That is a powerful lesson from one of our top BLI instructors on leadership, Greg Conderacci. I just found research that supports this and gives some useful tips.

Here are the six “weapons of influence” from Robert Cialdini, a Regents’ professor of psychology and marketing at Arizona State University. These are also listed in his book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.

Here are his six “weapons of influence”:

1. Reciprocation: People tend to return favors. What can you do as a favor for your customers? Cialdini uses the example of free samples that are abundant in marketing. See Tim Sander’s post on the “law of reciprocity” for more.
2. Commitment and consistency: Once people commit, they are likely to stick with their commitment (to buy), even if the situation changes slightly.
3. Social proof: People tend to do things others are doing. I think this relates to the adoption curve as well. It is also why the majority of buyers like testimonials from others before they buy.
4. Authority: People generally follow authority figures or the proverbial “expert from out of town.” What can you do to raise your authority or expert quotient?
5. Liking: People are more easily persuaded by people they like. I have seen research on this from presidential candidates. Tim Sanders has a whole book on likeability, a step-by-step guide on how to raise your L-factor. I will be reviewing that in a future post.
6. Scarcity: Perceived scarcity will generate demand. This is why limited-time offers work so well.

To check out onsite courses by Greg Conderacci, click here for our online catalog

What do you think about these “weapons of influence?” Do you have any to add?