The Sales Psychology Influence and Persuasion
The Sales Psychology Influence and Persuasion
Marketing is sometimes looked upon as demonic and manipulative although when utilized by a social entrepreneur who is offering value in a win win scenario it can generate positive life saving outcomes for the buyer or consumer e.g. telephone service, fire extinguishers, organic foods, ending wars, cures for fatal diseases, etc. In the wrong hands it ignites a maelstrom of negative images about what marketing is all about.. that should demonstrate how powerful marketing is if people come to fear it.
I'd like to share with you some techniques, six powerful principles of behavioral persuasion, used in marketing that actually work. It has been studied and documented by Dr. Robert Cialdini.
1. Reciprocation
2. Consistency and Commitment
3. Social Proof
4. Authority
5. Liking (the person who is trying to influence us)
6. Scarcity
Power Principles of Persuasion
1. Reciprocation
When someone gives a person something, the other person will feel the need to comply with that person. That is why companies give out free samples or gifts. Picture walking through an airport and a hare Krishna comes up hands you a flower as a gift. You hesitate for a moment, and then accept it. Then you are asked for a donation to their cause. You want to leave, you don't want to pay, you don't believe in the cause. Yet, what you do? You make a donation and leave. You have just been trapped in the normal human compulsion to reciprocate one kindness with another.
2. Commitment/Consistency
People will be more prone to move in a particular direction if they see it as being consistent with their previous commitment. When you have to criticise someone, say at work, how often do you say something like 'I think you're great but this is not good enough' This actually causes the person to lose respect for you, because the compliment followed by the word but, is an obvious manipulation and not sincere or believable, but designed to make the other person accept your criticism.
However, if you do not the use the word but at all, and start with the negative and then say... and yet you have all these great qualities such as....the person will actually be more likely to accept the criticism and like you, and respect you.
3. Authority
People are more willing to follow the directions or recommendations of a communicator to whom they attribute relevant authority or expertise. For example, people in business suits and uniforms are seen as more credible than people in causal dress. And people are more willing to comply with an authority figure.
4. Social Validation
People have a tendency to take an action if there is evidence that many others are doing it. For example, more people prefer Brand A than the other leading brand.
5. Scarcity
People find objects and opportunities more attractive to the degree that they are scarce, rare, or dwindling in availability.
6. Liking/Friendship
People prefer to say yes to those they know and like.
Television shows use canned laughter, bar-people "salt" their tip jars at the start of a shift, evangelical preachers have been known to seed their audiences with "ringers" who are programmed to come forward and commit at the right moment, and auctions at fund raisers have "plants" who either start the bidding process or up the ante during the bidding process.
As you see these seem like common sense marketing issues although we fail to recognize people spend all day in auto pilot and don't recognize when there are more subtle marketing techniques of influence being applied. To ensure sustained backend business and loyalty it is important to recognize some of these techniques are antiquated and noticed from miles away.
The techniques used in marketing and persuasion are not ethically bad nor good, that is the domain of the person creating the strategy and how it will be used. The strategies of influence are just what they are. We use these techniques with our kids when we need them to do something, we use them with colleagues when we have something they need to participate in, and they are even used in the dating game. Whatever way you view the use of marketing strategies and techniques it is all about psychology and as long as humans think and have patterns of behavior marketing will be a key mechanism to opening up gateways of communication and influence.
The Sales Psychology Influence and Persuasion - To learn more about this author, visit Carson Tang's Website.
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It is amazing how the human mind works and how we are predisposed to long ingrained behaviors, habits and beliefs. Part of marketing is introducing a product, service or brand to an individual to foster top of mind experiences while stimulating a call to action.
Marketing is sometimes looked upon as demonic and manipulative although when utilized by a social entrepreneur who is offering value in a win win scenario it can generate positive life saving outcomes for the buyer or consumer e.g. telephone service, fire extinguishers, organic foods, ending wars, cures for fatal diseases, etc. In the wrong hands it ignites a maelstrom of negative images about what marketing is all about.. that should demonstrate how powerful marketing is if people come to fear it.
I'd like to share with you some techniques, six powerful principles of behavioral persuasion, used in marketing that actually work. It has been studied and documented by Dr. Robert Cialdini.
1. Reciprocation
2. Consistency and Commitment
3. Social Proof
4. Authority
5. Liking (the person who is trying to influence us)
6. Scarcity
Power Principles of Persuasion
1. Reciprocation
When someone gives a person something, the other person will feel the need to comply with that person. That is why companies give out free samples or gifts. Picture walking through an airport and a hare Krishna comes up hands you a flower as a gift. You hesitate for a moment, and then accept it. Then you are asked for a donation to their cause. You want to leave, you don't want to pay, you don't believe in the cause. Yet, what you do? You make a donation and leave. You have just been trapped in the normal human compulsion to reciprocate one kindness with another.
2. Commitment/Consistency
People will be more prone to move in a particular direction if they see it as being consistent with their previous commitment. When you have to criticise someone, say at work, how often do you say something like 'I think you're great but this is not good enough' This actually causes the person to lose respect for you, because the compliment followed by the word but, is an obvious manipulation and not sincere or believable, but designed to make the other person accept your criticism.
However, if you do not the use the word but at all, and start with the negative and then say... and yet you have all these great qualities such as....the person will actually be more likely to accept the criticism and like you, and respect you.
3. Authority
People are more willing to follow the directions or recommendations of a communicator to whom they attribute relevant authority or expertise. For example, people in business suits and uniforms are seen as more credible than people in causal dress. And people are more willing to comply with an authority figure.
4. Social Validation
People have a tendency to take an action if there is evidence that many others are doing it. For example, more people prefer Brand A than the other leading brand.
5. Scarcity
People find objects and opportunities more attractive to the degree that they are scarce, rare, or dwindling in availability.
6. Liking/Friendship
People prefer to say yes to those they know and like.
Television shows use canned laughter, bar-people "salt" their tip jars at the start of a shift, evangelical preachers have been known to seed their audiences with "ringers" who are programmed to come forward and commit at the right moment, and auctions at fund raisers have "plants" who either start the bidding process or up the ante during the bidding process.
As you see these seem like common sense marketing issues although we fail to recognize people spend all day in auto pilot and don't recognize when there are more subtle marketing techniques of influence being applied. To ensure sustained backend business and loyalty it is important to recognize some of these techniques are antiquated and noticed from miles away.
The techniques used in marketing and persuasion are not ethically bad nor good, that is the domain of the person creating the strategy and how it will be used. The strategies of influence are just what they are. We use these techniques with our kids when we need them to do something, we use them with colleagues when we have something they need to participate in, and they are even used in the dating game. Whatever way you view the use of marketing strategies and techniques it is all about psychology and as long as humans think and have patterns of behavior marketing will be a key mechanism to opening up gateways of communication and influence.
The Sales Psychology Influence and Persuasion - To learn more about this author, visit Carson Tang's Website.
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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