Using the Six Laws of Persuasion

Here are the six laws of persuasion and how they can be used to enhance your business. For further detail check out the references at the end.

1. Law of Reciprocity

When people are given something, they generally feel compelled to give back. This is one reason why the free sample is a popular business strategy. Give something to your customers and potential customers of value, preferably of low cost.

2. Law of Commitment and Consistency

Most people prefer security. Once committed, they tend to consistently be committed. This is a key factor that explains why you should always continue to sell to your current customers. Make sure you take a look at your current customers and find out what other needs they may have. If you can serve those needs, look at partnerships and affiliate programs.

3. Law of Liking

Many times this law is the determining factor of any decision. Check out How to Win Friends and Influence People to get good at applying this law.

4. Law of Scarcity

When people feel like something is scarce, they tend to feel more attracted to it, feeling that if they don’t act now, the item will no longer be available. Here is where limited promotions and editions work well. When you run a promotion, make sure that you only run it once. You will likely have recurring promotions, but try to make them different so your clients will not think something like, “I’ll just wait for the next promotion”.

5. Law of Authority

When someone of authority or an “expert” gives endorsement, may people will then automatically grant their trust. Many companies have taken advantage of this, by paying doctors and celebrities to give endorsement to their products. You can start by gaining quotes from all of your current customers. A more powerful approach is video testimonials.

6. Law of Social Proof

When the masses are buying, that makes your buyer feel more secure in taking the risk of purchasing your product. When you see a stadium full of raving fans a sports game, it implies that buy going to the game, you will have a fun time, making the purchase of the ticket less risky. You should highlight the mass usage of your product. When starting out, you can go into more depth for each particular user. Another strategy to use here is a live seminar. If you can get a few enthusiastic buyers, it is likely other in the audience will follow suit.

References:

How to Win Friends and Influence People
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
The Psychology of Persuasion: How to Persuade Others to Your Way of Thinking
GlobalKnowledge.com

How have you used these laws to improve your business?