The gag order made everyone MORE obsessed

Over the weekend, I binged the documentary One Night in Idaho: The College Murders.

In the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students were brutally murdered in their off-campus house.

It grabbed national attention because the crime was so bizarre and random.

Because the police refused to hold press conferences until 3 days later, people filled in the blanks themselves, and the mystery just kept growing.

Even when they did, they provided scant details but no motive and no suspect.

When they finally arrested Bryan Kohberger in late December, everyone was relieved but even MORE curious.

How did this grad student from Washington State University know these victims?

Why these four students?

Shortly after the court proceedings began, a gag order silenced everyone close to the case.

Police, prosecutors, defense attorneys - nobody could say a word.

The media and true crime fanatics kept digging.

Residents and college students couldn't escape their incessant questions.

And still, to this day, we don't have the answers to the one burning question - why?.

My heart absolutely broke watching this.

Hearing the stories from friends, roommates, and families of those four students was devastating. The pain they went through - and continue to endure - is unimaginable.

I believe we can extract lessons from everything in life.

As I observed how people behaved when information was withheld, I realized something powerful ...

Strategic silence and controlled information release creates an almost magnetic pull in people.

Now think about your next product launch, training, or service announcement - the thing you've been quietly working on.

How can YOU create that same irresistible curiosity before you announce it?

Here's 4 ideas:

• Tease the problem first - Drop hints about what you're solving without revealing the solution

• Release breadcrumbs strategically - Give just enough info to keep your readers hungry for more

• Use countdown sequences - Build urgency with "reveal dates" they can't miss

• Create insider access - Make subscribers feel special for being "in the know"

The key is to control the narrative.

Don't dump everything at once.

Make them NEED to know what comes next.

Scott "I still have questions" Hartley

P.S. Speaking of strategic suspense... I've been cooking up something special for people running webinars, masterclasses, or summits who need more butts in seats (not just registrations).

I'm doing an invite-only beta launch later this month.

If you're running events and need better show-up rates AND you're an implementer (not just an info-seeker), send me an email.

When I'm ready to roll it out, you'll be first to know.