😵‍💫 How to manipulate

Use this responsibly

Manipulation: The Art of Making You Think It’s Your Idea”

Let’s get one thing straight — nobody likes to be manipulated. It’s like realizing halfway through a conversation that the other person has been playing mental chess while you’re just moving checkers pieces. But here’s the kicker: we’re all manipulated every day. And most of the time, we don’t even notice.

From persuasive ads to media spin, the information we consume shapes the decisions we think we’re making independently. Spoiler alert: they’re not always your own. And this isn’t some tinfoil hat conspiracy theory — it’s just the art of manipulation, baked right into modern society.

Why You’re Not as Original as You Think

Ever had a “brilliant idea” only to Google it and realize someone beat you to it? Yeah, welcome to the club. Ideas aren’t as original as we’d like to believe. Our thoughts, decisions, and even opinions are often influenced by the content we consume. And guess what? The people feeding us this content know exactly what they’re doing.

When it comes to marketing, manipulation is the secret sauce. It’s about knowing what buttons to push and when to push them. And sometimes, those buttons get pushed a little too hard — especially when big money is on the line. Case in point: the Dot-Com Boom.

The Dot-Com Era: A Masterclass in Misleading

Ah, the early 2000s. A time when everyone thought slapping “.com” on a company name automatically made it a goldmine. Investors were lining up to throw cash at anything with an internet connection. But behind the scenes? The big investment banks were pulling the strings, feeding the public research reports that were more fiction than fact.

Merrill Lynch, one of the biggest players in the game, was caught red-handed. Internal emails showed analysts trash-talking these startups privately while hyping them up publicly. Why? Because these banks had a vested interest in making those startups look like golden geese. They pumped the stocks up with glowing reviews, got the public to buy in, then cashed out before the house of cards collapsed. Classic “pump and dump.”

The result? Retail investors got burned while the banks walked away with fat wallets. The manipulation wasn’t just in the research — it was in the trust those reports created. And trust, once broken, is almost impossible to rebuild.

The Razor-Thin Line Between Influence and Deception

Manipulation isn’t inherently evil. In fact, sales and marketing thrive on it. But there’s a fine line between influence and deception, and walking that line is where things get tricky.

When done right, sales can create a win-win situation. You demonstrate real value, build trust, and persuade someone to make a decision that benefits them. But abuse that trust? Game over. Manipulators know that trust is their strongest weapon. They gain it first, then twist it to serve their agenda.

Take marketing, for example. When a brand pitches a product, they’re not giving you a scientific breakdown of why it works. They’re giving you just enough information to make you believe it’s the solution you’ve been searching for. Ever notice how fast the legal disclaimers roll by in pharmaceutical ads? That’s not an accident. They’re giving you the feel-good part upfront and rushing through the fine print before you can process it.

Junior Marketers, Here’s Your Playbook

Now, if you’re a junior marketer reading this and thinking, “So... should I just lie to people?” — calm down, Machiavelli. The goal isn’t to trick people into buying stuff they don’t need. It’s to use the power of information to guide them toward what’s best for them (and yes, for you too).

Here’s how you do it without turning into a Wall Street villain:

1. Know Your Audience Inside and Out. What motivates them? What keeps them up at night? Read what they read. Hang out where they hang out. Become your target audience.

2. Craft Messages That Resonate. Use their language. Speak to their desires. Position your product or service as the answer they’ve been searching for.

Lead, Don’t Deceive. Present information that highlights the value — not just the hype. Manipulation done right should leave the buyer feeling empowered, not duped.

⬇️ Read our previous post on Consumer Behavior to help you understand value

❔Why you need to know Consumer Behavior ❓

The Ethical Manipulation Game

Look, manipulation isn’t going anywhere. It’s built into how we make decisions. But as marketers, the goal should be to guide people toward the right choice — not trick them into a bad one.

If you can capture their attention and lead them toward something valuable, you’ve done your job. But remember: trust is the foundation. Abuse it, and you’ll lose more than just a sale — you’ll lose credibility. And in a world where trust is the most valuable currency, that’s a price too high to pay.

So go ahead — manipulate. But do it with a conscience. Because the best marketers don’t just sell — they guide, they educate, and they make people feel like they made the decision all on their own.

Now, if you’re still hell-bent on using manipulation for evil, maybe it’s time to consider a career on Wall Street. Just saying.

Resources

• Goldman Sachs | Reshaping Research

• Finra | 2003 Global Settlement

• Merril Lynch's Analyst Barred from Finance

• FDA Rule on Direct to Consumer drug Ads