I heard a new word yesterday which left me intrigued and curious. Gradualism.
This person put it in simple form of a child asking for something. We say, "just one," and then another one and pretty soon it's gone. Or, we'll see until we say yes.
An advertising guru by the name of Gene Schwartz coined the term as a way to structure or architect belief. An inconspicuous way to build whatever belief you want someone to have. He says that it has nothing to do with facts, proof or reason.
This person put it in simple form of a child asking for something. We say, "just one," and then another one and pretty soon it's gone. Or, we'll see until we say yes.
I thought of the frog in boiling water. If you put a frog in a pan of room temperature water and gradually turn up the heat, it will stay and boil to death. If you drop it in a pot of boiling water- it will jump out.
An advertising guru by the name of Gene Schwartz coined the term as a way to structure or architect belief. An inconspicuous way to build whatever belief you want someone to have. He says that it has nothing to do with facts, proof or reason.
Is this the same as building bridges? Linkages? Systems theory? Grooming? Conformity? The slow numbing or our ability to critical think and question? The apathy and sleep at the wheel syndrome that we have as people.
It's like watching of a football game in the stands with people who are not engaged. Ho hum either we win or lose. It's no big deal. But we will have plenty to talk about over coffee the next day. Meanwhile the guys on the field are playing their hearts out.
God help me take the honest way in my work and life and not in manipulation and structuring remote facts to get people to do what I want.
Sorry Gene but I'll take the truth any day. Let me have the boiling water so I know what I'm getting in to.
The following is Gene's description of gradualization.
"This process of starting with the facts that your prospect is already willing to accept, and leading him or her logically and comfortably through the gradual succession of more and more remote facts – each of which he has been prepared in turn to accept – is called gradualization. It is the third process of persuasion.
Mind you, this process of gradualization has nothing to do with the offering of proof, or reason-why explanations, or testimonials or documentation. Each of these mechanisms of belief adds to the power of your efforts, and will explore each of the chapters that follow…
…All these devises build belief. But by far the most fundamental of all – thought the most inconspicuous – is gradualization. For gradualization determines – not the content of your messages – but it’s structure, it’s architecture, the way you build it.”Gene Schwartz
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