HOW TO NOT INFLUENCE PEOPLE: DOOR TO DOOR SELLING

You always hear the horror stories of door-to-door salesmen and their products, and until recently we’d been immune to them and their tactics. That all changed today as a very nice young and well dressed man presented himself at our door. Now we can smell the religious ones a mile off – the neatly parted hair and shiny shoes and fifties clothing gives them away, but this guy was different and his tactic very clever.

He started by saying he wanted to ask us some questions about health and the environmental problems in our area. We thought okay, why not – weather was shitty and we were bored, so we invited him in. BIG MISTAKE!! once in, he assumed the pose of a snake hovering over his prey. We were asked the obligatory few questions about health etc, before he moved onto his masterpiece – what he was selling!!!! For the next 40 odd minutes we were subjected to a very well presented, albeit confusing piece on the benefits of ozone. Basically, he was selling some sort of pressurised rubber mat, with an attachment that supposedly pumps ozone into the water, helping to revitalize your skin, help you sleep better etc. And the price??

Drumroll please…………..


It was basically more than what I earn in two months and then some!! Of course there was an “easy payment” plan where you land up paying double thanks to interest etc. Mom was not convinced – she’s a crafty old one!! I was downright dubious – go out and take a few breaths of fresh air for crying in a bucket!! You don’t need some rubber mat and ozone pumped into your bath to make you feel better. You have to want to change, be your own star in your life. If it’s too good to be true – it probably is. I have to give this guy points for presentation and trying, he tried really hard by cajoling, pleading and finally when we said no, he tried the resigned sighing and pout. Mom didn’t buy it and I think the poor bugger could tell by my face that it was all over.

You are the weakest link – goodbye.

Lesson learnt here. There are people out there who will try to sell you anything and everything. Don’t feel you have to buy it and feel pressurized into doing so, be rude, put aside that niceness and tell them firmly to leave (bugger off in other words!). Too often these people prey on our vulnerabilities and our desire to be nice to people. Through their psychological pressure and persistence, they trick you into signing something you later wished you hadn’t. Learn to be savvy and wary – it is sad to have to say this but in this day and age you cannot afford not to be!!