To master persuasion is like sitting on a gold mine. Having the ability to convince your customers to buy your products or services is key and now you have the chance to take advantage of some of the most powerful persuasion techniques that have been tested and proved through time and apply them to your digital marketing efforts.
Dr. Robert B. Cialdini wrote about 6 principles of persuasion in his book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” from 1984. These principles are just as valid now as they were back then and this series of posts will give you tips on how they can boost your digital marketing strategy.
This is Part 3 of 3 and covers the last two principles. Also, read the first post and second post.
Liking
Even though it is nice to be viewed as an authority, you want people to like you as they are more likely to say yes to you if they like you and therefore more likely to do what you want them to do. That’s what the principle of liking is about, that people like to say yes to people they like.
Therefore, when writing or talking to your audience online, either in blog posts, video content, webinars, newsletter etc, don’t be afraid to be personal. Sharing stories about yourself which your audience can relate to can bring them closer to you and help them like you better. Like for instance sharing how you were once in the same situation as they are now, struggling to get people to watch your webinar, or having difficulties growing your email list, etc.
Along the same lines, show that you care about the same things as your audience does. Find out what your audience are interested in via social media and if appropriate show that you care about the same things. And using the same language as your customers will also help them connect with you better as opposed to having a corporate, non-personal voice.
If appropriate, you can also use images of people on your website and in social media. Like for instance on your about page, you can include images of your staff as well as bios which include some more personal information like hobbies or a favourite quote. Letting people know there are real people behind it all can help them like you more.
Scarcity
The principle of scarcity is an old, but still a highly effective tool. As if it’s instinctual, we feel drawn towards something where there’s a possibility we might lose the opportunity to acquire it.
There can be several reasons we could lose an opportunity to acquire something. For instance, if it is only offered for a limited amount of time. You could launch a product and only sell the product during the launch. Then have another launch of the product months later. Or you could offer a great price during a limited amount of time. If you emphasize on how great the price is and the limited time it’s offered without letting them know what the new price will be afterwards, it can be even more powerful.
Another way to go about it is to let people know there’s a short supply of something. Tell people only the first 20 customers will get the low price deal, or that there are only 6 spots left for your webinar tomorrow night.
In addition, if your product or service has unique features or benefits, emphasizing them can also increase the perception of scarcity as you can’t find it anywhere else.
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Cialdini’s principles of persuasion have been known and successfully taken advantage of for a long time. The principles are still valid, even in the online world, and you should make use of them as best as you can in order to boost your digital marketing strategy.
Want to know what the first four of these powerful principles are? Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.