In the dynamic world of sales, success hinges on the ability to persuade and influence potential customers. Understanding the psychology behind decision-making can help you become significantly more effective. Dr. Robert Cialdini, in his book “Influence:The Psychology of Persuasion” identified six key principles of influence that can be harnessed to supercharge your sales efforts. Let’s take a look and see how you can utilise them to drive up your results.
ONE: Reciprocity: People feel obliged to return favours or concessions. You can initiate the giving process by offering something of value to potential customers. This could be in the form of useful information, personalized recommendations, or even small gestures of goodwill. By demonstrating genuine interest and investing in relationships, you can establish trust and increase the likelihood of reciprocation.
“People feel obliged to return favours or concessions”.
TWO: Scarcity: Scarcity taps into the innate fear of missing out. By highlighting limited availability or exclusivity of a product or service, you can create a sense of urgency in potential buyers. It can help by encouraging quicker decision-making and a desire to acquire something that is perceived as rare or hard to obtain. BUT, false scarcity claims can come back and bite you as customers may feel deceived and your trust is likely to be seriously eroded.
“False scarcity claims can come back and bite you – don’t do it!”
THREE: Authority: People tend to follow the lead of knowledgeable experts or authority figures. You need to establish yourself as a trusted authority, not just a seller, but a business expert. You can do this in a variety of ways. Speaking at conferences, posting on LinkedIn, using testimonials, industry qualifications etc. . By positioning yourself as a credible source of help and advice you can instill confidence in your potential buyers, and as a result have a real influence on their decision-making process.
“Not just a seller, but a business expert”.
FOUR: Consistency: The principle of consistency suggests that people strive to behave in ways that align with their previous actions or commitments. Sales professionals can employ this principle by seeking small initial commitments from potential customers. Encouraging them to take small steps, such as subscribing to a newsletter or attending a webinar, increases the likelihood of future compliance and larger commitments. By nurturing consistency, salespeople can build a sense of loyalty and reinforce trust.
FIVE: Liking: The principle of liking suggests that people are more likely to say “yes” to those they know, like, and trust. If you think about it from a personal perspective, we know this is true. You can help by actively listening, expressing genuine interest, and finding common ground with potential customers. If they know, like and trust you, you can significantly enhance your persuasive power.
“People are more likely to say “yes” to those they know, like, and trust”.
SIX: Social Proof: The fact that other people are doing something helps to validate the decision in customers minds. If everyone is buying product X it validates my decision to do the same. It’s why Amazon have the section “other people also bought…” Demonstrating that others have benefited from a product or service creates a sense of trust and validates the buying decision. By providing tangible evidence of value, you can overcome any skepticism and facilitate the purchasing process.
“If everyone is buying product X it validates my decision to do the same”.
Mastering the art of persuasion is a cornerstone of successful selling. By incorporating Cialdini’s six principles of influence – reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking, and social proof – you can enhance your selling efforts and build trust, establish credibility, and create meaningful connections with your potential customers. This will help you enjoy increasingly successful sales outcomes and long-term customer relationships based on mutual benefit and trust.
P.S. You might also like to catch up on Pre-suasion by Dr Cialdini and put yourself in an even better position!