My friend shared this You Tube Video with me based on Dr. Robert Cialdini’s awesome book by the same title you can view the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cFdCzN7RYbw
This is a list of the 6 universal shortcuts to persuasion I extracted from the video:
- Reciprocity – Obligation to give when you receive. Be the first to give and make sure what you give is personalized and unexpected.
- Scarcity – People want more of those things they can have less of. Not enough to explain the benefits of your proposal, but what’s unique and what they stand to lose if they do not take advantage of it.
- Authority – People will follow the lead of credible, knowledgeable experts. It’s important to signal to others what makes you so before you make your influence attempt. It is even more powerful to have someone else edify you and research shows that it does not seem to matter that that person clearly stands to gain from it or not.
- Consistency – in what the person has previously said or done. Looking for and asking for commitments that can be made. Get voluntary, active and public agreements and ideally in writing.
- Liking – People prefer to say yes to those that they like. Three important factors that cause you to like a person are: People who are similar to us, who pay us compliments and who cooperate with us towards mutual goals. Look for areas of similarity you share with others, and genuine compliments you can give to others before you get down to business.
- Consensus – People will look to the actions and behaviors of others before they determine their own. Rather than relying on our own ability to persuade others, we can point to what many others are already doing, especially many similar others.
These are 6 scientifically validated principles of persuasion, that provide for small, practical, often costless changes that can lead to big differences in your ability to persuade others in an entirely ethical way. They are – the secrets of the science of persuasion.
How can you apply them to what you are doing?
