Invoking Influence:
the power to persuade...
Definition of influence:
1: the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways : To SWAY
2a: the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command
b: corrupt interference with authority for personal gain
3: one that exerts influence
4: an emanation of spiritual or moral force
5a: an ethereal fluid held to flow from the stars and to affect the actions of humans
b: an emanation of occult power held to derive from stars
The Pillars of Influence from Robert Cialdini’s book: Influence:
Reciprocity - Give & let give.. (scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours..)
People feel obliged to give back to others the form of a behavior, gift, or service that they have received first. Important to note that people are most influenced not just by what was given, but how it was given.
Commitment / Consistency - Habits & promises are hard to break. (Saying yes now makes it harder to say no later.)
People like to be consistent with the things they have previously said or done. Consistency is activated by looking, and asking, for small initial commitments that can be made easily.
Scarcity - If there’s not enough, then I want as much as I can get..(even if it means taking from others)
People want more of those things they have access to less of. It’s not enough simply to tell people about the benefits they’ll gain if they choose your products and services. You’ll also need to point out what is unique about your proposition and what they stand to lose if they fail to consider your proposal.
Social Proof - Well if it’s working for them it must work for me too.. (never-mind that man behind the curtain..)
Especially when they are uncertain, people will look to the actions and behaviors of others to 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
Liking - When you know, like, & trust, (someone/something) then you buy it.. (even if there’s strong opposing evidence to the supposed benefits of what’s being said/sold.. familiarity can be weaponized)
People prefer to say yes to those that they like. Look for areas of similarity that you share with others and genuine compliments you can give before you get down to business.
Authority - Do as I say, not as I do… (even if what’s being done is incredibly manipulative or foolish..)
People follow the lead of credible, knowledgeable experts. It’s important to signal to others what makes you a credible, knowledgeable authority before making an attempt to influence.
Influence Book Summaries & Discussions:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CwHVieD1cZLW5VVq3L1HCfigjABAbCKw/view
https://www.reddit.com/r/sales/comments/hcc6rx/has_anyone_been_using_the_techniques_described_in/
https://www.influenceatwork.com/
https://fourminutebooks.com/influence-summary/
For more reading beyond the basic of Influence, I can’t recommend enough the following book for anyone interested in building up adequate awareness against propagandistic and misleading information and other potentially negative influences:
Joost Meerloo - The Rape of The Mind
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