Afterward, the subjects were asked if they saw the gorilla. Just 18 percent of the drinkers said they noticed the gorilla while 46 percent of the sober subjects indicated they saw the gorilla. The research was based on older research without the involvement of alcohol. The results were just as impressive. People simply don't see that gorilla. It SEEMS impossible, but what seems ridiculous is EXACTLY how our brain works in reality.
And it's a bit unnerving when you think about it!
TWENTY FIVE SECONDS! That's it. And in the middle of that 25 seconds, a gorilla shows up on the screen beating his chest and if you've had a drink, you didn't see it. More than half of those who didn't have a drink didn't see the gorilla.
The power of focused attention via suggestion is absolutely shocking.
Applications:
The applications are far reaching and can be applied to almost any persuasive setting. The covert nature of the behavior is obvious.
When you are writing copy or making a sales presentation it is VERY IMPORTANT to encode your targeted information into your client's awareness.
If you write for your website, make sure you tell people what to look for early on. ALL THE BROWN!!! Make sure you have not led them into some other world where they are asked to see green.
If you tell them that you have a money-making opportunity and then offer facts to support that. Talk about unrelated things and they will be filtered out making a story that is incomplete, incoherent and entirely forgettable.
"What we're looking for are ways to get this project done without spending tons of money on waste like x, y, and z. Our competitor isn't interested in that, and whatever you ultimately decide, those factors can't be forgotten..."
That client will be listening for x, y and z...and ways to get the project done, so you better do something with those four pieces...because that's what they are going to be filtering for...and what they will be hearing!
This works in text and face to face communication.
Whatever you direct the person's mind to is where they will be primed to pay attention to. Very much like a magician.
One worthwhile additional bonus:
If you say something negative about your competitor, your client WILL remember your competitor. It may not be good or bad...but they'll remember ...and if you haven't put a greater degree of emotion on your own product...they won't remember yours at all.... NEVER mention a competitor or anything about them, except in the context noted above..
One final suggestion: Write down the facts and keypoints from this article on a piece of paper and keep it on your desk for a week. Just one week. Refer to it everytime you write copy or review your sales materials and presentation strategies.
Many covert persuasion techniques will ever yield the results this one will!
Til next time!
