The 1958 Chevy sales film is an excellent social science textbook with realistic and actionable descriptions of human nature and human desires.
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Semiquoting:
Deals aren’t closed by talking about Hydraulic Valve Lifters or Body By Fisher. Deals are clinched by how one human being reacts to another human being. Every man who walks into your store is a human being just like you. He’s got a home and a family. He’s got feelings that are pretty easy to hurt. He’s got a lot of funny little habits and screwy notions.
There are four motivators:
1. Prestige. The customer wants to be somebody. Make him feel important, try to show him that the product will help him feel important.
2. Fear. Best definition of all. Fear isn’t a phobia; fear is uncertainty. The customer isn’t sure he’s doing the right thing, and he’s unsure about your motives.
3. Pleasure. Customers want some enjoyment and fun out of life. During the test drive, show him that the car can be fun.
4. Imitation. People want to feel like one of the bunch. Let him know that Chevy is the most popular car in the country, so he’s running with the crowd.
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I was reminded of this by a new podcast about the Edelman Trust Barometer, the long-term survey proving that people in the WEFtern countries no longer trust ANY of our institutions. For many years we’ve distrusted everything except small businesses. Why? Because small businesses are the only group still seeking profit, the only group that tries to satisfy the 4 motivations, tries to be a HUMAN BEING dealing with another human being.
The headline says that we fear the government and corporations. No. Fear is uncertainty. We are perfectly certain that governments and corporations and churches WILL NOT treat us as human beings. We KNOW that they will treat us as lowly trash blocking the path of the Billionaires.
They see our home and family as assets to be LBO’d and arbitraged. They see our ‘funny habits and screwy notions’ as DEPLORABLE DISINFORMATION which must be FORCEFULLY RE-EDUCATED.
Polistra's Mill 