Carlos Elas Prez

31 de julio de 2014

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SCIENCE OF PERSUASION
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Facts that lead us to say yes to the request of others

We dont consider all the information available in order to guide our thinking, so we
need shortcuts or rules of thumb to guide our decision making. Researchers have pointed 6 of
these shortcuts as universals laws that guide human behavior. To understand these shortcuts
and employed them in an ethical manner, can significant increase the chances that someone
will be persuaded by our request.

1. Reciprocity: The obligation to give when you receive. In the context of a social
obligation, people are more likely to say YES to those who they owe.

a. if a colleague does you a favor, you owe that colleague a favor.

b. if a friend invited you a party, you are obligated to invited him to a party.
c. Increase of 23% when waitress gives a mint and says for you nice people here is
another mint. The important thing here is not what is given, but how is given.

So the key of reciprocity is to be the first to give, personalized and unexpected.

2. Scarcity: People want more of those thing there are less of.

a. When British Airways announced they were not longer operate twice daily London New York Concorde flights because it was uneconomical, sales the very next days took off.

Is not enough to tell people about the benefits that will gain, you also need to point at
what its unique about your proposition and what they stand to lose if they fail to consider
your proposal.

SCIENCE OF PERSUASION

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3. Authority: People will follow credible knowledgeable experts.

a. Physiotherapist are able to persuade more patients to complied they recommended

exercise programs if they display they medical diplomas on the wall.

b. People are more compel to give money to a complete estranger in a parking meter if
that person wears and uniform rather than casual clothes.

Science tell us that is important to tell others, what makes us credible knowledgeable
authority before we make our influence attempt.

a. A group of real estate increase they sales, when a colleague introduce them and
their credentials. Let me connect you with Sara, she has more than 20 years of
experience. This method had a 20% rise in appointments and a 15% rise in the number
of signed contracts.

4. Consistency: People like to have consistency with the things that are previously
said or done. Looking for and asking or commitments that can be made.

a. Very few people are willing to erect a wooden board to support Safely Drive on they
front lawn, however in a similar neighborhood, 4 times as many home owners indicated
they will be willing to do this. Why? because ten days previously they have agreed to place
a small post card in the front window of their home for the same campaign. That small
card was the initial commitment that lead to an increase of 400%.

So we have to find voluntary, active and public commitments. Ideally get those
commitment on writing

a. Reduce missed appointments by 18% simply asking the patients rather than staff to
write down appointments details.

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SCIENCE OF PERSUASION

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5. Liking: People preferred to say yes to those who like. Based in 3 important factors.

5.1. People who are similar to us

5.2. People who pay us compliments

5.3. People who cooperate with us

a. In a serie of studies of sales, some groups were told time is money, gets straight
down to business, in this group 55% came to an agreement. A second group were told
before you begin negotiation, exchange some personal information from each other,
identify similarity you share in common, then begin negotiation. In this group 90% came
to an agreement.

6. Consensus: People will look to the actions of others to determine their own.

a. Hotel often place an small card that tell us the benefits that reuse of towels can have
on environmental protection. Turns out that this is a very effective strategy leading to
around 35% compliance. Its a fact that 75% of people will reuse their towels in some
point during they stay. If we include that information on the card and say that 75% of
our guest reuse their towels, so please do so as well; towel reuse rises up 26% and if we
change the message to 75% of our guest in this room reuse their towels, we have a 33%
increase .

So this tell us, that rather than rely our own ability to persuade others, we can point
what many other are doing, especially many other similar persons.

SCIENCE OF PERSUASION

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