Psychological Tricks I Used To Sell $1 Billion in Products Online - Craig Clemens

TL;DR

Craig Clemens presents a masterclass on seven "human hijacks" – psychological triggers that hijack the limbic system – which he used to sell over $1 billion online. He demonstrates each hijack through historical campaigns (Pepsodent, Otis elevators, Lucky Strike, bacon-for-breakfast, orange juice, Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk) and his own creation of the probiotics category.

Key insights

• Only 5% of Americans brushed their teeth daily before Claude Hopkins' Pepsodent campaign; within a decade 85% did, using a "film on teeth" demonstration and selling the dream of a movie-star smile.
• People preferred Pepsodent over competitors because of a minty tingle; without that physical sensation they believed the toothpaste wasn't working.
• Otis sold only 3 elevators in his first year; after P.T. Barnum staged a demonstration where axes cut the ropes and Otis stood on the elevator, he sold 2,000 in the next decade.