The book influence by Robert B. Cialdini, PH.D. has become
an international bestseller. This book on persuasion explains why people say
‘yes’ and how to apply this knowledge. He discusses six common principles which
he also calls mental short cuts as we rely on mental short cuts every time we
are faced with a decision. He explains how to use these principles, how to
become a skilled persuader and how to defend yourself from them.
In this post we will discuss the third principle of
influence – Social proof
The principle of social proof works because we are social
creatures and we are therefore more likely to do something if other people are
doing it too. At the same time, we are also not likely to do something if no
one else is.
Social proof can come in many ways; we are all influenced
by it one way or another.
Influencer approval
A thought leader or influencer/celebrity approves a product
or service. If George Clooney drinks Nespresso, then it must be good.
Testimonials
Testimonials of clients is a vote of confidence in the
business, the product or service. This could be in the form of a customer
review, a rating or a case study. A lot of people read user testimonials on
tripadvisor before they book a hotel.
Social Media presence and shares
Positive social media reviews and shares of a company’s
products and posts are all it needs to convince more people to invest in the
products of the business.
Social proof from crowds
If many buy a product and endorse it then it must be good.
It can also trigger the fear of missing out as the urge to follow is very high.
Social proof from friends
Recommendations from friends and family and people we know
and trust in general carry a lot of weight even more than any advertising.
Social proof is a great weapon of influence and it works
better in some conditions than others. One condition is uncertainty. When the
situation is unclear, and we are uncertain about things then we are most likely
to look at others and accept their actions as correct. A vulnerable and
uncertain situation makes us trust strangers blindly. Cialdini remarks that in
those situations we are very likely to overlook that the people we are looking
up to are most likely looking for social proof too.
Another important condition where social proof works well is
similarity. This principle of social proof is very powerful when we observe the
behaviour of people who are similar to us. We believe that their behaviour must
be correct, and we are more inclined to follow someone’s behaviour that is more
like ours.
Cialdini mentions that he believes that this is the reason
why we are seeing more and more ‘average person-on-the-street testimonials on
TV’. It is a successful strategy by advertisers
to sell a product by using ordinary people to promote their products as this
receives an endorsement to ordinary viewers.
Social proof is a powerful influencer that can be used in a
negotiation to get the other party to agree to your requests.
Find similarities between you and the other party.
Use testimonials to your advantage
Use social proof from crowds in the reverse, meaning that if
they don’t do the deal they miss out on something that everyone else has.
www.octalonegotiation.com
#negotiationskills #influencing #socialproof
https://www.influenceatwork.com/principles-of-persuasion/
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