Update: An associate paid me a surprise visit on New Year's Eve. We had Mexican food at Casa Guadalajara in the historic Old Town District, site of the first Spanish Mission planted by Junípero Serra. Although I rarely drink, we ordered margaritas to welcome all the opportunities for the new year.

On New Year's Day we dined at Harrah's Rincon. The meaty crab legs that soaked mercilessly in hot, melted butter, were unable to escape its final destination. The shrimp linguine drenched in thick marinara, garlic and herbs bursted with so many flavors—the Surgeon General should have posted warnings against addiction. And the crème brûlée was so sinfully divine, one serving was not enough. Eating has to be the ultimate in instant gratification.

Feature Article: Instant Gratification

Resource: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

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How I Dropped My Blood Pressure Almost Instantly Without Drugs

Your blood pressure fluctuates constantly. The foods you eat, how much cardiovascular exercise you get, and how well you deal with stress all determine your current reading. Which can change from one hour to the next.

My blood pressure had been borderline lately because of an injury that sidelined me from sports. And because of the holidays, I indulged in the great American pastime called overeating. That's a poor combination.

I was scheduled to give blood the day after New Year's Day. Fearing my blood pressure would be on the high side from two straight days of restaurant-hopping, I did the only thing I knew to do: Intense cardio exercises. I did full court basketball drills for 35 minutes prior to my appointment.

Did it work?

You be the judge. Right before my cardio, I went to a CVS drug store and recorded a reading of 143/78. During my appointment, my reading dropped to 121/80. The readings were taken ninety minutes apart.

Big Pharma wants you to disregard stories like mine. They want you to believe they have the only answers. Well, there are alternatives to Big Pharma.

Instant Gratification

Dear Associate,

I'd love to tell you I enjoy donating blood. It saves lives. It supplies hospital trauma centers. It makes a significant difference for those who have gunshot wounds, who need blood transfusions, or who will undergo surgery. And I'd encourage everyone to donate at least once a year.

That's what I would say if I were a politician. The truth is... I'm not. So I don't have to impress you with my words or deeds.

But let's be real...

I've been donating blood for almost a year (my rookie year). The local blood bank isn't going to entice me to donate more frequently because of the War in Iraq, a blood recipient's life-changing testimony, or because my name gets an honorable mention on their website. I am not that easily amused.

What they have done for us hardened donors is offer a rewards program. Every time you donate you accrue points that can be redeemed for gifts from their Life Saver Store. The more times you donate, the more points you get. If you accumulate lots of points, you can get the nicer goodies.

But even that incentive has frayed around the edges because it takes over a year of regular donations to earn a gift that you won't be embarrassed to show-off to your friends. I'm not kidding you. That charcoal tote bag from the Chairman Mao era just doesn't match my wardrobe. For many of us, their rewards program loses steam.

Like a seasoned poker player, they've upped the ante...

Gripped with this reality, the good folks at the blood bank are offering instant rewards. It allows donors to feel instant gratification just like they used to when they received cash in exchange for blood. Offering instant bonus points, San Diego Chargers t-shirts, and entering in a car drawing have stirred more interest in the program.

Anytime the blood bank wants a spike in donations, they offer an instant reward. I know it works because it gets my attention every time. In fact, I've been guilty of holding off from donating until their next instant reward offer.

Am I just a pushover for the next instant deal? Maybe so. They've easily persuaded me every time. All of my doubts, questions and concerns about the blood bank seem to dissipate with the next instant reward offer.

Boosting your sales with instant rewards.

Many companies offer instant rewards daily. Casinos offer complimentary rooms, mail order companies offer gifts with purchase, and high-end seminar promoters offer a 50% to 90% discount option if you bring an associate.

With instant rewards, people will jump at your offer just because they don't want to miss out on your reward. Really. It's so powerful, they'll convince themselves they've got to get what you're offering even when they might not.

The more exotic the reward, the more response you'll get. The more unique the gift, the more sales you'll make. And the more in-demand the prize, the more customers you'll attract.

I don't know what I'll do with the Chargers t-shirt I earned. One thing's for sure, I wasn't motivated to donate blood without this instant incentive.

Warm regards,

Why do we react the way we do? What's the reason we choose Plan C over Plan B? Do you ever wonder why you keep choosing strawberry ice cream over apple pie?

In the highly rated 4- and 5-star Amazon book reviews of "Influence," Robert Cialdini focuses on the psychological triggers that causes humans to do what we do. He treats you to case studies on the science of persuasion at work. How would you like to have people see things your way? You can.

Get your copy of Influence today!