The Delicate Art Of Persuasion
We are continually being “ruled” by persuasion. Either in an advertisement, in the words of our boss or in a conversation with our partner.
Some do not give in, others accept. Some give and others receive. This is how life works.
Many times we know what we want to achieve, but not how to carry it out. Do we want to ask for an increase or achieve that once and for all the room is painted the color we like? Not knowing how to persuade the other can lead us to failure, but even more, to not trusting in our abilities.
We could start to analyze what companies do through marketing and advertising to achieve what they want, for example …
To begin, they are at the right time and place. Have you ever wondered why in many markets they place sweets near the boxes? Sure, so that while we are standing in line we “get tempted” and buy. Although when we entered the store we did not feel like eating a chocolate or a sweet.
It is essential to understand at least the basics of the laws or techniques of persuasion and then apply them to what we want. That way things will never go wrong for you. But also they will not deceive you and you will not fall into the networks of others.
The 6 principles of persuasion
We are not going to dwell too much on the terminology of marketing but we are interested in dedicating ourselves to the so-called “principles of persuasion”, which were created by a professor at the University of Arizona.
These laws have the ability to “attack” our unconscious and the way we make our decisions. They are the same ones that brands use for their advertisements and they can be very helpful to us.
To influence others we can take advantage of:
Reciprocity: This principle is based on the fact that if someone does us a favor, we feel at fault with him. This kind of obligation that we impose on each other can last for a long time and be “paid in spades.” In most cases, we tend to pay more than we receive.
Commitment and coherence: They have a lot to do with the previous technique since as human beings we always want to act in relation to our morals or values when returning favors to someone. Thus, we not only feel obliged to do so, but also better people by taking it for granted.
Imitation or social proof: We are constantly looking at what others are doing to analyze our behaviors. We act accordingly to what others do, especially if we think that those actions are similar to ours or are consistent with our values.
Scarcity : The less there is of a thing, the more we want it. This is a very frequent law in marketing and it also has to do with “supply and demand”. It is used in turn for pricing.
When many people want a product, its cost is likely to go up and when most have it, its value is reduced. This is not the case for all items, but generally this standard is used for new or seasonal items.
The authority: Those people who we consider to be specialists on a subject have a greater impact on our actions and decisions.
For this reason, certain characters or celebrities are often “used” to advise us to use a product or service. Outside of marketing, a boss may be leveraging his rank or position to get employees to act in a certain way, for example.
The liking : If we like the person in front of us offering us something or it seems pleasant, it is more likely that we will buy it. Beyond the product or whether we really need to purchase that item. In everyday life, a lot also happens, depending on how the other asks or requests something of us, it will be the way in which we respond.
So, in order to be an expert in the art of persuasion, don’t forget these 6 laws. They also serve to tell us if someone wants to convince us to make certain decisions.
