The next book in my “Book Notes” series is Influence by Robert Cialdini. The national bestseller claims to explain Cialdini’s “Universal Principles of Influence” and how to use them ethically in business. I am using the 2009 edition of the book. As before, I am sharing some of the main points as I make my way through the book.
Chapter 1 – Weapons of Influence
Cialdini begins the chapter discussing automatic behavior patterns. These patterns are “rules of thumb” that guide behavior. As an example, Cialdini says we use a coupon because we assume that will allow us to get the best price. Cialdini then points out the principles in the book can be exploited. A shop selling turquoise jewelry accidentally doubled the price of its jewelry while making pricing adjustments. The mistake resulted in the shop selling out its inventory. The customers were following the assumption that expensive goods mean better quality. Once the shop owner noticed this trend, the shop continued to use the strategy. Cialdini rounds out the chapter by noting that the principles of influence are easy to use because they naturally exist among us. As an example, the “contrast principle,” states that when two things are presented to someone, “if the second item in the presentation is fairly different from the first, we will tend to see it as more different than it actually is.” Using the “contrast principle,” car dealers make sure customers agree to the purchase before asking for additional features. The price of the add-ons seems subtle compared to the price of the car.
Quotes from the chapter:
- The exploiters can commission the power of these weapons for use against their targets while exerting little personal force. This last feature of the process allows the exploiters an enormous additional benefit – the ability to manipulate without the appearance of manipulation. Even the victims themselves tend to see their compliance as determined by the action of natural forces rather than by the designs of the person who profits from that compliance.
- A real estate company discovered the “contrast principle” … These [unattractive] houses were not intended to be sold to customers but to be shown to them, so that the genuine properties in the company’s inventory would benefit from the comparison.
Chapter 2 – Reciprocation: The Old Give and Take…and Take
The reciprocation rule “says that we should try to repay, in kind, what another person has provided us.” Cialdini gives an example where a professor sent Christmas cards to people he did not know. He had an overwhelming response rate, and the majority did not even ask who he was. Next, Cialdini says even concessions can make a person feel indebted to a seller. One concession technique, the “rejection-then-retreat,” is when a seller asks for more than they hope to receive. If the customer declines the offer, the seller will ask for less and the customer will often feel obliged to purchase because of the concession. Finally, to combat this principle when you know it’s being used on you unethically, Cialdini recommends reframing whatever “favor” was received as a sales device.
Related quotes:
- For those who owed him a favor, it made no difference whether they liked him or not; they felt a sense of obligation to repay him, and they did.
- Many people find it difficult to accept a sample from the always-smiling attendant, return only the toothpick, and walk away. Instead, they buy some of the product, even if they might not have liked it especially well.
- Since the tactic uses a concession to bring about compliance, the victim is likely to feel more satisfied with the arrangement as a result.
- After all, the reciprocity rule asserts that if justice is to be done, exploitation attempts should be exploited.
- The requester’s concession within the technique not only causes targets to say yes more often, it also causes them to feel more responsible for having “dictated” the final agreement.
Andrew T. Daniel 