attraction and seduction

This is a mail exchange with my marketing friend John that turned into a co-blog-post about marketing, in particular about my incessant protesting anything "push":

In essence it all boils down to what Hugh would have termed - "Having a totally fucking amazing product is Job One" - that's the start and the end.

To which John rightly goes - "once you have created this totally amazing thing you can't just sit back and wait for the pull to happen, you have to ensure that the pullers become aware of it  and that must involve an element of pushing."

But how to nudge? Can the nudging be pull or push too?

Being a lazy bloke I obviously love being seduced by war paint, deep cut front, high heels... etc. but:

• Seduction could lead to mutterings of "oh shit!" the next morning... I've heard.
• Seduction is "push".
• Seduction seldom leads to marriage.
• Attraction is "pull".
• Attraction takes more time.
• Being attracted is enjoyable too, but lasts longer.
• Attraction is best path to a long lasting relationship.
• Seduction requires much lip gloss, deep cut fronts, high heels...
• Attraction requires transparency, allow all to be seen - warts too.

But, as John puts it, even attracting means that you have to be there, nothing happens if you hide in a corner!

Seduction (if done right) is quick and cheap, attraction takes time... guess that's why tinkering with enterprise software is harder than doing web 2.0 flashy stuff. Ah, the lack of natural curves and lip gloss... sigh.

Comments

[John Dodds]

I have a completely new insight into you!

[sig]

The girls and being seduced section? Nah, I've got that from hearsay and stories and such... ;)

Or, could it be some faint memory from my student days... hmmm...

[fiat lux]

And obviously, the thought that any percentage of the audience might not be male hasn't crossed your mind.

"War paint and high heels" indeed. Bah.

[sig]

Fiat, my bad, apologies etc. :)

BTW, try replacing offending sentence with "one day stubble and sportscar"...

[Paul P Magee]

I don't think there is as much difference as you make out between seduction and attraction when it comes to the energy and resources required to get a result. The only difference is the level of honesty and the willingness to be deceived.

Attraction may take more time and patience, but what we really need to do is make sure that we are alert and ready to play the attraction game - not oblivious to the opportunities passing us by as we "tinker" away :) Whether we are seducing or attracting, it's still selling and if it's not selling, if it's merely demonstrating then the result will be interested viewers not paying customers.

The benefit of suduction is that there's no doubt about what's on offer!

[sig]

Paul,

good point - perhaps the difference could be found in what "triggers" we're trying to hit when we do an effort to be noticed (call it selling or not)?

For me I put the seduction squarely in the corner of the very basic triggers (sex is one of course) which is effective in the short term and probably useful for the one time sell, or at least the simple on the whim purchase kind of product.

Or it can be used on top of the other, the last push.

And definitely as you say, attraction (and long term relationship) requires honesty, transparency and self confidence - a good starting point in any case methinks. Even if spiced up with the more basic triggers after attraction has been established... :)