Never Be Lied to Again (18 page)

R U L E 10

Look at What You're Getting,

Not What You're Promised

To avoid being deceived, evaluate a person's integrity based upon what is being presented, not what is promised. Henry was an older man who went store to store selling pocket watches. To those in the store, salespeople and shoppers alike, he was a peddler. And he retired a millionaire. He did nothing that was illegal per se. How did he become so wealthy selling pocket watches? Mainly because he never sold the watch. What he sold was the story.

Henry would walk into the shop and ask if anyone would like to buy a beautiful handcrafted crystal lamp. The cost was only thirty-five dollars, hundreds less than what one would expect to pay.

He made the lamps himself and enjoyed "giving them away." Since he had only one sample he would need to take orders. He diligently took down the names and addresses of each eager person and refused to accept any sort of deposit.

"You'll pay when you get it and when you're happy with it," he would say, smiling. Henry had now established himself as a trusting person and one who had a beautiful product at a fantastic price. He has their trust and their confidence.

Henry also carried a large box with a handle. And invariably someone at some point would ask what was in the box.

This is when Henry went to work. He opened the box, revealing beautiful sterling silver pocket watches individually wrapped and protected. He told his eager audience just about anything he wanted to about the watches. They had no reason to doubt him or their value. After all, look at everything he had "done" for them so far. Henry would sell the pocket watches to most of the nice folks who placed orders for his lamp. Nobody ever did get a lamp—just an overpriced pocket watch, sold to them by a kind old man.

Remember Henry the next time you make a decision based upon something that has been promised, but not delivered.

R U L E II

Well, Can You at Least Do This?

If you're asked to do a rather large favour for someone only to decline his request for help, beware. A smaller favour, the one he really wants you to do, may follow. We are more likely to agree to a smaller request if we're first presented with a larger one. There are three psychological motivations at work:

1. You feel that in contrast to the first request, the smaller one is no big deal.

2. You feel bad for not coining through on his original favour, and this seems like a fair compromise 3. You don't want to be perceived as unreasonable.

Refusing the large request is one thing. And this small favour is not going to kill you.

R U L E 12

I'll Show You

Nobody wants to be prejudged or negatively evaluated. That is to say, people dislike being thought of as lesser, in any way, shape, or form. Here's how those who understand this rule can use it against you. You walk into a clothing store and ask to see a certain designer sweater. The salesman shows you where it is and adds, "It may be a little pricey for you, we have some less expensive ones over there." "I'll show that jerk," you think to yourself. "I'll buy this sweater and prove that I can afford it." You leave mad with an expensive purchase, head held high, of course. The salesman? He's smiling all the way to the bank. This rule uses what is commonly referred to as reverse psychology. By implying what he "thought" you could afford, he forced your ego to prove to him wrong.

CONCLUSION

Whether it's business or personal matters—from casual conversations to in-depth negotiations—the techniques that you have learned will significantly change the way you relate to the rest of the world. Now that you've gained that extra edge, you'll enjoy an unprecedented opportunity to use the most important secrets governing human behaviour for enhancing and advancing your business and personal relationships.

There will probably never be a way to stop people from trying to lie to you, but now you'll be ready for them. And with each new encounter, in any situation, you will never be lied to again.

Table of Contents

PART 1

PART 2

PART 4

PART 5