Introduction
The "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert B. Cialdini is a book that contains various psychological techniques which can be applied by compliance practitioners to lure clients into buying their goods and services. These tactics play a central role to professionals such as advertisers, fundraisers, con artists, salespeople, card dealers, and waiters. Ciadlini refers to these techniques as ‘The six weapons of influence (Cialdini, 2006).’ These weapons take advantage of the fixed action patterns as a basis of impact. These principles of influence are reciprocity, commitment, and consistency, social proof, liking, authority and scarcity (Cialdini, 2006). Only three techniques will be discussed in this paper.
Reciprocation
This rule emphasizes the virtue of reciprocity. This provides a basis for any ideal society. It is evident in common sayings such as "You scratch my back; I'll scratch your back" and "Tit for tat is a fair game (Ashishb.Net, 2014).” Human beings are preprogrammed in a manner that when you do a favor for them, they will feel indebted to return a favor to you. Ciadldini uses an example of a university professor sending Christmas cards to anonymous people to reinforce this technique (Cialdini, 2006). Interestingly, all the people who got the cards reacted by sending theirs back. This implies that all human beings are compelled to act loyally. To win more clients, compliance practitioners have to act in a friendly manner (Guadagno, 2009). This enhances the degree of conformity by the target individuals. Some methods of inviting reciprocation include giving sentiments, free trials, and gifts.
Commitment and Consistence
Both intrapersonal and interpersonal orientation dictates that individuals should have an aligned way of acting (Smith, 2017). This means that people conform to their decisions unquestionably regardless of the immediate factors. In this principle, Ciadldini proposes that people act by their commitments and this is consistent. Precisely, actions are not determined by consequences realized later. In real life situations, giving in to minute requests might seem negligible (Ashishb.Net, 2014). This paves the way for bigger requests. When these demands are made, altering one's self-image or stand is difficult, and thus one will cooperate. This principle stresses the need to put across simple requests and later the advanced ones. When dealing with a client, one does not necessarily need to ask them to comply with huge demands. The compliance practitioners need to do their dealings systematically to persuade their customers fully.
Social Proof
This principle works by multitude trends (Smith, 2017). Behavior is viewed as more correct by putting into consideration of people performing it, social proof. What others do closely determines what we do. This can be backed up by the phenomenon; "Monkey see. Monkey do (Ashishb.Net, 2014).” The more the people doing something, the more the utility attached to it. In the compliance practice, this means that the practitioners are charged with the responsibility to have an influence on crowds as possible (Guadagno, 2009). The most celebrated goods and services, whether perfect or imperfect, end up scooping the highest number of customers. This trend explains mass buying of the commodities which have already attained a high status in the markets.
Conclusion
These psychological persuasion skills are boosters of conformity. They explain why at times clients say yes or no and how to enhance the chances of saying yes. Compliance is based on action, personality, and social proof. Taking advantage of this aspects improve persuasion.
References
Ashishb.Net. (2014, December 7). Ashishb.Net. Retrieved June 28, 2017, from Book Summary: “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert B. Cialdini: https://ashishb.net/book-summary/book-summary-influence-the-psychology-of-persuasion-by-robert-b-cialdini/
Cialdini, R. (2006). Influence:The Psychology of Persuasion. New York: Harper Business.
Guadagno, R. E. (2009). Persuade him by email, but see her in person: Online persuasion revisited. Computers in Human Behavior, 23(2), 999-1015.
Smith, J. (2017, January 8). Introducing Cialdini and His Genius. Retrieved June 28, 2017, from Jeremy Said: https://www.jeremysaid.com/blog/how-to-apply-cialdinis-six-principles-of-influence-for-cro/
