The Subtle Art of Persuasion

In the recent past, how many times someone has tried to change your point of view or attitude towards something? If you sit down and think about it, you will realize that every day we are bombarded with such attempts.

Let’s understand what persuasion is. Persuasion is an attempt to change people’s attitudes through various kinds of messages and information. Persuasion is a very powerful skill which plays an important role in our daily life. 

What influences persuasion? Let’s look at some of the factors that impact persuasion.

Factors that Impact Persuasion

The credibility of the communicator

Would you listen to someone who doesn’t know what they are talking about? Do you take advice from your peers when you are sick? Credibility is an important factor that influences persuasion. People usually listen to and follow those people who seem to know what they are talking about or people who are experts or are trained in the field.

For example, you will follow the advice of a doctor instead of your peers when you are sick. Apart from the experience and training of the communicator, the credibility of the source of information also matters. For example, to lose weight, people are more likely to read articles published in a fitness journal or written by a trained nutritionist. People are less likely to trust information that is posted on a random Instagram page.

Message

Another factor that influences persuasion is the type of message. In times like these, would people be wearing a mask if there was no fear? In research, it has been shown that messages that contain emotional information, especially messages that arouse fear (fear appeal) in the recipient are more likely to change attitudes of the people. We are wearing masks today because the message delivered to us regarding corona instilled a sense of fear in us.

Positive messages have also shown to be effective in changing the attitudes of people. Coming back to the COVID-19 situation, messages which have included statements like, “Getting tested will give you a sense of peace” or “you don’t have to worry about spreading the virus” (in case of negative cases) have been more effective.

What is the best way to persuade people? There is no one “best” way! There have been multiple pieces of research on how to persuade people. Social Psychologist Robert Cialdini in his book discussed principles of persuasion or shortcuts as he calls them. According to him, these shortcuts are universal which guides human behavior.

6 Principles of Persuasion

Reciprocity

Cialdini’s first principle of persuasion states that humans are wired to return favors and pay back debts. When you offer people something first, they feel indebted; people hate to feel indebted to others and are most likely to return your favor. Reciprocity is a social norm wherein people are obligated to return favors.

Let’s look at an example. A lot of organizations give their customer free trial packs or sample packs of their products and services. In return, they expect the customer to purchase their products and services.

Consider another example. You go out to purchase a mobile phone. The salesperson shows you a phone which is a little over your budget and you are in a dilemma about purchasing it. The salesperson offers you a phone cover and one phone service without additional cost. You might see it as a favor and may become obligated to purchase the phone.

Scarcity

People value something which is limited. This principle of persuasion is related to the economic principle of demand and supply. The less is there of something, the more valuable it is.

Products and services become more attractive when their availability is limited. This principle focuses on the fact that people hate to miss out on things. This may persuade them to act quickly.

Scarcity works through anticipated regret, where we think about the future and see ourselves regretting having not decided to act. In the present view, we fear not being able to get something in the future. When we think about the future, we not only anticipate events, we also experience the associated emotions. This present emotion then drives present decisions.

Let’s consider an example. Have you received a message from a clothing brand or any other brand, stating 60% off, last few pieces left? When you shop online, have you noticed banners with captions like last few pieces, or don’t miss out on this offer? These are examples of scarcity. The brands persuade you to purchase their products by creating a perception of scarcity. We, humans, don’t like to miss out on things and hence, get persuaded to purchase whatever they are offering.

Authority

We follow and respect people who are knowledgeable and are experts in their field. People who are in a position of power or have some kind of influence over others can persuade people to change their opinion. For example, if you are sick, would you listen to a doctor or your neighbor?

When a person can use their expertise or skills in an area, they will be able to influence others. Why do brands market their products through bloggers and influencers? The reason is perceived authority over their audience.

Commitment and Consistency

Commitment and Consistency are valued in our culture. The principle of commitment declares that humans need consistency in their lives. Once we commit to something, we are more likely to go through and deliver on that commitment. This principle is based on the fact that humans tend to associate their commitments to their self-image.

Have you ever participated in “give-away” contests? Each giveaway contest has a series of tasks that require the user to complete. The winners of the contest are selected randomly. These contests instill a sense of commitment in the users. They commit to the contest and perform each task that the contest requires them to do to win the prize.

Social Proofing

We learn from our peers. People rely on social cues from others on how to think, feel, and act in many situations. And not just any people, but peers. This is called social proof. Especially when people are uncertain, they will look to the actions and behaviors of others to determine their own. 

People are more likely to engage in activities they observe others doing. This is something we observe in ourselves too. Have you ever brought something just because your friend owns it?

A good example of social proofing is testimonials and reviews. People like to read reviews and testimonials and based on these, they purchase products.

Liking

All of us like some or the other person. It can be your friends, family, an actor, a politician, a writer, etc. According to the principle of liking, we are more likely to be persuaded by individuals we like. Liking is based on sharing something similar or a more superficial interest, like physical attractiveness.

Why do brands hire actors to promote their products? The answer lies in the principle of liking. The actors have a fan following, that is, people who like them. The actors tend to persuade viewers to buy the product.

Working on these six principles will help you become more persuasive. These principles have been used by individuals, businesses, and marketers to influence people.

It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea ~ Nelson Mandela