There's a section in most marketing and consumer behavior texts on subliminal perception. For years I've taught what the "experts" say about it; that it generally can't be proven to work. The technique was used in attempts to manipulate consumers with subliminal messages flashed onto movie screens…and even inside television programs that invite the viewer to "eat popcorn," "drink Coke," and "sign the REPC."

I'm just kidding about "sign the REPC," but what if it was possible to evoke automatic responses from customers that do not involve conscious thought-as the technique theorizes it can?

Well, in my classes I've repeated the findings by experts that they can't make it work-and so the technique has generally been discredited. But I just read this article on the Discovery News web site that may be of interest-as some recent experiments are generating results that appear to support the original theories.

Discovery News article link


The studies have a slant toward explain intuition. Intuition has come in quite handy when attempting to read our client's minds, don't you think? ;-))

For example, a poker player who somehow always knows when to fold or call a bluff may be picking up on telltale signals from his opponents, using a part of his brain unrelated to conscious thought.

Sometimes we actually can sense what we need to do…or what the client will say…so, then, perhaps we can help the client say it?

Being a male, however, there are two things that women do that are remarkable (and thanks to Jimmy Buffett and Glenn Frey of the Eagles for pointing them out): Women always know before we tell them, and, they can open a door with just a smile.


From The Porch ...












Mike B. Class Star®