Have you ever been to one of those full day speaking gigs / workshops where at about the 3/4 mark throughout the training an offer is made and a rush of bodies go running to the back of the room like crazy people credit card in hand at the ready?
To a new comer this is a trap that they are completely unaware of. I have been in this game now for around ten years and I remember when I first learned about some of the sneaky tactics that are used – quite frankly it made me sick to my stomach – because that had been me – crazy person – brainwashed – running like a mad woman to buy some ‘special offer’ that would only be made ‘today’ ‘right now’ at ‘special said price’. I remember one of my mentors saying to me “Kat – do you really think that if you decide to do it at a later date that they won’t take your money?”
She had a point.
So how do they do it?
Qualified professional speakers (not all I might add – but many) have their entire day and sales process so finely tuned – it’s really like watching a puppet show – EVERYTHING is scripted and timed which in itself is not a bad thing, but many of them have learned to incorporate NLP techniques to brainwash you throughout the course of the day.
They knowingly use their presentations and persuasion techniques to take you to the most bottom depths of your pain, they make you hurt, they make you want to cry, they use their power and their voice to manipulate you in to a space of helplessness so that THEY can ride in like a knight in shining armor able to save you from yourself. Then they make the offer and that is why people run to the back of the room like crazy people.
The very core of the ‘selling from stage’ process very cleverly disguised as a one day workshop has been built on the backs of these underhanded techniques.
I think people are waking up and have had enough. This is a hard topic to write on because just as there are many people doing it in this way there are also a bunch of others speaking to truly add value, educate and inspire you. You will know which they are by how you FEEL when they talk. Try and tap in to your intuition throughout the day. I have many gorgeous friends who speak and sell from stage who do it straight from the heart, their intention is to help you and not manipulate you.
Personally, yes I do offer one day workshops and I always make an offer from them – BUT the reason I make an offer is because I add so much value in the course of the day that it would be wrong of me not to offer a way people can keep working with me if they want to.
The issue is not the fact that people sell – I am all for that – the issue is that so many will knowingly use brainwashing techniques as a part of the process. From the perspective of a conscious entrepreneur and coach – if someone wants to work with me they will, if the timing is right they will come forward – the last thing I want to do is push people who aren’t ready in to my programs. It never turns out for the better anyway and every single time they see your name come up on their credit card statement they HATE you.
Empowerment
I don’t want this post to stop you from going to workshops. I want this post to awaken you to the fact this goes on so that the next time you’re at a workshop you can really come back to you and check in with yourself. There are so many bright, shiny objects floating around that will only distract you. Ask yourself:
- How will buying this right now add value to my business?
- How long will it take me to see a return on investment for my purchase?
- What is the support – if I get stuck is their assistance?
- What is the guarantee – take a picture of the guarantee screen up on the wall (normally they put the guarantee up as a part of the presentation on the projector)
- Make sure all the bonus promises and guarantees are in writing. Ask them to confirm in writing (via e-mail) following the purchase that that is exactly what you will be getting.
In short – take the measures to protect yourself. Before you buy – walk away and take a few minutes to think about it. If they have been using NLP you will be fighting yourself on the questions, you may even feel like you really want it – but you don’t know why!
If all else fails and you walk away with regrets, their is normally a 3 day cooling off period where you can request to cancel the purchase. If you’re unsure contact your local Department of Fair Trading and Consumer Protection.
Also if a transaction goes bad and they do not deliver you can go to your bank and dispute the credit card transaction. If you can prove they haven’t delivered what they promised and have PROOF of it – the bank will sometimes return the money to your card. Always try and work it out with the company in question first and KEEP and print all correspondence!
God speed to you entrepreneur!
So true Kat! I really dislike this and the majority of people do it. They NLP your arse! I have been sold too and I am not proud to say I have done it myself. I do believe that you can sell from an honest inspired space and as you say if the time is right then the right people will come to you 🙂
Rx
completely agree Renee!
OMG! This was me not too long ago. I was invited as a VIP. I begged hubby to let me go. We had one break each day at lunch, stinking hot because the air con was broken then sold to. I remember being in tears, feeling the same way you did Kat. I called someone I trusted to loan me the money. But really I wanted that person I trusted to help me walk away because I knew I had been brainwashed that I couldn’t leave without it! I am so glad I rang this person, because not only did they say Heather you don’t need it, but that I have it all within me. I didn’t believe it I guess. Now I do. I am glad he didn’t loan the money and really I just think he said what I wanted to hear. I am glad to say I walked out of there faster than you can imagine, came home to my family exhausted but enlightened… more so how I DON’T want to operate my business. 🙂 love you post! Thanks for being honest Kat! You are a rare gem x
Heather, thanks for leaving this comment. I totally feel what you went through that day, I have been there on more than one occasion. I almost once did in $10,000 THANK GOD I walked away…. but I was SO CLOSE!! Guess what the lady doing the selling that day – she isn’t even in business any more!!
Thanks for sharing. It really resonated with what I do as a speaker. I find it really hard to do the ‘sell’ from the stage. If people, want to contact me, no matter what the speaking gig or workshop, then they will…and they are the people who I really want to help.
Thanks once again.
Megan Iemma, from The Tech Coach HQ
That is so great to hear Megan – I am with you all the way x
So true Kat, been ‘victim’ of that myself, hugely out of pocket and couldn’t afford to attend the follow up events as they were on tropical islands on other side of the world 🙂 I’ve lived and learned. And yes it was all crying one minute, laughing the next… suckered! I did get a lot out of that seminar but I do agree that those kind of tactics are a tad sneaky. The most shocking was a 30min free consult I availed of and the pressure afterwards to pay a big sum up front. I actually told the coach, ‘I’m out of the country, you’re asking for all I have and I’ve yet to return and find a job’ her answer…. the way the universe works is by trusting, if you pay me that today, the money will come. I had every intention of working with her once back home but that statement was more than a red flag. This is so important to highlight Kat, thank you <3
Hi Caroline, lordy… that is just incredible. I offer a free 30 min consult BUT I go in to mine with an open mind – it’s not always right…. your experience is so common though and I still can not believe what they said to you!! CRAZY!!!
Great topic Kat, there is a big difference between consciously using techniques to have people experience their insecurities for the purpose of selling. Compared to understanding people all have self doubt and challenges to go beyond and truly offering a service to support them to breakthrough. I remember advising a client who got caught in the sales frenzy, buying 3 programs and $12,000 later that she would learn more from asking for a refund for 2 of the programs than actually trying to do it ALL which would have been impossible for her. It is great that people are starting to see the charlatans.
absolutely jen so true!
Great post Kat! Everyone I know who has fallen for this tactic has experienced buyers remorse. They feel ripped off. Generally they don’t take advantage of money back guarantees as the blame is placed on them if they do so. These programs are almost always overpriced. I see people re-invent themselves, but still use this tactic. By then the trust is broken, and they need to keep finding gullible recipients. Krishna xx P.S. I love whistle blowers!!
you are so right on with everything you said! Sad industry really…!
I know exactly what you mean. I attended one and the pressure was on to make the decision that day and that day only. I simply wanted to talk over it with my husband first and because I wouldn’t make a decision on the spot I was told that I was a fence sitter, and that fence sitters are NEVER successful.I honestly felt like I was close to tears and useless and not good enough through the way it was insinuated that if I didn’t do this now I didn’t value my business or believe in it / in myself. I couldn’t really afford it either – but like one of the other people was told I should trust that I would make it back and more in 90 Days.
Thing is – I did recognise some of the things being said as utter crap (being kind) and was able to verify these by searching on my phone / internet whilst there, however I was still feeling an overwhelming “need” to do sign up to this extension of the program and had a major conflict between what I was so strongly feeling and what I was thinking (i.e something isn’t right here!).
I had to turn my face away from the speaker as it was like a highly enticing car salesman in operation suggesting in such a way I found it hard to refuse!
I am glad now that I managed to get away from there without signing up and wasting more money on this snake oil sales type speaker. I urge major caution on events like this and recommend having someone who is able to keep you “grounded” to be on the other end of a phone / text to be able to ask the questions you need without their being affected by the NLP in the same way you are.
I figure – if they aren’t going to even allow you ONE DAY to think about it and come back to them then something is seriously wrong.
Hi Kate,
thanks for taking the time to share your experience, I am sure it is one many of us can relate to. What makes me the ANGRIEST is when they make you feel like a total incompenent moron if you don’t take their deal. In a nutshell… this is when you have to ask yourself… do i really want to work with these kind of people! xx
Hi Kate, wonderful that you wrote this article, thank you.
I attended these kind of seminars this year, three in fact, and as an NLP practitioner myself I could easily identify the hard sell tactics and yet…even I felt conflicted. I had part of me feeling that I should buy into this or I would miss out on the one thing that would change my life forever (convinced that my otherwise happy, peaceful, fulfilled life needed this) and other part of me saying, get up, get out and keep walking.
Thankfully I took the latter approach.
M:)
I must come to one with you one day so you can walk me through when they are doing it! So glad you didn’t get burnt!
Hello Kat,
I love your new branding.
Once I went to a Billy Graham evangelical meeting and saw crowds of people rush not to the back but to the front, to be saved. Overflowing buckets were passed round as they took up collection. The hype was incredible. I was sixteen and it took all of my willpower to keep sitting and pass the bucket without emptying the contents of my wallet into it. The words of my mother rang stronger in my ears than those of Billy Graham’s.
“Never part with your money without reflection.”
Some workshops function in the same way. They manipulate you into thinking that you cannot live without investing in their product. Maybe they are right, maybe it is a fantastic deal, but sit still, think it over, can you afford it, what are the features and benefits, what is in it for you, how long before you get a return on your investment? Their sweet words may otherwise give a bitter aftertaste. I agree with above comments, they are not going to say “no thank you” to payment later.
Other words of wisdom also continue to guide me;
“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.”
Naturally you should seek professional products and services at times. Not all businesses are out to trick you; most are there to help you.
Kat, I thank you for your advice to date and look forward to gaining from your expertise in the future.