Power of Persuasion

• Cialdini says that the Commitment and Consistency principle is effective because it reaffirms people´s self-value and gives them a feeling of having done the right thing.
• Consistency is another way to reduce complexity and mental stress involved in decision-making by giving an easy and succesful shortcut option.

Cialdini says that people will most likely feel miserable after being manipulated by Commitment and Consistency tactics. What might happen then, is that they will try to explain exactly what has happened to them, literally trying to unmask the thief. The author tells us a vividly humorous story of a waitress in a short skirt who manipulated him with the Commitment and Consistency tactic. He fell straight into it and exaggerated how many times he would go out for restaurants and movie nights to appear like a trendy outgoing person.

• A Chinese proverb states, “Favors from others should be remembered for a thousand years.”
• Hare Krishna at airports
• Buying drinks on dates
• Rejection and Retreat Technique
• Sneaky Salesman apply R&R techniques

Nobody really likes canned laughter, but apparently it works. Canned laughter makes us laugh longer and harder. Its´ influence is especially effective with bad jokes. Cialdini says it works because we get the feeling other people like it. That’s social proof and we tend to follow the crowd in order not to fall out with the group. Dare to withstand social pressure and make up our own mind and take our own decisions.

We prefer to agree with people we like. We are more likely to say yes to the requests of someone we know and trust as a friend. Cialdini uses the now already (in)famous Tupperware parties as an example. And he says that recommendations are a way of taking advantage of the Liking principle. Next we are going to look at the main principles that make us like someone.