The Real Marketing Secrets
Behind the Movie, "The Secret"
In this issue:
- 4 lessons in mass persuasion and high leverage marketing, REVEALED …
- Why some people say The Secret is a dangerous lie …
- Four psychological triggers that just never seem to go out of style …
- A fun poll …
- And more!
Dear Web Business Builder,
The movie “The Secret” has exploded on to the world’s stage to become a wealth generating phenomena for its creators. The shoestring docudrama purportedly extracting some $50,000,000 in DVD and book sales without a single penny spent on advertising in less than a year.
Additionally, it has resulted in huge publicity for the information marketers interviewed in the film, no doubt lighting a sales bonfire under their businesses, and filling their collective bank accounts with untold millions.
Obviously, when something takes off like this on word of mouth, it should be of intense interest to marketers of all stripes, especially those looking for product development models that demonstrate the potential for massive leverage.
And I must confess. For months I paid scant attention to the unfolding drama. Yes my in-box has been duly bombarded by the “The Secret” this, and “The Secret” that. But unfortunately, in the chaos that is my life these days, until somebody walks up to me with a check and asks me to look at something, I have a bad habit of ignoring it.
Well just last week, it happened. And now, I am compelled to discover the marketing secret, behind The Secret.
So off to the bookstore I went to avail myself of it …
In case you too, have been hiding in a lead cave, I will devote a sentence or two toward your enlightenment.
"The Secret" (the movie at least, I have not read the book) is a series of dozens of touchy feely vignettes, in which a number of “teachers”, including Joe Vitale, Jack Canfield, and Bob Proctor expound about the secret to getting everything you want out of life. According to the movie, “The Secret” — also known as The Law of Attraction — is essentially this:
WARNING, spoiler dead ahead …
Your life circumstances are the result of your thoughts. Change your thoughts, and you change your life. Want health… wealth… happiness? Your wish is the universe’s command. All you need do is focus your thoughts consistently on them, and your “will” will be done.
Sounds like the ultimate magic pill, doesn’t it? Marketing secret #1, solved.
But how did the word about this work spread so quickly and widely without advertising?
Well, it just so happens that a number of the “teachers” in the film are also very astute direct response marketers. The producer created a two-minute streaming video trailer, and the “teachers” alerted their lists to it. The trailer is very well done.
It opens by “borrowing” the credibility of some of history’s most revered and respected figures (Lincoln, Edison, Ford et all), by claiming they knew the secret… adds a jigger of conspiracy theory by implying that evil people coveted the secret for their own selfish gains, and so buried and banned it from the common man for thousands of years… then piles on a sumptuous banquet of delicious health, wealth, and happiness promises, available to all, no matter who or where you are in this new age of enlightenment…
Then it leaves you hanging, without telling you the secret.
So far so good… The trailer does what it should to flog a movie.
But what really made sales go ballistic?
Here’s my theory …
This movie has a very polarizing effect on people. It is both loved and reviled. Many swear its message has had a wonderfully positive effect on their lives. Others declare it terribly misleading, and criticize it vehemently.
Why some people say
“The Secret” is a dangerous lie …
“The Secret” is controversial. Imminently so, because of the argument it inspires. Neither side can win. And as these initial e-mails rippled across the Net, it had a fracturing effect on the audience, sparking heated debate.
Consider the marketing implications of such a dynamic …
In one scene of the movie, a woman comes on and talks about how she cured herself of cancer… simply by thinking she was cured, without chemotherapy. In other sections, there is an implication that we bring cancer upon ourselves by the thoughts we think.
Obviously, such insinuation taps a rich emotional vein, and is fertile fodder for journalists everywhere, trained to search out, encourage, and exploit controversy wherever they can. And as the original recipients of these e-mails began to blog and debate about it, the controversy became increasingly visible.
Journalists smelled blood,
and they pounced.
Another scene in the movie implies that the Law of Attraction is even responsible for war and mass suffering, and that people bring these things upon themselves by the thoughts they think. If that’s not a recipe for controversy, I don’t know what is.
But probably the biggest bone of contention that spread virally, first through the blogosphere, and then into the mainstream media, was the idea that you can simply make a wish, and it will come true. At one point in the film, James Arthur Ray, one of the “teachers” analogizes the law of attraction as being akin to having a genie, complete with magic lamp.
Of course, other shrewd marketers in the space jumped all over these obviously controversial ideas like a school of voracious piranha fish. What better way to draw attention to themselves and their own agendas?
Appointing themselves guardians of the public trust, they declared “The Secret” a harmful and destructive cult that was out to steal your mind and your money… convicting anyone remotely associated with it as guilty of using freshly minted snake oil and The Law Of Extraction to fleece the great unwashed.
And with each marketer and media critic jumping on the “sink 'The Secret'” bandwagon, naturally more and more interest, visibility, and sales ensued. What started out as a grassroots film, produced with volunteer “actors” for around $3 million, is now garnering national publicity of the highest order, most of it, fueled by this controversy.
Indeed, the flurry of negative publicity is turning it into…
A goldmine for everyone involved!
The movie and it’s “teachers” have received massive exposure on NBC Nightline, Newsweek, The New York Times, ABC, CBS, XYZ… they’ve even been parodied on Saturday Night Live… not to mention appearing on Larry King and Oprah twice!
And the naysayers are gaining generous attention for their businesses too. Free exposure they would not be able to achieve otherwise.
When I saw this happening out of the corner of my eye, I thought it smelled like orchestrated collusion. Apparently it isn’t, but who knows.
All in all, the marketing lessons are clear …
Marketing Secret #2 – When creating products look for ways to make them controversial, going so far as to plant “bait” that will attract critical attention. Remember, journalists who report happy, upbeat stories have skinny kids.
Marketing Secret #3 – When seeking attention for yourself and your business look for things that are potentially controversial, and stir things up.
Marketing Secret #4 – Don’t make the fatal mistake of trying to please everybody with your marketing. If you’re not polarizing your audience, you’re not nearly as likely to inspire the kind of highly charged emotional responses that generate sales.
Four psychological triggers that
just never seem to go out of style …
People are endlessly fascinated with secrets… conspiracy theories… common enemies… and watching others getting torn down… because they’re desperate to feel they’re part of something larger than themselves. It makes them feel important, connected, and entertained.
Witness the multitude of negative blog posts with vociferous comments that rail endlessly about how vile and misleading “The Secret” is… then go and watch the movie for yourself and you’ll see how easily people fall prey to this kind of diversion.
More importantly, think seriously about how you can apply these strategies in your own marketing. Is there a commonly held view in your field that is half true? Debunk it, and you immediately draw attention to yourself.
Can you put some contentious assertion into your editorial, your product, or your marketing that you’re ready to defend, but that also serves as bait for other marketers, institutions, or interest groups to attack?
What kind of common enemy can you rally people against?
These are the real questions.
But just for fun, feel free to take a stand on the following:
A Fun Poll
Is “The Secret” a useful, empowering and uplifting message… or a sinister plot to steal your money, corrupt your mind, make your hair fall out, and shrivel your genitals.
Cast your vote below.
It’s easy….just fill in your name and email address, put your comments in the big box, and hit send.
Until next time, Good Selling!
Daniel Levis
Editor, The Web Marketing Advisor
THE TOTAL PACKAGE
P.S. For a limited time, you can now cram your hard drive full of control busting copy at a $100 savings with the Steal These Secrets Swipefile. Stop racking your brain needlessly for creative ideas when you can have a treasure trove of proven winning concepts at your fingertips – guaranteed to open the profit floodgates – or your money back! Check it out!
Daniel Levis is a top marketing consultant & direct response copywriter based in Toronto, Canada and publisher of the world famous copywriting anthology “Masters of Copywriting” featuring the selling wisdom of 44 of the “Top Money” marketing minds of all time, including Clayton Makepeace, Dan Kennedy, Joe Sugarman, John Carlton, Joe Vitale, Michel Fortin, Richard Armstrong and dozens more! For a FREE excerpt visit Sellingtohumannature.com
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Let us know what you think. Or ask us anything. Or offer your own sage advice.
The only rule: RESPECT THIS HOUSE! Postings that contain abusive language and/or personal attacks will be cheerfully VAPORIZED. One cross word and – POOF! – your well-thought-out post will be gone in a puff of smoke.
– Clayton
Comment by Tiran Zaken — May 9, 2007 @ 8:34 am
\”The Secret\” revealed in this movie is true whether people accept it or not. This secret has made me a multi-millionnaire at age 20 and has continued to work for the past 10 years without fail. I\’m not a religious individual but even the bible claims it … \”Whatever you shall desire believe that you shall have it and you shall receive.\”
Believe!
Tiran
Comment by Forrest — May 9, 2007 @ 8:58 am
The Secret has a lot in common with the psychological principal of cognitive therapy. In cognitive therapy people are encouraged to change the way they think. When you change the way you think, you change the way you view and interact with the world.
The difference is when you believe that you can \”believe cancer away,\” you are promoting a dangerous idea and misleading desperate people.
Comment by Peter Schwartz — May 9, 2007 @ 9:05 am
What\’s amazing about The Secret is how many times the secret has been revealed in the past. Think and Grow Rich? You are what you think? This is old, old stuff and very well publicized. I\’m surprised that anyone thinks it\’s NEW. Of course, you have to point your mind toward what you want–duh–and that IS powerful, but it ain\’t no secret. Just common sense.
Comment by Andrew Cavanagh — May 9, 2007 @ 9:10 am
I could be wrong but I think you could be overrating the value of publicity just a little…
\”Additionally, it has resulted in huge publicity for the information marketers interviewed in the film, no doubt lighting a sales bonfire under their businesses, and filling their collective bank accounts with untold millions.\”
Having appeared on TV, newspaper and radio across a country repeatedly I can tell you that most people have no idea how hard you have to work and how sophisticated you have to be to make massive publicity worthwhile.
There\’s a HUGE difference between wide exposure and actually converting that exposure into real sales.
In direct response marketing we generally criticize advertising agencies who don\’t measure the results their advertising brings in but for some reason when it comes to \”free\” publicity we turn into blithering idiots.
\”Free\” publicity takes a lot of your time and resources and before you embark on any publicity campaign you should have a very good idea of whether that campaign is really going to bring you real returns.
Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh
Comment by Chuck — May 9, 2007 @ 9:17 am
Have not read the book, nor seen the movie. But from your description, the premise sounds remarkably like \”Think and Grow Rich\” by Napoleon Hill. A lot of the same \”focus your mental energies\” is stressed in there.
I will say that I believe what Hill preaches. Having viewed life from both sides of the fence (\”woe is me\” vs. \”let\’s get it on\”) I can say with full belief that positive thinking subconsciously creates positive actions which (usually) leads to positive results.
What I\’m not sure about is the value of shelling out however much the video and books cost as opposed to $9.95 for TAGR.
my 0.02…..
Comment by Phil — May 9, 2007 @ 9:56 am
The Secret is really a history tested message that we\’ve seen reincarnated many times. Remember when Dorothy clicked her heels three times and whola - back in Kansas?
The basics are how reality really does work. Everything on your desk and around you started as a thought. The movie/book just doesn\’t emphasize all the \”action\” steps to complete the manifestation process.
The part where the universe kicks in to help you is also true. Just like Dorothy - sometimes we have to go through hell before we just get exhausted and \”let it flow\”.
Bottomline - positive message with sublime marketing linking it to \”easy like ruby slippers\”. They just left out the witch.
Comment by Karim Pearson — May 9, 2007 @ 10:01 am
\”The Secret\” works, but not for the reasons put forth in the movie.
Your goals and beliefs define what you pay attention to. If you know what you want, and you want it bad enough, you\’ll notice (attract) things that help you get it. That\’s \”The Secret\” in a nutshell.
I\’ve seen most of the movie. I thought it was cool, but it underplays the value of hard work. Regardless of whether they know \”The Secret\” or not, there\’s nobody who has any kind of lasting success who hasn\’t worked their butt off to get where they are today…
Comment by Mike — May 9, 2007 @ 10:11 am
First I will start out by saying I read the book. I do believe in the power of positive thinking & believing in myself. And, I can\’t argue the fact that The Secret is a wonderful book. By wonderful I mean:A beautiful mix of direct marketing,pop psychology & social proof. If I had to judge the merits of the content of the book over the marketing whirlwind that was created around the book. I would take the marketing. In fact if I had anything to do with The Secret, I would write a another book called: \”Marketing The Secret\”. As a marketer and copywriter myself, I say the new standard in self help has been set. Anyone selling hopes and dreams has got their work cut out for them. Please do not take that the wrong way. I paid 23.95 for my copy of the book & always park in the front of the parking lot now. The Secret may not give me untold, unexpected millions out of the blue but for 24.00 I\’ll take the front spot & be fine with it. I am not envious as a Marketer but amazed. There is nothing new in this book. But the new recipe that started the Sales juggernaut is. Mix in a little Davinci Code style mystery & intrigue(at a great time I might ad)with some old school marketing. Mix in a little \”Mr. Fire\” and fan the flames into the blogs. Add Part 2 of affiliates & everyone is going to get rich & it\’s a awesome recipe for the wildfire that ensued.I think it is one of the most brilliant & probably most profitable Books/Movies ever created Marketing wise. Free trailer on the net.Watch the movie one time for $4.99.(NO profit in that I bet!!!)The whole process should be broken down & recorded. I\’d pay a $1000.00 for that info. So for me I am awed and the same time humbled. When I look at the pure Genius of it, it makes me want to quit Marketing and go dig ditches. We\’ll I better go read the book again.
Comment by Sean Romanoff — May 9, 2007 @ 10:31 am
Creatively repackaging the idea that your point of view affects your reality is not offensive. On the contrary, I wish I thought of it. But to even hint that the thoughts of cancer victims or civilian war victims caused their own deaths is shameful, and I am surprised by some of the names attached to the project for that reason.
But the best lesson that you remind us about from The Secret is your Marketing Secret #4 - do not try to please everyone in your audience with your message. You rightly tell us that you can only win if you have a stake in the game.
But from my point of view, The Secret is a game that I would rather not be a part of…no matter the millions of dollars being made.
Comment by Jody Downie — May 9, 2007 @ 10:31 am
Ahh \”The Secret\” - as a social worker and an entrepreneur (go figure) I have personally promoted the literature and the DVD. Tell me how many conversations you have with people in day where you are discussing positive events, great things in your life…basically having positive conversations. Society feeds on negative images, complaining, etc. Imagine if - everyone went after their dreams and didn\’t second guess how successful they would be. People motivated, taking responsibilities for themselves and yes \”taking action\” to get where they want to be. Everyone has choices - pull up the sheets or go after what you want! I am a successful entrepreneur because I believed I had the motivation to learn whatever it took to be successful. I have an MSW and never would have believed I would be in the direct sales industry. I BELIEVE!
Comment by Stan — May 9, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
What makes The Secret so dangerous and deceitful is this:
Although they stopped short of blatantly declaring it, they did touch upon it when they got into quantum physics near the end.
What is this \”it\” I\’m referring to? This: We - each of us - are the Creators of our own Universe(s). Everything that we believe exists is created by our infinite, all-powerful \”God-mind(s).\” Yeah, that\’s right - I\’m God, and I created the Universe. None of it really exists but that I \”thought it into being,\” or something ridiculous like that.
Think I\’m exaggerating? Listen/read/watch closely the part where they say something very similar: \”You are God, and you create your own Universe.\” Of course, to keep from stepping TOO far over the line, the next guy - I don\’t remember his name - quickly jumps in and says, \”… or, if you\’re Scriptural, you\’re \’created in the IMAGE and LIKENESS of God …\’ \”
In other words, \”For those of you who actually believe in something greater than yourselves, and your own selfish desires, we offer this token alternative to the \’You are God and you create(d) your own Universe, and everything in it\’ theory, which is what we\’re basically espousing here.\”
I\’m all for positive thinking, and I do believe that we \”attract\” into our lives those things to which we give the most thought. The Bible even acknowledges as much. But this \”imagine it into being\” thing is largely bunk.
Yeah, it\’s brilliant marketing - I\’ll give them that. They tapped into all the right \”hot buttons …\”
Comment by Andrew Thompson — May 9, 2007 @ 1:26 pm
I don\’t know why anyone would get hot under the collar over this message. Believing is the first and fundamental step. Nothing will happen without it. But nothing will also happen if *all* you do is believe. You have to take action. But, gee, I love the way it flies in the face of the script that the consumer society has written for us: keep us fearful and unsatisfied and we will keep consuming. Nah! Go The Secret!
Comment by Kyle Tully — May 9, 2007 @ 6:37 pm
I think they kind of glazed over the part where they explain why thinking about something makes it happen, that by thinking about something and believing it our natural tendency to be true to ourselves kicks in and we make it happen.
Comment by Calvin Lofton — May 9, 2007 @ 10:11 pm
If you\’ve been reader over the years you would realize that the secret is just repackaged a lot of existing ideas in a new way, all in one place. Nothing evil, unless your looking with eyes brain washed with religion. What if, this whole life is just a hologram and we as infinite beings created it for our own enjoyment. I don\’t know if it\’s true, but I can\’t disprove it either… Same as the bible, a book written by men to control men… It can\’t be proven or disproven, it just is… I think the key here is \”Controversy\” and whether or not people have an open mind or a closed one.
Comment by Alex Schleber — May 9, 2007 @ 11:16 pm
It has been pointed out by many posters that \”the secret\” has been around for a long time. Before Napoleon Hill there was Wallace Wattles and the \”Science of Getting Rich\” (plus the other books in the \”Science of…\” series), who himself was a product of the Christian Constructive Science movement.
A neat tidbit I learned from Rich Schefren is that Napoleon Hill actually went dead broke near the end of his life and was rescued by and had to sell the rights to his work to W. Clement Stone. Imagine that, the guy who wrote Think and Grow Rich!
Then there were quite a few others in between, notably Stuart Wilde\’s \”The Trick to Money is Having Some\” and to some extent Kiyosaki\’s \”Rich Dad, Poor Dad\”…
So there is no doubt that the marketing behind The Secret is brilliant. BTW, there is an interview with Rhonda Byrne that was offered as a try-us-out gimmie bonus through one of Agora\’s Healthy, Wealthy & Wise offsprings. I haven\’t even read it yet, but one of the things you can see right from skimming through the interview, is that she comes across as a true believer. Now whether that\’s an act or not I don\’t know.
Point is, one of their marketing \”tricks\” was to supposedly give away millions of DVD\’s of the movie away to people. Which of course goes very nicely with their ideas about giving to receive.
Well, and not least of all I recall Daniel in one of his recent posts talking about his changing something in his mind (taking away permission to be beaten in a sales setting if I recall) to supposedly change something in his reality and becoming more successful as a result. So who\’s to say this stuff doesn\’t work?
And certainly most copywriting is marketed as a secret by its proponents. Change your mind into that of a copywriter and command millions, etc. So where does this all leave us? You be the judge.
Best
- Alex Schleber
Comment by Francois du Toit — May 10, 2007 @ 12:49 am
Let\’s be honest. This is effective marketing. Yes, it does take a lot of effort to get everything together as a previous entry explained. But I guess this is worthwhile effort.
Just look what happened here! Daniel Levis (the writer of this article) draw a lot of attention here. When you look at previous issues of The Total Package, those I read didn\’t draw half as much discussion as this article. He build these same principals that he says The Secret uses into this article, and there you have massive response.
You\’ve done an excellent job to show us marketers how to generate response. Thanks for showing these marketing secrets to us, in very plain language and examples. I\’ll bookmark this page for future reference, just to compare my own copy to these guidelines.
Comment by AHudson — May 10, 2007 @ 1:07 pm
Rhonda Byrne certainly would be a believer: She \”thought\” this book into being, \”saw\” the attention manifest, \”recieved\” riches therefrom, just as \”The Secret\” professes… except she left out the critical step of \”taking action\”. (Magic pill swallowers typically eschew this last part.)
If a mouse focuses on being a unicorn, that outcome is unlikely. However, nearly all those who have attained their level of desire will also likely say they have focused, believed, thought and ACTED in accord.
On THAT point, the secret is likely more self-fulfilling will.
Comment by Ken DoBucki — May 12, 2007 @ 6:07 am
After six months of various messages, we gave in to, of all things, peer pressure and watched \\\”The Secret\\\”. Shortly after that we addressed a group of business people, of course the buzz in the room was \\\”The Secret\\\”. In closing I was compelled to bring up the subject that was on every ones lips. I asked them if they had a business that prehaps they were keeping as if it were \\\”The Secret\\\”. I went on, \\\”If you trully desire success with your businesses, I suggest that each of you look at \\\”The Secret\\\” once again. This time though look from a different prespective, look from the outside in to the content and not at the content. For the secret is, there is no secret! There are only things we don\\\’t know or don\\\’t understand and that does not make it a secret.
Comment by Tom Loch — May 12, 2007 @ 7:06 am
It\’s great marketing…pure and simple.
You said it all in a promo for your Masters of Copywriting program…\”There are no new ideas, only new combinations of old ideas.\” Needless to say, they did it right. And how they did it will be the model to copy for years to come.
Have I seen the movie? They completely blew that one when one of the world\’s greatest hustlers of pure crap was sent out as a headliner. Anything Joe Vitale promotes is nothing more than something he can profit from. Did you know that six months ago, according to JV, Simplology was the answer to it all. There\’s nothing wrong with using a hustler…it just reveals the REAL secret behind The Secret. I think they may have been suckered into using him, but that\’s what he does best. So, way to go Joe!
It\’s great marketing…pure and simple. And if anyone wonders about their real motives…just follow the money. Nobody is ever in business as a public works project and neither are they.
So, who is the marketing brains behind these talking heads?
Comment by Alex Schleber — May 14, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
… let the games begin…
Clayton apparently just couldn\’t resist to come back with the (sort-of) counterpoint to \”The Secret\”, just as Daniel laid out: It doesn\’t matter which side of the controversy you\’re on, it will work for you either way.
Strangely enough, Clayton comes around nearly full circle in the end to recommend some of the same visualization techniques for copywriting that the folks from \”The Secret\” are big on… go figure.
Therein lies the thought-to-action link BTW that has been so well discussed on this thread: Without aligning your mind with your purpose, the actions you take may just simply not be very effective/efficient, or sometimes downright counter-productive.
Whether you prefer a more psychological explanation for this (e.g. internal consistency and focus) or the more spiritual (Clayton would probably say \”woo-woo\”) musings of the personal development jet-set doesn\’t matter.
This goes for other aspects of \”The Secret\” as well BTW. Is its maxim of \”give and you shall receive\” a spiritual law or simply the psychological drive to reciprocity?
The answer is likely \”yes!\”…
Best
- Alex Schleber