How we change what others think, feel, believe and do |
Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD)
Disciplines > Sales > Sales articles > Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) Description | Discussion | See also
DescriptionFUD stands for fear, uncertainty and doubt, and is a method used in sales and marketing to dissuade customers from buying competing products and solutions by providing information that triggers fear and uncertainty, or sows seeds of doubt, about current customer thinking. Things that may be suggested include:
You can even use FUD around your own offerings, such as that:
ExampleWhen a competitor launches a new product, a marketing manager announces that a better product will be released later in the year, even though release dates are very uncertain. The uncertainty caused is enough to cause many customers to wait. A sales person, when told that a customer is considering a competitor solution, produces a recent news article that indicates that the competitor firm is likely to be a target for acquisition. DiscussionWhen people buy things they often start with a checklist (written or mental) of functionality and other attributes that they want. Then they switch to cost, looking for the lowest price they must pay for what they want. If the price is too high, then they may trade features for discount. What buyers seldom consider is risks and other uncertainties that could lead to product failure or other problems, especially in the longer term. Yet paradoxically we seek certainty and hence are often very risk averse. This is an opportunity for sales and marketing people who can use threats and uncertainties that lead to negative emotions such as fear, and hence sow seeds of doubt that lead to desired changing of minds. See alsoDoubt Close, Sow Seeds of Doubt
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Site Menu |
| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings | |
Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories | |
Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help | |
More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes | |
Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate | |
| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links | |
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