Aj,

The program's Help files explain how to use Deformers & Modifiers. You're most likely not dropping the object into the effector, or vice versa.

And as well... those functions/effects are meant for animation (i.e. the effect is seen over a time span). So in order to actually see any effect from them, once applied to an object, you need to advance the animtion ahead (scroll bar at the bottom of the window) to see the effect unfold.