The Diderot Effect states :

Obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption which leads you to acquire more new things.

• As a result, we end up buying things that our previous selves never needed to feel happy or fulfilled.

The effect is named after the famous French philosopher Denis Diderot.

• Diderot lived his entire life in poverty.

• After acquiring a beautiful robe, he felt the urge to buy new things to “match” the robe.

Examples of The Diderot Effect

• You buy a new dress and now you have to get the shoes and earrings to match.

• You buy a Crossfit membership and soon you’re paying for foam rollers, knee sleeves, wrist wraps and paleo meal plans.

• You buy your child a Barbie Doll and find yourself purchasing more accessories than you ever knew existed for dolls.

• You buy a new couch and suddenly you’re questioning the layout of your entire living room. Those chairs? That coffee table? The rug? They all gotta go.

I think it’s safe to say people are aware of this effect, and can relate to feeling it in one or two aspects of their lives. At most times, we’re pretty happy to let our impulses go on this.

So the question becomes, how can I use this to my advantage?

If you’re a product, or service and are racking up clientele that know you, love you, and trust you..

• You ought to consider becoming the provider or connector for the stuff around your service.

For instance, if you design, sell and build custom outdoor fireplaces,

That likely means that your client loves to spend time out side with their family and friends.

If they love your fireplace, you ought to sell them some high quality outdoor furniture, heat lamps and outdoor dining tables.

Reason being, they’re going to go out and buy those things ANYWAY, and if you have a passion and keen eye for high quality outdoor stuff, you have an obligation to provide those recommendations. Wether thats your own products, or having a trusted friend that does provide those things.

Thats when we talk about the numbers side, if it doesnt. make sense for you to invest in providing the other things, it makes the most sense that you build a relationship with the people who do.

That doesn’t mean you email them or DM them saying “Hey i sell fireplaces could you promote me if i promote you?!🤡”

It means you find them on social, LinkedIn, Yelp or Facebook and you find out their address,

You send them steaks, you send them wine and write a note that says -

“Hey my name is Julian, I know you don’t know who I am, I don’t have an ask as of right now, but i just want to say i’m a big fan of what you’ve created at HighQualityOutdoorFurniture.com, and I know quality craftsmanship when I see it because the last 3 clients I did custom fireplaces for raved about your furniture. Just wanted to send some steaks and wine over for you and your family and say I hope I can become the staple of my industry one day.

Love, Julian R”

And guess what, voila a friendship is born.

From there, the likelihood of us going into business together is sky high compared to some thirsty DM or email.

So, grow your business by using the Diderot Effect in your favor!