The moment people know you are after something—a vote, a sale—they become resistant. But disguise your sales pitch as a news event and not only will you bypass their resistance, you can also create a social trend that does the selling for you. To make this work, the event you set up must stand out from all the other events that are covered by the media, yet it cannot stand out too far or it will seem contrived. An event that is picked up by the news has the imprimatur of reality. It is important to give this manufactured event positive associations. Associations that are patriotic, say, or subtly sexual, or spiritual—anything pleasant and seductive—take on a life of their own. Who can resist? People essentially persuade themselves to join the crowd without even realizing that a sale has taken place. The feeling of active participation is vital to seduction. No one wants to feel left out of a growing movement. Announce your message as a trend and it will become one. The goal is to create a kind of viral effect in which more and more people become infected with the desire to have whatever you are offering.

Daily Law: Seem to be in the vanguard of a trend or lifestyle and the public will lap you up for fear of being left behind.

The Art of Seduction

: Soft Seduction—How to Sell Anything to the Masses