Cialdini

Influence: Science and Practice

In case anyone wants the direct applications of all the triggers in the book, and applications mentioned in the book, here's the summary: (also, you can match the following applications up with the book as you read) (ALSO, if you add this to "SPIN Selling", you have a phenominal combination!)

Reciprocation (Technique: Reciprocation) People tend to reciprocate any gifts, even a meaningless gift will create an OBLIGATION. Refusal to accept a return gift makes you less likeable because of the lack of opportunity to reciprocate.

Reciprocation (Technique: “If it costs more it is worth more”) Raising the price on many items increases their sales because the buyers are looking for high quality and associate it with price.

Reciprocation and Contrast (Technique: Reject and Retreat) Start by asking for something big then lower the request to something smaller. You thus give a concession (a reciprocation leading them to offer you something) and by lowering from a higher value you’re invoking contrast (the second request doesn’t look as high next to the first one)

Commitment and Consistency (Technique: Commitments are Honoured) If you can generate a promise of some sort, there will be a strong desire to fulfill it, no matter how much effort it takes or under what circumstances the promise was given.

Commitment and Consistency (Technique: Consistency is Highly Valued) Once you commit, your interpretation of inputs tends to support that committed view.

Commitment and Consistency (Technique: Small Commitments Lead To Big Ones) Self-image is raised through making and keeping to commitments and as a result, larger and larger commitments are made over time.

Commitment and Consistency (Technique: Active Commitments Are Better Than Passive Ones) Commitments where you do something are far more effective at gaining subsequent compliance than those which are passive promises.

Commitment and Consistency (Technique: Public Image Leads To Self-Image) Written statements are given more credence that oral ones – both by author and reader, there is a higher tendency to do something if you write it down, public commitments are more often kept than private ones.

Commitment and Consistency (Technique: Increase Compliance With Investment) Invested time and effort (sunk costs) forms increased commitment; more pain involved increases commitment level (loyalty from hazing (i.e. harassment/ridicule in gang initiation), more pain more gain), less external return forces more internalization of value (ownership and commitment follow (we accept inner responsibility for a behaviour we think we have chosen to perform in the absence of strong outside pressure)), low-balling works (get a commitment, create other supports for the decision, then remove the original motivation and the commitment remains).

Commitment and Consistency (Technique: Consistency Caused Decisions) Even when remaining consistent seems foolish, people will choose new reasons to stay with a decision because to do otherwise would cause you to have to admit you were wrong and rethink your previous commitment.

Social Proof (Technique: We interpret based on how others interpret) Laugh tracks work even if we know they are in use, Seeded collection boxes cause increased donations, Popularity is taken as goodness even if known to be wrong.

Social Proof (Technique: Social Proof Replaced Hard Proof In Uncertainty) Fear is reduced by watching others like you not fear it. Create uncertainty and generate social proof. Social proof works better when they are like you.

Liking (Technique: We Like Saying ‘Yes’ To People We Like) Twice as likely to say yes to people we like, referrals from friends increase likelihood of success