Fascination Trigger #5: Prestige

It's good to be back on the blogosphere! I haven't ever taken a week off from blogging (to my albeit limited memory) and I enjoyed it so much. Definitely think there is something to this whole "unplugging" thing.

But on to our regularly scheduled program.

This week, I'm covering the fifth fascination trigger as discovered by Sally Hogshead, the author of Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation. In it, she talks about seven ways people can harness their natural personalities to be captivating to others. I've been going over these triggers on Wednesdays.

[If you missed the introduction to this series, click here. If you missed Power, the first trigger, click here. If you missed Passion, the second trigger, click here. If you missed Mystique, the third trigger, click here. Alarm, the fourth trigger, is found here.]

People who have the primary trigger of Prestige have high goals and seek even higher goals. They always want to improve and have tangible evidence of their success. They crave respect, but want to earn it.

In layman's terms, this is the respect due to someone having rank. The President is instantly fascinating upon election (or re-election). We would rather hear speeches by someone of note than someone we've never heard of before. Apple products once again made Randy Ingermanson's description of this series in that whether you think it's true or not, much of the world believes that owning an iPhone gives one more prestige than owning a Blackberry or Android.

According to Sally Hogshead, there are 5 defining characteristics of Prestige personalities:

1. Ambitious - Prestige puts high goals out there for themselves, and they push themselves to reach the next level. A lot of energy goes to characteristic.

2. Detail-Oriented - These folk are most often perfectionist in how they present themselves and in the work they produce. They observe details better than most, and have an inner desire to fix even the slightest problem.

3. Admired - Most people perceive Prestige people as somewhat of an expert in their field, and definitely an achiever. They are often consultants and looked up to by others.

4. Uncompromising - "Good enough" is the kiss of death for Prestiges. They pursue improvement constantly, and making concessions and settling in less than the best is very uncomfortable for them.

5. Focused -Since Prestige people focus their attention and energy on "knowing more, doing more, having more, being more," they are well-suited to leadership in various forms.

I didn't have to think long to produce an author who meets these criteria. Martha Stewart has written dozens of bestselling books on a variety of subjects, and her name is synonymous with domestic goddess. She described herself to Oprah as a "maniacal perfectionist." (And come on...anyone who could cook and keep house like this woman must would have to be.) Even the stock trading scandal she was involved with was a result of her ambition and desire to avoid even the slightest problem.

But she made a comeback in 2005 and her company was profitable once again in 2006. Since then, her reputation has only gone up, a result of her drive and will. She's once again highly respected in her fields of expertise.

Let's Analyze

Any other Prestige authors you know? Someone who's a bit obsessive about editing, perhaps?
And just because I'm curious, who among you adhere to a regular "unplugging" from the internet, whether forced to (like what happened to me when we moved) or because you wanted to?

How to Fascinate Others...and Why Authors Should Take Note

I've been reading through the book Fascinate, by Sally Hogshead. If you haven't heard of it, you should pick it up, as I've found it, well, fascinating.

Hogshead is a brand consultant and speaker. Her book has been endorsed by Seth Godin and Tom Peters. It's not small potatoes! She based her book on her studies of the psychology, neurology, economics, and history of fascination...and this rings my bell. :)

In today's fast-paced world, you need something to make you stand out. People only have NINE SECOND attention spans. You need something that makes you different and fascinating to others. Why are people going to talk about you? What do you have to bring to the table that's not already there in abundance? 

According to Hogshead (a last name which, before you giggle at it, Sally has totally embraced with a passion--check her website to see what I'm talking about), there are seven ways to "trigger" fascination:

These seven triggers are hardwired into the brain, and Sally says if you can trigger the part of the brain that makes a potential customer wonder if he or she should buy something, then you can shortcut to them actually buying something.

"Fascination is the shortcut to persuasion," Sally says. And persuading readers to buy your first book or subsequent books is exactly what authors need to be thinking about.

You don't learn how to be fascinating, you learn how to not be boring. This is good news for all of us! As I try to think about marketing my own business, I've found this to be encouraging and invaluable. As a result, I'm hoping to share what I'm learning with you all. So every Wednesday for the next seven weeks, I'm going to breakdown the 7 triggers.

If you're chomping at the bits and don't want to wait for my weekly breakdown of the 7 triggers, you can take Sally's trademarked personalty test, The Fascination Advantage ($37), to find out your primary and secondary triggers. From this information, you will be well on your way to determining your personality brand and the strengths that you bring to your own marketing.

It's a competitive environment, and the most fascinating option will always win, according to Sally. She says to "Stand out, or don't bother."

So join me on Wednesdays to see how you can stand out.

Let's Analyze

Have you ever heard of the book Fascinate? What's your best guess of your primary trigger?

If you haven't read my therapeutic review of Krista Phillip's Sandwich, With a Side of Romance, click here for a chance to win your own copy!