People buy when they see something better in themselves - not the product alone

Every generation needs a revolution - an entrepreneurial revolution

If your product or your sales talk make people see a better version of themselves, they will buy your product.    Its about being you.  Its inherent in every person to see a better version of themselves, and take pride.   Your sales talk, your product must work that way.   Not benefits, price or promo alone

Will this post make you feel like you are a better entrepreneur/businessman?   Lamang ka sa iba?

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The Mirror Room Effect: Why We Buy What Reflects Us

In the 1950s, a department store in Chicago ran an accidental experiment.

They installed a new set of fitting rooms…but one of them had a huge problem.

The mirror was slightly warped.

It wasn’t a funhouse mirror…it didn’t distort you into a cartoon.

It was just barely tilted enough to make shoppers look a little taller, a little slimmer, and a little more confident.

The results?

Sales in that section went up 18%.

Same clothes. Same prices.

Just… a different reflection.

The Hidden Psychology:

Humans don’t buy products.

We buy versions of ourselves.

That tiny mirror shift created what psychologists call the Reflected Self Effect …when people see a more idealized version of who they could be, they behave in ways that match it.

That’s why gym mirrors have perfect lighting.

Why luxury stores smell like success.

And why social media filters sell billions in beauty products.

It’s not vanity.

It’s vision.

Here’s the marketing lesson:

If your brand helps people see themselves as better, they’ll buy their way into that vision.

Fitness brands sell confidence, not muscle.

Business coaches sell freedom, not funnels.

Speakers sell identity, not information.

The mirror is metaphorical …your ads, stories, and design all reflect your audience back to themselves.

Show them who they could be… and they’ll move toward it.

The Nerdy Truth:

Marketing isn’t manipulation …it’s amplification.

You’re not creating desire.

You’re revealing it.

The store didn’t trick anyone.

It just helped people see themselves winning.

So next time you craft a post, funnel, or offer …don’t ask,

“How can I sell this?”

Ask,

“What version of them am I reflecting?”

Because in the end…

People don’t buy products.

They buy permission to believe in a better reflection.

Nerdy Takeaway:

When you change the mirror, you change the market.

The empty stage (vs having mystery) post by Paul Getter

Every generation needs a revolution - an entrepreneurial revolution

You can have more sales by doing any of the following:   plant visits, behind the scenes shot, explaining process of making your product.    Being mysterious is not necessarily better.  Being visible is the reverse of being mysterious.     

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The “Empty Stage Principle”: How One Forgotten Rehearsal Changed the Way Broadway Sells Out

In the 1950s, a young theater producer named Hal Prince was struggling to fill seats.

He had everything:

A beautiful stage.

A talented cast.

A show with rave reviews.

But night after night, the theater was half-empty.

One afternoon, before rehearsal, Hal walked in early.

The stage was dark.

The seats were empty.

And in the silence, he noticed something strange …it felt dead.

Even he didn’t want to be there.

So instead of waiting for the audience to come, he started rehearsing with the doors open.

He invited the janitors. The ticket clerks. People walking by on the street.

Soon, the faint sound of music drifted into the neighborhood.

Curious pedestrians stopped to watch.

Then came the local reporters.

Then crowds.

By opening the doors… literally… the theater became alive again.

Within weeks, tickets sold out.

That’s how Hal Prince went from an unknown producer… to one of Broadway’s most legendary names.

The Marketing Lesson:

People don’t buy into what’s hidden.

They buy into what’s happening.

Hal didn’t change the show.

He changed the energy around it.

That’s why:

• Apple reveals products before they launch.

• Influencers show “behind the curtain” moments.

• Great brands don’t just announce…they invite participation.

When people can see momentum, they want to join it.

The Nerdy Takeaway:

The spotlight doesn’t create attention …activity does.

If your business, event, or content feels quiet, ask yourself:

“Am I waiting for the audience… or showing them the show?”

The “Empty Stage Principle” reminds us:

Visibility isn’t vanity …it’s vitality.

Because a quiet stage never sells out.

Knowing too much can make you very risk averse - Paul Getter

Every generation needs a revolution - an entrepreneurial revolution

Like when you are playing against a well known player.   You are defeated even before you start playing knowing the adversary to be better than you.   So knowing too much about a project or a deal can make you risk averse.   And become too timid.  In this case, the young apprentice not knowing the value of the stone easily broke the gem into two pieces.   

Be bold be forward looking.    Dont be too perfect.  Dont wait for the 100% info before deciding

Paul Getter on the expensivie gem

A businessman once bought a massive diamond in South Africa, about the size of an egg yolk.

But to his disappointment, the stone had a crack inside.

He took it to a skilled jeweler, hoping for advice.

The jeweler examined it carefully and said:

“This diamond can be split into two perfect gems, each worth more than the original stone.

But one wrong strike and it will shatter into worthless fragments.

I won’t take that risk.”

The businessman traveled the world, showing the diamond to jewelers in many countries.

Each one gave the same answer: too risky.

Finally, someone told him about an old master jeweler in Amsterdam known for his golden hands.

He flew there the same day.

The old jeweler studied the diamond through his monocle and warned him again of the risk.

The businessman interrupted:

“I’ve heard that story before. I’m ready. Just do it.”

The jeweler nodded, agreed on the price, then turned to a young apprentice working quietly nearby.

The boy took the diamond, placed it on his palm, and struck it once, clean and precise.

The stone split beautifully into two flawless gems.

Without even looking up, he handed them back to the master.

Astonished, the businessman asked:

“How long has he been working for you?”

How a broken sign can break your business - post by Paul Getter

Every generation needs a revolution - an entrepreneurial revolution

His post at FB

So having good signs outdoor is a good practice.   Avoid nega ads:    no littering, no parking  Be positive  No smoking.  People hate being ordered.  People hate authority figures.  

But sales kept dropping.

Shoppers walked in…

Browsed…

Touched the merch…

Tried things on…

Then quietly slipped out the door.

No complaints.

No bad reviews.

Just… no purchases.

The owner blamed the economy.

Then blamed competition.

Then blamed the location.

Until one day, a retired retailer walked in, looked around for twenty seconds, and said:

“Your problem is the sign.”

The owner looked confused.

“What sign?”

The man pointed to a tiny handwritten sign taped to a rack:

ALL SALES FINAL - NO RETURNS

The owner said it had been there for years.

“That sign is not protecting you,” the man said.

“It is scaring buyers out the door.”

He was right.

Customers did not want a risk.

They wanted reassurance.

The owner replaced it with a new sign:

30-DAY RETURNS - NO QUESTIONS ASKED

Sales doubled in a week.

Doubled again in a month.

Nothing changed except the feeling of safety.

The store did not need new customers.

The store needed new confidence.

THE MARKETING LESSON

Most businesses lose sales not because their product is bad…

but because their customers feel unsafe.

One hidden friction.

One scary phrase.

One unclear policy.

One small rule that creates big hesitation.

Your offer might be great.

Your brand might be strong.

Your price might be fair.

But if the customer feels even a tiny bit uncertain… they freeze.

That is why top-performing brands obsess over trust:

• Amazon offers instant returns

• Zappos built an empire on free shipping both ways

• Apple stores let you touch everything

• Costco practically begs customers to return products

• Nordstrom built their brand on “no questions asked” service

Trust is the highest-converting feature in the world.

THE NERDY TAKEAWAY

The “Broken Sign Principle” teaches this:

A customer’s fear is more powerful than your features.

People buy when they feel safe.

People hesitate when they feel uncertain.

People disappear when they feel risk.

Your job is not just to create a great offer.

Your job is to remove every signal that says:

“This might be a mistake.”

Because most businesses don’t lose customers at the pitch.

They lose them at the sign.