This is a dangerous persuasion trick.
Done correctly, people will love you for it.
Failed execution — and fans will drop kick you from their inbox.
A great example of open loop mastery is Lost (more on this later…)
What is an open loop?
An intentional marketing trick, where you present incomplete information.
You’ve seen this on Television shows dozens of times.
The Walking Dead will get to an exciting, terrifying, emotionally charged moment. The show will cut out, and say “to find out what happens, tune in next week”
It’s brilliant. Do you get why?
We’re curious creatures.
All of us.
It’s our human nature to want to close open loops.
How Can You Use an Open Loop?
TV is marketing. Make no mistake.
Shows get paid based on how many people watch them.
Does that really sound much different than what we do?
It’s about getting people to engage with your stuff.
Adding open loops to your marketing will skyrocket your results.
Take a look at my landing page here.
That lander gets a 56.5% opt-in rate.
The industry average is only 30%.
Why does my page get almost DOUBLE the results?
There are a few reasons, ask me the others here.
One of the main persuasion hacks is the open loop. Can you spot it?
There are two open loops on this page.
The first loop is created at the very beginning, with “Simple two step formula”
What two steps?
That’s loop #1
The second loop is at the end of the headline, with “This is Weird, but…”
What’s weird?
That’s loop #2
An open loop is one of the most effective ways to take visitors to the next stage.
They will often go on this journey, just to satisfy their insatiable need for closure.
The Dangerous Element of Curiosity — Damaging in the Wrong Hands
The one “possible” problem with open loops, is that you practically have forced an action out of your visitor.
They feel the psychological pressure to continue. They can’t help themselves — it’s human nature.
Now imagine how they would feel if you sent them to this:
When you create an open loop, you force investment.
Delivering bad smelling, marketing funk will seriously PISS PEOPLE OFF.
They couldn’t help themselves, and they wasted their time.
They blame you.
On the other hand, if you use an open loop to get attention, and then deliver a quality presentation, blog post, service, video, etc.
Now people feel like their investment was worth it.
Which takes us to our second persuasion hack.
Continuity!
Bonus Marketing Trick — The Continuity Principle
This sales tactic is more ubiquitous than open loops.
Even though it’s not discussed much.
It should be.
The continuity principle means that once a person makes an investment in something (or someone), they feel more compelled to continue.
That means further actions and investments.
The open loop (from earlier) causes an action. Now is the best time to continue the relationship and ask for a further commitment.
The traffic is no longer cold. It’s been slightly warmed a bit.
Guru marketers use this hack all the time.
Just look at their sales funnels…
Most of these guys have a cheap initial offer price.
Something so great and so affordable, it’s a no brainer to buy.
… that gets you in the door.
The tricky part is when they unleash the expensive upsells.
I’ve been saying this for years. It’s damn near impossible to get a high-ticket purchase from cold traffic.
When you meet a visitor (or subscriber) for the first time. They’re only willing to buy something that’s less than twenty bucks. That’s why I always recommend pricing initial offers for dirt cheap.
“But Brendan, if I promote a product at a bargain bin price, I ain’t gonna make no moneys.”
That’s Where You’re Wrong — The Continuity Funnel
After the initial offer is the best time to promote the expensive goods.
The FACT of it is, people are a slave to continuity.
Once they commit to a business, offer, person, etc. they feel emotionally and psychologically compelled to ride it out.
While they would never have bought that $497 upsell as a first offer, they are willing to consider it after buying into your system. Even if your system costed less than a donut.
Isn’t that crazy?
It may seem that way, but it’s the truth.
We rebel against change, and much prefer a linear, “continuos” path.
Wrapping it Up — Implementation is Key
You’ve just taken away two POWERFUL persuasion hacks.
Please implement them into your business.
The open loop and the continuity principle are used on a daily basis by the best marketers in the business. You need to take action on what you learn, to take YOUR BIZ to the next level.
It’s not enough to just digest — you need to do.
Lemme know in the comment section what you thought of the post.
I would love to hear from you!
