Key Principles of Persuasion
I elected to drop this piece here because, even though it is most often applied to marketing, persuasion is a two-way street. Plus, most of the marketing guru's amongst you already know how to employ these principles (and many more) as strategy. But no matter how familiar we are with them, like many other things in self-development and maintenance, they are things that should be reviewed periodically as part of our self-inventory. Also, as hard as it is to believe, this might be someone's first introduction to these principles.
My undergrad degree was in Psychology, but that was some time ago. So, this piece is a combination of my words and things found around the web. I keep my own personal set of notes, so unfortunately I cannot attribute specific notes or direct quotes to any single person or place. But I Don't think any of this is copyrighted stuff, anyway. It's all been common knowledge for at least 30 years or more.
Please keep in mind that was is given below are very brief summaries of the principles (as each principle alone probably has an entire book dedicated to it somewhere out there.) Also, I've included some direct quotes of Dr. Cialdini from various educational film and video clips.
Some background on the 6 Key Principles of Persuasion
Psychologist Robert Cialdini, of Arizona State University, spent three years examining the universal principles and tactics of influence professionals - from the inside. As a sales trainee, a fundraiser and an advertising copywriter.
Currently, Dr. Cialdini is a Regents' Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University. Besides being a psychology professor, he has authored numerous books and probably done more interviews than most of the more popular names we hear about today in marketing circles.
He is best known for his 1984 book on persuasion and marketing, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Influence has sold over 2 million copies and has been translated into twenty-six languages. It has been listed on the New York Times Business Best Seller List. Fortune Magazine lists Influence in their "75 Smartest Business Books of All Time."
Some of his most notable books are business classics, such as
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
- On-line Persuasion: An examination of differences in computer-mediated interpersonal influence
- Social Psychology: Goals in Interaction
- Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
Reciprocity
People tend to return a favor, thus the pervasiveness of free samples in marketing. In his conferences, he often uses the example of Ethiopia providing thousands of dollars in humanitarian aid to Mexico just after the 1985 earthquake, despite Ethiopia suffering from a crippling famine and civil war at the time. Ethiopia had been reciprocating for the diplomatic support Mexico provided when Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935. The good cop/bad cop strategy is also based on this principle.
Originally Posted by Robert Cialdini One of the universal principles I've found is the principle of reciprocation, which suggests that we are obligated to give back to others the form of behavior that they have given to us. So, if someone does us a favor, we are significantly more likely to say yes when they ask for a favor in return. That's why the Hari Krishna society, for example, in the airport will come up to you and give you something before they ask for donation. It can be a flower, a book, whatever. |
Scarcity
Perceived scarcity will generate demand. For example, saying offers are available for a "limited time only" encourages sales.
Originally Posted by Robert Cialdini A second principle that we can talk about is the principle of scarcity. The idea that things that are rare, that are scarce, that are diminishing in their availability to us, are more attractive. We want them more. As a consequence, many merchandisers will use strategies in which they'll give us time deadlines or availability limits on a product they want to sell. And because we can't have it after a certain time, we want it more, and we go out and buy it. |
Commitment and Consistency
If people commit, orally or in writing, to an idea or goal, they are more likely to honor that commitment because of establishing that idea or goal as being congruent with their self-image. Even if the original incentive or motivation is removed after they have already agreed, they will continue to honor the agreement. Cialdini notes Chinese brainwashing on American prisoners of war to rewrite their self-image and gain automatic unenforced compliance.
Originally Posted by Robert Cialdini Another principle we can talk about is the principle of commitment. The idea that once we've made a stand, once we've taken a position on an issue, we are much more willing to say yes to any request that is consistent with that commitment. So, very often individuals will try to get us to make a small commitment that is consistent with the direction they want us to go. For example, a study was done in Toronto that showed if you can get people to agree to wear a little lapel pin that says, "Support your United Way"; two weeks later they will be twice as likely to give a donation to the United Way when the solicitors come and canvas the neighborhood. |
Authority
People will tend to obey authority figures, even if they are asked to perform objectionable acts. Cialdini cites incidents such as the Milgram experiments in the early 1960s and the My Lai massacre.
Originally Posted by Robert Cialdini Another principle we can talk about is the principle of authority. This is the idea that we are much more willing to follow the lead of someone who is a legitimately constituted expert or an authority. |
Liking
People are easily persuaded by other people that they like. Cialdini cites the marketing of Tupperware in what might now be called viral marketing. People were more likely to buy if they liked the person selling it to them.
Originally Posted by Robert Cialdini Another principle we can talk about is the principle of liking. People are much more willing to say yes to a request from someone they know and like. Of course, the classic example of this is the Tupperware party. Where they have arranged so that we are saying, "Yes," not to a stranger across a counter - we're saying "Yes" to a friend or a relative who's invited us there. And we know they'll be getting a cut of everything we buy. |
Social Proof
People will do things that they see other people are doing. For example, in one experiment, one or more confederates would look up into the sky; bystanders would then look up into the sky to see what they were seeing. At one point this experiment aborted, as so many people were looking up that they stopped traffic.
Originally Posted by Robert Cialdini A final principle we can talk about is the principal of consensus. The idea that we're much more willing to say yes to a request, if we have information that a lot of people around us are saying yes to that request. So, people can give us evidence, this is the largest selling, the fastest growing product, and were much more willing to say, "Yes! This is something for me," because everybody around us is doing so. |
Final Thoughts
Okay, that was one hell of a project. But if it introduces just one new person to these principles, then it was totally worth it. Further, it was a great journey of reflection and remembrance of some fundamental tenants to help keep my own consumer tendencies in check.
On a side-note, if someone were to ever combine these principles with some of the principles in Gavin de Becker's book, The Gift Of Fear, then they would probably be one of the most scam-proof, mentally prepared Warriors on the planet. (Are you familiar with the Unsolicited Promise?)
In any case, it was actually pretty fun to put together. I hope it helps someone out there.
Best of luck and have a great day!
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Resource List for New Warriors
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rory singh TIKTOK
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Resource List for New Warriors
www.warriorforum.com...where-sell-where-source-other-seller-tools.html
First we believe.....then we consider.
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