Adding the POP.

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by unpinkpanther

How would you classify CULTS on the Maslow
Hierarchy of Needs?

I wonder because at first blush it seems they
try to meet their prospects' need for
Love/Belonging... but their appeals almost
never stress that upfront.

Take for instance the "Pentecostal" cults.

They promise more of health and wealth, as if
they are targeting the Safety/Security rung
of the ladder... until the poor "seeker" takes the
bait.

Then he gets to pay dearly with his time and
money, but interestingly enough at this
point, he's actually loving it, defending his
"master" at any opportunity he can get, for
saving him from his "past life of ignorance".

So how do we explain this?

Is it that the cults use the Safety/Security
rung as a BAIT and then the Love/Belonging
rung as an UPSELL?

What do you think?

I think you have the Maslow Pyramid as a static tool, consider the Egyptian pyramids where you could walk up and down, so a person would be moving.

I prefer the SQ1 and a five lane highway. Here, in USA, the right lanes are turn-off and slow lanes while the left ones are speed or multi passenger lanes.

In a city (a life) there are many INTERSECTIONS, it is dynamic, people are in motion, going from one to the next, or they are changing lanes on their personal highways.

A cult will be more like the highway, and combined with the Intersection where a person comes in contact with it, I doubt if a universal appeal exists. A good cult leader (good being one able to get members), is one that has structured the Intersection to match the traffic. Unless it is seeking a very specific type of member, then a more static approach might apply.

The type of cult you describe adds the "heaven ON Earth" element to the prize of everlasting heaven. Unlike Christ, who told the rich man to give away his wealth and then join him guys like Joel Osteen/Creflo Dollar, et al, tell their cult members to give their wealth to THEM, to get a better seat on the train bound for eternal grace.

You have to think of a TARGET (of your persuasion) to be more like the little ducks at the carnival shooting game, where they move...and not as a static target as in an archery contest.

BUT, the effective persuasion appeal is the one that most fits the target at the time of the Intersection. One size might not fit all but, but XL-L-M-S might fit the majority of shoppers in THAT store.

So, using the Intersection, and the pitch during the Red Light, the cult would probably have a few pitches at the ready, and give the one most suited to the situation and from their cold reading of their target.
GordonJ