The 10 Most Effective Persuasion Techniques

Persuasion is the ability that human beings have to convince other people to do something that they had not planned to do.

I recommend that you read this article to get into the subject: “Persuasion: definition and elements of the art of convincing”

How to convince someone? The best persuasion techniques

When it comes to persuading tooThe techniques used for this are very important

These persuasion techniques can be grouped in very different ways, but those identified according to Cialdini’s six principles of influence stand out in particular:

• Sympathy principle Someone we like will be more likely to persuade us.

You can read more about Robert Cialdini’s 6 laws of social influence in this article

The main persuasion techniques

Next we are going to see some persuasion techniques, the most studied and effective.

We are going to start with persuasion techniques based on reciprocity, techniques based on commitment or coherence and we will end with techniques based on scarcity. Then we will review elements and techniques used that have to do with the principles of authority, sympathy and social approval, although these are usually integrated into the other types of techniques.

1. Techniques based on reciprocity

Techniques based on reciprocity are those in which the interaction between source and receiver provokes in the latter the idea that a concession is being made which makes you more likely to return the favor.

These techniques are used, of course, by salespeople, but sometimes also by political organizations in negotiations or even in the advertising strategies of city councils and governments that urge the population to take care of public resources and equipment, although if used incorrectly they can also have a more sinister role in maintaining clientelistic networks and corruption schemes.

Among these techniques, the following stand out:

• Door technique/slamming the door in the face

This technique is based on the source making a very exaggerated and expensive initial offer to the recipient that it knows will be rejected. Once the recipient rejects it, the source will progressively lower the cost level, to finally reach the point that was the objective from the first moment. So, the recipient considers that they have received a large discount, which makes it easier for them to end up accessing the offer

A clear and easy to understand example that uses this technique is the haggling of merchants in different markets around the world.

• “This is not all” technique

It is based on offering, in addition to the initial offer, a small extra gift The gift is seen as a concession, so again it makes it easier for the recipient to feel favored and want to accept the offer. An example is found in television promotions of some products, in which they frequently give away a small gift (the sheath of the knife we ​​bought, a second pair of glasses, etc.).

• Shoulder slap technique

This technique is based on establishing an informal and partly emotional connection between source and receiver, making the receiver feel the need to reciprocate the relationship they have with the source. This technique can be exemplified by the procedure carried out by banking entities with their clients.

2. Techniques based on commitment

Techniques based on commitment and coherence are based on the recipient’s desire to be coherent with their previous attitudes and actions.

They are also the ones that pose the most moral dilemmas in their most extreme versions, since some break with the idea that sender and receiver must start from equal conditions as the first one is the one who knows all the necessary information and plays with an advantage. That is why, also, knowing how to recognize these techniques will help us not get trapped by them.

The main and most used ones are the following:

• Feint or “low-ball” technique

In this technique The recipient accepts an offer from the source, but once accepted the source places emphasis on information that makes the deal somewhat less attractive Of course, this information cannot go against the data provided at the beginning by the issuer, but they are usually part of the “small print” of what has been negotiated. The recipient can always reject it, but the desire to be consistent may cause them to decide to accept the offer anyway.

• Foot in the door technique

This technique is based on making a small initial offer, easily acceptable to the recipient Once accepted, you can proceed to make increasingly higher offers. A valid simile could occur in gambling, where you start by making small bets and then increase the amount of money bet.

• Bait and Switch Technique

It is based on the fact that when the recipient accesses the offer, the product in question that attracted them has been sold out although other similar options are offered.

3. Scarcity-based techniques

Regarding scarcity-based techniques, they aim to increase the value of what is offered in the eyes of the recipient so that he or she accepts it. Two techniques stand out:

• “Play hard to get something” technique

This technique suggests that the product is scarce and difficult to obtain so that the recipient is motivated to acquire it. It is very visible in electronic or food products (smartphones, caviar…).

• Deadline Technique

This technique indicates that the offer is only temporary, so you are invited to purchase it quickly before it runs out. One variant uses the number of units instead of time. The clearest example is the television promotions of some products, which together with the “this is not all” strategy usually indicate the temporary availability of the offer.

4. Techniques based on social approval

Techniques based on social approval aim to use the recipients’ need to feel part of the group. and society, using as an argument that a large proportion of the population accepts or would accept the offer offered to them.

In this case, the use of statistics or inclusion techniques in the group stands out.

This resource is frequently used in order to show the popularity of the offer, showing that if you accept it you will enter the group. It is usually used in conjunction with authority-based elements and techniques.

It can be seen in many advertisements, in which they show the statistics of satisfied customers or with comments such as “9 out of 10 recommend it”, “we are many partners of…”, “Join us”.

5. Authority-based techniques

Authority-based techniques They act under the consideration that an expert on a topic will have better judgment on it than others, including the receiver. Regarding this fact, the use of expert testimonies stands out mainly. In this technique, the expertise of one or more individuals is used in order to make the recipient see that the offer applied to them is more valuable, efficient or usable than others.

A clear example is the use of professionals from a sector to sell a certain product, such as the use of dentists to promote toothpaste or sports professionals to promote sports clothing.

6. Techniques based on sympathy

Regarding techniques based on sympathy, They are based on creating a feeling of similarity and closeness between the source of persuasion and the recipient These stand out:

• Use of elements that promote a feeling of familiarity

Although it is not a technique in itself, it is common to use the environment, the way of dressing, and even the behavior and way of expressing oneself in a way that the recipient feels comfortable enough to accept the offer. An example is found in a large number of brands and stores, which make their employees wear clothes and behave informally.

• Physical attractiveness

The use of the source’s own physical and personal attractiveness makes it easier for the recipient to be attracted to what comes from him/her, so he/she often accepts the offer. It is frequently seen in fashion and accessories advertisements, although it is usually applied to the vast majority of advertising elements.

• Celebrity use

Public recognition of a famous and influential person is used in order to modify the perception of the recipient(s) about a specific offer. They are very common in the world of marketing and are continually used in advertising.

Some conclusions and reflections

All of these characteristics and techniques are important and frequent elements in the persuasion attempts that we encounter in our daily lives, not only in the strategies used by organizations and large companies. It must be taken into account that most people try to persuade others to change attitudes, values ​​or actions

However, it must be appreciated that persuading does not necessarily imply manipulation, since in a large percentage of cases we are aware that an attempt is being made to modify our point of view with a clear purpose.

• Cialdini, R.B., Cacioppo, J.T., Bassett, R., & Miller, J.A. (1978). Low-ball procedure for producing compliance: commitment then cost. Journal of personality and Social Psychology, 36(5), 463.

• Cialdini, R.B., Vincent, J.E., Lewis, S.K., Catalan, J., Wheeler, D., & Darby, B.L. (1975). Reciprocal concessions procedure for inducing compliance: The door-in-the-face technique. Journal of personality and Social Psychology, 31(2), 206.

• McGuire, W.J. (1969). An information-processing model of advertising effectiveness. In HL Davis & AJ Silk (Eds.), Behavioral and Management Sciences in Marketing. New York: Ronald.

• Rogers, R. W. (1985). Attitude change and information integration in fear appeals. Psychological Reports, 56, 179-182.