Kapitel 5

According to Robert Cialdini, there are six key routes to persuasion:

1. Consistency

1. Reference groups

2. Authority

3. Scarcity

4. Reciprocity

5. Liking

The sources of liking include physical attractiveness, similarity, familiarity, and signaling of affection through gestures like smiles and touch.

To use the principle of reciprocity optimally, companies should be the first to give something, ensuring the gift is personalized and unexpected. Free samples and free home inspections are examples of this strategy in action, making it likely that the customer reciprocates in some way.

Restaurants effectively utilized the principle of consistency by getting customers to commit. Instead of asking customers to call if they say they can't come, they should answer if they would call in such a case. This made those who couldn't attend more likely to call and cancel and made those uncertain about attending more inclined to show up since they had yet to cancel.

The principle behind "reference groups" is that people tend to follow others either due to normative influence (they like to do what others are doing) or informational influence (believing what others are doing is the right thing). The Ash experiment exemplifies this principle.

Real estate agents increased sales by positioning their staff as experts. For instance, reception staff would introduce their head of sales by highlighting his 20 years of experience in selling properties, emphasizing his authority and expertise.

The principle of "scarcity" suggests that people desire more of what they perceive as less available. This effect is particularly pronounced when items were previously known but have become scarce due to increased demand.

Online ratings and reviews significantly influence consumer decisions, especially under certain conditions.

Reviews have a more substantial influence on consumers when the situation is ambiguous or risky, which is often the case for intangible services compared to tangible products.

Consumers are more influenced by reviews when they perceive the reviewer as similar to themselves, such as from the same country, of similar age, or the same gender.

Negative reviews tend to have a significant impact on consumers. However, if consumers are strongly inclined to purchase a product, they might overlook or skip the negative comments.

The Beijing study illustrates the effect of reference groups on consumer choices by showing that highlighting popular items in a restaurant's menu can increase orders and customer satisfaction.

Highlighting the most popular items on the menu increased orders by 13% to 20%.

Drawing attention to popular items signals to customers that these choices are well-received and approved by others. This approval is an endorsement, making things more appealing to potential customers.

Highlighting popular items simplifies decision-making for customers. For instance, someone uncertain about ordering dessert might now feel more inclined to do so, given the endorsement of its popularity.

The "small area hypothesis" suggests that people generally feel more motivated as they get closer to reaching a goal.

By focusing on the progress made at the start of pursuing a goal, individuals can feel a sense of achievement and progress, boosting their motivation to continue.

When individuals are aware of the remaining effort towards the end of a goal pursuit, they can feel a sense of urgency or a final push to complete the goal, further enhancing their motivation.

In loyalty programs, emphasizing phrases like “you have achieved 30% of the Silver level” in the beginning and “you have 30% left to move to the Gold level” towards the end can motivate customers to buy more, as it highlights both their achievements and the remaining efforts to reach the next level.

The first route requires little elaboration and effort and is commonly used for low-involvement products. In this route, the number of arguments presented is the primary factor influencing persuasion.

The second route is more elaborate and requires more effort. It is associated with high-involvement products, and both the number and the strength of arguments play a significant role in persuasion.

Low involvement products typically use the first route of persuasion.

In the second route, both the number of arguments and the strength of those arguments are essential for effective persuasion.

Eye-contact is beneficial when clients are in agreement with the salesperson and are on the verge of purchasing the product.

Gestures need to align with the receiver's regulatory focus, which can be either promotion or prevention.

Handmade products are expressions of love and specialty.

People are more likely to purchase handmade products to gift to someone close to them.

Handmade products are better assessed when they are among high-priced products rather than low-priced products.