THE SECRETS FROM THE SCIENCE OF PERSUASION-2

Hey folks, let us discuss about the other shortcuts for science of persuasion

3) AUTHORITY

Our 3^rd universal principle of influence is the principle of AUTHORITY. It is the idea that people follow the lead of credible knowledgeable experts.

Physiotherapists, for an instance, are able to persuade more their patients to comply with recommended exercise programs if they display the medical diploma of the wall of their consulting rooms.

People are likely to give more change for a parking meter to a complete stranger if that requester wears uniform rather than casual clothes.

According to science it is important to signal to others what makes you a credible knowledgeable authority before you make your influence attempt. Of course this thing can present many problems. You can hardly go around telling potential customers how brilliant you are. But can certainly arrange someone who can do it for you. And surprisingly the science tells us that it doesn’t seems to matter if the person who introduces you is not any connected to you but also like to prosper from the introduction themselves.

One group of real state agents were able to increase both, the number of property appraisals and the number of subsequent contracts that they wrote by arranging reception staffs who answered customer’s enquiries to first mention their colleagues quotation to the expertise. So customers interested letting properties were told, “Letting? Let me connect you to Mr. White who has experience of about 15 years in this area”. Customers who were interested in information of selling properties were told, “Speak to Mr. Brown, Head of Sales, who has over 20 years experience in selling properties”.

The impact of this expert introduction led to a 20% rise in the number of appointments and a 15% increase in the number of signed contracts. Its not bad for a small change informed from a persuasion science that was both ethical and cost less to implement.

4) CONSISTENCY

The 4^th universal principle of persuasion is CONSISTENCY. People like to be consistent with the things they had previously said or done. Consistency is activated by looking for small initial commitments that can be made.

In one famous set of scientific studies, researchers found, rather unsurprisingly, that very few people would be willing to erect an unsightly wooden board in front of their lawn to support a drive safely campaign in their neighborhood. However, in a similar neighborhood close by 4 times as many home owners indicated that they would be willing to erect this unsightly boar. Why? Because 10 days previously they had agreed to place a small postcard in the front window of their home that signaled their support for drive safely campaign. That small card was the initial commitment that led to 400% increase in a much bigger but still consistent change.

So when seeking to influence using principle of consistency, the detective of influence looks for voluntary, active and public commitments and ideally gets those commitments in writing.

      For an instance, according to one recent scientific study, there were reduced missed appointments       at health centers by 18% simply by asking the patients rather than the staff to write down                     appointment details on the future appointment card.

Thank you for your time.