by Sabre Lucian

Created on: April 26, 2008   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

Creating attraction on a mass level has become infinitely more difficult since the advent of industrialization and technological advances. It's hard to captivate an audience that is already surrounded by a miasma of advertisements and sales literature. People no longer know whom to trust; they've internalized the bedlam of marketplace competition in their own lives and are more cynical towards every new idea-pitch. Trendsetters, however, are capable of leaping over these obstacles. They know to appeal directly to the sensual, pushing emotional buttons rather than trying to influence the rationale. Master the game of trendsetting, and you too can harness the power to subdue an audience, rendering them susceptible to your will, and your way.

Trendsetting

Trendsetting was originally an art espoused by the mercantile class that utilized elements of seduction in order to spur the sale of a commodity by paralleling it with a vogue. Trendsetters do not directly present a particular commercial article, they disguise it by offering a lifestyle - an ideal to live for. Use the following six steps as a guide to setting the trend of your choice; spawn a cultlike following, and leave competition lightyears behind.

STEP 1 CAPTURE THE ZEITGEIST
The primary step of any attempt to set a trend is to get in touch with the spirit of the times. In the affairs of men, there is always a dominant theme, an overriding concern, a prevalent cause. This will serve as the perfect foundation from which to launch a new trend. Call it the "theme-catcher strategy". If the trend you wish to spread can be associated with a powerful current issue, then you've caught a theme. When the trend is a pastiche of the socio-political atmosphere, the press will pick up on your activities, granting you free publicity. An additional bonus is that members of the general public will read into your activities as news - not a sales pitch. This allays the suspicions and doubts that advertising and sales promotions create. Furthermore, by capturing the zeitgeist and molding your prospective trend around it, you'll almost immediately spawn a support base. You'll readily find zillions of people sharing the same values and convictions who will flock to march beside you. Playing the numbers game translates into acclaim, votes, and oodles of money. By appealing to people's sentiments first, you sabotage their reasoning faculty and they will follow you in spirit, giving your trend a sublime sovereignty in the marketplace.

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