Voluntary, Active, Public.
Shortly after the publication of his bestselling book, ‘Influence – Science & Practice’, Professor Robert Cialdini’s team asked us to help translate his “Principles of Persuasion” into a training programme for business.
Working directly with Bob and his team, we gained insights into how to leverage the likelihood of someone responding positively, and more to keep their commitment and actually deliver on their promise.
One of the tools is very much in evidence at this time of year, and maybe you’re unknowingly applying it already – but what if you were to learn how to use it all year round?
Bob identified six “principles” that used individually are extremely powerful, but when two or more are combined, they often create an irresistible proposition.
Many people have told me that the hardest one to understand is the principle of “Commitment & Consistency.”
In simple terms, the concept is based on the idea of starting small, and then building up – “upselling” if you like.
The key ingredient that’s necessary for this to occur is for the prospect to make a voluntary, active, and public statement (which is a form of commitment).
As we start a new year, it’s very common for our social media to be filled with people not just making, but declaring their resolutions. Cialdini’s extensive research shows that when this happens, the individual is far more likely to achieve their goals compared with those who keep them to themselves. That’s because their posts are voluntary (no one made them), are active (they didn’t auto post, outsource, or use AI, but made the statements themselves), and of course by posting they’re immediately public.
Many charities are particularly clever at leveraging this principle. They ask you to donate, then to publish your donation, and the next thing they’re asking for more. I experienced this myself when asked to donate to a friend’s chosen charity he selected to raise funds for on his first triathlon attempt. Within a year I joined my friend to cycle across Sri Lanka for the same charity, and then ended up becoming a trustee on the board!
Since Bob wrote his first book, many organisations have tried to leverage his principles ignoring a key foundation of the concept, that it must be ethical and appropriate. For example, coercing someone to write a review, when they wouldn’t have done so otherwise, negates the voluntary aspect and in turn can actually be counterproductive “Yes, I wrote that review, but only because I felt I had to, and on balance probably wouldn’t recommend them now….”
He’s subsequently written a second book: “Pre-suasion”, in which he highlights that it’s what you do prior to seeking to persuade someone that can have profound impact on the subsequent results.
Continuing with the reviews example…. If you said to a prospect, even prior to their signing an agreement: “Once we’ve delivered our service, and you’re truly delighted with the results we achieve for you, will you write and publish a review?” If they say “yes”, then it’s very difficult for them not to keep their commitment (so long as you’ve kept yours and delivered). Indeed, the voluntary review they post is far more likely to feel authentic and be believed by others.
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