effective. Only be sure that your opening attitude is well thought out, and if

it change as you warm up to your subject, let not the change lay you open to a

revulsion of feeling in your audience.

 

_Example is a powerful means of suggestion._ As we saw while thinking of

environment in its effects on an audience, we do, without the usual amount of

hesitation and criticism, what others are doing. Paris wears certain hats and

gowns; the rest of the world imitates. The child mimics the actions, accents and

intonations of the parent. Were a child never to hear anyone speak, he would

never acquire the power of speech, unless under most arduous training, and even

then only imperfectly. One of the biggest department stores in the United States

spends fortunes on one advertising slogan: "Everybody is going to the big

store." That makes everybody want to go.

 

You can reinforce the power of your message by showing that it has been widely

accepted. Political organizations subsidize applause to create the impression

that their speakers' ideas are warmly received and approved by the audience. The

advocates of the commission-form of government of cities, the champions of votes

for women, reserve as their strongest arguments the fact that a number of cities

and states have already successfully accepted their plans. Advertisements use

the testimonial for its power of suggestion.

 

Observe how this principle has been applied in the following selections, and

utilize it on every occasion possible in your attempts to influence through

suggestion: