INFLUENCE, Science And Practice, by Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D. -- review by Gill E. Wagner
Prologue
I first read INFLUENCE in its original version, "INFLUENCE, The Psychology of Persuasion," in 1996. Simply put, of all the books I've read on marketing, INFLUENCE has made the greatest positive impact on my success. Personally, I think this is because the book was not written for marketers – it is simply a study of why people go on auto-pilot when making certain decisions.
In my opinion, this book is absolutely a "must read" for anyone who is in sales or marketing. In fact, I think anyone who buys or sells anything should read this one.
Enjoy,
Gill
Philosophy
Since INFLUENCE isn't a sales book, there is no sales philosophy to discuss. However, the book does explain key aspects of how to persuade people to do things they might not ordinarily do, so I'd like to make a point about the philosophy of implementing what Cialdini has to say.
According to Cialdini, we all have certain preprogrammed behavioral actions that will activate when properly stimulated. In his book he covers not only the most prominent actions, but what causes them to activate. So, after you read the book, you will be armed with tools you can use to manipulate someone, should you choose to do so.
Opinion: While Cialdini is absolutely correct about the ability to influence behavior with the knowledge in his book, he doesn't discuss the after-the-fact repercussions of having done so. In the sales profession, we know this as "buyer's remorse" – after signing on the dotted line, the buyer regrets the decision without really knowing why. So if you use Cialdini's concepts in a sales call, you can expect more canceled contracts, and, with those who don't cancel, you can expect your relationships to be less than amicable.
Opinion: It's okay to use Cialdini's information in written form – business letters, articles, website copy (yes, book reviews) – because people can easily discard the information. But person-to-person use of much of what he describes can be harmful in the long term.
The Process
INFLUENCE is a study of human behavior during which patterns are detected, analysis is conducted and behavioral theory is developed. Cialdini then tests each of his theories and includes in his book those which he can prove – he names each of his behaviors and collectively calls them "weapons of influence." They are:
- Reciprocation
- Commitment and Consistency
- Social Proof
- Liking
- Authority
- Scarcity
I'm going to give you an example of only one weapon of influence, because I truly believe you should buy the book and read it for yourself. And the weapon I'll explain is social proof, because anyone in sales pretty much already knows about this one.
Social Proof
Simply put, when making a major purchase decision a buyer never has all the facts – he must always make part of the decision on gut instinct and therefore has some fear of making a mistake.
- Is this service really as good as this sales guy says?
- Could I get this same result at a better price if I keep looking?
- Is there something I'm missing that's going to bite me in the butt if I do this?
- How badly will making this switch hurt in the short term?
- If I buy and read this book, will it be a waste of my money and, more importantly, my time?
Fears such as these always exist, and they can never be explained away by a salesperson. And buyers don't like saying "yes" when these fears are present and unanswered.
Enter social proof.
Social proof is really nothing more than a third-party influence perceived as having more knowledge "than I do." If a good client refers you, for instance, your new prospect is already heavily influenced to ignore his fears, because "Joe said you were a great guy."
Speaking of social proof ...
Opinion: I believe every adult on the planet should buy and read "INFLUENCE, Science and Practice." Even if you don't sell, this book will arm you with much of the knowledge you need to avoid "being sold."
On a value scale of one to 10, this is a definite 10.
--
Gill E. Wagner, Sage of Selling
President of Honest Selling
Founder of the Yellow-Tie International Business Development Association
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