The persuasiveness survey
For more than 60 years, researchers have been studying the factors that influence us to say yes to other people’s prompts.
And no doubt, there’s a science around it.
Generally we think that in order to make a decision, to follow or not to follow someone’s prompting, we take
take into account all the information available to guide our thinking.
But the reality is very often different.
In the increasingly overloaded lives we live, more than ever we need shortcuts and
automation to guide decision-making.
The brain uses the following six shortcuts to decide whether to say yes or no to someone’s suggestion.
Understanding these shortcuts and using them in an ethical way can significantly increase the
the chances that someone will be convinced by your request.
Reciprocity
Simply put, we have a sense of obligation to give back to others what we have received.
If a friend invites us to their party, we feel obliged to invite them too
at a future party we’re throwing. So we are more likely to say yes to those we “owe”.
The key to using the principle of reciprocity is to be the first to “give” and
ensure that what we give is personalised and unexpected.
Rarity
People want more of everything we can’t have.
When a brand announces a limited edition range, suddenly the demand is huge.
So when it comes to effectively persuading others using the principle of scarcity, the science is clear.
It is not enough to simply tell people about the benefits they will get if they choose our products and services.
We should also point out what is unique in our proposal and what can
to lose if they don’t take it into account.
Specialization
This is based on the idea that people have the example of trusted experts.
Physiotherapists, for example, have persuaded most of their patients
in order to do the recommended exercise programmes if they display their medical degrees on the walls of their classrooms.
What science tells us is that it is important to indicate to others what makes us
experts before we attempt to influence them.
And surprisingly, science tells us that it doesn’t seem to matter if the person who introduces us
not only is there a connection to the recommendation but also likely to benefit from it.
Consistency
People like to be consistent with the things they have said or done in the past.
The activation of consistency occurs by seeking and demanding small initial commitments that are feasible to make.
For example, research has shown that people who gave out their credit card details before signing up
in a 15-day trial of an app, were persuaded to continue using it
after the test compared to those who did not undertake this small commitment.
Sympathy
We tend to say yes to those we sympathize with.
But what is it that makes one person like another?
The science of persuasion tells us that there are three important factors.
– We like people who are like us.
– The people who compliment us.
– Those who have cooperation with us for mutual goals.
So to exploit this powerful principle of sympathy, you need to look for areas of similarity
you have with others and genuine compliments you can give before you start work.
Consent
Especially when there is uncertainty, people will look to the actions and attitudes of others to put their own into practice.
So science tells us that instead of prioritising our own ability to persuade others, we should prioritise our own ability to persuade others,
we can show what many others are already doing, especially many others like them.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to use this information ethically and honestly.
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