THE ART OF PERSUASION

One of the readings in the Management communication required of us as #MMBA4 cohort is the Art of Persuasion.

Persuasion is the act of inducing someone to do something. There are certain basic principles that govern how one person might influence another. The principles are based on research over the years and they include;

1. The power of Liking
2. Reciprocation
3. Social validation
4. Consistency
5. Scarcity
6. Authority

• The Power of Liking:  It was explained in the context that people tend to gravitate more to the people whom they like and while perfect strangers gravitate towards each other within a short period if there is physical attraction, similarity, cooperation and mutual likeness.

Physical attraction:

We assume that when someone looks good it automatically means that the person is talented, honest, kind, and intelligent which is not always the case. Therefore, attractive people have an edge over people that are less attractive.

Unfortunately, people who are less attractive and they rely on tips from customers for income will have to work hard to gain the customer’s affection, approval and cash. Attractive people are also more successful at eliciting compliance with their requests.

Similarity:

Having a form of similarity or common ground with another person can create an instant bond between two people. A typical scenario illustrated in the reading was a situation where a restaurant attendant meets a customer for the first time and managed to find common ground with the person on the basis of a similar location, similar food choices etc This gesture can in turn make the customer give an attendant more tip. Salespeople are trained to find or manufacture links between themselves and their prospective clients which may enhance their earnings.

• The Power of Reciprocation:

A Chinese proverb says ‘Favour from others should be remembered for a thousand years ‘. In all human societies, we are obligated to repay others for what we have received from them. This pushes us towards fairness and equity in our everyday social interactions, business dealings and close relationship. This also leaves us susceptible to the manipulations of those who wish to exploit our tendencies to achieve their personal gains.

• The Power of scarcity:

It is believed that Items and opportunities that are in short supply or unavailable tend to be more desirable to consumers than those that are plenty and accessible. It is a metal shortcut that tells us that things in limited quantities are hard to get and they are better than those that are easy to get.

• The Principle of social validation:

This principle asserts that people frequently look to others for cues on how to think, feel and behave when in a state of uncertainty. Oftentimes, individuals selecting where to spend their time or money tend to select based on the number of participants to gauge popularity or worthiness.

• The Power of authority:

People tend to accept the opinions of experts to some extent and expect the experts to help them decide how to behave and make decisions in an ambiguous situation.

This principle of authority has the potential to steer us wrongly but often times experts provide reliable information that people use to make good decisions.