Persuasion Flashcards
Social Proof:
Study encouraging hotel towel reuse. Put 2 different signs. One was a basic message about saving the environment. Another was the fact that majority of hotel guests reused their towels at least once during their stay. Found 26% were more likely to reuse their towels when told about the social proof.
Specificity of Social Proof:
social proof more effective the more similar the demonstrators are to the audience. When they changed the second hotel room message to say that majority of guests in the same room reused towels, the rate increased even more to 33%. i.e. old people waiting in line for an event would be more effective in attracting old people than young people.
Be wary of Negative social proof:
explains why many PSAs fail, many times accidentally say most people are doing something wrong. Littering PSA backfires to show many people littering (message also implies there is no consequence) and the viewer may think it’s ok to continuing littering. Same reason explaining why voter turnout continues to fall when politicians condemn the low turnout. Or the high numbers of people who don’t show up for their appointments. The Arizona Petrified Forest Natural Park. They experimented with different messages to deter theft of the petrified wood. The control was a no-sign (2.92% loss of the planted petrified wood), a no-stealing sign (1.67%) and a sign/ illustration saying many people have taken the wood and destroyed the natural state of the forest (7.92%).
Be wary of the magnetic middle:
“magnetic middle”, when reporting on average behavior, be aware that above-average people may take it as an excuse to lower their performance, while low performers will increase performance. This can be avoided by adding positive feedback praising the above-average performers. Example was power consumption.
Make a “free gift” valuable:
If you give a “free gift” with your product, emphasize the real value of that gift, otherwise it will be assumed to be of low value. i.e. You are getting $150 worth of consultation for free.
Add an Outlier:
People want to feel is if they are making the best value choice, they rationalize that they do not need the most expensive and choose the product below it even if it is of much lower value. If you want people to pay for your most expensive product, introduce another one that is even more expensive. They see the products relative to one another and want a good value at a great price.
Inspiring Fear:
When communicating dangers (e.g. Health messages or health threat), it should always be communicated with advice about a clear course of action or options in clear and specific steps. If not, or by being vague, people tend to receive the message with denials, fear or blocking it out.
Power of reciprocity:
If you have done something for someone in the past be sure to remind them of it when asking them for something. Also it is in your best interest to help others, so long as it does not compromise your goals or inconvenience you (why Iceland granted citizenship to Bobby Fischer). Suggests instead of asking, “Who can help me?”, the long term view is to ask “Whom can I help” and this may result in reciprocal behavior later.
Power of Personalization:
Personalizing a request (e.g. adding a handwritten post-it note to a printed document) makes a response much more likely.
Make it Personal:
A “free gift” that is personalized, exclusive, and unexpected is much more effective. (Restaurant patrons tip more when given mints by the serving staff, rather than allowed to pick up mints on the way out). Tip was even higher when the server gave them one mint turned around like they were going to walk away and came back to give them another one, as if to say, “actually you know what here’s something special just for you”. Makes the gift recipient feel special as if the server really liked them opposed to seeming like a part of the service.
Leverage Reciprocity:
Reciprocity works even if you do someone an unconditional favor without them asking pre-emptively, rather than promise a favor if they do you one first. A variation of the hotel towel reuses experiment. Reciprocation-based vs. incentives-based (former had 45% higher response): Hotel already made donations to an environmental protection agency, and telling guests it did so on their behalf. Gave impression the guests initiated the efforts. Suggests higher tendency for reciprocal behavior when we offer help that is genuine and completely unconditional.
Reciprocity over time:
Study found people who did favors tend to increase the value of their deeds while recipients perceived lower value as time goes by. Suggests opposite tendencies. Implications: giver could suggest/ remind how recipient would have returned the favor “I know you would do the same for me”, or start by subtly reminding earlier favor before asking a return favor, e.g. “did you find the report I sent you earlier useful?” Shows how we can unconsciously edit a memory over time according to our desires.
Foot-in-the-door:
Type of cognitive dissonance, make small requests before large ones. The road safety signboard experiment. Found that getting people to start with small steps resulted in higher participation in greater subsequent commitment.
Stories Sell:
Use anecdotes to support your claim. Although they may not be as reliable or “scientifically sound” as statistics they are much more convincing. i.e. cop, half measures with abusive husband or hospital, Haiti and immune resistance.
Labeling Technique:
type of cognitive dissonance, if you want someone to act a certain way label them as such. i.e. you know what I like about you, you are such a sweetheart you think of everyone else before yourself, also before a request, label the requestee as the sort of person who already is what you want, make sure that there is evidence don’t make to much of a stretch otherwise they will know it’s a bullshit ploy i.e. I know you can do good work, I’ve seen it before, you’ve gotta start pulling your weight around here the team is counting on you.
Make Em Commit:
Type of cognitive dissonance, make someone affirm that they will do something before they do it. Will you call before you cancel? If they say yes they will be much more likely to call as if you were to say, please call before you cancel and they only respond ok.
Commitment Contract:
Elicit active, written commitments rather than passive commitment, the more pronounced in their mind, a written commitment the more powerful cognitive dissonance will affect them.
Old People are Stubborn:
Older people desire consistency more than young people, so persuasive messages aimed at older people should be framed not to conflict with their deeply held beliefes. A younger person is more open minded and more likely to change their fundamental beliefs.
Ben Franklin Effect:
Get someone to do you a small favor which is specific to them, and they will like you more. They rationalize that they must like you.
Baby Steps:
Even a penny will help, people often think that their contributions are not much help, once you get your foot in the door they will help you.. Frame requests in terms of a small amount of what you want (e.g. charity fundraiser saying “even a penny would help”), people are much more likely to help you when it is of minor inconvenience to them, but also effective because despite the minor contribution their contribution is deemed significant. `
