Influence

Robert Cialdini, Psychology Professor of Arizona State University, explored the tools of 'compliance professionals.'  Compliance professionals are people who try to get us to do or buy things that we might not otherwise do or buy.  What tools do they use?  Cialdini has discovered six.  Of note, these six principles of influence are handy shortcuts that allow us to make good decisions while using minimal mental energy.  However, compliance professionals have discovered the shortcuts and make use of them, often tricking people into decisions they would not have made.

Reciprocation: If someone does you a favor, you are obligated to return a favor.  A practiced influencer might make a wild request.  When you decline, he makes a more reasonable request.  As such, he had 'given' a bit on his request, which often creates an instinctual need to reciprocate.  It's a trick but it works.

Commitment & Consistency: People want to be consistent with their past statements or actions.  If an influencer asks if you consider yourself helpful and you say 'yes,' the influencer can then request help in some way.  To be consistent, you are obligated to help.  People who were not first asked if they considered themselves helpful were far less likely to offer help than those who were first asked.

Social Proof: If people similar to oneself are doing something, then it's probably the right thing.  Influencers will use this shortcut by saying 'most popular' brand or making commercials that show people doing or buying something.

Liking: People are more likely to do what they are asked by people they like.  There are lots of ways to be instantly more likeable.  Simply being attractive is a great way to be likeable.  Offering compliments make you likeable.  Mirroring body language can make you likeable.  Using these techniques, an influencer can quickly become likeable and greatly increase the odds of getting compliance.

Authority: In general, people will comply with an authority figure.  By merely assuming the attributes of an authority figure - whether or not one has any authority - will increase compliance.  A man in a suit has more authority than a man in a t-shirt and jeans.

Scarcity: If the supplies are limited, people want them more.  By convincing the target that something is scarce, an influencer can increase the chances that the target will buy.

The book offers extensive examples of all of these principals in action.  Cialdini also offers ways to counter these influence techniques.  Really great book and highly recommended.