Learn influence skills from the scammers and con artists

Framing allows you to answer the four questions that your audience ask when they assess if a message is relevant to them.

The following letter is an example of a spam email that is doing the rounds. It's a scam, of course, and full of holes if you're looking for them. But when you read it, pretend you are a gullible person. What does the writer do to try to influence you?

From: Mrs Rebecca Thatcher. No:36 Old Shrewberry Street, London England. Beloved,i am Lady Rebecca Thatcher, suffering from cancerous ailment. I used to be married to Sir Jeremy Thatcher an Englishman who is dead and resting peacefully. My husband was into private practice all his life before he passed. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of Twenty Million Pounds (20,000,000.00 Million Great Britain Pounds Sterling) which were derived from his vast estates and investment in capital market with his bank here in UK. Presently, this money is still with the Bank. Recently, my Doctor told me that I have limited days to live due to the cancerous problems I am suffering from. Though what bothers me most is the stroke that I have in addition to the cancer. With this hard reality that has befallen me, I have decided to donate this fund to you and want you to use this gift which comes from my husbands effort to fund the upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans, destitute, the down-trodden, physically challenged children, barren-women and persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped financially. I took this decision because I do not have any child that will inherit this money. My happiness is that I lived a life worthy of emulation. Please assure me that you will act just as I have stated herein. Hope to hear from you soon. You can contact me through my personal email address at [snipped]. Thanking you in advance for everything, Sincerely yours, Lady Rebecca Thatcher.

Consider how framing is used in this letter:

• Why this? What are the benefits of responding to this letter?
• Why you? What is the author’s
  credibility
• Why me? What is the relevance to me, the reader?
• Why now? What is the urgency to take action?
  

How effective is the letter in setting these up? Can you see how these four questions can be answered in your next message for greater impact?