07-31-2006, 10:20 PM
Reading your question again, (quoted below)...
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->In business, don't we often give freebies first to attract customers, and then provide another product or service, the ones which we really intend to sell? This method is indispensable in a competitive world, or your business is doomed. You don't try to be honest and tell your customers: look, we are giving away worthless freebies, so that you'll be fooled into buying our product. We take this for granted, every business in the world does this. It is impossible to survive without it. And we never ask awkward questions such as 'why can't we be upfront about the whole matter' and so forth.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
... I have a question: Where exactly is the business that works very similar to the missionaries? Remember what the missionaries are doing (in the language of corporations):
1. They offer you freebies, and <b>pretend they only want to do that</b>.
2. Once you are placed under obligation, and are feeling properly grateful, they ask you to accept another service - this one has some costs to you.
Where in the world do you find such a business? I got it: <b>Amway!</b> except that Amway doesn't offer any freebies, but the costs are not very clear upfront, so we might consider it similar.
Also, I believe spies are recruited the same way in foregin countries. First, you wine and dine the person, then put him in a compromising position where he is obligated to you, then tighten the screws.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->In business, don't we often give freebies first to attract customers, and then provide another product or service, the ones which we really intend to sell? This method is indispensable in a competitive world, or your business is doomed. You don't try to be honest and tell your customers: look, we are giving away worthless freebies, so that you'll be fooled into buying our product. We take this for granted, every business in the world does this. It is impossible to survive without it. And we never ask awkward questions such as 'why can't we be upfront about the whole matter' and so forth.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
... I have a question: Where exactly is the business that works very similar to the missionaries? Remember what the missionaries are doing (in the language of corporations):
1. They offer you freebies, and <b>pretend they only want to do that</b>.
2. Once you are placed under obligation, and are feeling properly grateful, they ask you to accept another service - this one has some costs to you.
Where in the world do you find such a business? I got it: <b>Amway!</b> except that Amway doesn't offer any freebies, but the costs are not very clear upfront, so we might consider it similar.
Also, I believe spies are recruited the same way in foregin countries. First, you wine and dine the person, then put him in a compromising position where he is obligated to you, then tighten the screws.