's just trying to give their family a good life. It also implies what the viewer will have once they make the shifts.

… post some photos of him family once in a while :D



Yes, they want your attention, but there's more to it than that. By closing out other distractions, you don't just give your attention. You give your focused attention to the ideas they want you to consume (mainly that following their words and their system will pave the way to riches). This is another Cialdini approved presuasion method.
And they are moving you to take your first commitments. Like in hypnosis, when you ask for a change in posture before start.

There's another NLP technique used here too. It's called a presupposition. Presuppositions are assumptions about events that will occur. In this case it is presupposed that you will be making these shifts at some point. Sales gurus would call it assuming the sale.
In game, they say "asume familiarity and the girl will accept it." It works everywhere. But it's hard if you have to fake it.

This is the tier a certain recently outed guru around here would fall into.
Who I Am:

I'm an NLP Master Practitioner with years of study. I've had 100,000 app downloads. I've played poker with @MJ DeMarco. I've talked to 100's of women all over the world. I've completely eliminated phobias in at least 5 people who wouldn't publicly disagree.

tenor.gif




With many of my past clients we used the following tactics in these slides:

Hey! Wait a moment! This is another guru-tactic! Building authority mentioning your past clients :D


SHIFT 5 - INVEST IN MENTORING

If I attend to a seminar and this point is not covered, I would be disappointed :D
 
Last edited:

ApparentHorizon

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
301%
Apr 1, 2016
942
2,836
Greenville, SC
i want to dwell on a specific guru's attitude

let's get back to a famous guru : Tai Lopez

when you look at this guy , do you want to resist what he says at the first glance ?

no.

he looks like a friend. your buddy at the beach. not a salesman.




View attachment 18266



so here is the point : we have nothing to resist so we follow gurus lead


this is a slippery slope



by the way, a good copy is a slippery slope as well said by John Carlton:

the reader starts by reading the headline and finaly buys the product : slippery slope


this is the boiled frog story

the frog won't resist the progressive boiling water until it is too late


Boiling frog - Wikipedia

He comes off insecure as hell. Always has.

Watch any interview where he's not the one controlling the camera. He usually has his hands in his pockets and dodges questions about his net worth.

Maybe it's a tactic to push people away who notice it.

Kind of how those phishing emails make spelling and grammar errors, on purpose. To weed out anyone with half a brain.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

GMSI7D

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
Jan 27, 2016
992
2,041
47
Lyon, France
He comes off insecure as hell. Always has.

Watch any interview where he's not the one controlling the camera. He usually has his hands in his pockets and dodges questions about his net worth.

Maybe it's a tactic to push people away who notice it.

Kind of how those phishing emails make spelling and grammar errors, on purpose. To weed out anyone with half a brain.

i haven't notice that , but you are probably right.

anyway, he 's got more than 1,000,000 followers on youtube


i am fascinated with these gurus

they are masters of human psychology

let's take a look at Marshall Sylver. the guy calls himself " the millionaire maker "

sylver.jpg



but what he does is just entertaining people. he doesn't teach how to make millions


this is just a giant show with NLP techniques.




here is what NLP has done for him :


this

marshall.png


this :

wife.jpg


that


TP-Web-Banner-1.png



don't you want to have this lifestyle ?



watch this video . what is the tactic used ?

---> make you feel like a king . you are special. you are part of the elite


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcUQ3acF8GY



 
Last edited:

Jesse Dean

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
167%
Feb 23, 2018
12
20
36
Australia
its great. The video sells the dream, and easy money - like.. just come, show up! And also showcasing mid 40s 50s couples who want the relationship to thrive as it seems for the testimonial couples, which also creates the relatedness. Typically an easy target the baby boomers as they dont have a street smarts when it comes to the internet and gurus.
 

Jesse Dean

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
167%
Feb 23, 2018
12
20
36
Australia
THE BEST ONE - my boss went to a seminar to suss it out. It was about buying property. in the seminar, it was allll a big G-up to get to see your credit card not a debt thing, but a tool! a tool you can use to maximize on your profit and time... via buying the $17k course. And people were buying it!!! incredible.
 

DustinH

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
162%
May 24, 2017
253
411
Nashville
This F*ckin' guy...

Go watch any of his interviews, especially with Grant Cardone. Grant asks him simple questions in which a real entrepreneur would immediately know their answers. This guy just sits there like a deer in the headlights because he's making this shit up as he goes along.

And another thing...

If I have to see another a**hole on YouTube talk about some fancy house, or some bullshit lambo car, or more nonsense about how they make millions, I will throw up onto my computer screen.

Thank god for YouTube Red so I don't have to watch another Tai Lopez house tour.

This guy annoys the shit out of me too...




i want to dwell on a specific guru's attitude

let's get back to a famous guru : Tai Lopez

when you look at this guy , do you want to resist what he says at the first glance ?

no.

he looks like a friend. your buddy at the beach. not a salesman.




View attachment 18266



so here is the point : we have nothing to resist so we follow gurus lead


this is a slippery slope



by the way, a good copy is a slippery slope as well said by John Carlton:

the reader starts by reading the headline and finaly buys the product : slippery slope


this is the boiled frog story

the frog won't resist the progressive boiling water until it is too late


Boiling frog - Wikipedia
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,935
Utah
If You Make 'Em Cry, They'll Buy.

That's not a guru quote. It's mine. But it sums up today's topic, the Discovery Call
(AKA Breakthrough Call, Mindset Call, Strategy Call etc.)

Screen Shot 2018-02-27 at 2.38.31 AM.png
If you make it to the end of the webinar, you're probably an ideal target, ahem client...This is even more true if you click the call to action to book a call while spaces are available. So where do you go from here and what can you expect next?

A high-ticket guru CTA almost always leads to one of three places.

1) A call booking page that leads to a call.
2) An application that leads to a booking page that leads to a call.
3) A long-form sales page that leads to an application page that leads to a call booking page that leads to a call.

If the CTA opens up a sales page, it usually won't lead to a checkout page. Those that do are for lower priced offers. For instance, some gurus maintain a short version of their core program for around $997. That's at the upper end of what people will pay without talking to someone most of the time.

The $997 offer is a watered down version of the full program, and it's usually reserved for those who don't buy the full program. Gurus know that once you become a customer (even at a lower price) you're more likely to buy from them again in the future. So they set up a short version of their program that doesn't give you everything you need. To get the rest you'll need to upgrade.


THE APPLICATION FORM

If you land on this page you'll find it pretty straightforward. It's a regular contact form with a bunch of questions. The form asks for your name, email, business name and other standard contact information. That's where the standard stuff ends. After that you'll get these questions:

• How much money do you make per month?
• What is your target monthly profit?
• What is your biggest obstacle to hitting reaching your target monthly profit?
• Briefly describe your current service...
• How long have you used the internet for business?
• What kind of marketing have you tried?
• Right now I...

[have the financial resources to invest in growing my business]
[have access to the financial resources to invest in growing my business]
[I don't have access to financial resources and I'm going to keep my business right where it is]


When you read these questions, you might suspect all of this is leading to a high priced offer. Most people don't even think about it because they've already had their defenses lowered on the webinar. Their beliefs about how much things should cost are already challenged. Plus they're fighting an unknown deadline for a free call.

The questions above are designed to do several things.

1) They filter out those who are most likely to get on a call and try to get free consulting.
2) They filter out those who can't pay, and filter in those who can.
3) They paint "investing" as the positive choice and not having cash as the negative choice.
4) Your answers tell the guru everything else they need to know to sell you on the call.

At the end of the form there's usually one last question that's designed to trigger the psychological rule of commitment. Those who make a written, verbal, etc. commitment are more likely to be consistent with what they said later on. Since people changing their mind and not showing up for calls wastes time and scheduling slots, gurus don't want that. So they use this box:

Our team will call at the time you choose. Please commit to your appointment by typing below:
"Yes, I promise I will answer the phone for my breakthrough session when you call."


Now that you've committed, you'll probably have to answer a stupid or silly question at the bottom. The last question is to lighten the mood. After all, the other questions just forced you to consider your current situation in life. Most people don't do that very often.

(Note: Them calling you is one more way they assume control)


THE DISCOVERY CALL


Screen Shot 2018-02-27 at 5.51.04 AM.png

Your call might be scheduled the same day or a day or two later. Call schedulers usually won't allow you to go much beyond that. The more space between the original webinar and the call, the more likely you are to lose the little spark of motivation you had.

When you scheduled your call, the thank you page (or a follow up email) probably told you to bring pen and paper so you can take notes for all the takeaways you'll get from the call. That's to help you feel like this isn't just a sales call.

That's also why it's not called a sales call. It's reframed as a discovery or breakthrough call because that makes it about you making progress instead of them making money.

Crazy how changing a single word changes the entire meaning of things...

Anyway...

Let's talk about how discovery calls work. They happen in 4 or 5 phases depending on who you talk to. Those phases are:

Phase 1 - Intro & Rapport
Phase 2 - Discovery
Phase 3 - Qualifying
Phase 4 - Closing

Strange how closely those phases resemble a sales call. :D


PHASE 1 - INTRO & RAPPORT

Your call may be on the phone or it could be Skype, Zoom, or some other video chat program. When you first go live you'll introduce yourself to the guru and they'll do the same. They'll sound upbeat and motivated, but this only lasts through rapport phase. They'll ask you where you're from and talk about the weather. It's small talk for just a moment. This is building rapport. Rapport means getting in sync with you.

Once they feel you're comfortable, they start to take control.

Before moving into discovery phase, the guru takes a more serious tone. His voice lowers, and draws back from the excited pitch he held just moments ago. Then he/she sets the frame for the call with something like this:

"Just to recap, the purpose of today's call. We're going to go over your situation and I'm going to help you discover the exact steps you need to take to grow your business to six figures per month. After that, if we both agree on your course of action, and that you're a fit for our services, we may invite you to work with us as one of the students we'll accept this month into our program."

Though it sounds like they'll give you step-by-step instructions to 6-figures, that's not true. This statement really just tells you they're going to show you why you need their mentoring and at the end of the call they're going to try to sell you their system. Notice there's a lot of future pacing going on (pacing the the future that's soon to come, as well as potential distant futures).

At this point you can either disagree and end the call immediately and waste no more of their time...or you agree and you've unknowingly overcome many of your own objections before they were ever objections.


PHASE 2 - DISCOVERY

Discovery is the biggest, longest part of the call. In this phase the guru asks questions about your business and life. As you move forward, the questions get more and more targeted. They get harder to answer. They get more painful to think about.

This is called agitating your pain points.

Remember, people are highly motivated by pain. Until it becomes more painful to stay in place than to keep their hard earned cash, a prospect won't buy. So they have to feel the pain before the guru pitches the sale.

Now that you're in rapport, the guru leads into phase 2 with a question or statement like...

"So, what's the biggest problem in your business right now?"

or

"So, tell me about your business."

They start with a question or statement that leads into a BIG PICTURE open-ended response. They ask a question, then stop talking. That's when you tell them what's wrong with your business from your perspective. By the way, in order for you to recall this problem, you have to see it in your mind. That means you have to go to your internal world to find that information.

In other words, you go into a trance.
Trance occurs anytime your attention is focused inward.

Moving on...

Usually the guru already knows what you're going to say because you told them what you think is the problem on your application. So you might say something like:

YOU - "My business is doing okay...I just can't seem to get it fully off the ground.

People will say a lot more than that, but this is a quick example. Notice how the way you described your situation is vague. It's high level. It's big picture. Big picture isn't painful. So the guru has to probe deeper and get you more specific about your problem. To do that, they'll ask more targeted questions.

THEM - Why do you think that is?

YOU - Well, I'm not getting enough customers. I don't know how to get them.

THEM - How have you tried getting customers in the past?

YOU - I post on craigslist and share posts with my Facebook friends.

THEM - And how has that worked out for you?

YOU - Not very well. I had a few customers but they were mostly family.

THEM - Have you ever tried automating your process with ads?

YOU - I spent a little money on Facebook ads once but it didn't work very well.

THEM - How much did you spend on Facebook ads?

YOU - About $100 dollars.

THEM - And how many clients did you get?

YOU - None.

THEM - So how are you making money right now?

YOU - Well, I'm not making that much because I don't have that many customers.

THEM - How many sales do you make each month?

YOU - I'd say around 1 to 2.

THEM - How many sales have you made in the past month?

YOU - None.

THEM - And the month before that?

YOU - None.

THEM - And the month before that?

YOU - None.

THEM - So you're not making any money. How exactly is not having any clients for 3 months affecting your business?

YOU - It's getting really hard to keep going because I feel like I'm not making any progress. I'm not making much money and I don't know how long I can go on like this. I'm starting to put expenses on credit and burning through my savings.

THEM - And what about your family life? How does not being able to pay yourself affect your life at home?

YOU - Well, my wife gets upset with me because she has to cover all our bills. We've been fighting a lot lately. Our marriage is starting to suffer, and I hate that my daughter has to see that.

THEM - What do you think will happen if this keeps up?

YOU - Soon we'll run out of savings. We won't be able to afford our home. We'll get behind on our bills and be living on credit. I won't be able to provide clothes or food for my family and I...and I...and I...just don't know. I just don't know how I'll.....................I just don't know what to............................................................................


At this point you break down in F*cking tears. Your world goes dark. You've just been on a trip through the rabbit hole and...

images


...there's no happy ending. There can't be. If there were, the guru couldn't get you to open up your wallet. So they use leading questions to guide you through an imaginary tale that ends in the worst possible place.

Confronted with this reality, many people break down and cry.


Now that you're emotionally vulnerable, and experiencing this deep pain, you're wide open to be sold to. Not only that, you believe the guru has the solution to your problem. Why? Because how the hell else would he know such specific questions to ask? How could he know your pain so well if he wasn't an expert?

Simple...

You told him everything he needed to know long before you got on that call. He didn't bring any of this stuff to your attention. He just asked questions. You brought it to your own attention. Pulled it straight out of the deepest, darkest, pits of your own inner mind.


PHASE 3 - QUALIFYING

By this point the guru has probably decided if he can get your cash. This section doesn't take long. It's usually a series of 1-5 questions designed to make sure you're ready to go all-in.

Transitioning into this stage usually sounds like this:

THEM
- Jim, based on everything you just told me, your business needs an automated system to generate a steady flow of clients month to month, but right now you're not making any sales. If you don't solve this problem, you're going to have some really bad financial problems, you won't be able to feed little Kimmy, and you'll probably destroy your marriage and live on the streets. Does that about sum it up?

YOU - *through sobs* Yes.

THEM - So let me ask you this...if there were a solution, would you be ready to invest in it?

YOU - Yeah, I mean I think so...

THEM - And knowing I've dealt with similar situations, would you agree I can help you?

YOU - Yeah, I think so.

THEM - You sound like you want to be a great father and husband, but are you ready to do the work required to create this profound change in your life?

YOU - Yeah, I just need a little help figuring out what to do.

THEM - Alright Jim, so here's how I can help you...when you work with me you'll be part of a powerful community of entrepreneurs headed toward success. You'll get access to our proven method of generating new clients automatically, and you'll get the best training money can buy, and I'll basically hold your hand every step of the way. Does that make sense for you?

YOU - Yeah, I guess so.


Now that I'm writing all this stuff down, this is kind of like the process police interrogators sometimes use that results in false confessions by innocent people.


PHASE 4 - CLOSING

Closing is where the guru pitches the sale. It's also the point you're most likely to object. The thing is, mentally you're broken. You feel vulnerable. You just want a solution. Your objections are weak at best, and most of them were already overcome.

You just don't know it yet.


THEM - Great, well Jim, I can help you change your situation. I can help you set up systems that help you generate a consistent flow of high-paying clients so you have steady income at higher rates than ever before, and put you on track for 6-figures in the next six months. Sound good?



[Their tone usually rises at this point. They want you to associate them with positive feelings now that we're close to the sale.]



YOU - *smiling and a happy small chuckle* That sounds great.

THEM - Great! So, to change your life, and get your business back on track, and to make sure your family is fed, clothed, and can start living a better life, and to put you on track toward your first 6 or 7-figures...... it's just $10,000. Will that be Visa or Mastercard?


OBJECTIONS

Bitch slapped with an insane number, your eyes go wide. Is this guy nuts? But the guru doesn't flinch. You won't hear the slightest waivering at all. The guru knows all he has to do is act like he doesn't care if you buy or not.

Why?

Because of confidence. If the guru sounds like he doesn't care if you buy, it tells you that he must be the real deal because someone who was full of shit would beg for your cash. So the guru keeps his cool. He pretends to be a doctor, and you're the patient, and if you don't want his help, no problem. He'll try to get you to see how this cancer is going to kill you, but ultimately, you have to decide to let him operate.

YOU - Oh, uh, I didn't expect it to be so much.

THEM - *Silence*

YOU - I don't think I can come up with that.

THEM - What do you think stops you right now?

YOU - It's just a lot of money and I'm not making very much.

THEM - That's exactly why you need our help, Jim.

YOU - Yeah, but I just think I want to try it on my own first.

THEM - I understand Jim, but where has that gotten you so far?

YOU - Good point...well, I need to talk to my wife first.

THEM - I understand Jim, but does your wife make these decisions for you?

YOU - No...but I just don't know how I can pay.
(you've moved from "NO" to "how"...)


THEM - A lot of our customers put their payment on credit. Which major credit cards do you use?

YOU - Well, I guess I could maybe do it from my VISA card, but my limit is $2000.

THEM - That's fine, we have a flexible payment option so it's just 6 monthly installments of $2,000. You could do the first $2,000 now and pay down that amount or ask for a limit increase later if you need to. Go ahead with the card number whenever you're ready.


Basically any objection you might have, they have a solution for. They overcome your objections through any means, but usually it's not that hard because you're on a live call, and you already told them everything they need to know to overcome your objections. In reality, you overcame your own objections, and that's why it works so well.

And this...my friends...is how a free webinar turns into a $10,000 sale.

Title makes sense now, eh?

If you make 'em cry, they'll buy.


That's it for today. In the next lesson we'll cover what happens after you buy. Lots of fun tidbits still to come, but we'll save that for later.

See you soon.

:)

P.S.

Notice this entire system is based on the guru asking YOU questions. That's because when they ask questions, you must respond. They don't want to be the one responding to questions. Questions reveal things, as you've clearly seen. Who knows what your questions could reveal if you started asking...
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

Raoul Duke

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
324%
Feb 26, 2016
2,209
7,149
ENTER THE CULT - THE NEARLY UNSTOPPABLE POWER OF WEBINARS

Who I Am:

I'm an NLP Master Practitioner with years of study. I've had 100,000 app downloads. I've played poker with @MJ DeMarco. I've talked to 100's of women all over the world. I've completely eliminated phobias in at least 5 people who wouldn't publicly disagree.




The Well Defined Andrew | Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Swiping left
is an everyday occurrence.​
 
Last edited:

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast

Rockford

Burpee Enthusiast
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
281%
Dec 31, 2017
16
45
Florida
Damn, @SinisterLex, you are dropping serious value here. One of the things that struck me about the hypothetical conversation above is how similar it is to a coaching session. Years ago, I became a certified coach (don't ask) and I learned the power of asking questions (then shutting up and actually listening to the answers). I also learned the power of future pacing.

It still astounds me how easy it is to lead someone to pain (as you showed in your post) and have them make decisions that they believe are made of their own free will.

On the flip side, I've seen the power of future pacing with questions to have a client envision a better future and come up with meaningful solutions that don't require a credit card.

It's clear that as entrepreneurs, we have a decision to make:

Once we know how to wield such a powerful tool, are we going to use it to make the world a better place or are we going to use it to line our bank accounts at the expense of others?

Looking forward to future posts.

EDIT:

+Rep
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

rollerskates

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
269%
Jan 10, 2017
391
1,053
Texas
This is really among the best threads I've read anywhere.

This topic has fascinated me since I saw a book in a catalog, that's right, a real catalog. I was young and the web wasn't really a thing. Maybe late 1980s or so. Anyway, the book was "how to get rich writng how to books" and it stopped me in my tracks. I wondered how anyone didn't see right through it. The game hasn't changed, only the medium used to deliver the pitch.

Absolutely one of the best! Should have a platinum or legendary tag. :praise:

I have always marched to my own drummer and have never fallen for any kind of pitch like this and don't understand how people do.

In my line of business (art/handmade fashion and stuff) I know quite a few people who have abandoned selling things to become "coaches" to other people who sell things, and I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would pay a coach in our business.

The scary thing is, I could probably become a believable guru/coach inside of a month and make a mint. :duh: I do sell a few help guides (and am writing more) but only ones where I have walked the walk and things that are actually things to do (not BS rah rah). Like for instance, I would sell a guide on "how to create high end packaging" or "how to style photographs". (Just examples, these aren't what I do).

It makes me sad that people shell out money for BS when their lives can be improved so much by non-money means. Like Jordan Peterson says, clean your room. You just know many of the people throwing money at gurus to become "coaches" are sitting in their mother's basement eating Cheetos. And not that money isn't important to live, but like we say here, chasing money never works. Neither does sitting on the couch eating Cheetos. o_O
 

GMSI7D

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
Jan 27, 2016
992
2,041
47
Lyon, France
I have always marched to my own drummer and have never fallen for any kind of pitch like this and don't understand how people do.

to understand the power of gurus, cult or whatever, we have to come back to the theory of strong intent and weak intent :yang and yin


let's think for a minute

why do you think this guy ( who was a failure in his twenties and thirties) was able to lead a whole nation ?

--> he looks like a dork in the street .

but he has something that 95 % of people lack

what is this thing ?




hitler.jpg


what he had that most people will never have is 100 % determination

most people will never, EVER , have a 100 % determination for doing anything

if you can put determination in the life of people , whether for good purpose or bad purpose

then the sky is the limit


another example :

David Koresh, again

the guy REALLY believed that he was Jesus Christ

---> you the reader really believe that you are alive right now.

and the guy really believed he was Jesus Christ and he had a mission

he had to win or perish . and he died for his belief




David-Koresh-1.jpg





what does Nietzsche have to say here ?


nature.jpg


---> GURUS are more determined than most people to get what they want so according to the yin yang theory, people will always follow a strong intent.

in fact, they have to follow a strong intent. this is not a choice



GURUS are probably more determined than 80 % of the users of this very forum as well





.
 

Fox

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
Forum Sponsor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
690%
Aug 19, 2015
3,881
26,766
Europe
Whoever is asking questions is in control.

By avoiding wanting to be the one talking and being able to shut up and listen your sales go through the roof.

Of course this can be abused (as this thread shows) but this is a massive skill set when it comes to selling.

Amazing thread Lex. I feel like you having a kid has already made you wiser and more in tune with yourself and your own core beliefs. This is great material.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

The Patriot Way

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
215%
Sep 19, 2017
47
101
Los Angeles, CA
This is really terrifying - some stone-cold Machiavellian level stuff, here. I have to admit I've been pulled in by these tactics a few times, but fortunately bailed before I got too deep. This guy "Billy Gene" actually got me into one of his pre-recorded webinars and my gut told me to X out within minutes. I don't even remember what he was selling, and unsubscribing to his emails multiple times had no effect. I was on another mailing list for an online entrepreneur magazine run by an Aussie named Nathan Chan, which seemed to be providing somewhat interesting content and resources in the beginning, and then I started seeing emails trying to get me into his Instagram course promising 10k followers in a short amount of time. It was only $1997, but $997 if I bought it by midnight (complete with a countdown timer embedded in the email)! I guess that specific number has some sort of proven psychological triggering value.

I don't know if there's already a running thread like this, but it might be interesting and beneficial to keep track of some of the better known snake oil gurus to separate them from the people who are actually providing legitimate value. I can think of a bunch of guys who haven't already been mentioned to add to the list. After hearing MJ talk about Kiyosaki's schtick in TMF , I feel nauseous seeing infomercials of him hawking precious metals to senior citizens.

Thank you for exposing the tactics of these false prophets, @SinisterLex! I'm brand new here, but I'd vote platinum for this one. Disgusting to see how meticulous gurus can be in exploiting the weaknesses and desperation of people.
 
Last edited:

DVU

In Progress
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
236%
Sep 24, 2016
256
603
25
Croatia
I hate these people. There's always the secret in the webinar that you don't know that's keeping you from XYZ.

I respect the hustle but still, selling without providing any real value is just a no-no for me...

Excellent post Lex.

When you get time can you break down what you think are legit ways for a good course to advertise and market themselves.

Repped and following.

Edit - did you give away all your rep points?

Read Russel Brunson's dotcomsecrects and expertsecrets, you pretty much have the whole process that you need there.

And as you walked the walk it will probably sell like hotcakes.
 

rogue synthetic

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
310%
Aug 2, 2017
348
1,079
I have always marched to my own drummer and have never fallen for any kind of pitch like this and don't understand how people do.

You're probably right about having some resistance to these guru-triggers, but it's worth drilling a little deeper into this belief.

We can pull out two common mistakes about persuasion:

1. The guru is an all-powerful warlock. He weaves a spell and can make anyone believe anything, do anything.

2. I won't ever fall for this stuff because I know better.

Both of these are wrong. They're wrong because they miss out on a key ingredient.

In The True Believer, Eric Hoffer tells us that mass movements appeal to a certain kind of person: the frustrated. Frustration means just what it sounds like.

You believe that the world should be one way. But it isn't -- and you don't see any way to do anything about it.

Hoffer's point is that some people in society are so alienated from themselves that they see nothing left for them.

They will accept anyone who offers a new message as long as it provides them with a new identity and a separation from the hopeless present.


Now, all of us are frustrated in some way. Doesn't this mean that the next Hitler could come along and turn you into a Nazi?

Not exactly. Here's why.

Persuasion triggers aren't sorcery. Nobody can wave a magic wand and bewitch you out of the blue into thinking or wanting or doing anything they want you to do.

Imagine a hardcore atheist shows up at an Amish community, hoping he can use psychological triggers to run "game" on them and turn them from their faith.

He's going to fail.

The community itself provides a powerful, closely-knit identity for all of its members. To sell them on atheism you'd have to replace that identity with another, and that's no easy thing to do.

There's no fit between the message and the market.

Being a part of a community with a strong shared identity is one of the best ways to resist the indoctrination of mass movements and the gurus hawking them.

Persuasion works by exploiting existing desires, pains, and identities -- or things which a skillful persuader can connect to those things.

We've had reports in this thread of people who are aware they are being sold, right down to pointing out the methods, and still feel the pull of these sales tactics enough to push the button (this includes me).

This doesn't mean that anybody who writes a sales letter, gives a webinar, or gives an amazing public oration can capture your soul. This isn't black magic and gurus are not warlocks.

This is why you're probably right about not being sold by the guru business model.

For the same reason, I doubt too many people would be brought into orbit around a Manson or Jones or Koresh either. To paraphrase Gary Halbert, most of us aren't hungry enough to buy their hamburgers.

But here's the trick: with the legit cults, they don't have to appeal to everyone -- just the right people.

And that goes for any type of marketing, which is the real moral here:

Everyone has his or her own frustrations, pains, needs, and wants.

You may not be the starving crowd that goes for bro-marketing hamburgers... but maybe you fall for the Facebook news feed, or the latest iGadget, or the right political party, or...

Name your vice and someone is willing to sell it to you.

And you are susceptible to anyone who knows how to push those buttons, to speak to your fears and frustrations, to promise your wildest dreams, or to connect with the things that you take as most valuable.

What is most worrying about the psychology of selling is not that it is used in these obvious ways, which most of us will see right through... though even then we still feel the pull of the triggers.

The biggest problem? Persuasion fades into the background noise and sneaks up on you where you aren't expecting it.

When it works on you, you probably won't even notice it.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Smith11B

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
369%
Nov 7, 2013
55
203
35
Man, this is spot on. I worked for one of the largest of these guys as a facebook ads manager and copywriter. (A tier one guy for sure. NDA so I won't disclose.) but this is the exact method save one thing in the discovery call I think is super important.

The Silence.

They don't teach to go for the kill with the credit card anymore. Instead, they use silence. After the guru says:

Great, well Jim, I can help you change your situation. I can help you set up systems that help you generate a consistent flow of high-paying clients so you have steady income at higher rates than ever before, and put you on track for 6-figures in the next six months. Sound good?

You: Yes I think so.

Then Silence.

Hey may say "cool" or something like that. But after that it's silence.

Why?

Because the only logical thing you can do is ask him what the price is. You already know he is not going to help you for free. He preemptively told you this when he said If you're a fit we'll extend an offer and accept you into the program. You also just admitted to both him and yourself that you need help and you think he can help you. There is a bit of social pressure for you to not be a hypocrite now. So..

You: What's it cost to work with you?

Guru: What do you mean? and then Silence.

Why?

Because he want's you to describe what you think you're getting out of the deal for two reasons. The first is so he can find any gaps between what you think he offers and what he offers. He wants to reframe it if you have it differently in your mind. The second is so you cement the benefit in your own head, there a little power in speaking it into existence and acting on it.

You: What's it cost to have you help me get systems etc etc....

Guru: As if he barely heard you. Oh It's just $10,000.

Silence.

Most salesman are uncomfortable here but the guru is not. Most salesman if you don't say anything will start filling the silence, explaining how they can lower the price or how they know it's too high etc. Not the guru. He's want's you to give your true objection so he can crush that and not your knee jerk reaction.

The guru I worked for called this entire process leaning out for the close. And most of the people he coached of course followed it without knowing the psychology behind it. It works
 

amp0193

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
444%
May 27, 2013
3,639
16,159
United States
The guru I worked for called this entire process leaning out for the close. And most of the people he coached of course followed it without knowing the psychology behind it. It works

Just reading your post made me uncomfortable. Man oh man.

Great insights
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top