During my 20 years as a digital transformation and strategy advisor I was confronted with what could maybe be one of the most difficult challenges in marketing. ”How do we make them really care?”
You can have the best strategy or product in the world, if you are not able to create a connection with your audience, it will never work. I found the answer in what could be one of the best tactics to grab the attention and possibly even create an emotional connection with your target group in a book written in 1984. That year Robert Cialdini published the “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion”
Before writing his book he went years “undercover” to learn and observe all the hidden secrets used by hard selling salesmen, marketing professionals, telemarketers, and others professionals that use influence in order to make a living. Finally, he concluded that there are six universal principles of influence which anyone can use in their daily life. Let’s directly jump into it!
1. Reciprocity
People tend to return a favor; this is exactly why free samples are used in marketing. Once you’ve helped someone, they’ll be more likely to return the favor.
2. Commitment and Consistency
If people commit to something, in written or oral, they are likely to honor that commitment, even if it is no longer interest to them. Therefore, messages such as “Try now, pay later” work like a charm.
3. Social Proof
People will do things that they see other people are doing. Think about all the useless quizzes people tend to react to on social networks just to compare themselves with other peers. Why would you otherwise want to know “What kind of potato you are”? There is nothing so powerful in marketing than “Already .... peoples bought this product.”
4. Authority
Follow the leader! People will trust and follow leader figures, even if they are asked to perform questionable acts. We all know the experiments of people that where asked to deliver lethal electric shocks to others and trusted the “orders”. This is exactly why we trust products backed up by influencers and (fake or real) doctors.
5. Liking
People are more likely to buy from people that they like. Physically attractive people are considered more persuasive, even being more kind or intelligent (called the halo effect). Being attentive, friendly and understandable (even if you are not really in the mood) always works. So be nice in your arguments and in life, it’s already short!
6. Scarcity
Perceived scarcity of a product makes consumers want it more. To use scarcity to your advantage, run a promotion for your product that is limited by a time, or the number available. Some brands like Rolex even build their reputation on it. Remember what happened when people thought toilet paper was going to run out due to Corona 😉?
