The Mind of the Buyer

CH AP T E R T H RE E

TH E INFLU E NCE OF REPETITION

R epetition wins attention. If w e can n ot forc e
o ur c omm odity in to th e c ent e r o f a ttenti on
by any of th e device s m entione d i n th e pre
c eding ch apt e r, o r by virtue of i t s int rinsic
meri t a n d a pprop riat eness to th e con tent s of
th e b uy er’s mind, w e may h ave recourse to
a n oth e r fa ct or— rep eti tion. M ere bal d, brutal
rep e ti tio n goes fa r i n a t tra c ting a ttention.
Thi s fac t i s c rys ta llize d in th e ol d p roverb
“ Con sta n t d roppin g wea rs away stones. ”
W e h ave frequen t verific a tion of this fac t
in eve ryday life. O fte n wh e n we are a sleep
a sound oc curs wi th o ut awakin g us th e fi rs t
time, th e secon d o r th e third. A s i t pe r
sistentl y rec urs , h oweve r, i t forc e s its w ay
t h rough th e m urk o f unconsciousn ess a n d
a rouses us. And th en as we look back w e recall
th a t th e sound ha d bee n there va guely ( in th e
ma rgI n of th e m ental stream ) fo r s om e tim e,
b ut ha d require d rep eti tion to be effec tive.
Fo r a n expla na tion of th e grea t powe r resi

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