G8 ‘Special Relationship’ Evaluation

Political anoraks will no doubt be into the annual meeting between the world’s self-styled 7 most important leaders and Russia, currently taking place this year in Germany.  The British Fourth Estate have been giving it blanket coverage, what with climate change policy vital and Putin playing up.  One such paper, The Independent, have taken to creating a new style of front page.  Often it doesn’t work, particularly when the message is (as too often is) a downbeat, miserable one.  Yet Wednesday 6 June 2007 worked a treat.

And I’m not talking about its omnipresent Blair-as-Bush-poodle crusade.  It’s more the fact (from our sales perspectives, you understand!) that it is a stunning example of what sales guru Tom Hopkins calls the ‘Ben Franklin Close’ in action.

When trying to persuade people to your way of thinking, write all the points to back up your argument, talking with them and prompting all the way, on the one side – in The Indy’s case on the left – then for the other side, ask them what goes on the opposing view’s column and stay resolutely silent.  It’s a belter and if you do it properly, then it’ll have the same impact as this front pager.