"Why not try giving?"-and-"Perhaps therapy would help" ...Good points Noreen!! You wanna play doctor?

I have many friends who are in competion with me. Many people here are at agencies that go after the same business. You never know who will be working with you tomorrow. There are Art of War people and there are Love Agent people. Fear based marketing works in life insurance. Love based marketing works with brand loyalty. Why not try giving? I do not believe in God and I respect fire I don't fear it. If you respect your competition then you are better off than fearing them. Perhaps therapy would help.

Jeffrey- “Distrust” is one of Fear’s many children. “People want to believe in the people and things they include in their lives”…yet end up being disappointed to some degree, in one way or another, more often, than not. Give me a laundry list of where you thing Fear isn’t, and I will show you where it is. A list of why Fear is not number one, and I will demonstrate how it is. Fear is public enemy number one, Jeffrey. Fear, or a form of Fear, is where ever mankind is, and rules mankind’s lives, to one degree, or another. The only people immune to fear are either crazy, foolish, or dead. Even God insists on being feared. Fear is best understood, when faced and used to your advantage. ‘Think of Fear as Fire’. Do not worry about what fire is, or where fire comes from, or where fire goes. Just use fire to bring light to the darkness. Use fire to bring warmth to the cold. Use fire to cook your food. Use fire to ward off predators (as outlined in this above principle)…ETC. Just remember to keep a safe distance from Fire, or get burnt or destroyed.

Michael I don't agree with you. Fear is not public enemy numbr one, distrust is. People want to believe in the people and things they include in their lives. Fear of failure is a motivator that drives many business people. And here I agree is a defensive posture that I believe is intuitively sensed by most people and perceived as a weakness. Those that use fear and intimidation no matter how subtle would not in my view have good long term prospects for growth or success. Most successful business people I know are extremely competitive and focus themselves and their employees efforts in a positive way. I think the fear and intimidation occurs more in the workplace where security is leveraged in the name of loyalty and dedication.

Jeffrey--Again, I am stating, IN ANY COMPETITIVE BUSINESS SITUATION, FEAR AND INTIMIDATION "ARE ALWAYS PRESENT”— (a long with other decisive factors). So whether they are just a part of the mix', or somehow more important', the fear and intimidation factors are certainly present. And, since humans are part of the equation (as the buyer or seller), I would have to say that, the fear and intimidation factors, are "very important". Why, because fear is public enemy number one, among all people. Providing better products or services are always a primary and important concern. But, like in a poker game, who really knows, what the other players have? And, who knows, who is bluffing and has nothing, until the game is over? “Who is Toyota intimidating?”—any other car manufacturer who is trying to sell a car AND anyone who is thinking about buying a car—that’s who. “What role should an agency play in creating, producing and adapting products (or services) to better compete and get the upper hand?” Agency’s help to create and spread the fear in a selling premise, or try to defend their client’s product of service against the fear spread by their competition. Thus, they need to be aware of this principle and know how to utilize it to their best advantage in either scenario.

Aren't we forgetting the product? A good product that responds to or creates a need has got to make competition more content than intimidation based. Who is Toyota intimidating? What role should an agency play in creating, producing and adapting products (or services) to better compete and get the upper hand/

Jesse- A few people do great advertising, most don't. Practical usage of this principle...being able to successfully compete, in a business competition. Most people do not know what they really know, until they stop to think about it. I would say that most competitors are aware of this principle.

I certainly see that as being true. However, what conclusions one might draw from that knowledge at any given time still takes 'talent' and that's why some people do great advertising in the first place really. So, yes, I concede the point, but I wonder how much practical use it really is or if it is simply a way to make the author seem as if they had come up with someone that nobody previously knew.