Drug dealers, particularly those that create addictions such as heroin and methamphetamine give away samples of their wares knowing full well that their prospects will be back this time to pay for more products.
The Cycle of Addiction looks like this:
- Pain;
- Drug use;
- Gain/high;
- Crash/come down
- Bigger pain than before;
- Drug use with increased does;
- Bigger Gain/high than before;
- Bugger crash/come down and
- Repeat indefinitely…
The bigger highs and lows and dose is what creates dependence.
They are hooked!
It’s important to note that drug dealers don’t give people drugs to get them hooked.
The user already wants the drug, they opt-in.
What can marketers learn from drug dealers?
- Have a great product, great being defined as it has a value that takes someone out of pain towards a wanted gain. Something that both drugs and products, services and solutions do;
- Give a sample away for free, up front because it’s good and decreases risk for the consumer;
- Ask them to come back for more with money.