Over 30 years ago, Dr. Robert Cialdini wrote a book on persuasion and influence. In it, he listed science-based 6 principles of persuasion according to research in the field of Psychology. Show
Even now, 30 years later, his persuasive techniques are used by marketers to increase conversions of potential customers, no matter the industry. Think word-of-mouth marketing—referral programs, influencer marketing, affiliate marketing. Even from your brand story and messaging down to how you customize your product description, persuasive techniques are integral. After all, having the ability to influence people is incredibly powerful, especially when it comes to the business of selling a product or service. The best part? His persuasive techniques can be used to increase conversion rates in every part of your marketing strategy, from content marketing to basic brick-and-mortar type interactions. Here’s a recap of how Dr. Cialdini's 6 Principles of Persuasion work, and how to use them in your own marketing strategy:
 1. The Reciprocity Principle: In many social situations, we pay back what we received from others.When you offer something first, people will feel a sense of indebtedness, which will make them more likely to comply with your subsequent requests. Why? It's because as people, we're deeply wired to be reciprocal. There are three factors that will make this principle more effective:
Learn more: Giving Before You Get: 15 Examples of Reciprocity in Marketing (Pro-Tip: Leverage the Reciprocity Principle by installing a referral program on your online store.) 2. The Commitment & Consistency Principle: We tend to stick with whatever we've already chosen.We are bombarded with hundreds of choices to make every single day. For convenience, we simply make a single decision and then stick to it for all subsequent related choices. The way to earn customer loyalty using this principle is to make them commit to something, whether it is a statement, a stand, a political affiliation, or an identity. The principle of consistency says that they will then feel an automatic compulsion to stick with the decision they've already made. This is especially helpful for you as a business owner because it means that you spend less time persuading your potential customers to do something and more time connecting them with the product or service that best suits their stance. Follow these three ways to leverage off this principle:
Learn more: A Foot in the Door: 7 Examples of Commitment and Consistency in Marketing 3. The Social Proof Principle: We tend to have more trust in things that are popular or endorsed by people that we trust.Have you ever wondered how social media influencers have gotten to be so... powerful? It's because of the principle of social proof. People are more likely to endorse a product or service or to perform a certain behavior that has already been endorsed by a person they trust, whether it's friends, family, or an expert in the industry. This is why one of the most powerful persuasive techniques used today comes in the form of social influence... ...because it works. How to work it? Tap on the influence - or social proof - from these types of people:
Learn More: I’ll Have What She’s Having: 26 Examples of Social Proof Used in Marketing 4. The Liking Principle: We are more likely to comply with requests made by people we like.For whatever reason, people we like tend to have more perceived credibility than those that we do not like. People we like tend to have the same beliefs, interests, and language as we do. So the mind tends to believe that a person we like is trustworthy, otherwise, why would we like them at all? People we like can range from our closest friends to complete strangers that we are attracted to. This explains why we trust word-of-mouth recommendations from our peers, as well as stuff endorsed by our favorite singers, actors, social media influencers, or bloggers. (Partly also why influencers are quite potent - we follow them because we like them) As you can imagine, liking people can have a tremendous impact on how we make decisions. Marketers who understand this have greater influence and persuasion over their target audience. Follow these factors to make the Liking principle work:
Learn more: Laws of Attraction: 7 Examples of the Liking Principle Used in Marketing (Pro-Tip: Leverage the Liking Principle by installing a referral program on your online store. Your customers will share the referrals with people who like them - like their friends or family or networks.) 5. The Authority Principle: We follow people who look like they know what they’re doing.This holds especially true in fields where we aren’t experts. Why? It's easier to trust an authority figure in the field than it is to do your own research on any given topic. You can see this in a lot of online marketing with headlines and blog posts that include phrases like “scientists say”, “experts say”, “research shows”, or "scientifically proven". You can give off the air of authority if you pay attention of these factors:
Learn more: Trust Me, I’m a Doctor: 7 Examples of the Authority Principle Used In Marketing 6. The Scarcity Principle: We are always drawn to things that are exclusive and hard to come by.We tend to assume that things that are difficult to obtain are usually better than those that are easily available. So the principle of scarcity draws upon this belief by creating a sense of urgency within their content or promotional vocabulary. You can learn to trigger your customers’ sense of urgency with these methods:
Learn more: Hurry, While Stocks Last: 13 Examples of the Scarcity Principle Used in Marketing Conclusion: Use these principles to your advantage, but remember to get the fundamentals right.These principles are powerful because they bypass our rational minds, appealing to our subconscious instincts. They elicit what Dr. Cialdini terms the “click, whirr” automatic response in all of us. However, do note that while these principles can help bring more awareness to your brand, the biggest factor that ultimately drives customer satisfaction, loyalty and sales is a great product. All marketing efforts as part of a marketing strategy will only work when they’re supporting a product that brings true value to customers. Full list of links:
Here are a few articles on word-of-mouth marketing that we think might help you in growing your brand:
What type of persuasive strategy appeals to an audience's needs emotions or values?Pathos is to persuade by appealing to the audience's emotions. As the speaker, you want the audience to feel the same emotions you feel about something, you want to emotionally connect with them and influence them.
What are the 3 types of persuasion?You will often hear ethos, pathos, and logos referred to as the three modes of persuasion. These modes of persuasion will probably come quite naturally to you, but having a strong awareness of how to be most convincing to your audience will help you as you write argumentative essays.
What is ethos in persuasion?Ethos is a Greek word meaning 'character'. In terms of persuasive language, it is an appeal to authority and credibility. Ethos is a means of convincing an audience of the reliable character or credibility of the speaker/writer, or the credibility of the argument.
What is logos ethos and pathos?Logos appeals to the audience's reason, building up logical arguments. Ethos appeals to the speaker's status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.
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