The Power of Taking Baby Steps

Photo: Mini-me by Gustavo Veríssimo

Imagine this for a second. Armed with the mastery of the world’s psychological knowledge, you walk up to a stranger and with all the powerful research under your belt, you attempt to convince him to spend his life savings on a product you’ve created that would change his life for the better.

What do you think would happen? Is it likely that you’ll make a sale?

No. Absolutely not.

Now, what if you were to approach him and ask for the time? You can be pretty damn sure he’ll tell what the time is. Then when looking at his watch, you commented how cool it is and asked where he bought it.

Then you’ve got a conversation going. As it turns out, you’re both a watch enthusiast. At the end of an hour or so of enthusiastic watch-talk, do you think he would give you his phone number? You bet.

Then you called him up to talk about the upcoming watch convention. You guys went to the convention together and from there, your relationship grows and now you’re good friends. Now, do you think he would buy a $2000 watch you recommended if he can afford it? You bet. You’re his friend. He trusts you.

And as the relationship continue to grow, and years pass by, do you think he’ll now buy a $10000 watch from you? You bet. You’re his best friend by now. He trusts you.

Then as months pass by, you asks him to spend … perhaps $20,000 on a rare watch. Then a $40,000 watch. And on and on until he goes broke.

That’s the power of taking baby steps

Nobody buys a $100,000 watch in their first purchase. They grow into it. Just as nobody is a “natural” murderer. They grow into it.

They first fought. Then they bully. Then abuse. Then torture. Then murder.

It’s just like people are not born with an innate desire to smoke… or to be a glutton. They grow into it. Day 1, you smoke a box. Then 2 boxes. Then 3, then 4 and on and on.

Frank Kern, in his ground-breaking Mass Control Syndicate of which I’m a member, talked about how the Chinese convinced American POW (prisoners of war) to denounce their own country. How? By taking baby steps.

First they made them acknowledge that communism exist (They do!). Then persuade them to admit that communism is not that bad. Then they tell them that people are happy here… really. And you can see where this is going.

What has that got to do with making money?

If you want to start a business, you’ve got take baby steps too. You can’t expect to go straight into the trenches and survive.

You focus on what matters now. Contrary to popular advice, don’t plan too far into the future or you’lll start worrying about something you shouldn’t be worrying right now. Like tax avoidance and accounting… concentrate on making the money first!

And as you take baby steps, you create a healthy loop in your mind. You make use of the power of cognitive dissonance to help you in a good way. You feel more satisfied because you can actually see that you’re achieving something… rather than splashing around in the big ocean.

Baby Steps in Selling

The principle of baby steps also applies to selling. You can’t expect prospects to dive head first and buy a $10,000 course from you. You’ve got to ease him in.

Ask him too opt-in first. Then commit to buy something small. Then something bigger and so on. Frank has got baby-step-techniques in his Mass Control course but I’m obviously not going to rip his $300/month course and reveal them here… no.

But you get the idea.