PRINCIPLES OF INFLUENCE
Influence is equivalent to power. Perhaps even a superpower. Consider the ability to wield influence as a skill. To be able to use it when the occasion arises. The truth is that thanks to years of research, this is more feasible than you may have imagined. How individuals adjust their conduct to satisfy the needs of a social context are referred to as social influences. It manifests itself in a variety of ways, including conformity, socialization, peer pressure, obedience, leadership, persuasion, sales, and marketing. Typically, social influence is the result of a specific action, demand, or request, but people also change their attitudes and behaviours in response to what they believe others are doing or thinking.
In this discipline, one book, in particular, has had the most impact: Robert Cialdini's Influence. Robert Cialdini was fed up with salespeople and marketers treating him like a fool, so he set out to figure out what techniques they employed so he could better defend against them. Cialdini introduces the six principles of influence that will assist you in persuading others in it. Reciprocity, consistency, social proof, like, authority, and scarcity are the six principles. These principles should be useful to you regardless of which side of the equation you're on.
PRINCIPLES OF INFLUENCE:
1. RECIPROCITY: Giving what you wish to receive is one of the most fundamental rules of influence. In other words, doing the right thing for others is a smart way to get others to do the right thing for you. This concept of reciprocity is quite powerful. People are more likely to return a favour, which explains the availability of free samples in marketing. Meeting people you like and assisting them is the finest method to network. When you help someone, they are more likely to help you again when you need it. To avoid being insincere, the finest networkers do this with no expectation of a return. There are a few methods to make reciprocity work for you. Giving small gifts to others, treating others with respect, and doing favours for those in need are all actions that might earn you brownie points with other people. So, a good strategy is to always help people and be kind when you have the chance because you never know how it can benefit you later on.
2. CONSISTENCY:
The consistency principle is founded on the power of active, public, and voluntary promises, which results in people keeping their word. When people commit to an idea or a goal, they are more likely to follow through, even if it no longer makes sense.The first step is to make an active commitment. Cialdini defines active as something that is published or spoken to others. It's one thing for individuals to say they'll do something, but when they commit to it, they're a lot more likely to follow through. The following step is to make it public. When others witness this devotion, it adds credibility to the message. And no one wants to betray their word. Finally, it must be entirely optional. If you force someone to make an active, public commitment that they did not choose for themselves, you have accomplished nothing. Once you've persuaded someone to do anything, encourage them to make these kinds of pledges to ensure consistency and a true commitment to their words.
3. SOCIAL PROOF:
In many instances, people rely on social cues from others to determine how they should think, feel, and act. Not just anyone, but their peers. People they consider to be similar to them. This is an important point, and it is referred to as social evidence.
People will do what they see others doing. This is why, in advertisements, certain social networks display which of your friends like a page or are attending an event. So, if you want to influence your interns, a specific team in your department, or new hires, you must first persuade one of them to buy-in. When they witness another employee who appears to be acting on their own or following a new order, they are more likely to follow suit. Having that first individual act makes all the difference and activates the power of social proof.
4. LIKING:
People like those who like them or those they consider to be their friends. It's a basic but effective concept. The principle of like can be applied in a variety of ways. Physically attractive persons are more persuasive, as they are perceived to be more compassionate or intellectual (called the halo effect). If people like you, they are more inclined to be persuaded by you.
Finding common ground with the people you meet is one technique. You'll have a great foundation to build on if you can connect with them through their hobbies or interests. Being observant of individuals is an excellent method to pick up on any hints that may take you to such common ground. The other method is sincere compliments. Compliments and charm can go a long way toward establishing a pleasant rapport with others. The key here is genuine praise; don't overdo it to the point where it's obvious you're attempting to flatter them.
5. AUTHORITY:
Others are more likely to defer to you if you are viewed as an expert in a field. Why? Frequently because specialists can provide a shortcut to sound decisions that would otherwise take a long time to design. The goal is to develop authority and expertise credibility. Even if they are requested to undertake disagreeable behaviours, people will tend to obey authoritative figures. Cialdini mentions the Milgram experiments (in which volunteers were asked to administer deadly electric shocks) and the numerous atrocities committed by soldiers who were "only obeying orders."
Many people miss out on this chance because they believe others will naturally recognize their competence. You cannot leave it open to interpretation since it will frequently be disregarded. There are several methods for establishing such authority. To establish your background, make all certificates, certifications, and accolades apparent in the office or job. Of course, this isn't always an option. Another strategy is to portray competence through tales or background information offered in casual talks.
6. SCARCITY:
People place a premium on what is scarce. It's as simple as supply and demand. Things become more valuable to others as they grow scarcer. There are several approaches to persuade others using the scarcity principle. One method is to simply make limited-time, limited-supply, or one-time offers, which immediately creates a sense of scarcity.
At the same time, how such possibilities are presented is important. Your message will be more compelling if you focus on loss language or language that shows what you will lose rather than what you will gain.
CONCLUSION: By using all of these to frame a scenario, persuasion power will skyrocket. To create a sensation of scarcity, consider using limited offerings, loss language, and exclusivity. Mastering these six influence concepts will allow a person to maximize their persuasion powers. But first, a word of caution. Don't abuse these abilities. Others can easily manipulate and control them.
https://conceptually.org/concepts/6-principles-of-influence
https://cxl.com/blog/cialdinis-principles-persuasion/
https://worldofwork.io/2019/07/cialdinis-6-principles-of-persuasion/
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