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Article #15

Copyright © 2006 George Ritacco (All Rights Reserved)
 

Online Training on Autopilot Series...
Persuasion Through Influence.  PART 3 of 4

In the previous article on the subject of Influence – we discussed the first three principles of influence – reciprocity, scarcity and authority.

Let’s jump right into the next three.

The Principle of Commitment (and consistency).
Once people haven taken a stand on an issue, once they have publicly taken a position, they’re much more likely to be consistent with it.

People are more likely to follow through with their actions once they’ve publicly announced that they would (especially having done so in your presence).

For example, say you are offering a new training course that you really want people to sign up for.  As a trainer you can only recommend that they do.  But your recommendation can be worded in such a way that makes them commit based on their own admitted goals and preferences.  If you can your audience to publicly admit preferences and press upon those and how they relate to the course your are offering.. you are influencing through commitment.

Another example.  You’re running a training webinar or teleseminar and you notice you’re having a big problem with people making reservations and not showing up.  The call goes empty and your important course goes wasted.  Try this... make the sign up a phone sign up.  Have the administrator ask them that if they decide to change or cancel the reservation, to please call, but using these exact 5 words.. “will you please call us?” 

In other words, you are requiring the person to make a public commitment to their action, in this case – to call if they can’t attend or need to cancel.  Influence is a funny thing.  Don’t underestimate it’s psychological power. 

Little Hinges Swing Big Doors.

The Principle of Consensus

Social Proof.  How powerful is social proof?  I can honestly say that I believe it’s probably one of the strongest motivators that exist for influencing someone to take action.

One way that people take action is to look around them at what other people (like them) are doing in that same situation.  And then they decide to move based on the fact that many other people in their circumstance have moved, profitably in that direction.

To a salesperson, there is nothing more powerful than to provide their customers with examples and references that closely match the profile of that customer. 

Referencing our training course example from before.. if the course is a “hit” and your trainees are benefiting from their new techniques or knowledge.. capture their comments and use it as a social proof “recruitment” tool. 

Another example of social proof comes from the infomercial industry.  One person learned that by changing  little things in their call to action, yielded tremendous results.  Before she changed things.. the call to action line went as follows:  “Please go to your phone.  Our operators are standing by.”  You’ve heard that before, right?

That line was changed to the following: “Please go to your phone.  If our operators are busy, please call again.”  And believe it or not, that created a wave of calls.  Why?  Because she said.. “If our operators are busy....,” in other words she was telling them, “A lot of people just like you are going to be calling in.”

She also included the principle of “scarcity” as well.... which means, “You better get in now, because our lines are going to be gagged with all of these people.” 

Testimonials and social proof are tremendous vehicles of leverage and a very powerful principle to master.

The Principle of Likeability

People will have an easy time being influenced if they like you, plain and simple.  It’s human nature.  We respond better to people that we like.  We do business we people that we like.  We build relationships with people that we like.  And usually, we have confidence in and trust the people that we like. 

If you’re running a national sales meeting and you have a well-known, well-liked sports figure give a presentation talk about motivation – people listen. 

Likeabililty is difficult for many sales reps, becaue it seems to be a matter of personality and chance rather than of behavioir and intention.  However, likeability is no mystery.  To use the principle, find similarities between yourself and your employee, trainee or customer and raise them to the surface.  Your background, your hobbies, your likes/dislikes, etc.,  The principle of likeability is complimentary to the principle of reciprocation.  If you can try and find something about the person you’re trying to influence that you truly like and respect, then that person will naturally like and respect you.  While this may seem manipulative, it’s not – because it’s in how they are treated that will create the reciprocal action.

Now let’s tie all these together.... Once you know what the 6 universal principle of influence are, you can look for them in any given situation.  The key really is not to invent them when they don’t exist, but to uncover them like a detective, exploit them, raise them to the surface – make people aware of them, more visible to them.  When you do, you steer people correctly in the direction you want them to go.

Here’s the thing.. if you truly are an expert, if you truly have a lot of testimonials, if you truly have similarities, if there are things people stand to lose, and so on... raise them to the surface and set the climate for your interaction.

Setting the climate is key.  Be prepared and know your audience – you do this before you ask for what it is you want from them.  You set the climate that’s receptive, where people are receptive to your requests.

Our system, OmniTrackPlus is an online training and development system that allows you to put your entire training program, on autopilot.  Online training has never been so simple and yet, so effective.  With the system’s proven, robust automation tools, you have the ability to systematically engage, interact with and influence your trainees... while you sleep.

In our final article on the series, we'll tie it all together for you.

George Ritacco

About the Author:

George Ritacco is the Director of Client Services for Global Vision Technologies, Inc (GVT)., www.globalvisiontech.com a premiere software developer specializing in powerful,  easy-to-use Internet systems for online training and development, sales and marketing intelligence, pharmaceutical sales ops, case management, and court reimbursement.  GVT’s primary goal is to provide our customers with tools for improving productivity, profitability, employee morale and turnover.