Liking:
People like those who like them. Research showed that at a
Tupperware party, the guests’ fondness for their hostess weighed
twice as heavily in their purchase decision as their regard for the
product.
Reciprocity: People repay in kind. When American war veterans sent a
fundraising letter, they achieved an 18% return. Then they added a
small gift of personalised address labels, the return rose to 35%.
Social Proof:
People follow the lead of others who are like themselves. Use peer
power to influence and persuade.
Consistency:
People try to meet their clear commitments. Evidence shows that a
choice made verbally or written down will be more binding than one
left unspoken. The message is clear: get it in writing. The
commitment becomes even stronger when it is made in public.
Authority:
People defer to the experts. Establish your expertise before doing
business with new colleagues or partners. In one study, when stroke
patients left hospital they abandoned their exercises. Interviews
with the patients revealed they knew little about the
physiotherapists’ credentials. When the physiotherapists covered
their walls with professional qualifications and certificates,
exercise compliance jumped 34%.
Scarcity:
People want more of what is scarce. Use exclusive information to
persuade. Wholesale beef buyers’ orders jumped 600% when they alone
received news of possible shortages.